Should I keep replying to reviews? Or should I reply in PM's? Decisions, decisions...

Cyberchao X: All women are can be like that. Keiji may be onto something...

Jony97: Thanks. I'll try to update more. Sometimes I get past my writers block, other times not. It's like a game of tug-of-war in a way.

"Whew~"

Hisao let out a sigh of relief. He had finally finished packing his things. Like in their old school they would get dorms, but this time Hisao had roommates.

The principal seemed to accept the fact (lie) that Hisao helped Emi get ready while Emi helped Rin. He assigned them a room for three and they needed to go to school to set up their room.

"I just hope I can live with what's going to happen in the mornings..."

Hisao already found problems with life in a room with Rin and Emi. He knew what it would be like with Emi, more or less, but he was having doubts about Rin.

The two couldn't be as "wild" with someone else there. But another problem is waking up. He knew Emi helped Rin take showers and dress up. A scene with two high school girls in the shower or getting dressed is what every high school guy dreams about, including Hisao.

He just doesn't know if his heart can take the sight and the joy.

He had his bags packed full of anything he might need. He brought his clothes, medicine, and some other things in one bag. Surprisingly, he needed a second bag that he used to bring something to entertain himself for when he had free time.

He brought a jar of money he had kept hidden in his room. Inside he held money he was saving for a game system, he didn't know which one, and he also brought some other things. From books, to Jump, to his handheld gaming devices. He knew he probably won't even pick up most of these things up, but he still decided to bring them.

Placing one bag over his shoulder and picking the other one up, Hisao left his room. The others had already left at different times. Hanako and Lily left yesterday, two days had passed since they went to school, and Misha had left once they got back home. Rin came to Hisao's house and stayed there for the two nights. Rin had her bags already packed by her parents and Emi had finished slightly quicker than Hisao, having most of her stuff in her bags already.

"Alright," he said, "I'm leaving, Okaa-san!"

"Have a safe trip!" his mother answered. She was in the kitchen talking to their relatives on the phone. She didn't bother seeing him off because she was going to the school, the parents had to come, the next day.

Closing the door behind him, Hisao started walking to the bus stop. Emi and Rin were already waiting so he started walking faster.

The ride to school was relatively quiet. Emi and Rin fell asleep so Hisao just gazed out the window. Once they made it Hisao woke the two girls up and they got off the bus.

"I still can't believe we're roommates," Hisao said.

The three friends were walking toward the dorms. Since the school was relatively the same, they more or less knew where to go.

"The schemes Emi comes up with usually work," Rin replied.

"Usually?" Hisao asked with a bit of dread.

"Hisao! Hisao! Look! Look!" Emi started squealing like a little kid who just saw a new toy.

Hisao turned to what Emi was excitedly pointing at.

"Whoa."

Hisao let out a low whistle at the sight. It was a huge track field. Hisao guessed that the one in their old school was three times smaller compared to this one. It was like a mass of red with streaks of white, big enough for a building.

"I can't wait to run on that!" Emi told him. She had a genuine smile on her face.

"Me too," he said sincerely. Then after a pause he asked, "It's not going to be the amount as last time, right?"

"Maybe more."

"I knew it," Hisao said with a sigh.

"My condolences," Rin said without emotion.

"That expressionless face hurts..."

Rin was indifferent as always. Hisao thought he was used to it, but in some situations it just added insult to injury. The three continued to the dorms. Hisao with his shoulders slumped, Emi giddy with anticipation, and Rin without emotion.

Nothing changed between the three friends.

"This is our room?" Hisao asked with awe.

The room they got was huge. It had a large room that had a small TV plugged in and Hisao could even see a kitchen. He saw three doors. Two bedrooms, and one bathroom.

There was no sofa or any other piece of furniture. The three went around their room to find that the only thing there was the beds and TV.

"Guess we'll have to get some stuff," Hisao said.

"Like what?" Rin asked as she opened the fridge in the kitchen to check it's contents. Hisao was still amazed how flexible she was.

"A sofa, a table, some chairs," Hisao began to list, "My mom will get some movers to bring my bookshelf over so I can put my books away. A bigger TV and some games will do too."

"Hold up, a bigger TV and games?" Emi asked as she came out off one bedroom.

"That's right," Hisao stated without backing down, "Or did you forget how I had to lie to the entire staff to get this room?"

"Fine," Emi grumbled, pouting.

But Hisao didn't look because he knew what she was doing.

"Like kicking a puppy," Rin said calmly and closed the door to the fridge.

The rest of the day seemed to fly by. Emi told Hisao they could sleep together, or she could sleep with Rin. Rin just shrugged her shoulders and told Emi to "go ahead."

"Just don't make too much noise," she said with half opened eyes and a small smile.

"Ehehehe," Emi laughed nervously, scratching her cheek. Hisao was avoiding Rin's gaze, his cheeks red.

Having decided on the rooms Hisao and the girls talked decoration. They all agreed on a table, chairs, and a big sofa. The bigger TV was also unanimous, and Hisao managed to get permission on getting the game consoles two to one.

"Thanks Rin," he said cheerfully.

Rin nodded with a smile. She was happy to help out, but was also secretly looking forward to playing the consoles.

"I'll call my mom after we decided on everything," Hisao told them after a few moments.

They decided to leave it to Rin to decide how to paint the room, and while Rin was thinking Emi and Hisao were arguing about what to use to cover the windows.

In the end Rin broke the argument by telling them she decided, and needed paint.

"I'll take you to the store and you can show me what to get," Hisao told her.

Rin nodded.

"Thank you."

The rest of the day was filled with laughter. After Rin picked out the pain Hisao generously bought and carried everything. He noticed Rin looking at some brushed before they left.

"I'll buy those too," Hisao said and gestured toward the brushes.

Rin looked surprised, then smiled.

"Thank you."

That one sounded sincere, and made Hisao happier than the previous one did.

Once they got home, Rin started painting right away since Emi covered everything up with plastic while they were gone. She had invited Misha, Lily, and Hanako over.

"Yosh, let's GO!" Misha proclaimed and thrust her fist into the air.

All of them started getting to work.

Rin started painting designs on the wall once some of the paint dried. She also, to the surprise and amusement of everyone, started a paint war.

She took one of her new brushes and drew a heart on Hisao's cheek and some cat whiskers.

"Nyan," she said and walked over to Emi, doing the same.

With everyone laughing, the war began. Lily had flowers painted on her, and Hisao got covered by lines of different colors from her own attacks. Emi drew, rather crudely, on Hanako who retorted with her own drawings.

In the end Hisao seemed to be the focus.

The girls all pounced on him after Misha whispered something into each of their ears.

"Thank you, see you later!" Hisao called out.

The girls left home as it was getting late, but Rin promised to paint their rooms too.

With a sigh and a smile Hisao looked at the elaborate painting adorning his new room.

There was a painting on the wall of Hisao carrying paint cans and running in his workout clothes, with a paint brush that, he noticed, was the one Rin used.

But the painting continued. In the direction Hisao was running was Emi and Rin sitting on the rooftop where they ate lunch last year. Emi was waving with her mouth open, seemingly laughing or yelling his name, while Rin looked at him and smiled.

Looking closer he noticed some books on his head that had a tea set just visible out of a pick-nick basket on top of that. Lily was smiling as she was being led by Hanako who was even happier. They were running to catch up to Hisao, the wind blowing their hair back but Hanako didn't seem to care.

A game board was tucked under Hisao's arm and he could see a laughing Misha dragging a reluctant Shizune to the rooftop.

The room was filled with more painting that differed with meanings and styles. A dragon was flying across the sky and Hisao saw the group pointing at it. There was a party with what Hisao saw where famous warlords. He saw that he was laughing along with Oda Nobunaga, Uesugi Kenshin, and Takeda Shingen. Rin was conversing with Date Masamune, and Emi was racing with Tokugawa Ieyasu. There were many other famous warriors and they were all doing different things. Shizune was playing a game of tactics that seemed to impress Azai Nagamasa and Sanada Yukimura. Misha was laughing and Hanako shared her story while Lily conversed with Asakura Yoshikage.
The picture was big, and even Hisao, who was big on history, didn't know all the warlords in it.

What he did notice is that all the paintings had him, Misha, Shizune, Lily, Hanako, Rin, and Emi in it.

With a smile he continued to gaze at the painting. He knew that Rin had fallen asleep exhausted, but only after washing her brushed and putting everything away.

"It was a gift, after all," she stated with another smile. She seemed full of them today, Hisao realized.

Emi was also asleep after taking a bath. Only Hisao remained awake, for now, staring at the sight that decorated the walls.

With a smile he spoke to the room.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait for school to start."

AFTER KATAWA SHOUJO: EMI END

See you in Katawa Shoujo Daigaku! Think of this as a prologue to the real story!