Keegan found himself wandering the corridors, exploring - observing the school in its early morning setting. He passed by a few pods of students here and there but for the most part, the building seemed mostly empty. Taking in the refreshing atmosphere of the low amount of students, a growing feeling of calmness starts to manifest.

This calmness is interrupted by coming across the foreboding presence of the student council. Misha's gaze finds Keegan's own before quickly averting her eyes, seemingly, to not acknowledge his presence. Shizune, on the other hand, carries on yesterday's act of glaring at him with murderous intent as they continue towards the main stairwell.

Oh good. And here I thought she forgot about me. It's a rather unusual feeling to have someone stare at me, in every sense of the word. Mikado seems to want to ignore our encounter, Hakamichi sure as shit doesn't. After talking with Suzu, I believe I'm starting to become curious about the relationship dynamic there. What did she mean 'Mikado isn't the one at fault'? The serious and kinda scary student council president and her airheaded translator is without a doubt the very surface of that dynamic but what else?

His curious line of thought is stunted by a sudden ringing from his phone, expecting it to be his kouhai, Keegan grabs the device out of his pocket. Much to his surprise and a slight sense of guilt, it was not her but a name he hasn't seen in quite some time.

Caller: '$$Betty$$'

Ah. Bethany. An older, level-headed girl that grew up in the same orphanage as me. I always did feel like a failure to her. Probably my previous longstanding garbage way of life and... everything that happened with...Marcus. Tripled that with the fact that I didn't 'find my goal and/or purpose', those most likely being the reason I feel like I could never get away from her feelings of disappointment. All that culminated with me ending up in a foreign count-…. Ah, fuck! I forgot I never bothered to talk to her! Three hail marys! You're an asshole! Agh... you suck. Knowing her, she probably tried a few times at the very least.

He quickly scrolled through his call log, confirming his assumption. Breathing in deeply before dealing with the loaded conversation, Keegan slowly brought the phone up to his ear and hit the 'answer' key as he stepped outside.

"Y-yo."

"Yo,?" An impatient tone asks from the other end. "I don't hear from you in months, no texts, emails or calls and the first thing I get is 'yo'!?"

In my defence, I have no good defence. Let's do this.

"You expect that from someone like me? You coulda' called or whatever-the-hell-you-said earlier too, yunno'. Come on, Bets." Keegan snarks.

"I did. Are you really getting snippy with me now?" Bethany replies with an exasperated sigh.

Mission failed, we'll get `em next time.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, okay?"

Ignoring his apology, she continues. "Where are you?"

Shit. She doesn't know. Or maybe she does but wants to hear it from me so she can lay into me, personally.

"At school?"

"Eh? This late? Where?"

Oh yeah. It's gotta be evening back there.

"Yeah. A place called Yamaku."

A brief silence before she replies. "...where?"

"Uhh... Japan?" He says with some hesitation as he holds the phone further away from his ear in preparation for the incoming assault on his eardrums.

"WHAT?! THAT GARBAGE WAS TRUE?!" She yells at him, the loudness from his phone catches a few glances from some passing on-lookers, including a messy-haired student.

"Deep breaths. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale." He replies, pressing the device back against his ear - he catches the sound of a dry laugh.

"Hahaha…. you're such an asshole." She says, a hint of sadness in her insult.

I know.

"I'm sorry. I should've told you, but everything has been pretty wild these past months. Now I feel as if I'm finally getting my shit back on track." He replies with the truth.

Keegan detects some light sniffling on the other end before hearing her speak again. "At l-least all that time you spent studying Japanese wasn't a waste. S-so… You're actually going to school? You're okay? I heard from that Sanders chick that.. you were in rough shape." Ah. Her caring nature has always been something I marvelled at. Even about someone such as myself, she cares.

"Yeah. I'm great, missing an eye and discovered I have a heart disease. Now I'm at a school for the...disabled."

"Keegan…" She says softly.

He lets a sigh escape his lungs before taking a moment to speak. "Sorry. Still adjusting."

"Wait, back up a second… heart disease? Please don't tell me it's from your idiotic habits."

What, does she want me to lie to her?

"Ok. It's not from my idiotic habits."

"But that's a lie." She speaks, a coldness accompanies her voice.

Well, she set me up for that one. What if it was a genetic thing?

"How'd you figure that? It could've been a genetic thing."

"One. You never obey people when they tell you to do something. Two. I've known you and your terrible habits for years, it's not hard to connect the dots. Three. Lying is second nature to you. The black lies you tell yourself and the white lies you tell everyone else." She explains.

Scary. I feel stupid for trying to keep her at arm's length growing up. I lie when I need to, and I sure as hell don't lie to myself. Right? "Eh. Two out of three isn't so bad." He comments with some disinterest.

"Whatever. Just… promise me something."

"Hmm?"

"You'll change."

Upon hearing those words, a flash of irritation courses through Keegan. I told myself I would. That doesn't mean I'd be able to commit myself to it. Not now. "I'm trying," He speaks through gritted teeth. "it'd be unfair to promise anything. Uhhh. Listen, I gotta go."

"But… okay. Can you call me? Or message? Or something? Please? I hate not knowing what's happening with you."

It happened quite often though. Ugh. I figured she'd get around to this point as well.

"I think... it's best if I don't."

"W-wha-t-t.. w-why not?" The sound of desperation in her voice causes Keegan to grimace.

Because someone as good-hearted as you doesn't deserve to have to put up with me. You're too kind. Your life is moving forward and it shouldn't be hindered in the slightest by some failure of a person.

"You're in college. Your efforts are better off focusing on that."

"... then I'll do it for you. You're not getting rid of me just because of your shitty self-loathing attitude." She says, this time full of conviction.

Damn… that backfired. She saw right through that. Whatever, lame-ass excuse anyways. And it warms the soul to know she's still the same. Stubborn and clever. "You haven't changed."

"Change is good when it's changing a bad thing. Evidently, I don't need to." Bethany says playfully.

I can almost hear the grin forming on her face. "Oh my god, narcissism does peak in the morning..." He mutters aloud.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! I'll text you. I guess. Later on."

"I know you're bullshitting so I'll text you. Later on."

As abruptly as the call came, it went just the same. Keegan carries a slight smirk on his features as he puts his phone away and heads inside.

o—o

As Keegan enters the lobby, a bored voice from beside the door speaks out.

"So sign language and English, huh? I didn't think you were the type to be versed in multiple languages."

He turns around to see Hisao, equipped in the school uniform minus the blazer, leaning against the wall adjacent to the door — novel in hand.

Really? He sounds like a condescending asshole when he says it like that. He even looks the part!

"I didn't think you were the type to categorize people into types but hey, every day is a learning experience." Keegan retorts.

Hisao throws his book into his bag, standing upright. "Ah, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I found it impressive, is all."

Well, now I feel like a judgmental asshole.

Keegan clears his throat before talking. "Oh. Yeah. Thanks, I guess. But uh… you waited in here just to comment on that?"

"Not really. I have a favour to ask."

Shaking his head immediately, Keegan declines. "No can do."

"But… I didn't even ask?" Hisao responds, a bit stunned from the sudden denial.

"Doesn't matter. I don't do favours, man."

"Come on, at least hear me out. I could really use the help."

Fuck.

"With wh-"

"Senpai!"

Double fuck.

The pair turn to see a pouting Komachi and a tired-looking Suzu approaching them, with the former speaking.

"Senpai! It's rude to ditch your friends like that."

"I have friends,?" He looks back at Hisao. "alert the press! 'Young man acquires friendship without his knowledge.'

"That's a funny way of saying you're bad at making friends." Suzu chimes in with an annoyed expression.

Is she mad I took off? Well. I guess that was rude. Still, though, we're not actually friends. I don't get why she'd be irritated.

"I cannot refute that claim. I'm not one for the burdensome and meandering thing of what y'all would call 'friends'."

The three stared blankly at him and his off-putting explanation for a few moments before Hisao spoke.

"That has to be the most depressing thing I heard all day."

Keegan chuckles as he pats the fellow young man's shoulder. "Don't say that, the day just started. I'm sure I'll say something far more depressing at some point."

"You almost sound proud of that," Komachi speaks up.

"Almost? Damn. I didn't say it with enough enthusiasm... Anyways. Have you two met this guy yet?" He says as he points his thumb at Hisao.

"Sort of." Suzu answers after yawning.

"Nope!" Komachi fervently shakes her head.

"Ladies, Hisao Nakai - transfer student. As Suzu knows, he's a part of our class. Nakai, Suzu Suzuki. A sleep extraordinaire."

"Extra-ordi-nare?" Komachi stammers out with a quizzical look on her face.

Not the brightest, eh?

"Outstanding or remarkable in a particular capacity." Hisao defines the word for the confused girl.

Suzu looks away — a tint of pink in her cheeks and slight nervousness in her voice. "N-nice to meet you, Nakai."

Hisao shakes his head with a soft smile. "I'm fine with Hisao, and likewise, Suzuki."

"O-ok. Then same here, d-don't have to be so formal." Suzu responds.

"You should tell that to this guy, all he goes by is surnames." Hisao nods toward Keegan.

The pair of girls look at each other then back at Keegan; who only shrugged in response. Yeah, yeah. Don't read too much into it.

"Only the people I keep at arm's length. Which is almost everyone."

"Almost." Komachi reiterates proudly, a toothy grin taking shape.

"Hush you, speaking of you. Nakai, Komachi Hikigaya. I have nothing positive to add," He teases, earning him a quick poke in the side "-ack!"

Hisao looks on with a raised eyebrow. "Good to meet you as well, Komachi."

She gave a small bow as she responds. "Yes. Y-ou too, Nakai-senpai."

As Hisao tries to disperse the formalities Komachi was imposing, Keegan ponders the adjustment of the young lady. Is she going to bow to everyone she meets? It's cute but I don't really see the point in it. I understand the formalities behind it and I suppose she's just polite like that. She seems less nervous than earlier. The more acclimated she gets to the people, the more open and friendly she is.

I wonder if that's how she was before being sent here. I doubt most who come here do so by choice. I do remember being told before leaving Canada, that this place accepts perfectly healthy students as well. Seems like an odd thing though, why bother attending a school for the disabled if you're not actually disabled. Reduced tuition fees maybe? Or wait, wouldn't it cost more for normal students? Ha. Like I'd know what normal is. That word had barely any meaning to me before and it's doubly so now. The defin-

"Senpai!" Komachi's voice brings Keegan's awareness back, as he notices it's just the two of them now. What the… Did I space out that hard? Weird...

"Huh? Oh, what's up?" He answers, mildly confused.

"Class? Duh. What's up with you? You okay?" She asks, the concern evident on her face.

Just thinking about you is all. That feels like a weird statement, even in my head.

"...Y-yeah. My bad, zoned out there. Should get a move on" He responds as he heads towards the main stairwell.

Komachi follows until they're at the base of the stairs. "You sure you're ok, Senpai?"

"Of course. Just get lost in thoughts sometimes. You should get to class though, Komachi-chan." Keegan replies, giving a reassuring smirk as he starts ascending the stairs.

"Ookay. If you say so. But hey!"

"What?" He stops to look behind him.

"Want to have lunch together?" She asks with a smirk of her own.

"Like I could say no to my kouhai. Gotta warn you though, the food here ain't all that great."

"Ughhh. I know right? It's like, food straight from the hospital,"

That's exactly what I thought!

"that's alright for today, though. With a little shopping, I can make us Bentos!"

"Us?"

"Like I'd forget about my senpai. Teehee." She giggles; tapping her clenched fist against her forehead, shutting one eye and sticking her tongue out - effectively striking a pose before taking off down the corridor, leaving a dumbfounded Keegan in place.

Am I in a fucking anime?

Shaking his head, the raven-haired student proceeded to continue his way to class. Entering a few minutes before the bell, Keegan quickly heads to his seat beside the already blissfully asleep Suzu - ignoring the hostile presence behind him.

A/N: More backstory and relationship building. Quality over quantity.

Writing Track: Potsu - For what