Breakfast was quiet.

Really quiet.

So quiet that, even with the added protection of multi-layered glass panes, the howls of the wind were still clearly audible outside. Arthur and the three girls that accompanied him to the cliff earlier were sitting at the island in the kitchen, eating their breakfast but not even striking up a conversation.

Mika was pouring some chocolate cereal into her bowl when she decided to ask the group, ["So, where did the wind make you head off to?"]

Aki began choking on her food, but she luckily recovered quickly. She cleared her throat and looked at Mika ["We... were just showing Arthur around the place, and he wanted to get in the snow, right?"]

She began elbowing Arthur to follow up. He quickly swallowed his food and said, "Y-Yeah! What she said!"

Mika finished pouring the milk into her bowl of cereal and looked back to the island. "Aki, did that warrant taking me out though?"

["Oh, of course not! I mean, yes- I mean, no! Of course, it was warranted- IT WASN'T WARRANTED!-"] As Aki freaked out, Mikko placed her hand on her friend's head to signal her to stop.

"What?!"

["Please, stop talking. Let me handle this,"] the red-haired girl simply told her friend as she removed her hand.

Arthur looked over to Mikko and put his finger over his lips. He whispered, "Don't you frickin' dare!" All he got in response was a simple chuckle and shrug before the girl returned to her seat.

Aki's ears perked up with confusion and she immediately questioned Arthur. "Wait, why are you even scared of Mika knowing? If we know, then Mika should know!" She whispered to him.

"That's the thing," Arthur whispered back. "If Mika knows, she'll most definitely kick me out! You said that she's the leader of this house, right?"

"Technically, I am the leader of this house because I actually take care of this place, but sure, you can go with that logic and have a secret to keep from her. You'll definitely get kicked out!"

"Then should I tell her about that whole thing, or not?-" Just as the tension heightened, Arthur was hit by a flying piece of toast targeted directly towards the back of his neck.

He turned his head around. "Ow?"

The culprit was none other than the White Witch, Jouko, who looked... fed up?

"You fed up?" He asked the girl, to which he got a head shake in response.

"You angry?" He got another head shake.

"You both?" He got another, another head shake.

He rolled his eyes. "Then, what's with that look?"

He then got something else other than a head shake for once: a nod from Jouko

"So, Arthur-" Mika suddenly interrupted his stare off with the White Witch and looked to him from across the island- "you seem jumpier than usual. Did the wind give you a bad headache?"

Arthur quickly redirected his vision to Mika and turned toward her. "The wind— Argh," he said. "Mika, it's nothing, okay?"

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Just let me eat."

Mika walked up to the island and placed her bowl down. "Sometimes, like the wind that's unrestricted, you need to free yourself up."

"I don't have anything to free up," Arthur retorted. "Let me just eat."

"You're sounding jumpier than a few seconds ago, which means-", Mika placed her elbows on the island, "-your energy seems to be misplaced."

"I have zero clue about what you're talking about, but maybe I don't have the energy to talk," Arthur added as the excuses from Mika piled onto him like a freight truck.

"Maybe you have a secret you don't want to tell."

"Maybe I want to just eat in peace."

"Maybe you're making excuses to not talk to me."

"Maybe I just want peace and quiet because you keep telling me useless things and I had a rough night last night."

"Maybe you're just stupid-"

Having had enough of the constant barrage, he slammed both of his hands onto the island and yelled to Mika, "MAYBE YOU'RE JUST STUPID BECAUSE YOU DON'T SHUT UP WHEN I SAY SO!"

Mika didn't respond.

Arthur suddenly realized his mistake and he began moving away from the island. "I'm sorry, Mika," he said with a hushed voice, "I didn't mean to do that. I have very bad anger issues and-"

"Alright, keep your secrets to yourself," Mika interrupted. "Sorry about the useless ramblings. The wind didn't guide me correctly in this conversation anyway."

Arthur didn't respond.

"Oh," Mika suddenly piped up, looking at her wrist as if she had a watch, "would you look at the time! I'll be taking my leave and eating this bowl of cereal... in my room. It can't eat itself, you know!"

She headed to the stairs and exclaimed, "Nähdään!", as she rushed up the steps.

When she was finally out of view, the three girls immediately gathered around Arthur and, like a parliament of owls, gazed at him. Their eyes pierced through his thick skin and he suddenly felt like he would die within the next few minutes.

"You done fucked up, stowaway!" Mikko exclaimed with ominous intent. Arthur sat back down and plopped his head onto the island, groaning heavily as Mikko gave him a pat on the back.

"Is... she mad at me?" He hesitated.

"I was kidding about the done-fucked-up part," Mikko reassured him that nothing bad will happen and that this always occurs. "Trust me," the red-haired girl spoke up, "Mika has experienced way worse than that. This is nothing."

Suddenly, Aki dragged Mikko away from Arthur. "Mikko! We don't talk about that!" She sighed heavily. "You know what I'm talking about! Arthur mustn't know about... that!"

Mikko rolled her eyes and removed herself from Aki's grip. "Fine," she replied, "but don't come running back to me when he begins to question things even more!"

As Mikko returned to the island counter space, Arthur asked her, "What were you guys talking about? I heard my name and that's the only thing I understood."

"Mika is secretly a man."

"Huh?"

Mikko slapped Arthur's face, causing him to yelp in pain. Before he could even get angry at her, Mikko moved on to the next question. "Anyways, prove me wrong. If you are from the future, then what happens next year?"

"How would you know if I'm right if you do not know what will go down?" Arthur fired back.

"So, you aren't from the future then?"

"No, I am most definitely from the future."

"Then why aren't you answering my first question?"

"Because I just can't?"

Mikko stepped back from Arthur and began pouting at her friend. Aki, he's being a stupid jerk." She sulked.

Aki simply crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You're asking him the wrong questions. Let me handle this for now," she whispered. Aki cleared her throat and slowly approached Arthur.

"Okay, I apologize for Mikko being... Mikko," She assured him. "I guarantee, we won't pressure you like that again."

Arthur let out a sigh of relief, right before Aki asked him another question, "How did you not know you were in Japan until a few minutes ago, even though everyone here spoke Japanese and you could probably tell we are Japanese by our accent when we speak English to you?"

Arthur's eyes immediately flushed blank. "I thought you said you would not pressure me!" He groaned.

Aki slammed her fist on the table again, yelling, "I didn't say I would stop asking questions. Now, answer me!"

Arthur suddenly got spooked by that sudden outburst and hesitantly replied, "Okay, first things first-" he shifted his stool towards everyone "-does it look like I think properly when I'm feeling confused in a new environment?

"We barely know you, so I don't know."

"...Alright, fair enough."

Aki leaned closer to Arthur and banged the island once more. "Now, ELABORATE!"

If the loud noise wasn't enough, her squinted eyes and piping red face were the cherries on top of the proverbial sundae. Arthur took a deep breath and relaxed his muscles. "If I'm being honest with you all, I guess I'll say that you guys don't have too much of an accent when you speak in my native tongue...?"

Aki suddenly felt relaxed and her face flushed red. "Oh, actually?"

"Surprisingly enough, you all speak good English— Except Jouko. I don't know because... Ah, anyways, how do you know English?"

From behind Aki's shoulder, Mikko raised her hand and answered, "I was basically forced to learn the language from a young age, even outside of school. This is what being in a well-off family does to you sometimes..."

Arthur looked to Jouko, who looked away to the window. Initially confused at first, Mikko explained to him that because Jouko doesn't speak too much, she doesn't find any point in learning a new language; she does know the basics, however.

He looked back at Aki and asked her, "What about you? How are you so well-equipped with English?"

"Studying. Lots and lots of studying," Aki replied, her ego being as high as Arthur on a Saturday night with the boys at Stanley Park...

"Then what about Mika-" Just before Arthur could ask, Aki turned his stool around to face the stove as she yelled to him: "Alright! Next question!"

"H-Hey! You still don't trust me?!"

Aki sauntered around the island and stood across from him. "Arthur," she said, "this question may or may not get you thrown off the boat, so answer wisely..."

Oh boy, the intensity was already ramping up. The temperature felt like it had climbed over 40 degrees Celsius and Arthur was sweating like he was wearing a Canada Goose jacket right next to a forest fire.

Aki's voice continued to torture his ears. "If you're from the future..."

He didn't know what question he would get asked, but he feared it was going to be something stupid, embarrassing, or both. He closed his eyes and trembled in his seat.

"If you're really from the future..."

The climax was coming up, and Arthur recited and repeated Hail Mary under his breath, as the sweat quickly slid down his forehead like rushing rapids.

"Shit, shit, shit..."

Here it comes!

"Shit, shit, shit..."

HERE IT COMES!

"Shit, shit, shit..."

HERE IT IS-

"...If you're truly from the future, then can you tell me if the upcoming Frozen movie is any good?"

...Frozen? That one Disney movie? The one with the sisters and ice conjuring? That movie? Arthur was, of course, confused and asked Aki if she was an avid fan of the House of Mouse.

"WELL, DUH! IT'S NOT LIKE I BLEW HALF MY BUDGET ON THE ANNUAL PASS FOR THE TOKYO DISNEYLAND RESORT!" She yelled back.

"Oh, geez, chill— Wait, isn't that place..." Just before he could ask, Mikko put her hand on his shoulder. She looked down and told him, "Yes, it's far. And it's a pain to get to..."

Arthur looked back at Aki holding up her annual pass and grinning like she won the lottery. He rolled his eyes with insurmountable disbelief.

"Anyways, back on topic. Aki, I can confirm that the new Disney film is... Actually, can someone give me a drum roll?"

Mikko began drumming on the walls furiously as the anticipation within Aki began piling up as much as the snow outside.

"The movie..."

"Mhm?"

"The movie is..."

"Mhm!"

"The movie is..."

"YES?!"

"The movie is definitely... a movie."

Aki's initial high of positivity quickly depleted upon hearing the results of the question. Arthur quickly explained himself.

"Listen," he spoke up, "would I spoil a movie that doesn't come out in over a year? And since you're a mega Disney fan, why would I spoil a massive movie event like this movie, since it is Disney's first musical since Tangled and you wouldn't want-"

Aki rubbed her eyes and told Arthur to shut up., "Enough talking, Arthur. I— I mean, we believe you're from the future." She proceeded upstairs, but not before mumbling to herself, "Damn, I could've gotten insight for the forum..."

This was a win for the boy. At least now that they believe him, Arthur could breathe a sigh of relief and pat himself on the back for doing a good job.

For now, at least.

After Aki hastily beelined back upstairs, and with the revelation proven right, Mikko quickly rushed to Arthur; her starry-eyed look of amazement startled him.

"So, you really ARE FROM THE FUTURE!" She exclaimed with glee.

"Yes, I am," Arthur replied. "So, what do you want to ask?"

"Can you tell me if you end up dating anyone here-"

"No."

/

Arthur didn't know it yet, but right upstairs was the living room, the perfect place to eavesdrop. And it turns out that someone was listening to the interrogation that went down.

["Aki, I bought you that annual pass... Also, this cereal tastes weird— Oh wait, that's just the milk..."]

Yeah, her.

Mika was peacefully sitting on the navy blue loveseat, eating her bowl of sludge and listening to everything that was brought forth by the girls and the mysterious male.

The future, a Disney movie, the near reveal of her origins...

As she thought about all the topics, Mika suddenly heard Aki's footsteps and she immediately bolted to her room; she even brought her bowl of cereal along.

When her friend entered the living room, she sensed that someone was definitely there before her, and the smell of pine entering her nostrils was a sure sign that it wasn't just a simple someone that was eavesdropping on the interrogation.

["...MIKA! GET YOUR BUTT HERE, NOW!"]

Aki stomped over to Mika's room and began knocking on her door furiously. ["I know you were eavesdropping, damn it! Let me in!"] She yelled, but Mika replied with a simple: ["No."]

Aki had no other choice, but she decided to storm right into the room, which in retrospect was a horrible idea because of one aspect.

Mika's room was messier than Kabukicho on a Saturday night.

["EW! WHAT! EURGGH!"] Aki covered her nose and immediately left the room.

Mission accomplished! Mika's messy room had saved her from a world of hurt. But now, with a newfound secret in the palm of her hands, she wondered if she should talk with the stranger tonight.

"Should I... or should I not...?"

/

After breakfast, Mikko and Aki toured Arthur around their mountain home. Nothing was very notable about the house to him, other than the gorgeous view and the (supposed) Japanese garden oasis at the back.

Afterwards, Arthur was left to his own devices and he stayed quietly in his room. It was a small den, but it had all the essentials; a TV, a giant window with blinds, a plant, a lamp, a desk with a creepy Yoda plush staring directly at him, and one of those cool folding Murphy beds that people with extremely small houses use.

It wasn't much, but at least he was close to the bathroom.

However, the room couldn't distract him from the events today. He plopped down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. Adjusting to a new environment was already hard enough, but adjusting to the past was the last thing he expected, and he began contemplating

Contemplating...

"2012..."

Contemplating...

Japan...

Contemplating...

A giant ship...

Contemplating—

SNORE!

Eventually, after only a few minutes of contemplating, he fell fast asleep.

/

In the end, Mika decided to talk to Arthur about the secret and see what else she could scrounge up about this mysterious boy.

The day went by quickly and the cloudy sky cleared, revealing that the dark navy blue was painted over by the warm hue of pink and gold. Mika stared out the window in the dining room

that overlooked the entire town. Even from a distance, she could see all the street lamps and Christmas decorations flickering on, and she was reminded that the holidays were fast approaching, which also meant that another event was approaching.

["30th of November... the day where I realize that I've spent 18 years on this planet... Fun."] She was none too enthusiastic about the thought and continued to look out the window, sulking.

Suddenly, she heard a noise and looked over at the kitchen counter, where the coffee machine had just finished brewing its caffeine-laced gift into the glass decanter.

["I wonder what he likes in his coffee if he even likes coffee at all...?"] She wondered.

Mika gave her coffee two generous splashes of heavy cream and two sugar cubes, and gave Arthur five sugar cubes in his mug of coffee; just in case he didn't like coffee, she had planned to drink his serving anyway. With the mugs on a serving tray, the commander walked to his den at the end of the hallway. She took a peek into the room and saw that Arthur was fast asleep.

At first, she questioned why anyone would take a nap right when the day is turning to night, but those thoughts dissipated when he rolled over and his body faced the door. Fearing he may open his eyes and notice her, Mika scurried around the bed to the far end of the room, toward the white-as-snow wooden desk. She placed the tray onto the desk, causing it to emit a loud CLINK!

"Kuso!" She cursed quietly as she quickly turned around to check if Arthur was still asleep; he still was knocked out. [Well, he's still snoring. Mission accomplished, I guess?] She told herself before she quickly made a beeline for the door.

/

It wasn't long after night fell that Arthur woke up from his "little nap". When he looked outside and saw that it was dark, he let out a single "Fuck." and got out of bed.

A rather unusual yet familiar scent hit the tip of his nostrils and he began tracing the source of this fragrance. He was led to the white desk by the window, where he found a mug of coffee. Its colour was unusually bright, but he decided to take a swig at it.

"...What the hell is in this?!" The bright brown colour was suddenly explained as he felt a rush of sugar overtake his taste buds. Whoever made this coffee doesn't know what moderation is!

Arthur put the mug down and exited the room. He walked towards the giant window that beckoned him the first time he realized that he was stuck here, but now, the lights in the Japanese garden outside were on. The harsh yellow-orange hue imprInting its mark onto the snow was quite the sight to see and filled him with an unexplainable sense of calm.

As he continued to look out the window, however, his left ear picked up an unusual noise. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw one of his housemates looking at him intently: The one and only Mika.

"Arf your oorkay?" Why're yer staring ourt the windbow aga-in?" The roommate asked with her mouth full due to a protein bar she was consuming.

"Huh?" Arthur answered, wondering what the hell she had just said.

Mika then proceeded to swallow the protein bar and her speech became clear again. "I said," she began, "are you okay? Why are you staring out the window again?"

"Oh, you know. I was just... staring outside? Yep, just staring out into the open. The vast, dark... out..." Arthur replied, rather confused with even his own answer. "Yeah, I don't know."

Mika took another bite from her protein bar and continued to observe Arthur. All he could do was continue to look at her, chewing away her fill. It was very uncomfortable, and the sound of chewing annoyed Arthur greatly.

"Could you please stop?" He promptly told her.

"Wert's rong? A libble mouffull o' food never hurfed no wrone!" Mika said with her mouth still full of food.

"Please. Stop."

Mika was about to continue her annoying stunt towards Arthur by chewing more loudly, but then she was reminded of the little incident during breakfast. After swallowing, she relented and told Arthur, "Right. Sorry."

Arthur did not expect that answer from her. From what he knew of the girl so far, she would've broken him into little pieces, but the fact that she actually relented made him feel a little guilty for some reason.

"...Was this about earlier?" He asked Mika with a softer-than-usual voice. He then looked away from her and out the window again.

Mika was silent at first, but then she sighed. She looked out the window like him and answered, "We shouldn't get worked up about what happened earlier. Only being a victim of the burdens of the past would affect us in the long term."

Arthur stood even quieter than before, processing what he had heard. Even for something that sounds blatantly deep and something you'd hear from a movie, the answer struck a chord within him. He didn't know why though, but just something about it made him think more than usual.

"The past..."

Before he could get any more profound thoughts, he was interrupted by Mika again. "Say, you haven't been to our sauna, have you?" She asked him.

"You guys have a sauna?!" Arthur exclaimed with surprise.

Mika turned her over to Arthur. "...Have we not told you that our entire schoolship is inspired by Finland?"

"Wait, really?!"

"Uh, yes? Every schoolship under the Federation is based on or inspired by certain countries. Do you not know that?"

"Wow, that's both confusing and cool. So other schoolships like these may just be as big or bigger than this one! Is there a Canada schoolship?!"

Mika was taken aback by his answer. How could such common knowledge be not known to some people? Even a foreigner here would know about the schoolships!

"...Yes," she reluctantly replied, "there is a Canada schoolship."

Arthur suddenly lit up with glee. "Really," he exclaimed. "Where is it? We need to check it out!"

Rather than sighing with annoyance, Mika began to find something funny about Arthur.

She didn't know what it was, but something about a guy getting giddy over a Canadian-inspired schoolship that probably isn't a good representation of the country itself struck her funny vibe.

"We have a lot of catching up to do. Don't we, Arthur?" She thought to herself, chuckling afterwards.