Stay Here With

Quick note- Thanks to everyone for your reviews.  Comments and criticism are always welcome (and appreciated).  This is starting to move into smaller story arcs in one big story, so forgive some funny-looking-ness in the chapters.  The first arc will simply be Tokitoh's first day at school at Araiso.

Warnings:  For now, language. 

Disclaimer:  Minekura owns all that is EC/WA.  Whoo-ha 

Across Platform C – part 2

Tokitoh barely had time to take in the scenery.  One foot into the doorway and a woman at the front desk quickly got up and shooed him towards the principal's office.  "You're late," she frowned and handed him a folder.  "Give that to the Mr. Takahata and he'll explain things."  He could only nod as she pushed him towards the door.  "And he's a little miffy this morning, so be good and listen.  Mr. Takahata does not like tardiness.  No sir, not one bit."  Before she knocked, the woman turned, and with a face that seemed to be stuck in a scrunched up expression, looked back up at him silently.

Tokitoh was taken aback a little by her intensity, small that she was.  "…What?"

The scrunch deepened somehow.  "Do you understand?  Miffy.  He's definitely miffy."

He nodded slowly.  "I- I think got it."

She squinted for a moment and looked over his face, as if there was a sign somewhere, maybe behind his ear that said, "Miffy?  What's that?"  She finally gave up, turned back to the door, made a fist and then gave a soft, gentle knock- just once. 

"WHAT?"  A voice boomed out of the office.  The woman gingerly turned the knob, opened the door, and poked her head in.

"The other new student is here today," she whispered into the office.  "Other?" Tokitoh wondered to himself.  Then he remembered the kid from the subway, the one that had been picked on.  He had been wearing the same school jacket, hadn't he?  He couldn't help but smile a little thinking about it.  At least one of them got here on time today.  The secretary turned, and his expression seemed to make her even more suspicious.  He coughed into his hand and tried to look a little more serious.  She just shook her head and pushed him into the office.  Before closing the door he heard one last "Miffy!" hissed out.  Tokitoh swallowed and turned, only to find himself facing the source of the secretary's warnings, Principal Takahata.           

Even sitting down, he looked small, and when he stood up to motion him to take a seat, Tokitoh could tell that they were about the same height.  With thinning hair that sprung up around his ears, and a round, babyish face, he didn't come off as the Lord of at that was "Miffy".  Tokitoh was halfway into sitting down when Takahata quickly raised his hand to stop him.   "Wait!"

Tokitoh tried best to stay still, but his balance was failing.  "….what?"

Takahata's eyes went to the door.   They both stood there silent for a few moments, Takahata standing by his desk, Tokitoh's butt inches from sitting down.  Tokitoh's eyes went back and forth, but Takahata's remained on the door.  Finally they heard the squeak of shoes that were quietly moving away from the office.  The sound of a chair being pulled out was then heard and a few seconds later, the tapping on keys.  Takahata then let out a breath and sat down.  He opened the folder on his desk and looked up to see Tokitoh still half stooped over.  "Oh, sit-sit-sit."  He waved his hand at him. 

Tokitoh let out his own breath which he didn't even know he had been holding in, and sat down.  "What was that?"

Takahata just shook his head.  "Don't worry about it.  Now you are…."  The principal looked up at him expectantly. 

Tokitoh looked back for a moment and then realized he was supposed to say something.  "…Tokitoh Minoru."

Takahata only kept looking at him with the same expectant look.

"…New second year student…"  No change.  "…transferring from Aoyama Private High School in Tokyo…"  Still no change.  "…I think my uncle called about coming here?"  Tokitoh turned a little red after that.  The "here?" came out a high squeak.  Inside he cursed puberty with every swear he knew. 

Takahata only looked down at his folder and then puffing out his cheeks, stood up and walked around the desk, folder in hand.  Tokitoh then felt a light whap on the back of his head and he looked up to see Takahata shooting him a stern look.  He couldn't seem to hold it though and his cheeks finally slackened and sighing, he went back to behind his desk. 

"You, young man," Takahata sat down again.  "Tokitoh Minoru-kun, new second year student transferring from Aoyama Private High School in Tokyo who's uncle did call yesterday to affirm this appointment are forty-five minutes late."  Back came the expectant look. 

"…But I was just-" Tokitoh barely started his explanation when the raised hand to stop him came back up.  He looked back for a second and then down at his hands.  What did he want?  "…I'm…sorry?"  He looked back up at the principal, eyes searching.  This was driving him nuts. 

Takahata gave him a curt nod.  "Fair enough.  You have one of the longer commutes of our students here.  Next time, plan better."  And then standing up, he handed Tokitoh back his folder.  "Your schedule is on top.  I suggest you hurry otherwise you'll miss your second class along with your first." 

Tokitoh looked at the folder.  "What?  Is that it?"

Takahata sighed again.  It seemed to be his most favorite sound to make.  Then leaning down, he motioned Tokitoh towards him.  Tokitoh looked back at the door and then cautiously slid forward until they were eye to eye across the desk. 

"I could say something like," Takahata started in a loud whisper and held up one hand, "welcome to Araiso, work hard, make friends, join a club, and try to represent the Araiso spirit throughout the whole day, or I could say something like," and he held up his other hand, "I've read your permanent record and there is no way you'll be able to stay here if you continue to display the same disruptive behavior you've shown at your last five schools and because your uncle and I were friends in college I'm letting you in here without going through the entire entrance exam process and giving you a chance to actually complete high school at the same institution.  But-"  He took a breath and then placed both hands on the desk, "since that is really something I would have wanted to spend some more time on, and we're plum out of it, I will just give you this-" He pointed at the folder.  "And say good luck, and-" then he pointed at Tokitoh.  "Keep your nose clean.  Got it, Tokitoh-kun?" 

Tokitoh swallowed and held up the folder.  "Got it." 

"Good."  Takahata sat back into his chair and waved him off.  "You're in the B section of the second year students.  You'll find it on the third floor."

Tokitoh bowed his head, stood up, and headed for the door.  Right as he was about to open it, the principal's voice stopped him again.  "And for your sake and mine, tell her I'm still miffy."  Tokitoh just gave him a slow nod and then turned and left the office.

The secretary nearly pounced on him when he stepped out.  "What are you supposed to do?"

Tokitoh took a few steps back from her.  "…Just go to class…"

She shot a look towards the now closed office door.  "And that's all he said?"

It took him a second but then he caught on to what Takahata had meant.  "And he says he's still…miffy." 

"Ha!  I knew it!"  The scrunched up look changed into one of sweet satisfaction as she turned and went back to her desk.  Tokitoh took that moment to flee the office.  He stood out in the hall, shaking his head and opened the folder to the first page.  2nd year, section B, huh?  He puffed out his own cheeks and sighed and made his way towards the stairs and the third floor. 

"This has to be the weirdest school.  Has to be." 

-----

Kubota had barely time to take in the scenery when he was stopped by a very familiar, cold look.  He had just left the new kid at the front office and was on his way up to class, when he felt another presence in the empty hall.  Kubota partly knew this would happen.  He risked bumping into Matsumoto every time he passed the room that the student council used as their office, and yet he still never changed his path to class.  Sometimes, he thought maybe a part of him wanted that risk

He turned and looked back at Matsumoto.  Neither said anything for a moment, as if waiting for the other to start.  Seconds passed by.  Scowling, Matsumoto finally stepped into the office and left the door open.  Kubota only smiled and followed him inside.  He wondered inwardly if they would call this one a draw. 

"I'm not going to even ask why you're late."  Matsumoto said haughtily.  "I'll have you know that EVERYONE was here though at 8:30, as they were asked."

"Everyone but me, huh?  That is pretty good."  Kubota took out a cigarette.  "Did I spoil us making the record attendance?"

"Hardly."  Matsumoto shot him his usual "Put that out or else" look, but Kubota lit up anyway.  As a consolation, he blew the smoke in the opposite direction.  Matsumoto rolled his eyes and opening the top drawer on the main desk, took out an ash tray and slid it over to him.  "You know Ikeda doesn't like the office to smell like smoke." 

"Ask me when I ever cared about what the council president thought before."  Kubota took another drag.  "Besides, isn't he out with- now what was it…mono, right?"  Kubota arched an eyebrow at him. 

Matsumoto frowned in response.  "He is out, but it's just the flu, he says.  It's the secretary who is out with mono.  You know that." 

"You sure?"  Kubota, not to hide his smile, put his cigarette down.  "I've seen them kissing."

"We were all at the Golden Week party and we all saw it, Makoto, now just grow up."  Matsumoto glared back and placed his hand on a small stack of papers on the desk.  "That's not why I asked everyone here this morning though.  We have other matters to discuss, and since you decided to not grace us with your presence then, I'm going over them with you now."

"Oh, but I'm missing math now."  Kubota tapped his ashes into the tray.  "Will you write me a note for Mr. Yonekura?"

"Spare me, Makoto, and allow me the brief illusion you're actually involved in this because you care for something outside of yourself." 

"My intentions are as pure as yours, Takahisa."  Matsumoto looked up from the papers when Kubota used his first name, but Kubota's expression was the same stony smile.

Matsumoto's eyes returned to what was on the desk.  "There are two things that we went over this morning.  First, it looks like Okumo will be out for awhile.  He probably will take time off from school until he feels better or at least can get out of bed.  Because of this, we've elected an interim secretary to carry out the rest of his term."

"Oh, who did you rope into that job?"  Kubota sat back.  Out of all the council jobs, the secretary's was probably the worst for being the most work and the least amount of power. 

"I didn't rope anyone into it.  I'll have you know that someone actually volunteered.   Or maybe it's so surprising to you that there's someone who actually wants to do this, or do anything for that matter."  Matsumoto's voice rose up an octave as he spoke.  Kubota noted that it tended to do that when he got agitated. 

Kubota raised his hands as if saying guilty as charged.  "So, who was the lucky volunteer?"

Matsumoto paused for a moment before answering.   "Tachibana Haruka." 

Kubota's eyebrows went up a little.  "Will he be stepping down from being the class representative now?"

Matsumoto nodded.  "That will be an easier job to fill though."  He paused for second and then started again.  "Speaking of which this leads to the second part of the meeting.  It's in regard to the other second year class representative." 

"Hiragi?  What about him?"

Matsumoto pursed his lips for a moment.  "I'm sure you know by now that I plan on running for council president for next year."

"A little bird has said something of the like, yes."  Kubota breathed out a thin line of smoke.  "I've also head from said little bird that Class Representative Hiragi also has designs for the presidency."

Matsumoto rolled his eyes.  "The newspaper's editor takes free speech a little too far sometimes." 

"Now, now.  Nothing wrong with keeping people on their toes."  Kubota smiled.  "I rather liked that piece he did on you.  Treasurer Matsumoto- Which way does he lay?"

Kubota thought Matsumoto was going to hit him then, he looked so angry.  Instead, he shuffled the papers noisily and stood up.  "If you're not going to listen, just go then."

Kubota didn't get up though.  Instead he simply returned Matsumoto's look.  "So, what you're saying is you asked the executive committee to what?  Get involved with the election?  Prevent Hiragi from advancing?"

"Don't be absurd."  Matsumoto walked towards the door.  "I asked everyone to simply keep an eye on him."  With that said, he opened the door, and stood by it, waiting for Kubota to leave.  Kubota slowly stood up, stretched, and then stubbed out his cigarette.  Walking out, he stopped by where Matsumoto was standing. 

"Just keep an eye on him?  Are you suspicious for a reason, Matsumoto, or is this fear that you may have a real challenger?"

"I have only one real challenger, Makoto."  Matsumoto's eyes narrowed.  "I simply asked the EC to…keep an eye out.  There will be a fair election, but I have my own little birds, and what they say about Hiragi is none to pleasant.  I'm asking for Araiso's sake, not for me.  If you see something suspicious, look into it.  That's it."

"For Araiso's sake, hm?" Kubota stood for a second thinking and then his hand rose up and squeezed Matsumoto's nose.  "I'm a little surprised you thought I would buy that along with the others."  Matsumoto's mouth opened a little and he moved to swipe Kubota's hand away, but Kubota had already let go and started walking down the hall.  "No worries though.  I'll keep my eyes out, Matsumoto-kun." 

He couldn't help but smile when he heard a hiss of "asshole" as the council's office door closed shut behind him. 

------

Tokitoh was squinting at his schedule as he walked down the third floor corridor.  2nd year, section E, section D, section C, the bathrooms, a storage closet, water fountain, stairs…  He got more frustrated as he reached the end of the hall.  Where the hell was B?  "Crap crap crap!" he cursed aloud and quickly turned towards the opposite end of the hall.  What is up with this school?

Speeding past the stairs, he looked back up at the door numbers, trying to see if he missed his class letter.  He was concentrating so much on the doors that he wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him, or rather, what was coming at him.  Suddenly he went from walking to falling though, and found himself on the ground, his bag and folder scattered about, and something moving beneath him. 

"Aggh!"  He yelled and moved off the grunting form under him.  "What the hell?"

"Ah, my thoughts exactly."  The figure murmured, sitting up.  "I don't know if that counts as a mental-jinx, thinking the same thing that is."  Tokitoh's mouth dropped open.  The figure he had just crashed into was Kubota from the subway.  He looked at him stunned.

Kubota adjusted his glasses and looked back.  "Ah, it's you.  You really have a way of moving about.  You may want to stop when you see others crossing your path, say by the stairs for instance."  Kubota waved lightly towards the flight of steps he just came up.  "But hey, no worse for wear."  He then stood up and extended his hand out.     

Tokitoh looked at it for a second and then looked at his stuff lying around him.  Feeling his face heat up, he turned away from Kubota and began to pick up the papers that fell out of the folder.  "…I didn't see you."

"Well, that's good.  I'm glad it wasn't on purpose."  Kubota picked up a few that had slid down the hallway and handed them to him. 

Tokitoh scowled as he got organized.  "What the hell is wrong with this school?  It goes from E to the bathrooms.  Don't tell me B is on the roof with fucking pool?"  He looked up, only to find Kubota smiling back at him. 

"What?" he asked angrily.  "What's so funny?"

Kubota shook his head.  "Ah, nothing.  There's no pool on the roof though."

"I know that!  It's just something that some smart ass always wants to lay off on the new kid.  Go to the roof and see the pool, then we'll lock you up there and pray for rain.   I hate that shit."

"Voice of experience?"  Kubota started to walk down the hall.

Tokitoh paused and then followed.  "….No!  It's just…something I've heard about."

"I see…"  Kubota kept walking.  "Did you get everything straightened out downstairs?"

Tokitoh nodded.  "Yeah…"

"Did you meet Miffy?"

"Huh?"  Tokitoh looked up at him.

"You know, smallish woman, has that face-hit-with-a-frying-pan look.  Miffy."

"Is that her name?"

"No, but that's what everyone calls her.  Can you guess why?"

Tokitoh shook his head.  "This place is so weird."

"That it is."  Kubota stopped at a door at the end of the hall.  "Here we are.  B.  Right next to A, which of course, in Araiso rules, is right next to H." 

Tokitoh stopped and looked up and then back down the hall.  They had walked all the way down and he hadn't paid any attention.  He shrugged and went to slide the door open.  "Thanks." 

"Wait."  Kubota's hand stopped his.  He then reached over and knocked on the door.  A second later, Tokitoh fell back into Kubota as the door was violently opened from the other side.

"KUBOTA, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO- EH?  WHO'S THIS?"  A large older man looked back at them, his booming voice filled up the hallway just as his figure filled up the doorway.  Tokitoh took a step back, but he then felt an arm around his shoulder, guiding him towards the door.    

Kubota cupped his mouth with his hand and spoke up.  "SORRY I'm late, sir.  Just showing the NEW STUDENT around."  Kubota patted his arm. 

The teacher frowned back at them.  "WELL THEN, GET IN AND SIT DOWN BEFORE I SIT YOU DOWN!"  He then turned and stormed back into the classroom. 

Tokitoh couldn't hide his confusion.  "What was that?"

"That," Kubota said as he pulled him forward, "is Mr. Yonekura.  Your new math teacher.  He's a little hard of hearing.  And this is your class."  Kubota stepped forward between the rows of other students and took a seat near the window.  Tokitoh stood in the front looking at all the faces staring back at him. 

"Uh…hi….um…"  He faltered with an introduction.  He hated doing this every time.  Fortunately for him, his teacher didn't let him go any further. 

"SIT DOWN!"  Mr. Yonekura tapped him roughly on the shoulder and then pointed to an empty desk right by the window and right in front of where Kubota was sitting.  Tokitoh nodded and went to sit down.  Slumping in his seat, he felt all the other students watching him, gawking at the new kid.  Leaning back, he stared straight ahead to the black board and the scattering of numbers that were scrawled across it.  Inside he was cursing furiously.  At his old school before they were doing a geometry unit, and this resembled nothing like it. 

His thoughts sunk even more when the teacher began shouting out about a pop quiz.  Today was not starting out well at all.  He tried to sink even deeper into his chair when he heard a low voice right by his ear. 

"Do you know what the H for the H section stands for?" 

"It's not Hentai, is it?"  Tokitoh whispered back.

"No, but I like your thinking."  Kubota's breath was warm on his ear.  "H is for Hell.  D down the hall is for Damned.  A is Asylum.  C is for-"

"Crazy, right?"

"Got it.  You can probably guess F as well."

Tokitoh snorted.  "So what's G."

"Goobers."  Tokitoh turned in his seat and gave him a cross-eyed look.  "Yeah, they're a strange class.  Best stay away from G." 

Tokitoh turned back to the front.  "So what's our class?" He whispered.

"Guess."

He chewed his lip for a few moments.  "Bonkers?"

"Nope."

"…Brain-dead?"

"Appropriate, but no." 

"…Best?"

"Freezing cold."  Kubota, during this time, had taken out a sheet of paper and began drawing something.  After the last guess he kept one eye on Mr. Yonekura, who was writing on the board, and then handed it over.  "Take a look at this, and tell me what possible food it could resemble."

Tokitoh unfolded the paper, looked at it, and was unable to stifle a laugh.  Mr. Yonekura had at that moment unfortunately turned and saw him.  He moved away from the board and down the aisle towards him.  "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?"

"Oh, shit."  Tokitoh tried to hide the paper but the teacher grabbed it from his hands and held it up. 

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"  He glared down at Tokitoh.  "IS THIS SOME KIND OF PORNOGRAPHY?" 

Tokitoh just shook his head, and trying to cover his smile with his hand, he answered.  "No…just BANANAS."

"WHAT?"  Mr. Yonekura looked back at the paper and squinted, turning it sideways.  "BANANAS?"

The rest of the class burst into laughter, leaving the teacher stunned.  He then walked back to the desk, still yelling for them to return to order. 

Tokitoh sat up in his chair a little more.  Some of his other classmates were flashing him smiles and thumbs up signs.  He felt a squeeze on his shoulder and before he could turn around, Kubota's voice was at his ear again. 

"Extra points for getting the teacher to say it.  Welcome to section B, Tokitoh." 

------

^^  tbc-