Chapter 02 - Shelton Hall and Bay State Road
As Tsukushi looked out of her room, the empty hallway and its silence greeted her. With the school term starting only next week, it was normal for the dormitory to be empty and quiet. "Well, I'm sure it will be filled as the week goes by," she shrugged and stepped out of her room, "I might as well make use of this time to go and take a look around." Walking past the room of her neighbour, Tsukushi thought it would be nice to know who would be sharing the bathroom with her and thus, she knocked but there was no reply. "I guess the person's not here yet," she muttered and went on her way.
Most of the facilities are located on the main floor of the building. Tsukushi took her time inspecting every room - the dining room, the mailroom, the fitness room, the activity room, the laundry room etc. Occasionally, she would meet a student or two, who has checked into their rooms as early as she did. "Hm...it says here that the ninth floor is a large study area," Tsukushi read the notice on the bulletin board, "Well, let's go take a look."
The ninth floor houses a smoking room with television, a small stage and a quiet study space. And the view from the room was spectacular as one could see both the city and the river, depending on which direction one faces. Tsukushi wandered along the windows, admiring the sight from each window that she did not hear footsteps coming into the room. "Hello, there," greeted a girl with big blue eyes and blond braided hair, "I've not seen you around. You must be new." A shocked Tsukushi spun around at her greeting for she was not expecting anyone up in the study area. "Hello..." she stammered, "I...I..."
The girl smiled and extended her hand to Tsukushi. "My name is Charlotte and I'm a second year management student," she said. Tsukushi took her hand and replied, "Hello. Pleased to meet you. My name is Makino Tsukushi."
"You're a Japanese," commented Charlotte recognising the accent. Tsukushi smiled. "So, what brings you here?" asked Charlotte, taking a seat at the table while placing her books down. "I'm an exchange student for a year here," replied Tsukushi, "I'm in my first year."
"Well, then. Welcome to Boston University," said Charlotte, "Have you seen everything?" Tsukushi shook her head. "Let me show you around then," she offered, picking up her books again, "These can wait. Come on." Charlotte gestured Tsukushi to follow.
************
"Shh...don't make too much noise," whispered Tsubaki to the trio, "Tsukasa is in the room at the far east corner of this house. I'll distract those idiots and Tsukasa is all yours." They nodded and proceeded behind Tsubaki. "Sojiro, did you bring the stuff?" asked Akira softly. "Yup! They're all in this bag," replied Sojiro, patting the bag proudly. "What about your passports?" asked Shigeru. Both nodded. As they approached nearer to the room, Tsubaki gestured for them to hide in one of the rooms. "Tsukasa should be asleep by now. Try not to wake him up but if you do, use this electrocutor," instructed Tsubaki before leaving the room. The trio stared wide-eyed at the tool.
"I don't think we need this, do you?" asked an uncertain Sojiro, holding up the tool. "Er...I guess not," replied Akira. Shigeru slapped the duo on the head and hissed softly, "We'll need this if he protests. Besides, I don't think the both of you can subdue him if he resists." Both Sojiro and Akira frowned but utter no further on hearing the commotion along the corridor. As the voices died, the trio emerged from the room and sprint towards Tsukasa's room.
Entering his room, the trio was surprised to find Tsukasa wide-awake. "What the hell are the three of you doing here?" asked Tsukasa coldly. "Er..." stammered both Sojiro and Akira. "We're here to rescue you," chirped Shigeru, walking over to his side. "Go away," replied Tsukasa as he stared at them with cold eyes, "I don't need any rescuing."
Both Sojiro and Akira approached him warily as Shigeru distracted him. "Come on, Tsukasa," cajoled Shigeru while her eyes motioned the both of them to move in, "There's a place we want you to go to. You'll like it."
"Get away from me, you monkey..." Before Tsukasa was able to shake his hand away from her, he had gone limped and fell onto the bed. "Quick," hurried Shigeru, "We got to get out of here before those guys get back. Pass me the ropes."
************
"This hall is co-ed and therefore, if you're lucky, you might get to share the bathroom with a guy," said Charlotte as Tsukushi follow her down the stairs. "Lucky?" thought Tsukushi, "How lucky can that be?! Gosh! It'll be really unsafe for me if the person next to my room is a guy!"
"Do you know who's staying next to you?" asked Charlotte, breaking into her thoughts. "Huh?...Oh! I don't know," replied Tsukushi. "I guess as much. Normally, you wouldn't know till the last minute," said Charlotte, "Before school term starts, that is."
As they approached the fourth level, Charlotte turned to her and said, "Let me put these in my room and then we take a walk down Bay State Road?" Tsukushi nodded. Charlotte ran to her room and disappeared round the corner before reappearing again a short while later. Taking Tsukushi's hand, she led her out of the dormitory.
The cool autumn wind blew as the girls stepped out onto the pavement. "Let's begin our walk from here to the Castle at the other end of the road," suggested Charlotte. Tsukushi shrugged and they began their tour of Bay State Road. "Boston University owns about 90% of the buildings along this street," explained Charlotte, "Most of the brownstone buildings are used by the varsity for housing. They were once owned by Boston's most distinguished families." Tsukushi listened as Charlotte explained in details.
"This one is the Admissions Reception Centre - you would have been here," continued Charlotte as they proceeded on with their walk, "And that one over there, is the Chancellor's Office and the President's Office." Although she could not fully understand Charlotte for she spoke really fast at times, Tsukushi was glad to have Charlotte showing her around, as it would have been difficult if she had wandered around alone.
"Let's go to the Castle," nudged Charlotte, "You'll like it there." Tsukushi meekly followed. The Castle was once a private residence, but now, it's the focal point of the social life of the University. An architecture and style inspired by the great manor houses of Tudor, England, the Castle houses the offices of Core Curriculum professors and is used for receptions and special events. "Located in this basement is the B.U. Club," said Charlotte as Tsukushi awed at the architecture. "Tsukushi, are you listening?" asked Charlotte, "By the way, are you twenty-one?"
"Er...No," replied Tsukushi. "Pity," said Charlotte, shaking her head, "If you are, you could take me in there for a drink." Tsukushi shrugged, "Charlotte, I would like to go to the river. Is it all right if I meet up with you later to go back to the dormitory?"
"Whatever," replied Charlotte, "I'll see you at this entrance in about an hour?" Tsukushi nodded and stepped out onto the pavement again.
As Tsukushi looked out of her room, the empty hallway and its silence greeted her. With the school term starting only next week, it was normal for the dormitory to be empty and quiet. "Well, I'm sure it will be filled as the week goes by," she shrugged and stepped out of her room, "I might as well make use of this time to go and take a look around." Walking past the room of her neighbour, Tsukushi thought it would be nice to know who would be sharing the bathroom with her and thus, she knocked but there was no reply. "I guess the person's not here yet," she muttered and went on her way.
Most of the facilities are located on the main floor of the building. Tsukushi took her time inspecting every room - the dining room, the mailroom, the fitness room, the activity room, the laundry room etc. Occasionally, she would meet a student or two, who has checked into their rooms as early as she did. "Hm...it says here that the ninth floor is a large study area," Tsukushi read the notice on the bulletin board, "Well, let's go take a look."
The ninth floor houses a smoking room with television, a small stage and a quiet study space. And the view from the room was spectacular as one could see both the city and the river, depending on which direction one faces. Tsukushi wandered along the windows, admiring the sight from each window that she did not hear footsteps coming into the room. "Hello, there," greeted a girl with big blue eyes and blond braided hair, "I've not seen you around. You must be new." A shocked Tsukushi spun around at her greeting for she was not expecting anyone up in the study area. "Hello..." she stammered, "I...I..."
The girl smiled and extended her hand to Tsukushi. "My name is Charlotte and I'm a second year management student," she said. Tsukushi took her hand and replied, "Hello. Pleased to meet you. My name is Makino Tsukushi."
"You're a Japanese," commented Charlotte recognising the accent. Tsukushi smiled. "So, what brings you here?" asked Charlotte, taking a seat at the table while placing her books down. "I'm an exchange student for a year here," replied Tsukushi, "I'm in my first year."
"Well, then. Welcome to Boston University," said Charlotte, "Have you seen everything?" Tsukushi shook her head. "Let me show you around then," she offered, picking up her books again, "These can wait. Come on." Charlotte gestured Tsukushi to follow.
************
"Shh...don't make too much noise," whispered Tsubaki to the trio, "Tsukasa is in the room at the far east corner of this house. I'll distract those idiots and Tsukasa is all yours." They nodded and proceeded behind Tsubaki. "Sojiro, did you bring the stuff?" asked Akira softly. "Yup! They're all in this bag," replied Sojiro, patting the bag proudly. "What about your passports?" asked Shigeru. Both nodded. As they approached nearer to the room, Tsubaki gestured for them to hide in one of the rooms. "Tsukasa should be asleep by now. Try not to wake him up but if you do, use this electrocutor," instructed Tsubaki before leaving the room. The trio stared wide-eyed at the tool.
"I don't think we need this, do you?" asked an uncertain Sojiro, holding up the tool. "Er...I guess not," replied Akira. Shigeru slapped the duo on the head and hissed softly, "We'll need this if he protests. Besides, I don't think the both of you can subdue him if he resists." Both Sojiro and Akira frowned but utter no further on hearing the commotion along the corridor. As the voices died, the trio emerged from the room and sprint towards Tsukasa's room.
Entering his room, the trio was surprised to find Tsukasa wide-awake. "What the hell are the three of you doing here?" asked Tsukasa coldly. "Er..." stammered both Sojiro and Akira. "We're here to rescue you," chirped Shigeru, walking over to his side. "Go away," replied Tsukasa as he stared at them with cold eyes, "I don't need any rescuing."
Both Sojiro and Akira approached him warily as Shigeru distracted him. "Come on, Tsukasa," cajoled Shigeru while her eyes motioned the both of them to move in, "There's a place we want you to go to. You'll like it."
"Get away from me, you monkey..." Before Tsukasa was able to shake his hand away from her, he had gone limped and fell onto the bed. "Quick," hurried Shigeru, "We got to get out of here before those guys get back. Pass me the ropes."
************
"This hall is co-ed and therefore, if you're lucky, you might get to share the bathroom with a guy," said Charlotte as Tsukushi follow her down the stairs. "Lucky?" thought Tsukushi, "How lucky can that be?! Gosh! It'll be really unsafe for me if the person next to my room is a guy!"
"Do you know who's staying next to you?" asked Charlotte, breaking into her thoughts. "Huh?...Oh! I don't know," replied Tsukushi. "I guess as much. Normally, you wouldn't know till the last minute," said Charlotte, "Before school term starts, that is."
As they approached the fourth level, Charlotte turned to her and said, "Let me put these in my room and then we take a walk down Bay State Road?" Tsukushi nodded. Charlotte ran to her room and disappeared round the corner before reappearing again a short while later. Taking Tsukushi's hand, she led her out of the dormitory.
The cool autumn wind blew as the girls stepped out onto the pavement. "Let's begin our walk from here to the Castle at the other end of the road," suggested Charlotte. Tsukushi shrugged and they began their tour of Bay State Road. "Boston University owns about 90% of the buildings along this street," explained Charlotte, "Most of the brownstone buildings are used by the varsity for housing. They were once owned by Boston's most distinguished families." Tsukushi listened as Charlotte explained in details.
"This one is the Admissions Reception Centre - you would have been here," continued Charlotte as they proceeded on with their walk, "And that one over there, is the Chancellor's Office and the President's Office." Although she could not fully understand Charlotte for she spoke really fast at times, Tsukushi was glad to have Charlotte showing her around, as it would have been difficult if she had wandered around alone.
"Let's go to the Castle," nudged Charlotte, "You'll like it there." Tsukushi meekly followed. The Castle was once a private residence, but now, it's the focal point of the social life of the University. An architecture and style inspired by the great manor houses of Tudor, England, the Castle houses the offices of Core Curriculum professors and is used for receptions and special events. "Located in this basement is the B.U. Club," said Charlotte as Tsukushi awed at the architecture. "Tsukushi, are you listening?" asked Charlotte, "By the way, are you twenty-one?"
"Er...No," replied Tsukushi. "Pity," said Charlotte, shaking her head, "If you are, you could take me in there for a drink." Tsukushi shrugged, "Charlotte, I would like to go to the river. Is it all right if I meet up with you later to go back to the dormitory?"
"Whatever," replied Charlotte, "I'll see you at this entrance in about an hour?" Tsukushi nodded and stepped out onto the pavement again.