Chapter 04 - Neighbours
"Where's that stupid Tsukasa?" commented Sojiro as the foursome stepped out of the Castle, "I'm famished and need to eat." Looking at her watch, Tsukushi realises it was already past noon and her stomach, like the rest of them, was growling. "Let's go to the city area for lunch," she suggested, "I've yet to take a look at that place. I'll go and look for him. Just wait here and we'll be back." The trio nodded as she head towards the river.
"Doumyoji..." called Tsukushi aloud in her mind as she darts her head around looking for him, "Where is that guy?" Minutes passed and it seemed like hours to her. She was about to panic when she spotted him. Tsukasa sensed her presence and turned. His eyes stared expressionlessly at her. Anger overcame her as she stormed towards him and shouted, "You said that you'll wait by the banks near the Castle! You did not keep your promise!" Tsukasa stood up immediately as he expected her to throw her punches but that did not happen. Instead, Tsukushi had stopped and stood in front of him with her head hung down.
"Makino?" his voice uncertain. She looked up with a tear-stained face and said quietly, "Doumyoji Tsukasa...why did you come?" The minutes that she was unable to locate him had brought out her fear of losing him - the exact same feeling when he had fainted after having taken the beatings of Junpei and his gang. She was not able to fully comprehend the feeling then, but now...No longer able to control, Tsukushi threw herself forward at him and tighten her arms around him. Her tears flowed uncontrollably.
Taken by surprise, Tsukasa stood dumbfounded before wounding his arms around her tightly. "Makino..." he whispered.
************
"What's taking those two so long?" asked Akira impatiently. Sojiro shrugged as Shigeru hopped up and down the steps of the Castle. "I hope those two work things out soon," said Sojiro, "I can't imagine having to keep pushing them! I'm so tired already." Akira nodded. Shigeru stopped and turned to face them. Her eyes wide-opened as she said, "We have yet to check in for Tsukasa!"
"Huh?" the boys exclaimed. "His documents are in Tsukushi's room," said Shigeru, linking her arms around the two boys, "Let's go and find them. We need to go back to her room and get the documents." Sojiro winced, "But I'm hungry!" Ignoring their protests, Shigeru dragged the two towards the river.
************
The couple stood lost in embrace and was unaware of the approaching trio. "Er...Excuse me," interrupted Akira, tapping Tsukushi on her shoulder, "Sorry to interrupt this little love scene but we've got an important matter to settle first." Embarrassed to be caught, both Tsukushi and Tsukasa pulled away from each other. "Akira! You're so insensitive," said Sojiro, shaking his head, "How could you interrupt such an intimate moment?!" Shigeru nodded fervently and added her two cents' worth, "You could have waited!"
The teasing proved too much for Tsukasa as he dived for the necks of the two boys, yelling, "Mind your own business!" As the boys struggled to be freed of Tsukasa's hold, Tsukushi stood rooted watching with her face flushed red. "Tsukushi, things look really well between the two of you," teased Shigeru.
"Shigeru..." replied Tsukushi quietly. "All right," said Shigeru, "We've got another important matter to settle." Puzzled, Tsukushi asked, "What is it?" Shigeru winked and called out to the other three, "Hey! We've got to go! Come on!" Slipping her hand under Tsukushi's arm, Shigeru led the way back to the dormitory.
************
Back in the room, Shigeru was digging into her bag as Sojiro and Akira sat lazily on Tsukushi's bed. "What are you looking for, Shigeru?" asked Tsukushi. "Give me a minute," she replied and finally pulled out a stack of documents that looked familiar to Tsukushi. "What are those?" asked Tsukasa impatiently, "We haven't got all day and I'm really hungry." Shigeru grinned and answered, "Before we go for lunch, we've got to get you registered."
"Registered?" asked Tsukushi and Tsukasa together. Shigeru nodded. "You mean to say..." stammered Tsukushi. Shigeru nodded again. "You must be joking..." continued Tsukushi. Shigeru shook her head. "She's managed to get a place for Tsukasa here," said Akira, "He'll be with you for this one year."
"Wait a minute," said Tsukushi, "I don't think this is a good idea. Doumyoji can't be here. He..." Before she could continue, Shigeru had already bolted out the door. "Shigeru!" she yelled and ran after her.
************
"Tsukushi, is this the Admissions Reception Centre?" asked Shigeru. Tsukushi nodded as she panted. "All right, then," she said like a mother to a child, "You wait here, Tsukushi." Still trying to catch her breath, Tsukushi watched helplessly as Shigeru made her way into the centre. "Good afternoon," greeted the lady at the counter, "Can I help you?"
Shigeru handed the documents over and waited by the counter. The lady had examined the documents and gone to fetch the necessary package and keys. "Please sign here," said the lady. Shigeru did as she was told and was then given the handbook and keys. The door to the centre opened and Tsukushi walked in. Smiling, Shigeru handed the keys to her and said, "These are the keys to Tsukasa's room. Let's go."
"Keys to Doumyoji's room," thought Tsukushi as she stares at the bunch of keys in her hand, "Doumyoji is staying..."
************
"Finally!" said Sojiro as the duo entered the room, "Are you done with the registration?" Shigeru nodded and replied, "Let's go to Tsukasa's room and take a look." Turning to Tsukushi, she nudged her to hand the keys over. Tsukushi did so amidst the wolf-whistles from Sojiro and Akira. "Come on," urged Shigeru, "Let's go."
The foursome followed Shigeru out of the room as she led the way. Stopping in front of the room next to Tsukushi, she announced, "Here we are!" Tsukushi's eyes widen and exclaimed, "You must be kidding!" Shigeru shook her head.
"It says here - 'Shelton Hall, Room 0607'," replied Tsukasa nonchalantly, looking at the keys. "Huh? Let me see that!" said Tsukushi, grabbing the keys from his hands. The tag to the keys was indeed 'Shelton Hall, Room 0607'. Tsukushi stood speechless as she stares at the keys. "Doumyoji is going to share the bathroom with me..." thought Tsukushi and she remembered Charlotte's words: "If you're lucky, you might get to share the bathroom with a guy." Tsukushi grasped, "Doumyoji's my neighbour..."
"Where's that stupid Tsukasa?" commented Sojiro as the foursome stepped out of the Castle, "I'm famished and need to eat." Looking at her watch, Tsukushi realises it was already past noon and her stomach, like the rest of them, was growling. "Let's go to the city area for lunch," she suggested, "I've yet to take a look at that place. I'll go and look for him. Just wait here and we'll be back." The trio nodded as she head towards the river.
"Doumyoji..." called Tsukushi aloud in her mind as she darts her head around looking for him, "Where is that guy?" Minutes passed and it seemed like hours to her. She was about to panic when she spotted him. Tsukasa sensed her presence and turned. His eyes stared expressionlessly at her. Anger overcame her as she stormed towards him and shouted, "You said that you'll wait by the banks near the Castle! You did not keep your promise!" Tsukasa stood up immediately as he expected her to throw her punches but that did not happen. Instead, Tsukushi had stopped and stood in front of him with her head hung down.
"Makino?" his voice uncertain. She looked up with a tear-stained face and said quietly, "Doumyoji Tsukasa...why did you come?" The minutes that she was unable to locate him had brought out her fear of losing him - the exact same feeling when he had fainted after having taken the beatings of Junpei and his gang. She was not able to fully comprehend the feeling then, but now...No longer able to control, Tsukushi threw herself forward at him and tighten her arms around him. Her tears flowed uncontrollably.
Taken by surprise, Tsukasa stood dumbfounded before wounding his arms around her tightly. "Makino..." he whispered.
************
"What's taking those two so long?" asked Akira impatiently. Sojiro shrugged as Shigeru hopped up and down the steps of the Castle. "I hope those two work things out soon," said Sojiro, "I can't imagine having to keep pushing them! I'm so tired already." Akira nodded. Shigeru stopped and turned to face them. Her eyes wide-opened as she said, "We have yet to check in for Tsukasa!"
"Huh?" the boys exclaimed. "His documents are in Tsukushi's room," said Shigeru, linking her arms around the two boys, "Let's go and find them. We need to go back to her room and get the documents." Sojiro winced, "But I'm hungry!" Ignoring their protests, Shigeru dragged the two towards the river.
************
The couple stood lost in embrace and was unaware of the approaching trio. "Er...Excuse me," interrupted Akira, tapping Tsukushi on her shoulder, "Sorry to interrupt this little love scene but we've got an important matter to settle first." Embarrassed to be caught, both Tsukushi and Tsukasa pulled away from each other. "Akira! You're so insensitive," said Sojiro, shaking his head, "How could you interrupt such an intimate moment?!" Shigeru nodded fervently and added her two cents' worth, "You could have waited!"
The teasing proved too much for Tsukasa as he dived for the necks of the two boys, yelling, "Mind your own business!" As the boys struggled to be freed of Tsukasa's hold, Tsukushi stood rooted watching with her face flushed red. "Tsukushi, things look really well between the two of you," teased Shigeru.
"Shigeru..." replied Tsukushi quietly. "All right," said Shigeru, "We've got another important matter to settle." Puzzled, Tsukushi asked, "What is it?" Shigeru winked and called out to the other three, "Hey! We've got to go! Come on!" Slipping her hand under Tsukushi's arm, Shigeru led the way back to the dormitory.
************
Back in the room, Shigeru was digging into her bag as Sojiro and Akira sat lazily on Tsukushi's bed. "What are you looking for, Shigeru?" asked Tsukushi. "Give me a minute," she replied and finally pulled out a stack of documents that looked familiar to Tsukushi. "What are those?" asked Tsukasa impatiently, "We haven't got all day and I'm really hungry." Shigeru grinned and answered, "Before we go for lunch, we've got to get you registered."
"Registered?" asked Tsukushi and Tsukasa together. Shigeru nodded. "You mean to say..." stammered Tsukushi. Shigeru nodded again. "You must be joking..." continued Tsukushi. Shigeru shook her head. "She's managed to get a place for Tsukasa here," said Akira, "He'll be with you for this one year."
"Wait a minute," said Tsukushi, "I don't think this is a good idea. Doumyoji can't be here. He..." Before she could continue, Shigeru had already bolted out the door. "Shigeru!" she yelled and ran after her.
************
"Tsukushi, is this the Admissions Reception Centre?" asked Shigeru. Tsukushi nodded as she panted. "All right, then," she said like a mother to a child, "You wait here, Tsukushi." Still trying to catch her breath, Tsukushi watched helplessly as Shigeru made her way into the centre. "Good afternoon," greeted the lady at the counter, "Can I help you?"
Shigeru handed the documents over and waited by the counter. The lady had examined the documents and gone to fetch the necessary package and keys. "Please sign here," said the lady. Shigeru did as she was told and was then given the handbook and keys. The door to the centre opened and Tsukushi walked in. Smiling, Shigeru handed the keys to her and said, "These are the keys to Tsukasa's room. Let's go."
"Keys to Doumyoji's room," thought Tsukushi as she stares at the bunch of keys in her hand, "Doumyoji is staying..."
************
"Finally!" said Sojiro as the duo entered the room, "Are you done with the registration?" Shigeru nodded and replied, "Let's go to Tsukasa's room and take a look." Turning to Tsukushi, she nudged her to hand the keys over. Tsukushi did so amidst the wolf-whistles from Sojiro and Akira. "Come on," urged Shigeru, "Let's go."
The foursome followed Shigeru out of the room as she led the way. Stopping in front of the room next to Tsukushi, she announced, "Here we are!" Tsukushi's eyes widen and exclaimed, "You must be kidding!" Shigeru shook her head.
"It says here - 'Shelton Hall, Room 0607'," replied Tsukasa nonchalantly, looking at the keys. "Huh? Let me see that!" said Tsukushi, grabbing the keys from his hands. The tag to the keys was indeed 'Shelton Hall, Room 0607'. Tsukushi stood speechless as she stares at the keys. "Doumyoji is going to share the bathroom with me..." thought Tsukushi and she remembered Charlotte's words: "If you're lucky, you might get to share the bathroom with a guy." Tsukushi grasped, "Doumyoji's my neighbour..."