Author's Note: I do not own Corpse Party, nor any of its characters but my OC himself.
Chapter 2: First Timer
Kisaragi Academy, the only school within a radius of fifteen miles from his house. Accommodating more than seven hundred students, a formal dress code for the student body, and a pretty decent curriculum, added with a history of on and off academic and sport achievements, it seemed like a normal Japanese school any normal Japanese students would normally enrol in.
He was the odd one out though. While foreign exchange programs were a thing in Japanese schools, full time foreign transfers here however was not practiced. Not in these parts anyway. Plus, it wasn't really the cost of the transfer procedure that bugged him, since that was easily taken care of…and neither was the fact he came from a learning institute nobody in Japan probably heard about to an everyday Japanese school he has never heard about.
He was more concerned over the fact he would be in a setting filled with entirely new characters outside of his comfort zone. And he had a very limited comfort zone.
Izumi dropped him off at the school gates. She had an important meeting to attend to and she had to miss getting a briefing on the foreign transfer procedure.
The same damned excuse she gave on the orientation day.
Anyways, the moment he entered here…simply put, he got lost within the first ten minutes.
All those signs giving directions to various places located in the school…ugh, he should've bucked up his Japanese properly before getting shipped here. He nearly went into the wrong class, that too he suspected to be of a lower grade that the one he was studying in.
Thirty minutes passed of him walking aimlessly…and in the end, he gave up, slumping on a wall, in an empty hallway somewhere along in the third floor. He nearly started babbling to himself about how he didn't deserve to be in this shithole where the language barrier was one of his main fucking problems -.
"Excuse me, shouldn't you be in class young man?"
Medium length brown hair, an uncommon lovely figure, purple eyes and an inquisitive smile. The first thing what he noticed about the teacher was…hot. Then only did he catch the other exterior traits present on her. She fitted every aspect of a teacher that he…well…more or less envisioned in his head. Well-dressed, kindly expressions and an aura of positivity…without any negation in those eyes of hers -
Then his stomach did a double take when she asked him a whole different question.
"What's with the blank look? Are you…" She paused for a moment, then squinted her purple eyes curiously. It was like she got the brighter picture of what she was looking at.
"Um…you're not from around here are you? Are you a new student?"
Fluent English, what are the odds of that?
"Not particularly…ma'am. And yes to the second question."
She giggled. That was a ridiculously cute giggle, he noted. "I'm hardly old enough to be called ma'am. What's your name?"
"Huh?"
"Your name?" She asked again, kindly.
"Oh, it's uh…Sakamoto. Kenneth Sakamoto."
She was surprised. Definitely because of his first name. Guess most Japanese don't usually meet a half-breed once in a while do they?
"You're the new transfer." Elation was not quite he expected from her. Unless of course she was a teacher who got herself informed that a new student was being enrolled in her class…and she would accidentally happen to stumble into that student…now?
Wait, what…?
"Mr Sakamoto? Would you please introduce yourself to the class?"
He must've looked stupid, because he remembered staring at her for quite a while, even when she had personally brought him to the dean's office. Mr Kedouin had explained to him that his father had paid good money to enrol him into the school and he expected no less than Ken to prove his worth, and went through several rules that Ken had to etch in his memory. Basically it was the standard new student comes to new school procedure thing…that he remembered was already explained on the orientation day.
The old bag was jarringly strict…and radiated an undeniable superiority that made him cringe.
Again, probably because he's not fully Japanese and the good dean here wanted to make things clear that the culture practiced in this learning environment here was hardly Western.
He kept his temper and patience in check…responding in short simple sentences when the dean ran through some questions, nothing personal…just how he got here in Japan again and how he was adjusting so far.
After that, Ms. Yui had assured the dean she will handle things from here, as the second period was already approaching and she had to get to her class. Surprisingly the dean calmed down a little and had sent them both off. Was this how all principals in Japan personally greeted new students and foreign transfers? Lecture them like a drill sergeant and wishing them good day once they're done?
"Mr Sakamoto?"
A few students where snickering at him, one of them a bleach blonde with a black jacket and a bored expression.
He coughed and examined his new surroundings properly. Thirty students in one class. A few empty desk present haphazardly among the orderly arrangement of the class. A short bluenette was giving him a hard gaze, as if…wait, was he being evaluated while he himself was doing his own evaluation?
Something rang in his head that she doesn't look like fuck-me-around type, despite her short fragile stature and baby-ish face.
"Excuse me for not speaking in Japanese…my mastery of the language is woefully inadequate for now. You guys cool with that?"
No response. Just mutterings and whispers exchanged between a few of the students present here.
He sighed, and picked up a chalk and wrote his name in kanji and in English on the blackboard. "Okay…my name is Kenneth Sakamoto, and judging from all the looks I'm receiving…yes, I am not exactly Japanese like the rest of you are."
He stopped momentarily, giving a smirk, for he could tell their attention was finally directed on him. "Half Japanese, half…English."
"KYAA! Half English?! I got dibs on this one!" Laughter ensued in the class, even the teacher gave a short giggle.
Immediately did he cringe at the sight of…some girl looking at him with barely concealed excitement? A short haired brunette next to her was covering her face with embarrassment, like she made it clear she had no remote association with the girl…though it seemed pretty obvious from how she was reacting everyone else thought otherwise.
"Anyways…I moved here to Japan from Portsmouth a week ago. Still trying to get myself used to…this country and its perks. Hopefully my expectations here can be matched nicely being in this quaint environment."
Nothing wrong with being awkward, no? First timers usually unnecessarily garner much attention…not counting that he was a foreigner to begin with…
"Arigato…" And why did he raised two fingers up with a sheepish looking smile? The loud chorus of cheers following suit from the class did not reassure him one bit. Glares in between were still directed…and much before he even entered the building itself. A few muttered curses in Japanese still rang in his fresh morning mind.
He was positively sure, things were not going to go smooth one bit. A contradiction to that statement may come somewhere in between…but…
Better buck up mastering the language first, baka. Work on surviving this school term later.
Kenneth stepped out of the shower, cleaned up and wet…yet his mood wasn't exactly bright.
He was never a morning person. Yet, school was a duty he could not ignore. Rather tolerate in truth.
His self-arranged morning routine was simple. Wake up at 6.30, shower, get dressed breakfast, pack up your lunch, then get yourself in the 7.30 bus and walk from one of the bus stops that was near Kisaragi Academy. He'd accustomed quickly, mainly from his own personal drive of not bearing to even to be driven to the school.
Most of the time, he was the only one present in the house between 6.30 and 7 a.m.
Izumi had already left the house, and Misa must've taken the early bus to the school.
One had a schedule to keep. The other one had pride instead.
He calmly devoured the red bean bun that was his breakfast and left the house.
Thursday today was no different for his routine. While he was on the bus, he'd calmly pay the fare to the driver and he'd have the habit of staring out at the window on his preferred seat all the way to his stop, with nothing but contemplation. Just pure contemplation about these new sights he wasn't getting used to as the bus passed along the southwestern part of Fujisawa City towards Kisaragi Academy located just a mile away from the town itself.
An intersection with a traffic light came right after he stepped out of the bus, and ten minutes later he arrived at the school gate, being greeted by a large stream of students of varying ages of thirteen to eighteen were entering the school yard, and into the main building.
The crowd was tittering between bonding and individualism. Friends and enemies were abound, along the puppy lovers, bullies and troublemakers, and the social ladder denizens were present amongst them. A mess of Ken didn't bother to check who was which, he was already well versed with the personalities present in a learning environment. That's one good thing about being a new school…he was at least prepared to anticipate various characters without looking like a totally goof.
He was among the individualists, and with good reason. No one seemed interested in his company and the pleasure was returned likewise.
However, therein lies another problem. Without any familiar faces to guide him through…he would be lost in this place again. Did acquaintances really count enough to help him? He did have…well a number of them in the class he was in.
Was the class rep considered enough? She did show him around the school as per requested by Ms Yui…and while the short blue haired girl had been nice enough, she was prone to be showcase her annoyance every now and then when he had zoned out in the club rooms and the track field.
Other than her…he never really associated much with anyone else but Ms. Yui. He was comfortable enough with just them…though he already barely talks to them both…
"SAKAMOTO-KUN!"
His ears twitched and his blood froze. This early?!
All warning bells rang in his head. He recognized the overly excited squeal within a thousand metres .That was his cue to run like hell before the owner of the voice attacked him with non-flinching effect. This time…this time he had to escape…
This will be the day he'd escape from her clutches…
She was already running at him with full effect…he could already sense it!
RUN YOU FOOL!
Barely did he started sprint. Five seconds later he was tackled from the back and his forehead hit the cemented ground. A few students stopped to gawk at the scene. Some more laughed.
"Gotcha!" The cheery voice of a girl, who was apparently crazy enough to associate herself intimately, ahem strictly one sided intimacy, with someone like him, greeted him while his face was on the cemented ground.
He did not want to return the intimacy though. Period.
He groaned, annoyed because dust and dirt had been smeared on his pristine white uniform. His forehead must've been bruised because the skin stung when he tried to move it, simply to give a glare at the girl…who was still on top of his back.
"Seiko…please get off me. Now."
"Nope!"
Why in public? WHY?! She couldn't have picked a better time than now?
He felt her chest pressing against him from the back, scratch that, she was practically rubbing it on his back. A hot flush came over his face, thankfully it couldn't be seen by anyone right now.
NO…NOT AGAIN!
"Argh! Get off me!" He forced his hands to lift himself up. However the girl in the tan sailor uniform and blue skirt, Seiko clung on to him, giggling lewdly. His arms gave way, unable to carry his prone form that was being weighed down by the girl. He slumped on his chin, with defeat riddling his features.
"Seiko!" Ken heard the voice of another girl somewhere. It was Seiko's best friend and classmate, Naomi Nakashima. She had jogged over to them both and was giving Seiko a scolding glare.
"This is why you had to rush so early today?"
"Eheheheheheh…" Seiko was flushed.
A sigh escaped the girl's lips. "Come on, Seiko. Get off Sakamoto right now."
Her whine made him fluster. "But I wanna hold him tight much longer!"
A breath of air rushed Ken's lungs when he felt Seiko's weight…pulled off him. He scrambled to get himself up, much to Seiko's 'apparent' displeasure. Naomi started to apologize profusely to the still annoyed Ken, while keeping a sheepish Seiko tightly in her arms. "Sorry Sakamoto-san."
"I'm fine, Nakashima-san. Thanks." He dusted his shirt off and picked up his fallen briefcase. All the while he was keeping his head low, away from the insinuated looks directed at him.
"Oi Sakamoto! Get a room will ya?!"
"Piss off!" Ken shouted at the teaser, who laughed along his friends. He glared angrily at the two girls, who did not dare move under his gaze. Naomi was trembling…however, Ken was focused on the twin curled brunette though…who was pouting at him. She actually had the nerve to pout like a kid when he's giving her his angry face.
Ugh…damn you Shinohara. How the fuck can I be thinking of that now?! Damn the nerve of this bratty little -!
"Keep your cat on a leash Nakashima."
Naomi blinked. What was that supposed to mean?
Seiko however, cried excitedly on the top of her voice, surprising her friend till she accidentally released her. "He called me a cat!"
((Seiko morphs into a cute brown and white kitten outstretching its paws at Ken. Still annoyed, Ken flicked a finger on her the 'cat' Seiko's forehead, comically making her fall. Seiko returns back to human form and Naomi sheepishly catches her again.))
Naomi sweatdropped. "Got it." Seiko whined, rubbing the part of her forehead where Ken had hit her.
Ken shook his head, still peeved, and proceeded to walk off into the building. He quickly opened his locker and grabbed his uwabaki slippers in exchange for his shoes.
That was close…
Unfortunately his lapse of relief was precisely momentary the moment he shut the locker. This time she was directly before his way, shyly clutching her hands behind her back.
"What now?"
"Sorry."
A simple word, nothing much in context but sheer honesty. Ken thought for a minute whether or not he should accept the apology from this girl.
Seiko Shinohara. Averagely above her five feet stature, an energetic and cheery personality and an insanely perverted side to make her look like the combo package boys and girls alike cringes at and loves at the same time in a school she studies in.
How has the school not suspended this possible sex offender/mental defect?
This was the same girl who on every occasion would suddenly molest him from out of nowhere mainly to flirt with him. If that wasn't enough, she would have to loudly announce his name, whether or not to intentionally embarrass him every time she caught sight of him either spending time alone in the courtyard bench trying to have some peace and quiet, in the library studying…heck even the boy's changing room after gym class was no exception.
For five months. Five bloody months. It was uncomfortable for him but funny to everyone else who bore witness to every moment Seiko Shinohara of class 2-9 attacking and perversely 'romanticizing' with her foreign classmate from England.
At least that's what every student in here was gossiping about. In their group circles and amongst strangers alike in this school. How he fucking hated being the centre of attention…especially when it's completely unintentional to begin with, and even more when it's actually insinuating his credibility as a human being.
He was lucky no couple rumours were mentioned. Just lucky because everyone was already too fixated to laugh on about Seiko's various other sexual innuendos on Naomi. And maybe a handful of others he couldn't remember about.
However…there was another thing he loathed about her.
Why did she have to be gosh darn cute and having a bust that surprisingly fitted her?! It just made the whole situation twice as ridiculous!
He gritted his teeth. "Whatever."
Seiko just kept smiling at him. He turned his head away, not wanting to fall prey into the alluring cheap trick most cute girls would do to seduce unsuspecting boys.
"Got the notes?" She asked sweetly.
"Huh?"
"GOT THE NOTES?!"
Ken nearly stumbled when she shouted so loudly in his ear. He glared at her again, promptly opening his briefcase and dug through the files, keeping a watchful eye at the expectant Seiko, should she lunge and embrace him again.
He brandished a few papers containing notes pertaining to probable statements and Algebra, a topic in Mathematics that he had to stay up for a few nights to detail accurately for…her.
"Here. Please take a good look at the notes and try to finish your homework."
Seiko calmly accepted the notes. Her docile state right now was unnerving him just as much as her bubbliness was.
"Thanks a bunch Sakamoto-kun, you're a life saver!"
"Mmmm…yeah yeah. Just don't make your working look too obvious…else Mrs Takanaka will catch the hint and we'll both have our asses on the line for detention…and uh…"
Seiko leaned her face closer to his. "Are you worried about me?" She was grinning like she got herself a lifetime supply of candy.
The veins on his forehead bulged. "Like hell I would! I'm not getting into trouble because of you being incapable in a single Maths topic."
Seiko pouted. "Geez, no need to get all tense on me."
"In front of a hundred over students who I imagine must be wide awake looking at such a hilarious scene back there that you initiated…I am pretty tense right now."
"Was it that funny?"
"What do you think?"
Seiko took a second to reply confidently. "Beats me, I just came by…ehehehe…and wanted to collect those notes, and see how you're doing on this fine morning."
Seriously?
"Well I'm not happy and I'm grouchy as usual. Does that answer your question? The same question you'd be asking every time after you molest me?"
Seiko clutched her hips, giving him a kitty smile. "Don't make it sound so bad. Plus I've always liked this grouchiness as much as I like to grope Naomi! Except she doesn't try to antagonize me a lot…but…whoa, that would be kinky actually." She started to giggle to herself lewdly at the unexpected fantasy she was having.
Weirdo.
"Yeah yeah…keep dreaming you little minx. Better haul your butt over to class before the bell rings."
On cue, the school bell echoed. DONG DONG DONG…DONG!
Ken's eyes widened unimaginably. How cliché was that?
Seiko was left behind at the building's entrance, amused by how fast her classmate ran to their class seconds later.
"Seiko?"
"Hmm?"
Naomi bonked her head promptly, with a taut look.
"Ow."
"You deserved that. Sakamoto-san was embarrassed beyond his wits back there."
Seiko pouted, rubbing her head. "I was just teasing him…"
Naomi shook her head in disagreement. Seiko's over the top antics might be amusing to all who they've associated and befriended themselves with for quite a number of years, and they have a lot of people here willing to vouch for that, even the teachers. It was strange to see how childish a seventeen year old could be in an esteemed local school, and this can be passed off as normal behaviour on more than one occasion.
Everyone may pass over this fact easily because of how familiar Seiko's presence and personality traits was for them. However her crass attitude was more at one time one of Naomi's many concerns for her friend. She was worried that it would backfire someday should it leave a negative impact on a person who…well, more or less might be annoyed with her personality.
Somehow she felt that day was steadily approaching.
"Teasing or not, it just didn't feel right to just ambush him like that in broad daylight, especially in front of the school...where mostly everyone was present."
She added with a sigh. "He's still new here in this school and he's…well...you know what everyone still thinks about him."
A moment of silence passed between the two friends. They were both aware of the matter involving Ken that only a few people in the school sympathized with. They were included. However speaking about it, out loud especially was a strict taboo. School…and personally made rules said enough of course.
Seiko gazed at the direction where Ken had rushed off to. She felt a twinge of familiar sympathy creeping through her gut. She was aware of her immature antics most of the time.
But she never intended for it to rub off in a wrong manner towards anyone.
When Ken had arrived in Kisaragi Academy, and became their new classmate, Seiko wanted to give a good impression on how welcoming this school would be for a new student…with her being an unofficial spokesperson for that matter.
The decision itself was made on the first day.
And everyone knew when it comes to Seiko to help someone else for their benefits...events that will happen next following her efforts tend to be…exaggerated.
She wasn't anywhere near spokesperson material to begin with. Plus Ken was awfully grouchy and moody the first time they personally met. Like cranky-old-person-kind-of-grouchy-and-moody.
"He's still not taking things easy around here..."
Naomi crossed her arms over her chest. "Weren't five months pretty obvious?"
Seiko however gave a wide berth of a smile. Turns out she did not catch Naomi's sarcasm appropriately. "Guess I just gotta step up my game even further! Don't try to stop me Naomi. All Ken needs is some more positive reinforcement, even if I have to force it on him, and sooner or later he'll warm up to this place!"
(Seiko stands with a balled fist in a sparkling background with smiley faces pasted everywhere)
"Maybe you could cut the trying to violate his privacy and instead do something…nicer?" Naomi suggested in a mild tone.
"Hmm…should I give him a kiss outta nowhere then?"
Naomi could only stare at her friend with an incredulous look. Why on Earth did she make it her personal mission to give this foreign boy a hard time?
Luckily though…her friend, Ayumi could answer that for her.
That is, if Ayumi was in a good mood…nor lecture her about being ten minutes late to class right now.
Make that eleven minutes. Great.