AN: alive. The story is kind of slow, isn't it? Well, I guess we'll have to wait a chapter or two before the real mystery turns up. ;) But now I feel like I'm just deviating from the canon. Ah, well. The mystery'll tie everything together soon enough!

Disclaimer: I don't own OHSHC

WARNING: issues on queerness- quite comfortable, I would say. + 1 bad/overused pun.

She doesn't know what she expected. Mii's kind of disappeared, and she wonders if it's her fault. Then again, it's in the box of Things You Ought To Have Expected- coupled with a knowing glance from her mother- that a girl who's barely known you couldn't possibly be expected to find you and chat all the time. There's also the thing about being bisexual, and being potentially repulsive. And her schedule, Su Tong thinks, can't be catered to fit your whims.

Sitting through Math and English is tedious work, and she survives, with notes barely legible they make her question the results of her placement test; even at class F, it's a better class (for transfers) than the others that follow.

"I'm looking for Su Tong…"

Su Tong catches Mii's eye, and casually- almost lazily- gets out of her seat, walking to the door. "This is she."

Mii gestures to the corridor. "Um. Lunch?"

Keeping quiet, Su Tong manages to hold her front. Mii is left hanging, hands awkwardly positioned in midair. She's still expectant, eyes darting side to side, as if anticipating some sort of reply from her senior's still body. But Su Tong only stands- straighter, if possible at all- and barely moves.

If anything, Su Tong has learnt that silence and the lack of reaction is a subtle but efficient conversation killer. The grin on Mii's face now looks forced and strained, which is a pretty clear sign that she's going to be leaving soon if this cold-shoulder act keeps up. Someone mutters an appropriate apology and slips between the two, causing Mii to yelp and retreat. Once gone, Mii looks back at Su Tong, who's yet to move, and claps her hands together, startling the unmoving senior.

"Ah! I know! I'll get takeaways from the café-" Mii exclaims, eyes sparkling.

Sighing, Su Tong reaches out and holds Mii's (surprisingly tinier) wrist, saying, "You just can't take a hint, can you."

"I-I thought you didn't want to get lunch?"

"Takeaways kill the earth," Su Tong says, and shrugs.

Mii's laughter, bright and clear, rings in her ears.

They sit in the cafeteria, picking at their food. To be more specific- and accurate, Su Tong's picking at her food, and Mii's throwing indiscreet glances at her senior. The cafeteria is a lot quieter than the canteen, though the food is slightly more expensive and comes in a smaller plate. There's peace in this space- though confined by dingy ceilings and modernist lanterns- that Su Tong is simultaneously grateful for, and unhinged by. In a rowdier place, Mii's curious and mousy gaze could be easily replaced by Su Tong's usual annoyance at noise. Here, however…

"So-" Mii says, and takes a deep breath. "I'm really sorry."

Su Tong raises an eyebrow.

"I really am. And I know it's probably useless, but I hope you'll accept my apology- because I went home, and I thought really, really hard about it; I made you upset because I said some pretty um, homophobic stuff, and I acted like an idiot!"

Taking a sip of her juice, she considers the apology, and looks at Mii's worried, crinkled face. "Okay."

"Yeah, and I know you're probably still mad- oh," Mii straightens herself, shoulders back and all, "oh.-oh-oh! Oh. Oh."

Su Tong chuckles, and leans forward to ruffle Mii's hair, earning a disgruntled groan. "Is that some kind of automated response?"

"No! At least- I think. But, if you'd allow me a question…?"

"That's one already."

"Oh! Oh-" at Su Tong's amused smile, Mii clamps her mouth shut, swallows, and rethinks. "I mean. A few questions."

"Ask away."

"How do you know if you're… not straight? And-and, when? Do your parents know?"

Su Tong shrugs, and relaxes into her couch. Under Mii's fiercely (seriously, that girl has a Look that blazes with sheer curiosity and ignorance and it makes your resolves melt) determined gaze, Su Tong leaves her palms up on her lap, and starts answering slowly.

"You think," she says. "You think, and one day it comes to you that there's never been anything about you that needed fixing.

"My parents don't know, and neither do the people here. I'll appreciate if you don't go spreading it around like wildfire."

At this, Mii sits back up straight (straighter than before, neck and chin and head all upright, eyes centered) and salutes, firmly promising her silence to that matter. Su Tong tilts her head, and accepts Mii's proffered pinky. Later, the girl goes back to munching on her banana split in a frenzy, convinced that the bell's going to ring, and 'sensei is going to get my ass for this, and I can't blame you for it, because it's my fault!'

Just before they part at the stairway, Mii wavers, leaning all her weight against the railings, and asks, "Will you go to the ball, Su Tong?"

"Ball?"

"The ball- The Host Club's- ah!" the bell tolled, and Mii jumped away from the stairs. "I'll tell you during practice later!"

Erhu in hand and fist tightly placed by her side, Su Tong is left feeling a lot more vulnerable than she should have been, standing outside Music Room One. She wonders if Ryo is present today, and if Takeko might have taken the day off to kick at innocent puppies- or, more logically, terrorize the Host Club. Sighing, Su Tong reaches for the doorknob, and wonders when she got so used to not-ignoring the world around her.

Pausing in her tracks, she inclines her head to the left. She must have imagined something floating behind her. There was no way this obnoxiously pink school could have hidden some Halloween leftover tale, could it?

"Su Tong!" Mii yells from behind her, waving somewhat wildly. "You're early for training!"

Su Tong nods, trying to shake off the paranoia. "Yes."

"Well! Let's go in. Oh right! I think Ryo's back today; at least Ueda-senpai won't be targeting us for now!" Mii exclaims, a little too loudly, pushing Su Tong into the Music Room.

Inside, she found too many chairs placed neatly in rows and columns for the six present members. They were seated away from each other, barely touching their own instruments. Takeko was unfortunately (fortunately?) present, and thankfully distracted by her nails. Hurriedly finding a seat, the two newcomers sit down and pull out their instruments. Mii pulled out her flute, and began checking it- though appearing rather distracted.

"So, the ball," Mii trails off. "I was talking about it, earlier, right? Well-"

Someone shushes them from the back.

Lowering her voice, and leaning towards Su Tong, Mii repeats, "The ball, is hosted by the Host Club. We're supposed to be able to see the cherry blossoms bloom then, which is really, really pretty. The plus side is that you don't need to go with a date, since- well, the hosts are your date. So- there. Maybe you'll fall in love with one of the hosts, or-or you'll find a pretty lady worth your time!"

Someone shushes Mii again. Looking abashed, Mii grins cheekily at Su Tong, and winks suggestively. Mii tilts her head back, and it isn't until her pupils are about to roll out of sight from the vigorous (and explicit) signaling that Su Tong realizes she's trying to single Ryo out, and bring her to her attention. Slapping her knee gently, Su Tong yanks her head back, and sighs.

"What," Su Tong withdraws her hand and starts picking at her erhu, "are you trying to hint at?"

"Um. You could always ask Ryo to come along with us, right?" Mii tries to wriggle her eyebrows, but ends up looking like a devious caterpillar. "My point is, Ryo has been single for a really, really long time now, and she's really pretty. Plus, we both know her."

"I don't see how that last point works."

"W-well," Mii giggles, and scratches her head. "If she turns out to be a mass murderer, at least I'll know who got you!"

This time, there's no shushing. Instead, someone towers over them, feet tapping on the floor impatiently.

"While some persons," Takeko says with a hint of snark, raising both eyebrows, "may have gotten in due to sheer luck, we can't forget that this is an actual club that requires actual practice instead of chit-chat."

Mii shifts in her seat and hastily whispers an apology.

"This silence is so disconcerting," Su Tong says, "-I can't help but agree that actual practice requires an actual piece to perform, and an actual club to be present. I would presume that eight is barely an orchestra."

Takeko shifts, placing a hand on her hip and glaring at Su Tong. "We're having sectionals today. Akiyama, come over."

Mii squeaks and jumps out of her seat, nervously packing her instrument in its case and pulling her bag up. "We're both in Wind," she says by a way of explaining.

"That blows, huh," Su Tong mutters.

"All the time," Mii agrees, and yelps when Takeko calls her name a second time. "Gotta run."

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