I don't own the series, the manga or the game. It belongs to TNK, Kadokawa Shoten and 0verflow respectically.
Chapter 3 Try the charm.
The train was making its way to its destination. People off all ages where waiting to get off and start their ordinary day by day routines. It was still quite early the sun just barely above the horizon and most of the occupants where lightly sleeping hoping to get some rest. A red-haired teen watched lazily as the train passed by. His tired mind still thinking back on the evening before. He had heard from the news that there had been an increase in 'shady characters' around their school. There was a fascination with the Sakakino high school and their students. Some stories and urban legends about what happens behind the school gates. Most of them were disturbing, but to many they were nothing more than a ghost story to tell at slumber parties.
The school was known to have a very high standard and quality. He often got asked during his first couple of months by other school students if the well renounced high school was as glamorous like the rumors made it out to be. Most of the questions from outsiders where pure nonsense, some had heard that the school had a five star cook or butlers. There were also questions about the urban legends and rituals that was supposed to take place inside the school. The only one he could really think of that was in fact true was the cellphone charm but not all students believe in it. He himself was very sceptic of things like that. It is better to make it happen than just rely on luck or chance. But he was at times called a spoilsport for his attitude.
"Next stop Sakakino station." The speaker stated snapping him out of his thoughts. He quickly stepped out of the train before the doors closed behind him. Made his way up the stair and was met with a familiar pair of faces.
" We were beginning to wonder if you missed your train." Yoshirō said looking back at his friend. Wide grim showing off his teeth, his dark blue eyes had a glint of mischief that was always percent.
"And why is that?" Osamu said waiting for the smart mouth remark he knew was coming.
"You love to sleep and Hara told me you had run yourself ragged last night." He said with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulder. Osamu looked at his black-haired friend with a deadpanned look.
"Really Hara?" Zenkichi's amused grim just gave him the answer.
"You where panting like a dog." He stated offhandedly.
"I have better stamina than you. That is a known fact." Terauchi said and blew a raspberry. The three of them could be quite childish from time to time.
" Whatever, let's get going the teacher will throw a hissy fit if we aren't there when the bell rings." Yoshirō said grabbed hold of his friends sleeves and gave them both a good tug in the direction of the school.
"You know, you might get in trouble for saying things like that." Hara stated to Yoshirō, said boys ran a hand through his unruly sand colored hair. All three of them made a way
"Don't be such a worrywart. In case you haven't noticed no teachers around." The sandy blond stated with a nonchalant tone.
"You know Hara there is one thing I will never get." Osamu said to their freckled faced companion.
"And what is that?" The black haired boy said looking at his longtime friend.
"You can be very snarky about others when you are with me and Yoshirō but if there are any adult percent you just do what they say." The dark red-head looked at his fair skinned friend hoping for an answer.
"They have the ability to affect my future, besides if I did things like you and Yonai. Okaa-san and Otou-san would not be pleased."
"Right, right, you know at times I forget about that. They will take away your pocket money if you do something."
"Yeah, I appreciate the fact that I can do things with my money."
"So how are those extra lessons going by the way?" Osamu said hoping to get the direction of the conversation to something else.
"One can only discuss Voltaire so long before you feel like someone will shove one of his books down your throat."
"So what are you supposed to have done for the masochist today?"
"A 10 page long analysis of different philosophers' theories." Hara sighed deeply. He really hated those extra lessons, the only reason he did them was because his parents wanted him to. They believed that he extra credit would help Hara get into the top ten universities in the country and even other elite schools abroad if he wished to.
"I don't sound that hard." Yonai said, not really seeing the problem Hara seemed to have.
"You don't know sensei, I swear she is devil incarnate."
"Is she that much of a perfectionist?" The redheaded boy asked.
"You have more luck jumping to the moon than to please her." Hara stated groaning.
" Hey now, Hara don't be such a Debbie downer I know what will cheer you up." Yoshirō said as he threw and arm around his black haired boy. Zenkichi looked at his blue eyed friend very cautiously and a bit curious what his sand blond friend would say.
"Really and what is that?" Dark eyes looked at his friend and before he knew it he felt Yonai's hands grab hold of his face and directed his gaze to what was ahead of them. The stunned look on the black haired boy was more than amusing. They already knew what he was looking at.
It was a girl, a first year student with shoulder length brown hair, big shiny olive green eyes. On her head was a black hairband. She was coming towards them until she turned and walked in through the school gate. With said girl gone from view and earshot Hara recovered and was ready to question his friends.
"What does Konoe-san have anything to do with anything?" He said looking back at his friends both smiling like Cheshire cats.
"Whatever made you think it had anything to do with her?" Yoshirō said faking innocent. While Osamu just had an all-knowing smile on his face.
"I am no idiot, so what are you scheming?"
"Why don't you just tell her that you like her?" Osamu said. Zenkichi's face flushed pink at his suggestion.
"You're kidding right, I don't know Konoe-san all that well what would I say and do?" He said looking both frightened and flustered.
"Well you can always try the cellphone charm. If you really are that scared of talking to her." Yonai stated.
"I am not scared, it is just. Well, what if she turns me down?" the dark haired boy said fumbling with his fingers.
"Gee Hara have some confidence. You are smart, you are charming, you are a nice guy, yet you are still scared to talk to this one girl." Yoshirō said rambling up Zenkichi's qualities with his fingers before crossing them and looked lightly amused at Hara's predicament.
"Some girls do not like nice guys." Hara mumbled more to himself then to them.
"And some girls do, you can't know something unless you ask her about it." Osamu simply stated.
"I envy your confidence Terauchi." Hara stated looking at his red head.
"Just being realistic Hara." Osamu said shrugging his shoulder.
"I thought that was my job?" Hara said raising an eyebrow.
"Split-duty?"
"I can live with that." Hara gave a curt nod before Yonai interrupted them.
"So what about it? Gonna try the cellphone charm?" Yoshirō said looking between Osamu and Zenkichi making a suggestive motion with his eyebrows.
"It is rude to take a picture of someone without their knowledge." Hara stated firmly.
"And you know I do not believe is silly trick and trinkets." Osamu added on.
"But how about you Yoshirō, anyone caught your interest?" Osamu asked his friend. The blonde had an impish look on his face.
"Not yet. Besides if I do like a girl I would not dance around it like you two."
"Wait until you fall in love, you will be singing another tune then."
"Yeah right." The trio soon heard the sound of the first bell and realized that they had been standing there arguing for quite some time.
"Shimata!" Yonai swore loudly as the three of them ran through the courtyard, into the school and made their way towards their classrooms.
With a graceless thump both Yonai and Terauchi tripped over each other and into the classroom. Most of the class looked at them and a few started to laugh. When they heard the sound of a polite cough and found themselves looking at the homeroom teacher, he wasn't very pleased.
"Last minute again, you two need to learn how to manage your time better." He stated in very dry tone.
"Hai Sensei." Both of us get up from the floor and found themselves at their seats. The purple haired girl in the seat in front of them turned around and asked with a cheesy grim on her face.
"You cut it close this time. So what is the record?" She asked with her lively terracotta eyes focused on the duo.
"That would be the day we arrived before sensei managed to closed the door and snuck in when he had his back turned." Yonai said with a proud grim on his face. Terauchi
"That will be a difficulty to beat." She said giving a wide toothy grin.
"We'll manage." The dirt blond said and gave the girl a thumbs up. The purple haired girl turned herself back to face the blackboard her white bow was contrasting to her dark violet hair.
"Well?" Yoshirō asked in a hushed tone.
"What?"
"Are you going too?"
"Not a chance."