A/N: and here's the continuation of the first chapter. Keep in mind these "days" aren't really real time sequential. They're the equivalent of chapters. And bear the long details in the story but I think I'm finally getting somewhere…
Just a Day in the Life …
Day 1 (Part 2)
(Graduation and Beyond The Horizon)
"Abe Aki!" The Principal of our school honorably announced the first student's name to receive his diploma. It was the last day we would be considered students of junior high as the student body seated and filled an auditorium with a capacity of up to 3,000. I looked around and all I could see was a sea of black and gray uniform suits along with red ties in seats. We were all seated in alphabetical order according to our last names, waiting to be called on to receive our diploma.
On my right, Kouichi was seated next me. His last name was Kimura while mine was Kanbara. His legs were jittering due to how nervous he was. If he didn't stop at any moment he would have drilled a hole through the ground.
Several chairs down, I could see Zoe and Kouji seated apart since their last names were Orimoto and Minamoto. Kouji looked lethargic as if he didn't get enough sleep since he held his head in the palm of his hand. Zoe was busy keeping him awake, which I could imagine to be a gruesome job, waiting for your name to be called while jabbing your elbow in the side of a sleeping teenage boy.
Despite what I was seeing around me, I was going through an ordeal of such an imagination (Can't believe I used a big word). My mind threw just about every possible scenario of how this could all go horribly. I could go up there and receive the roll and walk off, unharmed, or I could also trip while going up the stairs. Another possibility was the fact that while I received my diploma, I stumble and fall on stage, which would be the most mortifying experience I would ever go through. And then there's the falling of the stage while leaving… and so on. If I'm lucky someone might jeer at me from the crowd.
To take my mind off the horrifying images, I looked over at Kouichi who hasn't said a single word since we got here.
"Hey buddy. You haven't said a single word. Are you feeling all right?"
He had a blank stair for a second before he realized I said something to him. "Hm? Oh I'm good haha. I'm just… peachy… hm"
Peachy? Who says that?
After his bizarre response we both simultaneously glance at the other two graduators. Kouji -finally awake- noticed us starring at him and Zoe.
I mouthed an "are you ready" to them. Zoe smiled and mouthed back "Yes" while Kouji yawned not giving a care. He wanted this to be over already so he could celebrate later and brag to anyone who was younger than him he's in high school, which was not true yet.
My eyes (with a mind of their own) traced back to Zoe in her white dress shirt complimented by her red tie. Her black blazer covered her article of clothing along with her short, plaid, black and white skirt, with black socks that came up to her thighs. As if in slow motion, she turned, facing me as her golden locks flowed down her petite shoulders. Her emerald eyes met mine for what seemed like an eternity. She gave me this peculiar look, wondering why I would be starring at her. To ease the awkwardness, I smirked, and she did the same. It was then and there I reminded myself what happened back in the Digital World about a year ago, in the library of Ophanimanon's Castle. I remember basically telling her I liked her, only to quickly rephrase it in such a way it wouldn't mean anything more than it already was by saying "as a friend". Then to add insult, I pretended I was sleeping to avoid any more awkward social behavior between us. I realized I was an idiot back then and still am today. She was beautiful… she is beautiful.
And as these thoughts were running through my airhead, she pointed her eyebrows toward the stage, trying to tell me something… but what?
"KANBARA TAKUYA!" the principal called my name for the hundredth time, frustrated that I wasn't listening as always. By now everyone stared at me with curious looks.
In a frantic frenzy I quickly jumped out of my seat and tripped on one of the legs of the chairs. I knew I was going to eventually fall; I just didn't expect it to happen at my own seat.
My fellow classmates gawked and laughed at me as I stood up with a beaming red face as red as the tie I was wearing. Quickly scurrying to my feet, my eyes glanced over to Zoe to make sure she didn't see any of the "stupidness" that took place… but she did. She giggled with her hand over her mouth like most girls do if they wanted to be courteous while ridiculing you with their innocent laughter (the fiends!).
The situation could only get worse as the principal glared at me to get on the stage immediately to receive the diploma he was ready to shred with his bare hands.
-xxx-
"Hey, dude! Now that we've graduated, all the ladies will be checking us out!"
"Yeah dude! I'm feelin the love tuhuh!"
Two random students spoke loudly as they strolled out the school doors. They past us as we all laughed at their conversation. They needed a reality check.
Kouji thought this would be a good time to remind everyone the incident that happened with me earlier.
"Oh yeah, remember when Takuya fell out of his chair?"
"Oh yeah that was so funny!" Kouichi remarked with a chuckle.
I glared at the pony-tailed teen. "Oh very funny Kouji. I thought you sleeping huh?"
"I was because of how boring it was, but seeing you fall made the whole thing worthwhile."
My head was steaming. How dare he laugh at my misfortunes? There's too many of them to count.
"Its OK Takuya! We were all nervous." Zoe said, trying to make me feel adequate. She must of forgotten I noticed her laughing too.
"Gee thanks," I replied as I placed one hand in my pocket, carrying my rolled up diploma in the other.
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a mob of male students –all shapes and sizes- ambushed Zoe with flattering request and gifts of all sorts.
"Izumi let me have a picture with you!"
"Izumi, I got you some flowers!"
"Here's a nice box of chocolates!"
"SIGN MY FOREHEAD!"
Before long she was swarmed from every direction as the boys came with their ridiculous desires. The blond girl was overwhelmed as she nervously talked to each student individually.
She then stood on her tippy-toes to see us. "Um don't worry guys! I'll catch up with you guys later!" she said to us, right after another male ran up to her with an engagement ring.
"Oh wow! Who would of thought Zoe was so famous?" Kouichi joked.
"She's been quite popular through the year being student council and all." Kouji added to his brother's remark.
"Yeah… and to think she thought she couldn't make friends with anybody." Kouji replied.
I on the other hand stood in silence, almost jealous of the group of guys with raging hormones approaching Zoe. They didn't know her like I did over the course years. In fact, before anyone even noticed her the first day of class I already had a head start… apart from Kouichi and Kouji. But now as I looked at these guys all I could wonder was where did they even come from? Half of them I didn't even recognized. Did they come from another school?
"Say Takuya, what are you going to do now that we finished junior high?" Kouichi broke my train of thought with the question I had been avoiding all this time. I had to come up with an answer, quick. That's was before it dawned on me that I never told them about my admission letter I got from a school across foreign seas.
"Oh, well… I'm going to an academy… somewhere." For some reason I was reluctant to give them full details. I was afraid of the fact that I would not be seeing them anymore and thought it was best they didn't know the full details.
"So what's it called," Kouji asked with disbelief across his face, "This school does have a name right?"
"Of course it does! It's called um… W.L.A."
"I never heard that school before." Kouji remarked, pondering over the abbreviations. His brother looked at me with perplexity. "Is it that one school next to the nursery?"
"NO! No." I replied.
"What does it stand for?"
"Did you make it up?" Kouji interrupted.
"NO, I didn't make it up! I'm not sure what the letters stand for either."
"Do you even know if it's a school then?"
"YES… I think."
We all stood there staring at each other with skepticism clouding our eyes. They finally gave up interrogating me and let me go my way.
"Well good luck to you." Kouichi replied.
"Yeah I guess we'll see ya around then," his twin added as he turned around to head the opposite direction. How naive they were.
"Where you guys going?" I asked.
They both turned around in synchronized timing.
"We're going to celebrate. My parents promised us they would take us out to eat, yesterday." Kouichi explained.
"Can I come?"
"Sorry… family members only." Kouji mocked.
I steamed. "So I see! Just because we're graduated now you think you all are all grown up and can't be seen with me huh?"
"Pretty much…" Kouji teased me, "I mean, what can I say. You're not on my level."
He smirked after his last remark, and I returned a pompous one of my own, but in good humor since we were always competitive towards each other. We made a competition out of anything like competing over competing.
'Alrighty then! Have fun!" I waved them goodbye and watched them leave the school premises. My hand stood still in front of me as I waved, in contrast to the size of their disappearing bodies from my perspective view. This was truly goodbye.
-xxx-
I told myself that not telling anyone about me leaving the country would be easier on everyone since they wouldn't see it coming. Of course they would wonder, but soon enough they figure it out that I must have moved on with my life.
Then again, what was I say? These are my friends I'm talking about. They had a right to know.
As I wandered down an abandoned familiar alleyway, my foot crashed into a soda can, knocking the metal cylinder several meters ahead of me. The piece of metal landed right in front of a young girl standing not too far away from me. Her golden locks flowed in the gentle autumn breeze that graced by as she breathed heavily as if she were running away from a troubled past. Her piercing green eyes stared into my blunt brown ones, filled with anxiety yet anticipation.
(BGM: She's Like the Wind, by Patrick Swayze)
It was Zoe and she looked flustered. She had a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers in both of her hands, which she got from the mob of boys.
I then realized I didn't get anything for her as a departing gift.
"I had to runaway from them…" she said to me, referring to the group of unrelenting guys from earlier. She was still catching her breath while I stared back with no response.
"So where's Kouji and Kouichi?" she asked still catching her breath.
"…They went to celebrate with their families."
She nodded. "Oh…I see… so what were your plans for celebration?"
(Dear reader: You might be reading this and saying, "Hey dude, now's your chance to tell her how you feel!" but for some reason my mind never thought of it."
My tongue tied up on me since I didn't have a response. "Well I was… I was going to… maybe I…"
She giggled with her eyes closed at my wretched attempt at speaking. I tend to have that effect on girls.
"I see you haven't made plans yet." She walked closer to me with small steps.
I bobbed my head as a reply while nervously scratching the back of my neck.
"Looks like your hands are full," I said, diverting the attention away from me. It was my best attempt at small talk.
"Yeeah, the guys kinda got carried away. Even…" she showed me her hand, emphasizing the ring finger, "One of the guys gave me a ring. He said if he could he'd marry me right on the spot."
My eyes widened from the last sentence. "Oh really?"
"Yeah."
"Would you marry him?" I asked anxiously. I hoped she didn't detect the urgency in my voice as she dubiously looked at me.
"Of course not. I don't even know the guy."
"But you kept the ring… so that has to mean something."
"Hey… a ring is a ring. This is probably worth a lot."
"Oh…I see. Eh-heh… I guess. I don't know why I asked that." My eyes darted away from her, avoiding eye contact. I always seemed to get nervous around her more when we are alone, which rarely happens.
As we stood there, a quick crazy thought entered my mind that I should spontaneously kiss her right on the spot. No one was watching and it would be just the two of us… (Building castles in the sky).
As if she read my mind she got even closer… real close. Like invasion-of-personal-space close.
"You know you never told us in detail what you were going to do after graduation."
"Oh yeah… about that…" I paused dramatically, "I got admitted to a school after all."
"Really? Congrats. Which one is it?" (Ring the ceremonial bells)
I paused again, lingering the suspense.
"Its some school called W.L.A." I muttered.
Her left eyebrow arched farther than her right. "What's that stand for?"
"Heh-heh… Kouji asked me the same thing earlier. I don't know."
Once again her face changed to a dubious look. "You mean you don't know the name of the school you'll be going to?"
I laughed nervously.
"Where's it even located?"
With agitation, I chuckled again. "It's out of the country."
"What?"
"Yeah… several miles over seas to be exact." I realized I gave her more information than I wanted to.
"So…" she stopped her self for a second thinking about the near future, "So that means we might not see you for a long time."
"Uh-yeeah… I guess so."
She gazed up at me with her piercing eyes that could see deep into my soul, knowing this would be the last time she'd see me.
"Did you tell anyone else?"
"No… just you." I simply mumbled. That had to mean something to her right?
"Oh…" she said, waiting for her next words to come to her mouth, "I guess this is… goodbye."
"Yeah. I guess." I replied while fidgeting with the rolled up diploma in my hand.
In an instant she dropped the gifts in her hand like they were dirty laundry and reached her arms around my neck, pulling me in for an unsuspected, welcoming, passionate hug.
"I'm going to miss you Takuya," she sniffed loudly with misty eyes.
With shock, my hands hovered over her lower back, hesitant to wrap them around her slender body. She glomped me out of nowhere without any warning, but my hands finally clasped around her, pulling her in for a warm departing hug of my own.
"I'm going to miss you too, Izumi…" my voice quivered a little. I wanted this moment to last forever till we froze into a memorial statue somehow. This was going to be tough, leaving without having a single regret of leaving now that Zoe was opening up to me this way.
When we finally let go –which felt like an eternity- she brushed her hair aside, unveiling her misty eyes.
"You know there's no need to cry, Zoe. I can still call you guys… send post cards… I'll do whatever so you guys won't miss me as much."
She hiccupped a smile.
Realizing I had to get home –as much as it killed me to leave her- I walked past her slowly as she stood motionless. With hesitation she turned around hastily as her voice filled with anticipation while she tried to speak.
"Takuya I-"
My foot halted and turned around on heals to hear what she had to say. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought she was going to say those three little words that mean so much.
"I-I… I wish the best for you!" she stuttered, her cheeks blushing while she looked towards the ground.
Responding to her wishes, I smirked. "Thanks…oh and by the way…" I reached for the second button on my blazer and yanked it off its thread. With my adept hand, I tossed it behind me and watched her catch it like a micro sized frisbee, with both her hands. She opened them to see what it was and smiled up at me.
"For all our memories!" I replied as I gave her a charismatic thumb up and a warm smile.
She beamed at me as if I had told her "the secret to life and the pursuit of happiness", and then watched me turn around and walk away into the distance… never to be seen again.
-xxx-
[About a month later…]
"Takuya! Hurry up! The bus is waiting!" My mom cried out as I ran out of my room. It was time for me to travel to my new school and there was a charter bus waiting to take me to the airport… in style. I had packed a luggage full of "necessities" along with my backpack and a carry on which was waiting for me at the front door.
I hadn't seen my friends for long time now, so I did not know what they were doing. Perhaps they were on vacation somewhere.
As I came out of my room I brushed my hair to keep it from looking too messy. I was wearing my black T-shirt with a familiar red Japanese symbol, much like the yellow shirt I wore back in the digital world. I had on my favorite pair of khakis, and black and white vans sneakers. I placed my red short-sleeved dress shirt over my black shirt, leaving it unbuttoned to expose my masculine torso.
I walked down the hallway and saw mom and dad waiting for me. Of course my mom was just about ready to burst to tears as my dad comforted her like he always did whenever I displayed a new sign of growing up.
"Oh my baby! He's all grown up!"
My dad wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Mom… please stop crying. I may be far away but I'll call you whenever I can and plus I'll write too."
"Yeah, but I won't get to hug you like I am about to right now." And she did, hugging the life out of me as if she were going to lose me to child custody officers.
"Don't worry mom… I'll be alright. I'll be fine." I smiled as I hugged her back.
With that, she finally let go and let my dad have his turn at squeezing the life out of me as well. I think he shattered my vertebrae.
"Son, I'm proud you made it this far, so DON'T disappoint us! You hear?"
I nodded, submissively, "Of course Dad. I'll make you proud. You and mom, both."
We hugged it out for another few minutes before my little brother interrupted us.
"OK mom and dad. Can we go already?"
My head perked up to the word "we".
"What do you mean we?" I barked, hoping he was joking.
"Didn't you hear Takuya? Shinya got accept to the same school as well." My Mom informed me at the last minute.
"Whaaaa?" This was a complete shock to me. Perhaps a horrible prank.
"Yeah, they have a junior high to college level program. Didn't you read that in the brochure." My Dad added.
Apparently I didn't come across any of that. I must have skipped it or something… or had a short mini coma.
"But since when did he get accepted?"
"On the same day you did, dummy." My brother said while insulting me at the same time.
My mouth was still gaped open and at this rate a fly would fly in it at any subtle moment.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I did, but you must have been sleeping or not paying attention."
I never recalled him telling me so.
"Well I guess its time for both of you to go now. You can discuss this on your exciting journey." My mom said trying to stop herself from crying anymore.
"Oh and here. Take this with you." My father handed me an envelope, "Its money for all your expenses just in case."
I smiled at the thoughtful gift and how it would greatly help me in the near future.
"Thanks Dad."
My Mom suddenly bawled some more as she tried to keep it together. My parents hugged Shinya and led us to the door, where I was overcome by another nice surprise.
"HEY TAKUYA!" my friends shouted… they had come to wish me goodbye, and somehow my parents knew about this.
"Oh h-hey guys! What are you all doing here?"
"Zoe told us that you were leaving the country for school. So we thought we'd drop by to say goodbye." Kouichi said, informing me of their discovery.
"Yeah, how come you didn't tell us you were going to school overseas, man?" Kouji asked with a stern expression.
"Eh-heh… I guess… I didn't want to worry you guys."
JP wrapped his strong arm around my neck to give me a rough hair rub. "Dude! Don't you ever think about leaving us without telling us, you hear?"
"Yes." I gagged.
Suddenly the rest of the guys decided to give me a group hug. Even Shinya.
"We're gonna miss you man." Kouichi moaned.
"Be cool. Stay in school," JP said, giving me recycled advice he had apparently heard himself over his sixteen years of living.
"Remember you promised you'll stay in touch with us." Zoe reminded me.
"Yeah and don't forget to take care of your little brother." Tommy also reminded me of the sworn duties that bestowed upon me.
They let go of me and stared at me as if I was a man on a mission to the moon, to break grown and see things no man has ever seen before. During the whole departing, I didn't notice her but even Lilica was there also. She was behind the other guys watching what was taking place.
"You guys brought Lilica too?"
"Actually I came on my own." She smiled as she reached in her bag she brought with her, "I brought you a parting gift."
She revealed a coffee mug… even though I don't drink coffee.
I received it from her like a birthday gift.
"Thanks Lilica… I'll make sure… I'll drink from it as soon as I can."
The bus honked its horn, waiting impatiently for me to get on bored already. The moment we were all waiting for had finally arrived and I was feeling unsure and somewhat depressed. I brought my luggage in the cargo space and helped Shinya bring his onboard like a good big brother would.
"I still can't believe you're coming with me so don't slow me down." I scolded him.
"I won't big brother." He nudged me with a mischievous grin, "After all, I'm not going to let you have all the fun."
Before long we finally got in the bus as it drove us off to the airport. Once I got to a seat, I waved out the window to all my friends and family until I could not see them anymore, tears filling most of there eyes.
"Takuya…" my little brother started to ask, "Are you nervous?"
"Of course I am." I said. There was no way I could lie about my feelings at this point.
-xxx-
(BGM: Far Away From Where You Are, by Lifehouse)
As we arrived at the airport, we waited for an hour before we could depart for our flight. After getting on board the plane, we took off into the sky to my (Shinya: and Mine too) new destiny.
The plane hovered several thousand feet in the air. As I looked out the window, I noticed how truly magnificent the sight was sailing among the clouds. After that amazement, I reached for my ticket to see if this was all real and it still was. I searched through my bag to read the schools brochure for more info until I dozed off to a peaceful slumber.
-xxx-
"Thank you for flying with International Airlines. We hope you enjoyed your destination as you depart the aircraft cargo in a single manner. Thank you." A female voice loudly blared over the intercom, but it wasn't enough to wake me up.
Shinya shook me awake so we could leave and get our luggage and see where we would go from there. I was full of jet lag from the long flight and wasn't sure if I could function properly.
By the time we received our cargo and exited the gate, we found our selves in a massive mall like area with different shops and a diverse amount of people. We stopped near a small restaurant to grab a bite then made our way to the streets in order to catch a taxi.
-xxx-
"We're here… good luck!" the cab driver said after I paid him some of the money my farther gave me. We unloaded the cab of our stuff.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"We'll from the amount of rides I've don't for to this place, by the next day people want out."
My eyes widen. He couldn't possible be serious.
"Catch you later!" the cab drove off, expecting to hear from us again. Could it be that tough here? Maybe I got myself into something deep.
Before us was a large steel gate about ten feet high, and behind it was the structure of a five story building the size of a palace. Its outside paint was burn orange bricks with a black concrete roof. It was very fancy and had a medieval castle theme to it.
"Are you going to ring the bell already?" Shinya snorted.
I glared down at him, "Don't rush me." On the gate's lock was a keypad with numbers along with a key whole and what seemed to be a scanner of some sorts. For a minute I thought I was going to a prison. I pressed on one of the buttons that said "Door Bell", and before long a security officer came up to the gate.
"Are you a visitor?" he asked in an unshaken stern voice.
"A-actually I'm a foreign student, me and my brother." I said, trying to seem confident.
"Let me see your letters of admission."
Shinya whipped his out quickly like a professional while I went through my luggage to find mine.
After I found it I handed it to the officer. He gave me a stern look. "You should be more organized like your brother."
I sheepishly smiled. There was no way Shinya was a better organizer than me.
After verify our existence, he let us through the gates into the premises.
We followed the tall man while another officer helped with our luggage to take them to a holding area.
'So this is the school?" I mumbled, astonished by the size of the structure.
"No this is the dormitory." The officer replied with a cold expression.
"Oh." I mumbled, realizing these guys must get paid not to smile.
We entered a separate building called "Head of House" that led to an office where the head of admissions sat with his back turned to us.
"Sir, we have a new students."
The man turned around in his seat dramatically with his hands clasped together and his elbows in his lap.
"I see. Welcome young ones." The man himself didn't look too old himself. Perhaps he was in his late twenties, early thirties with a professionally cut short black hair that sat on his head. The black framed glasses on his face shielded his squinty eyes.
I simply waved while Shinya followed suit.
The man finally stood up to greet us in his black suit with an orange dress shirt underneath and a black tie. He held his hand out for us to shake and we did so, before we sat down.
"Its nice to finally meet you Takuya." The man greeted.
"Me?"
"Yes."
It came to me as a shock that he would address me by my name. I guess I'm not use to grown ups talking to me like as if I'm their buddy.
"What about me?" Shinya butted in.
"You too Shinya." The man acknowledged him.
"I hope you find this place fitting for your future studies."
"Um sure Mr… Mr" I looked at his name plate on his desk.
"Just call me Mr. Hitoyoshi." He beamed. It seemed like all the cheerfulness was sucked out of all the officers at the campus and injected in to this man. It was impossible for him to keep a serious face.
So moments later he had us fill out a survey for compatible roommates since Shinya and I would be living in separate dorms. Due to the fact my brother was a minor he was going to live in the junior high dorms while I would live in the upper classmen dorms, and boy that was a relief.
"Alright! Mr. Kanbara… perhaps I'll hear from you some other time."
I nodded before I made my way out the door to the dorm rooms. They had already delivered our luggage to our assigned rooms, ready for us to unpack.
"Looks like you won't be bugging me little guy," I joked.
"That's too bad…" he shot a sarcastic remark.
It still felt like a dream to me, being here at this mysterious school. For all I know I could be entering a secret society of people who have no lives and are unknown to the public. This people could be a secret cult of Ninjas or assassins that sleep by day yet kill by night. They probably would take me captive and never let me see my friends or family again. But the only thing that discredited my theory was the sight of several normal looking male students walking in and out of the dormitory. Most of them were wearing their burnt orange and black uniforms, forming their cliques and beating each other up.
I could feel all eyes were on us as we walked by as if we were complete strangers from a distant land, which we were, technically. Classes were about to start next week and students were returning from their summer vacations. From what I heard I already missed orientation week.
-xxx-
After I exited the elevator (yes they have an elevator) I walked to my room number 217. I could hear a cacophony of laughter, demands, and small talk being made throughout the hall from a multitude of students. I felt so small in such a large place of people. I almost didn't want to stand out and cause attention for myself.
I discovered that I was going to be a freshman this year which was such a "doozy". I realized the upper classmen get to live in the upper floors while the lower classmen had the lower floors.
I opened the door to my room with the key that was given to me and stepped inside. I saw four beds -and two of them were bunk beds-, a desk, few chairs, cupboards, a mini kitchen, and a bathroom (That was a close one. I almost thought there wasn't one), and a window view of the tree's outside. The place was well furnished, while still leaving enough space to personalize the room. It was like living in an apartment with many responsibilities.
I saw my luggage and unpacked each one, making myself at home. I was the only one with the whole room to myself at the moment. It seems they didn't find any roommates that were compatible for me… yes that's right, "for me".
After I placed my clothes in the closet, I found one of my car posters of a red Mitsubishi Eclipse and placed it on the wall. I was making my self at home already, but I still had that panging feeling about home in Shibuya. I miss the guys already.
I lied out on the middle bed and looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought. This was my new home now and I was anxious for what the future held.
(Ending Song: Dare You To Move, by Switchfoot)
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: Yeesh! It looks like Takuya finally made it. I tried to make this as realistic as possible. I'm still planning out the story to see how it will turn out so stay patient cause all I'm doing is "setting up" right now.
By the way the whole button thing between Takuya and Zoe is something I came across in another anime I've watched and in my research. It's an old tradition in Japan where the male student gives his second button to a female to express his feelings for her and to symbolize their memories throughout the school year. It's also a form of a "confession". To me, I think its funny yet sweet. Ahem… enough of the lovey dovey stuff… and don't judge me… meh-heh