School Daze: Chapter Five
By: Juiicy (Bozu no Baka)
When Yoh and Anna arrived at Tokyo High, they followed the enormous crowd, many were girls their age, into the main building. Girls came with their older siblings, friends and parents. But most came with their boyfriends, who probably tried out for Tokyo High the previous week. As the Shamanic item walked side by side, wandering eyes glimpsed Yoh and Anna up and down.Then Yoh led her to the inside of the auditorium.
The auditorium descended starting from the entrance and a large stage sat at the bottom. The pair found two empty seats at the back and nearby an exit. The rest of the large room began to fill up. And slowly the noise level became unbearable. A woman came onto the stage from the sides and everyone ceased from their excited conversations.
That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen, Anna thought as she crossed her arms and eyed at her future vice-principal standing at the front.
"Welcome, students," boomed a voice from every corner of the large room, "to the Tokyo Highschool Girls' Entrance Examination. As most of you know, we are number one in Japan because of our academic program and for being one of the best in the athletics division. Last week, the boys who applied for grade ten had had their examination and I'm happy to say that we are quite happy with the results and, other than those who recieved a scholarship, we've already selected the boys who will take the remaining positions.
"In a week or so, depending on our speed of marking, calculating examination papers and organizing the new school year's times table for each student, we will send envelopes with the results," the woman cleared her throat. "On a lighter note, all parents and other students who are not taking the examination today are welcomed to the East Gymnasium just next door. Please do not confuse it with the North one because we are currently holding a basketball tournament. But, to past the time, you are all welcomed to watch it," dragged on Mrs. Toranaka. "School spirit, you know? Haha..." Her chin sagged and created wrinkles as her mouth moved up and down. Her raw voice awed the audience, some were surprised such a loud voice errupted from such a frail old lady.
"If all of you would step outside, you will be able to find the examination time tables. They will be filed in alphabetical order and next to the student's name will be their exam room. If any of you need any help locating those rooms, please refer to one of our students, the ones wearing black or grey uniforms. They will be more than happy to direct or escort you," continued the vice principal. "Without further a do, please find the exits and wait for the starting bell to ring. That will indicate that the exams will begin in the next ten minutes. Thank you all for coming and I hope that you all have a wonderful day. Good luck, ladies!"
Yoh and Anna got up as so the rest of their row and exited into a flood of people. Yoh quickly grabbed Anna's hand and pulled her into a near-empty hall with trophy cabinets built onto the wall running down to the end where it made a turned.
Anna glanced at a boy leaning against a classroom door, bombarding a girl about three years younger than himself with questions, looking up at them once and then looking back at the girl. A girl several doors after the mumbling boy sat cross legged on the ground, her nose deep into her book. Yoh took Anna a little further down the yellow-walled hall and both leaned against the door at the near-end.
"You stay here while I check out your exam room, okay? Too much of a hassle if both of us try to get through that crowd," Yoh said. He let go of Anna's hand, smiled, and slowly began walking back into the cluster of people.
Anna watched after him until his glitzy orange headphones disappeared into the crowd. She clenched her fist, making sure the warmth from Yoh's hand wouldn't cease. She raised her palm against her cheek and her cheek warmed up.
It was so warm.
As the heat withdrew from her hand, she walked slowly to survey the many trophies lining up against the walls. The hall Anna stood in was one of the six halls that held the athletic trophies. These ones were the most recent ones snagged. And every three cabinets had a sub heading a sport.
"Volleyball... Baseball... Track... Football..." mumbled Anna as she read each banner. "Kendo... Judo... Fencing..." The gold and silver trophies shone billiantly in their cases. She quickly glanced through all of them, reading a few names carved onto the plaques on the bottom of the trophies. One by one, each trophy grew bigger and bigger, shinier and shinier, with each sport.
As Anna made it to the end, she stared enticingly at the last track trophy. It was much heftier than the rest and the shiny silver seemed to reflect Anna's face more clearly than the others. Only one more plaque for the "Runner of the Year" trophy was vacant and Anna read the names out loud, "Watanabe, Kimiuri, Koromoto, Subaru, Tamaku, Uzumaro, Yamachiimi..."
"I see you're interested in our Track trophy. It's quite a lovely piece," said a wheezy and airy voice behind Anna. She shifted around to find a tall man in about his late twenties smiling happily above her. A cigarette hung from his lips and a small studded earring ginted from his left earlobe.
"I don't think smoking is permitted inside of the halls, sir," she frowned. "And I don't think people like it when people sneak up behind them."
He laughed whole-heartedly. "My, you're one tough cookie. I apologize for sneaking up behind you but these trophies are something I'm quite proud of."
"What?"
"Oh. Well. I'm actually the principal of this academy. I'm Koromoto Hiro. And sports has just been my thing since my elementary years. I actually attended Tokyo High a few lifetimes ago.You see that Koromoto on that trophy? Well... that's actually my younger brother. But! I have my name carved into some of these trophies someplace," said Mr. Koromoto. "Are you taking an exam? Or is someone else...?"
"I'm taking it, but not on my own free will," she replied. "I received a scholarship and somebody wants me to take the position."
"Congratulations then. You must be glad you don't have to worry about this exam for a spot at my school. It takes a load off one's shoulders, I admit. Even though I wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box, I got a scholarship myself from my contribution of sports in Junior High. You'll like it here. If you've got any problems you can just come and talk to me, okay... er..."
"... Kyouyama Anna," she finished.
"Hey Anna!"
Mr. Koromoto and Anna turned to see Yoh walking swiftly to them, a smile pressed on his face. He looked curiously at the slumped twenty year old. "Your exams in 3-101 so I guess we're going to have to walk to the next building. Hi, sir."
Mr. Koromoto smiled, "Hey there. And you might be a friend of Kyouyama-san?"
"I'm Asakura Yoh. Nice to meet you," Yoh grinned politely. "I'm sorry, Anna's exam's going to start soon and we really-"
"Wait," said the principal with a funny expression, "Don't I know you from someplace or another? You look awfully familiar and I'm sure I've seen those headphones before. I should know, they're brighter than the sun."
Yoh blinked. "You've seen me? Someplace?"
"Well, yeah, and I'm sure I've heard that last name somewhere," he stoked his firm chin. "Asakura... Asakura... Oh! I know now!" Mr. Koromoto slapped his fist.
Yoh stiffened.
"You're the one who won almost all of your events for the last two years in track, aren't you? From Funbari Hills Academy?"
The laughed unnaturally loud. "Well, not all- I mean, yeah, that's me- but-"
"You were incredibly fast. It'd be nice if a kid like you were in our track team. Well, it's nice meeting you, too," concluded Mr. Koromoto, he puffed a few winds of smoke, "I'm sure you wouldn't want to be late, eh, Kyouyama-kun?"
Anna nodded as her principal-to-be waved from the other end of the hall.
"Don't smoke anymore. It makes me want to reconsider my position here," Anna said. Mr Koromoto smiled and said he was working on it.
As the two headed for the door, Anna looked at Yoh and gave him a funny look.
"That was a pretty loud laugh, Yoh," she said.
He looked at her and said, "I was just afraid that he'd recognize me from some of my track meets and ask if I had tried out for Tokyo High. That's all."
His answer was believable so she believed him and said nothing else.
"By the way, you do know where 3-101 is, right?"
"Yep! A Tokyo High student told me that there are four main buildings here and they're all marked as Building One, Building Two, Building Three, and Building Four. So the three in the beginning stands for Building Three and that's the south building. Then there are four floors in each building and the first digit represents the floor, meaning that you're on the first floor. Then the next two digits represent the door. So I guess you're taking it in the first room
"And right now we're in the Auditorium which is in the middle of all four buildings," finished Yoh as he whiffed in the early Spring air.
"Um... excuse me?"
Yoh and Anna stopped as a small black haired girl with large glasses approached them reluctantly from behind.
"Are you two... uh... I'm sorry... let's see..."
"Do want help?" asked Anna monotoneously. "If yes, please do so right now."
"Oh. I'm really sorry. I just... I'm wondering if you two are heading to the... to Building Three. I just heard from behind you two and... I'm sorry for nosing in," stumbled the girl. She tugged onto her shoulder.
"Don't worry, it's alright. Right, Anna?" Anna didn't reply but Yoh just smiled. "Yeah, we're on our way there right now. Wanna come?"
A gasp of relief blew from the girl's lips. "A-arigotou. Thank you."
So the three walked slowly to the building. Anna observed the school courtyard while Yoh conversed with the new girl.
"So, what's your name?"
"My name is Subaru Motoko," she answered. Her shaky voice ceased and Yoh and Anna could finally understand her more clearly.
"Somebody else in your family attended Tokyo High, right?" asked Anna.
"Actually, yes. My big brother, Subaru Matoshi. Do you know him?"
"No. I just happen to know his name was carved onto a plaque on one of the track trophies," she answered coolly. "He must've graduated last year."
Motoko nodded. "Yeah, he did. He's now over seas in the United States but my tou'san still cleans that over-sized trophy every night. It's nice that my brother has many trophies to make up for my lack of them but it's really sad sometimes. For tou'san, I mean. Apparently, he has no confidence in me because I don't excel very well in sports."
"Oh. Well, I'm glad I don't have a bastard of a dad like that," Anna said plainly. "Anyways, are you saying that for every trophy your brother has won, he gets a replica of it for keeps?"
"Mhmm. It's an Individual Trophy so the individual who wins it gets te same one for himself."
Anna crossed her arms. "Oh. That's nice."
Then a strange silence seemed to hang around the three and Yoh felt Motoko's nervousness.
"Well," Yoh said, "We'd better hurry."
As they hurried to the door, Yoh opened it and led the two girls in. And after asking a student next to the door, they found 3-101 in the next hall.
"Hey Motoko-san, you're going to be in 3-101 with Anna?" asked Yoh.
"Oh, no. I'm actually in 3-104 but it's okay because it's just a couple of doors down. Thank you both so much for helping me," bowed Motoko reverently. "I'll see you guys later. Good luck, Anna-san!" She waved goodbye as she quickly walked down the halls and Yoh smiled after her.
"Well, she was nice. Are you ready, Anna? Are you sure you don't want a quick review? We still have five minutes left," offered Yoh. "You have all your pencils and erasers? Make sure you have your calculator, actually, no, here, take mine, I brought it along just in ca-."
"Yoh."
Yoh stopped and looked away from his bag. "Hmm?"
"Don't hurt yourself. I've got my stuff," said Anna as she reached for the door. "I'll see you when I'm done."
"Wait. Anna?" Anna stopped, her fingers brushing against the knob as Yoh called her. "Do your best, okay? Because if you don't, you know, I can't allow you to step foot into our home anymore."
Anna looked incredulously at Yoh's grinning face. She wanted so much to wipe that grin off his face but she couldn't do so lately. Anna sighed deeply as she turned her body to face Yoh and leaned over him abruptly, causing him to wince.
"You do realize that the only reason I'm actually considering this high school is because you want me to? I am not going to make all my studying go to waste. I don't know what you're doing, but I trust you enough not to worry. Plus, I've already got a spot here so this entrance exam is nothing but a check up," she snapped, arms crossed. "And while I'm doing the exam, you'd better not be double-timing me with some other girl. Because I'll know, Yoh, I'll know. And then I'll hurt you so hard that you'll wake up an old man. Got it?"
"Well that wouldn't be good, I won't be able to join the track team this year," Yoh laughed.
Anna found herself in Yoh's arms for a fraction of a second. He quickly released her and took her arm. Then, he whispered, "Good Luck. And don't worry, I've seen the girls here." He let go of her arm and began to walk away.
Three girls who had been eyeing the two for some time walked past Anna, giggling. Anna cleared her throat and walked into the classroom, her head held high.