Once I had left the room I had begun sobbing uncontrollably. I walked quickly into the cafeteria, a place I had not entered as of yet. I sat down in the table of the middle of the room and laid my head in my hands. After a few minutes or so of crying I heard footsteps entering the room.
"Hey, you all right?"
I looked up and saw Mondo entering the room. I wiped the tears away from my eyes, sniffed and nodded.
"You don't look okay to me." He observed. "Pretty rough video?"
"Yeah." I replied.
"Me too." He sighed taking a seat beside me, reclining with his feet on the table and his arms folded. I stared down at the table.
"My video was of my cottage burning down, the forest out the back too… I think … I think my cat died." Tears began rolling down my cheeks. Mondo sat up and edged closer. He wrapped his arms around me. He stayed silent as I sobbed leaning my head against his chest.
"I loved that cat, and all of the animals in the forest." After a moment I began to compose myself. "I'm sorry."
"Are you okay?" I questioned looking up at him. He sighed and rubbed his face.
"My brother died a while back. I was keeping his bike for memories. Anyway, I have a pup too. So my video was of my Maltese pup on my brother's motorcycle. They rode into the sunset and then there… there was an explosion." He quickly turned his face away from me. He was silent for a moment before clearing his throat. He turned to face me once again, I was sure I spotted tears pooling in the corner of his mauve eyes. "I wonder what was on that Sayaka girl's video. She seemed very distressed." He commented.
"I hope she's alright… I hope it doesn't get to her." I sighed.
"You mean, you hope she doesn't kill anyone to gain her freedom." Mondo retaliated.
"I hope no one does." I said sadly. Ishimaru appeared at the entrance of the gym. His face was wet with tears; however he kept a stern expression.
"Come and sit with us." I offered. He walked over and sat a few chairs away from Mondo and I. He seemed to be a great fan of personal space. Ishimaru glared at the table mournfully.
"Want to talk about it?" Mondo offered. The black haired young man stayed silent for a moment or so before muttering.
"Everything I've earned over the years, everything to remind me of what I've achieved is gone."
"I know how you feel." I said in an attempt to comfort him.
"No you don't!" He said suddenly, glaring at me with furious eyes. "You don't have to do anything with your talent! You can just draw something and win a prize. I have to get up at 4am each morning, shine my shoes, and iron my shirt until every wrinkle has disappeared. I have to shine my buttons and my metals until they sparkle. I have to be perfect, the perfect student! Now everything that reminds me of my success has been thrown into a melting pot! All my medals, all my trophies!" Tears welled up in his eyes and dripped down his pale face. Immediately I jumped up from my seat, sat next to him and held him close. He cried for an incredible amount of time. By the time he composed himself my shirt was wet with tears.
"Ah, I am terribly sorry Miss Rose." He said prying a handkerchief out of his pants pocket and began desperately dabbing my shirt. Mondo smirked at his complete lack of realisation as to where he was dabbing.
"Ishimaru! You haven't even taken me on a date yet!" I laughed.
"Huh? Oh!" He said quickly moving his handkerchief away from my chest. "Ah, ah! I'm terribly soooorry!" He flustered. I grinned widely at Mondo and we both laughed heartily.
"It's okay Ishimaru! I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" I said grinning and patted him on the shoulder.
"You had me all flustered." He said hotly. Suddenly I remembered my promise to meet Hagakure in the gym.
"Hey I've got to go." I confessed. "I told Hagakure that I'd meet him at the gym and I've completely forgotten. Ooh! I feel so bad, I must get going, he'll be worried."
"It's fine." Mondo replied. Ishimaru appeared to be sill irritated by my previous joke. With that, I left the room felling mournful at the thought that every conversation I have with someone could be my last time.