Day 3

Thursday, February 3rd

Morning

Woke up about half an hour earlier than usual. Decided to get ready early so I could clock in a few minutes to check my herbs and make potions on Mabinogi. Whenever I start up my computer, it opens up a bunch of different things automatically, one of which being Skype. When I logged on, almost immediately someone messaged me. Huh…wonder who that could be that this hour…I clicked it.

It was Konata.

Konata: Hey Sakana, you know what we should do?

I was freaking out. Omigawd what could she be talking about? A date? Maybe even a kiss!? Maybe something romantic or maybe she'll invite me over for video games or something? Aaaah!

Sakana: What should we do? o.o

Konata: We should get together in class after Kuroi-sense's done lecturing so that you can help me with my homework.

Konata: You're smart, right? And you're not as mean as Kagami about it too! :3

…not exactly what I had in mind, but it's better than nothing I guess…

And so there I was in class, barely listening to Kuroi-sensei's lecture. I couldn't risk idly staring at Konata like I did before; she might actually notice this time around and it could come off as really creepy, so instead my eyes just sort of roamed around until settling on…hey…I didn't know Kuroi-sensei had a little fang.

I was nudged on the elbow by Aika. She whispered, "Hey, you're not getting the hots for teacher, are you? You haven't been able to take your eyes off of her for a good five or ten minutes."

I gave her a horrified expression. "That's just weird! The only reason I've been staring is because I'm just now noticing her little fang thing."

"Dude, that's always been there."

"Has it really? I seriously just noticed."

"Yeah. So, planning on going to Konata after class?"

How the hell did she know that!? "How the hell did you know that?" I asked.

"I have my ways."

"Creeper…" We decided to pipe down until Kuroi-sensei was done lecturing, which coincidentally didn't take long. For the rest of the class, she dismissed us to talk amongst ourselves until the bell rang.

I went over to Konata, who was idly chatting with Tsukasa about something. "You said you needed my help?"

"Aaah, yeah, you're a lifesaver dude!" Konata grabbed her homework from her bag and handed it to me. I looked it over.

"Hate to break it to ya, but this was due two days ago," I said.

Konata was shocked. "N-no way! I thought it was later today!" Tsukasa giggled at the fact that she'd forgotten.

"You shouldn't be giggling, Tsukasa, you're no better." Kagami said, breaking away from her own desk and joining the group. "You might be even worse at forgetting those types of things than Konata is." Tsukasa was clearly embarrassed and 'ehe'd nervously.

Lunchtime

I didn't even need to be separated from the group to go to lunch; after the bell rang, we all went there together. We all sat down the same as before. Aaah, this is already starting to feel like a routine thing, I love it! No awkwardness or anything, just feels totally normal!

"So how do you get away with having such long hair, anyways?" Konata asked me, "Usually guys are supposed to have their hair a lot shorter, right?"

"Eh?" I hadn't really thought about it. My hair was blonde, slightly past shoulder length. "I dunno. Don't most people look down on guys with long hair because they tend to have it all over their face and whatnot? Maybe it's because I don't do that and always keep my face clear from it."

"That might be," Kagami replied, "But then again, usually schools are quite strict about that sort of thing."

"Maybe it's because he usually gets good grades and tends to have little to no behavior problems?" Tsukasa suggested.

I shrugged. "I don't think it's as strict here as other schools. Every once in a while you'll see a long haired guy in this school besides me. They do tend to be outcasts though, I'll admit that."

"Probably makes them feel special or something." Konata said bluntly as she munched on her lunch. She changed her expression to a curious one. "What's up with your name anyways. Sakana…doesn't that have something to do with fish or alcohol?"

"Eh?" I was puzzled myself. "Why do you keep asking things that I've never really thought about before?" I asked, chuckling.

"Well, how else am I supposed to get to know you?" Konata made a pose resembling Phoenix Wright's pointing. "It's cross-examination! Objection!"

Tsukasa had a blank look on her face. Kagami facepalmed and just said, "You've lost me," in an exasperated tone. Only I was laughing at the reference she made.

"Oh, that makes me wonder," Konata began, "What types of visual novels do you like?"

"Erm…" I thought about it. Ah, man I've only read one! She's totally not going to be impressed with that!

"Aahaha, well, a few here and there, you know? Fate/Stay something here, Phoenix Wright there, just y'know stuff." I grinned going along with it.

Konata smiled, accepting it. "Cool, really cool!" Aah yes! She bought it! "So tell me what you've actually read before your pants start smoldering and catch on fire, liar liar." She added, the once accepting smile turning into a smug one.

…busted…and so elegantly and smoothly called out too! Ack!

I hung my head. "Alright, the only visual novel I've ever read is Umineko no Naku Koro ni."

"That sounds better." Konata said, satisfied.

"How did you know he was lying?" Tsukasa asked.

"It's something that happens all the time in anime," Konata explains, "The guy fibs a little to the love interest in order to gain her approval. Usually he ends up having to lie to cover up the lies, ending in everything going totally chaotic in the end before he finally owns up to it all, either for comic effect or for harsh drama. I recognized it immediately, and neutralized it on the spot!" she finished triumphantly.

All of the table besides Konata sweatdropped.

"It's so true…but d-do ya have to be so…so…blunt about it?" I asked exasperatedly.

Konata continued, "Though personally I find it kind of cute in an endearing way that you'd go to the extent of lying like that to impress me."

Aaa…I…Ahh…wha…so…confused…don't know…how to feel…I'm a friggin open book to her! How!?

Later in lunch, Tsukasa came up with a random question. "When you stop playing a videogame, do you think that maybe the characters are thinking something like 'why can't I move anymore'?"

Kagami looked up from her lunch. "Eh? It's a videogame. They don't have feelings."

"But what if they did?" Tsukasa inquired, "They'd be left all alone where you forced them to stop at for such a long time. Kind of scary when you think about it."

"Especially with the constant autosaving games do lately," Konata piped up, "They could be stuck in imminent danger for quite a while. Maybe their emotions extend through time too!"

Kagami shook her head hopelessly. "You guys can be so weird…"

"I'd never thought of it like that," I said, wondering, "Whatever happens to characters in the games you don't finish?"

"Bad end," Konata replied simply, and then grinned, "The opposing force wins because the heroes of the day mysteriously stopped moving, and they're all forced into slavery under the dark lord!" Tsukasa looked slightly frightened, while Kagami just rolled her eyes. "That's why you always have to finish a game you start!"

I reached over the table and patted Tsukasa's head comfortingly twice. "There there, s' just videogames." I'd always had the odd habit of patting people on the head twice to comfort them. Tsukasa blushed slightly, and thankfully she looked comforted and less frightened. "Anyways, you can just watch it on YouTube if you really want to see what happens at the end and you can't finish it."

"No way! That takes all the fun out of it!" Konata protested as I chuckled. I knew that'd get her riled up.

The bell sounded for the end of lunch. We all got up and ready, and I split from the rest of the group to head to my class. Aika was waiting for me in the hallway I was heading to. "Yo, Sakana!"

"Heya," I said happily.

"So how are things going with your new giiiirl-friiiiend?"

I steamed slightly. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh come on, you and her may as well be! You're perfect together!" Aika was absolutely beaming, as though Konata and I were a pair she secretly shipped, "You're both into anime and videogames and make references no one else gets, what more could you ask for!?"

I smiled. "Yeah, she's pretty amazing alright…" I let myself daydream about the times her and I could have together as a couple, sneaking kisses in between bouts of Mario Kart, getting married in an MMO, watching anime while cuddled up together, going to anime conventions as a canon character pairing, to-

"Hey Casanova," Aika said, snapping me out of my daydream, "You passed your classroom by a few rooms."

"Eh!? Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I wanted to see how far you'd go without me telling you."

"Aaah! Gotta go, see ya!" I backtracked to my classroom, booking it, and made it in almost right before the tardy bell rang. "Safe!"