Chapter Eight: Observations, Special Events, & Upcoming Birthdays…
Date: April 10th, 2012.
Location: S.S.A; second level; 2-C; the tea club
Time: 11:00 AM
Masato Hijirikawa and Masumi Li were seated on their knees, across from each other. The lovely scent of matcha tea hung in the air, which came from a ceremonial tea bowl that Masato had prepared earlier. Masumi took a sip of the matcha tea after he had turned the bowl around a few times in his hand. A warm sensation instantly filled his stomach. Masumi placed the bowl in front of him, then gave a polite bow, giving thanks for the tea. Masato bowed back before taking the ceremonial tea bowl.
"Masato, aside from the fact that you saved the enchanting SIREN. Since everyone has been talking about the whole incident since yesterday evening," Masumi raised an eyebrow in question, "You like her, right?"
"W-what…"
Masato was shocked to hear such words coming from EKSTASIS'S Mercury. Stuttering like a bumbling fool. Masato lost track of what he was about to say. Masumi laughed running a hand through a strand of his long dark purple hair, which hung loosely by the side of his face. He had tied back the other strands of his hair into a ponytail using his usual indigo colored elastic hair band. Masato noticed that Masumi's light purple eyes sparkled when he laughed. Oh. Boy. The 'kid' in EKSTASIS was poking fun at the pianist in STARISH. Masumi wiped a tear from the corner of his eye from the amount of laughter he had. It was priceless to see Masato loose his composer. Masumi placed a blue jelly confection onto his dessert plate.
"Don't worry, man…I'm not going to interrogate you about you're past. I maybe the kid in the group, but I'm not the only member who can be really observant to those around, from where I stand," Masumi sliced the blue jelly confection into three slices using a small decorative knife, "But from what I've heard and seen about you so far, you're the type who chooses to stand by on the sidelines. Even when it comes down to the enchanting SIREN."
"Masumi, if it's advice that…"
"Man, I'm not finished…listen, Asami may be a very surprising kind of gal to the rest of us, since she's changed a lot from the last time you've seen her. Asami and you are the complete opposite of each other. Even with Yuudai in the picture, he can be very intimidating if you cross the line. For now all I can say is that…I'll be rooting for you," Masumi smiled, "The enchantress needs a man like you to support her through thick and thin."
After Masumi finished his speech, he left the room. For the very first time in his life Masato didn't know what to say. The blue jelly confection was still left on the plate uneaten. Masato sighed eyeing the sweet red cherry that was on the plate next to the jelly confection.
~ Hush, hush, hush~
Listen, my advice is easy to follow.
Sit back, relax, and shut away the noise.
I'll help you with you're problems.
All you have to do is listen…
~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~
Time: 1:30 PM
'xxx Annual Saotome Academy Special Event xxx
Sign up today for the Mr. and Mrs. Saotome Contest!
Anyone can join or vote for they're favorite prince and princess.
~Grand prizewinners will shine! ~
[Voting ends on April 18th, 2012. Winners will be announced on May 5th, 2012.]'
"Well this is new," Said Tomochika, looking at the blue sheet posted on the bulletin board that was pinned over an entry box.
"Oooohh…looks interesting! This is something that I definitely can't pass over."
Chi wrote down a couple of names on a small piece of paper before dropping it into the entry box. The two recently finished their drama class; walking through one of the hallways they had caught sight of the entry box, before heading off to their next class. It was the type of event that Chi couldn't ignore; after all it was a contest. When Chi had read the text upon the blue paper, an idea had already popped into that crazy mind of hers. It was a contest where any student could join, even just for the fun of it.
"You're entering the contest?" Asked Tomochika.
"Tomo-chan, no, no, no. I didn't enter my own name. ~ I voted for my pri~nce and prin~cess to win this contest. When there's an event like this at our academy, I'll just have fun at the sidelines," Chi smirked.
~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~
Time: 1:35 PM
Asami felt a shiver shoot down her spine. She raised her head from the worksheet that she was reading over in class. Hyuuga stood at the front of the classroom going over a few questions. Ren sat beside her, instead of listening to what the teacher was saying he was doodling on a blank piece of paper. Syo, Tokiya, and Yoshi were taking notes just like the other students in the classroom. Except for Yoshio, who was flipping through a sports magazine that he had hidden behind his history textbook.
"Hmm…I know that Yoshi already went out shopping yesterday with Chi for a birthday present for Alexander. Masumi already has his present ready too. I don't know about Asami…maybe later on…no…a new baseball glove would be great for the nocturnal emperor," Thought Yoshio highlighting a page in the sports magazine.
~ P – A – R – T – Y ! ~
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Tell the DJ to turn it up!
We'll dance till' the sun comes up!
~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~ EKSTASIS ~
Time: 7:00 PM
"Noona!" Exclaimed Masumi barging into Asami and Chi's dorm suite with Alexander right behind him.
Asami was in the kitchen removing a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies from the oven, while Chi was in the living room making readjustments to a new dress that she recently purchased online.
"Gah…- ouch!" Chi winced in pain, blood already forming from the finger where she had pricked herself with a needle, "God damn it, Mercury! Don't barge in like that!"
"Whoops…sorry my Aoi vixen." Apologized Masumi before he took a seat on a bar stool, beside Alexander near the kitchen counter.
"Jeez you're such a Hot-shot, barging in like that!" Chi growled shaking her bloody finger at Masumi.
"Chi, please stop waving your finger around," Asami sighed, "I don't want the cookies to be soaked in your blood."
"Fine," Chi snapped before heading off to the bathroom.
Asami sighed, taking off the oven gloves before grabbing a pack of clear plastic bags from a wall cabinet. Chi would probably get over the needle-pricking incident. Masumi reached for one of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, only to have his hand slapped away from the cookie sheet by Asami.
"Asa~mi!" Masumi pouted.
"Not now. Only until the cookies cool down, then Alex and you can have a few."
"Hnn…cookies," Alexander murmured before nibbling on a strawberry pocky that he took from a jar on the kitchen counter.