Katawa Shoujo- Breathlessly
A night of restlessness has left Lenny feeling fairly groggy this morning. The events of the previous day keep intruding upon his mind. The memory of how Emi felt against him. The memory of our wrestling match. And most bothersome, the memory of her nightmare. She was in so much pain and so was he because of it. Lenny can't stop wondering what it must be like for her to wake up with nobody there and more importantly, how this was going to affect him if the same thing happened. The heart medicine shocks Lenny awake as he takes it. It was supposed to be once a day and taken in the morning. Awake, but still worried. What will happen today? Will things just go back to normal? End of the episode, back to the status quo? There was a connection yesterday. Something that nearly pushed them past the boundaries of normal friendship. Would that have been so bad? Lenny's mind goes back to the look in Emi's eyes after the pillow fight. It almost seemed like she was daring him to go on. Almost. But Lenny can't know for sure.
Anyway, the track captain's probably first in her affections as fifth period rolled around. Lenny was getting used to the routine of Yamaku Academy but there weren't that many days left before finals. But even as he began to say that, his mind was already snorting derisively, tired from racing around all night. Lenny was just looking for an excuse. A reason for everything to go wrong. A reason to not try. It's not as if Lenny hasn't even seen the two of them together outside of track practice. And clearly he's never visited. Emi said as much herself. If they were close, surely he'd visit. Lenny sighed as if the weight of his condition was coming down on him and he didn't tell Hisao about it. Lenny felt like such a wuss. He ought to just go for it anyway, damn the consequences. That's what Emi would do, he thinks. Hell, he knows that's what she'd do. Which is partially why he's convinced there's no interest on her end.
She hasn't acted either. Maybe because of this track captain. It's possible she's got a bit of an unrequited crush thing going on. But who would be able to clarify their relationship? It sure as hell can't be Emi. She'd probably just laugh and ask why he wanted to know... and Lenny was not ready to answer that yet. Rin... Rin would probably just give him some nonsensical cryptic answer or something. And then with his luck, she'd just ask Emi, who would ask me why Lenny wanted to know, and he's already covered that problem. Lenny began to wonder... Could he get away with asking the nurse? He seems pretty protective of Emi. Lenny was sure he'd know if something was up... And he owes Lenny for not letting Emi know he forgot to tell me about her being ill, so he'll keep quiet. What if he asks him why Lenny wants to know, though? He can shake him off. Just say he's curious as a friend. He'll buy that, won't he? Of course! That's settled, then. After the run, he'll talk to him while Emi's waiting outside the office.
There's no sign of Emi when Lenny arrives at the track. Is she still too ill? Lenny decided to give her two minutes. He's a little early, and she was ill yesterday, so if she takes a while to show up it shouldn't be surprising. Still, Lenny would hate to just waste his time, so he decided to occupy himself by stretching and pacing back and forth anxiously. What if he went too far yesterday? What if she doesn't come because she's embarrassed? What if…
"You're early again, Lenny! I'm impressed!" Emi told Lenny as if she had snuck up on him. Just like that, Lenny could feel some of the tension leaving his body. Emi seems to be bright and cheerful as usual, with no sign that she even was ill the other day, much less had a less-than-restful sleep. Still, he has to ask.
Katawa Shoujo- Lullaby of Open Eyes
"Sleep well last night?" Lenny asked. It's just a throwaway question. Small talk. The sort of thing people ask someone they bump into in the cafe while getting their morning coffee. But not for us. At least, not for Lenny. He still doesn't know if Emi realizes that he's actually concerned about how well she slept last night, but the question does give her pause. After a short moment of what seems like her genuinely pondering this, she nods.
"Yep! Sure did!" Emi happily told Lenny while she patted him on the back. Was it because of Lenny himself? Did he actually help? Or was Emi just saying that to get him to stop asking questions?
"Good to hear." Emi told Lenny. Emi grins and begins warming up. "So, ready to begin?" Emi asked as she was going to train Lenny twice as hard as yesterday. Lenny wanted to say: Pfft, am I ready? Of course I'm ready! I was born ready! In some kind of excitement but something was holding him back, he didn't know what Emi was going to throw at him and if was going to make up for yesterday. He had to think of an answer to show his readiness.
"Okay." Lenny nervously told Emi. Emi laughs at his bravado.
"Excellent to hear and Rin showed me the video again and the sketch drawing she did, and I wanted to show you." Emi explained to Lenny. She then grabbed her phone with Rin holding the sketch book with her mouth. It was some kind of locomotive of some sort, what could it be? Lenny looked at the numbering before looking at his heart monitor, it matched. Was Rin mocking him?
"Do we have a condition?" Lenny nervously asked Emi if what Rin made was true.
"Yeah hearts and engines are similar, you have to take care of them otherwise they break down." Emi explained to Lenny what Rin meant. Lenny remained there while Emi began to think of what she was going to do next. "Well… since you've been here for a week Lenny, I think you should lead." Emi explained to Lenny that he should take the lead with today's run. Lenny nervously gulped, he wasn't used to leading but if Emi wanted it, she was going to have it.
"I'm scared." Lenny admitted, he didn't want to take the lead almost if something was preventing him.
"Don't be, I'll be right behind you, this run shouldn't be a problem at all." Emi explained to Lenny, there wasn't anything to be scared of. Lenny knew he had to brush it to the side if he was going to keep going and improving in the eyes of Emi. He was still thinking of the picture that Emi showed him, was he really going to break down and by break down, he meant having another heart attack on the track field. Lenny sighed.
"Okay." Lenny told Emi that he was ready. Emi nodded as Lenny took off first. Emi still had her phone and therefore the video that she had playing with Rin when they met for the first time on the train to Yamaku. Emi knew it was her motivation to get her running and maybe Lenny running too. She waited until he was far enough ahead as she decided to press play.
James Coffey- Legends Of The Rails
Emi took off running. Lenny needed to keep a steady pace the whole time, breathing steadily. Emi was hot on his heels as she chased after him. This felt less like an exercise and more like a race to prevent Emi from catching up on his tail. Emi being the runner she was, quickly closed the distance on Lenny. Lenny attempted to run faster as if he wanted to get out of Emi's way. Emi on the other hand, caught up as if she wanted to try to tag Lenny into running after her, the first lap didn't seem to be much of an issue as Lenny continued to run. Emi's legs hitting the track in a rhythmic sound. Lenny began to curve the second lap as the hard run was quickly exhausting him. Lenny felt his head go light and his heart racing and toppled over. Emi ran past him but she realized there was no Lenny. She turned around and sprinted back to him. She found Lenny on his knees gasping hard as if the run had sucked all of the air out of him.
"What's the matter Lenny?" Emi asked Lenny if there was something going on. Lenny still felt dead halfway through the run as Emi was pushing him. He was still gasping like a fish out of water now.
"Heart." Lenny explained to Emi. Emi looked at Lenny as if she was going to wait for him to cool off.
"That's all right, we can sit here for a while." Emi explained that she was going to wait until Lenny was ready.
"I'm sorry Emi." Lenny had to apologize for his condition. Emi went over while talking to Lenny.
"Hey it's not your fault Lenny. It's kind of a hot day anyway." Emi told Lenny that there was nothing to be sorry for. Lenny wasn't so sure about what Emi had said.
"I can't keep failing." Lenny explained to Emi.
"Hey you're not failing anyone." Emi told Lenny. She looked down to see if she could pick him back up.
"But if I don't…" Lenny begins before Emi cuts him off.
"Listen Lenny, nothing is going to happen to you. I'm your friend, I won't let anyone do anything to you, okay?" Emi told Lenny while sticking out an arm for him. Lenny grabbed Emi as he pulled him up.
"I'm… I'm your friend?" Lenny asked Emi if that was true. Emi nodded yes with a smile to her face.
"Yes you are, no amount of setbacks are going to change that." Emi explained to Lenny that no matter what happens, she was still going to be the person who will help him. "Whenever you're ready we'll set off again." Lenny nodded as he and Emi decided to finish up the run for today. Emi decided to keep Lenny steady as she didn't know what was going to happen to him. Emi began thinking: Did she really admit she was his friend? It felt more like… more than friends. He was there last night when she needed him for the nightmare she had. They finished the last lap as Emi is positively beaming after the run today.
"Nice job, Lenny! You're improving! You'll be half as fast as me in no time!" Emi explained. Lenny stood there silent as this last line was delivered with a teasing grin that Lenny grown all too used to. "See everything is fine, I'll get you to the nurse to see if there is something wrong." Emi patted Lenny on the back while he stood there silent about what Emi had just told him.
"You're my friend." Lenny told himself. Emi begins to run her sprints while Lenny decides to take a cool-down water break. She's really pushing herself today. By the time Lenny was done with his break, she's laying across one of the bleachers, looking exhausted. "Goodness, not pushing it a little too much today, are you? You did just have a cold, you'll recall." Lenny asked if Emi was trying to make up for the lost amount of time she spent in her bed. Emi gives an annoyed snort and sits up.
"Bah! I'm just trying to make up for lost time, that's all. I went twice as hard today, you know. A good run always gets the kinks out, you know. Clears the mind, too." Emi explained to Lenny that she
"Oh?" Lenny asked Emi. Emi nods vigorously.
"Yep! It's a great outlet for that sort of thing." Emi explained to Lenny. Emi does not explain further, and Lenny doesn't ask. He suspects he knows the real reason she went so hard today. Being sick had nothing to do with it. Something's bothering her. Maybe the nightmare. Maybe something else. But it's not my place to pry. She'd tell Lenny if she wanted him to know.
"I'm sure that comes in handy." Lenny explained to Emi if this was going to be the case. Emi nodded before she said:
"You have no idea." Emi told Lenny. The sincerity in her voice confirms his suspicion. The only problem is... Even though he knows she'd tell him if she wanted Lenny to know, Lenny on the other hand still wants to know. Emi turned away and began to blush. She didn't know what she wanted to do with Lenny or even do it here right now.
"Something on your mind, then?" Lenny asked Emi. Emi paused as she didn't seem surprised by his question. Instead, she shrugs.
"Nah, it's nothing worth getting worried about." Emi told Lenny that she was putting this off for now. She seems as if she's trying to convince herself as much as she's convincing him. Lenny decided to open his mouth to ask if yesterday is responsible for her current state of mind, but think better of it. Too much risk of her taking the question the wrong way. Besides, he's not even sure of himself what to think about yesterday. Really Lenny can only get about as far as how it felt to have Emi sleeping next to him before his brain and potentially his heart shuts down. Having her before him now, covered in sweat and looking wryly at Lenny, she's making it difficult to think.
"Yeah, I hear you." Lenny sighed while he gathered his things. Emi did so when she saw the watch, there was very little time.
"We'd better hurry to see the nurse. We're running short on time." Emi explained to Lenny that they better get going now.
"Aren't we always?" Lenny asked. Emi laughs at this, a dry chuckle that seems most un-Emi-like.
"Too true." Emi explained that she had been caught up in all of this and she was starting to slip out of her usual self. For a brief moment, she looks old, worn down by some old hurt. But just like yesterday Lenny can almost see her shouldering the burden and straightening up slightly. And then she's back to being Emi again. "Come on then Lenny. Race ya!" With a sudden smile, she darts off.
"Hey! No fair!" Lenny told Emi while he watched her run off. He takes off after her, knowing Lenny won't catch her but not caring. Even if there's no chance of catching her, he'll still run after her. Emi's waiting for him at the door to the Nurse's office as he arrives. Lenny was out of breath once again.
"Well well, look who's finally shown up!" Emi told Lenny as the poor student was gasping for air.
"Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your victory while you can." Lenny gasped while trying to explain to Emi. Emi grins as the nurse pokes his head out of the door.
Katawa Shoujo- Ah Eh I Oh You
"Well, there you are. Come on in, Lenny." The Nurse told Lenny to come inside. Lenny nodded before he walked into the room. Lenny sat down with the Nurse in what has become a familiar routine by now, he checks Lenny's blood pressure and his heart rate.
"A bit fast today, isn't it?" The Nurse asked Lenny if he managed to zip his way all the way here. Lenny nodded while his breathing had calmed down. He was still out of breath but he was slowly getting better as he was running more and more.
"Yeah, I kind of raced Emi here." Lenny explained to the Nurse while he wanted to see what his friend could do. The nurse laughs.
"That's never a good idea!" The nurse explained to Lenny that a race to get here wasn't the best decision but Emi was pushing him harder and harder. He leans in to whisper to Lenny in a conspiratory manner. "I don't know if you've heard... but Emi's a bit of a track star." Lenny reel back in mock surprise.
"Really? She never mentioned it before!" Lenny feigned this surprise. He knew all about this when Emi went for her track meeting. The two of them share a laugh.
"Did she do okay today? Cold seemed to bother her?" The Nurse asked Lenny if the cold was a bother to Emi. Lenny didn't remember as his memory was fuzzy from the day before when it came to this kind of memorization.
"Why don't you ask her?" Lenny asked the Nurse if he knew anything. He rolls his eyes in exasperation. He then gave a smile before he began speaking again.
"Of course I'm going to ask her too, but she'll tell me that she didn't have any problems, regardless of whether or not she did. So I'm asking you, because you're her friend and would probably tell me if she had trouble today." The Nurse explained to Lenny while jotting his notes down. When he puts it that way, it makes a lot more sense.
"She seemed pretty good today, if a little more tired than usual. She was already feeling better when I dropped by yesterday, so I'm not that surprised." Lenny explained, he was surprised at how fast Emi was able to recover from the cold. The nurse nods, though Lenny notices he tenses slightly when he decides to mention yesterday's visit.
"Well, that's good to hear. I figured it was just a 24-hour thing. Emi tends to recover quickly from colds and the like." The Nurse explained to Lenny that Emi seemed to have nothing slowing her down from now and getting over her sickness was routine.
"Hey, speaking of Emi... Are she and the track captain...? Well, you know." Lenny asked. He was curious about this track captain she has kept mentioning. A look of suspicion crosses his face.
"Why do you ask?" The Nurse asked. He wanted to see what Lenny was going to bring up.
"Well, it's just that they seem kind of close, and I was just curious, you know? And I'd never ask her, because that would be kind of embarrassing." Lenny began explaining about what or who this track captain was. The nurse nodded while picking up on the conversation. Lenny sighed, so far, so good. Now to really sell it. "Besides, I think they'd make a cute couple." Lenny explained to the Nurse about them being together. Instead of feeling something sweet, the nurse laughs.
"Well, I don't suppose you're the first to think that. But I think I can say with some certainty that the two of them will never do anything like that." The Nurse explained to Lenny that the Track Captain and Emi weren't together and more like just good friends.
"Certainty?" Lenny asked the Nurse if he was to make sure of this decision.
"Yep. Not that I could tell you, of course. Confidentiality and all that." The Nurse explained that he knew but at the same time, he didn't. Lenny nodded while the Nurse ran a couple more tests on Lenny.
"Yeah right, you just like holding a secret over my head." Lenny told the Nurse before he felt something poke his arm. The Nurse was getting a blood sample from Lenny to make sure he was doing okay. The Nurse pulled the needle out and applied some first aid to where he poked the needle into Lenny's arm.
"That too. Right. Get out of here. I'm a busy man, you know." The Nurse teases Lenny that he should leave. Lenny nodded and gathered his belongings. The Nurse looked at the blood vials he collected as these were going to be sent back to make sure Lenny was healthy. Lenny rolled his eyes at his last statement and headed out the door, motioning to Emi to go in. The whole time, he was trying to keep from doing a celebratory dance.
Katawa Shoujo- Hokabi
The two of them will never do anything like that. That's precisely the sort of thing he wanted to hear. Lenny felt half-tempted to make some sort of a move on Emi right now, but he began to think the nurse would probably disapprove. It was the better decision to let Emi make the first move. Besides, Lenny still doesn't know exactly how Emi feels about him. He means it's obvious that she cares about Lenny as a friend, but something more than that? He can't be certain. Even so, he can't help but feel hopeful. Lenny just needs to figure out a good time to tell Emi exactly how he feels. That puzzle should keep me occupied for the rest of the day, at least.
The rooftop is completely deserted. Normally Lenny could count on Rin to be up here before him, but she's strangely absent. Lenny began to wonder if she decided to accompany Emi to the cafeteria for once. That seems pretty unlikely, but it's all he can think of right now. Part of him wants to go look for Rin, but a far larger part of me is too pleased with the way the sun feels on his skin to care. He picks idly at his lunch while he waits for Emi and Rin to show up. It does not take long for him to hear the sounds of someone coming up the stairs. Lenny waits until the door begins to open before talking.
"Took you long enough. Keep me waiting for you, honestly. The two of you are... Huh?" Lenny explained before he paused, there was the same number of people this time as it was a group of five. Emi, Hisao, Hanako and… Lilly? Where's Rin? Well that's odd. The only person standing in the doorway is Emi, who looks mildly confused.
"What do you mean, "huh?" It's me! You know, Emi! We run in the mornings." Emi began. Hisao, Hanako and Lilly went over to join them today. It felt strange to have Lilly up on the roof but this was a welcome surprise. Rin not being there confused Lenny for a bit. She grins, and Lenny feels his heart jump slightly in his chest at the sight.
"Yes, I knew that. I'm just confused... ...Where's Rin?" Lenny asked. Lilly sat down with Hisao and Hanako as Emi's grin was replaced by a rather guilty-looking expression.
"Yeah, about that... I kind of... sort of... Gavehermycold." Emi quickly blabbered out as the group seemed to have some kind of disbelief.
Katawa Shoujo- Everyday Fantasy
"Oh dear. Am I at risk too?" Lenny asked if he was the most at risk for catching it? He was the one interacting with Emi yesterday when she was sick.
"What happened to Rin?" Hanako asked Emi.
"With Rin having no arms, she can't do the usual stuff she would normally do. She has someone come and help her each morning and night but the person wasn't able to come and I had to dress her the day before and she told me she was sick." Emi explained what happened to Rin and why she wasn't on the rooftop.
"It would make sense, after all. Emi and I were in close contact the other day... So what did she and Rin do that got her ill? Steady on, old lad. Don't go down that road. Rin's just probably got a worse immune system than me. Emi seems shocked by my comment, like she hadn't considered that before." Lenny explained while going a bit backwards on it. He didn't know what exactly made him say that.
"Well you're not alone on that one." Hisao teased. Lilly and Hanako laughed while Emi was feeling guilty.
"I hope not! I'll feel terrible if you get ill because of me, Lenny!" Emi told Lenny that she didn't want him getting sick, it was something a friend would do to make sure that they were well.
"Oh man, I think I feel a fever coming on..." Lenny told them before yawning. He was just playing around with Hisao, Hanako and Lilly but Emi looks horrified, and then quickly shifts into a more angry expression.
"Lenny! You stop getting sick this instant! I won't have it!" Emi pouts in what seemed to be the cutest way possible. Impulsively she seizes Lenny by the collar of his uniform. Emi's head came to rest on Lenny's chest while her ear was at his heart. "Are you listening to me, Lenny's immune system? Get your ass in gear!" Emi told Lenny's body to get itself to make sure Lenny wasn't sick. Lenny decided to give a smart salute.
"Duly noted, ma'am." Lenny told Emi. Emi steps back and nods, satisfied.
"Good. You are not allowed to miss any of our morning runs, after all." Emi explained to Lenny that he wasn't to miss a single one of their runs.
"But you missed a morning run!" Lenny told Emi. Hisao, Hanako and Lilly all watched at what seemed to be the two of them playing around. This was making Hanako smile. Emi crosses her arms and looks at me haughtily.
"Yes, but that's a special case. It was me, and not you." Emi explained to Lenny how she got sick and she was allowed to miss a morning run because of it.
"That's not an explanation at all." Hisao added that she must've been picking on poor Lenny with her words. Emi looks flabbergasted.
"You're kidding, right? That explanation makes perfect sense!" Emi protested but this brought everyone laughing even harder.
"No it doesn't! It's a blatant double standard!" Hisao explained to Emi that her explanation could have two different meanings, though what she said could have only meant one saying.
"I don't see what that has to do with anything." Emi expressed to Hisao that she didn't understand. Hisao knew he needed to call it off before Emi would get more frustrated with this.
"Oh, fine." Hisao sighed. Emi seems pleased by her victory.
"Anyway, is Rin going to be okay? She's not terribly ill, right?" Lilly asked Emi if Rin was going to be okay. Emi began to think about this for a moment, she had gotten over her cold relatively easily but Lilly was curious for Rin. Emi shakes her head.
"Nope! She'll be fine. I got her some cold medicine that should help her. Although I probably should have made sure she didn't try to take them all at once... She's done it before, you know." Emi explained that she had given Rin some medicine and she better portion it out so that Rin didn't overdose. Somehow, Lenny didn't find this all that surprising, but the last part made him nervous. He doubts Rin is one to pay attention to maximum dosages and such. He began to think of his mother who seemed to have been more withdrawn into her drugs ever since the news a few months back. Lenny didn't know how he was going to react.
"You should probably check in on her later, then. Just to make sure." Lenny replied to Emi that she should check on Rin to make sure she was doing okay. Emi shrugs.
"I'll stop by after practice. She'll be fine until then." Emi told them before she got up and headed off. She didn't know how to react if Rin was still sick even if it was for the visit. Lenny nods, figuring that line of conversation is over. The only problem is, he doesn't know what else to talk about.
"So... You got any more track meets coming up?" Lenny asked Emi if this was true. This is a terribly roundabout way of trying to see if she's free on the weekend. If she's free, then maybe Lenny can ask her for another walk in the park or something. Well, assuming he can get himself to actually form the words. Emi shakes her head.
"This weekend I am, I think. The season's winding down." Emi told Lenny that they would be meeting up if the chance called for it. Lenny managed to catch Emi's track meets at the tail end and he was lucky to hear about that. Exams were coming up so Emi must've had one more meet after this and then it was off to studying for exams.
"What do you do on weekends if there's not a track meet?" Lenny asked what Emi does when she isn't running on weekends. An eyebrow goes up, and Emi gets a teasing look on her face. Hisao and Hanako listened curiously, they looked like they wanted in on this.
"You're awfully inquisitive today, aren't you?" Emi asked. Lenny shrugs and hopes it looks casual.
"Just making conversation. I don't know what it's like to be a track star, after all." Lenny replied as they continued to finish their lunch.
"Pfft, flattery." Emi jokingly told Lenny and the others. She waves her hand idly. "I'm not actually that good, you know. You just so happened to see me on a good day, is all."
"You liar." Hisao teased Emi though Lenny was nervous about taking the lead.
"Heh, yeah. But humility is the sign of a good athlete. At least that's what my dad used to say." Emi explained that she had what she needed to be a good athlete but there should be a day where she was completely free and they could go off to. Emi then brings up her dad as she shrugs and tries unsuccessfully to hide the rather troubled expression her face has taken on.
"Hey, what's up? You seem bothered by something." Lenny asked. He didn't feel well but he wanted to press the issue. Emi starts to deny it, then sighs in defeat. They wonder if she's too tired from being sick to get herself to deny it like usual. Or if she actually just trusts Lenny enough at this point to open up.
Katawa Shoujo- Comfort
"Well, you remember last night?" Emi asked Lenny. Does Lenny ever? He settled for nodding however. "That's not the first time that's happened to me. Actually, I get them kind of..." Emi explained to Lenny. She pauses, as if it suddenly occurred to her what she's doing. It's almost like she's breaking some sort of personal rule, here. But she starts up again, choosing her words carefully. "Well, not often, but... On occasion. It's just been one of those weeks where that's what happens." Lenny felt anxious, just like Emi, he got these nightmares too and he much like Emi had been alone before yesterday when he visited her. Did Lenny have the same dreams as Emi? A sigh escapes her, and she looks terribly frustrated. Lenny reaches over and gives her a hug, which unlike last time doesn't seem to shock her. Instead, she seems to relax as his arms wrap around her. They stayed that way for a while, they didn't even realize the fact that Hisao, Hanako and Lilly were gone.
"Hey, you know I was serious last night. You really can talk to me if stuff like this is bothering you. It's always difficult to do this sort of thing solo, you know?" Lenny reminded Emi that he wasn't kidding, he was going to go out of his way to help Emi as much as she decided to help him. Emi smiles and breaks the embrace, but stays leaning on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Lenny. I'll be fine, I think." Emi told Lenny that she was thankful for the hug. She looked at Lenny as if he could already see her reassembling herself, getting ready to bottle it all up again. Guess that topic is closed, for now.
"So hey, given any more thought to that career survey?" Lenny asked. I haven't decided what I want to be, venturing into the unknown is still pretty scary for Lenny especially with his condition. Emi began to think but this was all she could reply with.
"Can't say I have. I don't tend to plan very far ahead, you know. Although I suppose I could at least start looking into college, huh?" Emi asked Lenny if this was something she wanted to do. Lenny shrugged.
"I suppose, unless you were serious about that pirate thing. Last I checked, pirates didn't have much need for universities. Unless there's like, a pirate university out there somewhere." Lenny explained to Emi if she was serious or she was just joking around and she was going to be serious. Emi giggles and starts to look a little like her old self, but there's a new element to her expression. Impish. That's how Lenny would describe it. Emi looks impish, looking up at him with her head nestled into his shoulder.
"Would you come with me if I ran off to be a pirate?I certainly know that Hanako would."Emi asked Lenny if she were to run off on her adventure, should he come too?
"Of course I would! Who in their right mind would pass up the opportunity to be pirates with you?" Lenny replied before asking. He was ready to play with Emi if it meant spending time with her.
"Well, when you put it that way, I'm not sure." Emi sighed. She giggles again. Lenny notices that his heart seems to have sped up during this time as he was a little uncomfortable and unable to bring up his past much like Emi. It's probably due to Emi's proximity to him. That hint of strawberries, again. Lenny can't help but grin as he gazes down at her. She's happy again. "Hey, Lenny."
"Hmm?" Lenny asked.
"I gave some thought into what I said earlier about being friends and… I think we're more than that at this point. You seem to be the type of person I have an interest in. I was thinking of giving you one present in the meantime before we go back to class." Emi began to explain that what she said earlier, she was going to scrap that, there was something more to Lenny that Emi couldn't put her finger on. She never knew someone who needed to bounce back and he was starting to, better than she had anticipated. Lenny's thoughts grind to a sudden halt. He was pretty sure his mouth was hanging open in shock. All he can manage is a strangled "Huh?" This amuses Emi even more. "You were thinking about it, weren't you?" Emi asked. She sits up, bringing her face level with his. "I'd probably enjoy it, you know? You're a really... ...Well." Emi continued to speak but she couldn't figure out what to say to Lenny regarding the entire thing. She briefly composes herself, looking like she's about to say something important. "If you hadn't figured it out by now, I think I've developed a bit of a crush on you. You're going to have to do something about that. I always came back whenever you weren't doing so well. If it means coming back, I should have told you this on day one." This time her grin short circuits several important thought processes. At some point Lenny turned toward her, and at another point her arms moved around his neck. At yet another, her arms wrapped around his waist. Lenny will be damned if he could tell precisely when that happened. Because at the moment, there's only a voice in the back of his head yelling at Lenny to accept her. Lenny looks into Emi's eyes while a hand is on his chest. His heart was still beating fast but it was only starting to slow down. There it is. The thing he saw yesterday on the bed. It's there again. It suddenly strikes Lenny that she's worried that he'll reject her. What a silly worry for her to have. Lenny closed his eyes almost if he was slowly dragged into Emi's warm, inviting embrace.
Katawa Shoujo- Romance in Andante II
Lenny was in a blissful trance, something he never felt before. He didn't know what this feeling was nor did he experienced it. Emi closed her eyes and leaned in as well. Then Emi's lips connected his affectionately. Her lips taste faintly of strawberries. She leans into the kiss, and her arms tighten around the back of his head, making sure that Lenny decided to not pull away. Not that there was any danger of that. There's a churning feeling in their guts. The world falls away. There's just him, and her, and this bench. his arms tighten, drawing her closer, entranced by the feel of her. Lenny inhales her scent. It was sweet, his mind trying desperately to memorize everything about how she tastes, how she smells, how she feels.
The ringing of the bell snaps them both back to reality, and they break the kiss. Emi's cheeks are slightly flushed, and she seems to be catching her breath. In her defense, so was Lenny. They stand there for a few moments, trying to wrap our heads around what they've just done. Emi is the first to break the silence.
"So... ... Wanna grab dinner after I'm done with practice?" Emi asked in an affectionate manner. Lenny was still flustered over everything but he decided to speak.
"What a coincidence. I was about to ask you the same thing." Lenny told Emi that he was willing to spend time with her. "If I have different plans tonight, want to go to the park tomorrow?" Well, actually Lenny supposed it was going to be some kind of proper date on the weekend or something. But the thought was there, he thinks. Emi gives him a playful shove.
"Yeah right. You were still in shock from how incredibly awesome I am at kissing." Emi playfully teased Lenny. They got up and began to head down the stairs back to their respective classrooms.
"Hey, I didn't see you talking immediately afterwards either." Lenny told Emi. Emi smiled while she had her arm around Lenny.
"That I didn't. See you after practice, Lenny." Emi told him. She leans in quickly and gives him a quick kiss in the middle of the hallway, sending me into another brief state of mental freefall. As Lenny heads into the classroom to see Lilly and Hanako, a giggling Misha greets him.
"Why Leecchan, you romantic, you~! Did you confess on the rooftop? Did you~?" Misha asked while Shizune made a couple of quick signs.
"Er, actually I think it was the other way around." Lenny explained to Misha what exactly had happened. This sends Misha into a fresh fit of laughter.
"Young love is so unpredictable, isn't it~?" Misha asked while trying to calm down from the laughter. This being Misha, he supposed he should have expected her to tease Lenny over this.
"I guess..." Lenny began. Before he can really respond, the teacher enters the room and Misha skips off to her seat, giggling all the while. Lenny suspects that he'll get a lot of that sort of conversation now, especially seeing as how Emi kissed him right in the middle of the hall. But somehow, he doesn't care about that. For the first time since arriving here, his heart feels light. The class had ended but plans were diverted, Hanako wanted to see Lenny in the library.
As well as Emi, Hanako has been pretty instrumental in helping Lenny adjust, even if half of the conversations are thinly-veiled recruitment attempts from Hanako's end but might as well try getting the conversation up and running. Then again, Lenny still barely knows either of them. Maybe they were previously leaders of some kind of secret society, but their love for each other drove them apart... Man, Lenny needs to stop thinking about cheap fiction that Hisao had been reading. It's rotting his brain. Either that or he's got to move away from Kenji and his bad influence. It's sad that Lenny can't tell the two apart any more. Lenny entered the library as a student was sending the return books down the return chute which landed with a pleasant thud. Yuuko, however, doesn't seem as impressed as Lenny.
Katawa Shoujo- Fripperies
"L-Lenny! You scared me!" Yuuko greeted Lenny when she didn't know about the thump that was the books. Lenny was confused on why Hanako needed him there.
"Sorry, I thought you would be used to that by now. Or is the literacy level here so low that nobody borrows any books?" Lenny asked Yuuko if either one was the case.
"Huh? No I think everyone here can read fine..." Yuuko told Lenny that students come here to read and that they do. Looks like Lenny had to drop the conversation.
"Yeah... never mind." Lenny sighed. There are some battles that you can never win. Trying to explain jokes is one of them. Lenny'sDad taught him that the hard way. "Say, Yuuko, have you seen Hanako about? She told me to come here but she isn't here." Lenny asked Yuuko if she knew where his friend was.
"I think I saw her sneak in before lunch... Oh! But I'm not supposed to tell anyone that!" Yuuko told Lenny that she remembered Hanako coming in to do something but she remembered she couldn't tell Lenny that.
"I just told you that I saw her leave, no need to stress out..." Lenny explained to Yuuko that there was nothing to worry about. Yuuko straightened herself out before she decided to point where Hanako was.
"Oh... of course. She's probably in the back." Yuuko told Lenny where he could find Hanako.
"Thanks. Get any new books in recently?" Lenny asked curiously to Yuuko if she got anything new he could borrow. Yuuko stood there for a moment before she began speaking.
"No, sorry. I'll let you know when we do, though." Yuuko explained to Lenny that there was nothing new. Lenny sighed, he had to go find Hanako.
"Okay." Lenny told Yuuko. He turned and walked away from Yuuko. If there's one thing Hisao taught Lenny to know about librarians, part-time or otherwise, it's that they appreciate people that take a genuine interest in their work. Lenny walks the now-familiar path to Hanako's reading nook, looking at a few titles along the way. Sometimes he finds it hard to discover a book that will interest him among the shelves. An author's name and a two-word title don't mean much in a sea of similar words. For that reason, Lenny would want to re-read books that he read in the past. Better to bet on the favorite than a new runner. An unfamiliar title from a familiar author peeks out among the spines of its neighbors, so he removes it from the shelf and takes a look at it to see what it said. At least he was not going over old material. Lenny places the book back as it didn't catch his interest. As expected, Hanako sits on her beanbag, buried deep in a copy of "Dance Dance Dance"
"Hi Hanako. How's it going?" Lenny calmly greeted Hanako. Fighting back the urge to ask why she left class early. If Lenny's were right and Hanako got a head start, then asking her about that could have the opposite effect. Best to leave it for the time being. Sometimes the best way to get an answer from someone is to never ask the question.
"Hello,Lenny. I'm fine." Hanako greeted Lenny and she told him how she was holding up. Something seems off, and after a couple of seconds, Lenny realizes what it is. Hanako's smiling. She looks as if she's pleased to see him. It's a nice change from the usual, instinctively frightened reaction, and something he hopes he can see more of as they get to know each other better. To be fair, Lenny was in Hanako's shoes at this moment and Hanako was more likely to scare Lenny off than him scaring her.
"Good to hear. How's that book? I've heard it's a trip." Lenny began as if he read the book already, it was clear he didn't.
"I-it's good... I think. I've only just started it, so I don't really know." Hanako stuttered a bit while trying to come up with a response. Looks like she hadn't read it either.
"Fair enough. Let me know how it goes; I may borrow it once you're done." Lenny told Hanako that he would like to read it.
"Sure." Hanako told Lenny he was okay to borrow it and read it, much to Hanako's enjoyment as long as Yuuko was okay with it. It was a good fifteen minutes into the after class session. Lenny wasn't in the mood to really get into a book, but too much to stand around doing nothing. And Hanako's already returned to her reading, so he doubts he'll get much conversation from her. Oh well, Lenny better make himself comfortable. Lenny slouches into a beanbag and waits for what Hanako remembered to tell him. The unfamiliar style of the author leaps out at him from the very first line. In Hanako's book, Lenny was trying his best to figure out what Hanako was reading. He gave up and pulled out his book and began picking up where he left off. As the sentences turn into paragraphs, Lenny starts to relax a little. But no matter how he tries, he can't seem to get himself into the atmosphere of the book. This is partly due to the lack of time, but the more distracting factor is Hanako. Every ten or so seconds she peers over the top of her book, but when our eyes meet she quickly ducks behind the covers. Lenny guessed she did want to talk about something after all.
"What's up? You look like a prairie dog on lookout." Lenny asked, he placed the book down after placing the bookmark to him leaving off.
"Lenny, I wanted to tell you that I heard something from the Nurse." Hanako began speaking to Lenny. Lenny had paused as if Hanako wanted to speak to him. "I've told you before, "nothing" means "something" when you say it like that." Hanako squirms a little in her beanbag, hoping that by changing her position she'll find the words she's looking for. "I know you didn't want to hear about this but when I was in the nurse earlier today, I heard the Nurse telling Meiko that your mother had overdosed." Lenny felt his blood run cold.
Katawa Shoujo- Painful History
"Is she going to be alright?" Lenny asked Hanako. Hanako's mood dampened before she began speaking.
"She is but… it turns out she isn't handling the loss as well as you are. She's completely isolated herself and even Meiko Ibarazaki, the one person who still cares for her has called the nurse to tell you the news but he didn't tell you about it. I remembered everything for him." Hanako told Lenny. She went over and hugged him as if she understood his pain. "Try your best not to be upset as this hasn't happened to you."
"What do you mean?" Lenny asked. He was curious about Hanako's last statement and wanted to know more about it. Hanako began to think about it before she spoke.
"I... I was in an accident." Hanako nervously told Lenny that she too had something happen to her.
"Accident? Just now? Are you all right?" Lenny asked. Hanako shakes her head no, her hair flowing around her shoulders in wisps of amethyst on a background of pale and dark flesh.
"N-no. When I was y-younger." Hanako nervously told Lenny, she didn't want to recount the events that happened to her but for Lenny's sake and if he was going to continue going forward, she must tell him. Realization crashes into Lenny like a semi.
"When I... when I was..." Hanako began while trying to piece it all together. Lenny leaned over and hugged Hanako if she was going to need it.
"It's all right Hanako, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to..." Lenny tried his best to try to comfort Hanako through this. He released the grip as again she shook her head.
"N-no. I want... I have to tell you." Hanako nervously stuttered. She really needed to tell Lenny about this. "When I was young... I was in a fire. M-my house b-burned down, and I nearly... I nearly didn't make it. My parents saved me but they didn't make it.A-after that... I was alone..." Hanako's eyes glisten in the dim light of the library, and Lenny reaches out to grasp her hand.
"It's okay, Hanako. You don't have to keep going." Lenny explained to Hanako if it was becoming too hard she didn't have to tell him. Hanako on the other hand had to keep going.
"B-but... I have to..." Hanako explained. Lenny was curious about Hanako and how much she was putting herself through. Lenny would have fallen apart very quickly.
"Why? What brought this on?" Lenny curiously asked Hanako if there was a reason why she was telling him this.
"Last night Hisao told me about your heart... And I... I didn't think it was fair." Hanako began. Lenny was curious to see what Hanako meant.
"Fair?" Lenny asked Hanako.
"That I knew about you but you didn't know about me… I left you out in the dark as I wasn't ready to open up to you but I see you for more than yourself and you have as much pain as I do when you lost your parents. I lost mine too." Hanako squeezes Lenny's hand a little as she thought he must've been going through the same trauma as she did. She wanted to connect with Lenny more. She began to steadily unbutton the top part of his uniform. Lenny felt nervous but with the setting just being him and Hanako, Lenny had nowhere else to go.
"I didn't know you can understand my pain, Hanako. But yes, I have a heart condition." Lenny explained to Hanako when she saw the jagged scars criss-crossing Lenny's chest. "What I didn't tell Lilly or Hisao is that I had my first attack when a girl tried to talk to me after I lost my dad." Lenny explained to Hanako. Lenny was ready to slump into Hanako's arms and weep.
"R-really?" Hanako asked. She kept Lenny steady while she buttoned his uniform back up.
"Really. I haven't heard from her for a while though, so I guess it's all over until recently when I received a letter from her and Hisao decided to take care of my mail." Lenny explained that he hadn't seen this girl for a long while and this was a sign of what was to come. Lenny had to swallow the fact that it's all over. There's no other way to interpret what happened the last time he saw her. In some ways, not having heard from her again has helped him move on from that period of his life. But not hearing from her also left a gap in his understanding about his past. Hanako and Emi would want to know what his life was before Yamaku, even Hisao of all people who most likely knew about him before their incidents landed them there. "So now, we both know a little more about each other. But you don't have to talk about things if you don't want to."
In fact, Lenny was beginning to feel a little bad even thinking about that whole incident. He can almost smell the hospital's disinfectant burning the back of his sinuses again. Lenny could have imagined Hanako is going through the same thing now. When he was in the hospital he went to the burn ward once, and only once. Lenny was bored, so he went for a walk through all of the wards. He went through oncology and thought he could take it, but when he got to the burn ward he had decided to turn around and went back to his bed. To think that Hanako would have spent months in a place like that, smelling nothing but corrupted skin, strong disinfectant and sterilized air. The really bad cases were kept in isolated pods that no foreign objects could enter. That would have meant no reading. Lenny would have gone insane if he didn't have his books in the hospital. And she said she was alone... Did her parents die much like his dad? Lenny or Hanako would have to ask Lilly about it. He can imagine himself saying something dumb unintentionally.
"Thank you, Lenny. I... I haven't told many people about this." Hanako began. She must've told Hisao about this before but sensing Lenny and Hisao were very similar people with near identical conditions, she knew which one to tell apart.
"To be honest, I haven't told many people about my... circumstances either." Lenny explained to Hanako. Hanako was the first person who he opened up to regarding his condition. He hadn't even opened up to Hisao or Emi, two of the people he was very close to.
"T-then I won't tell a-anyone either." Hanako told Lenny that she wouldn't tell anyone either.
"Deal." Lenny told Hanako as she finished buttoning up his shirt. Lenny changes his grip on Hanako's hand into a handshake as the bells chime through the window. Why were they chiming even though class was over?
"Well then, we'd better head back to our dorms then, eh?" Lenny asked if he was rather confused by the bells that were ringing. Hanako smiled while she placed the book back.
"Sure." Hanako told Lenny. They made their way out of the main building and to the dorm rooms. After bidding Hanako farewell, Lenny made his way to his dorm and quickly got any weekend homework he had to do. A shower afterward would do him good but all he continued thinking about was Emi.
Emi, the running girl, was helping him in the right direction.
End of Act 2
[A/N]: Act 2 is finally finished and boy it's making the story longer than I anticipated, I broke the story's original 83,000 words and I wasn't even done with this act yet. Looks like the story is getting longer and it will help a lot for more views and follows. Anyway, keep your eyes out for Act 3. See you later.