Iwatodai Dormitory - Lounge - Evening
I make it back to the dorm. Fuu-chan gave me a tour of the school, as well as Port Island. We ended the tour at the Strip mall and went home from there. I can't help but feel this warm feeling in my chest, even after we separated for the day.
"Welcome back," Kirijo-senpai greets me, reading on a wide couch near the wall. "I hope your first day made a good impression on the school?"
I give a thumbs up. "The school is pretty great."
"I am glad the school is to your liking. Also, I told Yuki this, but I cannot allow any of you to leave the dorm at night."
"How come?"
"There are many dangerous things in the city during the night, so it would be wise to stay in."
It's not like I have a reason to go out at night anyway.
"Okay, I'll do that."-
Makoto-kun is sitting at the kitchen table with Yuka-chan. I think I should talk to them. After all, they are my dorm mates. I head to the kitchen to talk to them.
"Mind if I sit here?" I ask them.
"Not at all," Yuka-chan welcomes me.
I take a seat next to Makoto-kun.
"So, how was your first day?" Yuka-chan asks me.
"Pretty great."
"Cool, I usually just hear from my friends it sucks, or it's boring. Not like it's untrue, but there's no point complaining about it?"
I heard she's pretty popular, so she must have a lot of friends who complain about it. Honestly, that type of attention isn't for me.
"I heard you were popular around school, especially with the boys," I end with a teasing tone.
Yuka-chan responds with a disgusted grunt. "Oh god, you sound like someone I know."
"You mean Junpei?" Makoto-kun says.
"Yep, like him."
"Who's Junpei?"
"An idiot who belongs in our class. Not worth mentioning really."
That's harsh of her to say. I wonder what he's like to earn her scorn.
"I thought he was okay," Makoto-kun voices.
"Maybe to you, but that guy is nothing but a creep."
"Creep is a bit too much... Maybe a bit too energetic?"
"Energetic most definitely. A pervert, do I even need to go there? The point is: Junpei is a weirdo and you're lucky you don't have to deal with him," Yuka-chan tells me. I don't know what this Junpei guy is really like, but he sure pissed Yuka-chan off. "...well, I'm heading off to my room. Good night, guys," she announces as she gets up from her chair.
"Night."
I wave her off as she heads upstairs.
"Now that it's just us, we can finally talk to each other, Kazuki-kun," Makoto-kun says.
Yeah, we didn't get to talk to each other. I guess that makes sense since we don't see each other at school today.
"Since we have the opportunity, let's take advantage of it. Oh, by the way, I'm Kazuki Kei. You already know, but I wanted to introduce myself properly to you."
"I see, then I might as well introduce myself properly as well. I'm Yuki Makoto, nice to meet you."
Makoto-kun and I shake hands. His grip is not strong or weak, just in the middle ground, almost as if he can go between one or the other at any second. The idea is strange, yet oddly scary.
"So, what class are you in, Makoto-kun?"
"2-F, along with Yukari and Junpei. You?"
"2-E. Hey, mine is right next to yours."
"Go figure."
Because of his looks, I thought he would be hard to talk to. Yet he's easy to talk with. Now that I think about it, we both arrived to the dorm late at night. When I did, there was that strange world where everything was green and there were coffins and blood all over the place. It never occurred to me until now, but did he see it as well?
"Makoto, this might sound strange, but the night when you got to the dorm, did you-"
A phone ringtone sounds off, interrupting me from saying anything else. Makoto-kun pulls out his phone, revealing that it's his that's going off.
"Sorry, but I need to take this. We can pick up on this later," Makoto tells me.
He puts the phone to his ear and goes upstairs. A sigh escapes me. There goes my chance to ask about that night. Oh well, I'll just ask him tomorrow...
"I might as well go to my room then."
I head over to the stairs with my bag in hand. As I climb the stairs, a guy I haven't seen before is coming downstairs. He's wearing a red vest with his school jacket in his hands. He has a Band-Aid patch on his forehead. His hair white is the most noticeable feature about him. He shoots a glance at me that's cold, yet filled with what you would call strength, causes me to flinch. He simply walks past me without uttering a word. The thought that he's another resident of the dorm is unthinkable; he gives off a feeling that he's more than a student. I scurry back to my room. I unlock the door to my room to see a bunch of boxes that I left packed... Let's change that.
...
Finally, after an hour, I finished unpacking and decorating my room. I put my manga on the desk and some posters with idols on them on the wall. The most important memento is a photo of Naoya and me at the Tokyo Dome. I place the photo on top of the desk as well. Now only one more thing left to do: sleep. I change out of my school uniform and into my pajamas before heading to bed.
"Everything about this day went right, and the facts pile up. First: I met Fuu-chan, secondly: I'm in the same classroom as her, which, is awesome! Then we became friends. Everything's coming up for me!"
...
Drifting, aimless drifting. It feels as though I am drifting somewhere, but I don't know where. Am I dead? No, not dead, but disconnected from my physical body. Where I am going?
"Kazuki Kei," a voice lightly calls my name. The voice is male but is as delicate as a female's. "...You shall be tested soon, so get plenty of rest, for this test shall judge your potential. I wish you luck in..."
No malice, no ego, nor any good came from his voice. Just the intention to warn me. Can this voice be trusted, or suspected? I'm unable to grasp an answer as I sink into a dark slumber...
Iwatodai Dormitory - Morning
My eyelids open wide, the dark ceiling greets me. A weird, indescribable sensation is echoing across my body. There's a sudden shiver that pops up around my back for no reason. Is it because of that strange dream? Actually, what was that dream? Trying to recall it is fruitless since the details are hazy to me. However, besides that, I don't feel groggy in the least; almost as if I didn't go to sleep.
"I wonder what time it is?"
I grab my phone from under my pillow. It's 6:34 A.M. Wait, what!?
"Oh, crap, it's morning! Wait, how long was I asleep for?"
Could've sworn I went to sleep for a couple of minutes. I jump out of bed, grabbing my uniform clothes from my closet, putting them on in a rush. Running out of my room, then hopping down the stairs, I rush out of the dorm with both my uniform jacket and my regular hoodie in hand with my bag's handle in my mouth. Oh crap, I am so gonna be late!
Gekkoukan high- 2-E - Morning
Despite the odds, I made it to school on time, fortunately enough. Students pass me as they hurry off to class. I enter my classroom, looking like a hurricane passed me by. Luckily enough, nobody pays me any mind, helping me finish straightening out my look without any worry.
"Good morning, Kazuki-kun," Fuu-chan greets me, a welcoming smile etched on her face. However, it changes to a curious expression when she looks at me. "...Why isn't your School jacket on?"
I put my regular jacket then the school one on. "Had to rush on over here."
"Well, school doesn't start until 7:30 A.M., so you should be able to make it based on when you wake up and when you make it out of your home," Fuu-chan states.
"Oh, okay. You're smart."
"Thank you, but everyone knows that. It's common knowledge," she sheepishly informs me.
Yep, that should've known that by now, but hey, now I know. The school bell rings throughout the school, signaling the beginning of the day.
"Slave hours are here," I remark.
"Why would you say that?"
"Duh, school is a slave driver, so that's why you got boys and girls despairing before class. Thus, slave hours." She laughs a little at my joke. Glad it's a hit. "Hm?"
That's strange. I feel something staring at us. Maybe it's just me?
...
Class started with a bore and ended with one, but it didn't matter since I dozed off a couple of minutes in each period. Fuu-chan is getting ready to leave for the day. Just as I'm about to get up and ask to walk home with her, three other girls stand in front of her desk.
"Hey, Fuuka, can you come with us for a minute," a tan-skinned girl requests.
"Um, I can't, because I'm, umm... Spending time with my friend today." Fuu-chan seems uncomfortable near these girls as she edges towards me. What the hell is going on? "Let's go, Kazuki-kun."
"Um, okay..."
Confused, yet unwilling to overestimate my ability to pry into a matter I don't understand, I pass the trio of girls. She follows behind me. Suddenly, she falls to the ground, nearly hitting the edge of a desk.
"Fuu-chan!" I crouch to see if she's alright? From down here, one of the three girls has their leg sticking out. What the hell, what's wrong with her!? "Hey, are you okay?"
"Ye-Yes, it was nothing..."
Bullshit, she could have split her head open on a desk like that. Luckily, she only got off with a bruise and nothing more.
I leap to my feet, staring down the trio of girls who are just smirking it up. "What the hell is wrong with you!"
"Nothing, my foot slipped," the tan-girl says.
"Yeah right, your foot slipped, my ass!"
"What, I said my foot slipped. We're sorry~," she apologizes in a hollow manner. "But Fuuka should say sorry. I could have gotten hurt if she had dragged me down with her."
"That's not even true!" This girl is driving me up the goddamn wall. "Listen, I want you to leave her alone. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment, got it!?"
"Fine, I understand, but guys like you trying to act tough is cute."
This girl... It's like she didn't listen to a single thing I said. The trio exits the classroom. Most others begin to leave as well, wanting to exit such an oppressive atmosphere.
"Here." I give her a hand. She takes it and I lift her from the ground. She's on the verge of tears. Damn it, who the hell does that woman think she is? "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I am… Let's just… Wait, where is my bag?" she asks as she looks around for it.
"It's over..." It's gone. I don't need a second to realize what happened to her bag. "Come on, I know who might have taken it."
We head down into the main hall to search for the tanned girl and her friends. There's a bag near the entrance of the school. It's soaked, torn, and beaten up; Anything inside is probably crushed and soaked to the bone.
"That's my bag," Fuuka miserably claims.
She picks it up and heads out of the school.
"That bitch… I'm gonna-"
"Kazuki-kun, it's okay, I'm used to this," she cuts me off in a miserable tone. "It's okay, really."
Unbelievable, that's all I can say about this. No, I'm not allowing her to say this is okay. Not a chance in hell!
"This isn't okay, this isn't okay at all! I don't like how they treat you, not in the slightest! So don't you dare tell me it's okay and expect me to go with it, because there is no chance in hell I will!"
Her head points towards her bag, but even with her head down, I can tell. Fuuka is crying. She's trying not to, but it didn't matter. She probably doesn't want anyone to see her cry; I know I wouldn't. I take off my uniform jacket so I can give her my hoodie.
"Why are you...giving me this?"
"Nobody will see you crying if you wear the hood, so cry under it if you want."
"Than-Thank you," she expresses her gratitude as she sobs.
"It's okay, let's just get out of here. I'll take you back to your house."
"...Okay."
I escorted her back home. She had to throw out her bag since it's wrecked. There was nothing I could say or do to make her feel better. Even if I did, it wouldn't work. After reaching her house, we said goodbye to each other for the day. I went straight to the dorm. I didn't want to stop anywhere to eat. I felt sick. However, I made a quick stop. I went to a supplies store to buy Fuuka a new bag, some new books, and some other stuff.
Iwatodai dormitory - evening
Entering the dorm, I see a grown man sitting on one of the arms-rest seats. He's dressed rather nicely and has long brown hair, with glasses on.
"Hello," the grown man greets me. "You must be one of the new students to be living in this dorm. I am Ikutsuki Shuji. It is a pleasure to meet you."
His greeting is polite and leads on for me to give my greetings.
"You too, Ikutsuki-san. I'm Kazuki Kei, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"I just got done talking to Yuki and Takeba, so you came just in time."
A talk is the last thing I'm in the mood for. I'll politely make my way out of this conversation.
"Oh, well, can this wait for another time? I'm kind of in a hurry."
"I do need to ask you questions, but if you aren't feeling up to it now, I suppose Mitsuru will have to ask the standard questions later."
"Yeah, thanks..."
Giving a curt bow, I leave the lounge in a hurry to the second floor. Unlocking the door to my room, then shutting it behind me, I open my closet door, showing my other clothes and PJs. Taking off my clothes feels like a waste of time instead of just going to sleep in them, but putting on my PJs is a must, or else I'll wrinkle my uniform in my sleep. With my lounge wear on, I can sleep this whole day off and get to school tomorrow.
"Wait, my hoodie!"
That's right, I forgot to get my hoodie from Fuuka... Well, it's not like that's a bad thing. I'm pretty sure she'll bring it tomorrow, so I have nothing to worry about. The weight of my body hits my bed. Two feelings remain in me for today: anger and frustration. I can't believe that someone would do that shit… Shit, what am I talking about? I should know better. But man, I have never been this pissed in my life! Damnit, I don't even know if I can go to sleep...!
Gekkoukan high - Morning
It's near time for the late bell. I arrive at school with Fuu-chan's new materials in hand. I zip through the main hall, up the stairs, to 2-E. I enter the classroom with no problem. Spotting Fuu-chan in her seat, I make my move. I place her new bag on her desk.
"Hey, I bought you a new bag and some supplies. So everything is good as new," I tell her, presenting a smile to assure her.
I can tell she is in awe from her mouth slightly gaping open. Thank god I kept almost all the money that Naoya lent me.
"Kazuki-kun, you-" Mid-sentence, Ekoda sensei loudly slides open the door, interrupting Fuu-chan.
"All right, settle down, settle down! Get in your seats!"
Man, what poor timing.
"We can talk later," I tell her.
"Okay."
During roll call, Fuu-chan hands me a piece of paper without Ekoda sensei noticing.
"Thank you", it reads.
A smile forces itself onto my face. Never in my life did I expect that it would feel this good to be thanked for such a small act.
Gekkoukan high - lunchtime
Instantly, I get up the moment the bell sounds off. Fuu-chan stands up as well, to turn her desk to face mine.
"Kazuki-kun," she quietly calls, slightly fidgeting with hands. "Thank you, for everything you did for me so far." She bows her head. Man, I'm flattered but embarrassed as well. "...I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."
"You don't need to. I'm just happy to know that I'm able to help you, that's all."
"But why?"
"Huh, what do you mean?"
"I mean, I appreciate your help, but why me? You don't need to go through the trouble of doing any of this for me. We've only known each other for three days already, so why?"
She's correct. We only got to know each other for three days now. It makes sense she thinks that, but I don't care if it has been just a day or three.
"Because...you're my very first friend. So you're special to me."
"What!?" Fuu-chan's cheeks are flaring up, becoming red as a beat. It's rather...cute. "I'm important...to you?" she whispers, barely making it audible to hear.
"It might sound strange, but like I said: you're my very first friend. You took the time out of your day to show me around the school and city when you could've just gone home. And you're a pretty kind person; I nearly knocked you down a flight of stairs and you didn't even call me out for it. I should've been the one to say sorry when I bumped into you. So in all regards, I'd say you're a pretty good person, and that's why I think your pretty amazing friend, Fuu-chan."
Silence reigns over the space we occupy, but she has a cute smile on her face. Cute enough to make my heart skip a beat.
"Hey, do you wanna hang out at the arcade after school? Or get something to eat? Actually, maybe something to eat. I skipped dinner last night and I only have enough for bread."
"Why did you skip dinner?"
"I was in a hurry to go to sleep when I made it back home yesterday."
"You can't do that. You need to eat properly. If you skip dinner, breakfast, or even lunch, you'll suffer for it."
"You're telling me, I'm suffering right now from an almost empty stomach."
The excitement from this morning helped me ignore my hunger, and sleeping in class also helped with that.
"Then how about we go to Hagakure?" Fuu-chan recommends
"Will it fill me up?"
"No idea, but I heard good things about it online."
"In that case, let's go! But, since I'm kind of low on money... Can you pay for it?"
"Me?"
I press my hands against each other. "Sorry, but I'm low on money and my next allowance isn't until next month, so please forgive the selfish request."
"No, no, it's okay. I'll pay for it. I'd like to think of this as my way of paying you back for your generosity."
"Sweet, thanks a million."
As soon as school ended, we went to Hagekure, as promised. I ordered a chicken ramen bowl. It was like a hole had been filled in my stomach. Fuu-chan got Miso Ramen. She paid for the food like she said she would. We went our own ways soon after. However, before we separated, I asked for her number and for her to bring my hoodie to school tomorrow. She agreed to return my hoodie tomorrow, and as for the number... I have it. Everything went right for today, and I have a feeling life will only get better from here.