4/6, Wed
After School, nowhere in particular
Akatsuki: School sucked.
Haru: I wouldn't go so far to say that, Akatsuki-Kun…
Akatsuki: Haru, we were being talked at for two hours before we could leave for our new classes.
Haru: …
Haru: … okay maybe it did suck a little.
Haru: But I am confident that Principal Kobayakawa still wished nothing but the best for us with his speech!
Akatsuki: I couldn't care less for his meaningless platitudes.
Yusuke: I must agree with Akatsuki-Kun. Although I respect my Principal, I will admit that most of what he said is likely meaningless in the long run.
Yusuke: I cannot even comprehend what one could talk about for two whole hours!
Haru: Perhaps he made that speech for the First Years? Principal Kobayakawa likely meant to get them used to their new learning environment.
Akatsuki: He spent an hour introducing Kamoshida-Sensei to the crowd. He's just dickwaving at this point.
Yusuke: Kamoshida-San… I recognise him by face, name and reputation. I had not known he was a Sensei in Shujin.
Akatsuki: Well, I guess this is your reminder.
Yusuke: How is he? As a teacher, I mean. Based on his reputation as an Olympic Gold Medalist, retired or otherwise, I presume that he is a P.E teacher?
Haru: You guessed correctly! Kamoshida-Sensei is a good teacher, though there is always an air of… uncertainty around him.
Yusuke: How so?
Haru: I don't know how to describe it. Kamoshida-Sensei is always very helpful and friendly towards all of us… but at the same time, something about him feels off.
Akatsuki: It feels like he's faking who he really is.
Yusuke: You mean to say that Kamoshida-San is similar to Madarame?
Akatsuki: Perhaps. We can't say for sure, though.
Haru: He is still a good teacher, that much is undeniable! Many members of our Volleyball Team have shot up to stardom because of him!
Yusuke: I see. That is good to hear, I suppose.
Yusuke: Regardless, I was wondering; do either of you wish to meet in Shibuya any time soon?
Akatsuki: Saturday sound good to you?
Yusuke: It works for me.
Haru: My schedule is clear! Shall we?
Yusuke: Yes, Haru-Chan. We shall.
4/9, Sat
After School - Shibuya Crossing
"Ah, Haru-Chan, Akatsuki-Kun. I am glad you made it here safely, though… I must say, your wardrobe does appear a little… strange, Akatsuki-Kun."
Blinking a little as he glanced down at himself, Akatsuki chuckled lightly as he nodded in agreement. Both he and Haru were still dressed in their Shujin uniforms, which was expected, but at the same time, the former's attire was… messy, to say the least. His blazer was not worn over his shoulders, but instead, it was off his torso almost completely, with him instead hooking it around his waist, with it now serving as a sort of kilt that hung off his waist loosely, and to add on, his innerwear was crumpled, something that only Yusuke seemed to notice as the boy wearing his clothes the way he did shrugged indifferently.
"The weather's hotter than I'd like it to be; I only followed the school's uniform regulations because of just how cold it had been, but now that things are warming up, I'll wear my clothes how I want to," stated Akatsuki noncommittally. "Besides, no one's complained so far, so I reckon it's fine."
Best to not think about the special treatment that Kobayakawa was offering him on his dress code, he supposed…
Still though, Yusuke seemed to understand Akatsuki's dilemma, especially as he himself also went against the dress code of Kosei, albeit in a less egregious manner, with him forgoing the school's blazer in favour of just its innerwear, but regardless, the small friend group quickly moved on from Augus' dress code situation and weaseled their way through Shibuya.
Yusuke made a quick stop by a local art store to use some of his allowance (bless his soul, he finally had some money to spend on something!) to get a few paints for a school project, and at the same time, Haru got herself a sketchbook.
"It would be nice to learn some drawing soon…" admitted Haru, with her smiling as she acknowledged the influence her artist friend was having on her, and to say that Yusuke was elated to hear this would've been an understatement, though he contained his excitement for now as they moved on.
Akatsuki had contemplated spending some time at Protein Lovers, but decided against it; he could go there some other time, today was an outing day with his friends, after all.
"Shibuya is getting a little more crowded than I'd like it to be," mused Yusuke as the trio eventually stopped by the alleyway leading into Untouchables, with Akatsuki headed in to speak to Iwai in private. He just felt like catching up with him, leaving Kitagawa and Okumura outside to idly stand by and wait all the while. The duo stood by the back of the alley, just observing the crowd flood by all the while.
"I hope it isn't a bad thing for you, Yusuke-Kun," stated Haru, with her silently acknowledging how Yusuke was not exactly a people person in a conventional manner. The guy was very much a social outcast due to his eccentricities, and by all means, him navigating through a social interaction was very much akin to a blind man navigating a minefield. Still though…
"Quite the opposite, Haru-Chan. Whilst I do find myself adverse to interacting with individuals not of a similar mindset to myself, I still find it… necessary, to observe large crowds of people whenever possible," mused Yusuke, with his words catching Haru's curiosity all the while.
"Necessary in what way?" inquired Haru, and to this, the boy chuckled, though there wasn't much in the way of humor in that sound.
"Perhaps it is because of the friendship the two of you have bestowed upon me, but I… I have recently noticed how I am unable to visualise beauty all that well. Madarame told me that True Beauty is found within, and although I do not consider him my Sensei, not anymore, I still find that his words still have some merit," stated Yusuke thoughtfully. "Many think that beauty is reliant on the external, and to an extent, that thought process is true. But even so, True Beauty oftimes lies within oneself; in the Heart, and as an aspiring Artist, someone who wishes to capture true beauty on a canvas, I must learn more about the human heart and its many desires before I can begin work on my future works."
"That… is a profound way of seeing things, Yusuke-Kun," mused Haru, impressed at how deeply Yusuke was looking into the aspects of beauty and, furthermore, impressed at how he was acknowledging his own shortcomings on the matter. "But… how do you intend on learning more about the human heart?"
Knowing Yusuke, he'd probably do something profound and-
"I intend on doing some People Watching."
Nevermind.
"Huh?" mused Haru, taken aback by Yusuke's response, though moments later, he explained himself.
"I find it logical to observe other individuals at work or play to broaden my horizons in regards to how the heart behaves. Through this, I believe it possible to improve my knowledge on the inner workings of the heart as a whole," explained Yusuke, and upon hearing this, Haru couldn't resist breaking out into a fit of giggles, confusing Kitagawa all the while. "Is something the matter, Haru-Chan?"
"O-Oh, nothing, really. It's just that… I don't think it's possible to learn more about the heart just by observing people from afar," stated Haru, with her knowing that people often acted and spoke differently depending on the situation. If Yusuke went ahead with this plan of his, he'd probably learn more about the different masks that people wore when in public, something that seemed counterintuitive to him learning more about the human heart as a whole.
"I see. What would you recommend, Haru-Chan?" asked Yusuke curiously, and to this, Haru smiled.
"Perhap speak to a few individuals? Whenever I was at a party hosted by my father, I found that the easiest way to look into a person's heart was to simply speak to them," mused Haru, with her smiling melancholically at the memories of some of the previous events hosted by her father. Everyone present always spoke to her in the hopes of gaining her father's favour through her… and it was annoying, but it was a good life lesson, she supposed. It taught her that people tended to be two-faced, and by all means, she probably shouldn't trust others outside her immediate friend group so easily.
Barring Sasha, anyways. That guy couldn't be two-faced, even if his life depended on it. That was probably why he had remained her chauffeur for as long as he has!
"I see… I suppose you have a point. I was only able to look clearer into Madarame's depraved heart thanks to both you and Akatsuki, after all," mused Yusuke with a smile, one that made Haru blush lightly as she swept some of her bangs behind her ear.
"P-Perhaps, but don't limit yourself to just myself and Akatsuki-Kun. We can only help so much, after all… try speaking to others that can handle your eccentricities if possible," urged Haru, to which Yusuke nodded.
"I believe I know of someone in my class that can do as much… we have never spoken all that frequently, but even so, I will try to start a conversation with her, if at all possible," mused Yusuke, with Haru nodding as she offered a thumbs up, which was the best she could offer as a form of encouragement. Kitagawa appreciated it either way as he smiled kindly at her, though moments later, the door to Untouchable swung open, allowing Akatsuki to step out and reunite with his friends, and behind him came Iwai and a boy that neither Haru nor Yusuke had seen prior.
"Sorry for the long wait. Had to chat with Iwai-Ojisan about a few things," mused Akatsuki with a smile, and as he said this, the aforementioned man grumbled and tipped his hat to hide his embarrassment. Off to the side, the still unknown boy blinked as he looked between the pink haired teen and his friends, prompting him to smile lightly before introducing him. "Ah, where are my manners? Yusuke-Kun, Haru-Chan, this is Iwai Kaoru, Iwai-Ojisan's son. Kaoru-Kun, Okumura Haru and Kitagawa Yusuke."
"H-Hey," greeted Kaoru awkwardly, with him sounding somewhat timid as he stood by his dad. Yusuke raised a brow at this, with him being unable to see a connection between the Iwais as he looked between the junior and the senior, though as for Haru, she smiled and curtsied towards the middle school kid, who blinked in surprise at the gesture.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Iwai-Kun," said Haru in earnest, with her words surprising both Munehisa and Kaoru as they stared down at her in surprise, though moments later, the latter blushed and nodded awkwardly.
"Uh, yeah, same to you, Okumura-San," responded Kaoru, and moments later, Munehisa bid the three farewell. He intended on taking his kid out for dinner, and by all means, him calling Akatsuki in for the day was to get them reacquainted with one another, something that was cool with the boy, and before long, they were gone with the wind, with Akatsuki himself being left to look at his pals apologetically.
"Sorry for the long wait. You guys hungry? Dinner's on me," mused Akatsuki, and to this, Yusuke nodded swiftly whilst Haru agreed to it with a smile, and thereafter, the trio moved on to a small diner, where they had their food whilst catching their pink haired friend up on what he missed. "The human heart, huh…? Well, I'm not particularly interested in learning more about it, but if you need help with that, Yusuke-Kun, Haru-Chan and I are all ears."
"Thank you, Akatsuki-Kun, but Haru-Chan has suggested that I speak to others for this endeavor. I have spoken to the two of you a lot at this point, and by all accounts, I have learnt all that I needed to from either of you as well. Perhaps it is time for me to expand my horizons and find friends in other individuals now," hummed Yusuke, with Akatsuki nodding lightly as he silently agreed with Kitagawa's notion of expanding his friend group and horizons, but still…
"That's fair, but if things ever get hairy on your end, just know that Haru-Chan and I are always here for you."
"I know, Akatsuki-Kun. But do tell me… how can things get hairy? I do not understand what you mean by this…"
And to this, Akatsuki choked on his water after laughing whilst taking a sip, causing his friends to panic at the sight of this.
4/10, Sun
Midday - Kosei Academy
There were many things that Togo Hifumi prided herself in; Shogi, her academics and her ability to (whisper) yell out attack names whilst in the middle of a game of Shogi… but in all honesty, all her years of playing a board game of strategy, a game that required one to anticipate an individual's next move… did not prepare her for when Yusuke had approached her rather abruptly the day before and requested that they meet up by the courtyard of their academy the day after… which was today.
His request was made from a place of genuinity, with there being no malicious intent to be heard when he had asked her to meet him. When questioned why, the boy stated that he simply wished to converse with her, something that raised more questions than it answered, really, but even so, Hifumi obliged regardless, especially when Yusuke had told her that she could bring her Shogi board with her.
And so, here she sat atop one of the chairs present in the courtyard, with her Shogi board sitting atop her lap as she patiently awaited her classmate's arrival. A small part of her was worried that Yusuke had just been joking when he arranged this meeting, especially after ten minutes of awkward waiting, though thankfully enough, right at the thirteen minute mark, Kitagawa jogged into view, with him awkwardly sprinting towards where Hifumi sat all the while.
"Oh, Kitagawa-San…" greeted Hifumi as she watched Yusuke double over and breathe in deeply as he held a hand up to stay Togo for a bit. Several deep breaths were had before the boy could finally speak properly, and with that done…
"Togo-San! I apologise for the delay. I had to resolve some issues before meeting you here," apologised Yusuke in earnest as he bowed awkwardly and took a seat beside his classmate. How odd. Hifumi had never seen Yusuke act in such a way prior to now… it was refreshing, to say the least, but regardless…
"It's quite alright, Kitagawa-San. Now then, what is it you wished to speak of?" asked Hifumi as she set the Shogi board between herself and Yusuke, who didn't mind as he watched her set the pieces up. Her finesse when it came to doing so was unparalleled, as expected of the Venus of Shogi, but regardless…
"I have quite recently found myself in a dilemma in regards to my artistic talent, and when speaking to some of my friends from Shujin, they recommended me to talk to others in order to get over my current slump," explained Yusuke as Hifumi moved the pieces into place.
"I see… curious; is your Sensei not Madarame Ichiryusai? I would think that heeding his advice would be more beneficial than speaking to an individual like myself," mused Hifumi, and to this, Yusuke flinched, telling the girl that she had hit a sore spot.
"I… yes, you are correct, but my… Sensei's teachings can only bring me so far. The company of my friends has taught me that expanding one's horizons can make for a new, fresh perspective on life and, by that same virtue, on art as a whole, and so, I find that, right now, you are the best person to converse with on the topic," mused Yusuke, with his words surprising Hifumi as she blinked in surprise, warranting a further elaboration from her classmate. "We have not spoken much prior, but whenever we have, you have shown no true dislike of my eccentricities; and for that, I believe that only you would tolerate me in a conversation. Or… have I been mistaken in my assumption, Togo-San?"
"... you were not, Kitagawa-San," smiled Hifumi lightly as she shook her head. Indeed, Togo had seen no problems with Yusuke's eccentric ways; it wasn't as though she had a leg to stand on, considering her own eccentricities. To look down on the blue haired boy would be quite hypocritical of her.
"That is indeed a relief, Togo-San…" smiled Yusuke, and to this, Hifumi continued.
"Well, what do you wish to learn from me, Kitagawa-San? I must admit that, outside of Shogi, there is little I can offer, especially when it comes to art," warned Hifumi as she held up five Shogi pieces; five Pawns, and rattled them in her hands. Thereafter, she threw them down onto the board, with three of the Pawns landing in their Promoted state whilst the rest landed in their Unpromoted state. Seeing this, Hifumi nodded. "Hm. I shall operate as the Head of Gote (White, Second Player). You shall go first, as the Commander of Sente (Black, First Player). Here is to a match won through hardship and struggle, Kitagawa Yusuke."
"Hmhmm~, indeed…" mused Yusuke, with him making his first move on the board before speaking. Eyeing his Shogi pieces, the boy, due to his inexperience with the board game, ended up moving awkwardly when compared to Hifumi, with him moving his Lance piece once forwards before allowing Togo to make her move. "But to answer your initial question, Togo-San, I wish to learn more about the Human Heart in all its intricacies."
"Learning about the Human Heart in all its intricacies? I believe a surgeon could assist you better than I," mused Hifumi as she shifted one of her Pawns forwards, and to this, Yusuke awkwardly countered by bringing one of his forwards as well.
"I meant it in a metaphorical way, Togo-San. As an Artist, I seek true beauty above all else, and to attain such aspirations, I realize that I must look past the superficial and peer into the heart of man in order to achieve this. I have met many individuals over the past few years of my life, but in truth, I had only truly looked into the souls of but a handful of them, and to my shame, this is not enough for me to truly peer into the heart of man, to have a firsthand view of their desires and the hope that drives us forward," stated Yusuke sadly as he and Togo battled it out on the board.
Unsurprisingly, Hifumi was obliterating him in the game, but hey, it was the effort that counted.
"To peer into the heart of man… that is truly a tall feat to accomplish. After all, the hearts of men are easily swayed, and I for one believe that individuals tend to hide their true selves from others, whether or not they know this," stated Hifumi sadly. Her usual boisterous attitude when it came to Shogi was drowned out by the conversation she was having with Kitagawa, though she wouldn't consider it a bad thing; she was enjoying this… it felt refreshing to have someone to converse with whilst she played against them in Shogi… though this was less of a match and more of a one-sided massacre, considering how Yusuke was making his moves.
Painting and Shogi didn't really go hand in hand, it would seem…
"That much is true, Togo-San, but just as how most hide their true selves behind masks, some are also willing to open their hearts to others and show others who they truly are. The friends I have made have shown me this; the human heart can be seen as ugly and self-serving, but at the same time, it can also be beautiful… an organ that pulses with goodwill and hope, and it is these things that I wish to capture in my artwork," stated Yusuke, with him holding a hand up to his heart as he spoke. To this, Hifumi blinked, having never expected the resident art devient to say something so profound, though it didn't stop her from smiling nonetheless.
"Like two sides of a Shogi board, the Heart can be comprised of both good and bad, it would seem," stated Hifumi, with her unintentionally jabbing Yusuke verbally as he was on the verge of defeat, what with his side of the board laying in near ruins whilst Togo's barely suffered any casualties.
"Indeed… good and evil, law and disorder, justice and injustice…" recited Yusuke, with him making his final move of the game as he spoke, and at that, Hifumi smiled.
"Hope…" a Shogi piece was lifted up… and in an instant, Hifumi brought it down onto Yusuke's King, capturing it and ending the match in her victory. "... and Desire. Such are the intricacies of the human heart, it would seem; it will be a difficult journey for you to truly understand it, but I am sure you will find what you seek someday, Kitagawa-San."
"Yes… thank you, Togo-San. It seems that this is your victory, no?" mused Yusuke, with him bowing his head lightly as he acknowledged his defeat. "Hope and Desire… yes, it seems as though you are correct. As with all things beautiful, we only see them as such because of the detestable aspects of life."
"I beg your pardon?" hummed Hifumi, confused, to which Yusuke chuckled.
"If everything in life were to be beautiful, then nothing would be truly beautiful, no? In order for beauty to exist in this world, we must also accept the ugliness of society as well, and likewise, in order for one to understand the intricacies of the human heart, we must first understand that it is a machine of both Hope and Desire," stated Yusuke with a chuckle. "Like art, the human heart is a conduit of many emotions, and I must understand these emotions better if I wish to capture true beauty upon a canvas…"
"I… shall pretend to understand what you said, Kitagawa-San," chuckled Hifumi awkwardly as she watched Yusuke nod in appreciation. "But even so, know that the human heart is more than just Hope and Desire. As with how one side of the board is more than just the King, the heart is capable of feeling other emotions as well. Anger, sadness, joy… such are the emotions that course through us on a daily basis. We are not Lance pieces; bound to forever move forwards in just a single direction… we are more than that, and it would be wise of you to remember this."
Holding her hand out, Hifumi offered Yusuke a Lance piece from her Shogi set, and to that, the boy stared at it quietly, considering her words, and moments later, he handed it back, only for his classmate to decline.
"Keep it, Kitagawa-San. Let it serve as a reminder of your goals and aspirations, a reminder to always branch out and to never find yourself tunnel visioned," stated Hifumi kindly, and to this, Yusuke smiled and nodded in appreciation.
"Thank you, Togo-San. This talk has proven to be more beneficial than I had initially expected. If you wish, I would very much like to do this again in the future," mused Yusuke, to which his acquaintance nodded.
"Hm. I will always be free on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, typically at night," informed Hifumi. "I myself enjoy playing Shogi against myself in the Kanda Church."
"So the rumors of you playing there were true?" mused Yusuke, amused as he eyed his acquaintance, intrigued, and to this, Hifumi blushed lightly.
"Yes… the Pastor of the Church sees no problem with allowing me to stay there from time to time. If you wish for someone to speak to regarding the heart, or if you simply wish to play a game of Shogi, I will be there on those days," confirmed Hifumi, and to this, the painter chuckled.
"I see… I find a Church's atmosphere to be very much agreeable for a potential painting, so I find it beneficial to visit from time to time. Likewise, a conversation with you is enticing as well," chuckled Yusuke, causing Hifumi's blush to deepen just a tiny bit more as she scratched her cheek, unsure of how to answer this, but regardless. Kitagawa ended up standing up and bowing to his acquaintance, thanking her for this all the while.
"Actually, before you leave, perhaps it is best if we exchanged numbers? It would make it easier for us to schedule potential matches between ourselves this way, after all," suggested Hifumi, and to this, the painter nodded and did as such. After a quick message check…
Hifumi: Kitagawa-San?
Yusuke: I am indeed Kitagawa Yusuke, Togo-San
… they bid their final farewells and split off from one another, with the two feeling happier than usual all the while.
Line break
Yusuke: I believe I have made a new acquaintance in Togo Hifumi.
Haru: Togo? As in… the Venus Of Shogi? Impressive. I've never had the privilege of meeting her.
Haru: Nor did I know that she was a Kosei student.
Yusuke: Indeed… it seems as though the media does not enjoy focusing on much outside of her gender and victories.
Haru: That's just how the media works, it would seem. How was your talk with her?
Yusuke: I have learnt quite a bit about the human heart, I must say, but even so, more research will be necessary. I wish to speak more to her in the future.
Haru: I see. Is it possible for us to meet one day? I would very much love to meet her in person!
Yusuke: I could arrange for a meet-up, but please do forgive me if I forget.
Haru: Thank you, Yusuke-Kun.
Haru: By the way, where's Akatsuki-Kun?
Yusuke: I am unsure. Perhaps she is resting?
Haru: I do not think so… Akatsuki-Kun is usually incredibly active, so I doubt that.
Akatsuki: Yusuke, Haru.
Akatsuki: The news.
Yusuke: Huh?
In near perfect sync, both Haru and Yusuke, in their room and dorm room, respectively, did as Akatsuki had told them, with them turning to their news app to check on what their friend wished for them to see… and when they did…
PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWN IN VICINITY OF SHIBUYA STATION.
DOZENS INJURED, THREE KILLED
MADMAN TRAIN CONDUCTOR DRIVES TRAIN INTO STATION WITHOUT ANY CARE FOR PASSENGERS
"What the…" muttered Haru as she read one of the articles, and when she did, her eyes widened when she read that a Psychotic Breakdown had, indeed, occurred in Shibuya. The breakdown involved a train conductor pulling into a station without slowing down, and three, including the conductor himself, were killed in the aftermath. A hand flew to Okumura's mouth as she realized the severity of the situation…
Haru: My goodness…
Akatsuki: This Psychotic Break Situation is getting out of hand.
Akatsuki: If it doesn't stop any time soon, all of Japan could fall into chaos.
Yusuke: Indeed. I hope that the authorities will find a way to reduce its frequency, though considering how spread out they were, it would do us best to stay on guard for now.
Haru: I second this. In fact, Yusuke-Kun, if at all possible, I would like you to not travel by train for the time being. If you wish to go anywhere, be it Shibuya or even to Shinjuku, please contact Javor-San. He will help you, free of charge.
Yusuke: I cannot ask you for that! It seems too much!
Haru: Too bad. This is not a request, it is a demand. One that you cannot deny.
Yusuke: I-
Yusuke: … very well.
Yusuke: Thank you for your generosity, Haru-Chan.
Akatsuki: I wouldn't call it generosity. Just her not wanting you to be injured… or worse.
Haru: Yes. That is very much the case.
Haru: We only wish for your safety, and Javor-San would feel the same.
Haru: And if you decline, I will sue you.
Yusuke: ?!
Akatsuki: She would.
Yusuke: Oh my… I suppose I have no choice but to comply.
Akatsuki: Good.
Haru: Good.
Good news guys!
This is the end of the Prologue!