Monday, May 11, 2009, 6:02PM
Iwatodai Station
"Phew." Kazushi wiped his brow. "Man, that was a good run, eh?"
One desperately drunken water bottle later, Makoto nodded, open mouth and panting.
Kazushi sat down next to him on the steps. "I'm surprised man, you said you didn't do track in middle school? You definitely seem like you're good at running."
"Just don't want to drag anyone down." Makoto huffed out. "I gotta catch up to the rest of you guys ASAP." He took another chug of water. "Even if it means illicit exercises when everyone else isn't looking."
Kazushi lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Ah come on, you've gotta have something more than that."
Yeah, I kill demons in the middle of the night to protect this city. "I walk up a lot of stairs." He said, technically telling the truth." Also I make sure to eat five thousand calories and get fourteen hours of sleep every day."
Kazushi snorted. "Come on dude, be serious."
"No, because then my secret regimen won't be secret anymore." Makoto said with a droll smile.
He held his hands up in faux-surrender. "Alright, keep your secrets then, I won't push you any further. I'll just be sure to push myself." He grinned. "After all, I can't afford to look bad in front of the new guy."
"Don't worry, I'll look the other way if you do."
They both laughed and started getting ready to leave. "Oh yeah, speaking of looking the other way." Makoto turned to him. "Just make absolutely sure not to mention this to Yuko, alright? She'll get on my case if she finds out you and I were exercising before exams and never let me live it down."
"Our secret is safe with me." Makoto promised.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 4:42PM
Gekkoukan High School
As Makoto and Kenji left class, they were approached by a girl with a long black ponytail. "Hey, Kenji."
"Oh, hey Rio-chan." He turned to Makoto. "I introduce you two?" Makoto shook his head. "Makoto, this is my childhood friend Rio. Rio this is my new bud Makoto."
"A pleasure, Makoto-san." She said, lips pursed.
"Likewise." Makoto said. "If you don't mind me asking, you wouldn't happen to be classmates with Yamagishi-san, would you?"
She raised an eyebrow. "As a matter of fact I am. Did she mention me?"
"Well more so Kotone when Yamagishi-san moved into our dorm."
She smiled. "Ah, funny how it all connects. Kotone-san in the school's volleyball club with me."
"Yeah dude," Kenji said with a big grin on his face, "Rio here is an absolute pro at volleyball. She's like a sniper, taking headshots like pow pow pow!"
Rio blushed. "I-I only hit someone in the face that one time, and it was an accident." She turned away. "You don't have to mention it every time."
He chuckled. "So what's up?"
Rio held up a stack of papers. "Our club advisor asked me to give you these." She said voice dripping with barely concealed annoyance.
Kenji's eyes sparkled. "Oh, Ms. Kanou?" He hurriedly grabbed them. "Hehe, thanks."
She smiled, even though her eyes didn't. "See you later Kenji."
"See ya." He said, eyes glued to the papers she gave him.
"I still can't believe someone blew up the freakin' station, man." Kenji said as they sat down at Wild Duck Burger.
"Yeah." Makoto said, trying not to look too guilty. "I wonder who did it."
"With the way Ekoda was bitching us out today, you'd think we were personally responsible."
Makoto gulped. "Yeah..."
Kenji grinned and leaned in. "I heard it was people trying to make a secret entrance into the monorail to avoid the lines."
Makoto snorted. "How does that work exactly?"
"Beats me." A second later Kenji giggled.
Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Ummm..."
Kenji scratched his head and blushed. "Sorry I-oh." He paused to accept their meal. "Thank you. Sorry man, it's just sometime she makes me so happy I can't contain it."
"Rio-san?"
"What, no." He frowned. "She's my childhood friend dude, come on, pay attention. Nah, I'm talking about Emi."
Makoto scratched his chin, and while thinking about who Emi might be realized he needed to shave soon. "Is she that 'real cutie' you were talking about."
Halfway through a bite of his burger he smiled ear to ear. "Yeagh." He swallowed it in one gulp. "I don't think I've told you this yet but, get this dude, she's a teacher."
"A teac-" Makoto did a double-take. "A teacher!?"
Kenji had a big dumb grin on his face. "Yeah."
"That's- I mean- is that legal?"
"You can't make love illegal, dude." The brown-haired boy said firmly, looking more serious than Makoto had ever seen him.
"I mean, alright..." Makoto leaned back in his seat. "Wait, is Emi the same person as Ms. Kanou? The one that Rio-san mentioned earlier?"
He nodded. "Mhmm, she's pretty, she's smart, she coaches the girl's volleyball team, 12/10, absolutely perfect in every way."
"I see." Makoto ate his burger in silence as Kenji rambled on about all the reasons Emi was so great for the next half hour.
"Ms. Kanou?" Kotone asked. "I dunno, not much. She's kind of flaky if I'm being honest. Rio-chan ends up doing most of the work for volleyball club herself. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious how much club advisors is supposed to do." He said, half-lying. "Nishiwaki-san also seems to do most of the work for the track team, if Kazushi is to be believed."
Kotone put her finger on her chin. "That's Yuko-chan right?" He nodded. "I've only met her once...she seems nice, yeah?" She asked as she stared directly into his eyes.
"Yeah." Makoto said without thinking about it too much.
"Hmm." Her face switched to bright and cheery. A little too bright and cheery. "So how are you enjoying track?"
He shrugged. "Haven't really had a chance to participate since I joined right before they broke for midterms." I also wouldn't have joined it if Kirijo and Toriumi didn't get on my case about it.
She clapped her hands together and bowed. "Speaking of clubs, I gotta favor to ask you."
Makoto raised and eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Have you met Bebe?" She asked.
Makoto wracked his brain trying to remember if he knew who that was. "...the French kid? The blond one?"
She smiled. "Yeah! You two know each other?"
"Not really. He brought back Bunkichi's wallet the other day. We talked for like a minute at most. He invited me to join...some kind of club." I think I see where this is going.
She clapped her hands again. "It's the fashion club. Is there any possible way you could join it with us? We only have two members and we need five to be accredited by the school."
"...what days does it meet?"
"Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays." She instantly replied.
Makoto scratched his chin, and remembered he needed to shave soon.
"Pleeeeeeease?"
"Sure. Why not?" He said. It's a good enough reason to avoid going to track I guess.
"Yaaaaaaaaay!" She jumped off the couch and threw her hands in the air. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 9:12PM
Iwatodai Dormitory, Lounge
As soon as Makoto entered the dorm, he heard Kotone ask, "-which is synonymous with?"
"Uhhh..." Junpei looked around frantically as Kotone and Yukari stared him down, "parliament?"
Yukari sighed and shook her head. "O for three, Junpei. Also the answer was 'the social contract'." He looked away, red-faced. "Guys, I don't think he's gonna make it."
Kotone pouted. "Come ooooooon." She turned to Makoto, who dropped his stuff and sat down with them. "Makoto, tell her that Junpei can do it."
"Junpei can do it." He said offhandedly, as he began pulling his own study material.
"You don't even know what we're talking about!" Yukari protested.
"I can assume." He said.
Junpei smacked his head against the table. "I'm cooked."
"You're not even well seasoned." Makoto said.
"What does that even mean dude!?"
"It means we're skipping Tartarus again." He said as he cracked open a textbook. "The only muscle you're working on tonight is your brain."
"...the brain is a muscle?"
Yukari sighed again.
help me...
...defy me child of steel?
For as long as you draw breath, I will protect you...
...mom, dad!
Makoto jolted out of bed. The slightest hints of dawn peering into his room, lightly touching his sweaty, shaking body. Tears flowed down his face as he tried to compose himself.
"Just a dream." He muttered, voice hoarse. "It's just a dream, it's fine." He stumbled his way over to the sink, washing his face clean. As he looked in the mirror, behind him he could see the translucent form of Orpheus, with cheeks stained of red tears.
He turned around, only to find nothing. The same when he looked back in the mirror.
"Orpheus..." Makoto said quietly.
Thursday, May 14, 2009, 8:20AM
Gekkoukan High School
As Makoto arrived at the school gates he heard a familiar voice call out to him. "Good morning, Yuki."
He turned and languidly waved to Kirijo. "Mornin' senpai."
She walked up to him, shoulders noticeably more tense than usual. "Have you been well?" She asked.
"Yeah." He said. "You?"
"Perfectly fine." She said, completely avoiding eye-contact with him.
"I see." He whispered.
She put her hand on her hip. "Have you been studying recently?"
He nodded. "Little bit every day. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I usually get good grades and I'm pretty confident I'll do well next week."
She smiled, one that surprised him in how sincere it felt. "That's good. High academic performances are something you should be proud of. If you score high enough, I may have a reward for you."
Makoto raised an eyebrow. "...how high? And what kind of reward?"
"Just try your best and talk to me after you get your grades." She walked inside, an unusually mischievous smile on her face.
"...huh." She's probably not lying about that at least.
Friday, May 15, 2009, Dark Hour
Tartarus, Ground Floor
A variety of notebooks and textbooks littered the checkerboard floor that Makoto, Yukari, and Junpei sat on.
"OK I got this, it's like," Junpei scratched his goatee, "a unwritten promise between the people and the government? But sometimes it's written down in a constitution, but not always."
"Close enough." Makoto said as he moved the flashcard to the back of the stack.
Junpei leaned back and laid his back on the ground, yawning all the while. "Maaaaan, when am I ever going to use 'the social contract' in real life."
Yukari flipped a page on her magazine. "You can use it to bluff you're smart in a conversation with someone."
"You know," Junpei said as he got back up, "we come here during the day to learn shit, and we're back here at night...and we're still studying."
Yukari raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? And?"
Junpei shrugged. "It's ironic or sumthin', I dunno."
"Kotone-chan! Senpai!" Fuuka yelled out, drawing their attention. "Be careful! That statue can use elemental attacks!"
Junpei huffed. "I still can't believe the seniors and Kotone are allowed to go on missions, but we gotta trail along and stay down here."
"You'll be allowed back in after midterms." Makoto said. "Just focus on studying and you'll be bashing heads in no time."
Junpei stayed quiet, despite looking like he wanted to protest.
"OK," Makoto looked at his flashcards again, "translate this sentence into English for me."
Saturday, May 16, 2009, 6:40PM
Paulownia Mall, Power Records
"It's just a very deep and emotive album, you know?" The store clerk said. "Melancholic without being completely depressing and self-obsessed."
Makoto smiled. "Yeah. I think the only song I don't like is the last one. It's just kind of, you know..."
"Bad?" Both laughed.
"Yeah." Makoto scratched his cheek. "It's kind of terrible. I don't know why they included something so off-kilter."
The door behind them opened, and in the blink of an eye, Makoto saw the clerk switch from music nerd mode to employee mode. "Good evening miss, is there anything I can help you with."
A familiar voice spoke. "You can't, but he can." Makoto turned around and saw a grinning Kotone.
"Oh," Makoto's eyebrows jumped up, "hey."
She leaned forward and waved. "Sup."
"Alright." The clerk picked up the box of CDs. "I'll leave you two kids alone for a bit."
Kotone nodded to the man and looked back at Makoto. "So is this where you spend all of your after-school time?"
Makoto shrugged. "Sometimes. It's a good place to hang out for a few hours looking for discs and talking about bands. Stuff like that." He looked away, face feeling a little bit warm. "What're you doing here by the way?"
"One of my friends from volleyball club thought she saw a Gekkoukan student walking in here while she was going to the pharmacy for some pick-me-ups. We gotta fit in as much karaoke before midterms as we can!"
"Really?" He asked in a droll tone. "You aren't gonna fit in some last-minute studying?"
She huffed. "I'll have you know my grades are just fine, thank you very much. I'm not Junpei. Heck, I'll probably score better than you."
Makoto opened his mouth and then paused, remembering something she said a while back. "Want to make it a bet?"
Her eyes went wild with excitement. "Oh?" She crossed her arms, and stood firm.
"Whoever scores lower between the two of us has to take the dorm out for dinner. Ikutsuki-san included."
She grinned again, this time less like a schoolgirl, and more like a bear cornering her prey. "You're on!"
