Kazuki Miyamoto's Story

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Popularity +1 to Cassiopeia
(That's my understanding, if it isn't please free to add the stats and edit it GM's)

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STATS Popularity + 1 --> Gen, Cassiopeia, and Aeon

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Bishop sat on his bench as content as could be. He had a tiny smile on his face, looking around and taking in his surroundings with a youthful awe. He felt lucky to be here, the school grounds were stunning and gave the presence of culture, sophistication and above all quality not just in the physical aspects but academic as well. He gently nodded his head from side to side as his bright golden hair shown in the early sunlight making him appear bright and cheery like the spring air. <Well.... It appears that no one noticed my mother's attempt of embarrassing me. This is an omen! If I persevere and do my best, I can over come any obstacle!> His smiled brightened and the freshmen clenched his right hand into a fist of determination that fire in his eyes coming alive again betraying his innocent appearance. He felt he could accomplish anything!

"Do you often make a hobby out of playing music right next to strangers when they are trying to study..?" Bishop visibly flinched now noticing a girl with purple hair and glasses (Yuuki) standing in front of him... And boy did she look upset. "Aahh umm... Eh-" "I take my education very seriously, and I am trying to work on my cram school assignments. I cannot do that when that, whatever that was, is playing!" Bishop was flabbergasted. Never in a million years that he thought his first 5 minutes on campus that the blonde wold be getting chewed out by a girl. To be honest she kind of reminded him of his aunt, how she lectured him. His eyes widened taking on the appearance of a puppy's looking up at her in shock, appearing to water up. "What do you have to say about yourself?" Bishop flinched again but never took his eyes off of this upset girl (Yuuki). "Uhh.. Y-You.. Don't like music?" He paused asking a question that seemed innocent and fine to him, although it was actually rhetorical. "I thought- that maybe some people would like something nice to listen to." What might be a surprise to other people, was his tone wasn't defensive or retaliatory in any manner of speaking. His words were laced with an American accent but it wasn't atrocious by any means despite how nervous he was. Bishop adjusted his posture and fixed his collar as a nervous tick diverting his eyes away from the girl (Yuuki) to spy and see if anyone else was watching them noticing a tall brown haired boy quickly turn away as if he was about to watch a train wreck- which is exactly what this was. <Oh my god! This is a disaster! How could this happen to me right when I was about to turn everything around! I'm gonna be ruined!> His mind reeled thinking of exaggerated circumstances where he was going to be made fun of for life because of this simple misunderstanding.

"I... I don't have time for people. Please turn that down... or put these on. You're distracting me..." Bishop blinked when the girl (Yuuki) spoke again and offered her a set of headphones. He looked at her hand then back up to Yuuki again and held his hands up. "Oh umm.. N-No thank you. I couldn't take something that's yours, especially something so personal. Hehe. He smiled sheepishly, yes he smiled at the girl (Yuuki). Despite being beat over the head for trying to make someone's day better. "I have my own headphoness. I'm sorry to have bothered you, I didn't know it would cause a problem." Bishop would first turn off the music then straighten up in his seat and bow in apology towards his violet haired heckler. When he came up there was a soft, gentle smile on his face as he closed his eyes. "I-I hope you won't hold this against me... I hate to make a bad first impression my first day here." He absently rubbed at the back of his head, gently ruffling the golden locks that swayed in the soft breeze. Bishop's thought process was largely anti-conflict. His mother gave him some advice as a kid when he was holding a grudge against a boy in elementary school. <Every person is having a struggle that no one else knows about. So be respectful.>

"Get out of the way love birds!" Bishop looked to see some guy (Kazuki) swinging on a bench flying past them. "Wah!" He flopped to the ground to avoid being hit. He sat up from his position to see that same person (Kazuki) sprinting around the courtyard avoiding the security guards like the plague. That was until he tripped by a a couple (Aeon & Cassiopia). He looked back up to Yuuki and rubbed the back of his head again a bit nervously. <I'm such a dork....>
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+1 Notoriety- Yuuki

The small girl had been humming the first theme song to Rangers Unite! to herself quietly. She looked pretty content with herself as she absentmindedly swung her legs back and forth. Although she knew it made her look even smaller, Mai enjoyed doing it since it gave her something to do. Mai was even swaying to the song as it played in her head but only if you paying close attention would you notice her movement. Every now and then Mai would look up to see if anyone else had arrived and by the looks of it someone did. A young man, or rather a pretty boy, had arrived. He was smaller than most of the men she has seen but he was certainly taller than she was. The fact that he wasn't that much taller than her made him seem less intimidating. I wish I was his height. Mai pouted inwardly hating the fact that she didn’t inherit her parents genes but rather her Oba-san, may she rest in peace. Had Mai watched the boy a little longer she would have seen him approaching her and could have prepared for a confrontation however those green orbs caught sight of a ladybug that was crawling on the edge of the bench to her right.

Mind if I sit with you? I'm new and fairly lost.." Mai jumped a bit as she wasn’t expecting to be spoken to. Instead of looking up right away, Mai hunched her shoulders slightly in hopes that this boy was talking to someone else. She noticed that he had an accent and the butterflies in her stomach got worse. In that little moment Mai really wished she was the ladybug right now. "I'm Akira Miyuu, and I'm a junior this year.. What is your name?" At this point Mai finally realized just how rude she was being.

Taking in a deep breathe, Mai finally looked up at the boy who had introduced himself as Akira. Green met aquamarine for a brief second before she diverted her eyes elsewhere. Placing her hands together on her lap, Mai fiddled with her thumbs as she made attempts to calm herself down to give him an answer. Why is such a pretty person talking to me? And he wants to sit next to me!? The young woman simply couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea. Mai dared to look at his face again and noticed the kind smile that was present, in a way seeing that smile put her at ease if just a little. Come on Mai! Just breathe and answer his question and you’ll be just fine. She bit the corner of her lip and fiddled with her thumbs a bit more before finally she spoke.

“H-Hell-o. U-um y-you –ma-ay, I do-don’t m-mind at a-all.” Closing her mouth she got the first half of what she wanted to say done with but her stutter was getting worse every second. “I-I’m M-Mai K-Kon a-a J-Junior, pl-pleased t-to ma-mak-e y-you-you’re a-aq-aquian-tance.” Releasing a sigh of relief, Mai visibly deflated and had stopped twiddling her thumbs. Mai looked around at her surroundings quickly and noticed a few more people had shown up. And it sounded like someone was playing music, she couldn’t quite name the band but it did sound familiar.

Straightening up, Mai looked to where the music was coming from and saw that normally sized boy (Bishop) had shown up who looked kind of nice. He had soft looking blonde hair and she could tell, even from a distance, that he might be a bit athletic. He looks happy. Watching him a little while longer resulted in her witnessing him being chewed out by a girl with glasses and short purple hair (Yuuki). A small smile appeared on her lips. Mai felt a little bad for the boy but she didn’t get much time to worry about him since there was one sitting next to him. “Oh.” came quietly as she realized she might have looked like she was ignoring him. Quickly turning her attention back on Akira she bit her lip again and somehow ended up looking like she was going to cry. Okay you got this Mai. Just ask him something, anything. As she opened her mouth, a relatively tall boy (Kazuki) landed right in front of them.

His arrival had been so sudden that Mai jumped and made a small yelping sound of surprise. Watch where you stand!" Mai was still in utter shock, then again she probably wouldn’t’ have had the nerve to give a reply to him even if she wasn’t. “Well, see you later kiddos! All she could do really was watch him in silence as the young man ran off again with the guards right behind them. “Eh?” Mai really was just confused. She seriously hoped that this wasn’t a common occurrence in her first day at a new school.

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Popularity +1 (Bishop & Akira) Hopefully it was done right. Edit if it isn't^^;

"Hey. I didn't know you went here."

Arietta's eyes shifted from her phone, to a familiar voice standing in front of her. She was completely taken by surprise, then remembered a very important detail. She never got around to asking Saburo what school he was transferring to!! She didn't remember to ask, because their sessions took place in summer, but now she finally made the mistake of choosing to tutor someone who went to her own school. This was going to be very dangerous to her reputation and she'd have to go about this in all the right ways or she'd totally ruin her reputation.

"Shh.." She stated, putting her index finger over her mouth. To anyone watching, she was considerately thinking of Ryou, who was sleeping nearby, but she was honestly just looking out for her own hide. Arietta began playing with her long blonde hair in a fidgety manner, nervous about being exposed to her classmates as a 'nerd'. She didn't want to be seen as her true self, she was afraid that no one would like the real her, because no one did at her last school, "Not so loud." Arietta chimed, laughing softly with a warm expression on her face. She was anxious, freaking out that someone would put the pieces together, but she had to keep her composure. She didn't want to be seen frantic. She took a small breath to compose her nerves before speaking again, "Would you mind if I asked you to keep the details of our arrangement a secret between us? I don't want to look like some kind of nerd." She informed Saburo, eyes shifting to those around them, then back to him. She pocketed her phone, and stood up to talk to him properly, dusting of her skirt after she was upright.

"Being seen with you is alright, but just don't tell anyone that I'm tutoring you. I don't want to be 'that' girl.." She whispered, careful to keep a low tone, just in case there were any eavesdroppers. Sure, Saburo didn't dress like the typical guys Arietta would hang out with, but she liked him as a person. He wasn't bad to look at, for a bit of a bad boy that is, and she was also getting paid to tutor him, so that was definitely a plus. She cared about her reputation a lot, and she was not about to throw it down the drain. Then she tilted her head, a bit confused. Why did he come over here? Was he just being nice, or did he have a question? She was completely clueless, so she pulled out her cell phone, "Though, when you need during school homework help, you can send me a text instead of asking it face to face. It's more discreet that way. Do you think you'll need my number?" She asked in a curious tone, innocently blinking as she held up a light pink phone, with music notes and a girly white bow on the front of it.



"Hot stuff, coming through!"

Arietta fell backwards when Kazuki tore through, her back hitting the bench she was sitting on a few minutes prior. Arietta landed on the ground in front of the bench, but her back up against the bench, probably a tad bruised, but nothing too seriously injured other than her pride, "Miyamoto-teme!" She hissed at him, obviously not amused by his current antics. She knew he didn't necessarily mean to make her fall, but now she was really embarrassed and didn't care if he knew she was angry with him or not. She looked like a fool sitting on the ground and getting knocked over in front of everyone, while in mid-conversation, that was totally humiliating.

"When you snooze, you lose!"

"You're the worst. He was sleeping!" Arietta called out, sticking her tongue out at Kazuki in disgust, her blood boiling. Kazuki definitely was not Arietta's favorite person, in fact, she borderline hated him. She didn't necessarily hate anyone, well, except for Shiori Kitogawa, but Kazuki was very close to pushing her boundaries as well. She was going to make him pay for this, especially since he made her fall right in front of Saburo and anyone else who just so happened to be watching. She wanted to rip his head off right about now, but she forced a calmer expression onto her face. She didn't want to be seen as grumpy or short tempered, there were a lot of new students and she definitely didn't want to make a bad impression like Kazuki.



She pushed herself to her feet, dusting herself off again, averting her eye contact, "Sorry about that... Miyamoto-san.. he's always making things difficult for everyone." Arietta mumbled, still a bit flustered from her embarrassing fall, but also irritated with the guy who caused it in the first place. Then she remembered that he tore in between them, and her eyes widened a bit. Did Saburo get hurt? She was so embarrassed and angry that she had nearly forgotten his well being. She felt bad, and decided to make sure that Saburo didn't get hurt either, "Are you alright, Inoue-san?" She asked, giving him a once over to make sure that he was alright, tilting her head in different directions to get a good look at him. Then her attention turned to Ryou, who got stepped on as well. She gave him an apologetic look, then bowed very quickly, "I'm so sorry, are you alright?" She asked with a curious expression on her face, though she knew he probably wouldn't realize why she was apologizing for something Kazuki did, she felt the need to do so anyway.

Arietta felt bad for sitting next to Ryou without asking for permission. If Saburo had seen her somewhere else, the maybe he and Ryou would have been spared from this incident. Miyamoto only had to go through this crowd because of me... If I didn't come over here, there wouldn't have been a crowd.. It's all my fault that everyone nearly got trampled just now..

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"Uhh.. Y-You.. Don't like music?"

Yuuki's eyes widened at this question. It wasn't that she didn't like music, but music was simply a distraction, just like this boy. She wasn't sure how to answer this, so she went with the simplest one, the truth. She did not care about this boy's opinion of her, nor anyone else's for that matter, "Music is just another distraction from my studies. I haven't listened to music in several years. So, I guess you could say I don't like it."

"I thought- that maybe some people would like something nice to listen to."

"I'm sure some of the others enjoy it, but I don't." She replied back, realizing that he wasn't trying to actively irritate her with his music, he just seemed to do it naturally. His accent was also foreign, so he probably didn't realize the customs here.. So she let out a sigh and rubbed the back of her neck. How did she get stuck dealing with the disrespectful foreigner?

"Oh umm.. N-No thank you. I couldn't take something that's yours, especially something so personal."

"Okay," He refused the headphones, so she put them back in her bag, not even a bit insulted by his denial. She didn't see things like that, though she knew that a lot of people did. Headphones were just a means of listening to audio without disturbing others, she didn't understand how they qualified as a personal object. Everyone had a pair, it wasn't undergarments or clothing, nor were they one of a kind. This boy was simply strange, and she wasn't getting on the right foot with him at all.

"I have my own headphones. I'm sorry to have bothered you, I didn't know it would cause a problem."

Yuuki tilted her head as the blond boy bowed, a bit surprised, but also a little impressed. Despite being a foreigner, at least he knew how to properly apologize. She let out a sigh, seeing as this was a lot more irritation than she originally planned to put up with, but decided to hear him out since he seemed to be sorry and it would be more than a little rude to walk away after chewing him out. She did have respect for manners, "Be more mindful of your surroundings next time." She stated in a calm and indifferent tone, it was so robotically neutral.

"I-I hope you won't hold this against me... I hate to make a bad first impression my first day here."

"I don't have the time to hold grudges against people, so you have nothing to worry about. Just don't do it again, at least not around me." She replied in a flat tone, not really concerned with whether or not he was genuinely apologetic or not. She just wanted results. So long as the behavior did not repeat, she didn't care if he liked her or hated her. The end result would still be the same. Though she did feel something in her stomach, a knot of sorts, but she blamed it on her breakfast. Perhaps she didn't fully cook the eggs? She didn't recognize this feeling, but how could she? It had been years since she'd experienced guilt.

"Get out of the way love birds!"

Yuuki's eyes widened, and as the tall rampaging guy (Kazuki) grew closer. She instinctively withdrew herself from his range of reach, falling backwards on the ground afterwards. It wasn't the dark haired guy's fault (Kazuki), at least not physically. He didn't even touch Yuuki, but she landed on the ground anyhow. How you might ask? Well, Yuuki, being Yuuki, did not want to get close to the stranger, so she stumbled backwards and lost her footing, all just to avoid getting close to the wild hooligan (Kazuki) physically. She really did not like being close to other people, and chose to risk getting hurt instead.

"Wah!"

Her golden eyes landed on Bishop who also fell, but he seemed to jump out of the way, landing a bit more intentionally than she had. She noticed the expression on his face, and despite doing everything she could to hold it back, she ended up laughing. This guy was just...weird. She wasn't sure why, but after seeing his expression, the laugh came out without permission. They nearly got knocked out, yet he wasn't even mad? He didn't seem phased by that animal's behavior even a bit, while inside she was fuming. She wanted to chew out that other guy more than she did Bishop, yet the blond seemed to forgive the stranger almost immediately. She didn't understand this boy at all (Bishop).

What a strange person. When her laughter died down, Yuuki realized that she'd dropped her guard, and quickly stood. She bowed in a formal manner toward the blond's (Bishop) general direction then immediately returned to her spot under the tree without another word. She opened her book again with a nervous haste, going over math problems to keep her mind off of what just occurred. It had been over three years since one of her classmates managed to make her laugh, and she'd known that girl her entire life. Five minutes and this goof of a person had her almost in tear jerking laughter? Just who was this guy, and what was with this kind and strange behavior? He didn't even try to argue with her over the music, nor did he insult her. He was the same way when the black haired boy (Kazuki) zoomed through like a monkey swinging through branches after a banana.

Her pencil moved across the paper quickly, though her thoughts were definitely distracted. She was not getting the problems done nearly as fast as she would have liked. Distraction.. see..? People are just obstacles that are meant to deter us from our goals.. After a few minutes she was able to regain composure and work on her homework in peace, but her gaze did discreetly drift back to the blond once or twice before that. She didn't even realize it, but she still had a light blush across her cheeks. The pink shade adorned her cheeks ever since her eyes met Bishop's after they evaded an incident with that wild boy (Kazuki).

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“H-Hell-o. U-um y-you –ma-ay, I do-don’t m-mind at a-all.”

Akira was a bit relieved, very appreciative that the girl accepted her so easily. Though she just found the girl to be even cuter now that she realized the girl was timid. Akira was going to sit down, but decided to wait until she caught the girl's name first. She was still getting used to proper Japanese introductions after all.

“I-I’m M-Mai K-Kon a-a J-Junior, pl-pleased t-to ma-mak-e y-you-you’re a-aq-aquian-tance.”

"Kon-san.. That's a really short family name. It's nice to meet you, Mai-chan!" Akira stated, opting to call the girl by first name instead after blinking a few times in surprise by the short length of her name. The girl's first name was Mai, another short name. Though, for some reason, it really fit. Akira couldn't imagine her name being anything else now that she'd heard it. Then she felt the need to admit something about Mai, and before she could even begin to assess whether she should keep it to herself or not, she blurted out the words, "You're so kawaii, Mai-chan." She said this in a serious and shameless tone, a smile on her face the entire time. She wasn't nervous, nor was she joking. She didn't even seem to realize that this would more than likely really embarrass the short girl, especially since Mai was under the impression that Akira was a boy, judging by the uniform, short hair, etc. Akira often forgot that she should be more conscious about her behavior, especially since she was a 'boy' now. It was easy to forget that girls were a bit less forward here, and far easier to embarrass than in Britain due to the stricter formalities here.

Akira noticed where Mai's eyes landed, and she let out a soft chuckle. The blond boy (Bishop) was getting told off by a lavender haired female, and she definitely found it a bit amusing. She liked a girl that spoke her mind, just about as much as she liked shy girls like Mai. Akira then spoke up, not realizing how it would sound, "I like girls like that. It's a good thing that she knows what she wants and tells others when they've displeased her. Ne?" She wasn't even aware that it sounded like she meant she was romantically attracted to girls like the angry bookworm (Yuuki). Akira was oblivious to the fact that she would have to watch her words to avoid misunderstandings, and it would surely put her in a lot of awkward situations in the near future.

"Watch where you stand!"

Akira instinctively shot forward in reaction to Mai's shock and the unknown guy's (Kazuki's) entrance, leaning forward and shielding Mai from the possibility of danger with her own body. Akira didn't even stop to consider that it might make the girl embarrassed, she was too worried about her general. She wasn't sure if this loud delinquent would lose his footing, and she wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she stood by and allowed the smaller girl to get stepped on or hurt in any way. She knew she was very close to the other girl because of this, but she couldn't help what her instincts caused her to do, "You could have hurt her! Watch where you're going!" Akira shouted in the tall guy's (Kazuki's) direction, twitching a bit.

"Well, see you later kiddos!"

Guys who put girls in danger.. How dare he risk hurting her for his own sake! She thought to herself, both of her fists clenched as she held in her anger, knuckles turning a pale white as she watched the guy sprint off and interrupt several other conversations.

“Eh?”

Then she remembered she was leaning over Mai in a defensive way. Akira blinked down at the smaller girl and removed herself from Mai's personal space. Akira immediately rubbed the back of her neck and let out a nervous laugh, realizing she probably made the girl feel very uncomfortable, "S-sorry about that.. I was scared he was going to end up landing on you. I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable." She replied in a nervous tone, hoping she didn't scare the girl too much with her forward actions. The Japanese were a more reserved group of people, and Akira realized her actions were definitely defined as an invasion of space.

Akira sat down with a generous amount of space between herself and Mai, eyes averting. She realized that she probably came across as some perverted boy from Mai's perspective, but it honestly wasn't like that. Now everything is awkward.. She was just responding to protect the small girl from injury. She never wanted to see someone get hurt if she could take their place. After watching her parents die, she didn't want to see anyone else get hurt, especially people she liked..and this girl was absolutely adorable. She was shy, and very petite, Akira kind of wanted to poke the girl's cheek to make sure that she was real, but she refrained from touching her, even when she'd used her own body to shield Mai from the black haired parkour guy (Kazuki).

"Why did you look like you were going to cry earlier... Did someone say something mean to you?" Akira asked with innocent curiosity on her face, completely baffled by the true cause of Mai's shyness and nervousness. She didn't realize that Mai found her 'pretty' and was extra nervous because she was a 'boy' who approached her out of nowhere. Akira was a bit dense when it came to understanding others, which often put her in uncomfortable situations like this one. It was safe to say that Akira was no good at reading in between the lines. She'd come to a completely off base conclusion in the end, "If they did, just point them out and I'll make them apologize." she responded with a cheerful grin on her face, running a hand through her hair. This uniform was rather hot, considering the sun was blaring down on them and she unbuttoned the black jacket of her uniform to reveal the white shirt, letting out a soft sigh afterwards.

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Popularity |+ 1 to Cassiopeia
Notoriety | + 1 to Kazuki

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"Let me sleep
as I do, I will have dreams
in them, I could get to see you
smiling at me so serenely and happy
so, let me sleep like this
never wake me up."

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"Come on wake up!I want to show you something, Ryou... Something very beautiful."

The voice he wanted to hear so much faded into nothingness and instead, it was replaced by a feeling of pain radiating from his feet. It felt that something or probably someone stepped on it. That's why slowly but surely, his eyes opened to the image of reality. He didn't utter any recognition of it by releasing any sound. This spoke volumes on his tolerance and exhibit of control. He is such a composed person as he simply opened his eyes and then looked to his right side where he felt presences of people nearby. It made him wonder if he will be welcomed by the sights of those hounding girls. They might be the cause of him being stepped on to wake up.

But, he just saw two people, a pair composed of a girl (Arietta) and a boy (Saburo). The female was a familiar one to him. The male was not. His eyes of silver gray reminding one of the moon's light gazed at them. There was no blame in them as it still was faintly hazed with sleepiness, but he did hear the girl, Hakushiro that's her name if he remembered correctly, apologized. That was odd in his understanding. "I'm fine." He answered in a soft yet casual manner as he stood from his seat, finally showcasing his full height. His eyes landed on his foot as he moved it around. "But, why are you apologizing?"

Once more, his eyes fell on her. Then, he heard a familiar voice which he wanted to avoid for the duration of his day. He looked towards that direction seeing Miyamoto surrounded by the school guards and the known school idol (Aeon) and the kind Cassiopeia. Somehow, he now understood. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the scenario. "It's not your fault." He stated without any pretense, but it was enough to silence any argument as he looked at Hakushiro. His words had always have weight about them whether he noticed it or not. There was still a smudge of dirt at the hem of skirt and he knew she was just a victim as anyone else from Miyamoto's rampaging scene. He deduced the girl must be blaming herself for whatever happened which he had a clear reason to believe was done because he was here. Miyamoto had always did everything in his power to issue fights or challenges to him in different ways.

"Here." Ryou took out a clean handkerchief from his pants' pocket and handed it to her. "There's still some left." Whether she took it or not, he continued after she made her response. "It's a thanks for your concern." He said to give reason for his gesture. Most people feel more comfortable when there are reasons behind actions and especially when they're stated. Ryou then looked to the unfamiliar face, the boy (Saburo). "Welcome to Airdalen." He assumed that the new face was a freshman if he was wrong, then it's his bad. He then looked from the boy (Saburo) to Hakushiro. From his observation, they seemed to know each other. He must be interrupting them. "I guess, I'll see you two around then." Once he said that, he took his leave by walking away from that spot. He didn't want to be noticed by Miyamoto any more.

This was one of the days that he didn't want to be bothered by that fellow rowdy senior of his. He had a beautiful dream and that was shattered because of his self-proclaimed rival wanted to bother him with useless things. Anyway, he walked along the pathway as the Sakura blossoms were being blown by the wind. He looked at the falling petals as some landed on his shoulder and head. It was a beautiful contrast against the blackness of his hair and the paleness of his skin. It was like a painting when it involves him. Then, there it was again that voice he wanted to hear always.

"Did you know that the sakura petals can make wishes come true? It made mine into a reality. See, you're here with me."

His eyes held a hint of sadness and had an image as if he was looking across time. Just like that, he reached for one petal which landed at the palm of his hand and then closed his hand as if impaling it with an unspoken wish. Then, he released it to the winds, hoping it would be true, his dream.

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STATS

Popularity + 1 (Cassiopeia)
Popularity + 1 (Aeon)
Notoriety + 1 (Kazuki)

“Yeah…”

She didn't really expect an answer from the quiet male (Rhys), and she stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye when she felt he wasn't looking. He didn't seem to want to socialize, but she knew better than anyone that a cold demeanor didn't mean that the person themselves were truly cold-hearted. She had a lot of trouble making friends, because she would always panic and say something cocky or rude. She didn't mean to, she was just afraid of getting hurt and the words came out of her mouth of their own accord. He seemed to be enjoying the weather, but she wasn't necessarily fond of it, especially since their uniforms consisted of dark colored jackets. The uniforms were gorgeous, but they definitely weren't comfortable on the hotter days of the year.

“Hm?”

She immediately tensed up a bit, realizing that she might have been barking up the wrong tree.. He didn't give his name back yet, so perhaps he truly didn't want to talk to her? Was she reading into the situation too much? Her mother always told her she expected too much out of people. Perhaps that was true? He was a very attractive guy, but in a delinquent sort of way. Usually long hair looked really bad on men and made them look like stoners, but she found it rather suited this boy rather well. He also had brown eyes, a common shade around Japan, yet his hair was not. The blond-brunet hair color was very strange, a rarity to be honest, and it was an instant give away that he was foreign, or at least had a foreign parent. She knew of a few others with light hair, but they were all transfers or had parents from western descent.

Though when his eyes landed on her, she immediately felt herself become very nervous. It was very unnerving to know he was looking at her, and she began to regret her direct choice of conversation. Do I have something on my face? Did my mascara run?

She began panicking, especially after she thought she heard a gasp, but she wasn't entirely sure. It could have just been her mind playing tricks on her, but she was totally a nervous train wreck inside of her head. She kind of wanted to run off, but that would only make the situation worse.. and the program would start soon. She didn't need to run off, it would only complicate things in the end, because she'd be too embarrassed to return here. Though after telling him that he didn't have to talk to her, she knew it came off as a bit indecisive, especially since she chose to speak to him first.. She couldn't help it though, every time she got too nervous about whether someone would like her or not, she'd always say the exact opposite of what she meant.

Out of the corner of her eye, Shiori noticed that the boy grasped his forehead, and it seemed as though he was in pain. Did he have a headache? Is that why he was so quiet? Immediately she rummaged through her bag, before extending out her hand. There was two small red pills still inside of their foil containers in a gloved palm, definitely some kind of brand like Tylenol. She didn't make eye contact, but it was the least she could do for being so much trouble. She doubted she was making this guy's life any easier. Though, she was most likely the only student who wore silk gloves on campus. The gloves were a sleek black, and definitely femininely designed. She wore these often, but there was no obvious sign as to why.

“Rhys… but in Japan you go by surnames right? So it’s—“

She was surprised that he started speaking again, and she got a name, albeit it was only his given name instead of his full name. Though to her relief, he mentioned that in Japan, individuals addressed each other by their last names. Thank god.. for a minute there I thought he was going to expect me to address him by his first name.. She had a light blush on her cheeks from the thought. She definitely would have said something harsh if he'd asked her to call him Rhys. That was too forward, way too soon. She was on a totally different planet, no where near addressing boys or girls by their first names. She didn't even notice the racket, but she did notice when Rhys quit speaking. Her eyes lifted just in time to see a dark haired male approaching them with the speed of an angry rhinoceros stampede. Her eyes widened, especially since she recognized this person. This person was none other than Kazuki Miyamoto. If there was anyone in this school that she was most terrified to speak to, it was definitely him. He was outgoing, loud, reckless, and definitely didn't understand personal space. She did not want him to get anywhere near her, because he was unpredictable and no one knew what was on that psycho's mind.



"S'cuse me! Up and over!"

Shiori let out a soft gasp and ducked down as fast as she could, still sitting on the bench, but lowered her form to where she wouldn't become a casualty of Kazuki's escape. He jumped over their bench, and Shiori stopped breathing for a moment, completely terrified. She did not want to be physically touched by anyone, and she couldn't continue to breathe until after he cleared their bench and moved towards another where a petite ivory haired boy (Akira) was talking to a small ebony haired girl (Mai). She remained hunkered down for a few minutes, her heart beating really fast. She didn't see that coming at all, and she was frozen from the fear that hadn't quite worn off yet. She was not trembling, for the fact that she couldn't move at all. Her eyes were glued to the ground and she was breathing very slowly to calm herself down. She didn't even pay attention to her surroundings, and only caught the end of what Rhys was saying. She immediately sat back up, but continued the pattern of avoiding eye contact.

“…Browning.”

"We do address each other by last name here, unless we feel emotionally connected and close to one another. So I would be Kitogawa-san, and you would be Browning-san. You would use -chan, or -kun at the end to address close friends.." She replied, her fingers now trembling, seeing as she just recently mustered up the courage to move. Though her eyes shifted to him once more, a little curious. Why was he cracking his knuckles? Was he trying to intimidate people? Was he going to get in a fight? She was completely baffled, "Welcome to Airdalen, be aware of the fact that this place is full of idiots.." her tone was much colder, and she was definitely referring to Kazuki, but also several others. Although she didn't hate Kazuki, she definitely didn't like him very much.

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"Every day has been so wonderful.
I've met a lot of people and seen
A lot of things which I could never
Before. This is all thanks to you."
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◄Aeon's simple answer of I'm fine or the complete logical response that she should not miss him as they talked as much as possible were things she really expected out of him, but she did hope that he would entertain him with stories. It was apparent that he was not really the kind to discuss his vacation so openly or he seemed fond of his summer break. Cassiopeia tilted her head to the side in curiosity as she put her hands behind her. Were his trips not exciting and fun? He was always off to one place after another as she heard, but thinking about it now carefully, it must be all business related. That would make it boring then, but it's still a story she would like to hear someday.

It became her turn when he asked about hers as he held out his hand to her. Her face quickly lit up like a child within an amusement park as she happily took the hand and sat beside him. He was always a gentleman which made her happier. "It was so fun! I really wished you were there, Aeon! Hotaru brought me to Kyoto, Okinawa, Mt. Fuji! It was so amazing! It looked like a delicious ice cream! Right, Clio?" She energetically shared while looking for support from her mechanical assistant who bounced up and down matching its mistress' excitement. "Yes, delicious, Clio says!" She nodded her head happily at that agreement. She clapped her hands as she remembered the memories she made during her vacation and continued with her tale. "There were wonderful temples and a lot of sand at the beach. Hotaru told me that there will still be a lot of things I need to see. I'm looking forward to it!"

"Again! Clio Says!" Clio supported its mistress' enthusiasm. Cassiopeia lightly giggled at this. "Yes, let's do it again!" She stated with a bright smile, but it was replaced with a slight pout when Aeon mentioned about hearing from Hotaru. She did hear something about that from her overprotective guardian. She listened to his words and she was thankful for him. It's not a secret that her parents allowed her to come here due to Aeon's help in the negotiations. That's why she's very happy to have him at her side even if she thinks it's selfish of her to use their friendship which started a long time ago to her advantage. He had always been considerate of her. That's why she wasn't that surprised when she found out that Aeon was considered an idol of sorts at this school, but it was still a bit funny in a different area.

She took a deep breath and extended her hands forward where Clio recognized for it to come. It did and Clio was now being held by her in between her hands. "I'm fine... I know that I've been causing you trouble ever since I came here.. But, I've never been this happy before." She stood from her seat and then walked a bit forward as she did a pirouette. She stopped in front of Aeon with a dazzling and gentle smile. "Thank you very much, Aeon." At the exact moment, she said that. Her arm was grabbed by him which earned her surprise, but this was not caused by their bodies being pressed closely for a short time. It was caused by the fact he touched her. It might be odd. It's true that she had been the kind to shower affection through actions and being held by other people was not much of a bother to her, but he was different. He rarely touches her and when he does so, it's for a reason like saving her from a collision. That’s why she can’t help but be surprised, because she does wish that he would touch her someday not for anything else but just because, they’re friends.

She found herself seated again and Aeon standing while looking down at a man who fell on his face. She recognized him immediately. "Kazuki-kun!" She exclaimed as Clio's flapped its ear wings in a frantic manner. "Danger! Danger! Clio Says!" Kazuki was able to get back on his feet and confronted Aeon. She knew that two had always been at odds with each other. They were polar opposites, but she believed that they are wonderful friends because of it. She really does have a different view of things. "Are you all right?" She asked in concern as she stood from the bench and approached Kazuki who were surrounded by the guards. He did fell on his face. She looked at Aeon quickly when he clearly assessed Kazuki as an idiot. "Aeon! You should not say things like that!" She reprimanded Aeon in a motherly tone as Clio backed it up. "Say sorry! Clio Says!"

But, Aeon instead announced that he would be leaving. Cassiopeia sighed at this while lightly shaking her head. She looked at Kazuki again and saw that he has a bruise at the bridge of his nose. That was rather awful as she remembered Kazuki saying that many girls would cry if he gets hurt. It's probably because he's handsome. She released Clio and took out a band-aid with a pink color and heart design. "Kazuki-kun, please be careful. I don't like seeing you hurt. I know Aeon feels the same way." Her perception at best comes out as nonexistent. She then placed the band-aid on the bruise. "There, all better!" She smiled at him in which the other guards present looked at her fondly. "I'll see you later then." She waved at him as Clio followed it up too. "Bye! Bye! Clio Says!" She then followed after Aeon with Clio trailing behind her.

Cassiopeia was able to catch up with Aeon as she walked beside him. "Aeon, that was not nice. Kazuki-kun must have a reason for doing what he did. You should try to understand that." She stated with a motherly tone that is very natural of her. "Right! Clio Says!" She sighed at this and that's when she noticed something bright in front of her, like orange. "Hmm? Could it..." She stopped from walking and just looked at someone who was with a known face to her. It was Gen and the one beside her... At that point, Cassiopeia's eyes twinkled in happiness and a bright smile on her face. "Vika!" She shouted a bit loudly as she ran passed Aeon with such excitement. Her hand was flailing about in a cheerful wave.

She soon reached her destination in which she launched a very delighted hug towards Vika. Her arms were around the younger girl instantly as she gently squeezed Vika in her enthusiasm and happiness. "I'm so happy to see you here!" Her face was truly a reflection of delight of seeing and meeting Vika here. It had been quite a long time since they saw each other. This year was turning out to be a wonderful one.

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Popularity +1 to Cassiopeia

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Saburo wasn't really sure what was going on, but Arietta was acting pretty weird for some reason. Apparently she didn't want anyone else to know about the tutoring because someone might think she was a nerd. He didn't really think she was a nerd though, just smart. There was a difference. Last year there was this smart dude on the team who helped a lot with the plays and stuff. A nerd is like a person who doesn't have a life and just reads sci-fi comics or something.

"You're not a nerd." Saburo lowered his voice for Arietta's sake. "Nerds are the guys who really out of shape and just play otome games all the time." He assured the Senior. "But yeah, I'll keep it low key if you want."
"Though, when you need during school homework help, you can send me a text instead of asking it face to face. It's more discreet that way. Do you think you'll need my number?"
Saburo smiled, pulling out his own phone. "Sure, I'll take it."

Before Arietta could reply the conversation was interrupted. "Hot stuff, coming through!" before he got a chance to look up some random guy (Kazuki) pushed between him and Arietta. Luckily, Saburo was able to catch himself from falling. "Hey! What the hell!" He yelled at the dude after regaining balance. Who was this guy to be pushing him around? If they ever had a run in again, Saburo wouldn't cut the guy any slack.

"Are you alright, Inoue-san?" Saburo's head snapped back towards his tutor. In his short lived anger, he had sort of forgotten about her. From the looks of it, Arietta wasn't able to right herself in time from the flustered look she portrayed.
"Yeah...thanks." The freshman paused for a second, recalling his anger. "Who was that asshole?"

"That was Kazuki. He's pretty well known for pulling stuff like that. He's not that bad once you get to know him though." Tsuyoshi had followed the wake left by Kazuki, finding Saburo in the process.
"You know him?" Tsuyoshi nodded.
"Yeah, we hung out a couple times. I thought you'd like him." Saburo paused to stare at the senior for a moment.
"No, seriously." Tsuyoshi broke a smile. "When your not on the sharp end of his crap it's not that bad."
"Yeah, okay."

Sabruo's attention was diverted to a towering senior (Ryou) who was asleep just a moment ago. "Welcome to Airdalen."
"Uh...thanks man." For whatever reason, he remembered something his father had said once.
"You gotta know the line between being confident, and being stupid. Once you get that down, I think you'll do alright."
Starting beef with this guy was definitely on the stupid side.
"I guess, I'll see you two around then." With that, the giant took his leave.

"So...How's it going Arietta? Saburo tells me you got me in science. I mean it's kinda hard to get the class when the teacher doesn't either right? ...Well you gotta know the stuff to be tutoring it...right?" Saburo glanced at his friend, then at Arietta. He gave the blonde girl a shrug.

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+1 Notoriety Kazuki

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Johnny watched the rowdy individual (Kazuki) get "detained" by security. Judging from the speed and the harshness put behind the words, Johnny imagined the shouting included much swearing. There was an odd feeling in the towering foreigner’s gut as he watched the situation play out. What was it… nostalgia? Johnny knew for certain that he saw something familiar in the events that unfolded the many metres away.

A fair number of the words, Johnny managed to recognize on account of his recent cram-reading of the booklet. He determined that the kid was not pleased about being at this school. Who knows? Johnny thought, Maybe there is something about this school that guy doesn’t like? It was then that he felt that he might have the thousand-yard stare again. Pre-emptively, he shook his head and returned to studying his dictionary.

Thanks to the enclosed space where little outside sound pierced the perimeter walls, Johnny heard many a dialogue delivered in Japanese from a few of the groups of students that had formed. He was barely able to catch to a handful of the words. What words he did catch, he sometimes managed to decipher what was being discussed between the other students. Most of the dialogue he caught was the clear, deliberate dialogue between two who appeared to be actresses. (Gen and Vika) Johnny did enjoy the performing arts, as they were similar to sports... and his personal interests... Plus, the clarity in their speech made it easier to decipher the individual words being said, which was great practice.

Amongst the students, Johnny saw the one who was taller by a measly inch. (Ryou) That one was awake and apparently mingling with the others. Johnny pondered if the near-clone would make an interesting rival to mutually hone each others’ skills with. If there was one thing he learned from his old schools, it’s that having no challenge bored him greatly. It was the main reason why his grades were so… average… Having someone potentially superior to him in some way would certainly give Johnny drive to do better throughout the year. Perhaps moving to this school was a good idea after all.

A little further away, the one with the pink hair stood out like a sore thumb, (Cassiopeia) obviously because of the pink hair… which was pink like a sore thumb. Johnny had seen people with dyed hair before in the States, mainly during family reunions in California. He never understood the appeal behind it. Was it a ploy for attention, like how some treat the idea of fitness? Johnny suspected not, because unlike fitness, dyed hair doesn’t directly benefit the wearer. The way others seemed to swarm around her was ample evidence for Johnny to determine this stranger was a very popular girl, much like he was back in his old schools. The foreigner had no clue how "school hierarchy” functioned in this country, so he wasn't sure what to think of this girl.

The rest seemed like individuals whom Johnny would properly meet soon enough. For now, the foreigner needed to get more familiar with the language. After setting his messenger bag next to him, Johnny leaned back on the bench and crossed one long, muscular leg over another. With one hand, he continued reading the dictionary. The other hand lay stretched, yet relaxed across the back of the bench. He was the picture of relaxation to onlookers, and the stretched nature of his pose allowed his physique to more easily show through the uniform.

As he continued reading, and trying to absorb as much information as he could, he bobbed his head to a tune only he could hear, one of many rock ballads by Jimi Hendrix and his old ‘Band of Gypsies’.

—

+0 Intelligence (since it’s still the same stuff he’s been doing last post)

+1 Popularity to Ryou
+1 Popularity to Kazuki
+1 Popularity to Gen
+1 Popularity to Vika

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"No person is an island as they say
I truly believe in that very much
That's why I'm glad I have met you
And I'm about to have a new friend."
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◄Cassiopeia is completely oblivious from the looks she was receiving from the other students whether it came from the boys or the girls. She entered the hall and all eyes were immediately on them or on her. The seniors knew her very well while the freshmen were in awe of her appearance. She was like the very model of what a princess from a fantasy world should look like which earned her nickname, Pink Princess, but popularity, reputation and things like that didn't matter to her at all. This is would be odd, since she's one of the popular girls or even daresay the most popular in the academy. She's very social which at times can be overbearing which she doesn't mean to. That's why Aeon is very helpful in those areas just like earlier, reminding her to take a step back, but she's still well-liked for she's a very genuine person which makes it very hard not to like her.

The seats were mostly occupied and the ones where they could all sit together was at front. "It's a good thing we made even if it's barely..." She said with a bright smile, since they're not late. There's no questions about where to sit from her point of view. She followed Gen's lead and sat beside her with such elegance for very little effort. Clio finally reached its mistress and landed on her lap with it's ears flapping. "There you are Clio!" She greeted it which happily replied. "Clio made it!" That's when she noticed that Kazuki was on the same row as them. He was actually Gen's seatmate. "Hi Kazuki-kun!" She greeted him with a smile and then looked at his nose in delight not minding that the band-aid she placed was gone. "It seemed to be better now. Does it still hurt?" There's concern on her eyes, but her attention shifted when the program finally began.

She looked at the projector screen and had that wide-eyed look on her face. It was priceless in a very adorable way. She had never met the principal before. He looks to be a very nice and cheerful man. She would like to someday meet the principal in person, because this is a wonderful school where she has so many fond memories and will continue to make more for this year. The speech was wonderful and when it ended she clapped her hands not only for politeness but because, she liked what she heard from the principal. It was then Ms. Araya's turn who told them that the seniors are to come up at the front to pick their folders which contained their freshman partner or for the other word junior.

She was very excited about this and can't wait. "I'm so excited to know who will be my junior! Are you excited too, Gen-chan? Kazuki-kun?" She asked the two and then looked at Vika. "I wonder who's your senior partner going to be, Vika!" Cassiopeia was in full glow of excitement as she then looked at Aeon. "This is so much fun! Isn't it?" Clio supported her as always. "Fun! Fun! Clio agrees!" She then smiled happily as she stood up from her seat while Clio bounces at her side again and went to Ms. Araya. "Good morning, Araya-sensei!" She greeted the teacher and then took her folder. "Thank you!" She looked at the ID attached at the front. "Wow... So pretty... Look Clio, don't you think so?" Clio bounced higher to see the picture and spoke in agreement. "Clio agrees! Clio agrees!"

She happily returned to her seat to show her the others her junior partner. "Look everyone! Look Aeon! She's very pretty! She's my junior!" She showed the junior's picture proudly to Gen, Kazuki, Vika, and Aeon. That's when Clio interjected with a very well-timed fact about her junior partner. "Clio! Clio agrees pretty boy! Pretty boy!" She had a startled expression as she looked at Clio in question. "Eh? Boy? Isn't she a girl? Akira... Blake?" Clio answers. "Boy! Boy! Clio reads boy!" She looked at the ID again and there's the gender which stated male. "Oh... you're right... A boy..." She nodded and the burst into a smile. "Well, he's very pretty for a boy! So cute!"

That's when she hugged the folder closed to her chest. "I'll be looking for him then! Wish me luck okay? I'll see you all later." She happily waved at them and then went on her way as she looked around the hall. "Hmm... Clio, do you see him anywhere?" Clio continued to bounce happily and then its eyes began to blink red in affirmation. "Clio sees! Clio sees!" Cassiopeia brightened at this info. "Where!? Clio show me the way!" Clio did so as it bounces towards Akira while some of the students moved out of the way and looked at the bouncing pink ball in surprise and curiosity while Cassiopeia followed behind. Clio soon was in front of the junior partner (Akira), bouncing with zest. "Clio found pretty boy! Clio found pretty boy!"

"There you are Clio! Oh! You found him!" Cassiopeia was now behind Clio which bounced towards its mistress in pride. "Clio good! Clio good!" She lightly giggled at this. "Yes, you did good Clio." That was then she noticed another presence, this was familiar to her. "Arietta-chan, good morning!"She greeted her fellow senior with a bright smile. She didn't expect to see Arietta and was happy that she did. "How was your vacation? I wish you had lots of fun." She asked with a sincere smile, then she looked at her junior partner (Akira) and the others present there (Bishop and Mai). "Are one of them your junior partner, Arietta-chan?" She asked and then introduced herself to the freshmen. That should be common courtesy. "Hello and good morning, everyone, I hope you're enjoying Airdalen. My name is Cassiopeia Elegy Argryis." She introduced herself with such a natural sophistication similar to that of princesses without any effort while Clio bounces happily at her side in which she gestured for it to come which it did.

She was now holding Clio as she presented it to them. "This is my friend Clio." Clio happily introduced itself. "Clio! Clio's name is Clio! Nice to meet ya!" She then looked at her junior partner with such kindness. "You must be Akira Blake, right? I will be your senior." She showed the ID picture on the folder. "See? It's a pleasure meeting you and everyone as well." She smiled at them kindly and without a hint of anything except for sincere friendliness.

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Charm + 1 (Gen)
*GM EDITED*

Johnny listened very intently. Few times had he ever been this focused outside of physical performance. His hopes and dreams for the future quite literally rested on moments such as this one. Communication is byfar the most important thing he could possibly learn while in this prestigious academy. Once Ryou… or Giou-senpai finished, Johnny leaned back in his chair. He then said, “So you would be Giou-senpai, and people would refer to me as… Farelli-kōhai, or Farelli-kun,” Johnny winced at how terrible and clunky his combination of words sounded. “Ugh, I’d rather they call me Jay-kōhai, or Jay-kun, or Jay-san,” The third one put a smile on his face; that helped wash away the earlier thoughts.

As Johnny’s mind worked to compartmentalize the information graciously brought to him via his senior, he thought back to the entrance exam. It was byfar the first time he actually tried in anything academic. Nothing like his average interest and average exam results of the past, where all he cared about was getting the passing grade so he could continue his practice. For the first time, he committed himself to his progress. That he managed to strike well above average when he just committed himself like he did with his physical activities was simply astounding, even to his parents. When he got his results and the subsequent acceptance letter, he even thought that the exam was just too easy. However, when he learned about how harsh the exam really was, it made him feel more proud than he ever thought possible. She’d be proud as wel-

The foreigner’s train of thought stopped. No time for the past. There is still work to do. It was at this point that he started really paying attention to his surroundings. The purple-haired girl had been approached by an especially handsome-looking fellow with long, blonde hair. The foreigner remembered seeing that particular gentleman surrounded by many a boy and girl out in the courtyard, and continued conversing with a large group as a whole. Johnny caught the name Belrose, Aeon, as well as many words. The man spoke very deliberately, which allowed Johnny to catch more words than usual.

Johnny liked that in a person… though he may be biased for obvious reasons. In his mind, he wondered if the surname was Aeon or Belrose. Johnny figured Belrose, as Aeon did not strike him as a proper surname, unlike a name like Swanson. Swanson was very obviously a surname.

The girl- Belrose-senpai’s junior, it seemed- also spoke deliberately and professionally. He already knew how much he liked the relative ease of understanding others. Thinking back to his first encounter… or rather, avoided encounter, Johnny still wondered what her musical taste was. It seemingly did not include Coldplay. Was she into more modern stuff, or the classics like him?

His train of thought was sent off the rails when the loud announcement caught Johnny’s attention. That boy who was tackled by security earlier. He caught something about handsomeness, and two sets of words that sounded like names. Johnny figured it was an especially eccentric senior trying to find their partnered junior.

“I take it that’s… Miyamoto-senpai?” Johnny asked Ryou- more in a deep, almost growl-like tone, as if his powerful, smooth jazzy voice was conditioned to a point where he was oddly unable to whisper, “And the two in front of us, Belrose-senpai and Fujioka-… uhm…” Johnny scratched his head. -san seemed almost too formal, and -chan seemed way too intimate. He barely knew the girl, for goodness sakes! Then again, he did just hear Belrose refer to her with -san, so he followed suit. “Fujioka-san?” Teachers, he thought, would be -san, -sama, or -sensei. He liked the sound of the word “sensei”, even if it did take up more syllables than the more efficient -san.

Or maybe -san would be the most efficient term to use for everyone. It’s so neutral, and it's only one syllable. Johnny was a man of great efficiency if nothing else. Not an ounce of needless fat on this boy’s lean bod. His lightness and athleticism would probably make him one of the fastest runners. He doesn’t know that for sure, of course. One visit to the track would prove who’s who, but the thought was present.

Speaking of running, Johnny’s desire to run began to latch on like a parasite. There were many people around, and they seemed to be grouping rather close. Johnny reached for his pocket and produced the ear buds. The music- he hoped- would help him deal with the thickening crowd. In Japanese, he managed to ask Giou-senpai, “Do we wait?”

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+1 Popularity to Aeon
+1 Popularity to Yuuki
+1 Popularity to Kazuki
-GM edited-

His greeting was so hesitant that for a moment Mai thought maybe she looked funny or something. But he suddenly bowed and gave them longer greeting. As he continued Mai blushed a little at hearing him thank her, but it could have also extended to the others as well so she did her best to quell the rise of color to her cheeks. The small girl hadn’t expected the others to follow suite. She had been rather quiet but it was an outburst of sorts, so maybe she had been louder than she had intended.

Hanging her head low in disappointment towards herself upon realizing that she had missed her opportunity to drink coffee with Akira and possibly Ryou. Then Mai’s head snapped back up at the sudden use of English. Mai looked to where Ryou was sitting as that was where the English greeting had come from. It had been a while since she last spoke the foreign language, at least to her anyway. She assumed that many at the school spoke it fluently. In regards to herself Mai could understand it however she would often translate it incorrectly which had led to a few misunderstandings in the past. On the other hand her ability to speak it was by no means on a level that could be considered fluent. There was just something about sounding out the words that she had a hard time doing.

From listening to what Ryou had said the junior was only able to get cherry blossom and maybe petal but Mai didn’t have much confidence in her translation. Mai leaned back in her chair, trying to get out of the way of the other three as they conversed amongst themselves briefly. She was glad Akira spoke to her again, and could only nod in finally understanding what had just been said.

The announcements came on shortly afterwards and Mai sat up straighter in her seat. She was a bit surprised by the principals appearance, especially seeing that he appeared to them through a projector, but it wasn’t her place to judge him harshly. From what she could see he looked like he could be one of those crazy uncles your mother tells you to stay away from. In thinking this Mai giggled quietly to herself, hoping none of the others noticed. He speech was quite encouraging, especially the part towards the juniors. Mai realized that maybe this school really was the right place for her to be at, especially since she was trying to overcome her own obstacles.

"So... Umm, you excited to meet your seniors?" Mai looked up at him ready to give her answer, or at least try to. In truth she was dreading the idea. What if they weren’t nice people like Akira or as collected as Ryou. She also knew that they probably wouldn’t like the fact that she was not only small but had a stutter. Of course she ended up not saying anything in the end as Akira spoke up. Soon enough a beautiful blonde approached them or rather Bishop. From what she got from her words, she was his senior. Seeing as she was focused on her fellow blonde, Mai turned her attention to Akira.

It would seem she would be the only one, amongst those in their row, who hadn’t been approached by a senior yet. Like Akira, Mai was a bit surprised by the sudden appearance of the pink ball. The strange object even spoke, saying it had found the pretty boy. At first Mai wasn’t sure who it had been referring to until she looked back at Akira. “Oh.” Mai could only giggle at the idea that she wasn’t the only one who thought he was pretty. Another beautiful senior came up to them but her beauty was different compared to the other girls (Arietta). This girl could have been a character from one of the many fairy tale stories her father read to her.

Mai smiled shyly towards those around them, placing her school bag and lunch box beside her on the seat, she still had some room on the chair. Once again swinging her legs but gently this time to avoid kicking anyone. She wondered where her senior was; maybe they had slept in and where late? Or maybe she just had the luck of being paired with no one. Thinking that made Mai frown with worry but it would seem she needn’t worry for long.

Suddenly the sound of sirens erupted in the hall, filling the room with its unpleasant sounds. Green eyes looked up, trying to catch a glimpse of the person on the stage. Thanks to her height and the majority of the student body standing, Mai wasn’t able to see much. She could someone laughing through the megaphone and apologizing albeit sarcastically. Paging someone named Kon Mai! Kon Mai! Report to this very awesome Miyamoto Kazuki who is speaking. My time is worth millions so hustle it junior! Thanks!"

The small girl jumped at the sudden calling of her name and almost immediately her face turned a bright tomato red. It didn’t take long for her eyes to water but she had already jumped from her chair and was rushing to meet this Kazuki fellow. Never in her life had she moved so quickly however due to her timid nature and small stature she had trouble getting past the crowd. It took her a couple of minutes to find her senior but eventually she did, or at least she assumed she did. He was quite the tall fellow with an almost predatory demeanor. In an instance Mai wanted to hide from that piercing gaze and just shake, which she was actually doing, shaking that is. He was also rather handsome, in the same way that Ryou was but much more aggressive.

Mai walked up the older boy, looking up at him with nervous eyes. She wouldn’t dare look him in the eye, least she let out an unwelcoming sound. Clutching her school bag tightly in small hands, Mai bowed low quickly in apology. “I-I d-do a-apol-logi-gize f-for m-my l-la-te-ness.” The small girl grit her teeth at how terrible her stutter had become and she really did just want to disappear. She straightened up and introduced herself as Kon Mai, her stutter still prevalent in her words but it had seemed to lessen now that she was saying something more routine. Her eyes looked everywhere but his face at least not from this close. At this point she kept her focus on what she could see right in front of her but she did her best to look as close to his face as she could without actually seeing it in her peripheral vision.

It was probably rude of her to do so but at the moment Mai was too overcome with embarrassment and an array of other emotions that kept her from thinking straight. She practically had to look straight up and the thought of what he may think of her, now that he saw her, briefly flashed through her mind. Even if he didn’t like her Mai couldn’t bring herself to hate him for it, well if he did anyway. There was something that was nagging her, something she had pushed down at the back of her mind at the urgentness of meeting with her senior. That something was her lunch box which was still resting on her chair when she had been sitting with Akira and the others.

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Popularity +1 Kazuki