Burn My Lies - IC

[Xylime]

--Plot Post--

Monday 4/11
Evening
Rainy

--News--
​

I'm reporter Maya Morizuki, keeping you informed about the on-goings of Kobe. In local news, small riots have been occurring around Kobe as traditionalists insist that Japan abandon all attempts at Westernization. Picketers have made their stance in front of many locations known for having foreigners. Schools and companies throughout Kobe worry that this display will affect their students and workers. We will give more information as the story unfolds.

In other news, famous Russian singer Pasha Koltsov arrived in Kobe yesterday for her charity concert. Koltsov's manager states that the proceeds will go to the local orphanage. Tomorrow we will air a special interview with Pasha. Now here's Matilda Merriwether with the weather.

Thanks Maya! The rain should stop for a bit tomorrow around noon. However, it may resume over the weekend. Back to you Maya!

Thanks Matilda. That's it for today, but see you again tomorrow as we keep you informed. Maya Morizuki signing off.

---

Yoko lightly tapped her pencil on her desk. She continually placed her hair in her mouth, let it drop, then replaced it, her mind thinking about random things. As the night drew near, she turned on her room's light and returned to her seat. Ever since the fiasco with Miki, Yoko found herself sitting alone in her room, thinking about nothing in particular. Her friends had near abandoned her, and she rarely got asked to do anything anymore. Yoko wasn't devastated by this turn of events, but it was starting to wear her down. Her out of school acting club had helped her through the worst of it, but it had come to an end last week. Now, for once in her life, she was actually excited for school to start tomorrow. She wanted to find new friends and get back to the life she had grown to love. She craved attention, and school was a great place to get it.

As the clock struck seven, Yoko grabbed the remote from her bed and turned the television on. The new started up, and Yoko shivered lightly at the first story. She was technically a full citizen, was part Japanese, and was more accepted than most. However, she still looked foreign to most, and usually got questioned about it constantly. She wasn't bothered by it. In fact, she loved the attention she got from it. However, knowing that there were people out there who didn't want foreign influence in Kobe was a bit frightening. Yoko worried most about her mother. The woman could be a bit headstrong, and probably wouldn't be afraid to give the picketers a piece of her mind.

After the weather forecast, Yoko turned the TV off and let herself fall lightly onto her bed. Great...now school might be canceled... Ryuukoku High School was known for its large number of foreign students. If the riots didn't disperse by tomorrow, the school would surely tell students to stay home. Yoko lightly hummed a tune to herself, trying to get her upbeat mood back. The humming turned to whistling, and as the final note left her lips, a knock came at the door. Yoko lifted herself into a sitting position. "Come in." Strawberry-blonde hair came into view first as Yoko's mother popped her head into the door. "I have an early day tomorrow, and you do too. Make sure to go to bed at a decent time." Yoko nodded. "I will Mom. Goodnight." The Irish woman returned the sentiment before closing the door.

Yoko went to her dresser and put on her black fleece pajamas. She sat at her desk and pulled her handheld system out of her desk drawer. She played Water Emblem until her mind began to tire. She closed her system and turned the lights out. Laying quietly in bed, Yoko thought about what her day would be like tomorrow. This is my chance to start over. I can't screw this up. I'll make friends and get praised like the good old days. I just hope I don't get any stupid jerks in my class. Yoko's eyes began to droop as her mind went off to dream land.[/hr]

 

[Mistearea]

Kazuma sits silently at the table while moving bits of steamed vegetables from the bowl to his mouth while trying to tone out his step-mother chatting to his father about how she saw some of the riots while doing her daily routine. The older man mumbles something about them making things a little harder for him before suddenly realizing that he has a son. The man looks at Kazuma with an appraising eye before grunting and going back to his own food. Sayuri, Kazuma's step-mother, sees the tension between the two of them and sighs in defeat. From that moment on the three of them eat in silence until Kazuma breaks it by declaring that he's finished with his food. With that he carries his stuff into the kitchen and places them in the bowl filled with water and makes his way towards his own portion of the house.

Once inside of the small training area he snaps the remote for the tv from its stand and turns the device on to listen to the news. Once the news is on he grabs a pair of boxing gloves and makes his way over to the obviously worn out punching bag hanging from a chain. He punches it softly a few times to get his body ready for the work-out before he starts punching and kicking furiously. He keeps this routine up for the entire hour that the news plays ending with the anchor woman wishing everyone a good night. With that he turns off the tv and makes his way to his own room, which happens to be through the sliding doors. Once inside he grabs a towel and starts to dry his sweat before falling into his bed thinking that he'll shower in the morning. That's when he remembers that he has to go to school in the morning. He moves to set his alarm clock for a good time to shower and make his food before letting his tired body take him into the world of dreams where his parents still get along and accept him for who he is.

 

[Kiga]

Ranko gently rubbed her temples as she looked down at her...creation. "Ugh...this isn't strawberry cake at all! Uuu...I give up for today..." With a soft sigh she cleaned up the mess of icing and fruit she'd made on the kitchen counter before setting her apron back on it's hook. She walked over to the living room before plopping down on the couch next to her brother, turning her attention to the TV. The broadcast made her feel a bit uneasy so she changed to channel with a slight frown to casual kids cartoons. Turning to her little brother she gave him a worried look before looking down at her own hand and letting out a sigh. "No foreign influence huh...?" She quietly mumbled before just leaning back in the couch. Going to school would be made slightly harder but she was more worried for her brother. He was a sensitive boy and she couldn't really walk the full way to school with him without being late to her own.....if only people didn't focus on differences so much.

After an hour of watching Kaō Rider with her brother, Ranko decided it was time for the both of them to get some much needed sleep. "Alright Shou, time to hit the hay..!" "What?! No way, it was just getting to the good part!" "Yeah yeah, but we both have school tomorrow." "Fine..." With a soft smile she got up and escorted him to bed, giving him a kiss goodnight on the cheek. She then headed to her mothers room to find she was already asleep; her mother deserved that rest. With a quiet nod she changed clothes and went in to her own bed. "I hope tomorrow will turn out ok for all of us..." After setting her alarm she gets comfy in her bed then drifts off to sleep.

 

[Kylulu]

A small shadow slinked out the back of the small convenience store, pulling his hood higher to help cover his red hair, the sound of angry shouts fading into the background as the young man made his way through the streets. It would cause difficulties if the mob had seen his pale skin and bright hair. It didn't matter that he had been born in Japan, had been raised in the culture and had never left his country of birth. All they would see is a foreigner, an outsider. It was better that they not see him. Not that they thought they might hurt him, but dealing with the misdirected hatred was more trouble than it was worth. Still, with this kind of pressure on his employer, he wouldn't blame the man for letting him go.

The walk home was quick and uneventful, footsteps echoing off the steps as he climbed up to his front door. Digging through his pockets, he fished out a silver key, turning it through the lock. The door swung open, and a foul smell assaulted his nose, causing the young man to instinctively recoil. Taking a last breath of fresh air, he skittered into the home, pulling the door shut behind him. His nose wrinkled up at the smell that permeated the air, trying his best to ignore it as he gingerly stepped through the hallway into the living room. His father lay stretched out on a recliner, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers, a can of beer clutched in his hand. Blank eyes that saw nothing trained themselves on the flickering TV screen, the news retelling the stories that he had already been witness to.

"I'm home, dad…" His voice was quiet, a small amount of hope in it's tone. The older man didn't even acknowledge him. The hope faded, Kazuya resigning himself to make something for dinner before heading to sleep. School was starting tomorrow, and he should head to sleep earlier so he was ready. Besides that, work had taken a lot out of him. Searching through the kitchen, he found a few slices of bread, sticking them into the toaster. "Dad, do you want something to eat?" He didn't expect a reply. His father was too far gone into a drunken haze to accept any sort of food. It was just a habit, some small part of him hoping his father would respond one day, slowly coming back to his old self. The toast popped up, breaking him from his thoughts of the past. Gingerly taking the bread out, he munched on its stale taste as he continued into his bedroom.

Bedroom might have been a stretch, as nothing in the space resembled a regular bedroom. There was no bed, only a mattress lying on the floor, covered by an old sheet and a single wool blanket. Piles of clothes were folded and lined up against the wall, ready to be put away in a dresser he didn't own. A single window, far too small to provide a good view, was the only light source, the bulb having given out ages ago. With the rain pouring down, the room was black, the red head feeling his way around in the dark to reach his bed, collapsing on top of it. He'd change his clothes in a minute. He just needed to rest his eyes a moment...

 

[Xylime]

Ryuukoku High School rests on the north end of Kobe. Behind it is a large hill of trees. There are three ways to get to school. To the west is the country, where houses are spaced out and rice patties take up much of the land. Any students that come from there will head to a small shuttle area where they will be taken to the shopping district. From there it is a ten minute walk to school. To the southwest, past the shopping district, a dormitory lies, set aside for foreign students attending Ryuukoku. From there it is an eighteen minute walk. To the south is the train station. Anyone living within the center of Kobe would ride the train to Gakuentoshi station, taking between five to fifteen minutes to arrive at the station based on how far in they live. From the station, it is a mere five minute walk to school. Lastly, to the east is the residential area close to the school. One can either walk, taking between twenty to forty minutes to arrive, or can take public transit to arrive within six minutes. School starts at 9:00 am.

---

Tuesday 4/12
Morning
Rainy​

Yoko pulled the covers over her head as the alarm kicked on. It was 7:30 and the song Nagori Yuki played. Yoko groaned as she flicked the alarm off. She stretched, a few popping noises coming from her back. She pulled the top blanket off her bed and wrapped it around herself as she made her way to the kitchen. It was April, which was still a freezing month to Yoko. She plopped onto the ground in front of the table and groaned again, letting her head lightly hit the table. Yoko's father had already left for work, and her mother was still resting in bed.

Yoko pulled herself up and grabbed a bowl and spoon, a cereal box, and a half gallon of milk. Returning to the table, she poured the cereal and milk in the bowl and began to eat in a daze. It had been weeks since she had to wake up so early. With her breakfast finished, Yoko put the dishes in the sink and returned to her room to change. She pulled out her new Ryuukoku uniform, its black and white checkered skirt lightly flowing as it landed on the bed. The black jacket and yellow ribbon were put on first, then the skirt last. Yoko made sure the skirt rested at her knees, and put a pair of black shorts on under it, just in case there were perverts around. She combed her hair, brushed her teeth, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door at 8:00 am. Only now realizing that it was raining, she rushed back into the house. Her mom, now awake, held out Yoko's yellow umbrella. Yoko grabbed it and made her way back outside. "Thanks Mom! See you after school!"

Since it was the first day, Yoko gave herself extra time to walk to school, but not too much that she'd be waiting there for long. Cars and scooters zipped by as she walked along the residential sidewalk. At her usual pace, it would take about thirty minutes to reach Ryuukoku High. However, Yoko found herself caught behind two Ryuukoku boys taking up the whole sidewalk while walking at a snail's pace. Yoko chastised them in her head. They are guys for goodness sake! They tower over me, their legs probably more than half my height, and they can't walk any faster? You have long legs! Use them jerks! Yoko continued to fume behind them, her lack of courage making it impossible for her to pass them. Yoko noticed something out of the corner of her eye and turned to look at it. A picket sign, probably from the small riots yesterday, was leaning against a tree. It was a little scary to think about, especially since her mom was full Irish and Yoko herself didn't look Japanese at all. Knowing that there were angry people out there that hated her was daunting to say the least. However, most people her age or younger were pretty accepting of foreigners, so it gave Yoko some reassurance.

Yoko looked at her necklace watch, one of the few kinds of jewelry she could wear with her uniform. It was 8:15 and she was pretty sure she wasn't even halfway to school yet. She glared at the backs of the boys in front of her before eavesdropping on them. The boy with black hair and glasses spoke first. "You'll never believe what I saw on the Midnight Channel." The other boy, who had brown hair, shook his head. "Dude, you actually believe that shit?" The glasses wearing boy responded. "It's true man! Last night I turned it on, and my soul mate is Pasha! The Pasha!" Yoko pulled her mind away from the rest of their conversation as she thought about what they had just discussed. Pasha was that famous Russian singer. She was on the news last night and is supposed to do a performance some time soon. But Yoko shrugged it off, assuming it was silly banter between morons who couldn't seem to walk properly. Yoko looked back to her watch. 8:20 and she was just reaching half way. What a horrible way to start the school year.[/hr]

 

[Mistearea]

Kazuma slaps his alarm clock once to get it to stop yelling at him and lets himself just lie there for a few minutes. He had been trying to get back into the habit of getting up early, but some things are just impossible to get used to. And this just happens to be one of them. That's why he gathers all of his will and forces himself to his feet before looking around. He makes a note that everything is the way that he left it and makes his way down to the kitchen. There he gathers all of the items that he needs to make his lunch and starts cooking the food that he will take and even the food that is to be eaten for breakfast. The only reason that he's doing the breakfast though is because he knows that his step-mother has been doing it lately and he thinks that she needs to take a break every once-in-a-while. Just don't ask him to admit it.

"Mmm. Something smells good. Making your lunch again?"

Kazuma knows the voice of the woman by heart now, but he doesn't verbally answer her. Instead he just nods to the woman and goes back to cooking until he notices her picking up a knife and one of the carrots saying that she'll help him out. Before he can stop himself and spins the chopsticks in his hand and slams them into her own fingers to cause her to drop the knife and the carrot. She looks at him while holding her now throbbing hand and asks why he won't let her help. He just remains silent and goes back to cooking. After several seconds he listens to her soft footsteps leading out of the room and the t.v. getting turned on. He listens to the early news broadcast before he hears the device getting turned off and the woman making her way upstairs to wash up. That's when he takes the opportunity to put the breakfast foods on the plates and put them in their usual spots. He also places a note that he hastily wrote saying that he was sorry for hurting the woman's hand and hides it under her plate. With that he makes his way through the hall until he gets to the bathing room. With a quick shower he cleans his body and gets dressed in the same uniform as last year. With everything set up he goes back into the dining room and sits down in his usual spot next to the woman who is now smiling as she eats the egg.

Several minutes and complaints from his father about the food being bland later he walks out of the house with his bag and lunchbox in tow. Shortly after this he makes his way to the train station where he gets on his usual train headed for Gakuentoshi Station. On the way he overhears an odd conversation about some rumor going around about something called the Midnight Channel. He just puts it into the back of his brain with the rest of the useless information he has before letting his mind wander until he gets to the station for him to begin the walk up to the school.

 

[Kylulu]

The remnants of a nightmare were ripped away as the sound of shattering glass and muffled curses roused the slumbering youth, sitting bolt upright, limbs trapped in a cocoon of blankets and sheets. As his sleep deprived mind began to waken, the tension in his body relaxed. His father was awake, and probably horribly hung over. That was all. Wriggling, Kazuya managed to free his arms from their soft cage, feeling around on the floor for the small watch he always wore. Bringing it up to the light filtering in from the window, the young man sighed at the time. It didn't really seem worth it to try and go back to sleep now. Besides, he should probably figure out what his father had broken.

Forcing his tired body to stand, he gingerly picked his way through the bottles lining the hallway, finding that the man had moved away from the living room, stumbling around in the kitchen. The floor was covered in a sticky, brown liquid, probably more beer, the remains of a broken bottle laying in the puddle. His father, seemingly uncaring of the mess he had made, was rummaging through the fridge, muttering under his breath. Tentatively, Kazuya moved into the kitchen, careful not to step on the glass, twisting the hem of his shirt in his hands. "I-Is everything ok, dad?"

The man flinched, pulling himself slowly out of the fridge. His face was dirty, hair greasy and falling into his face. There were dark circles under his eyes, which were so bloodshot they seemed entirely red. Kazuya felt a lump rise in his throat as his father forced a small smile for him, fake and plastic. "Yeah… just dropped my bottle, is all." Turning away again, he continued his search. An awkward silence filled the room, Kazuya watching with more and more trepidation as his father began to show agitation. Obviously, whatever he was looking for, he wasn't finding. It came to a point where he couldn't stand the silence, stepping closer.

"Can I make you something to eat? You haven't eaten since yesterday."

"I'm fine. I just need a drink."

Of course he was looking for beer. What else would bring him out of the living room? Wanting to distract the man away from his search, maybe keep him away long enough to sober up, Kazuya tried again.

"You need to eat something, dad. Come on," he reached forward, gently grabbing his father's arm. "Let me cook something for you. I'll make sure it's really tasty."

With a harsh growl, his father whirled on him, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back up against the counter. "Dammit, I don't want to eat! I NEED a drink! Why don't you do something useful and get me one!?" The young man stared wide eyed back at his father, lips pressed tight together to keep the fear from spilling out. It must have shone through his eyes though, as the man's hold lessened, realization dawning on his face. "Oh… I-I'm sorry… Kazu-kun, I'm sorry…" As soon as his hands were off of his shoulders, Kazuya bolted from the kitchen, heading back down the hall. He could hear his father begin to sob, guilt stabbing into his stomach, but he couldn't go back there. Not yet.

Grabbing a clean towel from the hall closet, sending a spider scurrying for cover, he ducked into the bathroom. Pulling off his sleeping clothes, the red head stepped into the shower and turning on the water, sucking in a breath as the icy water hit his skin. It didn't matter which knob he turned, the water would be freezing. His shower was quick, getting out of the frigid water as quick as he could, wrapping the towel around himself. It was a quick dash back into his room, the door clicking closed behind him. He stood their, cold and wet, lost in his own thoughts for a long moment before he moved to dry himself, grabbing his school uniform from the folded piles of clothes.

He emerged from his room, clean and dressed, a cheery smile on his face. There had been a hiccup this morning, sure, but his father had apologized. That was a good sign. The rest of the day would follow suite. His father was back in the living room, sitting back in his chair, a beer in hand. He didn't look up from the T.V., letting Kazuya walk by him without so much as a nod. The kitchen was still a mess, glass and beer spilled on the floor. He began to sweep up the glass, but the spill would have to wait. If he didn't get something to eat now and make a lunch, he wasn't going to be eating at school. Bringing out a small container, he made a batch of rice. Plane white, as flavourings cost too much, but that was ok. He liked rice. He set aside the left over rice. Maybe his dad would eat it later, since it was made. For now, he'd be ok with some toast.

With a piece of toast clasped between his teeth, Kazuya brought his lunch out to pack away. His father finally looked up from the T.V., face sullen. "You're leaving?"

"School starts today. I'll be home later tonight." Satisfied, his father turned away, leaving Kazuya to let himself out of the house.

It was a long walk to school, more kids joining him on the trek as they grew closer to the school. A few girls came over to talk to him, people he had known from last year. He supposed he could call them friends. The talk was pleasant enough, though largely excluded him. It didn't matter much, he had nothing to add. Well, not until it turned to him, anyway.

"So, Kazu-kun! You work down right near the riots, yeah?" Bringing his eyes up from the ground, a blush spread across his cheeks to see them all looking to him.

"Y-Yeah, I do."

"Aren't you scared? I heard the riots are getting violent!"

"I heard they tried to break into a store! It wasn't your's, was it?"

"You should quit your job until things get safer for you. You stand out too much with your red hair."

Kazuya simply smiled and nodded, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. Hopefully the conversation would change away from him soon. He'd rather not be a tomato when he got to class.

 

[Katzenbach]

Bing!​

The riots around Kobe are becoming hot topic, it'd seem. The older adolescent's thumb leapt from one key to the other, his vision divided carefully between the steps needed to reach his school and the activity at hand. Bing! went his chrome-colored cell, notifying him of a new post having left the works. On the screen individuals, clothed in their respective virtual identities, chatted over the tendency for these shows of protest to break out in these past few years, as the propensity and need for free speech grew along with the advancement in media.

Bing!​

He looked over the newest box of words to flare up on his screen, eyes instantly catching the word 'ironic'. It almost made him stop. Almost, were he the one for an overly dramatic flair. The youth felt the cool morning wind brush against his black hair, neatly slicked back. The cityscape did well to prevent the mornings of Japan from retaining their chill, but not all of it died out. Even global warming couldn't make his country become this warm in just a few years.

​

Then again, Touma felt that it could just be him. There never was enough of an effort on his part to notice the different air about the town of Kobe, not even despite the fact that he's lived in it for a few years. Perhaps this was signaling the start of something, but the lad brushed aside such a thought as quickly as it appeared to him. Nevertheless, he felt that compared to here, the more open Hiroshima had the makings of a second arctic region. An exaggeration, but an apt comparison still.

Bing!
​

The newest words borne of a pondering mind caught his eyes, eliciting a brief and invisible struggle from Touma when he'd reached the main streets, clutching a desire for a good beginning as many others like him was wont to do.


[ 8 : 19 AM | Yatsu-Sakumo posted -- ]
[ Kinda glad I'm not anywhere near those bustling cities. Countryside life yaaaay :3 ]

[ 8 : 21 AM | Krakenn-chan posted -- ]
[ Say, kiri-ganai-sensei, don't you live in Kobe? I think you mentioned living it big there once. ]


Without so much of an emotional response, Touma's thumb left the state of rest and moved from one key to another, the occasional pause as he alternated between the best choices for an answer causing his digit to loom above the twelve keys for the short span of a few seconds. Not that he was enthusiastic.


[ 8 : 21 AM | kiri-ganai posted -- ]
[ Well I'm quite the tall guy, but I never did believe I phrased it to mean something else. ]


He wrote, simple and quick. It crossed his mind to ask them about the meaning and significance that possibly dwelt behind everything that was happening, but hesitated at the last second, concluding that it was only boredom nagging him into philosophy, putting aside for a moment the fact that the answer would clearly be '42'.

Bing!​

[ 8 : 22 AM | Azumanga-ITO posted -- ]
[ Twisting your sentences again, sensei? This is why we don't talk with you. >.> ]

Bing!
​

[ 8 : 22 AM | kiri-ganai posted -- ]
[ Harsh. ]

Bing!​

[ 8 : 23 AM | Krakenn-chan posted -- ]
[ It's not like it's sensei's fault you're not very smart, azu-chan xP ]

Bing!
​

[ 8 : 23 AM | Yuuto-2225 posted -- ]
[ Besides, be thankful. He's done worse. Twisted guy, sensei is. ]

Bing!​

[ 8 : 24 AM | Krakenn-chan posted -- ]
[ OMG that pun was terrible xD it was a sneaky one tho :P ]

Bing!
​

[ 8 : 24 AM | kiri-ganai posted -- ]
[ My phone is starting to drive me mad, though not as bad as you guys. Sensei out. ]


Touma looked to the street in front of him, where a greater amount of people had begun to emerge for their daily lives. Looking at his screen one last time, Touma put the device aside when it resounded with a Bing! one final time just as he was about to fold it to a close and keep it away.


[ 8 : 25 AM | Yatsu-Sakumo posted -- ]
[ Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarsh. ]

 

[Xylime]

Tuesday 4/12
Morning
Rainy​

In the entrance of the school are large cubby holes for students' shoes. Just past the entrance, in the hallway, is a giant bulletin board. It is normally used for club announcements and school event notices, but today it is filled with names and classrooms. A sheet of paper informs students what floors have what classrooms.

Yoko Izawa - 1B

Ranko Hajime- 2D
Kazuya Wyeth - 2D
Kazuma Ishimaru - 2D

Touma Kirishima - 3I


Second floor - 1A / 1B / 1C

Third floor - 2D / 2E / 2F

Fourth floor - 3G / 3H / 3I

---

The Ryuukoku entrance was crowded with new and old students. They searched through the cubby holes to find their own, and Yoko was no different. She felt an elbow bump into her back as she maneuvered through the crowd. She finally found her cubby hole, and hung her head in depression. Her cubby hole was at the very top. She got on her tip-toes as she reached to put her outdoor shoes in their slot. She stretched and strained, but to no avail. She was much too short to use the top cubby. In fact, even the second to the top cubby would have been difficult. She quickly looked around. Yoko wanted to ask for help, but her courage failed her and she admitted defeat. She carried her loafers with her as she ducked and dodged through the crowd of students near the bulletin board. She was able to get to the front and searched through the names. After a few moments, she spotted her name and made her way to her classroom.

---

[rainbow]--Classes--[/rainbow]

-Class 1B-

Edgar Ludwig​

A tall blonde man walked into the classroom. His eyes are sharp, yet hold a hidden kindness behind them. He pushed his glasses up as he placed his folder on the large desk in the front of the room. "Good morning class. I am your English and homeroom teacher, Edgar Ludwig. You may called me Ludwig-sensei. I know that sounds a little weird with my English name, but I'm sure you all will get used to it with time." He gave the students a warm smile before continuing. "These next three years will be important. They will determine whether you have what it takes to get into college. This year is the most important. How you start your school years will most likely determine how they will end. Work hard and you will surely be rewarded. I will do everything I can for you to help you succeed."

The kind lecture continued this way until lunchtime.

-Class 2D-

Mari Nagase​

A short woman entered the room, her young age hiding the experience she held. She placed a large history book on the desk before addressing the class. "Good morning class. I am your history and homeroom teacher, Mari Nagase. You will address me as Nagase-sensei. Most of you should know me from last year, and know that I am a tough teacher. This is the most important year in your life. It is now that you must determine where you will go and what you will do after school. Next year it will be too late. I may be strict, but please come to me if you ever need help. I want you all to succeed."

The serious lecture continued this way until lunchtime.

-Class 3I-

Haru Nabuko​

A stern man entered the classroom. His glasses gleamed as he reached the desk in front of the room. He looked over the class before speaking.

"Haru Nabuko.

All together we will learn,

Your sensei is here."

The man's eyes searched the classroom. Two students sitting next to each other counted on their fingers, making sure his haiku was correct. He walked up to them and smacked their hands.

"My haikus, perfect.

Don't you dare count syllables.

Respect your elder."

Nabuko-sensei returned to his spot in front of the class. Little emotion could be found in the man's face.

"This year, important.

Your life is decided now.

Work hard for success."

The unique lecture continued this way until lunchtime.

---

Tuesday 4/12
Noon
Cloudy​

Class was what it usually ends up being on the first day. The homeroom teacher lectured until the lunch bell rang. People had the option to get some lunch in the cafeteria or eat their homemade lunches. It was common for a student to eat in the cafeteria or in their classrooms. Yoko made her way to the cafeteria, contemplating what she'd eat, or if she'd even eat at all. The first year hated crowds, to the point where she'd sometimes miss lunch if they were too large. Yoko looked out the window. There had been a thick layer of fog while the teacher had been lecturing, but it seemed to be gone now. here was a surprising amount of students there, and her face scrunched in frustration. Hmm...maybe I'll just wait and go out for a beef bowl after school. Yoko went back the way she came, stopping at the stairs. Suddenly a speaker nearby crackled to life and an unfamiliar voice spoke.

"There has been an incident. Students are expected to finish lunch and head straight home. I repeat. Finish lunch and return straight home. There will be a faculty meeting to discuss the situation. That is all."

Again, a look of frustration fell upon Yoko's face. She looked around and notice how few students were in the area. If Yoko was going to try and reach her cubby, now would be the time. She rushed to it and looked up, bending her knees a little. She then jumped, and stretched her fingers. She caught ahold of the back end of her indoor shoes, but she didn't have the right angle to pull them out. So instead, they flipped out of the cubby hole and landed square on her head. Yoko let out a yelp before falling to the ground. Upon impact with the ground, Yoko's bag flew open and her five notebooks went sliding across the ground. Yoko grumbled to herself as she picked up the first, completely forgetting that she was supposed to hurry home.[/hr][/hr][/hr]

 

[Mistearea]

​

Kazuma quickly scans the small shoe lockers only to notice two things. The first is that his is right at the bottom and there is some girl trying to reach one right at the top in the section filled with the first-years. He simply sighs at how this school has always had the worst brains when it came to figuring out who was tall and who was short. But nothing that he can do about it right now so he slides his shoes into the small compartment after sliding on his own slippers and making his way to his class. There he receives terrible news that his homeroom teacher is none other than Mari Nagase. He could swear that this woman has it out for him, but it's not like he can do anything about it. He tried to teach her not to bother him in class the previous year, but he quickly found out that she was the one that gave the orders. Ever since she'd made it a personal habit to always find some reason to assign him extra work. It was a real pain. It was made even worse by him being the only one in the class to have homework on the first day by the time lunch came around. That's when he decided to be a little normal for a change and head to the cafeteria to get something to drink. There he sees the girl from earlier that morning again looking like she's trying to get the courage to go into the crowd before turning around. He gets his drink and makes his way back to his room to eat when he hears the announcement saying that students are to return home.

"Fine by me. Didn't want to be here anyways."

And with that he makes his way to the shoe lockers with his bag and lunch in tow. There he sees that girl for the third time. He'd almost swear that she was stalking him if it wasn't for the fact that he's always running into her. The only difference this time around is that she's on the floor trying to gather notebooks that most likely fell from her bag. He just sighs as he scratches the back of his head before walking over and picking up the other four notebooks. As he hands them to her he notices that she's really short and cute. Great, two things that he likes in girls. Still, he knows where her shoe locker is and thinks that it might be an issue in the future.

"Hey, swap shoe lockers with me. It may be in the area for the second years, but it's on the bottom and too low for me. I had yours last year so I'm used to it."

 

[Kylulu]

As he stepped into the school, Kazuya found himself alone, his friends having scattered to find their lockers. A small amount of relief ran through him, glad for the solitude. Well, relative solitude. He was in a school packed with people after all. Shifting the strap on his shoulder, his own search began, pushing past the throng of bodies to find a place for his things. Of course it would be on the bottom. He'd just have to be quicker to avoid being trampled. Or slower, but that would make him late. Maybe it would be better to just keep his shoes with him.

"Would he get in trouble for that?" Mumbling to himself, a tight frown pulled at his lips. "Well, it shouldn't matter as long as I don't make a mess." Quickly switching out of his shoes, Kazuya took a quick glance at the class list. Nagase-sensei. He didn't know her personally, but he'd heard horror stories. "Maybe she's not as bad as people make her out to be?"

That notion was quickly and utterly squashed by her morning lecture. The woman seemed just as intense as the stories had said. If the year continued anything like this, it was sure to be an interesting one. His smile slid into place, giving his sensei his full attention. He was sure anything less would get him trouble. Lunch was a welcomed break from the overwhelming seriousness of class. There was hunger gnawing at his stomach, digging through his pack for the rice he had brought with him. His fingers had just brushed against the container when the announcement came on.

"There has been an incident. Students are expected to finish lunch and head straight home. I repeat. Finish lunch and return straight home. There will be a faculty meeting to discuss the situation. That is all."

Well, that was certainly strange. He knew some of the 3rd and 2nd year students had planned to pull some serious pranks on the first day, but nothing big enough to close the school early. Maybe someone had taken it a bit far? Either way, it didn't matter. The school would be closed the rest of the day, and he didn't have work until later in the afternoon. Kazuya found himself with some unusual free time. "I suppose I could go home…" The thought wasn't appealing, but it wasn't as if he had anywhere else to be.