Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

AU INFO

RIVALS:
Kazano & Osana Najimi-Week 1
-Twin siblings. Both are truly similar in personality, yet different in their own ways. (I didn't make him "Osano" cause I didn't like the name)

Osana: Still the tsundere type, but she's far nicer to Senpai here than in the game. She is NOT Ayano's rival in this AU, but her feelings for Taro still remain. Her 'elimination' is the rejection route, but she remains friends with Senpai afterwards, albeit some awkwardness.

Kazano: Blunt and sarcastic, but never cruel with his remarks. Competitive with Taro in a playful manner (childhood friends like Osana), but the competitiveness is vamped in Week 1 since Kazano is now a rival competing for Ayano. Kazano meets Ayano in their first year at Akademi, and since then finds ways to ditch his sister and friends to be with Yan-Chan.

Tomoaki Odayaka-Week 2
-Genderbent version of Amai. Leader of the cooking club. His week's main event is the bake sale that occurs during Week 2 in game.

Much like Amai, Tomoaki is like the 'mother' figure of the group; the 'sweetheart' but not spineless. He's soft spoken and warm, and extremely empathetic. He cares deeply for his club members, and always is the peace keeper to diffuse arguments that erupt especially with the bake sale coming up. He is also a people pleaser, for his biggest fear is being disliked by others; a perfect contrast to Yan-Chan, as he'll do anything for her to smile.

Kizano Sunobu- Week 3
-Genderbent version of Kizana, the leader of the Drama club. His week's main event is a performance based on one of the five modern Noh plays, Aoi no Ue during Week 3.

Similar to Kizana, he has a loud and rather obnoxious personality. He isn't as self-centered as Kizana, but he still does not care much for his club mates in terms of well-being. His ego is truly out of this world, and it seems to be the bane of his club members' existence. Ayano is roped into the play by Kokona, who was desperately looking for an understudy for the villainous role and convinces Kizano to let her temporarily join.

*The rest will be added after week 3 is done

•••
AKADEMI HIGH STUDENTS:
This is the section dedicated to the students and clubs of Akademi. Info-Chan is also included but more on her will be added gradually.

LIGHT MUSIC CLUB:
Stays relatively the same. However their routine is slightly tweaked and they are the most active club in terms of different clubs collaborating together. Senpai will note that Gita and Beshi move more frequently now, and Miyuji no longer sits in the Light Music Room by herself as solely her routine. Rather, she can be found listening to music in various spots around the third floor with one ear plug out. This changes make it more difficult to steal weapons or conceal bodies on the 1st & 3rd floors, much less kill anyone(More on this later, but the 3rd floor is the most crowded floor). The Light Music Club also sits and eats lunch together near the Gardening Club.

GARDENING CLUB:
Stays relatively the same. However, there is now a gate at the front of the club in which only Uekiya has the key to (like the shed) and is mostly locked throughout the school day. The only weapons that can be found in the Gardening Club are the circular saw, a bucket, gasoline, and instead of rat poison there are chemical pesticides. Anyone can enter the gardening club, but only if Uekiya permits them to. Cooking Club members may be around as well, as the school's garden grows all of the produce the club uses.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB:
Routine also stays the same. Should nobody die, the members often stay in their club room and watch movies or read together. However, if a student is missing/found dead, the Photography club will be the most active in terms of them being everywhere in the school at one time. They will often be seen carrying their cameras and occasionally interview students. If more than one murder occurs in a week, the club will be seen walking around the halls in pairs well until class starts. Should Senpai not be in class before them, they will find him suspicious. Also the least easily swayed during the 'lowered atmosphere' days, and will refuse to follow anyone or talk to most people outside of their club.

ART CLUB:
Stays the exact same. This club's members are usually nowhere near each other per their routines in the original game, and often than not will be found in quiet corners of the school. However they do all sit together during lunch.

SCIENCE CLUB:
Routine stays relatively the same, and during free time the club members stay inside of their club room. The vat of acid, burner, and blowtorch should be in here, but will be difficult to access because the members rarely leave. The newly added Science Lab is locked and not accessible to students outside of the club. Akane Toriyasu patrols this wing frequently .

DELINQUENTS:
Routine is the same. However, loner student Horuda Puresu hangs out with them sometimes whenever she is not alone on the rooftop.

BULLIES:
Routine is the same. The only changes this time are that since they are the 'popular' girls, they tend to be wherever the crowd is (they also take pictures the fastest). This is especially true for Musume and Kokoro, who often are around everyone (for the gossip and pretend to be friends with the entire school). Another change is their pool routine. Kokoro sits under the shade while the other girls tan, (she doesn't actually want a tan, hers is a spray tan), and Hana and Kashiko often swim in the pool (mostly to flirt with the sports boys). Musume also vlogs her routines during school, and since she is often walking around, if someone is killed in a sloppy manner she may have caught it on her phone.

GAMING CLUB:
Routine stays the same.

MARTIAL ARTS CLUB:
Routine stays relatively the same. However during Week 9 (more information later), the club members will be around Ayano more, or conveniently be in her vicinity. Since the school is preparing for Week 10's rival to return to school, there is heavy security throughout the week.

SPORTS CLUB:
Routine stays relatively the same. However during Week 5 (Asu's Week), the club is mainly preparing themselves and the rest of the school for the upcoming sports festival. They will mostly be in the gym, pool, or track, and so will a majority of the students. In this AU, there are sports teams aside from the club itself so there will be people out in the baseball and soccer fields, tennis court, etc. Ayano is simply caught up in all the buzz and will be seen hanging around the crowds (starts in week 4 actually). More information later.

OCCULT CLUB:
Routine is relatively the same. However, the club members do not eat during lunch time and can be found sitting in a seance circle in their club room during this time. During week 4 (Oko's week), Ayano will likely be with members of the Occult Club often (more information later).

DRAMA CLUB:
Stays relatively the same. However, they are in the gym on Mondays and Thursdays before class and everyday after school. Rarely are they in their own club room, but should they be, it's usually Kokona getting some materials. During Week 3, they are in the gym full time, and Ayano is usually backstage.

COOKING CLUB:
Routine is the same. However when the members are handing out snacks, there is usually one person who stays behind to prep more (usually Saki). During the week 2 bake sale, the club room is usually empty, but if someone needed more of something, Yan-Chan goes to retrieve it for them.

STUDENT COUNCIL:
Stays relatively the same. However (more info later), I did end up genderblending Aoi, Akane, and Shiromi (yes, four eyes is the only girl on student council and will be explained later). While they still carry pepper spray, they are trained in basic martial arts as well (enough to disarm a person). Their patrol routes stay the same. During week 10 (more info later), the student council is on even higher alert per Megumi's (Megami's genderblent) instructions. Students will undergo extensive checks through machines during this week as well.

•••
Now that we've gone over the basics of the clubs, here are random facts relating to each week (and what clubs play what roles in the weeks). Each week's facts will be updated as the days are released:

WEEK 1 (6/15/2025):
-Raibaru Fumetsu is a third year, but not in Senpai's class.
-Osana, Kazano, and Yan-Chan are in the same class (2nd Years)
-Osana's elimination (rejection route) is similar to the route in-game, except there is no sabotages. Taro simply does not feel that way towards Osana, but he enjoys the attention (because he's a narcissist, we will see this later).
-Osana does not understand why her brother enjoys being around Ayano, because she thinks Ayano is very creepy. Not to mention, Kazano keeps ditching the group and finds excuses to see Ayano.
-Raibaru is the former Martial Arts Club President, but due to circumstances involving Budo Matsuda, she left mysteriously. Although Raibaru continued martial arts outside of school, she grew uncomfortable with what happened and quit for good. Osana always begs Raibaru to tell the full story, but she simply smiles and says it's alright and that it doesn't bother her anymore.
-After her rejection, Osana decides to make time for herself. Since she is not apart of any clubs, she randomly joins a few as a trial period until she finds one she likes. The clubs she comes back to the most however are the Cooking and Gaming Clubs (shockingly! In the game, Osana hates the gamers, but we'll see why she has a change of heart).
-Kazano and Taro used to race each other in everything as friends do, but since growing close with Ayano, their relationship has become even more strained.
-While Osana loves cats, Kazano hates them.
-Taro is often left home alone with his younger sister Hanako Yamada. She loves her brother dearly, but his introverted personality clashes with her own bubbly personality; therefore, she does not interact much with him as they grow older. But they still often gift each other things without words, which is more than enough for the siblings.
-Osana's stalker still exists, but he'll be taken care of (similar to the befriend/betray route but with its own flair)
-Uekiya Engeika is tired of seeing clumsy, puppy-love students stumble across the Gardening Club asking to pick flowers for their crushes. But she finds it sweet and allows them to do so anyways. Can you guess who one of them is?
-Raibaru once mistakened Horuda Puresu to be related to Ayano because her broody aura matched Yan-chan's. But it is only because Horuda tends
to have her hair swept over her face and hunched posture, making her look like a Japanese ghost floating around the school. Horuda has no idea who Ayano is however.
-Musume Ronshaku overhears Osana and Raibaru talking about her crush on Taro, and attempts to coax Osana into telling her.
-Kazano's favorite snack is Karinto, and upon learning this information (ahem, Raibaru may have left a hint), Yan-Chan buys them for him.
-Osana and Kazano bicker constantly despite their similar personalities
-Akane Toriyasu notices a red pen stain under Kazano Najimi's desk during his afterschool patrol. He is suspicious, but dismisses it as a delinquent drawing out of boredom.
-Info-Chan is a student attending Akademi High, and may even be in Ayano's year. However, their double-life is well hidden.

More to be added to: WEEK 1

Chapter Text

Taro Yamada had always loved books and stories.

More precisely, old Japanese folklore. When his sofu was alive, he would tell tales of tricksters and monsters alike by the lamplight. Taro; wide-eyed and anticipating, clung to the words and never seemed to be any less invested. No matter how many times he had the same stories over and over again, the same excitement remained.

Hanako, whom he called 'Hanachii' in a warm, endearing way only children would, never seemed to enjoy them as much though. She'd squirm or scoot next to Taro uncomfortably, shivering as the yokai grew bolder and each story's ending grew darker than the last.

Taro thought her chills were from his sofu's storytelling.
Even he felt them sometimes, when the shadows dancing across the walls seemed to morph into monsters and got a bit too close.
But it was thrilling all at the same time.

•••

I don't know when all of this began. Perhaps I had always had it within me, but I suppose it chose to surface at particularly inconvenient times.

It happened when I was about seven years old. Prior to then, I was a quiet child; awkward some might even say. When we went out to the playground, it was always Hanachii who introduced me to the other children in hopes that I would make friends, but her efforts were all in vain —I didn't seem to feel any connection to those outside my immediate family.

Mother and Father were worried of course. Apparently, I didn't speak until I was four years old, so my unwillingness to bond with the other children only heightened their anxiety further. They assumed my silence was because of grief over sofu's passing.
But I don't think it was that.

It was because I hadn't met anyone that was worth my time.

Until I met them.

It was a sunny day, and I was sitting on the bench next to the sandbox Hanako was playing in. I wasn't paying too much attention to her though. My mind was far, far away. In my lap was an English book — The Tortoise and The Hare, was what it was called. I'd chosen to get a head start in my class. I liked being ahead in terms of knowledge over my peers.

Someone tapped my shoulder.
I glanced up lazily, assuming it was another kid that wanted to take my seat.
The boys at the park often teased me for reading.

It wasn't someone who wanted my seat.

It was, however, a girl with two other children in tow. Auburn hair in two long twin tails and a headband shaped like cat ears. The one that tapped my shoulder had a weird expression on her face. Puffed out cheeks, cat-shaped eyes sparkling with mischief, and hands on her hips; she looked as if she was about to scold my ear off.
Which she did.

"Why are you always alone?? And why are you always reading?! You need to come play with us!"

She jabbed a finger at me as if to prove her point, and glared. I blinked slowly. I couldn't tell whether she was intimidating or not, but to normal kids she might've came off as bossy; rude even. But the girl beside her peeked her head out and smiled politely at me, as if she assumed I was intimidated by her friend and wanted to reassure me.

I was not, but I simply stared at the three of them, trying to understand what they wanted from me.

The girl that smiled cleared her throat, and shot the snobby girl a look before positioning herself squarely in front of me. She extended her hand outwards; either intending for me to shake it or call a truce. I couldn't tell.

"Don't mind Osana-Chan, she's much friendlier once you get to know her," she gently nudged the bossy girl in the shoulder.

"Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself! I'm Fumetsu Raibaru, but just call me Raibaru, k?" She then motioned at the boy beside the girl called Osana-Chan.

They looked identical: same auburn hair, the same tightly knit brows, and the same look of irritation. The boy looked as if this whole ordeal was beneath him and that I wasn't worth his time. Osana on the other hand, looked more as if her irritation was a mask; she seemed to be the most eager to have me join their group.

"He's Kazano. But when you get closer to him, he won't mind you calling him Kazu-kun, right??"
The boy, Kazano, rolled his eyes at Raibaru, flicking one of her twin pigtails wordlessly. Her hair was curlier than Osana’s, and polka-dotted hair ties held them in place.

But Raibaru didn't seemed to be phased by the playful yet snarky gesture at all. Rather, she ignored his crankiness and turned back to me. Her smile was warm. Polished. Rehearsed. But something flickered in it. It was fast, yet I noticed it right away.
Almost as if her invitation to the group wasn't hers to begin with. Like she didn't want me there.

How funny.

Up to that point, I hadn't intended to entertain their offer. But the flicker in Raibaru's expression changed my mind. The flicker told me that fake emotions suppressed her true feelings, and it sparked a strange curiosity within me.

I stood up with my book tucked by my side. And I smiled back. A seemingly genuine smile.

I have never smiled before in my life. Not up until this point. It may sound unsettling, a child who didn't smile, but it was true. When I smiled, the group stilled. Then, Osana broke out into a grin, like she had won a prize and ran over to tug me to the swings. Kazano trailed behind, shooting a smug look at Raibaru. She didn't respond to the gesture, but she whispered something behind her hands.

They seemed far more relaxed at that point, perhaps relieved I didn't turn down their eager friend. An unfamiliar feeling bubbled up beneath my skin, one I couldn't name then. It felt alien almost —yet warm and sweet. Not from friendship, and not excitement.

But rather, it was the thrill of seeing someone's expression crack ever so slightly.
And I had caused it.

It was..new.
And I liked that feeling.

Hanako was too busy playing, and didn't notice my potential acquaintances whisking me away to the other side of the play ground. She was crouched beside the sandbox, building what she would later proudly display as a sandcastle. In truth, it was a mound of sand mixed with dirt and sticks poking out as makeshift flags.

True to my initial assumptions, Osana did in fact, talk my ear off. She had a sort of voice that projected and bounced off walls, buzzing with energy. Raibaru stayed quiet; not in the way shy children were though. She was quiet in way cautious children were when meeting new friends, and eventually she started talking to me as well. Kazano said nothing for a while, save for the obvious displeasure in his features. But he eventually warmed up to me as well. Especially after a few rounds of cards; I won most of the matches.

And with that, came the second time I felt something new.

It didn't arrive until much later —my second year at Akademi Municpal High.

•••

It was the first day back, if I remember correctly. The air was buzzing with excitement;  upperclassmen welcomed the new first years, club leaders handing out fliers for newcomers to encourage the first years to join like their lives depended on it, and friends reconnecting after months apart. The atmosphere was light and alive with motion.

Weeks prior, Osana had ran over to my house and excitedly announced that her and Kazano would be attending Akademi High alongside me and Raibaru. It was funny really, despite having been in the same first year class, the two of us barely interacted. It had been expected after all; Raibaru was Osana and Kazano's friend, but never mine. At best — we were acquaintances. I was perfectly fine with that arrangement.

That morning, there was an orientation ceremony held for the first year students to, which meant neither me or Raibaru would be able to meet with the twins until lunch. Still, I was able to walk with the group to school since we were all conveniently neighbors.

The walk to school had been..eventful, to say the least. What had happened was, Kazano; in all of his brilliance, let Osana's kitten, Momu, out of its carrier on accident. Scurrying around, the little creature somehow wound up in Raibaru's bag. One could imagine her surprise when she heard the soft meows coming from her person while rounding the corner from Shisako Town.

She had froze mid-step, the story she had been telling dying back in her throat.

It was barely noticeable; a twitch in the shoulders, a quick blink. Her head cranked slowly to her bag in hand, and then looked back at the rest of us.

Then the sound came again.
Meow.
A tiny confused squeak.

Raibaru stiffened further. Her expression, trying to stay as calm as possible, which I've observed over the years, flickered. Just a small crack, like the day I met her. Osana had crouched down beside her, fumbling to help her get the straps off since Raibaru seemed to have shaky hands.

"What the- Momu?! Why in the world are y-" The realization hit her, and she snapped her head back at the perpetrator.

"Ooooh, you!-KAZANO!!"

Osana immediately scooped up the creature in her arms and stood up to kick Kazano in the ankles, which was her way of taking out her frustrations on her brother. Kazano hissed from the impact, but said nothing. It was no secret that he didn't like the creature all that much, but he truly seemed like he hadn't meant for the little one to tag along with us.

I had been standing there, simply spectating, when my gaze went back to Raibaru, who was slowly getting up from her crouching position. She didn't look angry. Or afraid. She looked simply..off-kilter. But nonetheless, she was relieved, and took a deep breath before rejoining the group.

Osana, to her due credit, still continued to chew out Kazano, all while cradling the little one in her arms. Kazano fired back at her, and that was a poor choice on his part. She only grew angrier and shouted even more. Another critical hit landed, this time making contact with his knee. The cat did nothing other than stare at its owner as it hung from her arms like a rag doll. I had always thought the cat looked a bit dumb; wide eyes, lounged around the house all day, and quite fat. But Osana loved it, so that was that.

Raibaru stood beside me, and chuckled. The twins were forced to be reckoned with, that was for sure. I glanced at her, and studied her appearance. Lemon yellow hair; which she recently highlighted with a peach color at the ends, a single scrunched hair tie that held her curly hair together, and the faint sparkle in her amber eyes. She watched the twins endearingly, before looking up at me.

"We should, hm, probably turn back around and take Momu home right?" She said lightly, as if the tension from earlier completely evaporated alongside the early morning mist.

"Mhm, we wouldn't want to cause distractions."

I nodded at the two bickering siblings, who had begun to storm back in the direction of their home. Raibaru and I followed behind wordlessly, chatting about the year ahead.

"So, are you joining the literature committee again?"
She asked, adjusting the cuff of her sleeve. It was a small, gestural habit I've seen her do countless times. When she was nervous, or mostly when she didn't have Osana around.

I shook my head, and ran my hand through my hair to ruffle it out; a habit I had begun to pick up. For some strange reason, my hair had began to fluff up over the break —like an unruly structure. A simple hinderance was all it was.

She nodded, humming lightly in acknowledgement. With that, an awkward silence fell between the two of us.
The kind that didn't so much as settle—uninvited. She looked ahead, like she was searching for something to say. I didn't bother to help her. I was too busy analyzing her expression from earlier. A crack in her rehearsed face; amusing.

After the whole ordeal with the kitten, we finally made it to school. Surprisingly though, we weren't late. Osana usually made it a point to arrive to everything as early as possible —she preached punctuality constantly. I didn't. I preferred arriving late; thats how you avoid the crowds.

Raibaru gently tugged Osana along by the sleeve as we passed through the front gates. Kazano teased his sister for how mesmerized she was to the point she could barely walk on her own. It wasn't Osana's first time at Akademi, but you wouldn't have known that from the way she gawked at koi pond to the vinyl gazebos across the school's front like a tourist. The school hadn't changed from when I last saw it; the same cobblestone path to the fountain, the same trimmed hedges, and the same looming sense of polite tradition and unbearable expectations.

Still, I had to admit —the morning sunlight filtering through the grand trees gave the campus an almost storybook sheen. Which is probably why the atmosphere felt..strange.

After changing out shoes, we all parted ways. Osana and Kazano headed to the gym for the orientation, and Raibaru excused herself to the restroom, leaving me alone. Not that she actually needed to go. She's always had a bit of a nervous bladder; or she simply felt weird being left alone with me. I never asked. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

I didn't mind in the slightest. People were too loud in the mornings. I preferred silence; it was always honest.

I could guess why Raibaru left —she didn't like being alone with me, and it had always been that way since childhood. I found her discomfort entertaining, endearing even. The way she'd shift her stance, the awkward glances around us, and her attempts to fill the silence with meaningless chatter. I watched her squirm, fascinated by the little quirks.

But I had always knew observations like that shouldn't be shared out loud. It made others uneasy. You aren't supposed to enjoy it, your supposed to be oblivious. So I learned to simply not say anything.

I smiled now, when I'm supposed to. I laugh at just the right duration. I'm still quiet and keep to myself, but some say that I can be rather charming, in a harmless way. It was fine with me.

Everyone wore masks, and mine fit perfectly.

•••

Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to head to class. I didn't like staying in the halls longer than I needed to, and the fountain was crowded this time. It usually wasn't, but with the first day back and all, the Cooking club decided to host a snack table. Right in front of my favorite spot, though there wasn't anything I could do about it.

But there was still time to spare, and I didn't mind wasting a bit of it. So I walked slowly, and took a longer route. I passed by a few rooms, which I didn't see often. My first year class had been right beside the lockers, so I didn't do much exploring around the school. I peeked my head inside of an empty faculty room before continuing my venture. A couple of lost first years trailed behind Kuroko Kamenaga, the current student council president.

She was an uptight person, and extremely strict. A perfect fit to Akademi's bill as a prestigious school. I nodded my head at her in acknowledgement, and she returned the gesture before walking away with the baby ducklings in tow. I liked to keep my head low, but even that never left Kamenaga-San's hawk gaze. She had sharp perception, I had to admit.

I checked my wrist watch. The time read 7:50, so I figured that getting to class now would be wise. Fukahori-sensei was notorious for allowing the little things to slip past her, such as sitting out of the seating arrangement. I wanted a window seat, which was in the far back, so I picked up the pace in hopes nobody would steal my seat. Which people always did.

As I turned the corner, I like to think my life changed right then and there.

I bumped into her.

In a literal sense, I bumped into her. Shoulder to shoulder. The sudden jolt knocked me slightly off balance. I reached out to the wall to steady myself, feeling the annoyance begin creep up. Already I was formulating an apology; an old habit of mine. That's how you stayed out of the clear —admit you were wrong first.

Whoever I ran into, she fell flat on the ground and papers flew everywhere. I barely stumbled —she was the one who took the full brunt of the collision.
Then I looked down.

Jet black hair tied in a simple braid spilled over one shoulder. Her uniform was neat, and not a single wrinkle in sight. She recomposed herself, and then sat on her knees to reach out of the papers; methodical and unhurried.

She had a face you'd easily forget in a crowd; Still and symmetrical. But that wasn't what threw me off. It was how she moved. It was like she was mimicking what a normal person would do in this situation. A sort of hollow grace.

I felt rather awkward standing there while she slowly stacked the papers in a neat pile, like she was resetting the scene.
I bent down and helped her.  Our hands brushed.

Once.
Twice.

The first time, we both froze. She didn't look up or even flinch for that matter. But her head turned slightly and gave the smallest shake of it. As if she was disappointed that the small touch had broken some internal rule she'd set for herself.

The second time, I pulled back and muttered an apology, which she barely acknowledged. She had paused that time, her fingers twitching ever so slightly over the paper. It was as if she was contemplating her next action —confirming it fit the persona she wore first before acting.

But nonetheless, she finished collecting her papers and stood up, brushing the invisible dust off her skirt. She looked at me and pursed her lips —like she was looking for the right words to say.

"..Thank you, Senpai." Her voice was soft. Polite.

Her eyes were hollow, empty really. But suddenly it was if someone had flipped a switch within her, and a sparkle appeared in her eyes. Color returned to her cheeks and tips of her ears, and she offered a tight-lipped smile. It looked warm, normal even. She even bowed. Deeply.

But that smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

I stood there, suddenly finding myself at a loss of what to say. I was usually sharp and adequate in conversing with strangers, yet my mind was currently blank. I must've stared too long, said too little —because when she rose from her bow, her expression twitched into confusion. A hiccup in her performance.

Like I had delivered a wrong line in the planned script she had written in her head.

She started towards me, perhaps to offer reassurance. But I quickly side stepped her and waved off my awkwardness. It would be very inconvenient for me for her to hear the rapid beat in my chest.

"Im fine, apologies once again miss."

I ruffled my hair, hoping it looked somewhat normal. Unbothered. My palms were sweaty. Qhat a betrayal; I hadn't given them permission to sweat.

This sensation, if it could even be called that was adjacent to what I had originally felt when I met my current circle of friends. That same odd discomfort.

Yet I welcomed it anyways.

Thankfully, she hadn't noticed anything off about me. But she did cough into her hand. Twice actually.

I had started to ask if she was alright, but I was taken aback. She wasn't coughing, she was trying to hold back a fit of giggles.

But the laughs sounded far too forced. Soft and unsure. A poor imitation of, what was her name again? Ronshaku-San? It was one of those tanned girls I'm sure.

Their hearty, cruel laughs were their signature after all. Just like their perfume; loud and theatrical. The other few tanned girls didn't go to Akademi, but I've had a few run ins with them at the grocery store. They all sounded and looked the same to me.

However her laughs weren't mean or inherently cruel. Yes, they were poor attempts at copying a popular girl's cackles. But it lacked the bite you would normally hear. A puppet's attempt at familiarity.

Those giggles were soft, and casted a gentle glow over this girl who I seemed to have mistaken for a hollow shell. Warm. Very warm.

Interesting.

A weird silence fell over us afterwards, and she abruptly stopped laughing. Perhaps she thought she had overstepped it. I thought so too, but it was her. I found myself not minding the performance like I did to others.

I didn't want the moment to end, I really didn't. It felt like those times I went over to Osana and Kazano's house as a child; I hadn't wanted those play dates to end. But none of those fond memories even paled in comparison to what I was feeling now.

Fascination. Warmth. Colors.

But reality was a cruel thing, and eventually she had realized that she was supposed to be present at the orientation session. In the short time I knew her, I found out she was a first year, and the reason chance had casted it's graceful gaze over my mundane life to allow me to meet such a girl was because she had somehow been tasked with getting copies of the brochures to hand out to her fellow peers. It was a dumb task to assign a new student I thought, but it had opened a new door for me.

Curiosity killed the cat, they say.

She had excused herself, and disappointingly I let her go. But not before I called out to her right as she disappeared out the double doors. It was as if some sort of invisible string pulled me towards her.

"Excuse me, miss! I didn't get your name?"

Real smooth, Yamada. Real smooth.

She turned slightly, and I had blanked out. The morning sun had fully radiated its light across the earth, and shined over her like a spotlight. Whoever she was, she had my entire system racked; my mouth dry, my mind blank. I was so out of it I didn't really catch her expression, but her voice was light and playful. Rehearsed. I remembered that much.

"It's Aishi Ayano, Senpai. I'll see you around ok?"
She waved, if I could even recall, and disappeared out the door.

I finally came to my senses, and blinked. Aishi..Aishi..

Oh, I've heard that name before. Aishi Ayato. He was in my year if my memory serves correct. Quiet like me, but when given the chance, he flaunted off his big personality. A shameless flirt who had girls and  even guys alike kiss the very ground he walked on.

Charming rascal, I remembered someone saying. I don't pay attention to my peers all that well, so that comment didn't register in my brain until now.

How quiet Ayano was related to someone loud like Ayato, I didn't know.
Yet one thing was clear; this girl took up space in my mind. And I very well allowed it.

•••

Present Day

Taro had heard of the urban legend of Info-Chan before. Or was it Info-Kun? Nobody truly knew the identity of this internet mystery. A seemingly faceless figure who offered merits in exchange for strange acts of labor.

Taro had heard before of what they could offer, but he wasn't that type of guy to dwell on shady business dealings. Burner phones, illegal images, that wasn’t any of his concern.

He also wasn't the type of guy to stumble upon a dying person , yet here he was.

What happened was, I had left my shift at Kamenaga Restaurant a little around seven o’clock, and decided to try a new way home. Buraza Town’s buses weren’t running this evening for some reason. Budget cuts is what Osana would’ve said. Kazano would’ve said it was because I was too ugly and would scared the drivers away.

That hiccup forced me to walk home, but the sun was still out, so I decided to switch gears to Adventurous Taro and find a new route. Hanako had tennis practice so she wouldn’t be home until a bit later. Father would come home and pick up Hanako on the way. And Mother was dead —doing whatever a dead person did best.

What was supposed to happen was that I would cut through an old residential area and hopefully wind up around Raibaru’s cul-de-sac. From there, it would be a straight shot home.

What really happened was that I heard a twig snap while turning the corner from the busy intersection into an eerie alleyway. It barely registered in my head over the crazy traffic, but my gut screamed at me to at least check. As I walked, it felt as though the road and stores around me were closing in. A bad omen, sofu once warned us.

I should’ve chalked it up to my imagination. I should’ve brushed it off as nothing, and walked home. And yet as those thoughts ran wild in my head, I still approached the alleyway. It was dimly lit and only when I got close enough did I see a sight to behold.

I shouldn’t have come here.

A girl with the once white Akademi uniform, albeit torn to shreds sat slumped against the brick wall, blood splattered across the premise like graffiti art. Whether it was hers or not, I didn’t bother to know. But what really threw me off was her face.

Or at least, what remained of her face.

Her head was lolled to the side, which made it hard to make out who she was. My gut still told me to get closer, so I did and crouched down beside her. My face was blank, but when I heard soft yet pained breaths, my face warped into ‘concern.’ It was strange, how I didn’t feel a thing for this poor girl. I carefully brushed a strand of blood-matted blonde hair, and then I got a clear look of the damage.

It was hideous. Disgusting. Everything I should’ve felt or thought. But I didn’t. My face was still trying to act concerned, yet I knew I was anything but.

The left side of her face had the skin removed. It was messy, yet almost exactly akin to a surgeon’s work. However, the worse part was around her lips. The skin had been ripped off, like a wild animal had mauled her face. The gums were damaged, and her teeth were slightly scratched at the surface. It appeared her fingers were broken, because when I brushed my hand over her wrist to check her pulse, a gurgled yet broken groan escaped from her person.

“S-sorry..” I muttered, like that would help her.

I glanced around and my gaze landed on the wall. It was dark so I couldn’t make out what the blood art was supposed to resemble, but it must’ve been a threatening message; Carved using the blood from where her leg used to be. Whoever did this must’ve hated her.

The mole in the girl’s right cheek finally told me her identity: Ema Shisedu, younger sister of delinquent Osoro Shisedu. If my memory wasn’t failing me, she must’ve been the one Raibaru mentioned had a crush on me. She had seen Ema slip a pink note in my locker the other day. I didn’t open it.

Oh.

The resemblance between the older brother and little sister was uncanny. Same sharp blue eyes and light blonde hair. Same spunky personality. The only difference now was that Ema was dying, and Osoro was likely still alive. Ema heaved, a sound on the line between a cry for help and resignation. I couldn’t tell. There was too much blood.

“Arg…sen…pai..ah..”

Such a broken sound, but it threw me off a bit and I abruptly stood up. I didn’t want the the blood on my clothes, it would be too hard to clean.

“I-…it..h..urts…” she whimpered. Barely a whimper really. Just air and pain. I should’ve flinched, should’ve felt a cold chill. But I didn’t. However I wanted to reassure her that she wouldn’t have to die alone. If Raibaru didn’t misreading the situation, Ema would die with her unrequited love as the witness.

“..It’s alright, Ema. Just..rest now, ok?”

Silence.

And that was it. Ema Shisedu was in pain no longer. Her hand, the broken one, had weakly reached out to me, twitching. But ultimately fell limp against her side on the ground as she took one last final breath. A rattled exhale.

Gone.

I thought back on the strawberry pink note. It reeked of fake perfume and I tossed it away. How unfortunate. Just sentiment wasted.

And I stood there alone in my thoughts, a dead body beside me. Then I walked straight home. I only remembered checking my phone for the time and seeing a few unread texts from Kazano. I didn’t respond to them. He’d live. Ema Shisedu would not.

Dinner was a blur, and so were cleaning dishes. Hanako might’ve said something funny. I might’ve laughed. I don’t recall though. Laying in my bed with one arm slung over my forehead, I replayed today’s events in my head.

School. Work. Dead girl. Home.
What a day, I thought to myself.

At least I would get to see Ayano-Chan tomorrow.
She made sweet bread, though not for me, sadly.

A small smile formed on my lips as I fell asleep.

Chapter Text

1st YEARS:

Aija Ashitomi: Member of the Cooking Club. She's a loud advocate for keeping traditional Japanese culture and cuisine alive, and strives to one day open her own restaurant overseas to bring the authentic tastes of her homeland to others. Cooking is her love language; it's always been! She likes to keep her grandmother's booklet of recipes close by, as she's always ready to whip up something delicious at the moment's notice. Strong believer in the idea that food unites people, and shows interest in experimenting with cuisines of different cultures with traditional Japanese recipes just to bring her vision to life. A hard worker who lives by the motto " A dream is only twenty five percent of your goal. The other seventy five percent is the effort." According to her ID card in the game, she is a Social Butterfly.

Saki Miyamura (Saki Miyu): Member of the Cooking Club. Despite her seemingly quiet exterior, she is actually a very bubbly person. Kokona Harukawa's best fried and closest confidant. Saki even went as far as to almost join the Drama Club to be with Kokona, but was such a terrible actor she ditched the idea and joined the Cooking Club —except she knows little to nothing about preparing savory dishes. Saki loves to bake however, and Tomoaki accepted her with open arms as he saw her potential. Here and there, she preps mainly the samples and sweet treats for the club. As Kokona's best friend, she's well aware of her situation at home and shows desire to help. Saki secretly lends off a portion of her allowance and salary to Kokona's father to help him pay off his debt. According to her ID card in the game, she is a Social Butterfly.

Kokona Harukawa (Kokona Haruka): Member of the Drama Club. A bright and kind girl who is willing to step forward and help in any way she can. She is Saki Miyamura's best friend. The Cooking Club needs a taste tester? She's the first one at the door with a big smile. Sports club needs a female student to test out if their new game idea is ideal for everyone in school? Kokona hates running but volunteers anyways and never complains. Even when the Occult Club wants help with a seance and it creeps her out to no end, she's still willing to pitch in a few candles here and there. Kokona earned a spot in the drama club when she submitted a stage play idea anonymously —a dark and morbid tale about a detective who is investigating a returning serial killer's crimes; and the secret? The detective is actually the killer. Kokona's twin drills are her own twist on Tokuko Kitagawa's elaborate princess curls, but the former was always too shy to admit the latter was her biggest inspiration as it seems that Tokuko doesn't like her. But behind that cheerful exterior is a girl who is struggling to hold together a family thats falling apart and doesn't even try to glue the jagged edges together. According to her ID card in the game, she is a Social Butterfly.

Tokuko Kitagawa: Member of the Drama Club. She comes from a wealthy family, and that was her one way ticket into Akademi. However, she does take her education seriously; contrary to the popular belief. Not as serious as her impending acting career though —she aspires to be a famous actress and leave Japan for good. She's a headstrong and blunt young woman who knows what she wants if it's within reach, and won't stop at nothing until she gets it. Her personality often clashes with Kizano's egoistical and self centered-ness, and they often butt heads over the littlest of things. Riku Soma once described being around Tokuko as "nervously flitting around a firecrackers ready to set off," as sometimes her temper gets the best of her and Tokuko is easily irritated. Despite all of this though, she noticed how Kokona Harukawa bases her appearance off of herself and is touched; but she has no inkling of how to express her feelings to this busy bee and often just stares at her as though she's annoyed with the other girl (it's just her resting face). According to her ID card in game, she is a Social Butterfly.

Kumi Demura (Kuu Dere): Akademi High's librarian assistant. She prefers solitude and seems to dissociate when attempting to have conversations with her peers —often, she communicates with the librarian using her hands. While many rumor her to be apathetic and emotionless (hence the nickname "Kuu Dere"), in reality Kumi has crippling social anxiety but has learned to try and act cool when her nerves kick in. She also has an "upset" resting face, which draws unwanted attention to her and people often ask if she is alright. All of those aside, Kumi finds peace with reading and often gets lost in books for hours at end. But once the seemingly emotionless exterior is peeled away, Kumi is revealed to be a very emotional person and deeply caring for her loved ones. After week 2, Kumi trails around behind Midori Gurin after an unexpected friendship forms. She feels uncomfortable at times since Midori is very extroverted and it's as though she knows the entire population. But slowly she starts to include herself in conversations and cracks start to form in her cold "persona." According to her ID card in the game, she is a Loner.

Tsubaki Uesugi: Member of the Gardening Club. The odd ball of the club to be exact. Shes extremely superstitious and whenever she chooses those rare times to speak, it's quite unsettling. She could put a charm into a person's hands and mutter "avoid the stairs at 3:25 today." If the person didn't listen? They'd show up to school the next day with their leg in a cast. The omamori are all homemade, and she gets offended and very stingy if you throw them away or ignore her warnings. Tsubaki knows all the myths and urban legends of Akademi High, and sometimes writes short blurbs in the school blog about them. She joined the gardening club over the occult club because she claims that the plants have supernatural auras around them and wants to further investigate on her own agenda (Musume Ronshaku once called her a "tree hugger,"which she didn't mind). According to her ID card in the game, she is a Social Butterfly. However, in this rewrite she is considered a Loner.

Sumire Suzuki: Member of the Gardening Club. The absolute most sweetest and purest girl in all of Akademi — and shes a people pleaser (and secretly burnt out). The teachers always comment on how sweet and polite she is; yet nobody sees the slight twitch in her smile because she's so tired of constantly being the one her peers lean on. Deep down shes an insecure perfectionist with a horrible inferiority complex and bottled up resentment. She needs people to like her, so she breaks her spine and rearranges her joints just to feel useful. Yet her "kindness" is often taken advantage of and she keeps a mental list of those who have wronged her —she might even snap one day. That's why she gardens; to feel in control. If she can manipulate a flower to grow into a different color than its parents, then she feels accomplished. But what she hates the most? Being compared to other "kind" girls like Uekiya; it fuels her inferiority complex and she grows to hate them. But of course, she wouldn't ever hurt even a fly would she? According to her ID card in the game, she is a Social Butterfly.

TO BE ADDED NEXT:

Shiro Torayoshi (Genderbent of Shiromi Torayoshi)

Horuda Umetsu (Horuda Puresu)

Ema Shidesu (deceased in Prologue)

Beruma Denkou (formerly Beruma Dinkuri) Otohiko Meichi

Iruka Dorofino

Chapter Text

The alarm clock read 6:45 a.m. sharp.
I woke up five seconds early; just before the long hand hit the nine.

Not a moment too soon. Not a moment too late.

Any later, then the day would've begun without me. Any earlier, and I'd look desperate. It had to be balanced, precise. I wouldn't be forgiving of anything less. It was ironic, seeing that I enjoyed being late to public outings only. I don't like all the buzz and preferred my peace.

Unfortunately, mornings in the Yamada household were anything but quiet. Hanako loved to be a chatterbox so early in the day, but with the cold she had been battling, the kitchen downstairs was quiet. Just how I liked it. A faint rustling was heard downstairs, no doubt my father. Him and I grew distance after Mother's passing, so he avoided eye contact unless it was necessary. What an awkward man, I sometimes thought to myself.

But it was peaceful. It felt nice, seeing that they finally fell into the rhythm instead of ruining it. I appreciated it. Gone were the days of slamming drawers, forks placed teeth-up in the drying rack. No more shoes out of alignment even slightly.

I liked when things were in their proper place.

There wasn't any point in dwelling on it further, so I quickly got ready. Brushed my teeth for exactly 3 minutes. No more and no less. It was excessive if too much, but dirty if too little. I was very peculiar with my hygiene. Then came my hair; which was a beast to control. An odd variable in my life, I liked to think. Something difficult to control; that factor didn't sit well with me.

Not at all.

Kazano had told me to try gel. No, too sophisticated. It took away the authenticity, and felt as though I was sculpting something onto my scalp. Osana told me to get a perm. No, too damaging. But it wasn't a surprise she had suggested that. She loved her curling irons, after all. Raibaru told me nothing, as usual. So here I was, stuck in a fierce battle with a brush and my unruly raven hair. I had a set a timer, as per usual. I didn't like taking more than 10 minutes getting ready.

There was no efficiency in vanity, after all.

But luck was on my side today. A bit of warm water and some styling, and about six minutes later, my hair looked near perfect. Heavy emphasis on near. My hair was a fickle thing —shaggy layered cuts, ends that coiled at odd angles, and a long fringe that insisted on splitting center. However, one day I had impulsively trimmed it myself. The uneven jagged edges brushed against my neck, and I hated the sensation. It was like static. Yet looking at myself in the mirror now, it looked fine. It looked tousled yes, but free. Intentional. Even the trimmed ends felt right.

I had about 3 minutes left on my timer, and felt that I needed to use up that time. I then reached for a bottle and sprayed the ends with a bit of Hanako's hairspray. Then, I pinched the uneven ends together and curled them against my index finger. Similar to how I watched Osana curl her long hair against the heated rods. And true to my assumption, it looked perfect now.

Some of the fringe fell loosely over my forehead, but I didn't mind. Actually, I liked it. It framed my face in a way that felt refined. Thoughtful. As if I intentionally styled it that way. I glanced at the case that sat collecting dust at the top of the medicine cabinet, and reached for it. My wire-framed glasses —a rare decision on my part. I usually wore contacts, but with my hair falling just right, it seemed fitting.

DING! DING!

That was my timer; 10 minutes were up. I walked out of the bathroom, and noticed Hanako shuffling downstairs, frame huddled in her blanket with only her face visible. It was an old thing really; covered in strawberries and frayed at the ends. Not to mention, it became an off white color as years of use went by. I thought it was ugly, but it seemed my opinion on other's 'treasures' was not warranted.

"Feeling better?" I piped up, and she paused her slow descent down stairs to look up. She looked horrible actually. Swollen eyes, clammy skin, I didn't even want to think about it.

But I decided to be a good brother and not mention it to her. Girls her age were sensitive about their appearances.

Hanako shook her head, sniffling. Her face was puffy, likely from all of the mucus in her system. I cringed at the thought. I hated thinking about their yellowish color, or how people hacked them up when coughing. Or even worse, when people blew their noses and a string of mucus connected to the tissue, and acted as though everything was fine.

Disgusting.

Her nose was red, and a bit runny. I recoiled when my gaze landed on her nose, and simply motioned at it to her.

"Huh?..Oh yeah, sniff, runny nose." She nodded sheepishly. Her voice was less gravely today, but I doubt she would still go to school given her current condition.

She gestured at my glasses, and managed a crooked smile.

"So, finally, sniff, leaning into your nerd persona?"

I stared at her, a flat look on my face. True, I wore glasses and spent most of my time studying, but that meant nothing in terms of who I was as a person. It was akin to me calling her a terminally ill patient based on her appearance alone. Although, had she not been really sick, I would've called her a sickly, dying child to her face. Just to see her reaction.

"Whatever, I'm going to change." I muttered, turning  and walking to my room. She must've sensed that she struck a nerve, so she quietly continued to shuffle down the stairs.

Good, let her know she overstepped. Somehow, I mistook her sick state as Hanako being less chatty, but I was sorely mistaken. It was no secret between me and her that I was the more petty sibling however.

As I shut the door to my room, I made sure it made a click. Not too loud, but not quiet either. Loudness meant I was angry, which I wasn't. But too quiet irked me in a way I couldn't explain. It was like a tickle in my ears; extremely irritating. It was unclean. Once I made sure the door had closed the way I liked it to, I turned to my closet.

My uniform blazer, which was neatly ironed out and hanging against the closet door, looked immaculate. The third year pin on the right check pocket looked a bit crooked however. It was an easy fix, but it still didn't sit right with me.

I glanced at the clock. 2 minutes max to change. I always planned my outfits ahead of time for upmost efficiency, and besides; it was a school uniform. It wouldn't take much thought on deciding how to wear it. White undershirt, black slacks, black socks, black blazer, adjust pin, and lastly red tie. It had to always be in that specific order. Always.

I looked in the large mirror in the closet and grimaced.

The golden pin, a little emblem of Akadmei's pride, just didn't look right. Others might have brushed it off as "good enough," but I couldn't. No no, that simply wouldn't do. I fumbled around with it, but ultimately had to settle for "good enough." My two minutes were up, and I couldn't afford to waste the day away. Before turning to leave, my eyes drifted to the framed photo of Ayano that sat well hidden in the corner of my room.

She was mid-laugh in that picture; mouth open just slightly, her eyes crinkled at the corners. Natural. Unaware. Perfect. The other half of the picture had been torn off clean. An eccentric girl with acid green hair once stood there, making big faces. I didn't remember her name. I didn't care to. She ruined the picture; she was far too energetic for Ayano. I wanted just Ayano in the frame, and there she was.

She really was beautiful.

•••

Jogging down the stairs, the faint aroma of miso soup hit me. Father must be preparing breakfast, likely for Hanako. Poor thing, But if she had to eat soup, then we would all eat it as well. I didn't mind; soup was bland but filling for the stomach. Once my feet landed on the map at the foot of the stairs, Hanako looked up from where she sat on the couch.
Still wrapped in that godawful blanket, she looked relatively relaxed now. The TV remote was in her hands, and some Western show was currently playing. It sounded suspiciously like a kid's cartoon.

Father didn't look at me at all.

A  small smile threatened to form on my lips, but I fought it down.

It was amusing; he was a lot like Raibaru. They could tolerate me, but ultimately were both unsettled by my presence. The discomfort in their eyes gave it away, like I was some sort of object that was too good at passing off as human.

It was entertaining, I thought to myself as I took my seat at the table, with a sniffling Hanako shuffling beside me. The flopping noise of her bunny slippers seemed to be the only thing breaking the silence.

Breakfast was uneventful. Normal, by my standards. Afterwards, I headed off into the direction of Osana and Kazano's house. Osana had demanded I walk with the group this week, and there wasn't any room for objection. When I got there, everyone seemed to be impatiently tapping their feet against the pavement. I wasn't that late, was I?

I'm afraid that was an exaggeration. It was only Kazano who looked as though I owed him money. Osana was preoccupied braiding Raibaru's hair into a fishtail braid, and two girls were deep in conversation. Naturally, I turned to Kazano and slung my arm around his shoulder. A playful yet carefully rehearsed smile curled onto my lips.

"What's got you so down in the dumps, Kazu-Kun?" I asked, a teasing tone in my voice.

He rolled his eyes and brushed my arm off with more aggression than necessary. Typical behavior for Kazano. Sure, he wasn't exactly a morning person, but today there was an extra edge to his tone.

"Don't call me that," he snapped. "It's a dumb nickname that miss Fumetsu thinks is cute."

He threw a look at Raibaru, sharp and fast. It was as though he wanted to blame her for bringing such a childish nickname to fruition. She however, didn't even notice the hostility.

Speaking of which, the girls were still seated firmly on the porch instead of getting ready for the walk to school. Osana wove Raibaru's curly hair into a tight braid, albeit very slowly. They were clearly more invested in whatever they were whispering about than actually hurrying. Osana hated being on time, as in her eyes it meant you were late.

Suddenly, Raibaru leaned in and whispered behind her hands. She must've said something that piqued Osana's interest, because her face lit up almost immediately.

Both Kazano and I shared a glance, equally lost on whatever "girl talk" had just transpired.

A bright pink color dawned on Osana's cheeks, and she hurriedly pulled Raibaru up. The latter was giggling, a dainty hand over her mouth as she allowed herself to be pulled up. Osana pushed open her front door and practically shoved her friend inside before turning to me and Kazano.

There was a strange sparkle in her eyes when she glanced at me. I thought nothing of it.

"You idiots go on ahead, ok?" She grinned before sliding back inside. "Well catch up at school, wait by the cherry trees!"

And that was that. Strange, it seemed that everyone around me was out of rhythm today. And I hate when things fell out of rhythm.

Now left to our own devices, Kazano gave my shoulder a nudge, urging me forward. For a while, we walked side by side in silence. The only thing that broke it was the rustling of the trees. Small flowers fell and scattered around us with each violent breeze.

Kazano was idly kicking around loose pebbles as though they had personally insulted him, hands shoved deep into his pockets. That was his tell—he clearly had something on his mind, but as always; he was dancing around the idea of saying it out loud.

The thing about Kazano was that he never asked for things outright. He always circled. Circled until he decided it wasn't worth asking, or his nerves kicked him to ask. I hadn't said anything, for I had wanted to see how long he'd stretch the silence.

To my surprise, it wasn't long.

I had stepped a little closer, fully prepared to tease him into coughing up whatever was on his mind, but he'd beat me to it. He must've sensed it; the lift in my brow, the way my lips were starting to curl.

"Hey man, uh listen..I, um, there's this friend I have, you know?" he began, his voice already veering into a mumble. Warm blush crept up on his neck, cheeks, and the tips of his ears.

He was nervous, for whatever reason; his stammering gave it away. And he never stuttered. He was always cool, cocky, and quick with comebacks. Although right now, he was anything but.

"She, uh..well—" he coughed awkwardly into his fist, as though that would help.

"She what?" I nudged him in the ribs, grinning. I could practically see the steam rising from his flushed ears.

He groaned, his amber eyes narrowed. But nevertheless, he straightened out his posture with all the dignity of someone about to embarrass themself.

"Well..it was, uhm, actually me," he mumbled. "I was  the one who, uh, asked if we could, you know..walk together?" His face only grew redder with each statement flatly admitted out loud.

Ah, so that's what he was beating around the bush for. A girl he wanted to walk with. And somehow wanted my permission.

I blinked, then tilted my head as though I was deep in thought. I let the silence linger just enough to make him shift uncomfortably. And he did, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. I wanted to mess with him a bit more though.

"Hmm," I hummed, rubbing my chin dramatically.
"So, let me get this straight; you want to ditch me like Osana and Raibaru. For a girl?"

Kazano groaned, and put his head in his hands. I could tell my seeming naivety was getting under his skin, but I was enjoying messing him far more than I should have.

"No, not ditch, just like, like walking with her! No big deal-" He peeked through his fingers to shoot me a sharp look, silently begging me to quit it. I would not, of course.

"Well, who is she?" The smugness in my voice was inevitable.

I ducked my head and tried to get a glimpse of his expression, which made him bark a strong "Fuck off," while stubbornly avoiding my gaze. Truly, a mouth on this one. I made a mental note to someday bring this up to the mysterious girl in question. Surely she could fix his tragic behavior.

"Shes just some girl-"

"Name."

That earned me a sharp fist to the shoulder, and I hissed but did not retaliate. Kazano gritted his teeth and shook his head while shoving his hands into his pockets. There wasn't any way that this girl was so special that Kazano couldn't even bear to say her name aloud

I decided I had teased him enough and shrugged. The current history of his romantic escapades weren't any of my concern, after all. I was certain whoever this girl was; she was just as baffling as her secret admirer that stood before me.

"Oh woe to my poor heart," I sighed, draping myself dramatically against his shoulder. One hand rested against my forehead as though I would faint.

"This senpai has been abandoned! Left to rot! All for a mysterious maiden.."

I cracked one eye open to gauge his reaction. His lips were pressed in a tight pout and the red color still tinted his cheeks and ears. Occasionally his amber eyes flitted to where I leaned on him.

I shook my head and got off of him, a small smile curling on my lips. "And to think we had something special, Kazu-kun. Yet I have been left severely disappointed, it seems."

And with that, our playful banter came to end and we parted ways. Kazano veered off to his mystery maiden; poor soul. And I was once again left to my own devices.

Which meant I could indulge in one of my favorite pastimes without disturbances:
Going the same way as Ayano-Chan to school.

Don't mistake this for something sinister now, I wasn't doing anything wrong per se. I didn't act like some sort of cartoonish villain lurking in the bushes or trees for that matter. I simply maintained a measured five-foot distance behind her.

Close enough to keep Ayano in my sights, far enough as to not draw suspicion. It was, by all means, a simple coincidence.

I knew her schedule probably better than she did herself. The routes she preferred depended on the day; Mondays: she always took the cobblestone shortcut that curved through an older part of town.
Stone houses, pastel fences, elderly couples sweeping their steps. There were Sakura blossoms everywhere, and some might even say excessively too many. But I understood why she chose this route. I always understood her.

Weekends shifts at the maid cafe were hard on her, therefore thisscenery served to calm her mind.

So I merely observed. And in doing so, I found my own peace.

At least, I had.
Until today.

•••

I rounded the corner while plugging my headphones into my phone. The crisp spring air gently shook the trees, and the breeze ever so slightly tousled my hair and kissed my skin as I walked in the opposite direction of the blowing breeze.

I had one earpiece in, and the other dangling loosely to the side. This uneven arrangement didn't irk me though, since it's common knowledge to be wary walking on the road while enjoying your music. Unless you were suicidal of course.
Speaking of which, Osana had recently introduced me to some of her favorite Western artists in hopes to "elevate my tastes in music," as in her eyes, classical and orchestra pieces were boring.

I tried to protest, saying that it was calm and easy on the mind compared to the alternative mess Kazano listened to or the depressing Japanese virtual music Raibaru loved so dearly. But Osana wouldn't budge, and had promised a full playlist by Friday just for me. So as I walked down the cobblestone path, soft British indie music by Osana's favorite English artist playing in one side of my headphones. What was her name again? It didn't matter much to me, but I did have to admit that the singer's voice was soft and blended well with the instrumental background.

It worked well with my thoughts, and this in turn had my mind wander back to Ayano Chan. I've seen her outfits outside of school, and this song reminded me particularly of the one she wore to the market a few weeks ago. It had been a sunny day if I remembered correctly, and she had been wearing a muted neutral palette with pops of soft pastels.

The outfit was a vivid image ingrained into my memories, and one I very much allowed. A long white dress with small pastel flowers at the bottom, and a soft brown cardigan with small lace and a bear patched on its right chest pocket. It was a soft almost childish outfit, yet she looked ethereal amidst the bustling outdoor market. Quietly beautiful.

A few small children on bicycles rolled past me and waved, but I simply gave a tight smile in acknowledgement and moved on. Truthfully, I hated small children. Too noisy, obnoxious, and painfully difficult. Hanako and I had a four year age difference over us, but even then I was struggling to tolerate her when we were younger. The time we spent together was insurmountable in childhood.

Whenever she cried, I sat there silently and read alone on my playroom carpet. It wasn't my job to console her if she was the one who was learning to walk and ran smack into the glass door. She must've mistaken the glass for the outside world, and leapt at the chance I noticed many babies make; exploring the unknown. I often was scolded by Mother for not paying attention to her, but it had long since settled as white noise in my empty head. The turning of the pages rang louder in ears than her repetitive scolding.

I really couldn't care less about crying kids.

The song began to end, the instrumental gently descending into silence. I didn't time it, as this was my first time listening. My thumb hovered the track button, preparing for something softer. Orchestra classics; my favorite. The tempo was controlled. The melody sung sweetly by the violin in a world where the humans controlled the instruments.

I stood by the crosswalk alongside a few other people, the city already blaring with noise and motion. I was used to filtering it out though.

My ear buds stayed in. Not because I wanted the music to drown out the world, but because people tend to leave you alone when they make the assumption that you were listening to something more important than them. Besides, everyone around me was glued to their phones. No need to start a conversation.

It was extremely unnecessary.

A beat passed. The stoplight blinked red, and the familiar icon appeared on the pedestrian light. Mechanical and predictable. Unlike humans.

I moved forward, keeping a steady pace behind a twitchy salaryman clutching a coffee with an iron grip. I glanced both ways while adjusting my bag, of course. Not out of fear, but habit. There's always someone who thinks they're above the rules. Someone who floors the gas just as the light shifts. Someone likely late for a job interview. I know how fast things can go wrong when you assume control means safety

So I watch.

And I wait.

Because someone always runs the light.

Veering onto the opposite sidewalk, I cut past a clique of school girls wearing the same uniform Hanako would've worn had she not been sick today. Their giggles and hushed gossip were mostly drowned out by the shrill vibrato of the violin solo playing in my ears. Just the way it should be.

I then made a mistake of feeling the school's pin on the left of my blazer. It irked me that it had tilted out of place yet again. This time, the top of the golden tree was ever so slightly to the right. Barely noticeable to others, but that very pin tormented me on a basis. I stopped on the side of the walkway, adjusting it until it felt correct.

Pushing my wire framed glasses back onto the bridge of my nose, I continued on my way.
Had I been walking with the rest of my strange little clique, we would've lingered at that quaint old stone café just around the corner. It was Raibaru's preferred stop. She had a weakness for saccharine things, apparently. Flaky pastries, foamy colored drinks, sickening little fruit tarts that looked like they belonged in a dollhouse.

I could already imagine her peeling back the wax paper with her chipped nails, grinning over a pain au chocolat like it was special delicacy meant for the wealthy. It wasn't. I disliked sweets, most of them anyways. An exception would be Ayano chan's desserts though; not too sweet and were decorated simply. She understood my tastes perfectly. My favorite were the apricot filled sweet bread.

And just as I turned the corner, the cafe window caught my eyes. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular. Perhaps my instincts reflexively tuned into my absent minded brain, nagging me to see if Osana and Raibaru had caught up. Maybe they were already inside the cafe, and just on their way out. It would've been better that way.

But no.
I saw her.

With him.

My body stopped before my brain could catch up. One foot slightly forward, mid-stride, like my entire frame had malfunctioned.

It wasn't a trick of the glass. Not a reflection. Not some cruel coincidence. Even if it had been some hallucination, some psychotic break? It wouldn't compare to the reality of what settled before me. It wouldn't match the hollow, sickly pull that wrenched through my chest the longer I stood there.

Ayano Chan. My soft, awkward, Ayano.
Next to Kazano Najimi. My supposed best friend.

Of all people.

The sight was something out of a dream turned inside out. A wrongness that hadn't even occurred to me until now. Not even in the most irrational corners of my mind had I ever imagined this. Not him. Not her, with him.

I must've stood there for a few beats. Just..watching. Like a stunned idiot. Without a word, I blinked away my expression and managed schooled my face into its usual blankness and kept walking. There was no need to gawk like a pathetic tourist, peering at them through the glass. Acting as though they were a pair of exotic animals in an enclosure out of mating season. Tsk.

Any one of them could've caught me frozen there: face blank, expressionless, burning. A single gaze, a single stranger noticing the way my eyes had dulled in that moment, and I wouldn't be able to live it down.

Humiliation is a quiet death. And I couldn't afford to die yet. Not until I understood why she looked so comfortable with him. Someone who was supposed to be my "friend."

What a bastard.

I ended up taking the longest route possible, two blocks off to be exact. Like I said before; I am quite petty. I told myself it was because the main road was far too congested. Too loud and disorganized. If I went down the usual path, a shortcut many Akademi students had established as the quickest route. However, going down that way meant brushing past them. Together. I wasn't in the particular mood to simulate civility right now.

Instead, I slipped past a row of convenience stores and vending machines, heading down the olde to art of town where the buildings leaned close and the sun hadn't kissed the pavement yet.

I told myself I wasn't avoiding anything.
I was just walking. Walking off my shock.
Walking off the bitter taste in my mouth.

The image burned in the back of my mind.
Ayano Chan, with her hair in its usual neat braid.
Laughing into her sleeve,
With him.

My thumb rubbed compulsively at the end of my cuffed sleeve, smoothing out a thread that wasn't there. I counted the uneven bricks on the sidewalk, careful as to not step on the cracks or any uneven patterns. That would be terrible luck.

Another thing to add onto my misfortune today.

Four ears inhale. Two beats hold. Four beats exhale.
It wasn't obsession.

It was need for order to be restored.

To Be Continued…