His Name is Sato if You Forget

[bubeez]

This is the story of how a boring person conquers the world of Yamaku, one misstep at a time.

Chapter 1- Satoru or Sato?


"Satoru. You can all call me Sato, though."

I bow my head. When I look up afterwards, I see a variety of reactions from the students in front of me. Some of the more absent-minded are staring out of the window, twirling pencils in their hand. They at least look cool and dreamy.

Some of the others are eyeing me up and down intently. Especially these two sitting near the front. One has pink hair... interesting to say the least. They must be talkative.

One girl in the back seems to look everywhere except for where I'm standing. The little book in her hand, with her finger gently placed in between two pages as a temporary bookmark, seems to be her best friend.

Nothing else in particular happens as I'm left awkwardly standing next to our teacher, Mr. Mutou. In the hallway, he asked me to drop the title, but I can't help it. Adults are adults.

Mr. Mutou now takes control of the classroom again. "Alright, class. Please be very welcoming to... our new student."

He takes a shifty look at me. Did he forget my name...?

A small cough gives him enough pause to cover up his mistake. "You can sit... there." He points over to a desk close to the doors of the classroom. Not the front or back corner, though. Smack-dab in the middle. How strangely fitting.

He begins a very lazy lecture that I have no choice but to listen to. I'm not sure whether this is physics or calculus... but I guess it's okay to be a little lost on my first day here. No one around my desk gives me much trouble. Some crutches are leaning on the wall nearby, probably owned by the guy sitting in front of me. I noticed the girl sitting behind me had a very interesting pair of eyes, too.

And then there's... me.

Sato. A new student of Yamaku academy, Class 3-3. I'm different, though.

Not different in the "interesting" way. I'm... special.

Not special in the "interesting" way. I'm... normal.

....

Yeah...

...

Okay, fine. Not even normal in an "interesting" way, but it's as fitting as it gets. I'm not at Yamaku for the usual reasons. Judging from the students around me, Yamaku lives up to its name. Each student is here for obvious reasons, and even the less-obvious look like they have a reason to be here. I glance at the pink-haired girl across the room as the thought passes by. Yeah, she belongs here.

That being said... I can't help but feel like the outlier. I don't have crutches, I don't have the eyes, and I don't even look interesting enough to be here. And yet... here I am, by "special exemption."

I take a few empty-headed notes as Mr. Mutou continues from his desk.

Umm.

I'm using a #2 pencil...

... it's a little hot in this room, but not enough to actually take off a layer...

... I can see a tree outside of the window...

...

... Umm.

When Mr. Mutou is finally stopped by the sound of a clock denoting the hour, he releases us. Some barrel out of the room, especially the hungrier-looking ones. Some put their heads on their desk, not even bothering to acknowledge food during lunch. I leave the room after the first students, but I don't stay long enough to seem disinterested. I do actually feel hungry, anyway.

Walking out into the hallway, I realize that I don't actually know where the cafeteria is. I walk to one end of the hallway. No clues. I walk to the other end. Not much there, either.

Someone from class notices my struggle. It's the pink-haired one, followed by a girl with glasses.

The pink one does some magical finger movements. The glasses girl does more magical finger movements, but I can't tell the difference or what exactly just happened.

The pink one looks at me. "Umm~... are you looking for the cafeteria~?"

Her voice is very bubbly, even when she's just asking a question. The glasses girl blinks a few times. I think. "Yeah. It's my first day here, so...yeah."

The talkative girl connects the dots. "Wahaha~!! You should have just asked! Shicchan and I can take you there... err... Right, Shicchan?"

'Shicchan' agrees with the louder one. I can only guess that isn't actually her name, but I doubt asking would change much.

"Sounds good." I say quite honestly. My thoughts tend to automatically become my words. It's like I have no filter, but there's nothing to filter anyway. They take the lead, talking away with their hands with great speed. We don't even walk next to each other. Every once in a while, one of them looks back at me to make sure I'm still there. I'm okay with that.

It's not long before we make it into the cafeteria. The situation here is the same as the classroom, except on a larger scale. Everyone has something special about them that tends to make them noticeable, even in a cafeteria. 'Shicchan', the other girl and I all get in line for the lunch counter.

They get some interesting meats with seaweed and vending machine drinks. For me, I grabbed some chicken over rice. No drink for me, though. Not really thirsty. I feel a little tacked-on, as I haven't said a word since we left the hallway in front of the classroom. They seemed not to have noticed.

As we all sit down, I realize that they probably already forgot my name. It would explain the strange atmosphere I'm feeling. Maybe they feel like they should have remembered and feel bad, or something.

It's a little late for this, but oh well. "I guess we should have introduced ourselves by now."

Well, even I could tell that that was awkwardly phrased. It seems a little passive-aggressive.

The girls seemed to have enjoyed that, though. They have a good laugh about it, but I only flash a smile as I eat my rice.

"Wahahaha~!! I guess we should have! Well, then! Shiina Mikado at your service! Call me Misha, though~"

I nod my head to show I understand, my mouth too occupied with eating to say anything.

I turn towards 'Shicchan' and wait for her introduction. I wonder if she can really beat that lively performance Misha just did introducing herself.

When I turn to her, she turns immediately to Misha. Am I supposed to feel offended by that? They start to share a few signs with each other... Ahh, I guess that explains it. I take another mouthful of rice.

Misha begins to talk again. "Shizune Hakamichi, Student Council president and class representative! Pleased to meet you~!!"

I guess that's that, then. I briefly suspend my next mouthful of food to quickly say my name. "Sato."

I don't offer a last name, but it seems to have passed right by. I've confused Misha and Shizune with something. They're shooting signs at each other and stealing glances. I wonder... did they even catch my name?

I say it again just to make sure. "I'm Sato..."

Misha has just now realized that I said something. "Right, right!! Sato~"

After they have their little get-together on the other side of the table, Misha looks up to me as I continue to eat. Her bubbly voice is just as lively as before. "So, umm~... Aren't you going to ask why I talk for Shicchan?"

Chew, chew, swallow. Wipe mouth. "Hmm. Why do you talk for Shizune?"

Misha feels a little more at ease. Like now she knows how to deal with the situation when she couldn't before. "Wahaha~! Shicchan is deaf and mute, and I get to be her translator~!!"

Misha seems more pumped now that she controlled the flow of the conversation. She turns to Shizune, happily signing away. They look at me every once in a while, but I don't pay much attention to it. Maybe they're visual learners or something. Shizune throws a sign that seems particularly interesting. Misha returns with equal proficiency and aplomb. I somewhat nimbly handle my food as they have their conversation.

Their food remains half-eaten after I have effectively cleared my plate, but they don't seem to care. Does 'have lunch' not directly translate to 'eat food?' Either way, I'm already full.

Shizune points at me somewhat threateningly, for reasons unknown. I look directly at her without so much as a flinch in return. Our eyes meet, one of ambition and one of vague disinterest. Her eyes try to break me, but I just keep staring. For some reason, this makes her look away after a little while, red and flustered. I don't get it, but I guess you can call that our first conversation. Visual learners and whatnot. If that's really a thing.

Misha only laughs at this exchange. "Wahahaha~! Sato, you're really something~! You pass~!!"

I'm confused. "I'm confused."

Shizune only gives a small thumbs-up to Misha before averting her eyes away from the both of us to focus on something else. Misha grins so wide that her eyes are shut in happiness. "Sato, how would you like to join the Student Council with me and Shicchan~?"

What. "...what?"

Misha crosses her hands in front of her, leaning back so her elbows don't hit the table. "Come on~! It'll be fun, and we could use the help! It's just me and Shicchan right now~"

Her last comment seems just a tad suggestive, or that could be just her lively tone skewing the lines. Two members... does that constitute a Council? Does a Council even have fun? At the very least, it makes sense to join. They're the first two 'friends' I've made in class, and they've even invited me. From a statistical standpoint, this probably won't happen again, given that i'm still the 'outlier' in class.

"Yeah, okay. I'll join the Council."

I pack up my trash. I'm getting kind of thirsty... maybe I should get a drink before I head back to class? But Mr. Mutou might not let us have drinks during class... what a predicament.

On the other side of the table, Misha seems to be bursting with excitement mixed with confusion. Her mouth is wide open in a kind of shocked-smile. "Waaait~... really??"

"Yeah, it's no problem."

Misha taps Shizune's shoulder to get her attention. Misha is still amazed and Shizune is still a shade of red, but they get right to work with the sign language. Misha signs wildly towards Shizune. When Misha stops, Shizune gets a look of total bewilderment and surprise. I can't understand sign, but that was definitely a 'I can't believe he said yes' type of reaction.

Again, these two are quite animated. Maybe that's what Misha meant by fun... Ehh, i'll worry about that later. Looking at the clock, it seems to be almost time to head back to class. Don't want Mr. Mutou to yell at me on my first day... especially since he forgot my name. That would be awkward.

I get up to leave. "We should head back to class soon."

Misha stops me with her booming voice before I can turn away. "Wait~! Can I just ask... why do you want to join the Council... Sato?"

It took her a second to remember my name. I noticed that, but it wouldn't do much to call her out on it.

Well, how far back do you want me to go? Because we're acquainted. Because we're in the same class. Because we're at the same school. Because we're in the same general area. Because we're both alive. Because we both exist in the same three-dimensional space.

It's mostly because other people wouldn't do that, and it was in my interests to say yes.

I simplify it, one of those rare moments where I actively filter what I say. "Well, you asked me. How could I say no to you?"

That was awkwardly phrased. Oh, well. I'm sure she knows I meant 'you and Shizune.' Either way, the clock is getting dangerously close to class time. I take this moment to pack up and leave, and this time I hear no objections from the other side of the table. As I make my way to the door, I realize I walked right past the trashcan and have to turn around to throw my trash away. I notice that both girls are now blushing, as they vigorously make hand signs at each other.

Well, I don't bother to ask or wonder. I won't be the one who's late to class.

[HoneyBakedHam]

I'm liking this. Definitely looking to seeing what happens.

[Oddball]

As a general rule, I have a strong dislike for new students being placed in Mutou's class.

Granted, you didn't copy all the stuff from Hisao's introduction about meeting him in the lobby, having to work with Misha and Shizune, and all that, but I'm not seeing anything you've done with it that's really original either.

Another thing you need to address is WHY he's a new student now. If nothing's wrong with him, why couldn't he have started the new year at the same time everybody else did.

[HoneyBakedHam]

Well, he is trying to give the one student that didn't get a name and looked generic-looking some character.

They should've just just stuck with Lelouche, but hey, gives all of us OC writers a desk to put ourselves in.

[YutoTheOrc]

Ah yes, OCs my favorite part of Katawa Shoujo fan fiction!

Some crutches are leaning on the wall nearby, probably owned by the guy sitting in front of me. I noticed the girl sitting behind me had a very interesting pair of eyes, too.

If he's sitting in front of Natsume, who is the guy with the crutches? I'm pretty sure Haruhiko has haemophilia :S. I'm actually looking forward to reading more, especially considering it was in his best interests to join the student council no questions asked. Will I need to lock Kirino up from Sato, its only his first day and he made the "Ice-Queen" blush!