Swampie's Stories : Writings of a mad-man 3

[Mirage_GSM]

I continue my journey towards the front gate, and the person stood there.

"standing there"

[Because deaf people speaking sounds dumb.]

Haha.
Wait… Was that intentional?

as we continue towards the best hot chocolate vendors.

So... is she just allowed to keep the prototype? I thought this was supposed to be for testing purposes...

Nice chapter - except for the bit with Misha.

[swampie2]

[Because deaf people speaking sounds dumb.]

Haha.
Wait… Was that intentional?

That's quite an impossible sentence I've gotten there.

Blame it on Shizune's sarcasm.

as we continue towards the best hot chocolate vendors.

So... is she just allowed to keep the prototype? I thought this was supposed to be for testing purposes...

Hisao is the star student, the teacher acknowledges that the prototype may "go missing" from time to time.

[swampie2]

Shizune in the snow: Part 5 (Finale)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

POV: Hisao

["What do you think?"] I sign after straightening out my suit, a cheap 3 piece suit I found online. It fits well enough, but I'm sure Shizune won't be happy about it.

[It looks great.] She smiles, still messing with her earring with one hand.

["Really? I thought you'd want something more expensive looking."]

[I would cut it off you if I could, but we don't have time.] She grins, obviously enjoying the face I make. Even though it was cheap I definitely wouldn't stand it being cut to bits. She finishes attaching her earrings and turns to me before laying both her hands on my collar. For a second I think she's going to try and tear the thing off me, but instead she places her lips against mine. She lets herself down from her toes and smiles again, she knows I don't like kissing her when she's got lipstick on, it just feels... ugh.

[Shall we be off?] She signs, still smiling despite her very obvious watch checking.

[Of course.] I mentally plan our route, I know she'll want to park us far enough away from the restaurant so that we won't be seen leaving what could be considered the antithesis of the large black limo that she'd like to arrive in. With that, we lock up and begin the drive towards the venue, Hanako texted me and told me they'd be late, so I can have Shizune to myself for a little while.

[Want to play some music?] She signs, and for a second I chuckle before realizing that she'd dead serious.

["You're lucky the professor let me borrow that today, he wanted to send it off at 6am tomorrow morning."] I chuckle while switching on the radio. After a second the speakers warm up and begin to play out soft jazz, not my usual style but I feel like it'll get me ready for the uptight restaurant.

[This is nice. No lyrics.] She smiles, obviously pleased by my choice of music. I can imagine Shizune being a dictator with the radio, luckily she hasn't developed her taste over the couple of days she's had access to the prototype, so I'm free for now. I can't estimate how long it'll take her to decide what she likes, and thusly what I'll be listening to until I go deaf and need my own hearing aid.

---

Before long we arrive a couple of blocks away from the venue I had agreed with Akio when we had our "manly picnic" and I shut off the engine. Shizune seems completely raptured by the sounds of the engine cooling off and creaking as they ready themselves to break when I'm next late to work.

[Is it meant to make that sound?]

["No, but I can't really afford to pay for a repair unless I dip into my reserve funds."]

[Well what else are you going to spend it on?]

I shrug. ["A rainy day."] And with that, we're off. We keep to a brisk pace to avoid Shizune falling over her dress, a tight red dress that reveals almost all of her back and reaches down to her ankles. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. We don't talk all that often since I still can't really sign with one hand while walking, but it doesn't take long to arrive. The Tokyo Yakitori Lounge, a small jazz club Akio is rather fond of, though only because Hanako likes it so much. One part because of the jazz, ninety-nine parts because of the secluded tables. We make our way inside and Shizune immediately enters business mode, straightening her back and returning to the way she was when I first met her all that time ago.

["We have a table for four?"] I question the waiter stood before me, and he nods before leading us over to our table. The layout of the place is rather interesting, the whole area is a huge circle with a small performance area in the center and small booths holding tables surrounding them.

In the center of the room stands a small group of people, presumably the musicians, sipping on drinks and chatting. We both offer a wave as we walk past and they all shoot smiles in our direction. If anything Lilly has told me at the Shizune family gatherings is true then they're getting paid a pretty penny to play tonight, a Friday night at a rather established club should fill all of their wallets.

Shizune gestures for me to sit down so she can be closer to the band, and afterwards slides in beside me. Now we're in relative privacy, she returns from "the zone" and snuggles up against me, careful to rest the side of her head on my shoulder as to avoid rubbing makeup on me. We've gotten surprisingly good at one handed, backwards signing since we left Yamaku and Shizune became a "hugger" since it's the only way we can talk when she's attempting to get under skin. Not that I don't mind, of course.

[How long until our guests arrive?] She asks.

["We're their guests, they invited us."] I retort, much to her unhappiness. One of the band members shoots a glance our way, obviously seeing us sign, and looks confused as to why I'd bring a deaf girl to a jazz restaurant. She gives a huff and folds her arms, feigning unhappiness.

["They said about about a half hour late, so the band should be playing by then."] I answer before calling over a waitress. I go for whiskey, mostly so Shizune can brag about how manly I am, and Shizune goes for some wine that I can't pronounce the name of. Luckily then waitress is okay with me pointing it out on the menu.

[What do you think about Akio?] Shizune pries.

["I think he's pretty cool, I had a good time with him."]

[You'd better not leave me for him.] She chuckles. I'm not even sure he swings that way given he's dating Hanako, so I decide not to respond and instead listening to the stray notes of the band setting up for their performance.

Once each member has tuned their instruments they launch into a practice song, an intricate Jazz number that sounds incredible. Shizune seems to share my thought as she's now completely focused on the sound coming from the center of the room, so concentrated that she missed the waitress returning with our drinks. I take a slow sip of my whiskey and wince, luckily Shizune's eyes are attached to the band. Hopefully I can get used to that burning before she goes back into business mode.

---

I peer at the band, two songs into their set, and see Akio waving at us from behind them. I return the wave and gesture for them to come over. After a short tussle with another group of people leaving, both Hanako and Akio reach us. Akio is wearing a rather well fitting grey suit, the only difference between mine and his is how his actually looks good, while Hanako is wearing a long purple dress, it covers her arms and neck but still looks amazing.

"Excuse me, I think this table is reserved." Akio jabs, receiving a giggle from Hanako and Shizune's attention, she nudges my leg to get me to translate and begins signing.

"Actually, we reserved this table." I translate, putting on my best poker face.

"Augh..." He sighs. "We'll have to get a waiter over here for another table Hana." He rubs his temples with his free hand, his other monopolized by Hanako's grip.

"You t-two are asses." She giggles and seats herself opposite Shizune and I, shortly followed by Akio after I share a handshake with him.

Akio slides into his seat and drops his keys onto the table, Shizune's head swivels towards the sound immediately. Akio doesn't notice, but Hanako looks like she's just seen a ghost. I briefly consider not letting the two of them know, but decide it'd be too mean to keep them in the dark if she keeps noticing sounds and making them think she's crazy.

["Yeah, she heard it."] I speak up, Hanako looks at me like i'd just told her to strip naked while Akio just looks onward, goading me for an answer to the riddle I'd just posed to them.

["Our first project at university."] I grin and place a hand on Shizune's head, turning it slightly to reveal the bright orange, slightly smaller second model of our hearing aid. Shizune launches into a blush and slaps me upside the head. Worth it.

"That's incredible!" Hanako exclaims, almost jumping from her seat.

"Yeah, how'd you figure that one out?" Akio adds.

["Far too much research."] I sigh, remember the nights I'd spent on the library computers reading as much about deafness as I could.

"What's it like Shizune?" Hanako asks.

"You're forgetting something, Hana." Akio interjects. "She doesn't know Japanese, right?" he turns to me.

"Correct. She's learning though, watch: Shizune, drink?" I call her name and her head turns back to me, a look of confusion on her face before the words click. She looks to her glass to find it empty and gives a quick nod.

"I'll go with you." Akio stands, looking over towards the bar near the entrance. "If we come back and find you two kissing..." He shakes his fist dramatically, drawing a giggle from Hanako while Shizune retrieves her notepad from her purse.

"D-don't worry, I can h-hold myself back." She smirks at Akio, and I can almost see him melting under her smile. He's a lucky guy to be able to get her to make cracks like that. We make our way over to the bar and lean up against it while the barkeep serves and older couple.

"Nice suit." He chuckles.

"You too, very good taste." I add.

"Would you expect anything less? I have to keep up with Hanako, the fashion star of the literature world after all."

"She's changed a lot since Yamaku, that's for sure." I remember the days when someone looking at her wrist would send her into an unstoppable panic attack.

"Yeah, now she cracks jokes almost as much as me." He frowns, as if this is a bad thing.

"I've never seen her so happy." I add before the bartender saunters over to us.

"I'll go for... In fact, I'll have what he's having and a red wine." I begin.

"Well then... I'll have the strongest whiskey you have, on the rocks, and a glass of white." It seems he's challenging me to a drinking contest. I'm glad Shizune can drive. The barkeep nods and begins making our drinks, fishing out some rather large whiskey glasses and placing them on the counter. He pours the wines into their respective glasses and then makes his way into the back room, obviously this is a whiskey that isn't usually available unless you specifically ask for it. After a short while he returns, holding a large bottle of what looks like very expensive whiskey. Akio slaps a couple of notes onto the counter and looks to me.

"Second round on you? No whiskey after this though." He frowns, perhaps remembering some bad alcohol related memories?

"Sure."

Once our drinks are poured, we grab them and begin the walk back towards our respective significant others, finding that the band have begun playing along the way.

[Whiskey?]
"Whiskey? Really?"

Both Hanako and Shizune are quick to recognize the drinks we hold.

"Yes, whiskey. A man's drink." Akio seats himself next to Hanako, and I next to Shizune. "Bottoms up?" He asks, I give a nod and we each take a sip of our drinks. It tastes like an old wood and honey, but feels like paint thinner. I wince as the liquid hits my tongue and throat, though it hasn't seemed to phase Akio, as he takes a second sip and holds it in his mouth, savoring the flavor. He sighs and turns to Hanako.

"Y-you actually?" He stutters, and my head swivels to Shizune with one eyebrow raised to find that her lipstick has become a mix of Hanako-purple and Shizune-red. They both give deliberate nods, completely straight faced.

[Really?] I sign to Shizune who breaks into a silent laughter that shakes her whole body, shortly after Hanako joins her. Akio sighs in relief and takes another sip of his drink.

"W-we thought you'd b-be more excited." She giggles while wiping her lips with a napkin. Me and Akio meet eyes, and break into laughter.

"Suppose we should kiss now." Akio turns to me, pouting.

["It'd only be fair."] I join him in puckering up while slowly leaning forward. Shizune grabs my shoulders and forces me to my seat, Hanako doing the same but with far less force.

[That's enough of that.] She scowls, obviously wanting me to stay serious. Luckily the waitress arrives to take our orders and Shizune is distracted by the menu. I opt for a steak while Akio decides on the restaurant's namesake; Yakitori. Shizune opts for a salad and Hanako decides on a soup. I take a glance over at the pad and see that at least twelve pages have been filled and flipped over, they must have had a lot to catch up on.

"So what have you two been up to since Yamaku?" I ask, Shizune has caught up but I've barely spoken to them. Hanako opens her mouth to speak first, but is quickly interrupted when Akio opens his, and they repeat this process until Hanako gives up and speaks.

"W-we stayed at Akio's o-over the break." She grins. "It was a-amazing."

"My grandparents live nearby an art school, the local government allowed them to do some artwork on the streets." He chuckles dryly. "I don't think they realized how many students they had. They about covered the whole block in random collections of graffiti."

"I bet that's incredible." I wonder what it actually looks like though. As if Hanako could read my mind, she slides her phone over to me. On the screen are various pictures of streets literally covered in art, the only exposed surface being the roads. Most of the pieces are straightforward, a tree on a hill, an empty house, that one is a school of fish. But some are a little more abstract, they remind me of Rin's work, the strange, nonsensical nature of her art was very strange, to say the least.

"Wow. They really covered the place."

"Mhmm." He nods. "When I first saw it I thought I was on the wrong street, we were walking around for another hour trying to find my grandparents place, only to find that it had a huge mural of some trees on it." Hanako giggles, I can imagine that they weren't there for a whole hour, but it must be quite strange to have a place you know so well transformed like that.

"Must have been quite the shock."

"I almost had a heart attack." He leans back in his seat, then realizes what he's said. "Uhh, sorry man."

"Don't worry, I'm sure I would have fallen on my ass and broken it." I retort with a half-hearted comeback, hoping it's witty enough.

"Oh man, I've gotta tell you about the time Hanako-" He is cut off by my cellphone violently shaking in my pocket. Only reason I have it turned up so far is so it wakes both me and Shizune. I pull it out and take a look, Misha.

"Sorry, I have to take this." I offer as I stand, making my way to the large wooden doors. I step outside and take a deep breath before answering.

---

"Hey Misha."

She mumbles quietly, something I've never heard Misha do.

"Misha?"

"Mayday. Mayday."

"Are you okay? What's up."

"I can't... I've messed everything up." She chokes out between... sniffles?

"Misha, take a deep breath, gather yourself. Okay?" I respond, and she does so, take a few moments to compose herself. I've only ever seen her like this once, when someone shot her down shortly after she had arrived in america. That time she contacted Shizune though, so this must be something different.

"I'm between a rock and a hard place Hisao." She bawls. It sounds strange for her to miss out the nickname she uses so often.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I query, hoping to stop her from feeling this way.

"No there isn't... Well there is but..." She trails off into sniffles and quiet sobs.

"I'm willing to do whatever I can to help, you know that Misha."

"I... I sort of... don't have enough... I can't do it..." She trails off again. This is so unlike her, I just want to reach through the phone and give her a huge hug.

"Okay, take another moment." I remove the phone from my face and place it into speaker mode.

"I'm failing all my classes." She begins to vent, that's good, better than bottling it up. Internet app.

"I'm lonely, no boyfriend or... or even any friends." What? I thought americans were loud too? Favourites.

"My job pays me in peanuts." She breaks into one of the saddest chuckles I have ever heard. "And I'm allergic to peanuts." Where is it? There. I tap the link with my thumb and take a second to respond before the page loads.

"I can't even afford my anti-depressants any more..." She releases a loud sob. If she's on medications for that then... Jesus.

"You've not been in the states for long, I know everything will pan out well in the end." I retort.

"I... I don't know, Hisao, I really don't. I've thought of getting on a plane back to Japan so much I dream of it." Okay, the page loaded, great.

"You said it yourself, america is the place to be if you want to study sign." I input my details and thumb the display, sending me to another loading screen. Okay here we are. Before me lies my savings account, boasting a little over six hundred thousand yen, almost five thousand dollars. I quickly run over my mental calendar to see if either myself or Shizune has anything important coming up.

"You guys get a break soon, right?" I ask.

"Yeah... we get next week off.. why?"

"We're coming to visit." The line dies into silence.

"You're... coming to visit?" She peeps up after a moment.

"You. In america. Up for it?"

"Are you kidding!?" She explodes, sounding a little more like Misha instead of Shiina. "That's... that's..."

"Not kidding. I'm looking at plane tickets right now." I continue to navigate my way through various menus, attempting to find the cheapest airline that won't lose us in the ocean.

"I... you... really?"

"Really." I assert.

"You're the best Hicchan."

I grin at the nickname, no matter how much I hate it, it's far better than what I've heard so far. "Listen, I've gotta go, Shizune is probably getting torn to shreds by Hanako and Akio..."

"Sure, sure." She sounds ten times better now. "...and Hicchan... thank you."

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to you later on, okay?"

"Okay, byee~" She chirps, and with that, the line beeps closed.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author notes: God damn that's a lot of words.

Once again, thanks to Sharp-O for letting me use Hanakio!

There may or may not be more to this story, we will see.

[Sharp-O]

First up, THANK GOD Hisao and Shizune are going to go save Misha. I don't think I could take seeing that poor girl hurt more.

On the continued adventures of Hanakio. I think you did a pretty good job with their characterisation! Personally Shizune and Hanako fake-kissing was a little much but not more so than Hanako wearing purple lipstick. That just strikes me as odd but hey, alternate future timeline. How late in the game was the ass-breaking gag put in?

Overall, if this is end, it ends on a positive note and that's fine by me Good job, Swampie!

[swampie2]

First up, THANK GOD Hisao and Shizune are going to go save Misha. I don't think I could take seeing that poor girl hurt more.

I know man, it was difficult to write those scenes

On the continued adventures of Hanakio. I think you did a pretty good job with their characterisation! Personally Shizune and Hanako fake-kissing was a little much but not more so than Hanako wearing purple lipstick. That just strikes me as odd but hey, alternate future timeline. How late in the game was the ass-breaking gag put in?

I don't think they actually kissed, just traded lipstick for the sake of making the guys think they kissed.

Purple lipstick seemed like the obvious choice to me, but I don't wear lipstick as a guy so perhaps that was silly? I'll never know

The ass breaking gag was put in almost a split second after I read "Goodbye, Helloooo~"

Overall, if this is end, it ends on a positive note and that's fine by me Good job, Swampie!

I'm considering writing the week break, but I have no clue yet. Thanks for reading, and thanks for the feedback!

[Sharp-O]

I don't think they actually kissed, just traded lipstick for the sake of making the guys think they kissed.

That's what I figured too.

Purple lipstick seemed like the obvious choice to me, but I don't wear lipstick as a guy so perhaps that was silly? I'll never know

Purple is Hana's colour but I think it'd be an overload of purple. Plus she doesn't strike me as the lipstick type, maybe something skin-toned. I do agree with Hisao that kissing someone wearing lipstick is just gross

The ass breaking gag was put in almost a split second after I read "Goodbye, Helloooo~"

That's a damn quick turnaround, I'm impressed

Thanks for reading, and thanks for the feedback!

De nada, mi amigo!

[swampie2]

A collection of suspicious events:

Yesterday and never, drink every radio ever.

Warning: Character Death

---

BEEPBEEP BEEPBEEP BEEPBEEP.

My alarm clock blares loudly, awakening me from my slumber. I wave my arm around wildly, hoping to find the damn thing. Eventually I succeed in knocking it off the bedside table, alongside a couple bottles of pills, but it continues to release that incredibly annoying tone. I sigh, knowing I'll have to get up, and lever my legs off the side of the bed. My eyes meet the clock and I blink a couple of times so I can read the time.

I'm late!

After shrugging on my uniform in world record time, I grab my bookbag and sprint outside before having to turn back around to lock my door. I wouldn't want Kenji getting in there. I should have time to get to class, but breakfast looks like it'll be off limits. I begin a light jog away from the dormitories, I hope Mutou isn't angry, I am doing pretty well in his classes so-

BAM.

My thoughts are cut off when I'm knocked to the ground, luckily I was hit in the shoulder, so I shouldn't die. At least I hope I won't die.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch... that hurt..." My collide-ee speaks, it doesn't sound like Emi though?

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." I apologize from my seated position, and look at the person stood before me. She has short, ashen hair tied into a ponytail and a white and blue uniform. She must be a transfer, the council were running out of uniforms when I was helping them, I guess she's just wearing her old uniform until she can get her Yamaku uniform.

"Huh?" She looks down at me, and notices that I've been knocked over and her eyes grow wider.

"Are you okay?" I respond. Christ I feel bad, she's new here and everything and I've scared her half to death. She seems to blank out for a second as her gaze wanders past me and into the distance.

"You... are okay, right?" I continue while levering myself back onto my feet.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine." She dusts herself off and returns her gaze to me.

"That's a relief, I was really worried for a second there." I breath a sigh of relief, glad I didn't trigger some sort of episode or something. However, classes jump to the forefront of my mind. "Sorry, but I've got to get going, I'm gonna be late for my class."

"Class! you're right, I've got to go too!" She panics, before turning her head towards the main building.

"I'll see you around." I give a wave over my shoulder that Akira would be proud of, and make my way to classes, dreading the test that we have coming up.

---

Lilly and Hanako must be in the tea room, Shizune and Misha in the council room, Rin would be... In fact I have no clue were Rin would be, and Emi's probably at the track. Suppose that leaves the Cafeteria for my lunch needs. Before long I've arrived and ended up in the que, and trying to decided what to eat. I go for the "special" and turn on my heel with tray in hand.

I scan the cafeteria for anyone I know, Miki? Maeda? I don't see anyone. Then my eyes meet her, the girl I ran into this morning and didn't even ask her name. I briefly consider sitting with her and apologizing for running into her again, but decide that, I did promise Lilly that I'd go see her after classes, I may as well go now. I grab the packages from the tray and place the plastic container on the pile before making my way upstairs. I give the mystery girl a short wave as I leave, and she returns it in a much more nervous fashion.


---

"Nakai, I need you to stay behind for a moment." Mutou grabs my shoulder as I begin leaving, this isn't a question like it usually is, this is an order.

"Sure." I respond and decide to lean up against one of the front desks so I can avoid standing. Mutou retrieves his phone from his briefcase and makes a quiet call, all I can decipher is "He's waiting." And before long, the door creaks open. In walk two fully geared out police officers, and my throat becomes dry. I've not done anything wrong, but there must be something very strange going on if they want to talk to me.

"Nakai?" The male officer asks.

"That's me."

"Great, we'd like to ask you a couple of questions."

"Sure, I'll take a seat." I reply as I let my bag drop to the ground and Mutou makes his way out of the room and closing the door behind him. Once we are all seated around the large desk, the female officer speaks up.

"There have been some occurrences here at Yamaku, we're currently investigating them, and we believe that you could be tied to these events."

"Occurrences?" I mirror, what could have happened? The male officer moves in to clarify.

"We understand that you are close friends with a certain Lilly Satou... and Hanako Ikezawa, correct?"

"Yeah, I see them almost every day. They've been on a trip to Hokkaido for the last two days though." I retort. Both officers gulp simultaneously.

"We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but Satou and Ikezawa were declared dead yesterday."

What.

What?

What??

"W-what do you mean!?" I explode.

"We have reason to believe that they were targets of a murderer."

"A MURDER!?" I shout even louder. Who would do this? Why? Am I a suspect? What's going on!?

The officers spend the next hour explaining how Lilly's death seemed to be a suicide, as her shoes and a suicide note were left on the roof above... where she landed, and that Hanako was found on the roof, supposedly stabbed to death. My head spins with thoughts, so much so that I begin to feel ill and have to ask for the nearby fire safety bucket to vomit into.

---

It's been two months since the funerals. I was crushed at first, I couldn't find reason to pull myself from bed. Somehow though, Emi pulled me though. Sometimes literally, sometimes emotionally. I cried every day for the first week, I cried about how I loved Lilly and never got to say it, I cried about Hanako finally coming out of her shell only to be cut down, I cried about how they never found the murderer, but as time went on, Emi and Rin got better at stopping me.

I've begun eating lunch with them, but we decided to eat near the track from now on as the roof holds some very bad memories for me. Today Emi promised a "super special lunch treat!" for us, so I'm actually feeling pretty excited for it. As I arrive, I find Emi and Rin already digging in to a huge feast laid out upon a small sheet under a tree. I sit with them and eat, chat and eventually joke and laugh. For the first time since I was told, I laugh. I don't know how Emi does it.

---

[Emi][Meet me at the main gate?]

I snap my phone shut after checking the message once more. My mouth releases small clouds of fog as I make my way through the cold sunset. I've been dating Emi for at least a week, but we've yet to go on a proper date. Maybe tonight will be our first date?

I reach the front gate and can't see Emi, I peek my head outside and still fail to see her. I guess I'll call her. I pull my phone and thumb to Emi's contact before hitting the call button. My phone beeps for second, and then I hear another phone in the distance. Ohh, I see, she's hiding from me, and now her cover is blown. I slowly make my way over to the tree she's hidden behind and jump out.

Before me lies Emi in a crumpled heap, below her a growing pool of blood. My heart sinks, not again. No, this is just a sick joke. This can't be real.

"I... I... I..." A voice emanates from behind me and I spin around to see the girl I had ran into all those months ago, splatted with blood, her uniform no longer pristine.

"Is this some kind of sick joke!?" I explode.

"...n-no... I..." As she speaks, something drops from her hand and meets the ground with a metalic clank. It's a knife, stained with blood.

"It was you?" Anger drips from my voice.

"I... you... she..." She stutters, at this point I'm far from caring how she feels. I take another glance at her form, stained with red. This is real. it was her all that time ago. And she's done it again. She takes a small step forward and reaches her hands out towards me.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? GET AWAY FROM ME!" I scream as my heart thumps harder than it's ever thumped before.

"...n... n-no... w-wait!"

HEARBROKEN



Yesterday and never, drink every radio ever.

[Sharp-O]

Heh, clever. You doing marketing on the sly now, Swamp?

[swampie2]

Heh, clever. You doing marketing on the sly now, Swamp?

I wish

Nah, I just really enjoy the game (not that I'm a psycopath or anything )

[AntonSlavik020]

Heh, clever. You doing marketing on the sly now, Swamp?

I wish

Nah, I just really enjoy the game (not that I'm a psycopath or anything )

I agree, that game is fun. NO idea why, but it just is. I actually thought of it while I was reading before I saw the end.

Also, I loved the acronym. Anything random like that is right up my ally. I usually hate character death, but when it's done for humor, I can forgive it. This was fun.

[swampie2]

I agree, that game is fun. NO idea why, but it just is. I actually thought of it while I was reading before I saw the end.

Also, I loved the acronym. Anything random like that is right up my ally. I usually hate character death, but when it's done for humor, I can forgive it. This was fun.

Hope it didn't spoil the ending too much

I was trying to think up a good acronym and just could not find anything, so went with that. I think it works.

I tried not to be too graphic with the death as well, as much fun as this was fun to write, writing about dead bodies is not very fun

[swampie2]

Iwanako's week off:

This is my take on the idea that "The past catches up." by nimblesquirrel put forward. I really like the concept and was disappointed to see that nimble hadn't finished his, so I'm writing my own take on it. Enjoy!

Sunday afternoon:

Sigh. Time for the dreaded walk home.

"Hey, heartbreaker!" A voice echoes down the bare street, ringing through my ears like a high pitched tone. I used to turn around and face them, give them a taste of what I'm feeling, but now I've ran out of that and just accept my fate as the cursed "Heartbreaker." and "Cardio-kun."

"Ignore those idiots." Mai chirps in in her usual over the top fashion that used to cheer me up but fails now. She tries her best to keep me from getting bullied, but almost killing a boy will get you a reputation, even if you didn't mean it and couldn't have known. I sigh and nestle deeper into my jacket.

I'm glad Mai is here though, she's the only one willing to put up with me these days. At first things were going okay, Hisao was going to survive and everything! But with time he became sad and depressed, straining the few ties holding us together. Little did he know he was pushing me into the same mindset. I was riddled with guilt for weeks, before it quickly became anger towards those who made fun of Hisao or myself, and eventually the same sadness and depression that riddled Hisao.

"What are you up to for the break, Iwana-san?" Mai pulls me from my thoughts, something she's gotten scarily good at since I stopped visiting the hospital.

"I... I don't really know." I sigh, knowing I'll be spending all week huddled up in my room, eating ice-cream and watching movies alone for a week. Not like my figure or friendships can suffer any more, so I may as well try and enjoy life at this point.

"Awh, shucks. Not seeing your grandparents again?" She retorts. She knows why I spent the last break away from the school, to avoid all the people that make fun of me and pick on me because I was the unlucky lottery winner who triggered an almost deadly heart attack in the one boy I liked.

"Woah, look! It's that girl that killed that guy." My heart sinks as another passerby decides to take a jab. They don't even know my name and they see fit to sprinkle salt into the wide open wound in my life. My eyebrow twitches as the anger in my body quickly begins to heat me up.

"I didn't kill him! He's fine!" I explode towards them, causing one of them to fall over in shock. Good, hope the ground tastes good, fucker. "You think you can jab at me when you don't even know our names? At least have the decency to... the decency..." My knees buckle and I crash to the ground, quiet sobs finding their way from my throat.

"S-sorry." The other stutters as he helps his freind up to make a hasty retreat, panic written all over their faces. The last of my anger surfaces as I shout towards them.

"Assholes!"

---

Sunday night:

My fingertips lightly glide over the touchpad, navigating my way through the list of movies presented while my other hand cradles a tub of rapidly warming chocolate mint ice cream. I should really do something about these ads, they get more and more random each week. At least the ads don't make fun of-

No way, that's so spooky.

Right there, just to the right side lies an advert for the Japanese Heart Foundation. I slam the lid of my laptop shut, feeling tears well up in my eyes. Ice cream is here, ice cream-chan will make me happy. A single spoonful graces my mouth with it's wonderful taste, briefly rocketing me towards the chocolate planet that has rings made of mint. After a second, it melts away and I crash back to reality.

I can't let stuff like that get to me anymore. I have to do something about it, if not then I'll spend the rest of my life in this bed, accompanied only by my laptop and choice of desert. But what can I do about it? I can't just ignore all the comments when they make me want to curl up into a ball and cry, and I can't just hide away all those feelings or I'll just explode and kill somebody eventually.

I apologize to my laptop as I lift the lid again, hoping everything is still working. Luckily it looks like everything is in working order, so I continue my browsing, eventually finding a shorter film that catches my interest. Turns out to be about a couple who are torn apart by the father of the husband wishing for the husband to move far away so he can work on a fishing boat, a job that pays far better than his current publishing job.

The wife spends at least seventy five percent of the movie moping about and asking her rather unhelpful friend's for help and, as expected, getting none. In the end she decides that she has to go and put her feelings to rest before she can move on with her life.

Was this film about me?

Wait, that was crazily accurate to my situation. What are the odds? What secrets do you hold laptop?

If she was able to put her feelings to rest by seeing him once, then maybe I can pull of something similar? I'll just call Hisao and he'll be all like "Yeah, I'm doing fine." And I'll feel a thousand times better. But, we never traded numbers, emails, IM's or anything. Sigh.

Perhaps a letter? I know the school he's going to now, I could just address it to him and I'm sure he'd get it, right? Very optimistic. My brain chimes in. Gahh, I can't think of anything!~

Unless... perhaps I could visit him? But I'll actually talk to him instead of just sitting in silence this time. I had so many chances to open up to him and failed at every step; perhaps I can try once more? As my thoughts wander, I realize that I've opened a tab to my bank account and another to the local train station website where you can buy tickets. I've only been spending my allowance on crappy food so I've amassed a small chunk of money, enough for a day trip if I don't splash on the tickets too much.

Only 6000 yen for a two way ticket to Sendai? That easily leaves enough for buses to the school and lunch, perhaps it won't be such a bad idea after all? Besides, if he's still all depressed then I can just go into the city and enjoy myself without getting insulted every other step for once, right? Right.

Checkout.

Order.

---

Author notes: There will be some longer chapters coming soon.

[Sharp-O]

It would've have been an interesting scenario, in the routes that Hisao didn't write back to Iwanako (He did in at least one, right?), that she turned up at the school. Good work, Swampie!

[Alpacalypse]

Damn, I know that feeling Ok, maybe not how it feels to be bullied for almost accidentally killing somebody, but I get the being bullied thing
It always seemed like Iwanako's life would be a bit shit post heart-attack. Pretty much this, but probably with a few more people looking out for her.

Showing up at Yamaku Academy, though? That would be an interesting scenario to say the least. I wonder how Iwanako would react to each of the girls...

Anywho, good work, Swampie

[swampie2]

It would've have been an interesting scenario, in the routes that Hisao didn't write back to Iwanako (He did in at least one, right?), that she turned up at the school. Good work, Swampie!

I think he writes back in only one? maybe.

Damn, I know that feeling Ok, maybe not how it feels to be bullied for almost accidentally killing somebody, but I get the being bullied thing

It's a shame I can write it that well really. Hope I didn't re-open old wounds Al. Trust me, things get happier in this story.

It always seemed like Iwanako's life would be a bit shit post heart-attack. Pretty much this, but probably with a few more people looking out for her.

My head canon has Iwanako having a very close group of friends that all try very hard to keep her happy, but I had to drop that since at least one of those people would offer to take Iwananko with them over the week break, so they're all on a girls spa trip that Iwanako and Mai didn't want to go on since they don't have summer bodies.

Showing up at Yamaku Academy, though? That would be an interesting scenario to say the least. I wonder how Iwanako would react to each of the girls...

Anywho, good work, Swampie

That's the part I'm looking forward to.

I'm glad all of you guys enjoyed it!