Re: Puppet Show [OC Story] [New Frontpage+Chapter Eleven!]
Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2015 8:16 pm
Loved this chapter. And that fanart you just posted is hilarious.
I'll post it when I can.
Chapter Twelve- The Festival Part 4
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Quiet, so very quiet. Which is understandable since we're now closing in on the schools medical building. Unlike the other locations here, this is probably the one place visitors don't want to be. In a way it sort've reminds you that the students here aren't exactly 'healthy'.
A festival's a happy occasion after all, it's not something that's meant to remind you about your own mortality.
... Well actually it kinda does in w-
You know what, forget it. I should just focus on the task at hand. That task is the current whereabouts of Kobayashi, If it's like Fukuhara thinks then okay but what I don't get is why she would be swimming laps instead of helping us out...
If I remember correctly, she was pretty pumped when she was helping us build the stall. She didn't whine and complain like a certain blonde in our group, she was quite happy.
... So then why? Thinking back to the man with the jean jacket that showed up before I left, I feel a light bulb go off in my head.
... Family problems. Well, maybe not. I mean, that guy seemed pretty nice when I met him so maybe the problem is more on the daughters side. Of course that could just be an act on his part.
Traversing the school grounds has been quite the workout for me, Fukuhara has been nice enough to keep a slow pace with me but I know she would rather walk faster than this. There hasn't been any conversation between us during this journey, funny how something like a notepad could fill the silence.
quite literally tucked away in the corner, we finally reach the school medical building. On the outside it's nothing special, looks pretty much like every other building here. Old on the outside.
And new on the inside. Well, only a little. in terms of equipment, I think it's one of the most heavily financed sections in the school. Followed closely by the education system and maybe the student acommodation.
... Yeah right, the dorm rooms are pretty average. I remember Takashi once screaming late at night and then complaining to me the next day that his room in paticular was the site of intense vermin breeding.
A hearty laugh escapes me, the sound echoes in the hallway we're currently standing in. Fukuhara eyes me oddly and I quickly look away in embarrassment.
"Eh, it's nothing. Just thought of something that was funny." Fukuhara smiles a little and looks ahead again.
... Dammit Kichirou, keep it together. I try but the image of Takashi's bed being carried away by rats and him chasing after them causes me to chuckle uncontrollably.
This time though, Fukuhara doesn't turn around. Instead she just keeps checking every door we pass. After I calm down, I cough a little in an attempt to get her attention.
"You don't know where the school pool is, do you?" Fukuhara stops and turns, her face flushed as she shakes her head. I look at her like this should be common knowledge before sighing.
"Well neither do I." This earns me a light smack on the head as Fukuhara's face scrunches adorably, "Ow!" I laugh while she silently fumes.
That's right, I don't know where it is. Which I feel isn't really my fault, after all, I thought someone was supposed to show you around the facilities when you first got here...
I look around, the hallway we both stand in seems and probably is, endless. I heave another sigh and turn to Fukuhara, "How about we split up? I'll go down here," I point behind me, "And you go that way." Fukuhara follows my hand before nodding slightly.
She pulls out her notepad and writes, [Okay, I'll text you if I find her.] I nod and Fukuhara waves before running off.
Well, here I am. All alone. In this beige-coloured nightmare of a building... No use fretting now, let's get going.
Turning around, I limp through the hallway. Stopping now and again to check any nearby doors.
=====
"What do you know, another locked door!" I grumble. Cursing to myself while leaning head first against a wall, I do a mental run through of all places I've checked.
I'm not sure how long I've been at this, it feels like hours honestly and I am pretty sure that I've been down this hallway already...
I detach reluctantly from the wall and trudge onwards, the sound coming from my single shoe and crutch creating an interesting chorus every time I step.
Crutch, step. Crutch, step.
A pattern that I have completed probably a million times now. What's shocking however is how good I've actually gotten with it, not long ago I would often fall. On sidewalks, into people, and sometimes into traff-
Joking. It was never that bad. Recently though, I have been a lot more active so maybe that's the reason. A few months back, I never thought I would be roaming my high school in search of two of my friends, who also just so happen to be girls.
... More friends huh. Honestly, I thought I was going to be stuck with Takashi until I graduated but it seems like lady luck has been watching over me.
Kinda thought I wouldn't make any friends when I got out. Sure, I befriended Takashi rather easily but then again, he wasn't all that popular himself...
Not that popularity is a big thing here.
In a way saying something like, "We're all crippled down here." would actually make sense.
Now that I think about it, I haven't seen any fights break out here like they would back when I was in middle school.
Okay sure, physical fights are probably strictly off limits but a mental kind of fight hasn't taken place yet. Or It could've, I just haven't seen it myself.
Although the morning battles Takashi has with that cafeteria soup could be considered a war of the minds. I laugh as I turn the corner.
... Dull, beige and empty. Not exactly a stark contrast from the last fifty hallways I've been in...
This is driving nuts, I check my phone again in the hopes that Fukuhara has found our target.
Nothing, of course... Great, well what about this room? It's got double doors after all...
Huh, it's not locked for change. I slide open one side after a little effort, I can't see anything inside due to the lights being off. I step in slightly and peer around for a switch. Feeling around blindly, I eventually find it and flip it up. It takes a few seconds but soon this room shows itself.
Well, it's not a pool but it is a physical rehabilitation center of some kind. Instead of water the whole room is filled with machines and weight racks, dumbbells, barbells and all other manner of workout equipment litters this place.
Not a bad setup we have here at Yamaku, not that I can really be the judge of this. I've never been one for gyms or exercise, I did have to go to a rehabilitation center like everyone else missing a limb or two but after I finished all that I never kept up with the plan that was given to me.
I never really liked the lady who helped me, someone who wouldn't even bat an eyelid if you couldn't get up. She was just there for the paycheck...
Hopping through the racks, I run my stub over the various dumbbells. Jeez, forty-five kilograms. Is there even a student here who can carry this thing? I doubt it, I'm gonna bet the lighter weights here are the only ones used.
Sitting down on a nearby bench I observe everything around me, it's a little dusty here honestly. Good thing I don't have allergies, the last thing I needed on my medical profile would be an aversion to all things dirty.
I wonder if anyone's been here recently. Doesn't look like it, Maybe our pool here is the more attractive cardio option the school has to offer. While lazily scanning the room my foot knocks something over, I gaze downwards.
What's this doing here? This should be on the rack. It's not that heavy, around five or seven kilograms.
I think I could carry this at least, I leave my crutch and hop up. After making sure my stub grip on the bench is tight, I lean down and grasp the dumbbell. I strain a little but I manage to lift it up, so far so good.
I look for an empty spot on the rack. I let go of the bench and balance on my only leg, the weight I'm carrying has instantly started to resist me. I struggle but manage to hop, pain starts to shoot through a majority of my upper body as I jump towards my destination.
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pa- There! I settle the dumbell into its respective spot and sigh. I run my stub over my hand, a little sore but nothing serious. Before I can even register my surroundings, my butt's already crashed against the bench.
I'm already this worn out? Man, I suck. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and sigh, I used to be better than this...
My questionable fitness level will have to wait for another time because my ass is currently vibrating. I pull out my phone, a text at long last... I hope she found her.
"Susumu, I found Kyoko. She's here at the pool as I thought, Luckily I remembered where this place was :-P"
... She's lying to herself now? She looked about as lost as a tourist in Tokyo earlier. The rest of the message is essentially her drawing out a grammatical map of where the school pool is located. I place my phone away, grab my crutch and begin limping out of the room.
I stop at the door and look back, this room's nice. I hope more people get to use it in the future. I slide the door closed and pull out my phone again, alright this way I think.
... Could this woman be even more cryptic?
=====
This must be the place, what with the colour scheme change and all. The once beige of the hallways prior has now taken on a rather bland shade of blue, no doors. Just a hallway. Would've helped if we knew that earlier. Our search wouldn't have lasted as long as it did.
Hobbling through the passage, I notice a light coming from the end. The further I 'walk', the darker it gets. The closer I get to the light, the more apparent the smell of chlorine gets.
... This is taking longer than I thought. I realise that I'm sweating again, great I guess I really did hit my peak back there. I almost collapse but luckily I make it to the end of the tunnel, turning one more corner I am nearly blinded by the light coming from inside.
The area is empty, which is no longer that much of a surprise considering the other rooms here. Unlike the others though, it's very well lit, naturally for a change. The large window panes make the afternoon light coming from outside really stand out. Compared to the hallway I was just in, this place seems even more blue but that's probably due to the central attraction and purpose of this room, the school pool.
Which is, by the way, massive. It stretches out for what feels like a few miles. Do the students of Yamaku really use this place for rehab? Won't most of them drown before they can even reach the other side? Not that I should complain though, since I can't really swim anymore. I did hear once that there are one-legged swimmers in the Olympics...
I think my future won't be there though...
I shake my head a little in an attempt to clear my thoughts. Now that I'm here, I should find Kobayashi. A task that ends up not lasting long as something nearby crashes into the water, I gaze at the submerged blue and gray figure as it swims onwards.
Well, at least we now know where she's been. My eyes leave the great blue and look to the bleachers off to the side, Fukuhara sits right at the bottom, scribbling away on her notepad.
I limp over and take a seat near her, she notices me and smiles. I smile as well while placing my crutch down, she straightens her posture and begins using her notepad for communication instead of artistic pursuits.
[She's been here the whole time, I've tried talking to her but she seems a little hesitant about going back.]
"Why?" Fukuhara just shrugs and looks out at the pool. I wonder if Kobayashi really did leave because of her father being here, seems likely but we'll have to hear the reason from the person herself.
The wait isn't long as Kobayashi emerges from the pool, using the little ladder to hoist herself out. She flicks her long ponytail back as she shuffles over to us, she grabs a towel from the rack nearby and starts drying off. Eventually she turns to us with an expression of surprise, fake surprise by the way.
... Okay, allow me to be the first male student at Yamaku to say this. The female swimming costume, was a delightful choice by the school board. I've said before that Kobayashi is rather, uh, 'Gifted'. It's really noticeable now though, that suit wraps around her body tightly, especially around a certain feature of hers.
I can't help but blush and look away as she runs the towel over her head.
Despite the embarrassment I'm experiencing, I speak up, "Aren't y-you supposed to wear a swimming cap?" Not the best thing I could've started with...
Kobayashi presses the towel to her chest and blushes, "Uh, w-well, I guess. I didn't really think about it!" She laughs awkwardly while trying to avoid eye contact.
I sit up slightly and prepare myself. I need to take this slow, "So, what's your best lap time?" She seems confused at first but she speaks hesitantly, "I don't really know..."
My eyes look her over, not in a seductive way! I'm merely trying to gauge her reactions to my questions. Suddenly, something small and rectangular enters the scene.
[Kyoko, are you scared about seeing your father?] Damn Fukuhara, getting right to the point are we?
"I-"
"Um..."
She's right though, the question seems to effect Kobayashi in a negative way. Fukuhara puts down her notepad and gets off the bleacher, she steps towards Kobayashi and rests her hand on her shoulder gently.
The pony-tailed girl looks away shyly and I just sigh and stare outside, who would've thought that this years festival would be a weird family reunion for some kids...
...
"Kobayashi."
"I think you should at least say hello, he looked like he really wanted to see you." I'm not exactly sure if that's what he actually wants but I've got a good feeling about the guy.
Kobayashi looks to the floor as Fukuhara grips her shoulder a little tighter. What follows next is a rather lengthy silence, I glance around for a clock. I spot one near the entrance and sigh, we actually found her faster than I thought.
Still got enough time to work at our stall before the festival's over. Although that all depends on our friends willingness to face her father.
... Can't blame her, father figures are never easy.
... Not that I know, my Dad wasn't the most attentive man but he wasn't violent. I should be glad I didn't have an abusive father, something like that would've been slammed into my medical history in a heartbeat.
Still, Kobayashi's hesitation is something else. What could she possibly be avoiding... My mind wanders to the other day, when we were collecting the supplies for our stand and that paint can landed on her. I would be lying if I said that those screams of hers aren't locked away permantently in my consciousness somewhere.
Maybe her condition has something to do with this. After all, most of us are here for a reason.
Kobayashi looks to me shyly, I look her in the eye. She doesn't hold the gaze long as she turns her head downwards again before speaking, "I- I dunno guys," She stutters, "I think I would just be a nuisance."
Fukuhara looks shocked and I just shake my head, "No way, you helped build the stall with us. How could you be a nuisance?" I sit up and grab my crutch before limping over to the girls.
"Look, let's get back to the stall okay? I think you should at least just greet the guy." Kobayashi blushes and looks at Fukuhara, who just nods with a smile.
"..." Kobayashi sighs and looks upwards, "You know what? You're right, I can just say hello."
"Exactly." I give her a pat on the head, an action that causes her to blush and stare at me. My eyes begin to wander and all the tension that was around suddenly vanishes as I notice a certain jiggle she has.
I blush heavily and begin coughing uncontrollably, the girls look a little worried but I raise my hand up to reassure them.
"Y-You should get changed you know? You c-can't go out like that." I say in between coughs. Kobayashi looks down and blushes, "You're right! I'll get changed!" She puts the towel back on the rack and runs off towards a changing room.
My coughing fit subsides rather quickly and I'm soon left standing with my hand on my head awkwardly. I feel a soft poke in my side, Fukuhara shows me her notepad. [Not bad Susumu.] I wave my hand and hop away slightly.
"I didn't do anything special." I feel another poke as Fukuhara silently giggles at me, [You managed to convince her to come back. Something I thought wouldn't happen, you're a nice guy after all.]
"After all?" Fukuhara looks away conveniently and I just sigh. she eventually motions for the exit and follow after her.
We lean against the wall outside the pool area and I pull out my phone. Well, so far so good. No messages from Takashi so I guess everything's going well.
... Then again he hardly carries his phone around. Now I'm worried.
...
"Hello!" Kobayashi reappears clad in her school uniform, Fukuhara gives her a hug and I just nod.
"Ready to go?" I hear an inhale and an exhale before Kobyashi speaks up, "Yeah! Let's go." She pumps her fist in the air.
She looks happier than before, maybe the swim did her good?
Whatever, I finished my mission. I found the girls, Takashi owes me, even though we didn't bet on anything.
"Well, let's get back. I hope Takashi hasn't burned down the stall or something." The girls laugh in their own way as we leave the medical building together.
...
Wish I was joking honestly...
=====
The Mid day rush, everyone's here now. The noise level has definitely increased...
And so did the crowd level. We struggle to move through all the people, the girls push on despite to barriers ahead of us. They've even been kind enough to walk directly in front of me, to act like some kind of human shield.
I appreciate it, if I was left alone I would probably be swallowed by the throngs. After moving through the worst of it, we leave the main area and walk towards the back of the school, Which just so happens to be the location of our stall.
What I expect to hear next is police sirens or maybe a news chopper but instead, all I hear is several tiny voices squealing with joy. I'm more than a little shocked at the sight in front of me, where in the heck did these people come from?
Kids, loads of them, all at our stall. Catching goldfish, taking on the shooting range and trying to dunk the 'Bakaguchi'. What's crazy though is the man in charge of this operation, Takashi rushes from attraction to attraction.
... He's playing every role, he even made the kids get in orderly lines.
The girls and I stare at the sight before us in awe. Takashi notices our faces and shouts, "There you are you pricks! Get in here now! I can't hold them off much lo- one second pal!"
Takashi strips off his jacket and climbs inside the water tank and assumes his role with a smile.
"C'mon! Gimme' your best shot!"
...
I feel a nudge from Fukuhara, I nod dumbly and limp over to the shooting range. As I take my place I notice a man emerge from the crowd of children. "Kyoko! There you are!"
The man with the jean jacket, Kobayashi's father runs over to the girl. I don't really catch what they say after that as a little girl is trying to take the range rifle for herself.
While I man the booth I let my eyes wander, Takashi's probably been dunked about seven times since I've been here. Fukuhara's manning the goldfish tank in place of Kobayashi. Even without speaking she still cheers the kids on in her own way. I can't help but smile, we got plenty of customers in the end.
...
... Not good, what do I give them once I run out of stuffed animals?
=====
The last shot is taken, the last ball is thrown and the last fish is caught. The festival's officially over.
Well, not yet, there's still the firework display. I never saw it last year but this time, I wanna see it. I pack up the rifles and pellets, Fukuhara sits on the counter top while looking at her phone, I hear it snap closed just as I place the last rifle away. A small poke gets me in the head, causing me to look up.
[Kyoko's finished with her father, she'll meet up with us for the fireworks.] I nod, in the end Kobayashi was gone for a long time. She didn't get to help out.
Could've used her though, I was about to fire shots at the kids if they didn't settle down...
"Takashi, you good man?" Legs splayed out and head submerged, the courageous warrior floats in the water tank silently. I'm about to call someone for help until a lone hand surfaces and gives me a slight wave. I laugh and survey the booth, everything's packed. Should have no problem dismantling this stuff tomorrow.
I hear feet hit the ground, Fukuhara turns to me and writes on her notepad.
[I know the perfect spot to view the fireworks, I'll text you all the directions okay?] I smile and nod.
[I'm going to head back to my room quick, see you in a bit :-)] I chuckle at the little smiley face before she places the notepad away and waves goodbye.
Fukuhara walks off, leaving Takashi and me behind.
I lean against the counter and sigh. Takashi climbs out of the water tank and walks over, "So! What took you so long bro?"
"Dunno, girls were a little tricky to find."
"Did you find out why they were missing in action?" He asks while draining the water from his shirt.
"Well," I run my stub through my hair, "Fukuhara's sisters were here to visit, I ran into Chiyoko at one point and..."
"We eventually found out that Kobayashi was at the school pool. Weird huh?" I turn my gaze to the blonde, he stares at me hard and leans in.
"Wait!" I flinch as he eyeballs me, "What?" I ask flatly.
"This is all too much to process!" Takashi sits on the counter top, "First of all! You were with Chiyoko?"
"She found me, she even made me eat a candy apple with her..." Takashi blushes and stares at me.
"Wha-?" I point at the red stains on my shirt, a tiny bit scared he wouldn't believe me.
Takashi takes a second to breathe, "And... Fukuhara has sisters? Were they hot?" He questions rapidly.
I sigh, "Well, one of them was just a kid but the others were.." Takashi leans closer, eager to hear my answer.
"T-They were pretty hot..." I trail off as Takashi blows his top. He hits the floor while I sigh.
"Don't bother dude, they are way out of our league." I limp out of the booth and look towards the school building.
A few people have started to wander away from the festival center, I heard that the one of the best spots for the fireworks is right here on school grounds but it will, of course, be packed. Didn't Fukuhara say she knew a spot? Man, I was,'t really not paying attention after all...
Takashi stands up, his hair is a mess and his face has taken on a more sullen look. "I cannot believe I had to man this stall while you were out, grabbing women left and right..."
"Grabbing? That didn't happen. Although..." I trail off and Takashi raises an eyebrow, "They did grab on me a whole lot." I smirk.
"Screw you man." I laugh and Takashi just sighs before speaking, "Anyway dude, we should get ready. How about we go back to our rooms real quick?"
"I need to get my camera after all."
"You have a camera? I never pictured you as the creative type."
"Hey! I'm super creative!"
...
"You're not just using it as a front to pick up girls are you?" I question. Takashi falls silent and I chuckle.
Knew it. As we begin walking off I stop and turn back, It's a shame we have to take this all down. You know what? I'm gonna take something with me to remember this day.
I limp over to the large water tank and pull the 'Dump a Bakaguchi' sign out and hold it under my arm. I'll be taking this then.
Takashi's further away than I thought, I hop after him before we enter the dorms together. We split up and enter our respective rooms, I place the sign down near my closet as I take a seat on my bed. Chucking my crutch onto the floor, I stretch out and lie down.
The softness of my bed sheets attempts to lull me into sleep, it's a struggle but I manage to stay awake.
...
Time passes as I sit around, waiting for Fukuhara's text while thinking back to my day spent at the festival with all those girls...
Maybe Takashi's right. Maybe I am lucky?
=====
The text came through a few moments ago, the spot Fukuhara chose is outside of the school. Supposedly it's somewhere in the forest, which isn't my first choice for a place to watch fireworks honestly.
But if she says it's good, then I'm gonna trust her.
Since this spot is outside school grounds, we were encouraged to dress in something besides our uniforms. It's been a while since I've worn anything else so this'll be a nice change. Pulling the door of my closet open, I inspect my rather limited collection.
Shorts? Nah. Tank t- No. Who the hell do I think I am?
... Um, this is gonna take a while.
...
Standing before my mirror, clad in a pair of grey jeans with one leg rolled up and tied and a simple light blue button up shirt. I quickly give myself a once over.
... It's okay but if I remember correctly, my Uncle bought me this shirt. Wasn't I only supposed to wear this during something fancy?
Well, there are girls coming so... That counts as fancy right?
...
Standing here won't help, I don't want to be late so this is what I'm gonna wear. I grab my phone and crutch before stepping out and locking my door.
I hear the third door up open, Takashi steps out in a tank top similar to the one he was wearing earlier but with a green jacket draped over his shoulders and some simple shorts.
"Hey man. You ready?" He asks while running a hand through his already heavily modified hair.
"Yep."
"Cool, then lets b-"
"T-A-K-A-S-H-U!" A high pitched female voice echoes through the air, Takashi freezes and clings to his door.
Down, right at the end of the passage, I see a hand grip the wall. It's covered in several bracelets and rings. I see the blood drain from Takashi's face as the woman reveals herself.
"There you are baby! Where've you been?!" The woman's short with purple rimmed glasses, her hair is done in a rather elaborate bun. She inches closer to us while giggling.
"NO! Stay back woman! I-" Before the rest of the sentence can leave Takashi's mouth, the woman has already leaped right up to us.
How the hell did she move so fast? Takashi finds his key and slams it against his lock in a panic, he fumbles badly and drops the key. He leans down and grabs it before trying again.
He unlocks it, cheers and proceeds to open his door. In another swift movement, the door is closed before Takashi can even step foot inside and his head is locked is some kind of hold.
Takashi screeches as the woman literally squeezes the life out of him. All I can do is stand still and watch this unfold. Mid headlock, the lady notices me and smiles.
"Oh! Who is this young man Takashu?!" The woman asks in between skull crushing Takashi.
"I-I'm Kichirou Susumu. Pleased to meet you." I bow and the woman giggles.
"My word! What a gentleman, unlike my Takashu here..." The hold grows more ferocious, she's even started to scrunch his face.
"M-mom... Stop..." Takashi mutters, his eyes slowly rolling backwards.
... Mom? The hold she has on him proceeds to reach new heights as she contorts her body so Takashi rests on her shoulders like a sack of rice.
"Why didn't you respond to our texts Takashu? Dad and I were worried sick you know!" Her grip tightens and Takashi looks like he's gonna black out.
"You don't want to repeat what we've already been through do you?" The question seems to carry some weight as Takashi growls pathetically.
"MOM! I GI-IVE! Let m- g-go." The womans grip loosens and Takashi falls to the ground. After dusting off her hands off, the woman looks me over.
"I don't think Takashu's told you about me has he?" She claps, causing the multiple bracelets on her to jingle, "I'm Takashi's mother! Pleased to meet you darling." She extends her hand to me.
A western style greeting, it's a little tricky for me but I've been through this a couple times. I tuck my crutch under my arm and shake her hand firmly. "Oh my. What a strong grip!" She giggles.
Takashi stands up shakily and moans, "Mom! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?! I would've rolled out the carpet and all." Mrs. Yamaguchi adjusts her extravagant glasses before pouting.
"I tried to call you beforehand but you never have your phone on..." I can't help but agree.
"Yeah, he's notorious for that." I chime in, my statement earns an understanding chortle, "Oh isn't he?!" Mrs. Yamaguchi and I laugh as Takashi slumps against a nearby wall.
"Mom! Stop it! Look, wha-" Mrs. Yamaguchi grabs her son by the face and sighs, "Look dear, Father and I want you to show us around your school! We still don't know anything about it!"
"Oh yeah," Takashi mutters, "Where is that guy at?"
"Well, last I saw him... He was around one of the cute little stalls you kids built, probably getting himself a snack." Mrs. Yamaguchi's gaze turns cold.
"... And he's probably looking for something extra! I've seen the girls here you know!" Her grip suddenly tightens, Takashi screams in agony as his face gets slowly compressed.
...
Oh yeah, we should get going shouldn't we? Fireworks and all that.
"Well, it was lovely meeting you ma'am but Ta-" Looking at my partner in crime in the state he's currently in, I hold my tongue.
...
Leave him Kichirou.
"You two have fun. I've got to go." I smile and bow, Mrs. Yamaguchi grins broadly, her grip not loosening from her son in the slightest.
"It was wonderful meeting you darling! Take care now!" She waves while Takashi tries to form a coherent sentence. I merely give him a handless salute and start hopping down the hallway.
"Now Takashu! Show me your dorm room! I hope it's clean!"
... Your room's never clean Takashi. I'm praying for you buddy.
=====
Stepping out of the dormitory, I take a deep breath. Most of the smoke that was wafting around this afternoon has disappeared, replaced by that good old mountain air.
I clearly remember when I first arrived here, the only thing I truly liked about the school was the location. I didn't grow up close to nature, I was raised in a city. A big city with all the dirty air one could want.
I still miss home honestly, I never hated the concrete jungle but I will admit that being out here is a nice change.
... I wasn't free like this a few years ago.
"Oh Susu!" Looking down, I notice a familiar girl standing by the stairs.
"Hey Kobayashi." While hopping down the steps, I can't help but stare at this girl. I've never seen her out of her school uniform after all.
A casual blue short sleeved shirt, covered by a white frilly sort of shirt. A few tasteful pieces of jewelry and a pair of shorts.
I feel a bit silly for not wearing shorts now. I blush as I notice how defined her legs are now, they're really long and pale. They don't look ghostly, more like whats the word? M-Milky?
I look away and cough, "Fukuhara sent you the text?"
"Yep and I have an idea of where she wants to meet up!"
"Oh, you do?" I question, my eyes sadly turning their gaze towards her legs again.
"Yeah. Fuku took me to this place in the forest once, so I figured that's where she would want to go," She giggles, "The view there is awesome!"
I nod, "Cool uh, lead the way I guess." Kobayashi looks towards the dorms and speaks, "Where's Yamaguchi? Usually he's like the first person to be here."
I laugh a little and shrug, "I think he's a little busy right now, I'm sure he said that he'll catch up." Kobayashi nods and looks to me, she follows my eyes downwards before blushing.
"I-Is this outfit a bit much?" She blushes and I quickly move to address her, "N-No! It's uh, really nice. Don't worry about it!."
"You look good." I'm quite flustered at this point. Kobayashi looks at me shyly before crossing her arms and giggling, "T-Thanks Susu." She looks away and squeezes her arms together, causing her chest to push out.
I feel a coughing fit coming on...
"Let's g-get going hey?" Kobayashi nods and starts walking, I limp after her and quickly we settle into a decent pace.
Soon, we're out of the school. I follow Kobayashi as she crosses the road and we walk on the sidewalk for a few meters before coming to a stop. A small pathway leading into the forest catches my attention. Kobayashi leads and I follow after her, soon the street behind us disappears as the trees overhead block out the light.
"Pretty dark huh?" Kobayashi looks back and nods, "This isn't the most well kept path in the world. Are you gonna be okay? You know, with the whole..." She trails off shyly.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." I nod, she doesn't need to worry. If I fall she'll hear it... I hope.
As we get deeper into the forest, the path's getting a little more uneven. The roots of the trees have made there appearance, it's like they're saying that this is their path or something. I hear a gasp, Kobyashi suddenly trips on a rock and falls forwards.
"Whoa, you alright?" I hop over to her, she doesn't say anything. Instead she seems to be focusing heavily on her breathing.
I squat down, an action made increasingly awkward by my missing leg. Kobayashi looks up, our gazes meet. I want to ask if she's okay but the words are stolen from my lips.
I've never looked at her so closely before, even in dark I can still make out her expression. She doesn't look away and I don't either, the blue in her ponytail grabs my attention.
I always found it cute how there are these little strands of hair that seem to stick out, denying her attempts at holding them down. She blushes and stands, "I'm f-fine!" She states while running her hand through hair, picking out any leaves that might of tried to rest in her ponytail.
"Oh, good. We-" I try to stand up but my balance falters and I start falling. Kobayashi reaches out and grabs my stub, stopping me from hitting the dirt.
She looks worried, "Careful! Are you okay?" She helps me up and I grip my crutch tightly.
"Thanks, I'm fine now. Just lost my balance there, I shouldn't squat huh?" Kobayshi giggles, "Yeah, it looks weird." This time I laugh as she just blushes.
"Your right about that one."
...
We both stand there awkwardly before I speak again, "Let's keep going shall we? Are we close?" Kobayashi looks around and nods a little.
"I think so, you r-" She's cut off by a loud rustling coming from the bushes nearby. She jumps a little and hides behind me, what the hell? Don't use me as a shield, I'm only like half a person.
The rustling gets louder, even I'm getting a little scared. Something bursts out of the foliage and screams, causing Kobayashi and me to squeal like little girls.
"Ha! Got you!" I squint, "Takashi? what the hell man..."
"You should've seen your faces! You were like a-" Kobayashi dashes out from behind me and decks Takashi straight in the face.
"Oomph!" Takashi falls to the floor as Kobayashi yells, "Why did you do that B-Bakaguchi!"
I grin, glad to see that nickname's caught on.
"Ow dammit! I think you broke my nose!" Kobayashi sighs and stomps her foot, "I don't hit that hard, you must just be weak!" She giggles and starts walking.
"I think it's close, let's keep going." I nod and look at Takashi. Once Kobayashi's out of earshot, I speak up.
"So, how was your time with your mother?" I chuckle as he stands up, feeling out his nose cautiously. "Oh yeah! I had a great time!" He says sarcastically.
"Not only did I get an earful about my room but I also got asked a million questions about you..."
"Your mom seems nice to me."
"What are you? Blind?!" I laugh and start hopping down the trail again.
"I only managed to get away after lying to her about my Dad having an affair."
"Hey, that's dangerous. What if she hurts him?" If she can devastate her son like that, I'm a little frightened about what she would do to a fully grown man.
"Pssh," Takashi walks in step with me, "He can take it. He's been with that woman for like twenty-five years or something."
"That long? Wow. Good for them, even though you were born during that time." I joke.
"Screw you..."
...
We catch up to Kobayashi and follow her through the forest for a while until we reach an opening. Stepping out of the tree cover, I'm nearly blinded by the night sky above. Stars litter this otherwise empty black canvas, some shine brightly and others sort of fade into the back softly.
"She wasn't kidding huh?" I speak up, "This is quite the view." I let my eyes wander the sky as Kobayashi and Takashi take a seat near a large tree.
"Told you." Kobayashi giggles as I turn my gaze towards my friends, I'm about to speak again until I notice a figure behind Takashi.
I decide to stay silent, the person creeps closer before dropping its hands on Takashi's shoulders.
"WHA-" Takashi screams and flies forwards, falling face first in the dirt. Kobayashi is startled but she soon relaxes, "Hey Fuku!"
Fukuhara is wearing a black turtleneck with a light purple sweater over top. She's also got a matching skirt and thigh highs on.
Fukuhara waves at us and takes the seat Takashi had. I walk over and sit down as well, "Hey dude, get up." I say as I pass Takashi's body.
He struggles but manages to stand again, "I-I just can't win today!" He slowly drops back down to the floor, his body laid out like an angel.
Poor guy, first his mother and now a fellow student.
I feel a poke in my side, [Well, what do you think?]
"Oh, uh, really nice. It's quiet here, a nice change from hanging around the school grounds." Fukuhara nods and sets her notepad down. We all sit in silence, not really sure what to do to pass the time.
"Are you sure we'll see them here?" I question.
"I'm sure of it Susu, the schools nearby isn't it?" Kobayashi looks at Fukuhara for answers, a shrug is all she gets.
It would be embarrassing if we end up seeing nothing...
...
As I look around, I don't feel all that bad though. Even if we do miss the show I still think we'll all remember this moment.
We're currently in the 'prime' of our lives after all. Which I never believed honestly, there isn't anything wrong with getting old.
"You know, I think we did really well today." I say while staring up at the stars, The girls both nod.
Kobayashi sighs while Fukuhara smiles and leans her head against the tree nearby.
"So," I lie down and turn my gaze to the girl with the ponytail, "Did things go well with your Dad?" Kobayashi looks into the distance for a while before nodding.
"Y-Yeah, I think so." She doesn't say anything further and I don't push her for more, she's still smiling so I guess nothing bad happened. It's none of my business though, I shouldn't get involved.
"Oh Fuku!" Kobayashi lights up, "You saw your sisters today right?"
Fukuhara smiles a little and pulls out her notepad, [I did.]
"How were they? Did they enjoy the festival?" Fukuhara shrugs and writes, [I think they did, one never knows with them though.]
The girls keep chatting to each other and I tune out their little conversation. My eyes wander over to Takashi, he's still lying on his back limply.
"Did you enjoy the festival Taka?" I ask with a smirk.
He grumbles, "I had to work! Unlike someone I know..."
"But... Yeah, I did." He rises up on his elbows, "It was fun playing with those kids you know?" He smiles to himself.
"What about you? Did you enjoy yourself?"
... Did I enjoy myself?
Shioyaki, Chiyoko, Fukuhara's family, searching for Kobayashi, Takashi's mother... A lot happened today.
We also built a stall for the festival that was a hit with the kids...
"Yeah." I look at my friends and the sky, "I did."
Takashi sits up to speak but is instantly stopped by a loud bang, in the next instant the whole area is bathed in coloured light. All our eyes are instantly glued to the sky, several sparks fly into the picture. Blasts of various shades fill the once empty sky with colour, each one bigger than the last.
We all gasp and cheer as the show continues, at some point Takashi sits down next to me.
"What a show huh?" Takashi exclaims.
"Yeah!" Kobayashi's eyes don't leave the sky and Fukuhara just looks up like she's in a trance.
"Good choice Fukuhara." Her focus is broken and she looks at me with a smile. I smirk and look back up.
...
"Now is as good a time as ever!" Takashi pulls a camera out of his pocket and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
"Wha-" Takashi grips me tightly and brings the lens closer to us, "C'mon you two! Let's get a picture." The girls notice and move a little closer to us.
Kobayashi grabs my head slighty and grins and Fukuhara leans in and smiles.
I smirk awkwardly as the flash goes off, capturing this moment in time forever.
...
Looking back, It was a good picture.
your OCs are very well(?) made.