Alright, Chapter 2 is ready. This is 3 days ahead of Schedule, but since I already have it done and July 10 is Hanako's Birthday, I decided "Why the hell not?"
Anyway, here's Chapter 2: Helping Hand(s)
Yes, many of the chapter names are going to be puns. I love puns. I'm not apologizing.
~~~~Hanako Ikezawa~~~~
It’s Wednesday today. I have not seen Rin since our encounter on Monday. Yesterday, I had a run in with the new student in the library. I found out his name is Hisao Nakai. We exchanged a few words before we just sat quietly and read our respective books until the Library closed.
My mind is all over the place. I’ve been thinking about Hisao and Rin all day. I’m having lunch with Lilly right now, and that’s where my mind should be.
“Hanako, you’ve been awfully quiet. Is something wrong?” Lilly asks. I noticed I’ve barely eaten my lunch. I assume the lack of noise is what Lilly was referring to.
“N-nothing.” I reply. “I’ve just been th-thinking.”
“May I ask about what?” Lilly questions.
“W-well, I’m thinking a-about when Rin joined us on Monday,” I answer. To be honest, I’d been thinking more about Rin than about Hisao. She hadn’t stayed for too long after she’d gotten her tea, but she’d left a bit of an impression in my mind.
Lilly’s face drops again. “Miss Tezuka is certainly...an interesting individual.” she replies, a string of annoyance sowed into the fabric of her sentence.
“D-d, do you not like Rin?” I ask her. It seems very unlike Lilly to openly dislike someone.
“I find talking to her to be...exhausting.” she says. “You two seem to get along, however.” she adds, her eyes opening and looking directly at me. In all my time around Lilly, I’ve noted that she’s trained herself to look in the direction of sounds she hears, especially when she talks to people.
“I…well.” I stop for a moment, and wonder why I was so quick to drop my guard around Rin. Had it been Mutou’s speech earlier, or had her odd behavior calmed my nerves? My thoughts were cut off by the warning bells for the end of lunch. “W-we should clean up.” I say, changing the topic. Lilly’s smart. I think she can tell from the tone of my voice that I’m not sure how to answer her.
“Quite.”
~~~~
The rest of the day was uneventful. I managed to shake Rin out of my head, but I noticed that Hisao did not return after lunch had ended. In this school, that can mean a lot of things. I’m in no position to judge him, since I’ve come back late from lunch plenty of times. I’m a little worried, however, because he hasn’t returned at all. Almost never a good sign in this school.
I’m not the only one who has noticed his absence. Misha and Shizune have noticed as well. Shizune looks either disappointed or sad, just staring at his seat while she waits for class to end.
Misha is firmly in the “sad” category, elbows on her desk as she holds her head in her hands.
I’m now convinced something happened to him. But before I can dwell on it further, the bell for the end of classes rings. I usually just wait for Lilly to swing by the classroom. I guess I have a few minutes to do whatever.
I grab my book from my bag and start reading. My current book is actually a graphic novel translated into Japanese. It’s titled
V for Vendetta. Yuuko suggested it to me, telling me it was one of her favorites and she thought I’d like it. It’s about Britain being controlled by an authoritarian government.
I haven’t read too far into the book yet. I have, however, met what I presume is the main character. He wears a mask and black cloak, which allows him to hide his identity. He’s a terrorist, fighting against the government.
In the first chapter, he saves a young woman. Her name hasn’t been mentioned yet, but I feel sad for her. She was about to resort to prostitution because her job didn’t earn enough money, and ran into some cops on her first night out before the main character saved her.
By the time I’ve finished that first chapter, Lilly is by the door. I store my book, grab my bag, stand up and walk up to her. “H-hi Lilly.”
“Hello Hanako.” she says, giving her warm smile. Without much delay, I grab her arm and the two of us walk towards the tea room.
~~~~
I set up in the tea room with Lilly, watching her go over and set the stove. If clinging to her was automatic for me, making tea was automatic for her. She could easily figure out where everything was and knew exactly what setting to set the stove too. Everything was carefully practiced, and I’d slowly watched Lilly get better at it over the time I’d known her.
“H-how was y-your day?” I ask Lilly. Her expression shifts into a frown. “Tiring,” she responds. “Festival preparation has gotten everyone either in a frenzy or working themselves ragged.”
“Oh.” I quietly respond, more of a squeak than anything else. I feel rather guilty. I haven’t really helped out with the festival. Even Hisao has probably helped out with the festival, even if Misha and Shizune dragged him into it.
Speaking of those two, I believe one of them has some kind of psychic ability, because Misha chooses that moment to make an entrance through the open doorway of the tea room, subtle as ever. Which is to say not at all.
“Miss Satou! We have been looking for you!” Misha exclaims. As usual, she is signing every word she says and hears so Shizune can communicate. Misha often not only conveys Shizune’s words, but more often or not her emotions as well. Given that both Misha and Shizune look annoyed, I can’t tell who the emotion is coming from.
“Ah, hello Misha. I assume Shizune is with you as well.” Lilly replies, her composure calm, but I know for a fact that she’s both annoyed and likely knows that Shizune is there as well.
“Greetings Miss Class Rep.” Misha says, going into a more neutral expression. “We’ve come to discuss the matter of you using this room for your impromptu tea parties.” she says. Shizune’s expression is as stone, just staring at Lilly.
“Is there a problem with that?” Lilly asks. Misha looks to Shizune, who signs something to her rapidly. “Yes, actually. You’ve been using this room completely unauthorized.” Misha says, carrying Shizune’s words.
“That hasn’t been an issue before.” Lilly replies. “Why is it a problem now?”
“We have not been able to get around to it as of late due to the festival,” Misha says. “However, we are ahead of schedule, and thus have time at this very moment.”
I freeze up when I realize what this conversation entails. Lilly and I are going to get kicked out of this room.
Our room. I highly doubt Shizune and Misha will let up on this issue.
“I’m afraid we will have to ask you to stop using this room.” Misha relays, crossing her arms. “Immediately.”
“This is inane. This room is completely unused, and we’ve been using it all year!” Lilly protests, the sharp turn in her tone of voice causing me to flinch. It’s not often that anyone sees Lilly angered.
“It has become a problem because other clubs may have their eye on this room, and we’re here to stop any conflict before it starts,“ Misha says, putting her hands on her hips. “If you want to keep using this room, you have two options. First, you can fill out a form with the student council to use this room. Though with the festival and all, that may take a while.” Misha says. Coming from her, it’s likely that’s meant to be sincere instead of a taunt directed at us.
“Meaning you and Shizune.” I think. There’s a little twinge of doubt in the back of my mind in whether we’d actually get approved by them, however, given Shizune and Lilly’s emnity.
“Or, you could apply to start running a club in this room!” Misha adds, smiling brightly. I slump in my chair, a dark miasma forming over me as my lips curl into a frown. I come to this room to escape others, not to converge with them. I couldn’t imagine crowding into this room with other people that I don’t know at all.
Shizune and Misha leave the room on that note. Lilly breathes out a sigh while I just let my head collide with the table with a thud, shaking up the silverware and teacups.
“Hanako? Are you alright?” Lilly asks.
“Physically, yes,” I say. “Otherwise, no.”
“I’m sorry this happened.” Lilly replies, clear sorrow in her voice. I stand up. “It...isn’t your fault,” I reply, still staring downwards. “I...I think I need some t-time alone.” I say, before leaving the room.
~~~~
I was going wherever my legs would take me. I wasn’t quite running, but I had to get away, go somewhere. The thought of not being able to use the tea room was awful in and of itself, but seeing Lilly get so angry just left me with a bad feeling inside, like some kind of weak nausea. I just wanted to curl up somewhere and fall asleep. Or cry. Either worked.
My silent steps through the hall take me past the last room on the third floor. The art room. I’ve never been in this room, mainly because of the thin sheet of dust that seems to be as much a part of this room as the walls and floors. Since everything else has been weird this week, I decide to just go inside.
Someone is standing at the far wall and staring out the window. It’s Rin. She’s perfectly still, like a statue. In fact, with the way the light is shining, I’d almost think she was if not for her distinct silhouette and auburn hair.
As I close the door, she turns her head, having heard me. The beams of sunlight hit her face, casting a soft glow on her. But her eyes seem to just absorb the sunlight entirely.
“H-h-hi.” I squeak. For the second time this week, this girl had shown up where I hadn’t expected her.
“Hello.” she replies, before turning back and looking upwards. I walk over and look out the window as well. It’s a cloudy day, and I got to the window just in time to watch the sun be smothered by a cloud.
“Do you think cloud flavored ice cream would taste fluffy?” Rin asks, turning to me. It takes me a moment to process this question. Not because I don’t know how to answer it, but because I never expected to be asked this question.
“I guess it would taste like flavorless shaved ice, but really airy.” I reply. Rin stares at me bewildered, as if what I just said was the most enlightening thing she’s ever heard.
“I guess it needs sugar.” Rin replies, looking back to the clouds.
“W-why are y-you in here alone?” I ask.
“Cloud watching.” she replies, not taking her eyes off the cloudy sky, only squinting when the sun peeks out once more.
“Don’t y-you have anything to do for the festival?”
She positions her head so she’s facing parallel to the ground, before turning over to me in a fashion so mechanical I swear I can hear clockwork turning as she does it. “What day is it?”
“Wednesday.”
She looks away from the window. “That’s not good. It’s almost the weekend. I have things to do. Cloud watching can wait.” she takes a few steps towards the door, but stops and spins around on one foot, looking at me again. “I need help.” she turns to me. “I need your arms.”
“What.”
“I need you to lift things. I can’t do it myself. Can you lift?” she asks. Oh, she wasn’t being literal. Maybe I’ve been reading too much fiction. “Nothing too heavy.” I reply.
She walks over behind a desk, lightly kicking something and making a dull metallic clang. “These.” she replies I poke my head behind the desk. There’s a very heavy looking can of paint on the ground.
“Oh dear.” I think to myself.
~~~~
A girl my size was not built to lift a paint can this weight. However, considering that between me and Rin only I have arms, the duty still falls to me. It’s a small mercy that I’m carrying this can down the stairs instead of up them.
When we reach the first floor, my arms are already aching. I’ve just been able to keep pace with Rin, but keeping a constant speed while carrying a heavy object is difficult.
“Do y-you have n-no one else t-to help?” I ask Rin as we reach the door of the main building. She turns back. “Do you not want to?” she asks.
I furiously shake my head, not wanting Rin to think that I don’t want to help her. “N-no! It’s just...it’s really heavy.” I whimper. I think my face is all red, and I probably look on the verge of crying.
“I have someone else. But she never sits still.” Rin replies. “She likes running.”
“O-oh.” I reply. I try picking up the the can of paint again, following Rin as she walks over to an unfinished mural on the wall. Rin sits on the ground and I set the heavy paint can on the ground. I take a moment to look at the mural.
I’ve passed by this mural once or twice, but I’ve never given the time to truly look at it. The mural is a collection of things, mostly faces twisted into inhuman proportions. I take a step back, trying to look at the whole thing.
“Is this yours?” I ask.
Rin doesn’t take her eyes off the mural. “Yes.”
The obvious question pops into my head. But I’m not sure if I should ask. I feel it’d be crossing a boundary that I’m not comfortable letting others cross with me. It’s only when Rin looks at me that I realize I was muttering the beginning of a sentence.
“What is it?” Rin asks, tilting her head as she looks at me with her beautiful green eyes. The all too familiar feeling of nervousness starts to set in.
“I, uh…”
“You can ask it. I’m an easy person to talk to.” she replies, smiling.
I take a moment to take in those words. I don’t talk to many people other than Lilly, and I’m always too nervous around other people. Being able to talk with someone new so easily is...refreshing. I decide to ask the question. “H-how do you paint without hands?” I ask, tapping my fingertips together nervously.
Rin smiles. “With my feet,” she replies. “See? Was that so hard?”
“Yes. Yes it was. But you don’t need to know that. It’s not your fault.”
“Th-thank you.” I respond. I’m not sure if she didn’t hear me or just didn’t have anything to add, because instead of replying to my comment she looks back at the mural.
“Do you think it’s flat?” she asks, not breaking her gaze off the mural.
“Flat?” I ask. “What do you mean?”
“Flat. Like a single piece of cheese.” she replies, turning her head to me. “You need more than that to make a good sandwich.”
“Huh?”
Rin continues on. “Sandwiches have bread, and then what’s in between. Sometimes it’s just cheese. Boring. And not tasty on it’s own. Unless it’s grilled. Other times they have lots of things, like a BLT. Or perhaps they have delicious bread but bland filler.”
Her rantings have thoroughly confused me. Is she still talking about painting?
“If you give me help with the paints I could get work some on this done. At least ‘till it’s dark. I wanted to get a lamp, but all of them have to be plugged in.” Rin says, changing the topic.
“I’m not g-good at art.” I reply, unsure I can help.
“I just need you to mix paints. Can you do that?” she asks.
“Y-yes.” I reply.
Rin moves over a small wooden crate with her feet and sits down on it, picking up a brush between her feet with amazing dexterity. I open the can of paint and start pouring different colors from Rin’s supply into different bowls.
Whilst finding the brush that Rin desires is a relatively simple task (despite the fact there must be at least two dozen different ones), getting the right color combinations may as well be trying to learn another language. I’m not sure what Rin is imagining, and I have the feeling she isn’t sure how to communicate it.
“Add some green.” Rin commands. I reach for the tube containing the lighter shade of green before Rin stops me. “That’s light green. Or yellow green. Not sure which. This green.”
In response, I grab the darker green color Rin is gesturing to and carefully add a small amount to the mixing bowl.
Rin looks at it, scrunching her forehead. “No, this isn’t it. The color should speak to you. Like the color you see in a dream and after you wake up and forget it, you instantly remember the color when you see it.”
“Perhaps it isn’t green?”
What Rin seems to be requesting is impossible. However, it does make me think. There’s a student in my class named Suzu Suzuki. She has narcolepsy, and she’s often sleeping a lot. Coincidentally, her hair happens to be an aqua-green color. Rin’s comment made me think of her.
“M-maybe aqua green?” I suggest. Rin looks at me, and I decide to elaborate. “Th-there’s this girl in my class. She has hair that color. And she sleeps a lot.”
Rin tilts her head, focusing in on me. There’s a moment of silence between the two of us before she speaks again. “Perhaps. Add some blue.” she commands, and I do so, wondering if my suggestion was really that helpful.
This continues for a while. Every so often I take a moment to look at Rin. There’s a different air about her when she’s painting, like she has a different appearance. Regal? Beautiful? Elegant? Almost like how Lilly looks different when she’s drinking tea. “
She’s in her element.” I think.
“What do I look like in my element?”
Rin and I continue working until sunset, spending the time mixing colors and trying to figure out which hue would work where. By the time the sun has set, we’re running out of both paint and light.
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Chapter Index
~~~~
Thank you to my awesome Beta Readers Hanako Fancopter and /u/Arodyrok.
Also, if you haven't read V for Vendetta yet, I suggest you go read it. Now. It is just that good. Also, no idea how I'm supposed to link things on this board and cover the link in text, so if someone could inform me of that, I'd appreciate that. That way, I can set up links so people can jump from Chapter to Chapter (nevermind, solved).
