Misao Fukuzawa's Story

Misao was sitting in his classroom being told what he had to do in order to make it on the soccer team. He sat at a desk in the room with one elbow on the desk and his other arm holding a soccer ball. "Misao, you have to join a club in order to join; understood?" his teacher told him. His jacket was starting to bother him so he unzipped it enough to feel better. "You're joking right?" he asked. He let out a sigh as he teacher leaned against the desk. "No I am not joking. Now there was this new club that just started up." the teacher then walked over to her desk and pulled out a pen and paper and wrote down the room and the club name. "Here, take this and go and find that club." Misao took the piece of paper and started out of the room. Once out of the room he started to throw the ball in the air a few times. He didn't want to join a club but it was the only way that he could play. He dropped by the vending machine in the Cafeteria and got some orange juice.

By the time be uncapped the orange juice he was on the wrong side of the school for the club. He figured that he had time to kill so he wanted to see what the team was up to. He got to a window and heard his name being called. He looked around only to find nothing in the area. "Huh, still hearing that voice. Its got to be nothing." he said as he turned his head back to the window to see the soccer team practicing. The drills they ran were what they normally did so it wasn't anything new to him. He stood there watching the team for a few minutes and then decided that he needed to go to the club. He took a look at the paper and continued down the hall and took a few turns. He had arrived at the door to the club and just stood there, waiting.

"Miss Kitano, please understand that this matter is more important than you think."
Yumi's homeroom teacher called her aside to the faculty office just when she was about to head off. She was the same one Yumi had the previous year, when she was a freshman. This was her second year as a freshman. Not that Yumi particularly cared. After all, everything they'll teach her this year was just a repetition of the last.
"I understand." Yumi sighed. "I'll have to leave the school if I fail this year, right? Fine, whatever."
"I spoke with your parents and--"
"So you did. That has nothing to do with me now, and the year's barely started. I'll take my leave now."
She turned and left the faculty office before the personal lecture could proceed. Yumi had more pressing concerns at the moment.

...so to speak. Yumi had been having pressing concerns for the past three months. It's the sword, she thought as she paced through the school hallways. She glanced at the sheathed sword slung over her shoulder. There was no question about it: ever since her dojo presented her with the sword, she started to see...things. Some of them even noticed her back. They're not used to being seen. It's the sword. Yumi became somewhat restless after that. Yet, for some reason she herself couldn't quite articulate, she will not part with the sword.

By chance she overheard her classmates talk about the two girls from another homeroom. Yumi's classmates would not approach her directly; they were usually either intimidated or embarrassed to be seen with her. Apparently, the two girls in their gossip were in the middle of creating a paranormal research society.
"Isn't that ridiculous?" said one of her classmates. The other laughed in agreement.
Yumi had to admit, she thought the idea of a paranormal research society absurd as well. But with my situation, "normal" isn't exactly what I aim for.

She had gone to the faculty office with the original intention of asking about this new club. Yumi obtained their meeting time and place, in addition to a gratuitous talk about grades and attendance and all that nonsense.

Yumi stopped close enough one of the classroom doors. This is it. They might be able to help. There was boy waiting at the door. One of the upperclassman, if Yumi remembered correctly. Not sure what his name is, though. Yumi walked up to the boy, who noticed her as she stepped closer.

"Hey, you're not going to go in?"

Shuuya sat in front of the school, having skipped his last class of the day. It wasn't something he did often, but he thought that he deserved a little break. For a while he'd been juggling his own schoolwork coupled with the homework of one of his sisters. Since today was the first day that he'd be meeting with a club he'd signed up with, he thought it would be nice to have some peace and quiet beforehand.

He stretched, standing up from his spot behind a bush. It wasn't his ideal location to relax at, but he didn't want to get caught skipping by any faculty. With his rather short stature, only 5'4", he fit rather nicely behind the shrub. Brushing any bits of dirt or grass from his pants, he hoisted his bag up onto his shoulder. With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and looked at the time. "I guess I can go ahead to the club room..." He muttered to himself, putting the phone back.

Honestly, Shuuya didn't expect much from this club. He'd never met anyone else who could see spirits or anything like that, and so he expected this to just be a group of kids telling ghost stories. If it was, well, he'd just drop out of the club with the excuse that he was too busy to manage it.

Once he made it to the hall the room was on, he noticed two students standing out front. He vaguely recognized them, but he didn't know their names. Crossing his arms, he gave them a look that could almost be described as distate. Staying on his high-horse as always would probably make a really bad first impression, but he didn't really mind- he had to make his place known.

Yumi was definitely certain she knew this new boy. Isn't he in my class? He might be. A brief image of her classroom in the morning flashed in her head. Yes, he is in my class. What was his name? Shuuji--something? Yumi thought she could at least make the effort of attending first day of class, but because she won't see them quite so often she didn't bother remembering names. It's not like they'll particularly remember hers or anything. Shuuji--something was pretty smart, she thought. By whatever measure you can gauge intelligence with on the first day of class. Some random review question from junior high, most likely.

She was unsure on how to address the distasteful look on his face. Was he being punished? She turned to the other boy, but concluded that Shuuji--something was more interesting at the moment. Does he have a problem with one of us? She had several ideas to fix his expression. But it would certainly not do to lack courtesy. She cleared her throat, only as a sign that she was about to speak.

"Can we help you with something?"

Misao looked at the girl who asked if he was going in. He placed one hand on his head and started to ruffle his hair. "Well, i'm just kinda waiting to see who else is going to show up to this club... thing." He smiled at the girl trying to be as confident as possible. He had no idea who she honestly was. He then assumed that she was a lower classmate so that would be his reason for not knowing her. After a few seconds a boy then approached the two of them. The boy looked younger than him. Misao let out a sigh. He then felt old at this point. The thoughts running through his head mostly dealt with how he was mad at the teachers and coaches for making him join some club he had no idea about. He looked back and forth between the two of the other students. "So why are you two here?" he asked as he placed the soccer ball on the floor and playing with it mildly against the wall.

Yumi turned to the first boy, who had just spoken up. He's definitely an upperclassman, Yumi thought. But that was all she generally knew of the students at this school. They rarely see her, and she them. But compared to the other boy with the look on his face, this one seemed friendlier as he smiled at her. Yumi had to return the smile.
"Rumor has it they're a paranormal research society." Yumi gestured to the door. "I'm a potential member, I guess." she shrugged.
Yumi had the feeling that this boy wasn't particularly interested in the club idea. She wondered what his reasons were for being there. Could it be he's dealing with a similar problem I have? But she hardly wanted to present herself as weirder than she already has. What kind of person carries a sword around and joins paranormal clubs?

Yumi observed as he started playing with his soccer ball. He's quite good. Certainly, the boy was agile and confident with the ball. Which makes his presence before the clubroom all the more intriguing. She decided to introduce herself.

"My name is Yumi Kitano, class 1-B. What's your name?"

Misao looked at the the girl who just introduced herself as Yumi Kitano. He finally figured out that he was right. She was a lower classmate. He looked at the other boy waiting to see if he would introduce himself. After a minute of waiting he looked back at the girl. "It's nice to meet you Yumi. I'm Misao Fukuzawa from class 2-A." He then bowed to the girl. Just after she stood back up straight he heard a noise and looked around to see if he could find the source. He gave up after a second of looking he somehow knew he wasn't going to find a single thing. Misao then looked atthe other two. "Well if you don't mimd I think I am going to head inside now." He gave the two a smile and knocked and opened the door. "Hello? This is a club isn't it?" he asked as he entered the room.

As the other two introduced themselves, Shuuya decided he might as well do the same. "Shuuya Natsume. I'm from 1-B as well." He noticed the other boy look around- he'd heard the sound as well, though he'd gotten used to hearing random noises like that. It hardly phased him. He looked between the two again, now recognizing the girl after she said her name. "She's one of the students that was held back this year, if my memory serves." He had the same quizzical look that he usually had when he was thinking, and after a moment he spoke again. "You aren't exactly the type of people I'd expect to sign up for a club like this."

Hoisting his bag up on his shoulder more, Shuuya turned to enter the now-open door of the club room after Misao. "...That's not a bad thing, by the way." He added to his previous statement before he was fully inside.

As Ryo sat there looking at the door she began to notice a huddle of shadows gathering outside of it accompanied by whispering voices. She turned and looked at Ran. Then back at the door, "That..." She started to say.

"They're real," Ran assured her, without looking up from what she was doing, "and they're probably your club members."

"Oh," Ryo said excitedly, and nearly fumbled out of her chair as she rushed up and towards the door. "I'm okay!" she said confidently, after tripping. "And they're OUR club members Ran. So stop working on your witchcraft and come greet them."

"It's a bonnet."

"Yeah, well..."

As she was talking to Ran over her shoulder, she didn't notice that the others had already opened the door and were heading inside. She almost ran right into the first one that entered but stopped just short as she heard him call out, "Hello? This is a club isn't it?"

"I'm Kiyoko Miyazaki," another one said. "Is this the Lolita Club?"

"I told you we should have made a bigger sign Ran," Ryo hissed.

But Ran was too busy concentrating on the spot right above one of the boy's shoulders. There was a spirit there, following him around, probably having fun making popping noises in his ear. Mischievous ones like that tended to get on her nerves, and she could kind of sense that he felt it there too. She remained quiet though, wanting to see if he would maybe say something about it later. She also sensed other spirits when the others entered. Less mischievous, more reserved, though she couldn't see them now maybe she would with time, if everyone decided to stick around the club that is. A warmth filled her chest. These people were the real thing. People like her...

"Yes, this is The Lolita Society," Ryo said to the newcomers. "My name is Ryo and that person staring from the corner there is Ran." She motioned in, "You should all come sit down!" She merrily said.

Misao Fukuzawa and Shuuya Natsume...
Yumi had just gotten to register their names in her mind. But something else about them caught her attention. Misao seemed to be startled by something as he finished playing with the soccer ball. Did he hear the noise too? Of course he did. It was the same one her classmate Shuuji--no, Shuuya--heard. He was less bothered by it, but Yumi was certain he heard it too. Years of kendo had trained her to pick up on the slightest subtleties. Both of them heard it, and it made Yumi feel uneasy. There was something about the young girl that made her uneasy as well.

Yumi thought she saw a specter, but she also thought she didn't. Did it sense her uneasiness?
The excited noises from the two girls in her classroom broke her thought. "Well," she said to herself, "It seems I've come to the right place."

She entered the clubroom and was greeted by a girl named Ryo, her friend Ran at the corner also smiled a greeting.
"Yumi Kitano, 1-B" she mumbled as she un-slung her sword from her shoulders and took a seat. "Nice to meet you." she said, in afterthought. The girls seemed kind, but Yumi was still unsure of how to approach a situation such as this.

She glanced at Misao, Shuuya, and the girl named Kiyoko. She finally rested her eyes on the two girls. To be able to gather such people here...perhaps they really can help me.

Misao was interested after seeing what the club looked like. It seem ordinary enough and maybe this would be fun. He took a look at the two girls who were already in the club. 'They must the the starting members of this.' he thought. He placed his bag and the soccer ball over in a corner of the room which was unoccupied to his knowledge and took a seat on the floor next to the girls. "So what are we to do for this club then?" he asked as he leaned back on his hands. He wanted to know more about what they were doing so he could at least put an effort into whatever it was. He needed this club to play soccer but he was now at least a little happy that he had joined the club.