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Johnny Farelli

"I will get stronger. I have to... for everyone's sakes." (FridayStatsUpdated!)

0 · 6,664 views · located in Airdalen Academy

a character in “No-Go AA+”, as played by HolyJunkie

Description

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Theme of the Foreigner: Pretty Fly For a White Guy - The Offspring
Theme of the Athlete: Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
Theme of the Beast: Takyon - Death Grips
Theme of the Warm Home: N O S T A L G I C (Simpsonwave) - Assorted
Theme of Melancholic Jams: Whitewash - Buckethead
Theme of the Forever Lost: Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd
Theme of the To and From: Aunt Suzie - Buckethead
Theme of the Distant Elite: Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Theme of the Fresh Skeptic: Think - Jimmy McCracklin
Theme of the Ultimate Goal: Heart of Gold - Neil Young
Alternate Theme of the Ultimate Goal: Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darren

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Time for school.

Full Name: Johnathan Farelli
Nickname(s): Johnny, Jay, that baka gaijinΒ 
Gender: Male
Grade: Junior
Face Claim: Makoto Tachibana, Cecil Aijima, among others whose images are used for this thing.Β 
Sexual Orientation: HeterosexualΒ 
Nationality: American - Japanese and Italian genetics


STATS


Intellect: 9 (1 start + 8)Β 
(git guder.)
Athleticism: 38 (9 start + 29)Β 
(If I wasn't so strong and fit, I probably wouldn't have made it through the smoke with Haruhi-chan...)
Charm: 8 (0 start + 8)
(I guess actions speak louder than words.)
Popularity: 18 (0 start + 18)Β 
("Huge", "Muscular", "Kinda Cute", and "Kinda Scary tall" are the general words going around campus.)
Notoriety: 1 (0 start + 1)Β 
("Did you hear he got in a fight with six guys? He also ran right into the smoke... What's his problem?")

Your most important stat:Β Β 
Atheticism
Which stat appeals to you most:
Charm, though "most" in this case is barely reached.

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Simplistic, yet chiseled features. He has thick, Italian brown hair and gleaming deep emerald-green eyes. Standing at 6’4”, he very literally stands out in a crowd. He's very muscular, but he's very lean and compact. He's at an ideal BMI at 205lbs. His preferred attire more often than not is lightweight, sporty attire. More often than not, he tends to pull off the hip/hop look with a bandana to keep his hair back. He has no tattoos.

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Confident and dependable, yet relatively quiet. To him, actions speak louder than words- especially since he can barely speak the language. When he does speak, there’s only the slightest tinge of jadedness in his voice that he often tries to hide under his otherwise cheery and to-the-point attitude. His voice is a soothing, deep one, indicating great practice for... what? No one knows for sure. (It's music. It's obviously music.) What they do know is that all work and no play makes him a seemingly dull boy… except on the literal court of a sport. He does enjoy physical activity, since that's when he understands everyone perfectly through their actions. He was a lot more fun-loving in his previous schools, but he doesn't talk about that.

He's quite laid-back about a lot of things, from the differing personalities of people to even things that inconvenience himself. This is probably why he comes across as an average student, despite performing extremely well in the academy's entrance exam. He seems to have great potential when he gets really serious and passionate about something.

Always willing to help others out, almost to a fault. Very positive, and has a tendency to spot the silver lining. Patient to a point with everyone, but scary to those who commit injustice around him.

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A strikingly normal kid who got big into athletics with an ordinary and a seemingly average academic interest and skill. His parents- his father especially- wanted him to be better at his studies so he could manage a solid GPA so he could make it to the big leagues in the future. This school seemed like the best idea, plus the father wanted to move back to Japan- a plan that was already made before ma and pa got married. Johnny is seemingly behind their plan 100%, if only he could break past that average nature of his during his studies. Learning the language would definitely help him learn things faster. This seems likely, since he managed to pass the very strict entrance exam.

His last home was in a ghetto neighbourhood. He grew up as the only seemingly white guy in a world of ethnic minorities. As such, the only mannerisms he knew- besides the stern love of father figures and teachers, was the stereotypical behaviour of so-called "hood rats". A very poor neighbourhood, which was one of the many reasons why his parents wanted to break out from the area, and also why Johnny's sisters moved out to more decent neighbourhoods for college college. His previous two schools and the experiences within were... eclectic, to describe with a word. He prefers not to talk about certain aspects.

He used to be in a group called "The Boyz". It may sound like a gang, but it was really just a term for "the cool kids" in their part of town. This group also included his best friend Avery. With Avery as "The Brains" and Johnny as "The Muscle", their group of friends maintained a sort of care-free order on the school grounds, where kids can have fun so long as they don't hurt each other. Johnny developed "The Muscle" during school sports and the like, but he also had taken a job at a local gym once upon a time. During work hours, that was the place the Boyz hanged out.

Johnny was rarely ever back at home, instead he was hanging out with The Boyz. Between learning music at Avery's place and playing pool on grubby old tables at a local bar-and-grill, Johnny rarely ever saw much of his parents. What puzzles the boy is that the parents either didn't mind, or didn't notice. Either possibility seemed odd. It was at this point where he realised that his parents must have been hiding something from him. As a way to return the favour, Johnny keeps his musical interests and talents a secret.

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Mother
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Father
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Sisters
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Italian mother- whom he takes after- and a Japanese father who moved to the States at a young age. They moved back as the father’s idea, because this school was ranked highly. The mother was not entirely behind the idea due to the language barrier, but the presence of the translator made the decision a lot easier to make. Beyond the parents, Johnny has two older sisters. Both sisters moved out to college, and often Skype back. His sisters, named Machi and Chieko, are both incredibly talented, both academically and physically. Both sisters took after the father, and look almost like twins. Johnny's sisters are currently studying to become doctors.

Avery, his "brother from another mother," is a smaller boy who'd almost be a dead ringer for Jimi Hendrix. Where Johnny was "The Muscle", Avery was "The Brains". His code of ethics is almost like that of an idealistic leader of a superhero team. They were never a real "Gang", at least, not one with the stigma usually associated with the word. Being the brainy one, and also the only one in the neighbourhood with a computer and some kind of internet connection, he is Johnny's only link to communicating with the past.


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βœ“ STRENGTHΒ 
Athletic: Strong, tall, lean, fast, and generally very athletic. Prior to the move, he had the confidence to boot, sometimes still does- mainly in physical challenges and sports. He’s familiar with the rules of many a sport, save for most of the more Japanese-centric activities, such as that sword fighting thing, and martial arts. He's especially fast on his feet, thanks to his interest in whatever dances he's learned. Street dance, B-Boying, and even a little classical partner-based dances. This also translates into raw fighting talent- though he does not have any formal training in that field. A fast metabolism means he recovers from wounds relatively quickly, with low risk of scarring.

βœ“ STRENGTHΒ 
Reading Faces: He is quite skilled at reading faces and microexpressions, and he's always quick to notice even the slightest gesture. The reason for that relates to his previous schools- that which he doesn't talk much about.

βœ“ STRENGTH
Sign Language: Fluent. He prefers not to talk about why he learned it.

βœ“ STRENGTH
Talented Musician: He is skilled with a few instruments (guitar, synthesizer, bass, ukulele) and especially powerful and flexible vocalist. His deep, outright sexy voice would probably give the best singers in school something to pay attention to. He can even pull off a decent falsetto, though it pales in comparison to his normal and especially deeper voices. This is a trait he keeps secret from his parents, where even his old friends are in on the secret.

βœ“ STRENGTH
Tolerant to a fault: Almost impossible to offend. Almost as if he's forcing himself to be naive, he always tries to find the silver lining, why a person acts the way they do.

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βœ– WEAKNESSΒ 
Given that Johnny's fitness is impeccably muscular, (no pun intended) he is lacking in fat. Therefore while he has explosive power and speed, he's somewhat lacking in energy reserves. Add to that a fast metabolism and you have a guy that rapidly runs out of fuel in the first two rounds of a boxing match.

βœ– WEAKNESSΒ 
Awkwardness / Weirdness: His relative hugeness compared to most others makes the rest of the world feel small, especially places like London or Tokyo. As a result, he is deathly claustrophobic. Johnny also sometimes has that flicker of jadedness in his eyes every once in a while when he thinks of the past- in Elementary and Middle school. He comes across as quiet and awkward despite his confidence for two reasons: He’s a foreigner and doesn’t know anyone, and he is only partially familiar with the Japanese language. He is especially unfamiliar with the culture. Good thing the school comes with a translator to help him learn. Due to his desire to not offend anyone due to his unfamiliarity with the culture, he comes across as awkward and kind of a pushover, despite his imposing size and physique. 'Course, once he gets used to the new culture, he'd be a lot more like his old self. Partly related to the past, he holds a few secrets not even his family knows, secrets that he wishes to deal with, but does not yet have a plan to do so.

βœ– WEAKNESS
Gullible: Due to his kind and friendly nature, he is very quick to trust people. Some (ok, let's be real, everyone) would opt to call him "Gullible". Even though his ability to read faces is top-notch, he can still be easily tricked. Also means:
Yes Man: Since he is always willing to help people out, he's also one of those guys who finds it difficult to say "no". This would leave him in awkward situations if he botches his time management- which would become apparent once he starts filling in the schedule.

βœ– WEAKNESSΒ Β 
Unstable Facade: He acts positive, cool, and tough, but is difficult to open up, because he feels he shouldn't share the burdens meant for him. There are some heavy burdens he tries to keep locked away, but the mere act of keeping them locked away is straight-up poisonous to his mental health. Who knows what the results would be if he fails to deal with the emotional strain.

βœ– WEAKNESS
Hard on himself He's not often passionate about his own schoolwork because he's more prone to help others first. He feels that he has to out of some form of penance. While being a rock star is always on his mind, he's somewhat arrogant that he feels he has to be the one to help people. His potential remains somewhat untapped, only bubbling to the surface whenever he feels truly passionate about something- such as when he passed the very tough Airdalen entrance exam in flying colours.


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β™₯ SECRETΒ 
He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, but tries to keep it under wraps due to arrogance. The main symptom in his case is hallucinations involving the Phantom. The Phantom is a pitch-black projection with white eyes and white teeth that assumes a somewhat feminine, yet nightmarishly inhuman form.

β™₯ SECRETΒ 
He is from the ghettos of Los Angelas. It's not exactly a big secret, but it's interesting to note that he came to the highest school in the world from the lowest point in modern society. Some may say there's a romantic quality of a guy starting from what the rich kids would call "nothing".

β™₯ SECRET
Aside from music technology like soundboards and amplifiers, Johnny is very technically illiterate. He doesn't know the difference between a browser and the start button. While he's familiar with video game icons through cultural osmosis, he's never played a video game in his life.

His phone is a simple, cheap smartphone (took him a while to learn it) that he only really uses as a glorified "contact list" via facebook. The phone is modular, and contains a high-GB memory card stuffed nearly to the brim with a wide variety of music.

Slowly forming opinions...


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Ryou Giou

I like the dude, in a very home-bro kind of sense. He seems very all-work and no play, which I can respect. Only one life to live, ya know? Still, I know that look in his eyes. Those eyes that seem to look at nothing in particular, because your mind is focused on something else. Something you can't let go of. I know that look too well, man. Would that make us... clones? He also seems happy to help me out, which is pretty rad. He's also the tallest person I've ever met. Symbolic value? Probably. I gotta move on myself.

Gotta chill wit the guy more often. I think he's the captain of the B-Ball team? Can't wait to play alongside the guy. I bet the team'll dominate the ladders, yo.

Awww snap dude! This guy's really good- he had me on the ropes! That's awesome! It's really nice to be in that position when it isn't a fight, you know? It's... nice to not need to keep your teeth in place.

Sora Harigae

He seems more sturdy than he looks. Good to know he's doing fine. He's going out with Fujioka-san? Hope they have a good time... Wait... how did he not know who Luigi is? I don't even play video games, but even I knew about the Mario Bros.

A prime target for bullies... I have no idea why, but it pisses me off. People shouldn't hate on a dude for being.

Aeon Belrose (Shirokami)

Haven't met the guy. Learned his name, it's Belrose, right? Eh... I'm not sure what to think of him so far. Slick hair, though. I'd take pointers, but long hair would get in the way of the now. I'll grow mine out later.

Kazuki Miyamoto

Dude seems to be a big-time rebel. I can respect that. Rebels tend to change the world, man. Saw him at the dance. Very ladies' man, kinda like Lars, actually.

Okay yeah, the guy's like... a Japanese version of Lars. Foul-tempered, impatient, he's like time- he waits for no one. Lars made a great training partner. I like that!

Kaz... Are you alright, buddy?

Gen Fukui

Is that hair dyed, or is it like that one dude with the sick hair? Come to think of it, what is it with bright-haired peeps who wear it out long? I've yet to see an albino home-boy with a crew-cut, know what I mean? Seemed bothered by something, though. I hope I can help. I did learn CPR and stuff... buuut I don't think CPR would help with her problems. I mean, she ain't chokin', na'am sayin'?

I think we'll make very good friends! Great dancer. If she don't mind my saying, that costume was off the hook! ... Whatever it was supposed to be, it was cool!

Inryuko, eh? Maids n shit? Very fancy stuff. I should stop by soon. Gotta check the schedule, see if i got the opportunity. Lunch times seem good. I guess it's some kinda restaurant thing?

Okay, okay... This never leaves this room, but she did look kinda cute with her hair down. Don't you dare tell anyone.

Oh my goodness... holy shit... fuck... that was just... that was too close, man... Thank goodness she's alright... It's not like that... She's a friend, a friend!

Shiori Kitogawa

I think she's a cool cat, dude! Bound to have a lot of cool friends too, I'm sure. I would like to give the guy who bruised her a piece of my mind, though. It'd probably feel... nostalgic... to help a brotha out, you know? Or wait, I mean sista.

Cassiopeia Argyris

Green-hair? She's always with that dude with the slick hair, right? ... Wait, why am I assuming that? It's only been the first day. I don't even know if she's a senior or not.

Come to think of it, what happened to her? I haven't seen her at all this gym class. I hope she's okay.

Devone Kim

Bless you.

Fuyuki Hakuryu

Super cool! We're gonna be good friends, I can tell!
... what the heck is oppai?
Oh... that's "oppai"... So she was asking if guys prefer... Ah jeez...

Haruhi Morinozuka

Never met he- Oh wait, yeah I have. Hope she's alright!

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Bishop Trander

Hot damn dude the guy's got more stamina than me! He's gotta be a big-time swimmer dude. I can dig it! I just need to get back in the swing of things and I'll be right there with him.

We're gonna do great! Poor guy's got somethin' on his mind, but I know he'll break through his funk. After all, I did... I did... didn't I?

Johnny Farelli

Saving lives... getting work done... maybe I'm finally moving on after all...?

Rhys Browning

Sick hair, bro. Swimming team captain? I got good vibes about this guy. At least... he kinda reminds me of Avery, especially how angry he's gettin' over Kitogawa-san's bruises. I may have been the so-called "cool guy", but Ave was always the real leader in our group...

Weird leadership choices, not really taking command there. I guess he was just testing the waters... aw fuck that was a pun.

All honesty: I think we're two peas in a pod. He's pretty passionate about helping others, it seems.

Akira Blake

Dude or chick? ... Jeez man, I really shouldn't assume... but my money's on dude... Phew, good thing these are just innermost thoughts, and psychic potential doesn't exist... But then again, that thing with the ninjas never happened before. This school feels... weird...

Tough nut to crack, that's fo sho.

Yuuki Fujioka

Yo, I've seen this kinda thing before. That kinda kid who tries to wall off peeps to focus on schoolwork and nothing else... I've seen bullies flock to that type like moths, dude. Good thing this school's pretty rad. I think she'll do fine, red-head guy considered. Goin' out with the Blue Hair dude? I bet they got somethin' in common.

Given how many uncool dudes I'm starting to come across... I gotta do something... I gotta help...

Tsukiko Kitogawa

Yo it's that musician from Korea! Dude, she's one fine singer. My buddies said a few nice things when we discovered a Youtube video of one of her concerts. I don't think I should relay any of those "nice things", ha ha... Real talk though: she's cool!

Tadashi Kiomine

Yo, that's the dude with the purple eyes, right? I saw him earlier. He looked like he had a lot on his mind. Heh heh, don't we all... I'm sure he's a cool cat. I gotta introduce myself.

Kei Watari

Good eye, recognizing me in the dark. Well, actually Luigi's green stuff would shine surprisingly bright under some of the black lights. Heh.
Strikes me as a dependable guy. Wouldn't mind having him by my side in case shit happens.

Rocco Murray

Was he... was he just choking the kid with the blue hair? Was it provoked? No, I can't assume anything. I gotta know what happened before I can make a call like that.

Mao Nozomi

Who? ... That darker-skinned girl? I mean, she's... someone... Fuck, I was really worried for a sec there...

Maybe i misread entirely, but it seemed like she was a little annoyed at something? I wonder what it was... Was it... Nah, couldn't have been me. I was just helping those photographers out. Helping's what I do!

A really nice artist! And a skater too! She'd like LA. Plenty of skate parks there.

Misaki Serinuma

Wat lol? ... That's what Avery would say. What's that, a photo? ... Huh... Gotta give her props, she's pretty cute. Whoever gets with her'd be a lucky guy, I'd imagine... Well, maybe not. I know jack about her personality, after all.

Kaito Miyuu

What kind of name is "Me-you"? That's a weird sounding name. The pronunciation's all... weird... "Meee-yoooouuuuu"... Eugh. I don't like the sound of it. It sounds like that string that always gets out of tune within minutes.
... Why are you showing me a photo of that Akira Blake fellow? ... Oh, that's Kaito!? My bad! I'd wonder if they're related to each other, but then again I've passed by two albino dudes this morning alone. They're surprisingly common here I noticed. Nothin' like America. No one in the ghetto ever had blue or purple hair either. Is it a Japan cultural thing or something?

Chase Kaufman

Good smile bro! ... You!
... I have no idea who this is...

Kaori Himewari

This is certainly a person! :D

Thanks to Victorant for the character sheet!
Also thanks to Strix for gathering/editing some of the images used!

So begins...

Johnny Farelli's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Character Portrait: Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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"I have wondered
what they see in me
whether they imposed
their dreams on me or
do they make me their illusions
because, I can only be me."
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Ryou nodded and then took a seat beside his assigned freshman with his attention at front. He was never a talkative person in the first place so, silence had never been an issue with him. Johnny had no questions so, he waited quietly since it was obvious that something else was up with the materials inside the folder. He'll wait for the teachers to announce something about it, but his peace was disturbed not rudely, by Johnny who commented about being a wingman.

He glanced at Johnny before looking around to know what caused those words. He knew what wingman means, he wasn't ignorant about it. True enough, there are girls looking at them, but mostly at him. Some faces, he knew from the constant harping at him, others, are new and was likely to join the rest of the females to become as described by his colleague at work, stalkers. He wasn't looking forward to it at all, but his freshman appeared not bothered by it. Johnny looked like he's having fun at that and would not shy away from the overbearing attention.

"Don't need it." He said without much stuttering or doubt. It's not because of confidence or anything. He was simply not interested in getting into a relationship with anyone or does he have budding affection for any of the girls present. He is after all still in one complicated yet strong relationship with a certain sleeping beauty. This caused his eyes though to reflect a bit of sadness almost invincible and unnoticeable, but it was only for one second, before he looked to the front again.

"But, thanks." It was an offer, so it's only proper and he wasn't offended since there was no way Johnny knew anything about him or about her. He also answered in a manner without arrogance or sarcasm. He wasn't like that, he spoke because that's his definite answer. It's always heavy with meaning and not because he said it out of a whim. That's probably why most consider him more approachable than the one known as School Idol. He is distant but, his words are always sincere to his emotions, making him more relatable. That's when he felt someone's presence or better yet, many people around them. He's reaction was to look and saw it was composed of girls, some familiar, some not at all.

They started with a greeting for him and Johnny and then they began to ask questions leaning more to him. It was all done in Japanese at this point. They were innocent in nature, so he answered some like if he's a senior, who was the teacher speaking at front or is he a model which is no, but it soon dwell into certain subjects, Ryou wasn't very fond of, like if he's attached to someone, and other deeper things which are personal in his opinion. "You're bothering me now." His voice was never loud, but in that moment the series of questions were instantly stopped. The girls knew that he was not going to entertain them any longer and he is always a man of his words. They offer their apologies. He returned his attention to the front and closed his eyes while he also crossed his arms over his chest as he returned to his own isolated world, but they didn't leave as if they still had hope.

"Johnny." He started as he open his eyes and glanced at the younger male at his side. Using first name basis might be odd and denotes closeness in Japanese culture, but to Ryou this is common to his birthplace and since his Junior is a foreigner, he kept with the basics. "Take charge." This was spoken in English and then he closed his eyes, keeping to himself again.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Yuuki Fujioka Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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Johnny "Jay" Farelli


The conversation with the anonymous girls quickly took a turn for confusion as Johnny rapidly lost track of what was being said. Fortunately, Ryou came across as a man of few words, so he could catch most of what his Senior said just fine. Even if he knew Ryou’s answers, the simplicity of the answers made the questions all the more a mystery to the foreigner. Despite the Japanese talk leaving him in the dust, Johnny could tell that Ryou was getting annoyed somewhat. β€œJohnny,” Ryou said as he closed his eyes, β€œTake charge.”

β€œYou got it, man,” Johnny replied. Though confident, he was actually completely unsure of himself at this point. He only caught mentions of things like teachers and seniors. The questions about β€œcertain subjects” went way over the foreigner’s head. β€œOh, and you can call me Jay.” he added.

After a greeting, Johnny offered what answers he could give. Within the first sentence out of his mouth, the girls simply left. They seemed disappointed that they couldn’t talk with the more familiar hunk anymore. Did they not see Johnny for anything? If so, why? Would Johnny need to prove himself a fellow worth conversing with? Was it the uniform? Johnny’s lean musculature was pretty visible beneath the narrow sleeves. Was it anything?

Was there something wrong with Johnny, specifically? There couldn’t have been a problem. He socialized just fine in his old schools… This place must be more different than he imagined… or maybe his old school was intimidated by his physical prowess. Goddamn, there has to be a problem. Something that can be fixed. This isn’t normal; this... interaction... this… up and leaving… was just not normal.

Johnny's mind wandered until it settled on the idea that there were other students who were able to eavesdrop. There was that one girl one seat ahead, (Yuuki) who chewed-out that blonde boy from before. She seemed annoyed before, and seemed to want to avoid conversation entirely beyond that previous chew-out. What would she think of his pathetic attempts at fitting in? What would the others who understood him think?

Damnit, they are pathetic attempts, aren’t they…? Johnny put a hand to his forehead and rubbed his temples with his long, athletic fingers. I really suck at this. I hate sucking at things.

Johnny’s lips flattened as his face flushed. He never learned a Japanese equivalent of β€œWell, shit…” but he sorely wished he had the balls to ask his dad about curses. Still, talk about an utter insult, especially since he knew from experience that he was great with… girls… Oh… Johnny sighed in disappointment to mask his attempts to put the past behind him. Now wasn’t the time for the past; now was the present and the future. He already spent all summer thinking about the past, he wasn’t about to waste this year.

The foreigner sat back in his own chair. He wiped a hand over his face to push the red away. After a moment, he figured out a way to get his mind off what just happened. β€œOh, I do have a question,” he suddenly said to Ryou in English. β€œI’m not that good with… ahm…” He pat a hand on his knee as his mind raced. β€œWhat was it… honourifics? I know there’s words you add to a name when you talk to someone, but I don’t know the specifics.”

There were words like β€œchan” or β€œkun” or β€œsan” and what-have-you, that Johnny heard many times before, but never figured out how they all fit in an actual conversation. Hopefully this would keep his mind focused on the present… and also make him not embarrass himself in front of other people again.

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"I have wondered
what they see in me
whether they imposed
their dreams on me or
do they make me their illusions
because, I can only be me."
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The chatter lessened around them. It seemed the girls had no interest chatting with his junior. That was disrespectful in his opinion. Johnny appeared to be willing to answer their questions. This only meant they were after him on purpose. Ryou truly wondered when this would end, this attention towards him. As if it on time, he could feel looks darting towards him at twice the amount. Here it goes again, but somehow, there was something different. His eyes opened and the reason was clear. There, the row ahead of his was the School Idol, Aeon.

Whenever that man is around, the girls and even boys were present at a triple amount. Ryou doesn't mind though as Aeon's presence serves to be a deterrent for the others to act in a respectable manner. There was just something about the guy that makes people around him to act properly and not make a fool out of themselves. That's why he's not that irritated when the guy is near, the annoyance is minimized greatly. Their relationship one might say would be mutualism, even if they very rarely talk to each other.

His attention was taken away when Ryou heard Johnny asking something to him. He looked at his junior from the side. The boy was having a hard time to voice out whatever his question is, but soon, Johnny was able to say it. Something about honorifics, a subject that he also had a hard time learning about during his first time here. He could remember the awkwardness of it all to him and how she would laugh at his attempts. Those memories... made him felt longing which he kept at bay. This was not the right time for him to be sentimental and all. He has a question to answer.

He had a thoughtful moment to himself before answering in English. "There is the common -san. In English, it means Mr., Ms., or Mrs., A polite term that implies a limited amount of familiarity. It's usually attached to surnames. In Japan, most people use their surnames since calling one by first name means closeness reserved for family, lover and very important people to them." Ryou made a pause at that since he wanted Johnny to take all what he had said or if the boy has any another things to clarify with him. He then continued on. "There's the -kun. It's an informal term used mostly for and among males. It's used when addressing younger boys, boys with the same age, or by superiors to their juniors at work. Teachers like ours would usually address the male students with it."

There's another pause from him. Ryou didn't want to flush all of the information on Johnny like a hurricane. It would be easier to have time to think about it. He didn't want Johnny to experience the episodes he had before, because this is confusing for a first-timer. "There's -chan. It's like -san, but more informal and more familiar. It's usually used for children, female family members, close friends, and lovers. There's also instances that it could be used for adults who others find cute or even to animals or pets." This reminded him when Hikaru used this to refer to him. They were still confused about the usages of these honorifics and Reisha laughed saying that -chan doesn't suit him. It's not right to consider him cute. It was only at the later date both of them understood. Anyway, he gave Johnny another moment to take it all in before he continued on.

"In school, you could hear -senpai or -kōhai mostly. -Senpai is used to refer to address those in senior positions whether in school, work, or sports. That's why you heard some of the girls earlier referring to me in that way. -Kōhai is its opposite. It refers or to address juniors." Ryou then took a pause again when he suddenly heard a loud siren noise. He looked for the source and found it to be no one else but Miyamoto which was followed by the fellow senior's very loud announcement. That guy never fails to stand-out no matter what the situation is, recklessly fearless. It seemed the guy's junior is Mai Kon, one of his customers at the shop. Somehow, he was a bit worried. He glanced at the direction where Mai would be. It wasn't his business, but he would say something if Miyamoto becomes very rude. For now, he continued with his answer to Johnny. He didn't acknowledge the guy because he has a feeling if he did, Miyamoto would be the one harping at him any second. "There's -sensei which is used to address teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, or other authority figures. It is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in some skill."

Another pause as Ryou wondered if he left out any commonly used honorifics. That's right there was still one left. "We also have -sama. It's used in addressing people higher in rank than oneself or to people considered to have some high ability, particularly attractive or putting someone in a very high pedestal based on respect. It's also commonly used by servants to their masters or employers." He looked away for a moment as he was thinking if he missed something else. He didn't think so. "If you're confused about something, tell me." He noted and waited for the response of his junior, thinking about it. He had never spoken in so many words before. It was rather tiring as he returned to being his quiet self again.

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Character Portrait: Aeon Shirokami Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Yuuki Fujioka Character Portrait: Kazuki Miyamoto Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait:
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Johnny β€œJay” Farelli


Johnny listened very intently. Few times had he ever been this focused outside of physical performance. His hopes and dreams for the future quite literally rested on moments such as this one. Communication is byfar the most important thing he could possibly learn while in this prestigious academy. Once Ryou… or Giou-senpai finished, Johnny leaned back in his chair. He then said, β€œSo you would be Giou-senpai, and people would refer to me as… Farelli-kōhai, or Farelli-kun,” Johnny winced at how terrible and clunky his combination of words sounded. β€œUgh, I’d rather they call me Jay-kōhai, or Jay-kun, or Jay-san,” The third one put a smile on his face; that helped wash away the earlier thoughts.

As Johnny’s mind worked to compartmentalize the information graciously brought to him via his senior, he thought back to the entrance exam. It was byfar the first time he actually tried in anything academic. Nothing like his average interest and average exam results of the past, where all he cared about was getting the passing grade so he could continue his practice. For the first time, he committed himself to his progress. That he managed to strike well above average when he just committed himself like he did with his physical activities was simply astounding, even to his parents. When he got his results and the subsequent acceptance letter, he even thought that the exam was just too easy. However, when he learned about how harsh the exam really was, it made him feel more proud than he ever thought possible. She’d be proud as wel-

The foreigner’s train of thought stopped. No time for the past. There is still work to do. It was at this point that he started really paying attention to his surroundings. The purple-haired girl had been approached by an especially handsome-looking fellow with long, blonde hair. The foreigner remembered seeing that particular gentleman surrounded by many a boy and girl out in the courtyard, and continued conversing with a large group as a whole. Johnny caught the name Belrose, Aeon, as well as many words. The man spoke very deliberately, which allowed Johnny to catch more words than usual.

Johnny liked that in a person… though he may be biased for obvious reasons. In his mind, he wondered if the surname was Aeon or Belrose. Johnny figured Belrose, as Aeon did not strike him as a proper surname, unlike a name like Swanson. Swanson was very obviously a surname.

The girl- Belrose-senpai’s junior, it seemed- also spoke deliberately and professionally. He already knew how much he liked the relative ease of understanding others. Thinking back to his first encounter… or rather, avoided encounter, Johnny still wondered what her musical taste was. It seemingly did not include Coldplay. Was she into more modern stuff, or the classics like him?

His train of thought was sent off the rails when the loud announcement caught Johnny’s attention. That boy who was tackled by security earlier. He caught something about handsomeness, and two sets of words that sounded like names. Johnny figured it was an especially eccentric senior trying to find their partnered junior.

β€œI take it that’s… Miyamoto-senpai?” Johnny asked Ryou- more in a deep, almost growl-like tone, as if his powerful, smooth jazzy voice was conditioned to a point where he was oddly unable to whisper, β€œAnd the two in front of us, Belrose-senpai and Fujioka-… uhm…” Johnny scratched his head. -san seemed almost too formal, and -chan seemed way too intimate. He barely knew the girl, for goodness sakes! Then again, he did just hear Belrose refer to her with -san, so he followed suit. β€œFujioka-san?” Teachers, he thought, would be -san, -sama, or -sensei. He liked the sound of the word β€œsensei”, even if it did take up more syllables than the more efficient -san.

Or maybe -san would be the most efficient term to use for everyone. It’s so neutral, and it's only one syllable. Johnny was a man of great efficiency if nothing else. Not an ounce of needless fat on this boy’s lean bod. His lightness and athleticism would probably make him one of the fastest runners. He doesn’t know that for sure, of course. One visit to the track would prove who’s who, but the thought was present.

Speaking of running, Johnny’s desire to run began to latch on like a parasite. There were many people around, and they seemed to be grouping rather close. Johnny reached for his pocket and produced the ear buds. The music- he hoped- would help him deal with the thickening crowd. In Japanese, he managed to ask Giou-senpai, β€œDo we wait?”

--

+1 Popularity to Aeon
+1 Popularity to Yuuki
+1 Popularity to Kazuki
-GM edited-

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"It's not like I
dislike the presence of others
I simply don't want to
be bothered by them
because I had enough
to worry about without them."
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His explanation seemed to be understood as Johnny began to cite examples on how he interpreted it. There goes him being called Giou-senpai while his junior also attaching honorifics on his. It was a mouthful if he would speak his opinion. It was also rather odd to the ears when spoken. The sentiment seemed to be shared as Johnny stated he instead wanted to be called by Jay. Well, there's no trouble in that. There are instances who uses first names or nicknames but always with honorifics. "That's fine you can tell them that."

He ended his input on that matter as he Ryou reverted back to his own isolation. His eyes of silver that seemed to have inherited the light of moon gazed at the front. But, the silence was interrupted by his junior who whispered, if that's what it could be considered, the one who announced on the megaphone to be Miyamoto. He didn't look at the fellow senior because he could already foresee what's going to happen if Miyamoto sees him. Still, he did answer the question. "Yeah, that's him." He affirmed Johnny's intuition which also extended to the two students in front of them whom he only knew one, Aeon. He wasn't the kind to eavesdrop, so he never got the purple-haired student's name.

But, Johnny seemed to have gotten it. This speaks that his junior has a wide sense of observation. That's a good thing. "That's them." He then returned to his own bubble which was again burst by Johnny. This time speaking in Japanese. He could assess that his junior was still struggling with the language, but it's the same for everyone. It's a good thing he is doing his best as far as he could tell. "Seems like it." In respect, he answered in Japanese as well.

That's when Ryou felt another presence closing on him, but this one was not a fellow student. It was Araya-sensei who called out to him with a 'Giou-kun'. His eyes attached itself to her as she informed him of a last minute arrangement. He wasn't sure what that meant until another folder was given to him. "Another one?" His question was simply answered with a yes and an explanation, he could handle it and was just temporary. Somehow, he has a feeling that they just shoved it onto him since he looks the most approachable for such things. He released a sigh at this. "I understand." That answer of his was all it needed before Araya-sensei left him with an affirming nod.

When the teacher was gone, he looked at the folder and ever so slightly, his eyes widen. It was very negligible if one was not paying attention. That was because the picture attached on the folder was of another familiar face to him. Really, why is that his customers fancy to study here and buy at the shop he works at even if it was quite far. He really couldn't understand the logic of it all. "Jay." To him, it was just common in the western culture, so he was not basing it on any Japanese customs. "You're not alone. Excuse me." He stated in Japanese before standing from his seat. He should look for this other junior of his. It shouldn't be that hard.

His height gave him range and the advantage to look at the crowd. His eyes locked on to the orange-haired freshman. Ryou would have to tell her to keep his job a secret like he did with Mai. He walked towards the said freshman while adoring and speculating eyes followed his movement. He soon stopped and made his introduction even if it shouldn't be an issue anymore. "Excuse me, Saitou Vika, right?" He started with that. "Giou Ryou, I'll be your Senior partner for now." This is supposedly to be just temporary. Then, he leaned forward not making Vika speak another word before he made his piece. His action made a lot of girls feel faint and envious towards Vika. It's because he lowered his face at the side of her face. It looked very intimate as he whispered only for her ears. "Don't say anything about my job here." He then took a step back as if what he did was not out of the ordinary, but his words held such weight. He wasn't joking about it in anyway. He was serious.

"I'll introduce you to my other junior." He noted as he began to return to where Johnny is. He made sure that Vika was following him and was easing his steps to be at pace with her. He didn't want to leave her behind. When they were finally back to Johnny, he began the introductions in his own words. "This is my other Junior. Welcome to the Cheetahs." He's not really great at it obviously, but it's a start.

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Character Portrait: Aeon Shirokami Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Yuuki Fujioka Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Vika Saitou Character Portrait:
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"Miyamoto-san is a rich individual able to avail the fees of this academy. His behavior is very questionable at best, however it is ensured he does not break the rules of this institution. This is strictly implemented by Hayashi-sensei and if needed by me as requested by the Principal. In regards to his aptitude, his actions doesn't speak volumes, however, he did pass the entrance exam with flying colors along with his requirements on academic work. He does not have a failing mark ever since his enrollment."

Those words chilled her entire body as Aeon spoke, and her eyes shifted to where Miyamoto stood. Before she even realized what was going on, her whole body went numb. Here I am trying so hard.. This is just a cake walk for Miyamoto... Yuuki didn't respond to her emotions quickly enough to prevent her teeth from gritting behind her closed jaw. She was so lost in her own mind that she didn't even notice that she was lightly trembling due to a violent cocktail of jealousy and anger. She spent every ounce of her current existence training her mind, studying, and cramming information down her own throat.. and what did she have to show for it? It was people like Miyamoto that made her feel like her efforts would always prove to be in vain. She tried so hard to climb her way to the top, yet to people like him it was apparently as simple of a task as breathing. When she finally managed to collect herself, Yuuki realized that she had been quiet for quite some time, not even making eye contact with Aeon after he finished speaking. She unclenched her fists, flexing her fingers a few times as she spoke up, "I-I see..." She stuttered out in an awkward tone, eyes still directly staring at Miyamoto, even though she was speaking to Aeon.

"Thank you for the kind words and your stand is appreciated Fujioka-san."

"It's no issue, Belrose-Senpai." She responded, leaving it at that. She didn't like going through unnecessary pleasantries, and she would avoid it if at all possible. It was nothing against Aeon, but she honestly wished the event would begin, or that they could just begin classes.. She was tempted to find a quiet corner and crack open her cram school booklet she clung to as if it were a religious text.

"You are free to speak your mind to anyone that you find to be an interference. You would not need my permission in such matters. It is just that you should be reminded that your words are your own responsibility."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not looking to make any friends, so I assure you that I prefer to, and will handle any consequences that my words may bring on my own." Yuuki's tone was serious and solid. She didn't question her own resolve, not for a single moment. She knew she could handle it, she'd been through a lot of isolation and bullying, eventually they realized she refused to bend. Her eyes were set on a single goal, and so far, nothing else mattered. Although, part of her was still burning up inside. She was so angry that Miyamoto was able to keep good grades and enjoy life at the same time. She couldn't afford to slack off, the pressure on her shoulders.. It was too much to handle. She felt so helpless when her father fell ill, but now she felt like her family's future relied solely on her, and that was a lot to handle at sixteen. To be honest, she was hanging by a thread between stability and a mental overload, "I came to Airdalen to learn, my focus is a good college.. and no one will stand in my way when it comes to that."

"I understand. I will do my part enough in such activities to compensate for yours. However, there is always room for improvement. Weaknesses are never permanent. It is but an obstacle to be removed."

Suddenly, she kind of understood why he had such a large following. Although his tone was formal and he wasn't being flirtatious, his words of advice were actually rather motivational. Sure, she didn't see him like the other girls did, but suddenly, he was sort of a role model in her eyes. Judging by his vocabulary, she felt it was safe to say that he was studious. Also as she referred back to his comment about compensating for her lack of athleticism, she deduced that he was also athletic as well. Though just looking at him, it wouldn't have been hard to come to her second conclusion, although, Yuuki did her best to not judge a book by it's cover. Most assumed she was just a shy, cute little girl. She wasn't shy, so long as someone approached her with an academic conversation. Most of the time, Yuuki couldn't be further from being timid, "I'll look for a sports club that won't be too annoying.." She responded with a calm sigh. It would keep her busy if she was in a lot of clubs, besides, she did find herself with a lot of useless time at home. She could only study the same materials for so long.. A few extracurricular would do wonders for her college resume, especially if she added at least one athletic club. It wouldn't hurt her grades either if she began improving her gym scores.

"Speaking of which, Fujioka-San. There will be an activity to be held after a while. The folder contains such materials to indicate that. I would expect your cooperation and assistance then."

"Of course. I will do my best, Belrose-Senpai." Yuuki responded, her eyes finally shifting to Johnny, whose name she merely overheard a moment ago when he was talking to the blonde female (Arietta). Did he overhear her last name as well, or did she know him and simply forgot about him?

"Fujioka-… uhm… Fujioka-san?”

"Eh?" Yuuki's tone came out questioningly as she turned to face Johnny and his equally tall Senior (Ryou). This was the first time that she actually gave the brunet male a good once over, and he was much taller than she imagined. She had adjust the tilt of her head a bit higher to make eye contact than she initially did upon turning around, "Did you need something?" She asked quizzically. She didn't catch the rest of the conversation, but she was oblivious to his failed attempt of whispering. She assumed he merely was losing his voice.

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Character Portrait: Aeon Shirokami Character Portrait: Gen Fukui Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Cassiopeia Argyris Character Portrait: Vika Saitou
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β•šβ•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•β•
Vika wasn't nervous. The smile on her face seemed to stretch for miles as she glanced around, watching as the other seniors and juniors piled into the stadium. Her attention was taken by Cassiopeia, who seemed just as excited as she was. She then proceeded to show Vika a picture of her junior, and Vika's eyes widened a fraction. She knew Akira, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly at how excited Cassiopeia was to be his senior. They would get along, she was sure of it. Cassiopeia, in a way, was just like her, and if anyone could befriend Akira, it would be Cassiopeia. She bid her friend good luck as she left to find her junior, leaving Vika with Aeon and Gen. She turned to Gen when she was the next to speak, and frowned slightly.

It seemed that Gen wouldn't be her senior, and she inwardly sighed. At least whoever ended up with Gen wouldn't be bored. She blinked slightly when Aeon excused himself, and bid the blonde farewell as he, too, went to search for his junior. Vika was left to her own accord, and stayed in her spot, waiting patiently for her senior to arrive. It seemed like hours that she waited, and yet, no one appeared for her. Maybe they got lost? Or maybe I was forgotten? she mused to herself, straining her neck to see if anyone was coming for her. When no one arrived, Vika cast her gaze towards her hands, folding them neatly against her lap.

Should I go and ask the teachers what I should do? she continued, placing her thumb underneath her lip in a questioning gesture. Before she had time to allow the thought to take root, she was approached by someone familiar, or who seemed familiar to her. She blinked up at him, since he was standing and tall already, and tilted her head in a questioning manner before he leaned forward. He whispered something to her, and it finally clicked where she met him at. A slight 'oh', escaped her as she stood up to properly greet him. She gave him a friendly bow, and smiled brightly at him. It appeared he didn't want anyone to know about his job, and as it was his wish, she would comply with it.

"Don't worry, Giou-san, I will not speak a word of it," she stated softly so that only he could hear. She gave him a thumbs up before following him towards his other partner. Her senior seemed to be missing, and she was currently shifted towards another group. She wondered how long she'd be with these two before she was shifted again. When they arrived, Ryou introduced her to Johnny, and she noticed the shift in dialect as she was introduced. Perhaps Johnny didn't know Japanese? Whatever his reason, Vika chose to speak in the same dialect. It was a good thing she was multilingual. Well, being able to speak three languages counted, right?

"Hello, Johnny-san, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Vika Saitou, but you can call me Vika, or whatever you'd like. I don't mind," she stated, smiling brightly as she folded her arms beneath her back. "I don't know how long I'll be with the both of you, but I hope we can be friends," she added, closing her eyes and tilting her head to the left, the smile on her face still blossoming.



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Character Portrait: Gen Fukui Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Shintaro Tanikaze Character Portrait: Vika Saitou Character Portrait:
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is by Yoko Kanno feat. POP ETC.

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The young man didn't notice any students near him stand up to retrieve their folder, so he remained being seated like the rest. Was it just pressure? They weren't calling names of people either- but that was understandable. There was a vast number of students in the hall. It would take hours to call every single one up. As Shintaro watched rows of individuals head up to the front, he was able to identify a few seniors out of the bunch. A blonde, who he saw occasionally in the halls, and a few he heard from gossip and talk in previous years, such as Ryou, Shiori, and Gen.

It was taking quite a while for the people near him to stand up. He lightly elbowed one of them, and the girl he nudged looked at him. "H-huh...? What do you want?" she asked, surprised. She was wearing round glasses, along with the natural navy blue Airdalen uniform. "Uh, yeah... When do we get the folders?" he asked. He felt like he missed an announcement of some sort, or a message that was handed out, possibly? "Um... We're supposed to go up get our folders, but no one nearby is getting them, so I didn't either..." is what she said, before he heard a familiar voice from behind. He quickly turned around to see Gen standing there.

"Darling~" She handed him his folder. He was about to speak, but his response didn't come out fast enough. "Oh, you got paired with Vika! Please do take care of her~" He nodded. "Uhm... okay then! he said. She was the first familiar face he'd talked to this year, and for just a quick conversation, he thought it went pretty well. ”We’re a bit behind darling~” Gen said, walking away.

Shintaro opened the folder instantly after Gen left him, scanning its contents quickly. The petite, bespectacled girl who he was talking to earlier was staring first at him and then the folder, but Shintaro didn't seem to notice that. The first thing he noticed in the folder was a picture of a red-haired girl on an ID badge for the school, labeled "Vika Saitou". This was probably the Vika that Gen was speaking of, his junior. Other than that, he saw a pack of gum, some balloons, and other various supplies, probably for the year. "Balloons...?" he looked oddly at them, and then let it go with a shrug. Then he remembered there was a girl behind him. "O-oh yeah! You have to go up to the front to get your folder. I guess you shouldn't follow whatever these guys are doing." The three males who were just sitting in front of the two looked behind, and when Shintaro stood up to look for Vika, he noticed that the boys already had their folders. "Well that explains everything..." he thought to himself, before leaving that row.

With the badge in hand, Shintaro set off to look for his junior. There was a small selection of red haired girls scattered around the large hall, but he had to find the right one. "Vika, Vika, Vika..." he muttered, when he caught sight of a female matching her appearance speaking to a young brown-haired boy and Ryou, who was probably a senior by now. He made his way through the crowd, saying "Sumimasen" countless times, to get through politely. He was just feet away, when he was able to barely overhear the conversation. "Hello, Johnny-san, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Vika Saitou, but you can call me Vika, or whatever you'd like. I don't mind." she said, and Shintaro knew that this was Vika at that.

He quickly rushed up to the three, but stood back just enough so that they could continue uninterrupted. He'd already caused Vika enough problems by making her wait, so he didn't speak to her or make himself that noticeable that quickly. "Oh, she's probably going to kill me before I even apologize..." he said quietly.

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Johnny was nearly about to pop in his earbuds to listen to some Rolling Stones. Such an action for calming music was not meant to be, however. β€œEh?” the violet-haired girl he observed earlier suddenly asked, β€œDid you need something?” Johnny knew all of these particular words, but the suddenness took him off-guard. Evidently, she managed to hear him exercise the new knowledge provided by his senior. After all, he was speaking rather low, as his chords were too powerful to whisper.

β€œWhat?” Johnny asked, in English, as he turned his head to the shorter girl. He then corrected himself when he realised he was talking to someone who very likely didn’t know his native language. β€œWait, shit- I mean, shoot... Damnit.” Johnny put a hand to his forehead as he adjusted his seating. He didn’t know the word for β€œhonorifics”, or whatever the term the Japanese used to describe said honorifics. Since he didn’t know the specific terms, he spent a couple seconds thinking of a work-around with the words he did know. β€œVery sorry. Heard name, wanted to say correctly,” was the gist of what he managed to say in the new country’s language.

Heh… nailed it… totally… yeah, I probably nailed jack. He fought a grimace at his own ineptitude, hoping like hell that whatever he said made a lick of sense and explained himself properly. During this slightly embarrassing situation, Giou-senpai was called away by that one teacher with the intense eyes. Johnny nodded to his senior before returning his attention to the girl he feels he might have offended… somehow? Was there something against saying names… or against whispering? Or attempted whispering? Sometimes Johnny’s self-consciousness got the better of him, flooding his mind with questions without answers, flooding whatever narratives he could think of, and also these very paragraphs with worthless dreg. Worst of all, it was very unlike him. The Johnny he knew was confident, full of gusto, who didn't let little things keep him down. A new culture seemed to bring such an uncharacteristic behaviour to the front lines for the first time ever... that, and the past... Though his face didn’t twist, a slight flush betrayed any professional demeanour he tried to pose. The girl’s lovely golden eyes certainly didn’t help his attempts to remain professional any.

Regardless of the girl’s reaction, Johnny made sure he apologized once more, before Ryou returned with another girl. With yet one more apology, he wiped a hand over his face to try to wipe away the embarrassment. The foreigner stood from his chair and turned to greet the newcomer. An orange-haired girl with dark, yet vibrant eyes- not nearly as vibrant as his own eyes, (green as healthy leaves) but bright nonetheless. She had a physique similar to his mother’s back in what she described as her β€œheyday”, if old photos were anything to go by. The general shape of the physique was the only similarity, however. Like Arietta, this new girl was easy on the ey-

… Goddam- Johnny got the feeling his face-wipe didn’t do anything. So many mistakes already mad-

β€œHello, Johnny-san, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Vika Saitou, but you can call me Vika, or whatever you’d like. I don’t mind.”

Oh thank god, More importantly than the previous observaions, she spoke English. Johnny’s new worries about meeting yet another person melted away, only to spawn new ones. Did everyone in this school understand English? Johnny wondered, Because that would kind of defeat the purpose of my continued learning of Japanese.

β€œI don’t know how long I’ll be with the both of you, but I hope we can be friends,” Vika-san added.

Friends. Yeah, Johnny could use friends, especially in a foreign country where he knew no one. Especially useful were friends to help put the past behind him. β€œCharmed, Vika-san,” Johnny quipped with a bow of his head, β€œYou know my name already, but you can call me Jay for short.”

Over Vika’s shoulder, Johnny spotted another boy approaching. This one seemed to look younger than Johnny or Giou. However, judging by the folder the boy had, this one appeared to be a senior, and a more academic-focused senior at that. The poor guy had skinny arms- as evidenced by his uniform sleeves- which were not stretched tight by any muscle besides the usual thickness around the elbows. The blue-black hair contrasted sharply with Johnny’s natural brown.

When he noticed the boy suddenly decide to keep his distance, Johnny spoke up. He heard the word used before as a greeting, but he wasn’t entirely sure what it meant. β€œOhayou,” He also quickly added the explanation that his Japanese speech was pretty much only a month in development… without the specifics. Basically he said his Japanese wasn’t that good.

-

+1 Popularity to Yuuki
+1 Popularity to Vika

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"It's not like I
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The announcement soon commenced. Ryou looked towards the front where Kita-sensei explained the activity to be held with the help of Araya-sensei. There were a few antics from the female teachers, but the instructions were clear for the most part. They were going to have a Balloon Pop. He had never heard of it before, but whatever it might be most of the students were excited about a wish being granted. It was rather ironic as he had done earlier with a sakura petal.

His silver eyes held a ghostly tint of sadness, before it disappeared into nothing as he heard Vika addressing him. The girl was excusing herself while also apologizing as a teacher came over to them. It seemed like there was something very urgent for Vika to take care of. "Don't worry about it. Go on. Later." He spoke in Japanese for this matter as he was again left with just one junior which was Johnny. Ryou looked at the contents of his folder and took out the pens, papers, and balloons. "Here. Write your wish and then we'll look for the Leopards." This time, he didn't revert to English.

He also did his own wish. He wrote it in a piece of paper after making it smaller and then rolling it. He placed it inside the balloon and then began inflating it. The action didn't take long for him. It was even effortless as his balloon was quite huge and it was not in threat of popping. He made sure that it wasn't push to its limits. He then tied the end to make sure the air doesn't get out when he's done, he looked at Johnny. "Are you done?" Still in Japanese, it was his own way of helping his junior to get used to the language. He did notice that Johnny was having a hard time as proven with the girls earlier.

Ryou began to look around if he could spot someone carrying a folder with Leopard. It seemed that would be a bit hard as he suddenly remember Vika's folder. He looked at it and saw the team name Leopard. This was certainly interesting. A team is composed of two, a senior and a junior. Now, the junior had left and the senior is nowhere to be found. He should notify a teacher about this. He looked at Johnny again and noticed that the younger male had greeted someone. His eyes went to that direction and saw a familiar face. If he remembered correctly, that is Shintaro Tanikaze, another senior. They passed by each other, nothing special. Then, there was something in his mind that connected. "Tanikaze-san." He called out to the other senior. When he knew that, he has the guy's attention, he continued. "Are you a Leopard?" He asked, but if not. There was no trouble, he did just ask. Still, it is a problem even if Shintaro was a Leopard. Vika has left which makes them an incomplete team. Would that be fine?

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That was odd. Vika just dismissed herself. I wonder what could have been so important... Shintaro thought to himself, watching the red-head leave without saying hello. Well, at least someone else was saying hello. Shintaro noticed that the young man that Vika was talking to was greeting him, as well. It was a shame, because Gen seemed like she wanted him and Vika to get along.

Before approaching the male, he was intercepted by another nearby male: Ryou Giou. "Tanikaze-san. Are you a Leopard?" he asked, and Shintaro nodded. "But I noticed Vika left... Maybe I took too long..." he said, with a slight frown. "Since you asked that, I'm guessing you're a Cheetah?" He then turned to the boy standing next to him. He had brown hair and green eyes, an abnormal combination for someone from Asia. "And this is your kouhai, I assume?" he asked, with a smile.

β€œOhayou,” he greeted, and Shintaro nodded. It wasn't an Asian accent (more specifically, Japanese)- meaning that he was a foreigner. Well, even if he wasn't Asian, a foreigner was good enough. If only they were more common...

"Yo. You speak English?" Shintaro said, with a rather shabby Asian-American accent. At least, he seemed to be American. In his life, Shintaro had seen very few real life Americans. Most of them were muscled baseball or football players on TV- and some were very... buxom-figured women holing cigarettes in magazines. Otherwise, they were just tourists and otakus fooling around in Akiba. Nevertheless, this one was not that much different from the players he'd seen on various media. He seemed to be much more well-built than Shintaro or any of his friends, and definitely taller as well.

He slowly approached, before speaking up. "You probably wonder why no one speaks English, right?" he said, with broken grammar. "Well, some do, I think." He grinned. It was his first time talking with an actual American, so the English he learned in Korea was foggy and mostly broken.

"Anyway, my name is Shintaro. I come from South Korea, and I'm to be Ms. Vika's jun-yur." He had a feeling that he said something wrong or mispronounced something. "Well, I was supposed to." He ruffeled the back of his hair in embarrassment. She probably left because he took too long.

Regardless, he held out his hand. If he made a mistake, hopefully this guy would correct him. "What is your name?" he asked, with curiosity. If he was talking to Vika, that meant he had something to do with her anyway.

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Once more, attention was pulled en masse towards the podium, where an absurdly well-endowed teacher with long, Rapunzel-like blonde hair spoke with deliberation into the microphone. Though there was a steady pace in her speech, the teacher in question added unusual emphasis to the words she spoke. There were unusual pauses, among other verbal tics that implied that this teacher was very ditzy, light-hearted, and probably daydreaming throughout the speech. Visually, she was a polar opposite to the brunette teacher with the eyes that resembled Johnny’s own at times. She mentioned something about splitting into the teams, but Johnny did now yet know the word for balloons.

He did catch something about writing something onto a slip of paper and slipping said slips into a balloon. The visual aid was (though awkward) well-appreciated. However, he did not learn β€œwish” yet, so he was entirely out of the loop for what purpose the paper would serve. There was later mention about calling names and body parts, which confused Johnny greatly, considering he lacked all the required context. Even with Ryou speaking in Japanese to help Johnny out, he still didn’t understand the word β€œwish”. Ryou also handed Johnny a pen, a slip of paper, and a balloon.

Lastly, from the teacher, he did understand the order to form a circle. At that point, Johnny managed to piece together what was happening. His old schools did similar things with pieces of paper and odd activities that were not physically taxing to perform. The pieces of paper were used for… The foreigner tried to remember way back when.

A goal, perhaps? Or… Oh! That word must be something like β€œgoal”, or… β€œwish”? Johnny pondered what he would write in the paper. There were the obvious ones; success in his studies, achieving his dreams, being the best man he could be, leaving his mark on the world, but all of those sounded like long-term goals, rather than wishes for the present.

With that one limitation, the choice became abundantly clear. Johnny placed the slip of paper onto the back of his hand and wrote down, β€œI wish to move forward, my way, fearless and with purpose.” He did not know calligraphy, so he wrote his sentence in his native language. His handwriting was well-practiced, and looked quite excellent, despite him standing up and writing with the slip of paper on the back of his hand. It was a small, unintentional display of the dexterity of his hands and fingers. He rolled up the piece of paper and slipped into the mouth of the leaf-green balloon he received.

Ryou left to find the other team, leaving Johnny by himself, besides Yuuki’s response. Yuuki’s response was in English, and sounded very much like how he imagined his attempts to explain his skill with a foreign language came across. However, this girl struck him as academically strong, and was probably doing a better job than he was. He spoke in English at-first out of impulse, and didn’t realise the girl probably didn’t speak English.

Those uncertainties regarding her knowledge of language, of course, were quashed. However, the girl’s response to Johnny’s attempt at an explanation did concern the foreigner greatly. This could be going better, he thought. Johnny pushed the awkwardness out of his mind as he bid farewell to regroup with Ryou for the upcoming activity. First meets had a tendency to be awkward, and it took discipline to put that awkward meet behind him so he could foster a meaningful friendship. He knew this from experience.

Ryou was with the nearby blue-haired boy, who had also responded in kind as Johnny approached in kind. Jesu Christo, Johnny thought, Everyone knows goddamn English here? Am I just wasting my time?

β€œYo, you speak English?” the boy asked in a weirdly pronounced English. There was a heavy accent, but the words were at least clear.

β€œIs the Pope Catholic?” Johnny asked with a grin. Hopefully the joke would take. The Pope is world-renowned, he was certain… sort of…

Regardless of this abundance of English-speakers, Johnny was not about to stop learning the language. However, it did make the nights of the past month spent reading his pocket dictionary seem rather pointless in hindsight. At least this blue-haired one held a similar level with English as Johnny did with Japanese… sort of… There was a question about why no one spoke English, which confused Johnny. Wouldn’t it be the other way around? Wouldn’t the answer be β€˜I don’t actually wonder why no one speaks English in Japan- it’s the country where the Japanese language is from.’ He did not make that reply, however, and chalked the confusion up to the other boy’s skill in the foreigner’s own language.

Johnny switched to English for this particular encounter. He grasped Shintaro-senpai’s hand with his right hand. (His left continued to hold the balloon with the note.) His long, lean fingers practically engulfed the smaller boy’s hand like a tidal wave. Though he looked lean and skinny, there was a great amount of seemingly effortless strength put into his handshake- like it was well-practiced. In reality, he had to shake hands with many when he was in his older school teams- especially the opposing teams he wound up beating. β€œI’m Johnny, but you can call me Jay. I’m Ryou-senpai’s junior,” Johnny replied, fighting back a grimace at how out-of-place the Japanese term was in his English sentence. Regardless, he did pronounce his words correctly, so Shintaro could pick up on the proper pronunciation.

From the edge of his vision, he noticed a number of people blowing up their own balloons. Some of the balloons also had slips of paper inside them. Balloon bop, Johnny wondered as he brought his own fresh balloon up. He stretched the balloon out to build it’s flexibility, and he brought the mouth to his lips.

His powerful lungs- conditioned for optimal oxygen intake for long stretches of cardio, coupled with the rest of his vocal organs, made blowing up the balloon a cinch. He blew it up to an optimal fullness with one and a half breaths. He then tied the knot and tested his handiwork. He bounced it lightly off his elbows, with only a foot’s height in the air at a time. Satisfied, he snatched the balloon out of the air and palmed it like his hands would do a basketball.

Yeah, I can do balloons, Johnny thought as he twirled the balloon on his finger- also not unlike a basketball. "I didn't quite catch everything, but do we bop balloons into the air, and call for others to make the next bop?"

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"It's not like I
dislike the presence of others
I simply don't want to
be bothered by them
because I had enough
to worry about without them."
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His guess was on point. This makes them a three-man group. It can't be helped since Vika had left on some emergency. He hoped that everything will be fine with her. She was a nice customer. He stopped his thoughts at that, because there was nothing else to think about really. He focused instead at the people in front of him. Shintaro asked him if he was a Cheetah. He nodded as his simple answer and then, there was the next question about Johnny being his kouhai. "Yeah." The conversation was now focused on the introduction between Johnny and Shintaro.

Ryou took this chance to approach one of the teachers. He told them the situation of how the Leopards are missing a junior. He wanted them to know and to advise them what to do on this group activity. He was then told that to continue with the activity with just the three of them. It seemed that Shintaro's missing junior would be addressed tomorrow. He accepted the instruction and returned to the two males. "Tanikaze-san." He called out to the fellow senior. "You'll join us as instructed." He wasn't really the kind to explain things. The thing with the honorifics was already hard for him in an essence, he had never spoken in so many words before.

He looked at Johnny when he noticed that his junior was playing with an already inflated balloon. "Have you done yours?" He asked Shintaro before looking at Johnny again who asked about the balloon bop activity. It seems that Johnny wasn't able to fully understand the instructions. It was spoken in Japanese so, it was understandable.

He really doesn't like explaining, but this is his responsibility as Johnny's senior. "A balloon is thrown in the air and the person who threw it will call a name and a body part." He looked at his balloon and threw it to the air at a relative height before catching it easily without looking at it. His eyes were on Johnny. "The person called will make the balloon stay in the air with only the body part called and it continues on." His eyes then looked at his balloon which contained his wish. "If the balloon falls to the ground, it remains there. The last balloon with a wish in the air wins and the wish is said to come true. We're grouped with the Leopards in this event." He explained that in fluent English, but at the same time translating it in Japanese in each pauses of his statements.

He then remembered that he should tell Shintaro what the teacher told him. "Tanikaze-san, the teacher said that your junior will be taken care of tomorrow." This time, it was spoken in Japanese. It did take him a long time before he did manage to speak a well-enough Japanese, even now. There were still some things, he doesn't know about the language or even the culture. He would just make it in his own way when he encounters certain things he doesn't know about. "Johnny, do you have any other questions?" He began to speak in Japanese again. His junior was trying isn't he? He won't let that go to waste.

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Katsumi Kurosawa
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Location || Outside?
Dialogue || #6B3E53
Thoughts || #804080
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"So where did your senior go Kurosawa-san?" A teacher asked with his arms crossed and foot tapping away. "She requested a change this time." He obviously appeared irk and she didn't blame him... This wasn't the first time she was left unsupervised by her senior, she sighed remembering what happened.

Flash Back


"Katsumi you could do this..." She stared intensely at the bathroom mirror, "Smiles arent hard..just.. focus" She added, before taking a deep breath.. Slowly she began to smile, and while she did so, she nodded approvingly. What she put forward seemed natural enough, a kind of calm sort of grin really, 'Aye not bad.' Katsumi thought victoriously, 'Maybe this year wont be a total failure.' Feeling her sense of hope rise, she walked out of the bathroom with a slight hop in her steps, "Ne Senior-sa-" Suddenly she found her back being pressed against the wall, as if she was trying to hide.. "What...?"

"So I heard your Junior was Katsumi Kurosawa.." A girl said, as her name was taboo or something, "You must be pretty brave." Another girl began to nod, agreeing with the first girl's statement, "Yeah did you hear, not only was she seen soaked in blood (in actuality, just red paint) in the art room, but she also got kicked out of her past school due to gang activities.. geez scary.." Silence pursued, before the hateful question was asked, "What do you think of her Senpai? I mean, you've been around her for awhile right?"

Katsumi's fingers tightened to form a fist, she knew this was going to happen, 'Please senpai..' She thought desperately.. It was the last thing she wanted to hear, her own senior calling her out and agreeing with the notorious rumors. Katsumi thought she gave off a good impression, she practiced so hard with her brother, was it all for not?

"Yeah she's pretty scary, I swear every time my backs turned, I feel like shes about to pounce me." Her lips tightened. "It so scary to know she's always behind me, and shes trying to act all goody two shoes, but yknow she just wants to take advantage of you.." Her pulse increased. "God, why did I have to be paired wi-"

"Sorry."

Three sets of eyes met hers and if she wasn't so "pissed", she would have laughed, they looked like a bunch of deer caught in the headlights. "But what were you saying?" She smiled, however it was not like the one she practiced, instead it was- "GAH!" In seconds flat she was left alone in the hallway, her "smile" gone, and she merely stuff her hands into her pocket, slouching slightly. "Whatever." Her voice was flat, uncaring, while her face appeared stoic and nonchalant.

She was quite used to this.


End


"Sorry... my fault." She replied, not bothering to take time to explain what happened. She knew it was going to be in vain, for the rumors that went around not only went to the students but teachers as well, which was obvious when she saw the look the teacher was giving her. Sighing, he massaged his temples, "Kurosawa-San, I know you just moved but please dont make such trouble.." She nodded solemnly. "Well for now, go to the group of three over there, we'll arrange something for you later."

Without saying a word, she walked away towards her designated group for this.. "balloon pop"? She remembered the instructions, clearly understanding it, but even then, she never played the game before so she had her doubts. However that wasn't the problem she was worried about, 'Would they freak out too.' She studied the men from afar, 'They seem.. friendly enough.' If anything, her nerves relaxed since in her experience, most male students freaked out less- maybe they judged less or perhaps it was just a front to keep their masculinity in tact? She wouldn't know but at least one of them seemed tough.. (Ryou). The other two? Questionable.

"Hey." (She is currently speaking in Japanese) She lifted a hand up in a curt yet boyish form of greeting, "I was sent over by the teacher," She gestured a thumb towards said "sensei", "he said since this is a group of three I could make it even." Katsumi explained, hoping to disguise the fact that she had no senior to pair up with and that it was simply due to uneven groups.

Attempting a smile, despite her secretly bitter mood, she decided to introduce herself, "Im Katsumi Kurosawa, nice to meet cha three." She eyed them, curious if they would recognize her as a result of the rumors, it would be nice if they didnt, but she highly doubt it.
[OOC: Sorry if its rushed, but I wanted to jump in as soon as possible~]

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The explanation was simple, yet exactly what Johnny needed. Though unsure about the usefulness of his learning the language, he did appreciate the option to communicate clearly. Regardless, he wanted to continue conversing in the language this country was known for. β€œNo. Thank you very much, Ryou-senpai,” Johnny returned, also in Japanese. The simple phrases he used were among the first he learned. As a result, that particular response sounded very competent. Johnny continued to bop the balloon with the flexibility and skill that garnered him the sports-related prestige in his old schools.

Almost as if on-cue, the blonde teacher announced the start of the balloon bop. Johnny snatched his balloon out of the air. β€œOk, let us begin,” was the general gist of his addition. This time, it was right back to amateur town.

Johnny formed up opposite the other two dudes. The stark contrast between the two fit giants and the skinny short-stuff would make the stuff of legends if anyone had been paying attention to this particular group. Chances are, everyone else was focused on their own brand of the same activity. With a single tap of his fist, Johnny launched his balloon up close to the ceiling. There would be plenty of time for him to call a name, a body part, and for the intended student to make due on the limitations.

For now, Johnny had no deeper concerns. There was only the present, and the balloons filling the air with the sounds of rubber drums, as students bopped at their own pace. The rhythm was haphazard, but Johnny could tell there was a groove to be made somewhere in the collection of sounds that flooded the large, echoing chamber of the gymnasium. Might as well start with his Senior. β€œRyou-Senpai,” he called in Japanese. He then struggled for a split second. The only name for a body part he learned was β€œfoot”, so he went with exactly that. β€œFoot.”

It was then that the new Junior arrived. She spoke in Japanese, only she sounded similarly as Johnny thought he sounded. It sounded like a more casual version of a greeting, followed by some kind of explanation involving one of the teach… Sensei’s? Sensei? Whatever… Still, another foreigner? Johnny wondered. She looked different from the Japanese folks he’d seen this past month. This girl looked more… Chinese…? It was hard for him to tell. He couldn’t be arsed to put those differences into words for his brain because she looked kinda cute. She had long, dark hair and perfect pearly-whites and-

… I don’t even know where to start with you, dude, Johnny thought to himself. Don’t you even see it?

Indeed, one look for Johnny’s trained eye, and the foreigner could see that the new girl’s eyes betrayed the smile she wore. There was definitely some kind of darkness within her, much like many students. Johnny recalled his father once say that β€œThat darkness you see is a teenager coming to grips with their identity.” Seeing that look in his eyes in the mirror since last year, Johnny knew exactly what pops spoke of. β€œIt’s a part of growing up.” Johnny got that from his dad, though he did not say that it was his own eyes that he noticed that occasional oddness to them.

Despite that read, Johnny knew nothing about any rumors, nor anything beyond "she's got her own deal, same as everyone else". He only waved back with that confident, yet not at all fake smile of his, and an equally decent word in greeting. The past is the past, and previous weak encounters would make way for better encounters. Time to pull the stops, he thought, this time the greet will go swimmingly. The foreigner, of course, knew jack squat about this girl, and he wouldn’t be sure what to think if he knew.

Frankly, all the foreigner cared to know about at this point was that she needs to get her wish and balloon set up so she can join the game proper.

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Popularity +1 to Katsumi

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Katsumi Kurosawa Character Portrait: Shintaro Tanikaze Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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"I guess that this year
will be different from last one
I'm more talkative than I have to
but, i don't mind it
as much I had thought otherwise
I'll just see what happens."
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His junior has no other questions for the mean time. That's good to know. He looked at the balloon in his hand which carried his wish inside. He knew deep inside that this activity was just for fun. It's impossible for a wish to be granted just like that with a balloon bop game, if it did, people would just be playing this game all of their lives. Ryou even with such stark thoughts actually, wanted to believe that this superstition would add a chance in her recovery, at the most.

He then heard the teacher saying that they were to start. Johnny was rearing to go on ahead which his junior did. He was bout to follow the trend especially when he called out his name, but there was another addition to their group. His eyes went to the newcomer, forgetting the activity around them. It was a girl with a rough demeanor around her. She wasn't like most of the girls he had seen around him. Most usually are very feminine as he recall his experiences with them. This was... refreshing. She began to explain about being sent here by the teacher to make the group even, but he doubted that. She was a face he doesn't recognize. It meant a freshman. She must also be in the same circumstances like Shintaro, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Giou, Ryou." He introduced himself simply, then looked at Johnny and Shintaro to do the same. "Here." He showed her balloons. "Pick one and then write on a piece of paper what you wish for. Put it inside the balloon after, then inflate it." He explained and somehow, he was opting to record his voice in a recorder, so he won't have to say the same things again. It was nothing against anyone, he just wasn't used talking a lot or even leading situations.

He also noted that smile of hers. "Kurosawa-san." He started and then did what he had always done for all the juniors for this school year. "Welcome to Airdalen." He wasn't being sarcastic or anything. He was just told that it would be appropriate to say that. It was then he heard some of the students that were looking at them whisper about a word, scary. He wasn't sure what that was about, but he ignored it. Just like his junior, he wasn't well-read with the rumors flying about. He wasn't the guy to let himself get lost in it or really cared for it. More importantly, he really doesn't care about a person's preference or anything beyond or behind them. It was okay as long as it wouldn't bother him.

It wasn't mandated to him to be a judge or whatever. "Just tell me, when you're ready. We'll continue the game." He waited for a while to give Katsumi time to prepare her balloon and wish. When the balloon and she had told him, she was done. He started the activity again by doing what Johnny called him out on earlier. "Let's go." He then kicked his balloon into the air with his right foot. The balloon was rather high in the air even if his kick appeared to have no strength. "Jay. chin." He continued on for the others. "Tanikaze-san, shoulder. Kurosawa-san, knee."

Just like that, their balloon bop activity had finally began, hopefully, everything else would proceed on smoothly.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Katsumi Kurosawa Character Portrait: Shintaro Tanikaze Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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Johnny "Jay" Farelli


β€œJay,” Ryou called, β€œChin.”

You got it, Johnny thought. He considered his options for accomplishing the challenge posed to him. He could jump up and bop the balloon at the right time, but even with a good jump, that would only send the balloon a certain length. The force behind the jump would be spent on pushing his body, and not transfer properly into the balloon to send it high enough for him to send a command, let alone let the next student react.

One other option: Johnny stepped swiftly to the estimated landing zone for the incoming balloon, and dropped onto his back. From there, he pulled both legs up with a slight bend. His flexibility allowed his legs to cross over his head. When the balloon was mere feet away, Johnny thrust his legs out and forward without grazing the balloon. Performing a well-practiced tip-up, Johnny tilted his head upwards to poke out his pointed chin. His core tensed up as the force applied to his legs transferred to his torso and neck like a bullet. With the sudden change in force, Johnny’s torso lifted off the ground. Though a tall, lean boy, Johnny performed the recovery surprisingly well. It seemed it wasn’t the first time he had to get off his muscular back. Indeed, in his old schools, Johnny was often targeted by the heavier athletes in games, since they knew just how much of a threat Johnny was on the field.

More importantly, however, the timing could not have been more nearly perfect. The swing of the foreigner’s back, neck, and head allowed the chin to whip the balloon with enough force to propel the balloon higher than his initial idea of a simple jump. The wish-container was once more in the air. Hell yeah! he thought as the feeling of the thin rubber membrane propelled away from him. His feet stamped lightly against the floor as he righted himself from the jump. He felt a sense of pride in his physical prowess for a good couple of seconds, only to realize that he hadn’t called out a name and body part yet.

Most importantly, the maneuver send the balloon slightly outside the perimeter of their circle.

Shit, he thought as his mind raced. Next up would have to be the girl, who had introduced herself as Katsumi Kurosawa. She appeared to speak with a similar accent to Johnny’s. Could she know English? It would make this game easier… But she still had to make her wish-balloon.

Best to keep it safe. He went with Ryou once more. β€œRyou-senpai,” he called. In English, he added, β€œInner elbow- like volleyball.” Of course, he did not know that particular combination of words in Japanese. Johnny knew little about Japanese, as if that ever needed to be stated. Quickly, while he was still clear of incoming balloons, he asked Katsumi, [b]β€œHey, do you know English?”[b]

It was then that he realised that there was a light layer of dust that had settled on the waxed floor over the night after the waxing took place., and the backside of the black uniform held an imprint of dust where his muscles pressed down against the floor. Thankfully, the task did no damage to the buttons. If the foreigner's uniform had been any tighter a fit, that would have been a different story. His flexible arms managed to reach behind him and pat away some of the dust... only some, however.

Aw man, are there customs discouraging dusty uniforms? he wondered.

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Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Katsumi Kurosawa Character Portrait: Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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Katsumi tried to ignore it, but... 'Why is this guy staring..' She thought, feeling green (Johnny) eyes study her, and whether it was a conscious or unconscious examination of her person, she couldn't help but feel nervous, 'Is something on my face..?' As casually as she could, she brushed her cheeks, only to feel nothing out of the usual. 'huh...' She frowned, frustrated with herself, 'This is a waste of time'

Was she really worried about how these men saw her...? Katsumi would have normally scoffed at the thought, but it was true one way or another and who could blame her, she just didnt want the past to replay, especially with this chance God seemed have given her... They barely seemed to recognize her.. 'Thats good..' Her frown was replaced with an unusually soft smile, 'Perhaps-'

"Giou, Ryou." A deep voice introduced, causing her to snap out of her train of thought, and instead focus on the man named "Ryou". "Here." He showed her balloons. She blinked, listening in. "Pick one and then write on a piece of paper what you wish for. Put it inside the balloon after, then inflate it." Nodding between his words in understanding, she finally confirmed her new found knowledge of the game with a thumbs up- "Got it.. thanks.." She murmured, still uneasy around the new group, but the upperclassmen did something that caught her off guard. "Kurosawa-san." She looked at him in question, "hm?"

"Welcome to Airdalen." Her eyes widened a fraction, before a lopsided grin pulled at her lips, "Thanks!" Feeling a bit better, her feelings of the game went from "apathetic" to "eagered"- she was ready! Taking the balloon, and paper, she took a moment of thought before quickly jotting down her wish and blowing up the balloon, soon good to go.

"Kurosawa-san, knee."

"Easy!" She replied with her usual confidence but also with newfound hope, perhaps this really was a chance of redemption. 'And these men.. are my angels..' She paused, laughing at her own cliche thoughts before shaking her head, 'But really, karma is on my side today.'

Now hyped with good feeling, she tossed the balloon up and began to knee the balloon, casually showing off her skills in the athletic category. It was rather impressive, watching her spin and move before hitting the balloon with much precision. But it looks like she wasn't the only one with such skill, for her eyes found themselves on the tallest man (johnny) of the group who was moving in such rapid motions that it made her laugh, 'ha is he dancing or something?'

β€œHey, do you know English?” She blinked, taking a moment, before tilting her head, (She will be speaking english from here) "e-english? Me no s-speak the a-american.." Her voice was broken, while her expression remained clueless, but it was only for a second before a chuckle escaped her, "Ah Im kidding, yes I speak English, its way easier then Japanese, thats for sure." She said, darkening at the mentioning of the damn language- it was so damn difficult for her to learn, and it caused her so many problems, but now that she found another that spoke english, perhaps it wouldnt be so frustrating? "We're on the same boat huh?" She laughed, noting his odd accent as well.

[note: A little rushed, but lets keep going! Ill be adding stat points soon]

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Katsumi Kurosawa Character Portrait: Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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"I guess that this year
will be different from last one
I'm more talkative than I have to
but, I don't mind it
as much I had thought otherwise
I'll just see what happens."
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Ryou duly noted that both of the juniors in the group have athletic prowess. That was a good thing to have. He understood others who lack in that department, but never cast a judgment on them. Everyone can't have all, so those who have should do their best with it and as far as he could see. These two were rather at ease with their physical abilities.

His eyes then drifted for a moment to Shintaro, seeing that his fellow senior was rather quiet throughout. He did have a thought that he would be the far more talkative between them, but it seemed that he had taken that responsibility. It wasn't something he would blame anyone for. He just didn't like any work left unfinished in a sense. His attention was taken when he heard Jay calling for his name.

It was his turn once more as Jay managed to rely the words of receiving the balloon with a gesture used in volleyball. That wasn't a problem as much he could provide. His silvery eyes like the moon looked for the balloon which was rather given quite the toss by his junior. The balloon itself was moving outside their perimeter, but that was part of the game. It wasn't something he would quarrel with anyone.

He took a step back as his eyes never left the balloon, but he also did mind his surroundings. He wouldn't want to bump into anyone so recklessly. Seeing that the balloon would be within his reach, he prepared himself to receive it with the body part asked of him, unlike the juniors who added theatrics in their movements,

Ryou didn't have those. He was simple and definite, but it was always enough to do the job. He then bumped the balloon with his inner elbow with a force enough to propel the balloon back into their inner circle and enough time for anyone to receive it.

"Kurosawa-san, forehead." He stated and then looked at Jay again. "Jay, back." He didn't call out to Shintaro because he wasn't sure if the other senior was already in the game or was having a hard time. He wouldn't want that and simply focused on the two who seemed pretty hyped with the activity. It was actually nice to see that they are enjoying themselves. If that was the case, he would not stop them. He also noticed that Jay started a conversation with Katsumi. That's good. Jay should build his social circle other than him. He had already remembered what happened with the other girls earlier. It seemed that there would be no repeat since Katsumi's answer seemed to be favorable.

He didn't interrupt or say anything. He just focused himself on the game while noting that the female was also a foreigner based on what she said. Well, it seemed that Airdalen was indeed a melting pot of many nationalities, isn't it? It's not bad, really.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Johnny Farelli Character Portrait: Ryou Giou Character Portrait: Katsumi Kurosawa Character Portrait: Character Portrait: Character Portrait:
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Johnny Farelli


Johnny did not quite catch the thing about dancing. Though he did know a few dances himself, the idea to perform some of them did not cross his mind. After all, he did miss Katsumi's quip about dancing. To the false stereotypical accent, however, Johnny did hear, and he responded in kind with a hearty chuckle. β€œOh for sure! So many words to memorize, dude! and that’s not even counting the-β€œ He stopped when he noticed the balloon closing in on him.

β€œJay, back,” was Ryou’s call. Johnny bent forward and propelled himself into the air. This stunt was a lot easier than the one with the chin, and the balloon bounced off his back with ease. He naturally arced forward from the jump, and risked landing on his face. His legs, however, bent quickly, and brought his feet directly beneath his body. He landed on his feet, and righted himself once more. The balloon was sent not nearly as high- pretty much the bare minimum of acceptable height to make a call. It went far from Ryou-senpai, towards the girl Katsumi.

β€œKurosawa-san, other knee!” Johnny called to the girl in English. He deep-down wondered how ridiculous that mix of Japanese and English terms sounded.

It had to sound ridiculous, like one of those pretentious American kids who learn a fraction of the language to understand their cartoons. Those cartoons are weird, though. Johnny never watched any of them. He wondered if any of these students watched those things… Come to think of it, Johnny had yet to watch any TV throughout his first month of living in Japan. The tiny TV set in the kitchen was never on when he was home.

Not that he minded, though. He spent his first month learning the layout of the land, the location of stores, shopping for supplies for school, reading the dictionary, his daily routine for maintaining his perfect bod, and his personal hobby especially. He never had time for TV, and many conversations his father had with the local store clerks seemed to involve TV shows.

Wait, what was he saying earlier…? β€œOh yeah, that’s not even counting proper grammar and stuff,” he continued as he continued trying to dust his back. He couldn’t tell that he finished wiping everything off several swipes ago. He could reach every nook and cranny with his flexible shoulders, after all.

β€œI’m Johnny, but you can call me Jay.” Johnny said, β€œHow long have you been in Japan?” Though one could have a different take on his demeanour, Johnny was simply trying to strike a conversation after that embarrassing failure with those two girls earlier. Despite initial thoughts, he didn’t have anything untoward in mind at the moment.

Good on him, his parents would think if Johnny was aware he wasn’t thinking about such things. He was only focused on something normal. A conversation that would land him in a decent, not at all strange standing in school. As he currently was, no one even wanted to speak to him unless it was mandatory. Indeed, it was very much the opposite of his old school. Of course, he didn’t know the details on the darkness in the girl’s eyes. He honestly didn’t much care about that. All that mattered now were the flying balloons.