Ryou Giou's Story

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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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██There was the commentary about a group of girls glaring at his current seatmates. His eyes traveled to where those people could be found. The girls immediately flinched and gave him some ridiculous waves and smiles when they noticed his gaze. He truly wondered what do they see in him. He was no celebrity who appears on movies, TV shows or do concerts. He was also not a model who do magazine covers and other things. He was a simple guy by his own standards whatever that could be.

"I feel the same way." Ryou noted as he released a sigh about it. He just gotten used to such events that he had taken it to a stride and just ignore it as much as possible. The only time he would show outright displeasure is when those idiotic exploits would harm or interfere with other people who should not be involved in their ministrations. "Don't mind them. If they make trouble, tell me." His voice has a definitive ring to it. There's always a weight to his actions whether it by words or not. That's why most people attributed that he is a sincere individual and had been admired for that.

That was then the white-haired boy (Akira) introduced himself, but paused due to what he could conclude as not knowing his name. "... Ry..." He stopped briefly as he remembered the Japanese way of introducing oneself. He should practice it since, he now lives here in this country and did fell in love with someone from here as well. "Giou... Giou Ryou." He looked at the two of them especially the small one who had been a customer at Paradiso who greeted him with a good morning. That's true. It is still morning isn't it?

"Nice to meet you too." His face did not hold any frown or was it cold. It's just that he wasn't the kind to smile so easily, but his features did soften which meant that he wasn't being arrogant or anything negative about it. "A..." He stopped again as he had gotten used to calling everyone by their first name. That is how it is at the stateside, but he had been told that it's normal to use the last name when one is simply an acquaintance or someone he just met. "Miyuu-san." Then, he directed his glance to the small girl (Mai). "Your name?" He remembered not knowing the girl's name even if she had frequented the shop he works at. He just assumed she was a grade-schooler doing chores for her parents, a good kid. He didn't bother taking her name and served the kid when it falls to his shift.

Thinking about it, he was going to leave school a bit early. He has work and he really didn't like the idea of being late, especially when he has other matters after it. He still has to travel to go and visit her again. He would need to make a call to his Aunt to say that he'll be coming home late, but he was getting a bit sidetracked from what was going around him. Actually, some of the girls approached him once more and began to ask if he knew the two people sitting near him since, they noticed him chatting the two up as they tried to get more information. He really didn't see the issue about conversing with anyone or why would they need to know about it. "I talk to whoever I want to, the same applies to anyone. If there's nothing else, excuse us. The program is about to start."

With that, he leaned on his chair and looked at the front ignoring the girls who apologizes and left, but not before leaving death glares to Akira and Mai. Ryou noticed that and gave a sidelong glance to his two seatmates. "I won't blame you two if you avoid me. I understand." Then, he looked at the front again, returning to his own solitary moment which he used to.

---

"I feel the same way."

Akira couldn't help but chuckle. Most men dreamed about being in this guy's shoes, so she found it a bit interesting that the only one she met who was living the 'every man's dream' wasn't really enjoying it at all, in fact he just verbally announced that he found it annoying. She truly did feel sorry for him. No one deserved to be treated like a shiny new zoo exhibit. She felt bad for the tall male student, almost as bad as she felt for real zoo animals.

"Don't mind them. If they make trouble, tell me."

Akira nodded her head, rubbing the back of her neck with a grin, "They don't bother me all that much, I find the glaring a bit funny, even though it's annoying that they're glaring at Mai-chan too.." She stated, thinking about the situation a bit more thoroughly. There wasn't a lot to talk about, and Akira was a social person, so she chose to actually rattle her brain a little and make conversation out of their situation.

"They're just jealous, at least I think so.. Which if they are, maybe if they weren't being so mean and superficial they might have been sitting here instead... They should be mad at themselves. You obviously don't like all that cheap crap they're doing and they don't even seem to have the decency to care.. I hate girls like that..." She stated and chuckled a bit afterwards. Her eyes shortly after landed on Mai and her smile grew to a big, friendly one as she began to speak again, "That's why I like girls like Mai-chan! She's quiet and isn't pushy or possessive." She chimed in a happier tone. Then she realized she might have been talking too much, or perhaps he didn't want to think about those cult-like fan girls of his? She'd never given that much thought and suddenly Akira felt bad for using those girls as a conversation starter, "Gomenasai.. I shouldn't have been so critical and mean when speaking about those girls, I let my temper get the best of me.. I didn't like seeing them glare at Mai-chan and lost it for a second.." She admitted in a sheepish tone with a light blush on her cheeks. She didn't want to get too carried away, because her temper once she let it get too hot, was harder for her to control. It was best for her to keep it on a tight leash at all times, not to mention badmouthing others, regardless of how much they deserved it, wasn't a good method of making friends, "Gomenasai..." She repeated to both Mai and her other companion (Ryou).

"... Ry..."

Ry? Akira thought to herself in a confused manner. What on earth was he trying to say? She was completely baffled, but did her best to conceal her confusion, covering it up with an expression of curiosity.

"Giou... Giou Ryou."

"Ohayo, Giou-San!" Akira chimed in a bright and energetic fashion after Mai, smiling at the small girl seeing as she beat Akira to the punch. She was happy that the girl was at least beating her at something, in fact she hoped that she could help Mai become more confident somehow, she just wasn't sure how she could aid her in that endeavor.

"Nice to meet you too."

He replied to The two of them and she looked to the front of the room again, then between her seating companions. So far she felt today was going rather well, it could have been worse, right? She knew that, and she was glad to have met two people as approachable as Ryou and Mai. She was lucky this far and definitely didn't want to ruin it. Though she was pretty good at doing that once her temper became evident. She hoped that wouldn't be an issue anymore..

"A..."

Immediately Akira's eyes landed on Ryou. Was he going to call her by first name? Please don't! She thought to herself. It would be the first time in almost four years that a boy called her by her first name, and she wasn't ready to hear it just yet.

"Blake-san."

Akira nodded in approval and shot a smiled at him, both of her eyes closed in order to hide her embarrassment and shock. So he was about to call me by first name, thank god he didn't.. I don't think I would have survived it.. I've gotten too used to this whole using your first name is rude or intimate crap.. she thought to herself, very relieved that he didn't. She was afraid her embarrassment would give away that she wasn't really a boy. She'd have to get that under control soon, or else she'd not be able to stay under cover for very long.

"I talk to whoever I want to, the same applies to anyone. If there's nothing else, excuse us. The program is about to start."

Akira noticed Ryou telling the girls who approached what is what, and she did her absolute best to avoid laughing at them as their flirtatious attempts failed. Thankfully she didn't actually laugh, and only had a smile plastered on her face, but she still felt bad for doing that. Then it registered in her mind that the announcements would begin again quote soon, Ryou brining it back to the front of her mind "I see. I promise I'll be quiet when it does since they might get mad and I'd hate to get you guys in trouble just because I had too much coffee this morning..." Akira admitted, wondering if she was taking too much. Ryou and Mai were both quiet individuals, she just wasn't sure if it was because she was talking a lot, or if it was a personal choice and they were fine with her yapping almost nonstop since she'd sat down..

"I won't blame you two if you avoid me. I understand."

"They don't intimidate me. I'm staying, Giou-San. What are they gonna do? Pull my hair?" Akira asked in an amused manner. Though she didn't admit it, she was worried about Mai.. If they touched her, Akira knew she'd lose it and probably do something she would regret.

BISHOP TRANDER

Bishop was in the middle of a giant heard of students funneling into the large school hall. He didn't really notice a specific face or person go by him amongst the crowd too caught up in reading the signs over each classroom door. <Ahuh.. So this is the building that the staff mainly works out of.> He sighed trying to get a feel for his new school. It was definitely different that any school he had been to in America or on a military base. From the uniforms to the layouts, he would have to see how things were when it came to assignments as well. But that was for later. The blonde shook his head reminding himself not to think too far ahead, that how you get discouraged. He took a breath and finally broke through the threshold of the school hall finding that since he walked so slow in order to not get lost, that many students had beaten him to get a seat.

"Aahh.... Ummm." He contemplated where to sit slowly walking down the left isle to find a seat. He first noticed a tall brown haired kid, sitting next to that blonde he saw earlier (Johnny & Arietta). But he didn't make a move to sit next to them, honestly not seeing the open seat. He moved further down the aisle beginning to think ins a vicious circle. <If I don’t sit now, more seats will be taken up. If the seats are taken up I’ll look weird. But what if I sit next to someone weird or mean? So I have to find a good seat! But if I don’t sit now-> On and on it went as he walked down the aisle until he reached the end and looked to the side and saw the purple haired girl from before (Yuuki) who yelled at him. He froze for a moment with wide eyes; if she looked to make eye contact he would turn awkwardly away and shuffle off <Like hell I’ll sit with her!> He didn't even take the time to notice the two other students sitting next to her (Shiori & Rhys). The American was having a bit of a hard time trying to assimilate in Japanese school, being spooked by a purple haired girl.

Bishop walked back up the aisle noticing some of the looks he was getting and decided to just take a seat anywhere. He opted for the right sight of the hall where there was a large gap between the row of seat in front of him, leaving the students sitting there with leg room. He removed his back pack and set it in his lap, looking around. To his surprise Bishop’s phone would ring, and he brought it up seeing it was a text from his dad; ’Hey son! Have a great first day at school. Always remember that me and your mother are proud of you and we love you very much.’ Bishop smiled at the message and replied back thanking his dad, but was interrupted by another male student. ’Hey, do you mind if we sit here? We’re trying to stay together.’ Bishop looked up seeing several junior class students looking down at him, their gazes curious seeing his foreignness. Bishop looked to his side seeing that the seats beside him were filling up and they didn’t have enough room for them all unless he moved. ”Ah… Sure-” ”Thanks!” Bishop spoke hesitantly wanting to be nice, but as soon as he began to speak they took his offer for an inch and made it a mile.

Slowly he stood up, once again seatless and sighed looking around clutching his backpack in his hand. It wasn’t like the others, some girls had cute charms or anime chibi characters on there’s. The same was for male students, though their bags were typically more conservative. Bishop’s backpack was an olive green, a military bag actually. He took off the American demarcations and insignias not wanting to stand out too much. However on his backpack were several pin buttons he acquired through his travels. He had 13 in all. Some were cities he’d visited or lived in, a few were companies that made products that he used for hobbies and some were music bands. All however were western, which was enough of a giveaway if one were to pay attention. Bishop now stood in near the center of the hall, looking back and forth to find an open seat. He’d take anything now…. Except if it was in front of next to that girl who scolded him (Yuuki). He spotted a seat to the rear of the hall and didn’t think twice about it. Bishop hurriedly went to take that seat just noticing a tiny girl sitting next to that seat (Mai). He looked down towards her automatically assuming she was a freshmen like him. He looked up seeing a silver haired, yet effeminate looking boy (Akira) sitting next to a super tall guy (Ryou). He gave the briefest of glances to them and went back to his phone to look over his text, and then hit ‘send’.

Bishop sighed and put his phone on silent, not expecting a text back and put his phone away. He fidgeted in his seat placing his unique backpack in his lap, only to look down to fuss with a few of the buttons lost in thought. Bishop was rather oblivious to what had happened before, keeping his head low with a troubled expression. From this point on, he figured that keeping a low profile on the first day wasn’t such a bad idea. He didn’t even think that suddenly sitting next to these people and not introducing would be rude, he was very use to the somewhat anti-social American culture. Bishop raised his head causing his blonde hair to sway gently, looking up only to see a few girls staring at him. He blinked and looked back not sure of what to do. He looked down at his uniform to see if it was something on him, then touched his face thinking maybe there was dirt or worse- a booger! When he found nothing, the freshmen heard laughing and just went back to looking down. Whatever it was, he had missed it like always. <This first day is not going to plan... I wish I was swimming.> He just hoped that the announcements would start soon so he could move on.

For whatever reason Mai felt a little bad about listening to the conversation. Sure she was sitting right beside Akira but to the small girl it seemed more like a conversation between the two of them. I shouldn't eavesdrop of their conversation. While she did feel bad for eavesdropping, she felt even worse for the fellow. To have to deal with all those girls must be difficult. Mai couldn't even imagine what it'd be like and she was sure she'd just end up fainting or something as a result.

"Your name?" Mai looked at him and bit her lip before giving her name. "K-Kon, M-Mai." Doing her best to stop the stutter, Mai gave him a weak smile. It was the second time she had introduced herself and she was rather proud. Most people overlook her due to her being mistaken for a middle schooler, and at its worst a grade schooler. When she thought about this very morning a few people thought Ren and her were father and daughter. In realizing the implications of that her face turned red again and she brought her hands up to cover her cheeks.

In that moment a small group of girls had approached Ryou. They began to ask him questions and her and Akira and she felt guilty for having brought this on him. Had they not sat next to Ryou maybe those girls would leave him alone. On second thought they probably wouldn't. She could imagine them trying to figure out who got to sit next to him which would cause more problems for Ryou. Maybe it was a good idea to sit here. It seemed Ryou took care of their presence with his next words. It certainly was true, he could talk with whoever he wanted to and it wasn't their business either. Letting out a sad sigh, Mai glanced at the girls as they apologized and left. They sent glares that could kill a person at Akira and her, sending shivers down her spine in the process.

There was very little going the way she had expected and Mai wasn't sure if she'd make any more friends. It wasn't like she had many friends at her old school. Most people teased her about her short stature which of course she took on the best she could. However the guys thought she was cute that way, along with her stutter, but they never told her in person. Mai didn't find out about this until a group of girls had confronted her about it. They had asked that she stop faking the stutter and actually act her age. That was when she came to realize just how annoying she could be because of her flaws. Once summer had started Mai cut her bangs so she could no longer hide behind them and her parents sent her to stay with her cousin.

Mai didn't hate them for it but she was a little sad that they sent her away. After staying at the shrine for a few days Ren had confronted her about her timidness and told her to try and overcome it. Almost every day he forced her into talking with not only him but the rest of the shrine. It was a good experience for Mai and she was thankful towards her cousin. Of course talking with people she grew to know and talking to complete strangers were two different things.

Coming back from her worrisome thoughts, Mai caught on the ending of their conversation. Like Akira she wondered what they would do to him. It wasn't like they could just beat him up or something, he was a guy after all. When it came to her, well that was a different story. Mai was a girl and girls could be extremely nasty. She only had to deal with it once and she was in no hurry to go through it again. There were stories of girls messing with other girls, and Mai had seen it on occasion. At the time she never thought much about it until those girls had confronted her.

Hurried movement brought her attention to the area on her right. Quickly looking up Mai saw that a blonde boy had sat down besides her, or rather plopped down. Their gazes just barely crossed but it was enough for Mai to look away. She knew she wasn't his focus of attention as he held a phone in his hand. Placing her hands on her lap, Mai couldn't help but notice the fidgety boy next to her which in turn made her fidgety. Maybe he's nervous too. Oh! I should say good morning right? Yeah come on Mai just say it. She repeated this in her head multiple times, practicing saying Ohayō aloud. Maybe just maybe there wouldn't be a tutter but she'd have to do it soon before the announcements came on. Come on! Say it! Just say it. Then it came out "Ohayō." Instead of actually be happy that she had managed to say it out loud, Mai was just happy that she didn't stutter.

Hopefully she wasn't too late in saying good morning to him. When Mai looked back at him she realized he was the kid from before. The one who had been playing music and later got chewed out by the purple haired girl. It was obvious that he wasn't from around here. The bookbag that he had was covered with various buttons that presented a western theme. Is he American? In noticiting this her curiosity rose but she couldn't bring herself to say any more.

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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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██This Miyuu guy is quite talkative. It reminded him of his Aunt and his cousins. He was not bothered by it as everyone would initially think. Useless chatter or not, anyone was free to speak whatever is on their mind. It would be in his own decision whether he would react to any of it, but he would listen as much as he could. Just like how Miyuu was saying that girls like the small girl beside them is preferable.

It's not like he dislike girls like that in general. Ryou has high tolerance whether he knows it or not. It's just he didn't like the thought of them being overbearing to other people who simply wanted to talk or ask something. Jealousy... That was a normal feeling which he had felt on some occasions. If people like someone or something, the sense of monopoly is a normal thing. It's just that he knew how to portray it without making himself appear like some jacka**. It also seemed that Miyuu apologized about his one-sided argument towards the girls which was done out of his temper.

"It's okay. Just remember to always to take a step back. When you cross the line, there's no going back."

His voice held no resentment or superiority. He was simply speaking something that he has an idea about and sharing a thought, a word of caution to prevent certain bad things from happening. His eyes of silver looked on ahead, but it held a brief moment of sadness, then it was gone. He then gazed at the smaller girl who finally introduced herself as Kon Mai. The little girl was either having a speech defect or was timid.

He was betting on the latter one based on the encounters he had with her at the store. That's why it's nice to hear her voice from this perspective. He gave a nod to acknowledge that. "Kon-san, nice to meet you." He noted before his attention shifted back to Akira who spoke about being quiet to prevent trouble and something about coffee. "It's fine. Talk as much as you want..."

His eyes were now directed at Akira, those eyes which reminded one of the moon's mysterious light. "I like coffee." He added as a fact because the beverage was mentioned. There was no other reasoning behind it. Akira then stated that he was not worried about the possibility of the girls causing annoyance or trouble to him. Ryou wasn't sure if that was the wisest decision, but that was a nice thing to hear. His features softened ever so slightly. "Okay... thanks..." He then returned his attention to the front. He got lucky on having Akira and Mai as his seatmates. They were not troubling and annoying as well which was much welcome.

That was then he noticed some of the girls at front looking at their row. Most were looking at him in awe and in admiration, but when he caught them, they quickly looked away. He released a sigh at that and then found they were also looking at someone else. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed another new occupant who has blonde hair. At first, he thought it to be Aeon, but there were many differences on that part, so that was his bad. Then, he heard laughter which made the blonde boy lower his head head. In his judgement, it was due to embarrassment. It was then that Mai managed to greet the boy. That was a good start.

Ryou then noticed the boy's backpack with familiar pins. It has a western theme which he would relate to the states. Other than that, he noticed what the girls might have seen as peculiar. "Hey." He spoke that in his natural dialect which was English. His eyes gazed at the blonde boy. "There's a cherry blossom petal on your hair." He continued speaking in English. The way he spoke it was fluent and one could note that his tone remarked that he has been living in America for a very long time. The pink petal was sticking out against the yellow of the boy's hair. If the blonde-haired boy doesn't understand him and wasn't American, it was his bad then. "Don't take them seriously." He ended it at that and if the boy has no idea of what he was saying then, he would deal with it. Anyway for now, he looked to his front again, returning to his own solemn peace. until to the point it will last.

---

"It's okay. Just remember to always to take a step back. When you cross the line, there's no going back."

Akira nodded her head, "I know.. Arigato.." She responded, her eyes not meeting Ryou's as her thoughts began to flash back to the boy she'd hurt back in Britain, and her fists gripped at the dark school uniform trousers that she wore. She didn't want to think about that, even though it was an accident. He could have died because of their fight, and she still blamed herself, even though he started it. Luckily he didn't die though, that was a silver lining..

"Kon-san, nice to meet you."

Akira smiled a bit at this, glad that her new friend Mai seemed to be doing well in the conversation, well, as decent as a shy girl could accomplish. Akira wasn't even sure as why Mai's progress made her so happy, but it did anyhow. She was beginning to understand something that her therapist once said. It was becoming more apparent to her that emotions didn't always have to make sense, which only confused her even more in the end.

"It's fine. Talk as much as you want..."

"Hontou ni? (Translation: Really?)" Akira asked in a surprised tone. She never expected that, especially since she typically annoyed others with her hyperactive personality, especially back home in Britain. She wasn't used to others accepting her eccentric and sometimes overbearing behavior. She felt very blessed that Mai and Ryou were the first two people that she met, because she was aware that this could have gone a completely different way. Thank God.. they're both so nice and understanding

"I like coffee."

The eye contact was a bit intense, especially since there was something about Ryou's that she didn't quite understand, but she grinned at the mention of this. She really liked coffee, especially lattes and iced coffee, it was nice to know that they had something in common, especially since they'd be sitting here for a little while. It was definitely something to talk about later, and then she got an idea. She was about to speak up about it, but Ryou began to speak and Akira shut her mouth respectfully until he was done.

"Okay... thanks..."

"No problem. No one should stop someone else from making friends. Even if it's a horde of women." Akira chimed, laughing a bit as she mentally compared the girls that stalked Ryou to a horde of rhinoceros. They are definitely angry and mean enough.. Akira thought as she wiped her eyes, pushing the thought out of her mind before she made herself look like a fool. She didn't want to laugh too much, because she didn't want Mai or Ryou to think that she was weird or something.

"How about we all go get coffee sometime? My treat." Akira offered to her two seatmates. She wasn't sure if they'd want to go now, considering they'd all just recently met, so she chimed in again nervously, "It doesn't have to be today." After covering all her bases, Akira let her eyes to Mai, then to Ryou, looking for a reaction, trying to figure out how they'd respond. Sure, Akira didn't have a lot of money, but thankfully coffee was cheap, and she was scoring overtime on certain days... so a small splurge wouldn't hurt. Also, Akira wanted to make friends, and the easiest way was to hang out and treat them sometimes, right? If they made good memories together it would happen naturally without a lot of effort.. and they'd have the memories as a great added bonus.

"Ohayō."

It was right after she mentioned coffee that she noticed that a blond haired boy (Bishop) joined them, though she only realized it because Mai spoke up. Akira shot the blond a friendly smile, "Ohayo~" she rang, running a hand through her short ivory locks. It was so different posing as a boy... She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to it.

"Hey."

Immediately Akira's eyes widened as Ryou spoke in English to the light haired male (Bishop). She didn't realize that Ryou knew English, which was her primary language, "You speak English too..?" Akira stated, also speaking English. It was then that her British accent came to life, and she blushed immediately upon realizing it. She still hadn't banished her accent entirely, apparently. She didn't realize it by the way he spoke at all, but perhaps it was because she was relatively new to Japan? She'd only been here about a year or two..

"There's a cherry blossom petal on your hair."

Akira chuckled at this and nodded at the blond (Bishop) to reassure him that Ryou was telling the truth. She hadn't noticed it until now, but there definitely was a blossom in his hair. This reminded her of the one she'd plucked from Mai's hair earlier, and she simply grinned to the small girl next to her, "You weren't the only one. He has one in his hair too." She stated, hoping to reassure the girl. She seemed really bothered by it earlier, so Akira hoped it would put Mai's mind at ease. She didn't even realize Mai was uneasy about it because Akira (who was dressed like a boy) touched her hair so casually. She was used to British life, where touching someone that you'd just met was relatively normal.

“For juniors, I encourage you with the school motto Keizoku wa chikara nari. High school while a time for fun and meeting new friends is not always easy or as bright as expected. It is a challenging time, debatably the most challenging phase of your life as you go through stages that test you as an individual in a society that thrives on conformity. At Airdalen, we are not all about conformity. We believe in exploring new possibilities, new experiences and that those tough times that can come with being different can serve to strengthen the being. Continuing after setback is strength in itself. Airdalen Academy is all about continuing, your decision to continue and seek higher studies. One day, you will also be in the same position of our seniors so don't feel as if you will never get there.”

“I will now be handing out folders to the seniors with your activities inside. Juniors please remain seated and await your assigned senior. Compared to previous years, we will also be assigning team names due to the feedback we received from our graduated seniors. You are free to discuss your team name with your partner and change it to another animal provided it isn’t taken already. We will be proceeding with activities once everything has settled, thank you.”

She definitely didn't feel that she would get along with that female teacher.. (Ms. Araya) She would avoid speaking to the teachers at all cost, seeing as if they ever found out she wasn't really a boy, she'd be in big trouble. She'd possibly be expelled, and being expelled by Airdalen Academy would do her no favors in the future. Akira sat still, just as instructed seeing as she didn't have to move, one of the few perks of being a Junior. Though, she was getting a bit restless. Sitting still definitely was becoming a bit boring. She wanted to run around and get active. Her legs were aching to move. She thought they'd at least be in classes or something by now.. Though she wasn't very familiar with the Japanese school year. She was still getting the hang of it. Akira looked over to Mai, smiling weakly. She was a bit nervous about this program. What if she didn't get along with her Senior? Would she be able to keep them from finding out that she's a girl?

"Ohayō." Bishop blinked hearing a tiny voice speaking to him and looked over to see the black haired girl looking up to him. Their eyes locked for a moment, he was sure that she was talking to him. "Ohayo~" his eyes followed that voice to find a silver haired boy, although an effeminate looking one greet him as well. He assumed that they were both together, seeing as they appeared to be the same age as him. "O-Ohayo?" He had honestly never heard of that greeting before. He looked confused for a moment, letting his accented words hang in the air for a moment. He blinked realizing that he was being rude and turned to give them both his full attention. "Uhh-" Bishop bowed slightly and closed his eyes, only to come back up with a warm smile on his face. "Good morning. It's a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for letting me take this seat next to you." His Japanese wasn't perfect, but he had a practiced accent. He was far past the phase of mispronouncing the words so that another word came out by mistake. In the back of his mind, he heard his mother scold him about how gentlemen always introduce themselves first. "I'm Bishop." His smiled broadened again showing his teeth, however his cultural and social awareness was somewhat lagging. He had never been properly trained in introducing himself on a 'last name, first name' basis. In American culture, you usually just said your first name and that was that. So he simply said his first name, an honest mistake.

"Hey." Bishop's eyes snapped immediately to the person that spoke his native tongue finding a tall older male (Ryou) talking to him. "There's a cherry blossom petal in your hair. Don't take them seriously." He blinked and slowly reached up to pluck the pedal in his hair out and looked at it. He glanced to the girls in front of them that were still casting glances their direction, relieved that he finally got the peddle out. "Ahh... Thank you!" He called out back in American English. A small smile on his face grew back, with the realization that not everything was going to go bad on this day. Bishop tossed the peddle away. Bishop opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by an amplified voice coming from the front of the room.

“Gooood Morning!” "Woah." He looked at the man on the screen finding someone with blonde hair like him. Were foreigners somewhat common at this school? He understood that this school was usually for the higher echelon of society, but the fact that it meant more people that were like him were here was a warming thought. He would pause his conversation for now and listen, reading the subtitles not because he needed to but he was on the look out for any words he didn't recognize in Japanese so he could try and get an idea.

“Allow me to introduce myself; I am Airdalen Academy’s principal Dr. Gorou Endo. For seniors, I encourage you to make the most of your final year before the college entrance exams and before leaving Airdalen in general. The time you spend partying compared to the time you spend studying makes all the difference to what career options are available to you in the future. Not one to brag, Airdalen’s reputation and connections that I have spent years building up to has led to this moment, your final year. I have done my part but it is up to you to seize this opportunity as a student here under this high school’s name, to put in the extra mile that will determine the rest of your life from this point onward."

Bishop smiled more, being at a minimum a little motivated by the principles speech. He adjusted in his seat and listened on.

“For juniors, I encourage you with the school motto Keizoku wa chikara nari. High school while a time for fun and meeting new friends is not always easy or as bright as expected. It is a challenging time, debatably the most challenging phase of your life as you go through stages that test you as an individual in a society that thrives on conformity. At Airdalen, we are not all about conformity. We believe in exploring new possibilities, new experiences and that those tough times that can come with being different can serve to strengthen the being. Continuing after setback is strength in itself. Airdalen Academy is all about continuing, your decision to continue and seek higher studies. One day, you will also be in the same position of our seniors so don't feel as if you will never get there.”

This part was really speaking to the young freshmen. He nodded silently to himself, thinking of all the things that possibly laid before him in his future. He had swimming to look forward to, making and meeting new friends and experiencing the culture that was the other side of his family whole-heartedly. A small fire began to burn in his eyes and that smile turned into a confident grin. Sure the first few hours seemed like disaster, but this was the pick me up the young blonde needed. With the people sitting to his right, it seemed that not everyone here was going to hate him. That was a success in itself, at least in the teenage mind.

“To all students— Oh, that’s my cue to leave then…
In short, everyone, I do wish you all wholeheartedly the very best with your studies. Keep in mind I do not mean to alert you, just prepare you for the future as I am confident the Airdalen staff members are trying to do for you as well so please respect them too in my absence. Enjoy your first day back!”

Bishop was half tempted to wave goodbye, but decided not too. He perked his head up hearing someone clear their throat. “I will now be handing out folders to the seniors with your activities inside. Juniors please remain seated and await your assigned senior. Compared to previous years, we will also be assigning team names due to the feedback we received from our graduated seniors. You are free to discuss your team name with your partner and change it to another animal provided it isn’t taken already. We will be proceeding with activities once everything has settled, thank you.”

Bishop nodded and sat down as he was suppose to do, there wasn't much else he could do anyways. He looked around as the seniors began to get up and shuffle to pick their folders up, his mind thinking about who he might be paired with. He turned to the trio beside him with his constant soft smile and blue eyes. "So... Umm, you excited to meet your seniors?" He smiled sheepishly, feeling a little lame for having small talk on an obvious topic but it was all his mind could think up to say at the moment.

================================

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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 conversation if that's how it could be described between the three of them led to Akira's invitation. He got no reason to reject it and it's free. "Sure, but not today." He said in his ever casual tone. He has other arrangements after school. "Another time." That was when the blonde-haired boy (Bishop) sat on their row and he unequivocally used the language he's most familiar with, English.

It caught Akira's attention who threw a question about him knowing how to speak English. "Yeah." That was Ryou's simple answer and he didn't expound on that while he noticed Akira having a British accent, as the guy spoke in English. He was familiar with it because of his British Aunt, but he didn't point that out and simply kept it to himself. His attention then shifted to the other boy (Bishop) who aired his gratitude. "It's nothing." He answered back still in English as he returned his attention to the front.

It was rightly on time too as the program began with the Principal delivering the welcome speech. He was not that entirely startled with the foreign looks of the man. He grew up in a country with diverse ethnicity, but this is the first time he had ever seen the Principal, so it's a bit surprising to see the man is not pristine looking as the reputation of this school. The guy isa mystery, a traveler, seeing the guy is not here at Airdalen and most of the days too. That's not a bad thing really, the school is still functioning.

Then, it was done. Ms. Araya asked the seniors to get their folders. It's now official that he's a senior. He would be as said in the Principal's speech should be thinking about his future and all.

That's easier said than done, because right now, everything is just a distraction, until he could finally... Ryou stopped his thoughts at that and simply stood from his seat. He's required to get his folder and to know the freshman who's assigned to him. He pushed back his chair, but not before returning it in place and to make his exit. It's easier. He didn't want to bother the others and they were at the last row so, there's nothing wrong with what he did. "See you around. Miyuu-san, Kon-san." He reverted to Japanese and then, he paused a while to look at the blonde boy (Bishop). There was no question that he's really a giant among the students here and those silver eyes that seemed to envelope everyone in its gaze. No wonder others couldn't help but attached their eyes on him. "Enjoy Airdalen." This one spoken in English. He then gave them a polite nod of the head before he went to the front to get his folder.

When, he got his folder. The freshmen especially the girls all wondered who he got, they wanted it to be them, seeing this as a great opportunity to get close to such a hunk in their personal description. They tried to get a peek and waited for Ryou to approach them and so, but their hopes were crushed. Ryou got a guy with the name Johnny Farelli, from the name alone, he could guess that this new guy is a foreigner. Anyways, the school year was starting out to be good. This would save him from another round of hounding girls. He looked at the ID picture and recalled that he had seen this guy somewhere. He mused on that before his eyes widened a fraction at his realization. "That guy..." He finally remember the guy he saw at the grounds earlier who was almost as tall as him.

In that case, it won't be hard to spot this junior (Johnny) in the hall. His eyes searched the hall and found the guy on the opposite side of his seat earlier. It seemed the freshman (Johnny) also considered other people due to the towering build they both possessed. He walked towards his junior and then stopped with enough distance between them and in a spot he won't blocked the others. "Johnny Farelli?" He spoke in his perfect English using his hunch that the guy was not a Japanese native. If wrong, then, he'll just go with the flow. He was no translator, but English is the universal language, right? When he got Johnny's attention, he showed the front of his folder where Johnny's picture is clipped. "I'll be your senior, Ryou Giou." He then extended his other hand for a handshake while his silver eyes landed on the younger guy, it was really peculiar shade and rare. The handshake whether it was done or not, his grip was firm and strong, but it wasn't overbearing or hurtful. When it's done, he returned his free hand to his side and spoke again. "We'll be..." He glanced at the folder's cover to read the word written there in black. "Cheetahs..."

Animals were fine as long as they stay in the imagination and away from him especially the ones who have fur. "If you want another name, tell me." He was actually fine with whatever team name. It wasn't a big deal for him. His voice never raised a notch and was calm with the ambiance of gravity delivering his words to always have weight, significance. He then opened the folder to see its contents. There were pens, papers, a school map, class schedules for both of them, balloons, and gums. Is there something else to be done here? Anyway, he handed the ones, he believed are to be for Johnny. "Your schedule and map." The map was not needed by Ryou, since he knew well-enough the school grounds. For the rest, he kept it in the folder unless instructed.

"If you have questions, ask away." Ryou told Johnny and never once did he speak in Japanese. All of his words were in English. It also wasn't spoken with a Japanese accent, but an American one which was odd as Ryou appeared to be Asian including his coloring except for the height. Anyways, some of the girls were sneaking glances at them, blushing mostly at Ryou even the other female seniors were gossiping among themselves about the two being partners. They will be hard to ignore as they are giants and seemingly athletic because of their built at the same time. They are already being labeled as the Powerhouse team. Well, they would just have to wait and see if these two would synchronize or not.

---

“Oh thank goodness,” Johnny breathed in relief. Was his lack of skill in the language that obvious? He suspected so; it would be unusual if he was, in fact, skilled in Japanese after a month of reading his dictionary. Odder still even with some notes from a father who hasn’t been near the country since said father was a child.

Johnny was about to continue with the conversation, ask questions about the ‘word on the street,’ when the video feed flashed into existence. He silenced himself as he saw the image of an older man with very laid-back attire, not unlike a modern hippie.

The principal? Johnny thought. He looks like no principal I’ve ever seen.

The principal spoke in Japanese. It was Johnny’s ultimate test for the day, to identify as many words as he could, and discern a meaning from them. There was the introduction, where “Dr. Gorou Endo” fit in the typical place for a name in an introduction. Johnny also caught the words ‘welcome’, ‘seniors and juniors’. He caught very little on the encouragement for the seniours, For the bit directed towards the juniors, Johnny caught something about “meeting new friends”, as well as “exploring new possibilities” and “continuing.”

Continuing, Johnny thought, Yeah… I know I need that, man.

Almost as quickly as it happened, Johnny blinked away the thousand-yard stare. He missed the closing statement of the speech, but he guessed it would been a repeat of “welcome back”, followed by “Have a great year”, or something like that.

Johnny determined that it was a typical “welcome, or welcome back, to school,” speech that he heard in Jr. High thrice before.

A very lovely-looking teacher rolled up the projection screen before standing at the podium. Johnny couldn’t help but notice a familiar-looking set of eyes, as if she knew things she preferred keeping under wraps. Johnny knew that gaze well, so he easily identified it. The teacher did a hell of a job hiding it regardless, and she delivered her instructions as professionally as he usually does.

Johnny caught ‘folders’, and everything about how the “juniors should remain seated”. He did catch something about ‘team names’ and ‘partners’. Partners? As in year-round partners? Forming teams that run throughout the year… Johnny felt a sort of giddiness in his stomach at the thought of the idea. Teams… friends and rivals… pushing him to be the best he could be.

Moving, he was certain, was a good idea after all.

Team names, though… Johnny kinda hoped for “Wolverines”. Red Dawn, if anything, taught the foreigner how awesome a war cry that word made. Way better than “Eagles”, or “Cheetahs”.

The blonde girl said “Sayonara”, which was a common enough phrase for Johnny to understand.

Johnny nodded and replied, “See ya.” in his more native language. For a second, he watched as the blonde locks waved behind the girl. She was certainly easy on the ey-

Wait, no. That's impolite. Damnit. Johnny willed himself to relax, if only for half a minute. The one who remained taller than the foreigner approached. “Johnny Farelli?” came the fellow giant’s first words. “I’ll be your Senior, Ryou Giou.”

Now that Johnny got a good look, he noted the slick black hair, the long face with the strong jaw, and the silver eyes that hid only the details behind an obvious darkness. With a little work, they could easily look like twins. “Charmed,” Johnny replied in his deep, almost smooth jazzy voice as he stood and extended his own hand. His own grip was practically identical to Ryou’s; strong and firm, but not overbearing. His lean fingers were lightly calloused- especially by the fingertips. That made his hand feel stronger than it already was.

“We’ll be…” Johnny glanced down at the folder along with Ryou. Apparently the team name was written on the folder. Ryou continued, “Cheetahs.”

Cheetahs… Johnny returned to his previous thoughts. While Wolverines would make an awesome war cry, the animal itself did not seem to represent them. Wolverines were small, yet savage and cunning. Cheetahs were lean and fast- both were values that encompassed the foreigner better. Back in his previous schools, he was easily twice as fast as the next-best athlete. It was practically a given which team would win before the team picks were even finished.

Johnny waved off the offer for another name, “It’s all good, dude. Cheetah’s fine by me.”

Ryou announced and handed Johnny his schedule and map. The map seemed a little complicated, especially with a few glyphs he couldn’t read (ie: almost all of them) but he could tell from the images where he was, and which rooms belonged to which building. Thank goodness good old universal numbers were used. “If you have questions, ask away.” Ryou added.

Johnny was glancing over his schedule as the offer to answer questions came up. “Nah, I’m good man,” he said as he looked up to meet Ryou’s eyes like a polite Junior… or… was eye contact not proper in Japanese culture? Or... wasn't it Chinese? Is that aspect even similar? Crap, I didn't think this through.

The sudden uncertainty made Johnny look away, where he then spotted the blushing girls sneaking glances at the two giants. A smirk formed on his face as he stifled a light laugh- if only to hide his earlier uncertainty, and the thousand-yard stare that comes with it. “Jeez, I didn’t think I’d get such looks so soon,” he quipped before glancing back to Ryou. Johnny knew with Ryou being the senior, the girls were probably looking at Ryou more than Johnny. He reached out and patted the slightly taller boy’s shoulder. “ Hey, if you need a wingman, I’m your guy,” he said with a wink and a white grin, completely unaware that Ryou had a very personal and troubled past. (God what a douchebag, Johnny is.)

Johnny often played wingman to many a friend in Jr. High. This would be the first time he played wingman to someone almost as fit as him, and slightly taller. The notion sounded pretty slick... unless that's not how Ryou rolled. Damnit...

—

+1 Popularity to Arietta
+1 Popularity to Ryou

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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.

---

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. “Johnny,” Ryou said as he closed his eyes, “Take charge.”

“You 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 “certain subjects” went way over the foreigner’s head. “Oh, 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 “Well, 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. “Oh, I do have a question,” he suddenly said to Ryou in English. “I’m not that good with… ahm…” He pat a hand on his knee as his mind raced. “What 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 “chan” or “kun” or “san” 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.

---

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, “So 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. “Ugh, 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.

“I 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, “And 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. “Fujioka-san?” Teachers, he thought, would be -san, -sama, or -sensei. He liked the sound of the word “sensei”, 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, “Do 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.

---

"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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His greeting was so hesitant that for a moment Mai thought maybe she looked funny or something. But he suddenly bowed and gave them longer greeting. As he continued Mai blushed a little at hearing him thank her, but it could have also extended to the others as well so she did her best to quell the rise of color to her cheeks. The small girl hadn’t expected the others to follow suite. She had been rather quiet but it was an outburst of sorts, so maybe she had been louder than she had intended.

Hanging her head low in disappointment towards herself upon realizing that she had missed her opportunity to drink coffee with Akira and possibly Ryou. Then Mai’s head snapped back up at the sudden use of English. Mai looked to where Ryou was sitting as that was where the English greeting had come from. It had been a while since she last spoke the foreign language, at least to her anyway. She assumed that many at the school spoke it fluently. In regards to herself Mai could understand it however she would often translate it incorrectly which had led to a few misunderstandings in the past. On the other hand her ability to speak it was by no means on a level that could be considered fluent. There was just something about sounding out the words that she had a hard time doing.

From listening to what Ryou had said the junior was only able to get cherry blossom and maybe petal but Mai didn’t have much confidence in her translation. Mai leaned back in her chair, trying to get out of the way of the other three as they conversed amongst themselves briefly. She was glad Akira spoke to her again, and could only nod in finally understanding what had just been said.

The announcements came on shortly afterwards and Mai sat up straighter in her seat. She was a bit surprised by the principals appearance, especially seeing that he appeared to them through a projector, but it wasn’t her place to judge him harshly. From what she could see he looked like he could be one of those crazy uncles your mother tells you to stay away from. In thinking this Mai giggled quietly to herself, hoping none of the others noticed. He speech was quite encouraging, especially the part towards the juniors. Mai realized that maybe this school really was the right place for her to be at, especially since she was trying to overcome her own obstacles.

"So... Umm, you excited to meet your seniors?" Mai looked up at him ready to give her answer, or at least try to. In truth she was dreading the idea. What if they weren’t nice people like Akira or as collected as Ryou. She also knew that they probably wouldn’t like the fact that she was not only small but had a stutter. Of course she ended up not saying anything in the end as Akira spoke up. Soon enough a beautiful blonde approached them or rather Bishop. From what she got from her words, she was his senior. Seeing as she was focused on her fellow blonde, Mai turned her attention to Akira.

It would seem she would be the only one, amongst those in their row, who hadn’t been approached by a senior yet. Like Akira, Mai was a bit surprised by the sudden appearance of the pink ball. The strange object even spoke, saying it had found the pretty boy. At first Mai wasn’t sure who it had been referring to until she looked back at Akira. “Oh.” Mai could only giggle at the idea that she wasn’t the only one who thought he was pretty. Another beautiful senior came up to them but her beauty was different compared to the other girls (Arietta). This girl could have been a character from one of the many fairy tale stories her father read to her.

Mai smiled shyly towards those around them, placing her school bag and lunch box beside her on the seat, she still had some room on the chair. Once again swinging her legs but gently this time to avoid kicking anyone. She wondered where her senior was; maybe they had slept in and where late? Or maybe she just had the luck of being paired with no one. Thinking that made Mai frown with worry but it would seem she needn’t worry for long.

Suddenly the sound of sirens erupted in the hall, filling the room with its unpleasant sounds. Green eyes looked up, trying to catch a glimpse of the person on the stage. Thanks to her height and the majority of the student body standing, Mai wasn’t able to see much. She could someone laughing through the megaphone and apologizing albeit sarcastically. Paging someone named Kon Mai! Kon Mai! Report to this very awesome Miyamoto Kazuki who is speaking. My time is worth millions so hustle it junior! Thanks!"

The small girl jumped at the sudden calling of her name and almost immediately her face turned a bright tomato red. It didn’t take long for her eyes to water but she had already jumped from her chair and was rushing to meet this Kazuki fellow. Never in her life had she moved so quickly however due to her timid nature and small stature she had trouble getting past the crowd. It took her a couple of minutes to find her senior but eventually she did, or at least she assumed she did. He was quite the tall fellow with an almost predatory demeanor. In an instance Mai wanted to hide from that piercing gaze and just shake, which she was actually doing, shaking that is. He was also rather handsome, in the same way that Ryou was but much more aggressive.

Mai walked up the older boy, looking up at him with nervous eyes. She wouldn’t dare look him in the eye, least she let out an unwelcoming sound. Clutching her school bag tightly in small hands, Mai bowed low quickly in apology. “I-I d-do a-apol-logi-gize f-for m-my l-la-te-ness.” The small girl grit her teeth at how terrible her stutter had become and she really did just want to disappear. She straightened up and introduced herself as Kon Mai, her stutter still prevalent in her words but it had seemed to lessen now that she was saying something more routine. Her eyes looked everywhere but his face at least not from this close. At this point she kept her focus on what she could see right in front of her but she did her best to look as close to his face as she could without actually seeing it in her peripheral vision.

It was probably rude of her to do so but at the moment Mai was too overcome with embarrassment and an array of other emotions that kept her from thinking straight. She practically had to look straight up and the thought of what he may think of her, now that he saw her, briefly flashed through her mind. Even if he didn’t like her Mai couldn’t bring herself to hate him for it, well if he did anyway. There was something that was nagging her, something she had pushed down at the back of her mind at the urgentness of meeting with her senior. That something was her lunch box which was still resting on her chair when she had been sitting with Akira and the others.

---

Popularity +1 Kazuki

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. “Eh?” the violet-haired girl he observed earlier suddenly asked, “Did 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.

“What?” 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. “Wait, shit- I mean, shoot... Damnit.” Johnny put a hand to his forehead as he adjusted his seating. He didn’t know the word for “honorifics”, 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. “Very 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 “heyday”, 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-

“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.”

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.

“I 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. “Charmed, Vika-san,” Johnny quipped with a bow of his head, “You 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. “Ohayou,” 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
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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██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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