And by "never uploading writing in chapters" I obviously meant "never uploading chapters in parts". Duh.
Now for something else. Don't be surprised when the character development in this fic won't follow canon. It's pretty impossible to take bishoujos and throw them in a cyberpunk setting. Well, it's definitely possible, they just won't survive.
Another thing is that 3-1 was supposed to be a deaf class. I can't roll with it just because if it was the case, then Shizune would have either been its rep, or the story of how she separated from her supposed class would'v made a strong plot point. Then again, Shizune's route is not the best one in the novel, so I'm allowing myself another step away from the canon here.
Well okay, it's dumb trying to follow canon in a crossover, but still.
EDIT: took down the first draft due to that part of the story having been majorly changed.
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Chapter 2. Sneak a Peek.
A trembling web of leaves covers the morning sky. It catches the wind to gossip, their playful whispers heard easily. What do they have to tell each other? Probably something about the weather, rising electricity prices and a strange guy lying on the ground during the morning rush hour while everyone else is busy at the dorm. What is he thinking? Oh, he must be a social recluse who wants to stay alone. It's easier to lose yourself in the crowd, though. Maybe he didn't come here to be lonely, then.
After a close look at my already grass stained (great, just awesome) PE uniform you might get another idea, a less romantic one. However, don't let your instincts deceive you. I certainly didn't come here to exercise, it's just that the morning breeze is so enjoyable today and the scent of summer can't get past air conditioning. Following common sense, I picked the running track as a perfect place for a lazy meditation. No one's going for a morning run, right? You have to be stupid not to enjoy a few laps in the afternoon heat.
"Long time no see!"
A waterfall of black hair breaches into my field of vision, ignoring all internal protests. It's fine, its owner didn't come here for a workout. Right?
"Morning runs?"
"Uh, sort of. Lost shape after hospital, is all."
Grass crumbles under her feet as she walks around me. Too lazy to turn my head, I still study her shape with the corner of an eye when she finally lands beside me. Looks like she "didn't come here to exercise" as well. We simply sit there enjoying the morning for who knows how long. It's easy. Kick back and relax, everything is going to be all right. The careless mood is almost hanging in the air. If only life worked this way. Well, maybe it does for some.
"Yep, those are nice."
I wake up to find my eyes fixated on two juicy curves under Miki's T-shirt. Something quiet and bubbly comes out of my mouth and hangs under the clear azure sky for a while, not sure whether to identify itself as words or to just lay low and pretend it doesn't exist.
"No need for excuses, you know. Throw the hottie a compliment or something."
I swear, if this is what Daigo has been meaning!
"Congratulations on your healthy confidence," her playful smile darkens for a second it takes to realize her looks are being praised as well. "What about you? Run here often?"
"Yep. Between PE and the track team, hasn't been a single day without the track."
"Tired?"
"Hah. I'm a pro."
"Saw that yesterday. You're impressive."
"That meaning I now officially have a stalker?"
"Uh, look, it wasn't-"
"Bummer."
The conversation dies, and once again the world consists of windy whispers and whistling birds. The heat slowly fills the air, reminding what a frying pan the track will become at noon. However, slackery grows even stronger under the warm waves. My pro lays down with a loud sigh, feeling it too.
"Grass," she gets a warning.
"Says who?"
"Fair point."
Silence.
"So... How do you like mornings here?"
"Eh?"
"I mean, since you've got more experience."
A loud wide yawn. For a second it looks like her jaw's going to fall off.
"Haven't had a morning in years, so no idea."
"Any reasons?"
She gives me a puzzled look.
"You an early waker? Evening is where the fun is at. Parties, movies, all the good stuff. Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll in dadspeak, right?"
"Sex, drugs, rock and roll, born to trigger public toll-"
"What is that?" my horrible humming is luckily interrupted.
"Uh, a piece Mom likes. Sorry, couldn't hold myself."
"Pfff. Talk to Shizune someday," we share a giggle, "she was in need of a singer."
I choke with laughter.
"Yeah, she seemed the melodic type. So, why are you here so early after all?"
Another loud sigh.
"Because she told me to."
"She?"
"She. Zune. Who else treats people as resources around here? Imagine this, you get your hand chopped off, rehabilitate for months and your first welcome at a new place, a school for half-humans is 'I need your legs, Miura'. Felt like breaking hers right there and then."
"Can you?"
Miki gets her eyes off a bird balancing on a thin branch to trace my gaze down her arm. A dreadful grimace crosses her pretty face.
"Wanna try it out, smart boy?"
Whoops.
"Okay, uh, I mean, I believe, and, like, we should get running already. Just so you girls don't hurt each other or something."
Although to be fair, a good catfight is always a passable show.
"Best bet on me when it boils down to violence."
"Well, another concern is I'm not getting fit so far."
"Oh shit," the runner springs up as a released coil. Some language she's got compared to other students here.
I clumsily get up, trying to evade her stretched out hand.
Say, what's more uplifting than a morning spent exercising with a hot (let's be honest here) girl as your coach? So what if she's missing some body parts and not wearing makeup, snobs aren't welcomed at this place. Imagine the gains: clean air to breathe, clear sky to look at and the long-missed sore feeling in your muscle. Aside from all that, a nice bouncy butt to watch and adore as a bonus. Buff hips shining with sweat. Calf muscles clearly visible through the skin. Now you're going, right?
A magical feeling that is, to roam free once more. Lots of space straight ahead, behind you as well, and no concrete lid above your head. No more green walls or silenced hallways, period, have green trees and crackling gravel underneath your feet instead. Go where wanted, life won't wait for anyone. Life. Yeah. That one girl who hasn't passed by any of your windows lately. Refreshing it is, to feel the wind rush towards you. Nice to finally participate in the movement, be one with the flow, to see life from the inside. Or should I say the backside? The life in front of me is boiling with energy ready to carelessly spend it all. Whatever scrub crosses her way serves as an excuse to show off her capabilities, not much more. Merciless when it comes to running, she leaves you struggle with your own pace and it isn't her fault someone's lagging.
Anyway, only false hopes sell for free. You get a drawback. A minor technical flaw, which builds up an unfamilliar pressure inside your body. You'd gladly make a hole to relieve it, but unfortunately it's said to be unhealthy, so you wait and bear and overcome until Miki's compliment on your being a women magnet goes completely over your head and Molly, whom Misha basically dragged to the track on her back, shows visible concern about it. At that moment you stop to say you're done for today and dismiss the mockery with a wave of hand. You're less worried about chickening out on the warm-up than your throat not working. Your fists clench tighter as you walk away. Well, one of them is. The right one just send needles of pain up the arm.
***
Maybe having ditched the nurse yesterday wasn't that great of an achievement. What was I meant to do anyway, show up all smug and whine about how bad I fell? Don't be ridiculous. Of course I got up and made a face like nothing happened, they would've had me locked up in the medical for a day or something otherwise. Who knows how crazy this place is when it comes to health problems. So yeah, a welcome party at the afternoon break and delayed by a day tour around the school territory in the evening, both masterminded by the omnipresent Daigo, came as quite welcomed alternatives. Socialization felt surprisingly relaxing, even though the guys invited weren't from 3-3 except for Takashi, so the matters discussed went as high over my head as possible. Every now and then a general question popped up though, along with an opportunity to steal a line, so by the end of the day the "Nakai, Master Obvious" image was well established. My patron nodded ever so slightly in approval as I made fun of myself under the waves of liquefying summer heat.
Hell, I wouldn't even find the track if not for the guys. Kind of impressive how an entire acre of land can stay hidden from unfamiliar eyes here. Wonder what else I haven't seen.
What I definitely have was our track team, and one kind of a sight it was, mind you. Sure, the members were different like in any given group, some sprinters, some stayers, boys and girls, cheerful and grim, coming and leaving, yet their communal effort felt driven by an awkward rhythm as if runners were just cogs of one complicated machine slowly crawling towards an invisible finish line. Now cover the machine in sweat and add a voice simultaneously grumbling in hope of a quicker session and yelling because the captain knows better than that. You've got an accurate depiction, if a bit surrealistic. Yep, that's what dragged me to the track today.
Why am I imaginarily rambling again? Well, maybe because of the last minutes spent fighting to wake up. If you ever find yourself unable to lift your eyelids, let alone move arms and legs, call me, we're friends. It must've taken him a lion's share of tranquilizers to stuff me this hard. That's right, the head nurse is a he. Oh, and I'm at his office.
First thing to assume about him is his love towards cats. Possible love. Judging by catful pictures, calendars, a poster of two Godzilla tall cats destroying a city in the heat of their standoff, cat figurines, furry fana- oh, eww. The dedication. Apart from this, the place looks painfully familiar with its walls of light green and bed sheets with printed flowers. Smells like medicine as well. Desperately trying to find a single difference from the hospital, I toss and turn and sigh like a whale but all is in vain. Cages. Cages never change. And it's only been a single day.
Cicadas carry on their monotonous songs, annoying as ever. Huh, come to think of it, they do have a rhythm here. Click, click-click-click, click, it weaves into the noise. Wait a second, my ears are playing tricks on me. Bloody tranquilizers. Those sounds come right from the next room, meaning someone's typing there.
Sit up on the couch, jump to the floor. The room tilts as I lose balance due to still not having completely waken up.
"Congratulations, student! Back at the university I would have given this heart three more hours tops to beat."
Right. All you need to do after drugging a man is talk like nothing happened, kids.
"That roofie must've helped."
"We needed your emotional response out of the game. Worked way better than expected, lightweight."
"We."
The nurse rolls into the room in his chair, braking with his heel then sending the chair back with his kneepit in one single motion. Cool. For a highschooler, not a mature man.
"See, I'm no cardiologist, so - whoa, watch your step – so I called some help from downhill. Huge luck to have them at an arm's reach. Careful, don't trip over the doorstep. They fixed you for now, but this is only the beginning. Care to explain how your medicine's untouched?"
"So you've broken in my room as well."
His smile stretches even wider, like one of a lizard bathing in sunlight.
"Innocence, naiveté. The Academy has every key copied and besides, doctors can easily tell if a patient as difficult as you takes follows his prescription or not. It's our job."
Settling down in his chair again, he points me to the patient's seat. Beams of sunlight mercilessly burn my skin. Lizard. A lizard clad in white.
"Let's go over it once more, Nakai. You are dying. Any heart weakened by an attack and months of idleness on top of it can't take much pressure. Pills should keep it alive for some time, but there's no living happily ever after. Do not get careless. And in case you try to end it all once more, I have a rule here, no bodies during the first trimester. Morale has to be high, Nakai. Got it?"
A lizard mask to hide a human face. Yeah, screw you too, mister.
"Got it."
"Now to the hospital. Your ID-"
Now wait just a second.
"How about I go to my classroom?"
Boy, are you pissed off.
"How about I sedate you again, joker?" with a smile, always with a smile. "The meds will hold for a couple hours more. You better go, I've instructed the teachers to escort you should you show up at the main buildings."
"Hell, I've just gotten out of bed and you're going to put me down again! Humanity not included, eh?"
Hey man, that just might've been over the line. I'm not even sure you're allowed to talk to the staff like that.
Contrary to my expectations, Nurse loses himself in hearty laughter, taking a good while.
"Hoo, one kind of a wild card you are for sure. Civilian hospitals usually give us depressed wet rags in situations like yours. Who's riled you up?"
Was that supposed to be a compliment? Thanks for nothing.
"Anyway, good job at the track," he drops after a brief silence, and his grin stretches even wider.
"Good job killing myself?"
"Good job exercising your heart. I'll talk to your coach."
"The credit goes to Miura," I add with little thinking. Maybe she'll get something out of it. I owe her this much for the motivation.
A dark shadow falls on the sunbathing lizard for a second.
"Miura. Right. Come on now, doctors are waiting."
Closing the door, I think of cutting the route short if I can't escape the green walls after all. Guys showed me a bunch of things, some back exits as well. One connects directly to the hospital territory and is often used in case of emergencies. Emergency time, I guess.
If anything, this place is large. A light walk to the gates takes about fifteen minutes, that's at my slowed pace of course, with drugs still wearing off and the conflagrating heat (seriously, the sun feels much hotter here than back home), but still, you'd think an emergency route would be shorter. I must be crawling slower than a snail, either that or they have jet stretchers here. Which sounds extremely cool, come to think about it.
Not as cool as the alley right before the gate though. Literally. Thank you Linus Torvalds, devil or whoever planted these trees. Blessed be the shadow. I press my ID against the reading pad and open with quite some force. One step worth of sand, another gate, and the hospital grounds begin. I'm positively interested what's up with the fence, by the way. Trying to get a better look, I bring my face closer and closer to one of the poles until my hair touches one of the humming strings. Ow ow ow ow ow! I jerk back as my scalp feels the burn. The strings' tone jumps higher, then starts sliding back to normal. A bright yellow light blinks on the pole. I rub my head in panic, but don't find any harm. Good. Oops. Twp cameras mounted on each side of the fence stare at me motionless. Embarrassed and mildly frightened, I walk away at the best pace my body can pull, hoping the hospital's part of the walk will be shorter.
***
Okay, in retrospect it can be responsibly stated it's not and the downhill slope doesn't help much. On the other hand, it's nothing compared to other matters.
First off, the hospital is huge! It may look different from the outside, but it stands rather far from the driveway and while it has only four floors and a reasonable height-to-width ratio for a flat building, the floor height is more than twice as much as in an ordinary building. That way the total workspace exceeds all expectations, and even then the building widens upwards. Internists, neurologists, oncologists, ophthalmologists, endocrinologists, urologists, terminals are overflowing with names and timetables the moment you enter and get no emptier when you leave. You'd think it's a little too much for a small town, well, the place is crawling with work like a troubled beehive. It might confuse at first, but after six hours or so it's easy to get that any state-of-the-art facility requires not only top-notch equipment and specialists, but also highly qualified technicians to operate the sci-fi stuff and trainees for further employment by places of the like. As is, it also becomes a specialized research center when its resources place it on the forefront of practical medicine.
Yes, I spent six hours straight discussing health problems and world politics. More politics than health, to my joy. Fair to say it starts from the front doors here. A giant globe hangs above the reception desks, slowly rotating and casting gleams off its shiny gray surface. Projectors paint bright dots and lines on it to catch the world in a web. On a closer inspection, the dots appear to be world's largest cities and capitals of the key countries. "Genetesis: implementing your dream" written above it all. Ambitious dreams those must be. Caught in the sight, you stand there contemplating world dominance until a receptionist calls you.
Then the hard part starts. Patients drift through wide corridors like lazy crayfish, lost between aluminum walls with yellow plastic stripes on them. Who decided it would ever become an acceptable design for a hospital? Pastel colors and light green, they have a meaning, okay? A purpose to make people relax and keep calm throughout the unpleasantries. Cold metallic colors, as it appears, have a debilitating effect on an untrained psyche. Electrons travelling between nodes on a circuit board must feel the same. Destination set, nothing to think about in these shining corridors. So human electrons sadly drift from the cardiologist to ECG to echo to coronography to the neurologist and then on and on and on, only to receive a bitter grimace from the cardiologist and be reassured that yes, long QTs are the root of the problem and there's no reliable cure for that emerging in the closest future. The best science can do is change the medicine to more effective analogues and encourage a healthy lifestyle.
But there's another way, if you'd like to hear. A radically different way, he says in a low voice. What's that, the electron asks, alerted by the tone.
"As you may know, the syndrome draws its origin in the myocytes of the heart itself."
"Pathologically long repolarization period, spare me the 101."
"Okay. Now imagine we take the affected tissue and replace it with a healthy version."
"Problem gone. What are you suggesting?"
Artificial muscles, one of the wonders of human augmentation. He goes on describing how great it'd be, but does it mean I have to rip my own heart out and then take neuropozyne for the rest of my life? See, I've been reading stuff back then.
"Genetesis is not fond of Darrow's hobby of putting huge PEDOT superstructures in every augmentee's brain, but there are few cases where we can escape it completely. In your case the cluster will be located on your heart, which isn't less fatal in case of neuropozyne deprivation. But..."
But I'm already on drugs, lots of them, and the addiction isn't lighter than the neuropozyne: take them or die. On top of it, stress is still a grave risk, there's an annoying piece of tech inside my chest that hurts with every punch, and my life expectancy is ten to fifteen more years compared to unlimited with augs. Still...
Still what, I'm asking myself since the burning sun will give no answer. Still, it feels wrong. No idea why. Maybe it's the synthetic heart, just maybe.
With this I open the dormitory door,
"Theseus at last!" to receive a greeting from a friendly face.
"Hey, Daigo. Where's Takashi?"
He's sitting in the middle of the hall just like first time, so I'm compelled to ask.
"Busy shading chess pieces in the classroom and swearing like a sailor."
"Oh."
Despite an overwhelming desire to crash land on any flat surface to give my worn out mind at least some rest, I struggle to remember any of my classmates' room numbers. Tough luck.
"Not as busy as you though. Missing the second day in, dude!"
"Look, it was-"
"-an accident, I spoke to Mutou. Today's assignment is on your e-mail, no worries."
"Thanks. Better get to it, huh?"
"Say what? We are going outside!"
"Yeah, thanks. I had my share for today."
Something has to hang from the ceiling above my head since he studies that general area for some time with an unreadable emotion.
"Say, how empty is your fridge?"
"Let's assume I suddenly became ready for an adventure."
A satisfied smile fills not only his face, but the whole empty hall. Well, no time to be tired.
"What are we waiting for?" I ask as he stops in front of the gate and gives me a bored look.
"A girl," noticing a lifted eyebrow, he continues. "Lilly Satou, 3-2 rep. A chance to rocket jump to Yamaku's society highest circles, dude. You already have, but I'm far too modest, yo."
The eyebrow is still up.
"Okay, good god, okay. Did you really think I'd miss a skirt?"
"Dear me, what an indecent excuse for self-respect," says a melodic voice behind us.
Daigo turns on his heels with a sweet expression on his face and oily eyes, recognizing it instantly.
"A thousand pardons, mademoiselle, me manners moved completely out of town today."
The girl in question... right. That's someone you'd expect to meet in an art gallery. Hanging on the wall. A tall gent azure-eyed blonde with royal behavior, have we stepped through a time portal? Because it sure feels like she's not for real. I battle the urge to pinch myself.
Meanwhile, my companions lock arms, which costs the alpha dog a moment of pain, and start off. The former comes as a matter of convenience rather than a romantic attribute. Lilly's sky-colored eyes don't have pupils. Her irises are colored uniformly, slowly fading to dirty white. Disregard being the only flaw on her face, these eyes make a spooky repelling impression. How didn't I notice the sound of her cane, the persistent tapping that was driving me insane on the first day?
"Lilly, here is the fine lad we had a talk about."
"Hisao Nakai? A pleasure to finally meet in person after all the stories my chevalier for today told about you," with this she looks 90 degrees right. My smile quickly fades as within a second her face turns towards me lagging a step behind with eyes only slightly off mine. Wow. Echolocation?
"The pleasure's all mine," dammit, it's contagious! "Oh, stories. I'm new, you know."
"Indeed, so the more intriguing is your reputation."
"R-reputation?"
They share a giggle.
"Okay dude, she overdid it."
"Did I really? We should make a hasty review then," Daigo rolls his eyes with, of course, no effect whatsoever. "On Sunday evening somebody shatters our major disbeliever's fame as the only one to lose a bet to the cautious Maeda and both count their responsibility to tell everyone about the significant incident."
Daigo rolls his whole head to the point it may fall off. It costs him one hell of a pain fest.
"How incautious of them, don't you think? Even Shizune may have found out."
"Shizune? What's her part in this?"
An uneasy silence.
"I told you about Hakamichi, right?"
Oh. Shizune Hakamichi. Makes some sense.
"On Monday," Lilly continues, "you achieved quite a feat mastering the Molly trial."
"The Molly trial?"
"I need to work on your education. Look, almost each class has its trial to feel the smell of fresh meat. Up in the dubs it's Molly. She likes tactile contact, and the silent deal is she makes people touch her for the class to laugh."
"But, I mean, it's only natural to help a... constrained person."
"My my, what modesty. Some here would benefit from your example."
"Milady, please do not let teenage tomfoolery upset you."
Lilly just waves him off.
"Afterwards, you proceeded to surprise the public in the cafeteria. Girls' dormitory boiled with talk of a nice pure guy who is cutely weak."
"Image ruined, acknowledged. Just for the record, it was all a coincidence."
"Oh, is that right. Just like your mysterious disappearance today, along with careless Ritsu no less?"
Ritsu?
"That picked a lot of interest, might I say."
No associations with the name.
"Dude, you okay?"
"Ritsu. She's the small girl with a hair band, right?"
"Miss Satou, it's safe to leave him out of suspicion."
If anything is more off-putting than Lilly's eyes, it's his constantly switching manner of speech.
"Anyway, you continue this stuff, gonna make more racket than Miura did."
For a moment there's only us, melting asphalt under our feet, and silence.
"Not a regular student, she is. Nor a fitting one, no matter how harsh that may sound," our lady finally speaks up.
"Not fitting?"
"You shall get the idea soon enough. Monsieur, if you will?"
"O for the love of God, stop with this royal family, guys!"
She freezes in her tracks, turns to face me, and the stream of her hair flies all over Daigo by inertia.
"Do not speak His name in vain!"
Guys. Guys? Really now?
"Chill, dude. Catholic schools do things to people, and I'm just yanking around. Take the shank, yo."
I mindlessly stare at the offered knife.
"Why?"
"Same reason we don't go to town alone. Caution."
As we pass the first block, the reason clears up. The looks people were giving me on the bus, they haven't gone anywhere. At every corner, at every shop we are watched. No matter how light and cheerful our conversation goes, the air around is heavy. Daigo's explanation becomes transparent halfway through. There's actually little need for reasons when you yourself viewed Yamaku as a corporate closet for experiments on freaks not so long ago. Others won't ever see it from the inside, and the hospital, the closest place they can judge Genetesis by, smells of annoying robotic flawlessness. Nothing to calm their suspicions. To them, we might look like mutated superhumans, chemically altered zombies, or whatever goes as a nightly scare these days. Right, augmented killers. Here's a really nice electronics store, my companions mention. Customers look ready to call 112 as we pass by. A friendly cafe, check it! Almost no one's inside, despite the inviting look and a cute waitress barely older than us. And there-
"Ma, Pa, queeries!" a clear voice rings in the middle of the street.
Lilly stumbles and attempts to fall face first on the ground as the "chevalier" stops in his tracks. On the opposite side, parents hurriedly take their observant kid away. Are they, uh, scared? A desperate sigh escapes my lungs.
***
One thing girls' dorm has over ours is the smell, not even the "girly scent", no. Something homemade and very tasty is being cooked at the kitchen, filling the whole floor with an aroma that makes my stomach hurt. (In a good way, I'm yet to have lunch). It may be not the best offer here, but certainly superior to what I've seen guys have. Ramen, you guessed. Surprisingly, we have tidier hallways, probably due to a forced clean-up after each gaming session, which happen frequently since there were two in my first two nights here. Step inside a room, though, and it's reversed. That's what the media says, at least. Faint notes of perfume and something, uh, something incredibly soft and feminine hanging in the air support the theory. Girls themselves aren't as messy at home compared to school as guys are. That's not to say all of us magically become lazy oilfaced animals not capable of basic life support routines stepping inside our rooms. Well, this isn't exactly untrue, too, but if you're a guy, you know what I'm ramnling about. Yes, you generally see less makeup and pretty clothes, but that's all right in most cases. Sometimes the "pretty" part can be omitted, and the sight becomes even more pleasant. Yeah. But I'm drifting away.
"Come on, maybe she went outside for once."
Medieval courtesy left Daigo on our way back. The lady might've had a victorious shine in her eyes when it did, but in any case his patience is about to follow. We've already wasted several long minutes standing before a door.
"The library should have closed already, there is no way kind Yuuko didn't send her home," Lilly answers clearly, yet in such a quiet voice the words are barely audible. "Hanako, dear, please make a sound, don't make me worried."
He turns around raising his hands to the level of his lower ribs. Along with a careful inspection of the cable on the ceiling, it must equate to raising hands to the sky in his language. Of course, some girl is hit with the sudden gesture. She's blind too, so no wonder. Come to think of it, first floors here are occupied by the vision impaired, which has some sense, but at the same time I've already met a student more in need of such luxury.
"L-Lilly, I... I'm not feeling very well."
"Right away, dear, just let me change and I'll be with you."
The faint stuttering voice behind the door barely comes through, so we have to repeat the words to Daigo, who's still whispering apologies. Actually, the way his victim leaves blushing makes me wonder if those were apologies only.
"You weren't lying about skirts, huh."
"Al illness beyond remedy, as it has been repeatedly proven," our lady confirms with an actorish sadness.
"What? What illness?"
"Being a dog."
"Ow, dude! That, that's a low insult! See, I'm in," he takes a pause and speaks in a soft voice, as if teaching a kid, "love, yo."
"With a whole gender."
"Boys, please continue this discussion away from my door."
The lover's expression changes to a concerned one in a moment.
"Bad?"
"She manages better than I would think, it's more of me being a worrywart as always," she answers from behind a half-closed door. A pastel beige room shines through the opening, a room suited for an upper class daughter. "Now disperse before I exit."
The door quietly closes. Another difference compared to our dorm, where no one's oiled the hinges in a lifetime. Just like with the rooms and kitchens, same form with different filling.
"What a woman, Nakai, what a woman! Those... tones, Nakai, have you seen them? No, have you seen anything like them ever?"
Seen and those are nice indeed and no, and why are you crying it out loud embarrassing me in front of all girls, I want to answer, but oh well. May as well roll with it after this much.
"At least call me by my bloody name."
"Name? Name! For two years I've been carried away by them, and bet you they are nicer on the tactile side than you think," he stresses the word 'tactile'. "Classy, classy woman that is, Hisao!"
"Come on."
"What?"
"You're yelling about your friend's breasts in the girls' dormitory."
"Oh yeah I am! There's no stopping the flagship."
"Flagship? You all right in the head?"
"Hundred percent and counting. Dude, I'm a pirate. Wanna know why?"
Taking my silence as approvement, he continues.
"You know, because I-"
No.
"-love-"
"No."
"-to rob," he kicks the front door open to shout the last word off the top of his lungs, "booty!"
"Get out."
Now all three floors have heard him. Maybe our dorm has as well.
"How did you even get to become a representative."
"Dude, dude, you're blushing!"
Thanks to our Lord almighty, his volume went back to normal.
"No I'm not, and when you pick such topics at such places, of course I will."
"Such innocence, oh," tears of laughter appear in his eyes. "Now dude, you're gonna get hooked up, bet or not."
So he continues the semi-sane speech on "tones", chicks and how I'm not getting one with the current attitude, confidence, looks and tricks of the trade he's not going to uncover, and on and on. Long shadows cross our faces, cool wind finally plays with my hair. Imaginarily replacing the boys&girls motif with world domination, nuclear winter or capitalistic conspiracies, I get a sufferable doomsayer by my side. The problem is, everyone else takes it as it sounds. Guys make confused smiles and give a thumbs up. Suzu, however, seems to regret going home this road since her precious waking minutes are being spent on Daigo's idiocy. The young girl supporting her makes an, uh, know anything of explosive giggles? Now you do.
"-not even talking about Satou here, she's obviously way out of your league, oh hi there, grim reaper."
Many faces turn our way as we entered the dorm but Takashi's, and reasonably enough the greeting goes to him.
"What's up?"
"... chessboard."
His glare tells to be grateful that the first word was murmured without any articulation.
"Nice, it's been what, ten days? Doing great so far."
"Screw you."
"Be right back, Rafael."
Even in the elevator his projects see no end. Even in front of my door he continues to swear that my instincts will kick in once I'm on target. Wait, what? When have we switched to military terminology? Searching for a way out, I use a recently acquired technique.
"-so it goes like key and lock from there on, if you catch my drift. Here, you better not. Go with the flow, all you need is-"
"Here, take the shank."
No need for it anyway, since I've got my own one now. Hey, you would too in my shoes. It isn't all daisies and sunshine out there, not only deprecation as well. Punks in the alleyways, in the century two times ten and first. Today they were only staring, but who knows. That's called caution nowadays, and for good. Funny how those thoughts feel a bit alien in a shady corridor.
"Yeah, about that. Dad tipped me off, things are about to get worse, starting very soon," he carefully looks around and continues in a low voice. "Nothing more, and it's not a matter to discuss over the phone, so how's that."
"Uh, and what exactly does your father have to do with-"
We're interrupted by a click of an opened lock. The still closed door across the corridor says the owner has more of them. So we're allowed that much, nice. Daigo's face expresses a just eaten frog rather than interest, though.
"Screw me indeed. Meet the creep, I'm out."
Having whispered goodbye, he counts his job finished and retreats with surprising pace. I'm left alone with a clicking door, a promise of an interesting acquaintance and an annoyingly heavy bag.
