After the Fall [Undergoing Major Rework]

[CloudGrain]

Waking up to an alarm on a Sunday is a lot harder than waking up during the rest of the week. Without the implication that I'll miss school if I just hit the sleep button a few more times, I can't actually help but revert to a little bit of my previous laziness as I smack the sleep button twice, managing only to pull myself out of bed on the alarm's rather valiant third attempt. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, trying to adjust to the light already coming in the window, I manage to make out the time on the clock. Eight ten, more than enough time to get ready for the much anticipated trip into the city. Still more or less dragging myself along, I gather a few things for the shower and head out into the hallway and bathroom. I can't help but pause as I notice that the plaque which had Kenji's name next to his door has been removed. After the whole incident with me and him on the roof, I'm really not surprised. Actually, I'm sort of hoping for his sake that he's getting the help that he so obviously needs.

Reveling somewhat in the fact that I've got this hallway's bathroom completely to myself; I let myself doze a little bit as I shower, brush my teeth, take my medicine, dress myself, and otherwise just get ready for the day. A quick glance at my clock when I get back to my room shows that I've still got plenty of time to grab something to eat from the cafeteria before going to the bus station. Ensuring that I've got a little bit of money and my phone, I head down to the cafeteria.

It's a little surprising to see the change in the students with everyone in casual clothing rather than uniforms. There aren't a lot of students here, but since most of them aren't wearing the usual somewhat 'washed' colors of Yamaku's uniforms, they're certainly a little more pronounced. It's actually a little hard not to assume that a few of them aren't just wearing the more colorful clothes just for the hell of it, usually being somewhat restricted with the uniforms. My brief surveying of the cafeteria is cut short by my stomach's gurgling, and subsequent heading through the cafeteria line to grab something to quiet it down.

Just as I sit down, I notice a larger group of students actually in their PE uniforms coming into the cafeteria. It takes me a moment and a bite of food to realize that one of the group is actually waving at me and coming over.

"Hisao!" Emi calls out in her usual almost-too-happy voice as she more or less bounces over from the group to the opposite side of the table. "What'cha doing?" She asks, giving me more than enough reason to smile a little and raise an eyebrow at her attitude so early in the morning. It seems almost over the top, possibly even moreso thanks to her standing height being just a little bit taller than eye-level sitting down to my breakfast. It's about now that I remember Yuuko telling me the other day that there was going to be a track meet today, since I'd been looking for things to do.

"Just getting ready to head into the city in a little bit." I admit between bites, glancing at my watch to ensure that I'm still good for time. Emi's pout is fairly short in coming as she regards me.

"You're not going to stay for just a little while to watch the track-meet? Even after skipping out on me for running in the mornings?" She asks, obviously knowing just how well her puppy-eyes were able to work on people as she milks the expression for all that it's worth. Despite the pangs of guilt that are pretty much forced out of me thanks to the puppy-dog eyes, I know that I'd feel even worse for standing up Lilly and Hanako after having made plans with them.

Poking at my eggs and looking at them intently to avoid the pout is pretty much my only recourse as I try to explain myself. "Well, already made plans with Lilly and Hanako, and I'd feel just as guilty if I blew them off so soon to the bus getting here. They're only even coming along to help show me around the city." I say slowly, sneaking a peek upwards to see that Emi's pout has finally faded away somewhat. Mollified by my explanation of having a prior agreement.

"Well... I suppose that's fair. But you really should still get some more exercise, Hisao, instead of just giving up after one try. I don't think that Nurse would make me into a spy if he didn't think it were important." Emi says, shrugging a little bit as she at least tries to make a little bit of headway on the subject. Luckily, I think that I can deal with the faint ghost of a pout that Emi's got on a little bit better than the complete expression.

Rubbing the back on my neck, I nod a little and give an apologetic smile. "I should... But I'm not entirely sure if running would be the best thing for me." I admit with a shrug, getting a raised eyebrow and haughty expression from Emi.

"But running's the answer to almost every problem!" She exclaims, getting a grin from me as I shake my head.

"Not if it'll cause your heart to stop. Then, it can be the source of a few big problems." I point out simply with a faint hint of joking still in my voice, pointing my fork at her in emphasis before returning to my eggs. It takes me a span of a few seconds to notice Emi's... somewhat horrified expression when I look up. I can't help but be somewhat confused at Emi's sudden silence until I realize that... well, besides Lilly, Hanako, and the staff here at Yamaku, nobody else was exactly privy to my medical records.

It feels strange to have simply let it slip, especially in such a casual manner. But maybe it'd just been a situation where it was a little called for, trying to get Emi to understand a little bit better that I wasn't just standing her up. Getting her to realize that the whole reason I was here at Yamaku was to avoid doing things like running and having a heart attack. Maybe, just maybe, it was the first time that I'd appropriately managed to 'disclose my condition' because it was relevant to the situation.

"Is that why you didn't show up after the first day?" Emi asks, switching to a somewhat more serious mode. I simply nod, getting a thoughtful expression from Emi for a moment before she breaks out into the usual grin that's far better suited for her. "Probably a good thing then, Hisao. I might've just pushed you to have a heart attack. Then, I would've felt really, really guilty!" She says, doing a fair impression of a mortified expression before breaking out into a grin again. "Still, try to get some exercise, all right?" She asks cheerily, getting another simple nod and smile from me. Emi really does seem like she's just got an incredible amount of energy stored up somewhere. If the energizer bunny ever needed a substitute for a day... Emi perks up as one of the track-team members calls her name. "Gotta go, have fun in the city, Hisao!" She says simply enough, racing off like they're already at the track meet.

I consider wishing her good luck, but by the time that I even manage to get a hand up in farewell, she's already out of sight and earshot. Checking my watch, I realize that I've got to finish up here a little more quickly myself if I really want to continue with this streak of being early. Bolting down the few remaining bites of food, I grab my tray and make towards the nearest garbage. It doesn't take much more than a casual walk to make my way towards the bus-station with the feeling that I'll be there at least ten minutes early, just in case.

Of course, Lilly has me beat.

She's wearing an off the shoulder light brown sweater and a full-length tan skirt, sitting quite composed at a bench next to the bus station. As I close the distance between us, intent on getting close enough to speak and actually be heard, she looks approximately in my direction and asks. "Is that you, Hisao?" Catching me completely off-guard by her ability to notice me before I even spoke.

"Yes. How'd you know?" I ask, the combination of mild surprise and admiration in my voice giving Lilly a reason to smile and laugh lightly.

"Hanako's footsteps are a good deal lighter. And I do believe that she won't be coming until the last minute on this trip. She isn't partial to waiting for the bus out here in the open." Lilly explains simply, her last statement being the reason that her smile and generally light attitude falter somewhat before regaining themselves as she continues on. "Was there anything in particular that you wanted to find in the city today, Hisao? I can't say that I could find everything on my own as of yet either, but I do believe I know where we might find quite a few of the more common things."

"I'm not sure myself yet..." I admit, rubbing the back of my neck as I think of a few of the things that might be of interest to me. "I would definitely be glad to find some book stores, maybe a proper grocery store or market, and a few other odds and ends as we go. So that hopefully I could find them again on my own if I ever really needed them." I say simply, outlining a few rather simple goals for the day out. "Kind of just looking forwards to seeing how the day goes, getting out of Yamaku for a little while."

Lilly gives a single gracious tip of her head at that. A moment or two pass in silence before Lilly seems to recall something, and turns to where I've sat down with a questioning look. "Hisao, would you be willing to help me with something on the trip today?" She asks, to which I nod, before feeling like an idiot after a moment's silence leads Lilly to look slightly concerned.

"Er, sure. Sorry. What is it?" I say, immediately apologizing for the pause.

Lilly clasps her hands in front of her, dropping her voice down somewhat as she proceeds. "It's Hanako's birthday some time from now. But I'm not entirely certain that I'll have many opportunities to be in the city to shop around for her. If you could be so kind as to make a note of anything that strikes you..." She says very simply, smiling and shrugging as she leans back somewhat and finally drops the almost conspiratorial manner. The change in attitude strikes me as a little odd until I remember that Lilly said Hanako's footsteps were quite a bit softer than my own, which meant that they would be a little less likely to be heard 'out of earshot' of normal conversation.

"I'll try, anything in particular?" I ask, pushing the topic just a little bit further, suddenly finding myself somewhat interested in the idea of getting Hanako a present, even if it were still a while in the future. After the past few days with Lilly and Hanako, I feel like it might not be entirely out of place for me to get either of them appropriate gifts come their birthdays or Christmas.

"Anything that strikes you as suitable for her, really. I'm still very much looking for ideas myself." Lilly says with a smile, obviously content with the fact that I'll help her to accomplish something this trip. I file away the note to myself, and cast my glance around for the bus that should be coming any minute, as well as Hanako. I spot them both at almost the same time, with Hanako coming out of the school's gates just as the bus appears in the distance from the same direction. She's wearing an outfit that seems to strive to cover as much of her as possible, a jacket with somewhat longer sleeves, jeans, and a wide-brimmed hat. She gives both of us a small shy wave as she spots us and begins to head over. Lilly grasps her hands together in the littlest bit of worry as I give Hanako a small wave. "Oh my... Hanako may be late for the bus. I do believe that I can hear it."

Impressive though Lilly's acute hearing may be, it does still definitely have limitations compared to sight. I can't help but grin at it.

"Actually, she's coming over right now, she'll beat the bus to us." I say simply, which gives Lilly cause enough for a pleased smile. It takes just a few seconds for Hanako to come over, the bus still a little ways in the distance, maybe a moment or two away. "Good morning, Hanako. Ready to go to the city?" I ask, hoping that the enthusiasm I've got for the trip might be enough to bring her out of the shy state that she seems to be in.

Brushing her bangs even more in front of the blighted half of her face, Hanako looks away and nods once. "Y-yes." She says, voice already somewhat loaded with regret at making the decision to come with us.

Lilly seems somewhat put-off by the response, just like I am, but as we're both fumbling the situation somewhat I feel my mouth working ahead of my mind. "Maybe if we get back early enough, we can have a rematch for chess?" I find myself suggesting, hoping to take Hanako's mind off the impending trip and back to something that she'd fairly obviously enjoyed the other day. Both Lilly and Hanako appear somewhat surprised at the suggestion, although Hanako is quick to give one of her near imperceptible smiles and a quick nod.

"That... s-sounds good." She admits, the tension of the situation diffusing slightly with the simple words.

"Oh, and a rematch does mean that there was an original match. May I ask who won?" Lilly asks, smiling as she finally has a branch of conversation to hang onto a little more comfortably. I can't help but feel a little guilty at the answer. I'd won, not by a large margin, but I'd won both of the games that we'd played yesterday before finally retreating to our respective dormitories. Luckily, Hanako's the one to break the silence so that it doesn't seem like I'd be lording the winnings over Hanako.

"H-Hisao did."

"Ah. Congratulations, Hisao. I've never quite managed to best Hanako at chess." Lilly admits, just as the bus is rolling up to the bus-stop and beginning to break, the squeaking suppressing the start to saying that I'd only won by a little into nothingness. "Well, I suppose that we'd best be off." Lilly says simply, smoothing out her skirt as she stands up and extends her cane gently to the sidewalk, waiting for a few seconds for the relatively few passengers getting off the bus to do so before leading myself and Hanako into it.

"Thanks for coming along, Hanako." I take the opportunity to say as Lilly disappears into the bus, Hanako appearing more than a little hesitant to follow suit. Hanako merely seems to gloss me over somewhat, giving me an inscrutable expression before nodding and heading into the bus. I can't help but make another note in my mind, to redouble the effort to find something appropriate for Hanako's birthday in the city. I've got a feeling that dragging her out of her comfort-zone like this just might not be the best thing for her.

[CloudGrain]

Had a city trip myself to take, no opportunities to write down the story in mind. Long-update to make up for it.

_______________________________________________

I've never been a big fan of bus rides.

You sit down, hope that the seats are somewhat comfortable and just wait. Sometimes, you've got people there with you to make a little bit of small-talk, like right now with Lilly and Hanako. But it usually runs out fast, turns into longer awkward silences between increasingly meaningless conversation. Especially when conversation really is just something of a nicety to begin with, it doesn't get very far. Lilly tries her best to pull Hanako into a few conversations with us, sitting with her across the walkway from me. Unfortunately, it seems like the shyness that's usually inherent in her is even worse as soon as Hanako gets pulled out into public, and even her usual sparse answers become one-word answers. The whole situation feels... stifled and uncomfortable for the whole duration of the bus-ride, with even Lilly looking distinctly uncomfortable as her attempts to make Hanako a little more at-ease continually fail.

I can't help but be happy when the bus-ride is over.

Hanako clings right to Lilly as we get off, and shows absolutely no inclination of moving away from her, half-hugged right up against her as she stares intently at the ground. Lilly's expression, while still somewhat concerned at the fact of Hanako's shyness and anxiety is looking somewhat better as well, as though this situation is a little more normal to her. It's hard to wonder just how Hanako might have survived at all without someone to cling to like Lilly, someone willing to accommodate her.

Shaking off a few ugly thoughts, I smile just a little uneasily towards the girls, neither of whom can see me; Hanako so intently focused on the ground while Lilly seems to be waiting for some cue. I take it as an opportunity to hopefully turn things around at least a little bit. "So... Do either of you know of any book-stores that might be open on a Sunday?"

Lilly smiles, apparently thinking to herself for a moment; I've got a feeling that not too many book-stores cater to blind readers here in the city, and if they do they might not have much that'd be of much use to me. Hanako actually looks up with what I might define as a somewhat hopeful gaze for a fraction of a second, before once again hiding her face behind her hat and finding something intensely interesting with the ground. Not exactly much of an improvement on the situation, but maybe a step in the right direction to keep the whole situation from getting even more tense.

"I believe that I know of some that might be open, although you two may have to simply see if they are." Lilly finally says after a few seconds thought, nodding. It takes me somewhat by surprise to hear the fairly candid reference to her blindness, although it makes perfect sense in its relevance to the situation. Hanako doesn't seem to at all register it as I agree to go, meekly walking alongside Lilly as we begin to head off in the vague direction that Lilly believes the bookstores are in.

Despite the relief of being off the bus, as well as having an actual destination in mind, I can't help but feel much of the same... discomfort as I had on the bus.

Despite all the similarity of the city to back home, the fact that Hanako and Lilly were willing to help me get a layout of it, despite the new leaf that I'd assured myself I was turning over; I don't feel great about it all right now.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm not at Yamaku right now, strange though it seems. The campus was an entire world away from anything that I'd experience before, especially those few quiet and almost hidden-away places that I've begun to find with Hanako and Lilly's help. On top of it, Hanako's... withdrawal from the world, and Lilly's own discomfort stemming from it only adds to this whole sensation of 'out-of-placeness' that I feel right now. It's like when I'd just begun to get a bearing of where I was, I'd thrown myself right out somewhere completely different. Only I'd also managed to drag at least one completely unwilling person along with me... for what isn't the first time, and probably won't be the last time, I feel really terrible knowing that it'd been my suggestion to Hanako to come along today.

Even with Lilly and me attempting to bring her into conversation here and there, I doubt I've heard more than a dozen words from Hanako since we've gotten on the bus. I can't help but finally break as we're walking and try to address her directly, despite feeling as though Lilly and I have more or less danced around the topic before rather than face it head on.

"So, Hanako, anything you wanted to do so long as we're in the city?"

You would've thought I was asking if she wanted to run through the city streets naked by the look of confusion and fear that seems to come from being asked a direct question; head popping up for just a fraction of a second before a blush seemed to cover her face and she shook her head quickly to dismiss the notion and return to staring at the ground. Even if it's barely a step up from staring at the ground in the first place, I feel like I should make-do with getting a reaction out of her at all here, and turn the question to Lilly.

"What about you, Lilly?"

Lilly gives her usual polite smile. "There are a few stops I would like to make, if you're willing to go through a little more of the city. Nothing urgent." She says simply, keeping it a relatively open statement so that if any of us were to object it wouldn't be too big a deal. I can't help but wonder if her attitude of accommodation is because of, or existed prior to her friendship with Hanako. Right now, all I give is a slight nod, before remembering the uselessness of it.

"Sounds good. We've got all day, after all." Lilly makes a noise of agreement, and I feel a little bit of the imagined tension of the situation seem to dissipate. I've just got to maintain the attitude I've been cultivating at Yamaku in order to try and enjoy myself a bit more. Lilly's usual politeness and agreeableness, combined with Hanako's somewhat amusing shyness help to reinforce it.

We find the first of the potential book-stores that Lilly knew about in short order. Or at least, one of the book-stores that Lilly had known about. What we're standing in front of after is a pet supply store, obviously having taken over the book-store. A little bit dissuaded by the ever-changing cityscape, Lilly collects herself and heads towards another of the shops that she remembers. It's the one somewhat damning thing about the selections that cities seem to have. That they sometimes change so much so quickly, with a single building housing stores for just a few months, or even weeks before housing something completely different. Quickly, we begin to lose an actual destination and merely begin to look out for a book-store wherever we might be able to find it.

Surprising both me and Lilly, Hanako is the one to spot the only book-store that seems to be open on a Sunday in the whole city. Tucked away in something of a crack between a pair of much larger and more well-advertised stores. It's a tiny shop, seeming to just barely have the space for a window, sign, and door on the face of it. Peering into shelves and shelves of books, packed somewhat tightly together, the lights on and some movement within.

If I'm not mistaken, I actually see Hanako looking somewhat longingly at it when we cross the street for a closer inspection. Opening the door to the soft chiming of bells, I hold it open for the two girls.

"Ladies first."

Lilly gives an appreciative smile, sliding her cane to be more compact and carefully stepping through the threshold, a hand lightly against the wall even as Hanako hurries through behind her to re-link with her to provide just a little more help on navigating. Following them, I watch as Hanako reluctantly has to part with Lilly in order to squeeze through the narrowly-spaced bookshelves.

The whole store seems to be what Yamaku's library might have become if it'd been forced into a single classroom rather than given quite enough space. The same smell of paper, of old book bindings seems to permeate the whole place. The bookshelves are all made out of just slightly different colors and grains of wood, changing from deep browns to light tans in an oddly aesthetic manner. Most of the books here look quite well-worn, but not abused as I somewhat blindly go in the same direction that Hanako and Lilly disappeared in. Old leather-bound books that've faded from black to brown, hard-covers with faded edges. Looking around, I don't think that I can find a single soft-cover book on any of the nearby shelves. Realizing that I've more or less lost Lilly and Hanako as I've been getting a first impression of the place, I continue in the same direction, occasionally taking a peek at a book that seems interesting.

It's mostly older western literature. Stuff that I've never heard of before, the books that didn't get immediately chronicled for everyone everywhere to need to read. Not usually my preferred reading-material, but still sort of interesting to see an entire store open on a Sunday selling it.

Getting to the end of the bookcases, I suddenly notice Lilly, Hanako hiding behind her apparently speaking to the store's owner. An elderly-looking woman who has been bent somewhat by time, standing behind the counter with a kindly smile on her face. Lilly perks up somewhat as I take another few steps towards them. "Have you found anything of interest, Hisao?" She asks, looking approximately in my direction, causing Hanako and the store-owner to look over as well.

"Not quite yet, although the store itself is certainly interesting. I don't believe that I've seen most of these books before, even at our library." I give a slight bow to the store owner, out of courtesy. The store owner doesn't quite seem to be looking at me, although she inclines her head in return and smiles.

"Thank you, dear. I wish that I could organize it a little bit better, but my eyes aren't what they used to be." She says amiably, trying to wave off the slight perceived messiness of the store. It also explains why she hadn't been looking at me before Lilly had more or less pointed out my presence to her. The store owner gives me a smile, and turns back to Lilly to resume whatever discussion they were having... something about one of the particular books that Lilly had been having trouble finding. Hanako looks... a little more at-ease in the store, away from most people, especially with the two conversing in front of her not exactly admitting to the best vision. I can't help but wonder if Hanako would be so shy without scars.

"Hey, Hanako. Do you want to look around a bit? I know you're a bit of a reader too." I find myself saying softly, trying to see if I can't get Hanako to relax just a little bit more as she just stands around boredly. This time, instead of meeting my gaze for just a second, Hanako turns, bringing up a hand over the burned half of her face, regarding me for a moment before nodding slightly.

"S-sure." She says, actually seeming to be just a little bit at ease here in an almost familiar environment.

I'm not really sure about how long we spend just going through the shelves of books, all unfamiliar titles, most of them more than a little dated. But it goes by... nicely, as Hanako and I explore the store in quite a bit of depth. Thumbing through the first few pages of a novel here, a collection there, admiring the occasionally absolutely beautifully bound book. Going through a pair of rows, finding ourselves back at the counter I'm almost un-surprised to find that somehow Lilly and the shop-owner are sitting down to tea and still chatting away. While I have to admit that a lot of the material of the store isn't exactly what I would have hoped, the whole atmosphere of it is certainly one that I can't complain with. Starting on another row, Hanako's already pushing a book towards me to show me the impressive leather-work on the cover, wearing a nearly imperceptible smile.

It's somewhat surprising to both of us that it's Lilly who tells us that she's more or less finished, locating us in a dark corner admiring what looks like a complete collection of a work we've never heard of. Some twelve thick tomes long with inlaid gilded-lettering on the binding of each of the books' leather spines. All in English, that just-somewhat comprehensible language made all the harder by the older-style words most of the old books seem to use.

"My my, I didn't realize you two were quite so interested in classic western literature. I'll have to teach you both braille so you might borrow some of my books." Lilly teases, causing Hanako to very nearly drop the third volume of the collection we were examining directly onto my foot. Luckily, between the two of us we manage to keep it from falling to the floor.

"As long as they're not in English, I think I just might." I say sincerely, managing to draw a slightly sour expression from Lilly, confirming my fear that they might actually be in English. I can't help but chuckle at that, deciding to tack on the reasoning. "Because my English really isn't good enough... reading half from a translation-book and half from the story really might ruin the story for me." Lilly's expression is still somewhat pouting but she seems to concede to my point.

"Well, at any rate, are you two ready to go out and visit a little more of the city?" Lilly asks, getting an actual slight nod from Hanako and a grin from myself.

"Sounds good, Lilly." I say simply, speaking for both of us as we turn to the doorway. Heading out with the tinkling bells announcing our departure, I hear the shop's owner calling out a goodbye cheerily. "Good eyes spotting that shop, Hanako. It was definitely interesting." I say as we head outside, getting a blush from Hanako as she turns her head back to the ground with what I think is a faint smile. Lilly also makes a noise of agreement.

"I'm certain that I'll be headed back there eventually. It very well might be that I could find a few less-common books in braille through there." She says, a tone of contentment in her voice as she once again slides her cane out and begins to walk forwards, sounding like she'd won some small lottery. In a sense, she actually very well might have. While a few of the bigger book-stores might have the potential to order just a few books in braille, they might very likely all go through the same suppliers. There though, based on at least some of the books that me and Hanako had found while more or less exploring, Lilly might be able to find some books that practically nobody had heard of.

Hanako, even looking down at the ground right now and back to clinging Lilly's arm, looks fairly happy to have found the store and been of some help on the trip.

"So... you said there were a few other places that you were thinking about going?" I ask, addressing Lilly.

"Well... we spent quite a bit of time in that particular shop. But there is one particular shopping area in particular that I thought might be good to go to for something to eat, as well as to maybe simply find something else interesting." Lilly admits, suddenly reminding me that it'd been quite a while since I'd had my light breakfast back in school. I'm fairly happy that my stomach doesn't start gurgling on cue, as if to make a point, but feel like it might be a possibility soon.

"Sounds good. You've got an idea how to get there from here?" I ask, wondering if we'll have to go through a similar procedure to earlier where Hanako and I had to describe a few landmarks to get Lilly properly oriented. Lilly nods this time though, having probably already remembered where we were in relation to a few other things.

Setting off at a decent pace, it's almost evident that the area Lilly's talking about is at a diagonal to the city-blocks, as we cross streets only to cross the perpendicular street as well. After just a few minutes, I notice both Lilly and Hanako sometimes casting a somewhat concerned gaze over at me, and when we stop to wait for traffic, Lilly finally seems to confront the issue.

"Hisao, are you all right?" I raise an eyebrow for a moment, before realizing that I'm breathing heavily and taking a second before I can even answer the two of them.

Damn, I'm out of shape.

"Out of shape." I say simply taking another few deep breaths as I shake my head, realizing that there's a growing itch in my lungs to wheeze like an old man. "Haven't exactly gotten a lot of exercise lately." I admit, feeling bad for the second time today that I wasn't exactly following the medical advice I'd been given, but feeling more justified than ever in the idea that running very well might've killed me. "Not a huge deal, don't worry too much. Just slow down a tiny bit?" I say and ask, getting a moderately concerned nod from both of the girls.

"We're almost there." Lilly says, both hands on her cane with her expression not quite going back to the usual polite smile as she seems to regard me. Hanako's gaze is even more... disconcerting, as she actually bothers to look at me with her usual deeply analytic expression for a few moments before breaking the contact to lead Lilly across the street.

The area that Lilly leads us to, admittedly quite close to where the girls noticed my complete lack of physical fitness, seems quite suited to her. A nice little cafe stands with mostly outdoor seating right off one of the larger streets of the plaza, the chairs looking more than a little inviting as I realize how many hours we must have actually spent looking around for a bookstore and then through the one that we'd found. It's a nice day out too, the sun brightly shining while the wind seems to be coming occasionally at best.

Sitting down is a great feeling after being on your feet for so long, especially when a waitress bounces right up to take orders. All three of us settle on rather light lunches, with Lilly and Hanako choosing their customary tea while I go for coffee.

"So, is the city living up to your expectations of something interesting to do on the weekends?" Lilly asks, smiling across at me and Hanako.

"I think so. Thank you both for the company." I say, sitting back and enjoying the feeling of sitting down after being on my feet for a few hours.

Surprisingly, while Lilly just nods with a smile, I can hear Hanako speaking, "N-no problem." before looking away with a somewhat embarrassed expression. Luckily, at least probably for Hanako, our food arrives very shortly after and gives an excuse for a period of silence where we all dig in eagerly. After finishing, sitting back contently, I check my watch for what has to be the first time today and am somewhat surprised by the time. It's almost two in the afternoon already... we'd probably spent an hour or so just looking for a bookstore, then a few hours inside of it before spending another hour or so getting up here for a late lunch. I can't help but voice it out loud as an expression of wonderment, at which Lilly suddenly looks like she's thinking somewhat hard.

"You know... we could make the three o' clock back to Yamaku if you're not feeling like spending a few more hours here, Hisao." She says thoughtfully, finishing off the last bit of her tea as she waits for my response. As I lazily sit there, I can definitely notice Hanako out of the corner of my eye fidgeting slightly at that. She'd been slowly shutting down just a little bit more in public since we'd left the book-shop that she'd been so much more comfortable in. As much as I might actually have liked to go on for a little bit longer, I still do feel a little bit guilty about potentially depriving both Lilly and Hanako of all of their Sundays' too.

"That sounds good... I'll admit that it took a little more out of me than I was expecting."

"Y-you're alright t-though?" Hanako interjects, looking over at me for a fraction of a second before as usual looking away, unable to maintain eye contact. I can't help but smile at what I feel like is almost unnecessary concern. I was a little winded earlier, not in the middle of a heart-attack. Hell, if I'd really wanted to I probably could've jogged for just a little bit today without too much of an issue.

"I'm fine. But, I did promise you a chess rematch when we got back anyways, didn't I?" I say, half-jokingly as Hanako looks back over to me. I'd be willing to swear that she's actually got a somewhat more noticeable smile than usual on as she nods.

It's a nice smile, and I really can't help but sort of wish that she'd smile a little bit more.

[Mirage_GSM]

"So... Do either of you know of any book-stores that might be open on a Sunday?"

That would be "any book-store" in Japan. Shops don't usually close there on Sundays.

Even with Lilly and I attempting...

"Lilly and me"

despite feeling as though me and Lilly have more or less danced around the topic

"I and Lilly" - or even better "Lilly and I"

It's about as close to a 'hole in the wall' as you can get,

And shops in Japan can get VERY close to a 'hole in the wall'...

Old leather-bound books ... mostly older western literature.

Old books with western literature? I don't think Hisao's English skills would be sufficient to read those since they would almost certainly not be translated into Japanese...

But it goes by... nicely, as me and Hanako explore the store in quite a bit of depth.

"Hanako and I"

While a few of the bigger book-stores might have a larger selection of books in braille

I don't think you will find a bookstore that stocks any books in Braille in all of Japan - or most of the rest of the world as well.

a similar procedure to earlier where me and Hanako had to describe a few landmarks

"Hanako and I" - It's uncanny how you always pick the wrong option...

[dewelar]

After just a few minutes, I notice both Lilly and Hanako sometimes casting a somewhat concerned gaze over at me,

Hmmm...something not quite right here...

[brythain]

After just a few minutes, I notice both Lilly and Hanako sometimes casting a somewhat concerned gaze over at me,

Hmmm...something not quite right here...

I always knew there was something sorcerous about Lilly Satou.
While others call her 'the Divine Lilly', I think of her as 'the Diviner Lilly'.

[CloudGrain]

After the Fall is going to likely be out on a fairly major hiatus for an indeterminate amount of time.

My concern about varying in my quality as I go along through this seems to be somewhat validated, going from around a 1.000 word introduction to the story, all the way up to major [and more frequent-seeming] 2.500 word+ updates within relatively short periods of time. This is certainly in no small part thanks to my having quite a bit more time, and therefore energy to put into my writing this and other stories. However, it makes a huge deal to me personally to have so... 'loaded' the story by now. To have such a small introduction, with what I'll admit to be less thought-out ideas and concepts backing it and building upon that with ever more-elaborate details. I'm not entirely certain that I can build any real impressive tower from such an unsteady-seeming base.

That being said, I've got absolutely no intention of scrapping the project I've set before myself. I personally like the concept, and have been more than glad to see that at least a few people seem to read it and enjoy it as well. But I'm sincerely hoping that I can do a hell of a lot better if I go back and fix some things, add some things, and generally improve as much as I possibly can about the story before continuing. Of course, this likely means that there won't be any 'real' updates to the story until I manage to hammer out all of these changes to the basic structure, and probably won't mean much in regards to the actual storyline seen thus far.

Therefore, the entire 'rework' will be released as an entirety when it is completed. Hopefully this process can be completed in just a few short weeks, and I can continue with the story from just about exactly where it left off, and shortly thereafter begin working on some of the other routes. But of course, life tends to throw wrenches into the processes no matter how carefully we plan them, and there's no way that I can necessarily guarantee a timeframe for the rework to be complete to my own satisfaction.

In short, consider this story more or less grinding to a halt for a time being, and for a (hopefully) much improved version to appear sometime in the future.

[azumeow]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT THING.

I think that's a decent idea. While I've enjoyed reading this, it did seem to have started off a little shaky. A re-work from the beginning will probably only do good things. Good luck glorious author-sama!

[Minion of Chaos]

Good luck with the rework and I anticipate the changes! Remember, make it right (in your opinion/desire)- time isn't an object

[Mirage_GSM]

That's probably a good idea.
The way the story was heading at the moment I was worried it would be "just" an alternative Hanako-route appended to the Manly Picknick. the last chapter hardly referenced the fall anymore - it might still have been a good story, but that was the thing that set this story apart form others.
Just something you might keep in mind when doing your rewrite.

[AntonSlavik020]

I agree with Mirage. The fact that this took place post Kenji ending was one of it's main selling points. I understand you have to move on from that eventually, though. Looking forward to the update!