Waiting (Chapter Ten, 7/15)

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Re: Waiting (Chapter Six, 9/9)

Post by Mirage_GSM »

But at the same time, he can come across as pretty cool guy. I can't think of when it was,...
At the same time? :lol:

But jokes aside he is definitely becoming less douchy. Add a bit of character development in the coming chapters, and soon he'll be likeable ^_^
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

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Re: Waiting (Chapter Six, 9/9)

Post by Acik »

RedRover wrote:Kiyomi be creepin.'
I'm quite sure I have no idea what you are talking about, good sir. None at all...
RedRover wrote:I still can't tell if I "like" Yuuma.
Mirage_GSM wrote: Add a bit of character development in the coming chapters, and soon he'll be likeable ^_^
Damn, I sure hope so. Yuuma is a bitch to write sometimes. It's easy to write an asshole that everyone will hate, but I'll be damned if it's easy to write one as your protagonist. I was a little worried when I designed his character that something like this would happen, but I'm pretty happy with how he is developing. Just hang in there folks, he can't be a dick forever. Not saying he will be all puppy dogs and rainbows, but maybe something in between. A carebear with lasers or something. Not sure. Still thinking.
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Six, 9/9)

Post by griffon8 »

Acik wrote:A carebear with lasers or something.
Now there's a cartoon I might have watched. :lol:
I found out about Katawa Shoujo through the forums of Misfile. There, I am the editor of Misfiled Dreams.

Completed: 100%, including bonus picture. Shizune>Emi>Lilly>Hanako>Rin

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Re: Waiting (Chapter Six, 9/9)

Post by azahk101 »

I just read through all of this and I've gott say I kinda like Yuuma's style. He's so non-committed to everything that he comes off seeming like a total dick, but it isn't something that really defines who he is. There's more to him than that. Plus, that tired and non-committal feeling just clicks with me, seeing as that's how I feel I am most of the time.

Anyways, I'm really liking the story so far and I hope to be reading more in the near future!
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Six, 9/9)

Post by Acik »

Hey there folks, just wanted to check in. I know it has been expressed here, and many other places, that the readers don't mind delays and what not, but that doesn't stop me, the writer, from feeling bad about it. I have been going through some personal stuff lately and just have not found the time to work on Waiting. I plan to kick back into as soon as possible, but I cannot make a promise about when chapter seven will be released. It won't be weeks or anything, but hopefully I will have something posted in the next few days.

Anyway, you all have been great and I appreciate the support. Bear with me.
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Seven, 10/26)

Post by Acik »

And we return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

Chapter Seven: Evasive Action

I'm awake.

I know that much. Although, that should be a fairly easy thing to discern. I mean, I suppose I could be dreaming. But I'm not. I'm awake. But something is wrong. My new found nemesis has yet to make an appearance. I haven’t opened my eyes. But I know. The sun is lurking out there. Waiting. Plotting. It's just waiting for me to open my eyes so it can blind me through the unshielded window I so graciously left it. Or it's too early.

I decide to throw caution to the wind and crack open my eyes. Thankfully, I am not met with another illuminated battering. A hint of light seeps through my window, but only enough to cast shadows into my darkened room. It must be really early. Probably around the time I would get up anyway. But this time I actually have some sleep under my belt. And I don't feel entirely awful. A downgrade from mostly awful, at least. A little awful?

My body aches as I swing my legs out of bed. Yep, still a little awful. I must have slept funny.

Still, I can't remember the last time I felt even remotely this refreshed. All it took was an exhausting two days and a completely embarrassing ideational incident in front of someone. Not a terrible compromise, I suppose. Now things can get back to normal. Or abnormal. Whatever counts in my case.

Although, I can't knock the sleep. I'll keep that.

It won't be easy. With Kiyomi here now, things won't be exactly as I'd like them. But she's a second year. I will never see her. Not often enough to be disruptive at any rate. Hell, after a few weeks she probably won't even remember I'm here. She is a smart and...well, attractive...young woman. She will have her hands full. Probably a whole slew of new friends. Getting confessed to by every boy in her class. She won't need ol' Yuuma's help.

No, she will be fine. Can't say the same for me, though.

My sleep schedule may be looking better, but there are still so many things I need to catch up on. I can barely make out the outline of my desk in the darkness, but I know a pile of backlogged classwork is lurking somewhere in the shadows. Well, I have two hours to kill before class. Couldn't hurt, right?

I rise and navigate the piles of clothes and other assorted items left in the various piles around my room. I flip on the lights and take the next few moments to let my eyes adjust. I open my eyes and attempt to locate my books. Ah, that's right. I was going to clean up. So I could find my books. So I can do my work. Honestly, I wonder if I subconsciously set these things up like this. Make everything chain into each other. Knock everything out at once. Then again, if I do, the setup hurts as much as helps. Can't count how many times I have used my complete lack of organization as an excuse not to do work. Oh well. Worked out this time.

Surprisingly, I don't completely hate what I'm doing. There is something refreshing about cleaning up after a long time. Makes everything feel like it's going to be better.

I freeze halfway bent over, a pair of socks hanging limply in my hand.

Huh. That's strange.

I almost feel like I'm in a good mood. Like, really good. That's new. Not sure if I like it. Must be all the sleep at regular intervals. Is it strange that I consider this strange?

Probably.

But it's a step up, isn't it? Nothing wrong with feeling a little happy. Or maybe it's not really happiness. Maybe what I'm feeling is just better than normal. Either way, if it means I actually get some shit done, I'm on board. Sign me up. I'll take two.

After locating my textbooks, in varying degrees of condition and...smell, I set about doing over a week's worth of homework and assignments. I decide to knock out English first. Not my best subject, but far from my worst. I spare a hateful glare at my chemistry textbook. Your time will come, my old foe. And such a reckoning it will be!





Or not.

Damn, this is hard. Doesn't help that I don't even recall learning this material. Sleeping in class tends to have that effect.

I sigh and rub my temples. This would most likely be impossible for me even if I had been paying attention. Who's bright idea was it to add math to elements? Formulas make no sense. Math I can do. This...this nonsense is some poor excuse for a science. Not even a science, really. Just a headache.

Pushing away the assignment, I slide back from my desk. That's enough of that. I don't care how well I think I am doing this morning, I am not going to get anywhere with chemistry. Eh, I did enough, anyway. I tried. That should be enough.

I still have a seemingly unending amount of schoolwork left, but there is no way I am going to complete any of it before class. Sparing a glance at the clock I realize I have just enough time to snag some food before heading out. I wonder if any of that bread is left?

After a quick trek to the dorm kitchen I find the same unattended loaf of bread as yesterday. A few boys walk past here and there, on their way out or back in for whatever reason before class, but the kitchen remains silent.

I slip out two slices and place them into one of the many toasters lining the counter. I let out a yawn as the bread heats up. I wonder if Makoto is going to be less of a passive aggressive idiot today? Hopefully. As much as I am dreading it, he needs a talking to. Maybe at before-

The toaster chimes and the toasted bread pops out the top. Before I can reach for it a rustling comes from the pantry. I freeze in place and lean toward the noise. There is definitely something in there. Do we have rats?

“...freakin...hell...mother...”

What the hell?

The pantry bursts open and a blur of orange and red flies out amidst several cans and other dry foods.

“Ha! Caught you red handed!”

I look down, dumbfounded at the sight before me. Kenji, if I remember the name right, is scrambling around of the floor, desperately trying to rise. A pasta strainer adorns his head like a helmet, while he holds a toilet brush in one hand. Is he wearing combat boots?

Kenji finally finds purchase and rises. He strikes a wide and triumphant pose, toilet brush extended in front of him like Excalibur itself. “You thought we wouldn't notice the raids on our food supply?! But nothing gets past me! Now surrender the bread and yield to me your secrets! When is the invasion?!”

I cock my head and stare down at him as he rambles off a thousand words a second.

“Don't make me get out the torture tools! Give me something! Troop movements, supply information, locations of officers! Where do you keep your weapons? What have you done with Chuck Norris? Come on, speak up, feminist scum!”

I sigh. “Um...Kenji, right?”

The toilet brush slackens in his hands. He leans forward and examines me through his coke bottle glasses. “You are a little tall for a feminist, aren't you?”

He tentatively pokes me with the brush.

“Hey! Cut that out!” I exclaim as I swat the brush away.

Kenji retreats a few steps. “You're not a feminist! You're that giant from the third floor.”

Huh, that's a new one, I think.

“Kenji, what the hell are you doing?”

“I received reliable intel that the feminists were stealing our food rations.”

This guy is nuts. I had heard that he was a little unbalanced, but I had never spoken more than two words to the guy. But this...is he seeing a therapist? Do I get a discount for referrals? Hey, Doc! Got a new one for you. He's just like me, but actually crazy! Have fun.

“Nope. Just me.” And probably everyone else in the building. Who leaves their bread unattended and doesn't expect someone to eat it?

Kenji's jaw drops as he swiftly jumps back into an offensive posture, the toilet brush once again raised for an attack. “So you do work for them!”

I swear to God, if this kid takes a swipe at me with that thing...

“I knew you were a feminist operative! I've seen you colluding with one of their lieutenants in the dead of night!”

What the...does he mean Emi? Has he been following me in the mornings? This guy needs help. Emi, some sort of feminist ringleader? That's just...huh...actually...

“What did they promise you? Money? Power? Cause once the bombs drop, that all means diddly crap, my man!”

What do they say about not waking sleepwalkers? I'm not sure if that exactly applies here, but this needs to end before he says something that might actually make sense.

Just lean into it. Go with the flow. Walk into the light.

I step forward and gently push the brush down and away. “Be quiet! Do you want to get us both killed?”

“What?”

I lean in and whisper harshly, “You are going to blow my cover, idiot!”

Kenji stands there for a moment, flabbergasted. Is this the first time someone has played his little game?

“You're...you're a double agent!” He exclaims, his tone as much a question as a statement.

I sigh and back away. “I have no idea what you mean.”

He cocks his head at me before the realization sinks in. “Yeah...right. Of course.” Kenji straightens his pasta strainer helmet and back peddles slowly. “Well, thank you for that...thing...see you later...friend.”

And...he's gone.

For some reason I feel my quickened heartbeat. That was a bit fun. I'm not sure whether it was the profuse lying or all the spy talk, but I briefly enjoyed that. That can't be good.

I take a nibble of my illegally acquired toast. That guy has a few loose screws, but at least he helped pass the time. A little unnerving that he has been tracking my movements, though. Not sure how I feel about that. A normal person might be angry or scared, but I can't really place how I feel about his stalking. At least, I should be concerned. Is it weird that I'm a little flattered? Am I that narcissistic?

That is a bit troubling. I might actually have to bring this up at my next appointment. Equally troubling.

I shake my head as if to dispel the thoughts.

Whatever. Over. Done with. Today didn't start off like complete crap. Let's get back to that. Got some work done, had an interesting breakfast, nothing wrong with that. No specifics. Just the way I like it.

I shove the remaining food into my mouth and head for class. As I walk across the grounds I can't shake the feeling that I had forgotten something. Just one of those nagging feelings in the back of my mind. I'm missing something.

But I'm determined to make today not awful. Whatever it was, it can't be that important, right?

Forgetting about forgetting, I head up to the third floor and make my way to class. Makoto's desk is vacant by the time I walk into 3-4. Strange. He usually would be here by now. So much for talking to him before class.

I take my seat and mindlessly stare off into the room. Emi is still MIA. I can hear Rin two seats behind me, her pencil scratching furiously across paper. Two rows over I can hear Jun tearing into someone about something regarding Tanabata. That guy needs to chill out. I swear he's competing with Shizune for most annoying class rep.

I suddenly remember my conversation with Takara yesterday. Huh, I guess I forgot. That...that might have been bad.

Sighing, I rise and stride over to where Jun is standing. He towers over Hatsu's desk, leaning in and practically shouting. “I havn't been told any such thing! No one ever tells me crap! Shizune gives me the cold shoulder and little miss amazonian doesn't deem it fit to keep me in the loop. And do not get me started on 3-1...”

Hatsu sits calmly at her desk, arms crossed and eyes straight ahead. “Well, I had only assumed you already knew.”

Jun lets out a frustrated sigh and runs his fingers through his jet black hair. “Well, I didn't. You have any idea what I, what we, as a class will have to do now to get it all done in time?”

Hatsu shrugs. “Nope.”

I stand a few paces away, almost afraid to interrupt. Mostly because I can't shake the feeling that I...might?...be at fault here. Maybe. Who knows? Do we really know anything? Nope, we sure don't. I think I will just go sit back down.

“Iwasaki.”

Did I just cringe? I think I might have. Good lord.

“Yes?” I ask as I turn back to Jun.

“Did you have something to say?”

Oh, well. Had a good run. Go out with a bang. “Yes. Takara said to turn in your paperwork to 3-1 as soon as possible.”

Jun closes his eyes and rubs his temples. “And when did she say this?”

I snap to attention and give a sloppy salute. “Yesterday, sir!”

Instead of an explosion, I'm met with Jun slinking back down into his own chair. “Well, thank you for the timely update, then.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Slipped my mind,” I halfheartedly chuckle.

Jun grunts and waves at me in dismissal. “Not like it would have mattered. Those three girls keep me so far out of the loop that I am honestly surprised we get anything done.”

Am I about to engage the class rep? Yes. Someone stop me. Engaging...

“What happened?”

Damn. Damn it. If Makoto were here, this wouldn't have happened. I could be back at my desk, staring at a quality wall. Some very wealthy people payed a lot of money for us to have walls worth staring at. But no. Makoto isn't here. I actually feel sociable. And I am currently engaging in conversation with our class rep about the affairs of the school.

What. Is. Happening to me?!

“Those harpies decided to pick out our stall for us it seems.”

Pushing aside my internal melodrama, I find myself actually curious. “I thought we had that all squared away? Water pistols or something, right?”

Hatsu barks out a laugh. “Apparently, that was already taken. Because someone didn't file their paperwork fast enough.”

Jun stares daggers at Hatsu for a moment before letting out some very obvious frustration. “I had it all done! We already built the damn thing last weekend, but that doesn't matter apparently! Community project, they called it. All fair game, it seems. We didn't get the memo. 3-2 got the water pistol range. We will be running a little quiz show game. Whoop dee do.”

As much as that would suck from his side, I can't really see how this is such a big deal. “So we run a quiz game. So what?”

Jun laughs. “Oh, did I forget to mention? That particular stall isn't built. Whoops! Guess we have to do it. In two days. With little to no help from Miss Student Council President.”

Hm, that would suck. Not my problem. Hopefully.

“That is basically what they told me. A big F you, if you ask me.”

I back away slowly. “Sure does sound that way.”

Disengage. Disengage.

Jun shakes his head and mumbles something to himself. I quickly and quietly slide myself into my seat. Crisis averted.

“Hey, Iwasaki-”

“Quite down, Kuno.” Nomiya grumbles as he enters, Emi rushing in only seconds ahead of him.

Jun coughs and bows his head. Thank you, Nomiya, you pink suited weirdo. Might have saved me a lot of grunt work. Now to just avoid Jun for the rest of the day. Easy.

The empty desk next to me troubles me, though. I can't recall the last time Makoto wasn't in class. I shouldn't be worried. But I can't stop the little bit of worry from joining that forgetful tingling in the back of my mind. He better not have done something stupid.

From the front Nomiya starts blabbing on about something. “For this assignment, you will need to turn to page 263 in your textbooks.”

I sigh and reach down to my nonexistent backpack. After getting a handful of air I realize I can't even default to Makoto this time for help. Son of a bitch.

I raise my hand in resignation.

Nomiya stares at me, then my empty desk. I'm not sure what the look of someone who has completely given up on someone looks like...but I think I have a better idea now.

“Iwasaki, pair with Jun and Hatsu for this assignment.”

Before I walk to the funeral of my free time that Nomiya unwittingly sent me to, I offer a silent prayer to whatever god might be listening.

What did I do to piss you off? Was it something I said? Come on, God, Buddha, Vishnu, Universe. Throw me a freakin' bone.

But, maybe...maybe he won't ask me to help.

I sit down at the empty desk and smile weakly at Hatsu and Jun.

“So, Iwasaki. I was thinking that if we all pitched in...”

Jun's words fade away as my head plops down onto the desk.

This is all Makoto's fault.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sorry about the delay, folks. But excuses do no one any good, so I won't waste precious seconds and bytes of information doing such. I am getting back into the swing of things over here and hope to be regularly releasing chapters again.

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Last edited by Acik on Sun Feb 09, 2014 9:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Seven, 10/26)

Post by Feurox »

Man I love this, :D You do such a good job with the characters that it all flows so smoothly :D I'm afraid I can't give you any constructive criticism because I didn't find anything to criticise! :D Good work man! Don't let the feminists stop you now! ;) <3
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Seven, 10/26)

Post by Acik »

Feurox wrote:Don't let the feminists stop you now!
/salute
I shall do my best.

On an on topic note, this chapter was significantly less stressful to write. The past few chapters always left a sour taste in my mouth after writing. Not because I thought they were bad, but because of the emotions I would have to channel and focus were mostly frustration and anger. But this one...it was just fun. Not 100% what I had in my outline for this chapter, but I hit all the points I wanted to while lightening the tone just a bit. Sometimes you just gotta switch gears, ya know?

Oh, and Happy Halloween, everyone!
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Eight, 2/9)

Post by Acik »

Chapter Eight: Boarding Party

“See, this isn't so bad, is it?”

I wipe the sweat from my forehead and try to block out Jun's voice. Not so bad? Nah, not at all. Unless you dislike working in the hot sun on short notice. Then, yeah, might be a bit bad.

“We'll be done in no time at this rate.”

“Be faster if you were helping...” Hatsu rolls off from her perch along the wall, eyes never straying from her Gameboy.

Jun snorts. “I'm management. So I'm managing.”

“Managing not to work...” I mutter.

Hope he didn't hear that.

Flick.

I bring my hand up to my ear. Guess he did hear.

“I don't know...sounds like a very Shizune thing to say.” Hatsu exclaims.

I bring my head up from my lackluster hammering. I have to see this.

Jun strides over to Hatsu, hand raised and finger pointing. “I am nothing like her!”

Hatsu smiles at her screen. “Really? Are you sure?” She looks up from her game and examines Jun. “Have any urge to run for student council lately? Maybe a propensity for pink haired sidekicks?”

I hear chuckles emerge from the class around me. I suppress my own laughter. Hatsu, however, seems fairly pleased with herself. A smug grin takes up most of her fox like face, gray eyes issuing challenge.

Jun looks pissed, but I have seen this before. He isn't really mad. Just annoyed. And not even at Hatsu. He probably finds the whole thing as amusing as we do.

“Can't say I have. And never mind me, what about you?”

Hatsu places her hand on her chest and raises the pitch of her voice. “Who? Me?”

More snickering.

Jun sighs. “Why aren't you helping?”

Hatsu drops her act and give Jun the flattest stare I have ever seen. Oh. That.

Jun rolls his eyes and turns away, flinging his arms into the air. “Fine. Whatever. But, how come it seems that every time work needs to be done, your MS acts up?”

Hatsu shrugs and returns to her game. “No idea. Damnedest thing.”

Across from me, I hear Emi finally break down. She's rolling around on the concrete, barely suppressing her laughter. Rin sits idly next to her, a saw perched between her toes. That...uh...that can't be good.

“Um, Emi...” I whisper.

Her body still shaking with giggling, Emi looks in my direction. I quickly point to Rin. Emi turns and immediately stops laughing.

“Ah! Um, Rin, how about we have you do the painting?” Emi stammers as she carefully removes the saw from Rin's toes.

Rin shrugs and goes about doing whatever Rin does. Hopefully nothing with sharp instruments.

I turn back to my own work. Several boards of wood sit in front of me. Can't say I have the slightest idea of how they go together, but I can hammer just fine. At least, that's what I tell myself. I never like to handle...dangerous...items. Things can go wrong quickly with things like saws, scissors, and hammers. Even though I know it won't help, after every swing I make a mental note of what I did. I would really hate to forget how to use a hammer or a nail. That...well, that might not end well for anyone.

But so far so good. The sun is too bright and it's freakin' hot out, and I might forget how to use this blunt weapon at any moment, but yeah, not so bad. Spirits are remarkably high, given the crap that was thrown our way. We might actually finish before the festival. Not that I really care.

Could use some more entertainment, though.

I glance up from my work and try to lock eyes with Hatsu. Kind of hard considering she hardly ever takes her eyes of that damn game. After a few minutes of staring her eyes finally lock with mine.

She cocks an eyebrow.

I smile and nod in Jun's direction.

A small smile creeps up on her lips. “Hey, Jun. I was wrong.”

Jun perks up. “Eh?”

Sparing a final glance at me, Hatsu turns her attention back to Jun. “Yeah, you're nothing like Shizune. She would probably be helping.”

Uh-oh.

Instead of running over and tipping Hatsu off the wall, the thought going through probably everyone's head, Jun mutters something and moves to pick up a saw.

Huh. Okay, then.

Hatsu seems equally surprised. But it quickly fades back into causal disinterest. “Hey, look at that.” She idly twirls a finger through her copper locks. “Didn't even have to dye my hair pink for you to listen to me.”

I snicker. Too bad Makoto is missing out on all this 'fun'. He had better be dying or in a coma. I bet he caught wind of this before the rest of us and decided to bail out early. Wouldn't be surprising. Sounds like something I would do. I've taught him well.

Plus, it has all the added benefit of avoiding talking about Takara. It's just a win-freakin'-win for him. Yeah, definitely bailed.

“Hatsu, could you do me a favor and check in on the rest of the class?” Jun asks through labored breaths.

Hatsu looks up at him and once again stares flatly.

Jun stops sawing. “No, don't give me that! You wanted me to help, I'm helping. Now, I'm asking nicely...if you are feeling well enough, could you go check on them?”

She sighs and nods as she rises from her perch. Her knees buckle slightly as she lands. Guess she wasn't faking.

I do envy her, right now, though. Not the MS...obviously, but she gets to go back inside. Sweet, air conditioned, inside. Where all the lucky bastards who didn't get picked for building duty, sit comfortably back in 3-4, making the questions for the stall game. If only I had better handwriting. Hell, I'm lucky it's even remotely legible. Mush mouthed and horrible handwriting. Thank God for sign language.

Anyway, back to concentrating on not accidentally maiming someone in a freak ideational incident. Really, whose idea was it to give me hammer? Honestly.

In a small corner of my mind I know I could probably get out of all this. Just a quick few comments on how uncomfortable I am with manual labor involving potentially dangerous tools...

But something stops me. Maybe I don't want to abandon the rest of the class? Or, more likely, it would require me to actually bring up and discuss my ideational apraxia. No thanks.

I carefully line up the hammer and bring it down with a bit too much force. The wood around the nail splits and cracks, jagged lines reaching all the way to the tip. Crap.

“Really, Iwasaki, another one?”

I shoot Jun an apologetic smile as I rise to go fetch a new piece of wood. Maybe I won't have to use my disability for a free pass today. Jun might just kick me off the project due to incompetence. Oh, that would be nice. A man can dream.

On the far end of the square a large pile of wooden boards rest against a lamppost, each piece unknowing of the fate that awaits it. Whoever arranged the pile had no inclination to arrange them in any particular order, making the selection of my next victim a bit of a chore. Or maybe the length I have been working with has started to hid itself out of fear.

After a minute of searching I see the length I'm looking for sticking out behind a pile of larger boards. I wrestle it free and bring it up to my eyes. Thought you could hide, did you? Don't worry, I'll make it a quick end.

“Yuuma?”

The board falls out of my slackened grip and clatters to the ground. I quickly turn, hoping whoever is there didn't see any of that. Was I mouthing my words again?

From the look on Kiyomi's face I would hazard a guess that she saw everything. Fantastic.

“Uh, hey.”

Kiyomi arches an eyebrow and glances at the board and then back at me. “I'm sure it deserved it.”

More than mouthed, apparently.

Well, that's twice in twenty-four hours that I have made a fool of myself in front of her. Unless you count the thing with my shoes as well. Might as well. Three, then.

Off to such a great start.

Clearly trying to diffuse the tension, Kiyomi gestures to the rest of the class. “Isn't it a bit late to still be working on stalls.”

A short distance away Jun lets out a sharp laugh.

I rub the back of my neck, “Yeah, we're aware.”

“I would offer my help, but-”

I cut her off, “No, save yourself. It's not as fun as it looks.”

Kiyomi chuckles, “But you all make it look so entertaining.”

I smile weakly. Something is odd. Her energy is different. Is she putting on another act, like she did for her brother?

Haven’t been around her enough to know. Don't really want to know.

“So, what brings you into our little corner of hell?”

She awkwardly shifts back and forth, eyes running past me and over the rest of the class. They are hard at work, or at least what qualifies as hard work for us. But a few of them are obviously trying to listen in. Judging by the drastically reduced speed in Emi's sawing, I would say a few more obvious than others.

Hey eyes focus back on mine, “I was just wondering what time you wanted to meet up?”

Meet up? What?

“I'm sorry, what?”

Kiyomi tilts her head. “The festival. Did you just want to meet me outside the dorms?”

Is...is she asking me to the festival?

“Um, I guess. Kinda a funny way to ask me, though.” I mutter, still trying to process what just happened.

Her eyes widen. “What? No, I...wait. Didn't you get my text?”

My mind rockets back to last night. I was tired, she was texting me, I just wanted to sleep...and there was something else.

The nagging forgetful feeling I had been having all day suddenly dissipates. It wasn't my books or the message for Jun. I fish my phone out of my pocket and see an unread message. The one I think I heard right before passing out.

[Oh, and you're taking me to the festival btw! Just thought you should know. And no excuses!]

I read it over again, just to make sure I'm not imagining it. She's not really asking you out, idiot. She just wants someone familiar to pal around with. Right?

“Oh.” Surprised that much came out. Solid job, brain.

“Sorry if it seems pushy, she told me to do it like that.” Kiyomi explains.

I nod. Wait.

“Who is she?”

Kiyomi smirks. “The student council president. I ran into her and the other one on my way to dinner last night. She's the one who gave me your number.”

Shizune has my number? Wait. She has access to student information. Did she pull my file just to rat out my number? Or does she have it memorized? Wouldn't be surprised if she knew everyone's phone number off the top of her head. And blood type. Maybe a list of strengths and weaknesses as well.

“So what time?” Kiyomi reiterates.

I thought crosses my mind. “Hang on, how do you know I don't already have plans?”

She crosses her arms. “The pink one told me that was highly unlikely.”

Jeez, thanks Misha.

“Do you not want to go with me?” Kiyomi asks, giving me a puppy dog look that Emi would be jealous of.

I sigh. “No, that's not it.”

She lights up. “Great! Meet me outside the girl's dorm around four?”

Before I have a chance to respond she's gone, walking briskly toward the dormitories.

Well, that was interesting. The fact that she talked with Shizune is a little disturbing, as well. I'm not Shizune's favorite person, which makes me think that maybe this is all some sort of crazy revenge. Would Kiyomi be in on it, or a unwitting pawn? And whats the angle? Make me spend the day with a pretty girl? Or maybe it's just to ruin what would be a nice quite day off for me.

If it is some sort of game, then I'm sure something humiliating awaits me. Or maybe this was part of it. This was all potentially quite embarrassing. If anyone else could hear, that is.

Before I attempt to turn I notice a distinct lack of sound. Great.

I turn sharply to see everyone working with a sudden vigor, everyone's eyes avoiding my own. We are not subtle as a group. Not subtle at all.

I pick up the board I dropped and get back to work, hoping no one will bring it up. I glance at Emi expecting a slew of questions, but she has her head down and refuses to look up at me. Well, that's new. Welcome, though.

Thinking myself safe, I let out a breath and resume hammering. Maybe if I line up the nail a little lower it won't crack as easily...

“Dang, what's with everyone?”

I look up to see Hatsu return, clearly confused by our silent working. Then the floodgates open.

“Some little second year just asked Yuuma to the festival!”

“The new girl fancies Yuuma.”

“You missed it! Yuuma totally fell on his face.”

“Yuuma has a date.” Emi adds to the cacophony.

Hatsu smiles wryly as the class bombards her with the many varying details of my encounter, my face growing hotter with each one.

I wonder how much force it would take to kill myself with this hammer?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Well, that certainly took longer than expected. Sometimes life happens (job, back in college, etc.), and some things hit the back-burner. Waiting was something I really did not want to put aside, but it did, and I'm not happy about that. I have found so little time for writing in the past few months, and I'm looking to change that. This chapter was actually started a while back, probably in November, but I never quite finished it/was happy with it. Originally just the first bit of a much larger chapter, I scaled this one down and gave myself some wiggle room. For those keeping track the first seven chapters hardly encompass two and half days. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but it's time to get to some meatier stuff.

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Last edited by Acik on Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Eight, 2/9)

Post by Mirage_GSM »

I am finally met with her eyes.
"...my eyes are finally met by her eyes" would be grammatically correct, but passive voice is still very strange here. "Her eyes meet mine" or something similar would sound more natural.
You wanted to me to help
Really, who's idea was it to give me hammer?
Whose
Then the floodgates opened.
Hatsu smiles wryly as the class onslaughts her...
I'm pretty sure that's not a verb.

Nice to see this fic isn't dead after more than three months hiatus. Took me a moment to remember everything that happened so far, though^^°
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

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griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Eight, 2/9)

Post by Mader Levap »

Yep. Took a little while to remember that no, he was NOT joking about forgetting how to use hammer...
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Eight, 2/9)

Post by Minion of Chaos »

Mirage_GSM wrote:Nice to see this fic isn't dead after more than three months hiatus. Took me a moment to remember everything that happened so far, though^^°
Same here, had to re-read a bit to refresh myself of things- not always a bad thing though
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Eight, 2/9)

Post by Acik »

Mirage_GSM wrote:"...my eyes are finally met by her eyes" would be grammatically correct, but passive voice is still very strange here. "Her eyes meet mine" or something similar would sound more natural.
Fixed. Hopefully it flows a bit better. Fixed the other errors you pointed out as well. Thanks for the keen eyes.
Mirage_GSM wrote:Nice to see this fic isn't dead after more than three months hiatus. Took me a moment to remember everything that happened so far, though^^°
Mader Levap wrote:Yep. Took a little while to remember that no, he was NOT joking about forgetting how to use hammer...
Minion of Chaos wrote:Same here, had to re-read a bit to refresh myself of things- not always a bad thing though
Here's hoping that doesn't happen again. I fully intend to finish this work, and if I have my way, in a timely manner.

Also, if anyone is interested in helping me out, I could use a second editor/proofreader. My current editor is even more busy than I am, and I could use a second set of eyes. Plus, he hasn't read through the VN, and while that perspective is super helpful sometimes, I could use someone with some knowledge of the universe I am working in. Let me know through a post or PM if interested.

Once again, thanks for reading and sticking with me.
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Eight, 2/9)

Post by Guestimate »

Er... Just posting to say I'm glad this is back. \o/
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Re: Waiting (Chapter Nine, 3/7)

Post by Acik »

Chapter Nine: Side Effects

I have a date… I think.

But it's Kiyomi. She wouldn't ask me out like that. It just doesn't make any sense. She only asked me to take her because I'm her only friend here.

Right?

I sigh and plop my head onto my desk. I can't remotely focus on my homework. I thought I had a good read on the situation after Kiyomi left yesterday, but clearly I'm too easily swayed by the opinion of others. Everyone had something to say about it, but the general consensus seemed to be that it's a date. Trying to explain our shared past didn’t seem to help much, either.

I groan into the collection of papers under my face.

It shouldn't be this hard to figure out. Why can't people be straightforward about things like this? It should be a law. If you are going to ask someone out, make sure they know if it's a real date or not. Or maybe I'm just awful at reading girls. Can't rule that out.

But hell, even if I could, it's Kiyomi. That alone skews the results. Before seeing her again I would have dismissed the idea outright. Little Kiyomi Tagawa, asking me out on a date? Impossible. But after seeing her again it's confusing. I just can't place who she is anymore. She's one person around her brother, and then another a few moments later. And yesterday… That was different too. Is she the kind of person who would ask someone out like that?

Maybe this is what she wanted. I know a few girls who would do something like this just to watch the guy squirm. Kiyomi doesn't seem like the type, but who knows? She never had much of a mean streak, but a lot can change in three years. Besides, pretty girls love messing with guys, right?

Oh crap. She is pretty. So what if this is a real date? I'm not prepared to escort an attractive girl around town. I wouldn't even know how to start. I don't have much money. How should I act? Should I do something with my hair?

No! No, nope, stop, cease thinking!

I slide my head back and rest my forehead on the edge of my desk.

This is pointless. I would need an expert to analyze our interaction to make any sense of it. Of course, that expert would probably have to be female, rendering any results they give me incomprehensible anyway. There is no point in stressing out over it. Though, not having a point has never stopped me before. After a nearly sleepless night and a completely distracted day, it's clear that whether or not something has a point has no basis on whether or not it will cause me stress.

Well, that sucks.

Pushing away what little homework I did, I snatch my phone from the corner of the desk. I have all the time until tomorrow to figure out this Kiyomi thing. Right now I need a distraction. Makoto will have to do. Besides, that kid can't miss two days of class and not let me know what's going on. I mean, what if something happened? If he died, he should have let me know by know. It's called common courtesy.

After the fourth ring I start to worry. Shit, he didn't really go and get himself...

The phone crackles. “...hello?”

“Makoto?”

“Yeah, hey.” The voice on the other end replies. It certainly sounds likes Makoto, only...

“Dude, have you been crying?”

Through the receiver I hear shuffling. “Hell no,” he says gruffly. “What do you want, Yuuma?”

I snort. “That's how you greet me after falling off the grid for nearly two days? Where have you been?”

Silence.

A pit forms in my stomach. Something must have happened. He disappears without notice and he seems to have been crying. Did someone die?

“Yuuma, I can't talk right now.”

Screw that. “Are you in your room?”

More shuffling. “No, don't worry about it. Bye.”

The line clicks off.

I quickly rise and leave my room. As I make my way to Makoto's room on the second floor my mind races. Did something happen to a family member? Or maybe something to do with his Parkinson's. Damn it, Makoto. I'm supposed to be the closed-off one. It's not fun when he does it.

Crap. I forgot the key. As I turn to head back for it I hear a faint sound through the door. Is he...is he laughing?

Testing my luck I try the handle. Surprisingly it's unlocked. Time for some freakin' answers.

I burst through the door expecting the worst. Instead I'm met with Makoto lying on his bed, seemingly giggling at the ceiling. His clothes are drenched in sweat, and by the looks of the trash thrown haphazardly around his bed, he has been eating snacks in here all day.

I stand in the doorway waiting for him to acknowledge me, but I don't think he even realizes I'm here. Son of a bitch...

“They put you back on the Levodopa, didn't they?”

Makoto grins and chuckles. “You bet they did! Man, I missed this stuff.”

I sigh and make my way through Makoto's organized madness of a room. It isn't nearly as bad as mine, but we both could use lessons in clutter control. I take a seat at his desk. “Really? You missed the nausea and the sleeplessness?”

Makoto shakes his head back and forth in an overly animated fashion. “Hell no! That stuff sucks. But you can't beat the hallucinations. I am on such a trip right now, you have no idea.”

I rub my temples. “Nope, I certainly don't.”

"And you can't knock the increased… drive, let's say?" Makoto cackles as he thrusts his hips up from the bed repeatedly.

I snatch a paperback from the desk and whip it at his head. The spine of the book cracks against his temple.

Makoto snaps up, his hand to his head. “Hey, what the fuck?”

“Why the hell haven't you been in class? You don't need two days to get back on your meds!” I bark. Bastard actually had me worrying, and he's been lying here high all day...

He eyes me angrily before plopping back down onto the bed. Now that I look at him, he doesn't look too good. I've seen him soaked in sweat before, but there is something else. He is paler, and his eyes look...

“Shit, you look like me.”

Makoto chuckles. “Please don't tell me I look that bad.”

I grin, “Maybe not. Yet, anyway. What happened?”

Makoto sighs. “Just… give me a second...”

I wait as he slowly rubs his temples and breathes deeply. It's his little trick to sober up. Personally, don't think it does a damn thing. I still remember our first little foray into alcohol. Didn't seem to work on him then, but he swears it helps with the illusions.

Groaning, he flips his legs over the side of the bed and carefully sits up. “Things swimming a little less now… Okay...”

I arch an eyebrow. “Okay...”

“...yeah… okay. So...”

“I can come back.” I say as I begin to rise.

He gestures me to sit. “Ha ha, smart-ass. So you know I wasn't taking my medication before.”

I smirk. “I recall something of the like.”

“Mutou caught up to me later, after I spoke with Miki-”

“We still need to talk about that little detail.” I interject.

Makoto waves his hand. “Later.”

“Fair enough.”

“So he confronts me about taking my medication,” he continues. “And I tell him I have been taking it, but he tells me to show him my dosage amounts. But I wasn’t doing so well by then…”

I nod. “Must have been vibrating off the walls.”

One patented Makoto death stare later he continues. “More or less. Took me to the nurse. Some things went down… and I'm back on Levodopa.”

“Some things-”

“-went down.”

“Went down?”

“Yes.”

“That doesn't quite explain why you look like hell.” I exclaim.

He shrugs.

I sigh. That's probably all I'm going to get out of him. “You know you can't stay on that stuff forever. There's a reason they don't give it to you regularly.” I remind him.

Makoto shrugs and falls back into his bed once more. “I don't really care. It gets me off the bad stuff for a while at least. Benefits outweigh the negatives if you ask me.”

“Well thank God they don't, because you are useless on that stuff.”

Muttering, Makoto raises his arms and lightly waves around his hand. “You're just jealous I can see sounds right now.”

I roll my eyes. “Yep, sure am. Get some rest, Makoto. When you stop seeing dragons we are going to talk about this Miki thing.” I rise and make for the door.

“Whatever,” I hear from behind me. Then some abrupt shuffling causes me to turn. Makoto is upright again, a full shit eating grin from ear to ear. “Speaking of which… I hear you have a date.”

Really? I mean, come on. He has been in a drug induced haze for over twenty-four hours. How the living hell did he hear about my exchange with Kiyomi? Who would tell him? Yamaku rumor mill at it's finest.

I eye his cell phone. Before I can make a move for it, Makoto, in a surprising bout of agility, snakes it from his desk. “Little birds, everywhere. Chirp! Chirp!” He collapses backwards, caught in another giggle fit.

“Fine, doesn't matter. It's not a date.”

“Why not? I was told the new girl is hot.” Makoto exclaims with another visual display of the hips.

I let out an exasperated breath. “Look, she's not hot… I mean, she's attractive, but I know her.”

“So?”

“So, it's weird.”

Makoto rolls around on his bed, seemingly trying to find a comfortable position. He stops somewhere with half his lower body up the wall. “Objectively, would you tap that?”

My breath gets caught in my throat. Coughing I exclaim, “Excuse me?”

“Would. You. Tap. That?” Makoto says, punctuating each word with more pelvic thrusts.

No. Of course not. It would be weird. Then again, he said objectively. Objectively, she is rather pretty. But… this is so fucked up.

“Objectively, I suppose I would.”

Makoto claps his hands together. “There you go. It's a date.”

A bit of leap in logic, there. “How do you figure.”

“It's all how you view it,” he lectures. “If you are attracted to her, it's a date. Simple.”

Somehow, I don't think it's that simple. Besides, that would imply all the other things that give me pause were no longer in play. Things like the fact I have known her for years. And she's new here, and I could be alienating her to the only person she knows here. Or, you know, the fact that she's my old friend’s sister. But yeah, other than all that, I would love for it to be a date. I think.

Dates are a lot of work, aren't they? I would have to get dressed up, actually care what my hair looks like, buy flowers and chocolate and all those other cliches. Sounds fairly exhausting.

“Do you need condoms?” Makoto chimes in.

I snap out of my thoughts and look for something to whip in his direction. Unfortunately, the only thing close enough to throw is his wall clock. That might be a little too hard. Besides, it probably wouldn't penetrate the pillow shield Makoto constructed after seeing the look on my face.

“Well, you're alive, unfortunately. So I'll be going now.” I state as I slam the door behind me.

I once again hear muffled laughter, and I walk away from his door. Yeah, laugh it up now, Makoto. It will be your turn soon enough. I will tear him a new one for having Miki run me down. Just wait… Your time will come.

Pausing at the stairwell I contemplate what to do with the rest of my day. I have about an hour before speech therapy. I glance toward the stairwell leading upward. Homework. Glancing downward. Not homework. Unknown. Possible unpleasant confrontations with people I don't like.

Down seems less painful.

As I reach the lobby I see a familiar pair of strawberry blonde twin-tails cresting over the couch. What is Emi doing here?

I consider flicking her ear to get her attention, but I hesitate. Her and Hisao are getting pretty close, it might come off too flirty. Since when did I care about that? Probably somewhere between Hisao nearly punching me and realizing that a small part of me wanted to be with her. Somewhere in there.

Before I can decide, Emi turns around. Guess she sensed someone behind her.

“Way to be creepy, Yuuma.”

I give her the finger. “Deal with it. Why are you here?”

She sticks her tongue out at me. “Waiting for Hisao.”

I need to change the subject fast, or she might talk my ear off again about Hisao. “That's cool. Makoto is alive in case you were wondering.”

Emi cocks an eyebrow. “Duh. You talk to him?”

“Yeah, won't tell me why he really missed, though.”

Emi shrugs. “Oh well. He's fine. You all talk about your date?”

I lean my head back and close my eyes, letting out a breath. “It's not a...”

Letting my head come back forward I see Emi sporting a mischievous smile.

Of course. “You must be the little bird.”

“Chirp!”

Sighing, I stride to the door, ignoring the continued chirping and giggles that emanate from behind me. Figures it was Emi. Not even surprising, now that I think about it.

Doesn't matter who knows anyway. Everyone already does, and if they don't they will soon. Kiyomi probably has already heard all the rumors about us. So what if it wasn't a date, but because of all the talk, she thinks it might be now? What if she is just as frazzled as me?

Unlikely, but possible.

Whatever she might have heard or how she feels, I'm still completely lost. I need a nice walk. Those usually help when my mind won't stop running in circles. I'm practically out of snacks, too. Two birds.

I reach the gate, and an answer still hasn't come to me. Maybe by the time I reach the convenience store?

Somehow I doubt it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Last edited by Acik on Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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