03 • "Attention"

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Wednesday, September 28th : 6:32

Putting her toothbrush back in the cup on the sink after she was finished brushing her teeth, Asa took a breath looking at herself in the bathroom mirror, this was it. Today was the day she'd make friends, she decided. She was too embarrassed to address the class Prez after sort of dumping her for lunch yesterday so she just quietly left school after classes ended, purposefully avoiding that stupid idiot —Denji.

Goosebumps crossed her body as the fur of her white cat Crambon caressed her leg. Looking down she saw Crambon who meowed, causing Asa to smile. "Good morning Cramby, let's go have breakfast shall we?" She picked the cat from the floor before she could run away and walked to the kitchen, putting out a bowl for both her and her cat. "I wish you could eat pancakes too.." she muttered to herself while buttering her breakfast. They weren't perfect but they were edible and that's what mattered to the young girl. She took a bite from it before pouring food into Crambon's bowl.

It was 7:30 by the time Asa locked the door to her apartment after getting ready as her and Crambon started going the usual way to her neighbor's house.

"Mitaka?" After she rang, the door opened, revealing the petite figure of Sawatari, the woman with a lot of cats who usually looked after Cramby.

"Good morning, I'll leave you Crambon for today again." She bowed with a slight smile as her cat quietly entered the house walking in between Sawatari's legs.

"Okay have a nice day." She nodded in her usual monotonous tone.

"Coquette isn't here today?" Asa couldn't help but notice before Sawatari could close the door that one cat was missing, her eyes were looking behind searching for the orange cat. Sawatari turned around to check before shaking her head, still amazed by Asa's observation skills.

"Ah.. she must be stuck somewhere again.." Sawatari sighed. "Orange cats..." she shrugged.

« They're aliens » Asa thought but she did not say it out loud. "Well I'll be back by 5 as usual, thank you." Sawatari nodded at her answer and when Asa turned her back the door closed.

Deciding she should walk to school everyday instead of taking transport, Asa started the route to Fourth East High School in the cold wind of Autumn. Indeed she could not afford transport in addition to all her other expenses. Lost in her thoughts and plans of making friends she did not notice she was now already in front of the school's gates. It would take her around 15 minutes to arrive if she walked at a normal pace. The poor girl took a moment to breathe before stepping inside, confident and determined, trusting the catchy lines she came up with to make friends. She was more than ready to change her reputation now.

Bullshit. What was she supposed to do? They were all already in groups, chatting out loud and laughing, she would never dare to interrupt. So she decided to just change quietly and was the first to leave the restroom unnoticed by her classmates.

She joined the field dressed in her sports uniform —a simple dark blue short and a white t-shirt she stuffed in. The teacher as well as some of the boys were already there and she noticed she was the first girl to get out.

"Yo Asa!" She immediately turned around when recognising Denji's voice, and as usual when it came to him, she frowned.

"What did you call me?" She twitched an eye.

"What, it's your name right?" He tilted his head confused.

"Yes it is— that's not the point, we're not close enough for you to call me by my given name!" She explained clenching her fists.

"Ahh.." he realized. "But you can call me Denji." He added.

"No I'll call you by your last name." She crossed her arms.

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