Just some friendly advice reading Mahoyo is a good idea if you read this.
3149 words btw
Mushiki Arata
A white haired boy, brown haired girl and black haired girl lived together. All connected through the supernatural. However that doesn't matter right now, the boy or our protagonist was awoken from his slumber by the blaring of a phone.
For starters the boy had no friends so he turned back around in bed to go to sleep again. However it didn't stop, normally he'd just say what the hell and answer but it's not that simple.
Our trio live in a mansion out in the woods so it's not the most modern. Not only is it insanely large there's only one phone which is all the way downstairs. The cold weathers of this mansion isn't the boy's preference.
"Mushiki! Get the phone would you?!"
His roommate the brown haired girl suddenly yelled out into the hallway it seems. After putting on a light jacket the boy peered out of his room to see that familiar brown haired girl few doors down.
"No thanks, it's obviously not for me. I don't have any friends and my hair is weird. Just ask Alice she'll do it and tell them to go away no?"
Speaking of that damn phone hasn't stopped right now I want to do nothing more than smash it to be honest.
"I was gonna yell for her first but she's at school remember? Only we have the day off— Oh God! Why am I standing here explaining myself go get the damn phone!"
"Huh? No you stupid woman, you could've gotten it by now."
"I'll buy you ice cream later." I swiftly made sure to change my tone, damnit woman knowing what I like most.
"I'll see myself to answering a phone call dutifully and swiftly."
Aoko went back into her room practically slamming the door leaving me alone in the hallway. As I walked down the long corridor I was regretting my decision with this freezing cold but it has merits.
Regardless when I reached the phone downstairs that has been ringing for a little over ten minutes I answered with a snappy voice.
"The hell do you want?! It's early as hell you better have a good reason whoever the hell this is."
The person on the other line took a minute to collect themselves swallowing their saliva briefly.
"Arata? Why are you answering the phone for Aozaki, more like why are you there you never talk during classes. Also—"
"Ah so it's you Teacher. Look it's honestly none of your business so don't worry about it. Now then what did you want this early and that urgently?"
Slightly caught off by my response the teacher on the other line took a minute to speak. I even looked at the phone to make sure it wasn't broken.
"Could you get Aozaki? Since you're there you can help too. Think of it as pretending you didn't chew out your Teacher."
I clicked my tongue loud enough for him to hear on purpose.
"Fine I'll get her, wait a second."
I set down the phone contemplating hanging up but decided against it and walked upstairs to Aoko's room. I knocked on the door and a pissed off Aoko greeted me.
"What do you want? I'm actually trying to sleep here you know." She sent me sharp glare which only made me end up smiling at her.
"Well Ms. Student Council President you're needed downstairs. So make it quick since unlike you I want to have a lazy day. So let's go."
Aoko begrudgingly follows me downstairs and within twenty minutes we're both ticked off and in uniform.
"You know, we should seriously get rid of that stupid phone."
"For once I agree with you. Why did Alice have to go to school today damnit."
In summary Aoko was called on to show some random transfer student around because the Teachers were at their wits end with him. I'm only being dragged along for tearing into a teacher in return for not getting in trouble.
The only reason we were still at home was because we had the day off for the founding of our school or something I don't care enough to remember. Our roommate Alice that Aoko mentioned happens to go to a different school than us, one far more prestigious for sure.
On the long walk to the building I had to listen to Aoko complain about wasting her day in school while I agreed, I'd rather be doing something productive. The rain wasn't much of help either, naturally we weren't sharing an umbrella and had our own but it was just an annoyance to hold it for so long.
Countless people were up an about enjoying their break, vaguely familiar faces that were students at our school.
Well it's not like that matter since once we reached the building Aoko went into the Teacher's Office while I waited outside of the room looking out of the window. When they started to take too long I got bored and wandered over the meeting room on a whim only to find some guy with a uniform matching mine.
"The hell are you doing here, the school is closed today you know."
At my words the boy turned around to look at me. He wore bandages around his neck however it was difficult to tell just how far down they went. He was around my height with hair that contrasted my straight white hair with messy dark hair.
"I could ask you the same no? I'm just waiting to be shown around I think? I've been waiting for awhile.."
I started to connect the dots. That bastard probably just left him in here lazing around the Teacher's Office, god I want to just—
"Ah, what's your name? Are you here to show me around?"
I gave him a reproachful look at first which he didn't react until I sighed and gave up.
"Mushiki Arata, feel free to call me Mushiki. I'm technically here to as a punishment, there's someone else but she doesn't matter." I snickered to myself imagining how Aoko would react.
"Well transfer what's your name?"
"Soujuurou Shizuki. It's a pleasure to meet you." He responded in a dull tone which I didn't care for really, my sour mood dissipated momentarily.
"Well spoken young man! Before I show you around got any questions?"
"Ah well, what's a school exactly?"
"Huh?"
I stopped in my tracks for a minute not really sure how to answer that question.
"Soujuurou where exactly are you from?"
"The mountains."
"The mountains I see, how the hell?!"
"Well we were a tribe that lived in the mountains without connection with the outside world. We only came to civilization recently."
"I see, that's pretty cool. Well a school is just basically a place where you learn various topics in the hopes they can be useful in the future. There are the core classes such as Math, Sciences, History and Language. Math is a mass of multiple forms of arithmetic separated into many different classes which will be taught at different times during the day as is the same for other subjects. There are also additional classes like Gym for physical training, Home Economics for cooking or Study Halls where the class uses the time as they see fit. A class is usually composed of 28 students which stay together for the full year and students like you and I will be rearranged yearly—"
"Yeah yeah I'm sure he gets it Mushiki! God would you stop over explaining like usual, and why are you listening so attentively, feel free to tell him off!" Aoko slammed open the door glaring at me while yelling.
"But it was helpful."
"See?"
Yamashiro got her to relax after a bit before a ticking timebomb went off. But she ended up giving me a dangerous glare before looking at me.
"Well whatever if you don't have any more questions we'll be going around. My name is Aoko Aozaki I'm the Student Council President."
"My name is Soujuurou Shizuki it's a pleasure."
Aoko gave a slow nod and walked out with us leaving that bastard Yamashiro damn you.
After we walked a few steps Soujuurou stopped and called the two of our names calmly.
"Mushiki. Aozaki."
"Hm what's up Soujuurou?" I was the only one to say anything however Aoko just looked over not in interest nor care.
"Maybe it's just my imagination... but why has Aozaki been glaring at me or is it my imagination? Did you have a bad morning?" Soujuurou genuinely looked worried paired with Aoko's face nearly made me burst out laughing.
"..." If Aoko wasn't glaring at him before then she definitely was now and it was hilarious.
Aoko began to have a thousand thoughts a moment glaring at practically everything while Soujuurou is just confused.
"Well Soujuurou, our Aoko here is always pissy. It's not your fault don't worry." I gave him a thumb up trying to avoid the glare now laser focused at me.
"You can go ahead and forget that Ice Cream." Oh shit when she says it like that with that look she's totally serious! She's not playing around!
"I'm sorry ma'am."
"Ignoring him Soujuurou was it? Look I express my emotions with my face more than words. So don't worry about it I'm not mad at you specially."
"I see. I don't get why you'd do that but I understand however it is a faster way to express yourself. But I'd like to ask why are you angry? Is it your job or does it run in your family?"
Soujuurou was asking out if genuine concern and Aoko and I just made a face. With a long silence filling the hallway.
'That's just how he is, I guess.' That thought ran through both of our minds.
"It's not your fault so don't worry. There's just somewhere I'd rather be right now." Aoko gave an answer and started walking ahead.
Soujuurou followed and I walked from behind. The first place Aoko walked was the Class 2–c class.
After more brief lectures by Aoko we continued going to the various special locations like the cafeteria, gymnasium along with the nurses office along with many more.
It took a few hours by time we had finished because of how many questions he had and even I was getting bored by this point.
However suddenly Soujuurou stopped all of a sudden with an unusual serious face compared to his plain expressions.
"This is no good. In twenty minutes it'll be one in the afternoon."
"Huh is our school that big?"
"You're just used to it."
We had started around ten and now it's nearly one, a school tour of any kind shouldn't take anywhere near this long.
"Yeah yeah, well you kept asking countless questions of course it's this late. I consider it a miracle it's not dark out yet."
Aoko gave him another one of her looks while Soujuurou just looked down apologetically like a different person.
"Soujuurou, you okay? Need Aoko to show you around again?"
"No. But it's... nothing wrong with the school although it is difficult to remember. The problem is that it's almost one."
He seemed worried by his eyes and his gaze.
"Oh, so you've got somewhere to be? I get it, you're saying barging in and messing up other people's plans just to run off and do whatever. You're definitely nicer than you look."
"Thanks... but flattery won't help me."
"Like hell that was flattery!"
"Ah she exploded."
Aoko glared for a moment at nothing on particular.
"Well?"
"Well?..."
"Well why are you in such a hurry?"
Soujuurou nodded slowly looking for the right words, even I couldn't deny that I was a bit curious.
"That's a secret."
It sounded like he was joking he was entirely serious.
Aoko suddenly smiled and I thought I saw a raging oni behind her for a brief moment.
"Soujuurou?"
She slowly walked forward.
"I told you, it's a secret."
Soujuurou walked back as she walked even closer as I watched with entertainment on the side. She looked pissed as she refused to let him walk away.
"Hey, I've got a question. Are you having fun mocking me."
The boy in question wasn't but the brown haired demon wouldn't care if he was or not.
"All right... I'll tell you okay?"
He raised his arms in surrender while Aoko stopped pressing forward and smiling.
"You see I have a part time job that starts at one. That's against the rules right?"
"Yeah but... that's why it was a secret. You could've just asked Soujuurou, your friendly student council president wouldn't bully you."
Aoko shot me a dangerous look.
"I know that since I got permission when I took the exam."
"Oh really?"
"But I only got permission for one of them..."
"One? Wait how many did you have Soujuurou?"
"I cut back by two—"
"Two?!"
"But my living expenses are already bad enough and now I need to pay tuition. Saying only one job is unreasonable no?"
"No you're the one being unreasonable." Aoko gave a heavy sigh.
Him doing all of this was respectable maybe even admirable in a way hell the two of us could even empathize with him being too busy to fool around.
"I won't stop you, go. It's fine since I understand where you're coming from."
"Will you two be okay though?"
"Yeah we're basically done so don't worry Soujuurou. Plus I'll be around to help out if you can't find Aoko."
"Then I'll be leaving, thanks for today you two."
"Right, Hu remember this won't happen again."
"Have a good shift Soujuurou."
Aoko then waved him off only making Soujuurou smile in contrast to his dull expressions.
"See you later!"
"Huh?"
Leaving with that goodbye he walked a the classroom and Aoko ran inside.
"Hey—"
He was going straight for the window. He easily slid it open and filled the room with that chilled November air and the muffled rain became instantaneous clear. It because obvious what he was going to do.
"Hey, waitwaitwaitwaaaaaait!"
Aoko instantly ran at him as he already had a leg on the frame.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?"
"Going to work?"
"A window isn't an exit! Actually what floor do you think this is?!"
As she said that it finally clicked for Soujuurou.
"Ah, I almost died. The second floor is too high."
"Obviously Soujuurou. We don't use windows as shortcuts."
"I know that Mushiki, I was just flustered since I'm running late. I'll be more careful from now on." With his brand new uniform soaking wet he took his foot down and shut the window cheerfully.
"Whatever do whatever just don't do it in front of me. Are you... seriously gonna be coming to school from here on now?"
"I am, it's a bit scary but with you two I think I'll manage."
He said goodbye again and darted down the halls.
"I wonder if he'll really be okay... jeez."
"You sure care a lot about Soujuurou Ms.President."
"Don't you just care too little?"
"Who knows? Since we're already out want to get food before head back?"
"No thanks, I'm going straight back. I need to get back to work."
"That so? Then good luck with that."
—
I ended up going to a sushi place by myself. I ended up buying some to go for Aoko and Alice since that was the rule we had set. By time I had gotten back both Aoko and Alice were in the parlor. It was like a room straight of a castle. Walls with extravagant patterns with the floor covered in Persian carpet adorned with majestic sofas. Although from Aoko and I's persistence we got a television.
When I came in Aoko was asleep on a couch while Alice read a book on the other.
"Hey Alice, I brought something back for you."
The girl looked up from her book with an attire that looked like that of a nun however it was just her school uniform. Her dark hair with matching small eyes made her appearance match that of a doll's.
"Ah, Mushiki. Thanks but I've already eaten."
"Too full for even the expensive sushi?"
"Leave it there, I'll eat it later. Would you like some tea?"
"Well no reason why not I suppose."
I sat down setting the bag with two sushi containers while Alice began to pour more tea. I sat down next to her since Aoko was hogging all of the other couch.
"Will... will we be doing that again tonight?"
"Do you want to?"
"Not particularly, but I figured I should ask."
"Then no, don't take it the wrong way but I'm tired in more way than one right now."
Alice nodded as she finished pouring the tea and then returned to her book. We sat in a comfortable silence for awhile until Aoko decided to wake up.
"Well good morning sleeping beauty."
After an hour or so of relative silence with a few words here and there Aoko had woken up. She pushed herself off of the cushions as I called out to her.
The newly roused girl reached out to her cold by now tea cup.
"Did I fall asleep?" She asked the two of us stupidly.
"Yeah."
"Yes. For atleast an hour that's how long we have been here atleast." Alice didn't even look up from her book as she spoke.
"Why didn't either if you wake me up? Now my tea is cold."
"Your tea was cold long before we got here."
"Obviously I'm just venting Alice." Aoko then downed her tea in one go probably waking her up from item: coldness likely. "Well welcome home you two. Seems I can't enjoy luxury by myself could be divine punishment."
"I already heard from Mushiki, you showed around a strange transfer student?" Alice continued to stare down at her book while Aoko looked surprised but returned to normal.
"Yeah but I should still apologize first. That project I was working on for all night was a bust. I was distracted for a moment and it broke. Even though I went out of my way to prevent it..."
Aoko tried to laugh it off like it was none of her business.
"Please if I got mad everytime you broke something we'd fight nonstop. I have replacements so you can simply start again. However aren't you the one who is angry right now?"
"Mm."
"It's that transfer student." Aoko continued complaining as Alice raised her head and the two of us listened to her complain for awhile.
I got bored of hearing her complain so I got up and left with the excuse of going to the bathroom, not like I ever came back though.