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[sup][h1][b][center][color=black] Chihara Takaya[/color]
[color=#E5BFB0]Chihara Takaya[/color][/center][/b][/h1][/sup]
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The first of April, and the beginning of a new school year. Some students dreaded a return to school, some welcomed it; some were determined to make the year a good one while others fretted, nervous that it wouldn't be. From new debuts to final years, for students, there were only a few other days that could match the whirlpool of varied emotions of this one.

For Takaya, it was the start of his second year in Kumoriyama Private High School. He wasn't anxious at all, and in fact, his morning on this day was relatively unchanged from his usual. He woke up early, dressed (in a crisp new uniform for the year), got ready and double checked the bag he'd packed last night. He descended with it to the ground floor where his mother could be found in the kitchen, already setting dishes of rice, vegetables, and rolled omelettes onto the nearby table. In a few minutes his father would join them both for breakfast - a quiet event where greetings and well wishes for the day ahead were swapped. Purely casual chatter among the family normally didn't last long. Today, it was his mother that spoke up and steered towards more important things.

"Takaya, I put together a small gift for your homeroom teacher. It's in the entryway, be sure to take it with you."

[color=E5BFB0]"Thank you, I will."[/color]

"So it's the start of a new school year already, is it?" Takaya's father said, glancing up from his side of the table where both a newspaper and a tablet were spread out. There was an article about a local corporation displayed on the screen. 

[color=E5BFB0]"It is."[/color]

"I trust you have everything you need. You're prepared, yes?"

[color=E5BFB0]"I am,"[/color] Takaya responded with a small smile. Father seemed satisfied with the simple answer and turned back to reading.

There really wasn't much more that needed to be said. Takaya [i]was[/i] prepared - his work load would increase again, but it was nothing he couldn't handle if it was similar to his first year. He'd kept the same sleep schedule throughout school breaks, and his self study had never stopped either, so he was well used to the routine. Even if the material was different, it would all just be more of the same. The same daily pattern throughout the week, the same pressure to make beneficial connections, the same drawn out effort to stay at the top of the class, the same responsibilities at home and at school...

Takaya lapsed into silence while his parents made quiet conversation; his father's work grievances, mostly. He politely excused himself once he was finished, then he met his mother at the kitchen counter so they could split the leftovers into two bentos. It wouldn't be a full day of courses until tomorrow, but Takaya wasn't going to go right home after dismissal - so taking lunch with him just made sense. Besides, it made his mother glad to see her family enjoying her food, even after all this time. That soft, joyful little twinkle in her eye was easy to spot when contrasted with her normally sober expression.

Brief goodbyes were exchanged as Takaya left the house first. He made his way to the nearest city bus stop, a route he was intimately familiar with by now. Sure the train was a little faster (and the station not that much further away), but he preferred the little bit of extra privacy of the bus when there was no worry about arriving late. Takaya placed a pair of buds into his ears and plugged the jack into his phone. Early morning fog made the light at this time of day still somewhat dim, and the screen reflected glaringly on his glasses' lens until he turned the brightness down. Unless one were to peek closely over his shoulder from the seat behind Takaya, the only thing they'd get a glimpse of playing on his phone were a lot of colors and movement. That, and text as he swapped back and forth between pages and apps, his fingers swiftly swiping and flicking at the screen, jabbing the submit icons before going back to a video and repeating the process. It was now, seated alone on the morning bus, that those various emotions most other students would be feeling flickered in Takaya's eyes. 

There was time enough to claim some login bonuses as well before his stop. When he clicked his phone shut, stuffed the earbuds back into his knapsack, and exited the bus, though there were other early arrivals it was still before most other students would be getting to the high school. Once actually on campus he made his way to the gymnasium where the entrance and welcome ceremonies would be taking place. 

The set up was nearly complete; a school banner and decorations were hung up around the stage, a small podium had been dragged out, and faculty were congregating to set up the remaining half of the temporary seating. Takaya took in a deep breath and walked over towards one of the more familiar faces. [color=E5BFB0]"Good morning sensei. Do you need any help getting things ready?"[/color]

"Oh, if it isn't Chihara-kun. We're almost done, but here - take these."

Before, he probably wouldn't have gone out of his way to help. He didn't feel any particular sense of fulfillment in helping out now either, but since there wouldn't be much to actually do today... plus, something his parents had advised him on the other day had stuck with him. The first year of high school was for adapting to everything new and setting a personal standard, the third year was for cementing that standard and ensuring that opportunities presented for the future didn't go to waste, essentially a whole lot more study and testing. The second year, however, would be best for relationships. 

Professional ones, of course. 

The time to really get into the teacher and staff's good graces, to secure recommendations from them on his behalf when applying to universities. To form bonds with influential peers on the off chance it could lead to an easier in for business even beyond further education. 

He'd keep that in mind for times like these, when he was actually free. He didn't want to keep getting stuck doing errands... again... but a positive first impression on a first day was good. He made pleasant small talk with his old homeroom teacher and his new one (they'd known beforehand, but he'd give her the gift later) until everything was set out, at which point it wouldn't be long until the majority of the student body arrived. 

The ceremony itself was standard. A few names of first years caught Takaya's ear as they were called out. Underclassmen from his middle school, the younger children of a neighbor or two, one that was strangely similar to an old playmate. The principal and a select few other teachers spoke, a short song was sung. People stood up after closing remarks and began to filter out towards their homerooms. 

It was only the first day, sure, but so far everything was proceeding as expected. Takaya adjusted his glasses and got going himself.