Hero

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Asshole.

She had half a mind to shove him off the swing. Fortunately, Shiori wasn't the type to get all blushy and flustered so easily, so he would be safe from eating old chips and dirt. For now. The way he kept it up, though, she'd definitely be giving him a good whack sooner than later. Maybe he was into that or something? Then again, he could just be an asshole in general. It explained the constant scowling, at least. But with a cigarette in hand, all was well in the world with her.

As he started talking, Shiori couldn't help but be just a little surprised. She didn't take him for the talkative type. Maybe he was just bored. She wasn't exactly interesting company so she couldn't entirely blame him. She did, however, give something resembling a chuckle as he let his opinion on the park be known.

"Of course there's kids. How else do you think people end up getting trapped here? Kids are expensive and this place is relatively cheap to live in so long as you're not looking at any of the bigger places up in the Sakuraba Community," She answered first and foremost. "They probably go to the nicer park that's over by the station, though. This one pretty much got abandoned after some kind of fire happened. Not sure what's the story behind it, but it did a number on the grass. Probably spooked parents that actually care about their kids, so most people avoid it. Though that's why I like it. Nice and quiet and calm."

And it was a great place to smoke without getting interrupted. But that went without saying.

His next question was a little harder to answer, if only because she didn't like admitting she was a friendless loser. Though she supposed he had guessed that by now. "Not anymore, no," She admitted that much. "My former best friend turned into a real bitch so we stopped hanging out last year. And most people don't like hanging out with a violent delinquent."

Did she really come off as lonely? She thought she was fine being alone. Most people were annoying to be around, anyway, so she generally had an easier time alone. The more she thought about it, though, the less she wanted to admit that she didn't really like talking about it.

She did, however, recognize this was a good chance as any to have an actual conversation. "What about you?" She ended up asking, against her better judgment. "Got friends back home waiting for you? A girlfriend patiently waiting by the phone for you to call tonight?"

---

---

Ichika was glad Sakaguchi didn't seem to judge her too much for it. She had played before though, just mostly during gym class. While she wasn't familiar with the terminology and the like, she did have the skill to play. And so long as she knew how to play, everything else would probably just fall into place. And she got past tryouts so she didn't even need to worry! Whatever she needed to know she could learn, anyway; fake it 'til you make it and all that good stuff.

Once Sakaguchi asked about her old school, Ichika nodded. "I attended Kokusai Koko last year--that is, the the Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School," She beamed with pride, though she did deflate a touch. "It was...hard. I mean, there are a lot of expectations and the like, so you had to be on top of your game like all the time. And if you weren't good enough, you'd end up getting swallowed by the crowd, chewed up, and spat out."

She paused. "...I think I managed fine, but Mama worried anyway." She sighed. "I don't think she thought I could handle it, though. So...here I am!" She perked back up.

"So, now it's your turn. What is this school like?"

---

---

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Oh she would show him handsy, but it wouldn't be the handsy he liked.

Shiori pointedly ignored him as she stuffed the unopened pack into her bag, deciding to leave the other one in her pocket. She walked over to the swingset and paused as she searched her pockets for her lighter. At his comment, she openly rolled her eyes as she dropped her bag. Sato was weird but not that kind of weird. Granted, the fucker was all too eager to sell cigarettes to a high schooler, so Totsuka might have had a point if he hadn't pulled that little stunt before.

Whatever the case was, she was more focused on lighting up than whatever the hell Sato thought. She closed her eyes as she inhaled briefly, slowly exhaling as the nicotine slowly began to calm her jitters. Man, was anything better than that first puff? As she opened her eyes, however, she was treated with the sight of reality. The park looked shittier every time she came here. Still, there was a certain charm to it, and most people avoided it so that was always a bonus.

As much as she'd rather ignore it, though, she felt like she had to give him some kind of response. She had gotten caught up in his cologne that she hadn't paid too much attention to Sato. "Don't get the wrong idea, I haven't done anything to feed that addiction," She stated first and foremost. "But anyone would get the wrong idea with how you acted. Do you always sling yourself over any girl that doesn't shake in fear or did you really find the college dropout cashier that threatening?"

---

---

Shoichi was fully exasperated by the time Kanna finished talking. He was in pure disbelief at the lengths this girl would go to. He had heard that she was...tiring from a few people, but he genuinely didn't think it would go so far. He looked over at Umeko in an attempt to get some help, but the girl gave him a half-hearted shrug. No doubt Umeko agreed with Kanna to some extent, or at least enough that she wasn't willing to voice any objections. He couldn't believe he had to be the one to make the attempt to stop this craziness! All he wanted to do was keep his head down and finish proofreading! He didn't sign up for any of this!

But as the seemingly sole voice of reason, he had to at least point out some flaws in Kanna's lengthy metaphor.

"Or you can see what was thrown in if you just watch the surface," He couldn't help but reply dryly. "Honestly, your dismissal of my concerns is pretty...uh, concerning."

Umeko let out a sigh. "So long as we don't get in trouble, it's not like she's doing anything wrong," She said as she decided to start sorting through the stack.

Shoichi threw a glare her way, but he returned his focus to Kanna. "I really, really think you're gonna end up either getting beaten up if you keep bothering the guy."

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Shiori outright scoffed, giving his arm a whack before hurrying a little so they'd be walking side-to-side. Pointy, who the hell described elbows as pointy?! If he wanted to see pointy, she could always show him a knife. As she looked down at her thin arms, she quietly stewed in her annoyance. Fine, she was a stick, so what? It wasn't like she was entirely curveless. Obviously, she wasn't as blessed as Ichika or President Tits McGee, but she wasn't an ironing board nor was she a hippo like Hattori. In fact, she would describe herself as the pinnacle of Japanese beauty.

"You're lucky I didn't point it any lower," She huffed out her response, tossing his jacket back at him. "I just know how to use the assets I have."

And her assets were just fine.

She put those thoughts aside as she lead them off the sidewalk and towards a park. It, like much of the rest of the town, was on the sadder side. The swingset was miraculously intact, but the merry-go-round was rusted and the sandbox had a mix of sand, dirt, and an assortment of what looked like rocks. There was also a rickety slide that no sane parent would let their child climb up on. A pagoda sheltered the sole bench, pointing out to a sea of trees and a steep drop off that revealed a neighborhood and a river.

The redhead was all too eager to get a fix, immediately tearing away the plastic that protected the box. Once she double-checked her pockets for her lighter, she then remembered Sato's uneasiness. He was unusually squeamish around Totsuka--an all too-common effect for whatever reason--which could present a problem in the future. "And don't go messing with Sato too much. He enables my addiction," She added, plucking out a cigarette.

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Kanna's entrance was punctuated with a small "Eep!" of surprise, with Umeko nearly dropping the stack of papers in her hand. As she recovered, she found she had a hard time keeping up with most of what she was saying. She did, however, be mindful to place the various papers and folders down before she gave her her full attention. Her frown grew as she went on, and by the end, Umeko was outright worried. She gave Shoichi a look of concern.

Shoichi was just as surprised, though he was already seated at his computer. He wasn't sure how to respond, but then again, he usually had a hard time keeping up with Kanna's endless amount of energy. Turning his attention back to the screen, he scrolled through the tamer articles that had been submitted for editing.

"Preemptive reporting? You gonna stalk him or something?" He decided to outright ask. "There's a fine line between reporting and harassment, y'know."

Umeko disagreed. "I was surprised by Touga-san's punishment," She admitted. "Feels like he got off light..."

Shoichi threw her a look. "But if he hasn't done anything wrong since then, we're just going to come off as obsessed," He pointed out.

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Shiori was too busy trying to figure out what the hell Sato was talking about to notice Totsuka approach her. She initially assumed he had some sort of insult primed as some sort of retort. To her surprise, however, he looped an arm over her shoulders. The sudden weight snapped her out of her thoughts, a particular scent hitting her. It was something fruity and sweet, yet smoky and tropical and...like wood? Was that a thing? It wasn't something she had encountered before, the scent reminding her of...hm, she had nothing to compare it to, actually. But it was nice, the smokiness almost comforting if it wasn't for the fact that Shiori quickly realized it was Totsuka that smelled like it.

Of course, she had all of two seconds to get flustered by the sudden closeness before he opened his mouth again.

That was four! No, she wasn't going to let him get away with this one, even if it was the least egregious of the remarks so far. But he was too tall for her to slap without him probably catching it. For once, however, her height was to her advantage. There was probably a three-second delay before the redhead brought forth her arm, only to jab it backward into his stomach.

"You really thought I was gonna let you have that one, didn't you?" She chided him outright, only remembering that she should probably give the wide eyed Sato a response. "He's new in town, you'll probably see him around."

Not wanting to get questioned any more than that, she made an attempt at pushing the taller guy out of the alley. "Anyway, you should get back to work, we're gonna go, anyway."

Sato seemed to remember himself at that moment, raising a hand. "Uh...just...keep your guard up, Shiori-chan," He mumbled, a little defeated as he picked up the bags. He gave the pair one last look before he continued down the path of the alleyway.

---

---

Ichika placed her hands together as they walked. There was the slightest break in the clouds as the sun poured out its sunlight into the hall, practically illuminating the way before them. As they passed a few people, they seemed drawn to Ichika's cheerfulness. Her hair bounced behind her as her eyes glittered with happiness, excitement, and anticipation. There was the slightest blush on her cheeks, her bangs bouncing off her forehead. She was the pinnacle of a happy high school girl speaking to someone she considered a little more than an acquaintance.

Her response was short, sweet, and to the point: "Nope!"

---

Where It Always Rains

---

---

The redhead openly rolled her eyes this time at his third crack. Good God, she thought TV shows were exaggerating teenage boys and their hormones, but Totsuka was putting them to shame. Maybe he was just testing the waters to see if she was easy? That's how delinquents were usually depicted, anyway. And if she was honest, she definitely expected Takano to end up being some kind of slut. The thought made her chuckle, though as she watched him start to unbutton--

Holy shit, this guy needed to get laid.

Shiori scowled at Totsuka, holding onto his jacket and tie and glaring at him until he left her eyesight. She sort of wanted to watch in case he got denied, but she very much still looked the part of a schoolgirl and would likely end up blowing their cover. As she waited, she realized she forgot to tell him which pack to get. Well, he only had so much, he could probably figure out that she wanted at least two packs of a specific brand.

On his return, he tossed the packs to her. Her initial reaction was a touch of disappointment--of course he ended up getting the sane brand her father did. She wasn't a big fan of it as they usually made her throat itch if they weren't the menthol version. Once she laid eyes on the sandwich, however, her expression turned to one of disbelief.

"You could've gotten a better brand if you didn't splurge on a sandwich!" She outright scolded him. "That wasn't part of the budget!"

A door leading out to the alleyway swung open, and Shiori hastily stuffed both packs into her pocket. She motioned for the guy to start walking, though she paused as she heard some humming. Another employee came out with a pair of bags in hand, likely headed to the dumpster. He paused as he noticed the pair, eyes landing on Shiori. His brown, matted hair was a slight mess, his face on the average side as he looked a little older than the two. The name on his uniform read 'Sato'.

"Oh, Shiori-chan," He greeted her happily, though he seemed wary about Ryusei, his eyes looking him up and down. "And...a new friend?"

Shiori figured outing Totsuka as her classmate would probably complicate things, so she nodded. "Mhm. Just stopping by for an...afterschool snack," She replied, though her disdain for the food paid on her yen was clear.

Sato placed down the bags for a moment, looking between the two. "Are you sure he's...a friend? Or a...'friend'?" He asked her.

The hell did he mean by that?

---

---

Ichika gave the other girl a wide grin. She agreed to go and they were going to have a great time, why wouldn't she be excited? Socializing with the other members--actually, socializing, in general, had Ichika coming out of any nervousness more confident and happier than ever. She thrived in most social situations, and even if it was a sport, interacting with people was just so refreshing. It was better than being at home and watching Shi-shi stare at the TV 'til they went to bed at least.

"Honestly, you saying yes is what made my day," She cheerfully admitted. "I'm also ready to get in and spike some balls! Or...smacking them? Oh, you know what I mean!"

Now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure what position she'd end up playing. She was kinda short to be in front, but she was great at spiking. Maybe she'd ask Mizuno-senpai once they arrived?

---

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Shiori's minimal attempt at looking tempting hastily deflated into unamusement once Tostuka spoke. That's twice now! She clenched her jaw in an attempt not to react, but as he stood up, the distance closing between them caught her off-guard. She stiffened slightly, almost expecting something, but instead he gathered his bag and walked out. She let out a huff of irritation, a little offset by how frazzled his response had her. Why did he keep doing that? Why did she keep getting so flustered by it?!

Shoving her thoughts aside, Shiori bit her tongue and stomped out afterward. She was tempted to shoulder-check him, but until she got what she wanted, she wasn't going to risk it.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll pay, I'll pay," She huffed at him, waving her hand absentmindedly.

---

The walk was a brief one consisting of Shiori mostly stewing in her displeasure. Part of her figured it'd be useful to point out some important things from the town, but aside from one or two bus stops, there wasn't really anything to point out. She briefly mentioned one of their classmates' father's cafe, but even that was because it was close and they just so happened to have said classmate in their homeroom.

The convenience store was as run down as the other buildings with little foot traffic. The laundromat next door had much more activity, with a parade of students and stay-at-home parents filtering in and out. Shiori signaled for Tostuka to follow her and she led him to the alley between the two buildings.

Fishing her wallet out of her bag, she counted out the bills and double-checked that she had the right amount. "Probably best to give me your jacket since it's part of the uniform, but your shirt and tie shouldn't look too out of place for a businessman," She said as she offered the money to him. "All you gotta do is go in and ask for a pack. And if they say no, I'll just go with Plan B."

---

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Totsuka's response was as grumpy as ever. In the back of her mind, she figured it'd be weirder if he actually agreed to it right away. Still, it wasn't like she was asking just to get something out of him as they'd both end up benefitting if it actually succeeded. And if not, no harm, no foul. Probably. At a minimum, it wouldn't involve any violence that would sour his reputation any further. Well, actually, getting caught buying certain things as a minor wouldn't really look good. Oh well.

"Yeah, I need you to bash another druggie's head in," She replied dryly, albeit she decided to get right to it. "Since Akarino won't stop commenting on how tall you are, I wanted to see if you'd be able to get away with helping me resupply. I'm running low and if it works, I can just have you shimmy over and get it for me."

Of course, she would make sure that he wouldn't be doing this for nothing. "And in exchange, I'll happily supply you during school hours," She offered, wiggling her eyebrows in an attempt to make the offer seem more enticing. "...or, y'know, I'll do some other favor or whatever."

Where It Always Rains

---

April 11th, 20idk
3:15 p.m.
Weather: Cloudy with a Chance of Rain

---

The next few days passed without too much of a hassle. While the majority of the buzz had died down, there was no end to the rumors that circled around as people started to put their own theories as they focused on what happened to why it happened. Some said it was because Ken had threatened Ryusei, others believed that Ryusei had approached Ken looking for some of his "goodies", and even more came up with a rather ridiculous motion that Ryusei was jealous of Ken's skateboarding skills. None came even remotely close to the truth, nor did people care too much about reaching it as they were content with coming up with their own, more exciting ideas.

Once the final bell rang, the students were dismissed. While most of the clubs were meeting, the Boxing Club had been canceled for the day. The decision had been Akihiko's as he had something to do after class that required his attention. Shiori wasn't too hung up on it, having quickly grown bored with watching people do stuff while she had to sit and watch. The first few days were dedicated to drills, and there was actually nothing less exciting than watching someone punch the air a million times the same way.

At least she was free of it until Monday.

Getting up from her desk, she gave Ichika a wave--the Volleyball team was still meeting, so that meant Shiori was on her own. Not that she was going to complain; she was still a little awkward around the brunette and getting some alone time was for the better. That did leave the question of what to do, though. Actually, she knew what she should do. The number of cigarettes she had would only tide her over for the weekend, and she needed more.

Her eyes landed on the dark-haired 'ogre' of the classroom. Not how she'd describe him in her opinion, but she heard the word float around. He was actually good-looking, but he often looked either bored or angry so it was difficult to see. She really only noticed when she watched him focus in boxing. She couldn't tell if he was taking it seriously, but it was different enough that she noticed, anyway. She supposed if it wasn't for the story Nakano published, he'd probably get approached by a few girls.

Putting that aside for the moment, Shiori approached him. "Yo," She threw him a greeting. "Got any plans for your first day of freedom? If not, I got something I need you for."

---

---

Ichika hopped over to Akari's desk, rocking back and forth on her heels, giddy. The brunette was ecstatic that she had gotten on the team and was all too happy to finally, finally socialize with people. And she had the perfect reason to approach the girl without getting glared at too much. Maybe it was Shiori giving her abandonment issues, but oh well.

"Sa-ka-gu-chi-san!" She called out her name cheerfully. "Wanna walk to the gym together?"

---

Where It Always Rains

---

---

Ichika packed up her things quietly. Shiori had already told her that she had plans to do after school, so she decided that she needed to keep herself busy, too. And the best way to do that was to indulge herself in her favorite sport, of course! Granted, she really only knew the school had a team when she overheard a pair of girls talking about it in homeroom, but since they were looking for members, that meant she'd be welcomed, right? That was the assumption she was going to run off on, and she wasn't going to let herself get down just yet. The school had a weirdness about it, making her feel sad sometimes, but she was gonna fight it for as long as possible.

With bag in hand, the brunette practically skipped her way to the gym. She saw Shiori go down the hall, though she paused as she noticed the other new student with her. Weird, were they joining the club together? Well, whatever the case, she could just ask her later.

The volleyball net was set up in the gym, and a few girls already doing some stretches. Some of the team headed towards the changing room, others were sitting on the bleachers chatting away. One blonde was watching the rest, frowning to herself, though she perked up once she spotted Ichika.

"Hello! Are you here to tryout for the team?" She greeted her cheerfully. "Though...you don't look like a first year. Still, all are welcome!"

---

---