Bustling Lunchtime
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 4, 2011 22:02:13 GMT -6
"Every high school in Japan is like this, I guess".
Once the lunch break bell rings, I try to run like a professional sprinter in order to get the best ramen and find a nice seat. Even so, there are already at least a dozen students at the "checkpoint". Then, while waiting for my turn, I decide look behind myself to see how fast the queue has been lengthened.
Then a glimpse of silvery glow nearly made me jump. That girl? The one who defeated a biker gang all by herself yesterday? Her moves and posture were so powerful, yet mysteriously elegant. She reminds me of an anime heroine, and her kicks can make even Chun-Li purple with envy. I wonder where she learns those amazing moves. Man, she might even have a chance at action movies. I have never thought such an amazing girl can be this close to me.
Then the lunch lady called out to me, breaking me off my trance. Despite quickly ordering a tonkatsu ramen and get out of the line, I don't try to find a seat. Instead, I decide to wait until the silver-haired heroine to settle down, and choose a table nearby. I become too focused on her meal instead of mine, and when she decides to leave, my bowl is still half full and the soup is getting cold.
Looks like I cannot speak to a girl face-to-face... again. I wonder whether I should put a letter in her shoebox early tomorrow. "Dear Sakagami-san, I'm from class 2-D and would like to discuss martial arts with you. Could we meet on the rooftop at lunch break tomorrow? I will buy us some bread and juices. Hope to see you soon. Narukami A.", I hope that would be enough. And if there's a chance, I can show off my aikido to her too.
Wait, why didn't I think of that sooner? I'm gonna get the letter done tonight. At least this time, I'll be more prepared. This is just about martials arts, nothing more. Should not be much of a problem.
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Sakagami Tomoyo
Retired Staff
Student Council President
In-Character Posts: 121
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Post by Sakagami Tomoyo on Aug 6, 2011 8:51:56 GMT -6
Sakagami Tomoyo ______________________________________________________
Date: April 24, 2003 Thursday Time: 12:00 pm She didn’t know what to expect. When she found the slip of paper in her shoebox in the morning, she first thought it was a challenge, an invitation to a fight. Reading it made her think otherwise. It was a friendly invitation to lunch on the rooftop, or at least that was what it seemed like, reinforced by the offer to buy her bread and juice. Despite that, her first impression of it lingered in the back of her mind while she read it again, mainly because of a few words in it and the intended purpose of the lunch.
"Dear Sakagami-san, I'm from class 2-D and would like to discuss martial arts with you. Could we meet on the rooftop at lunch break tomorrow? I will buy us some bread and juices. Hope to see you soon. Narukami A.
To discuss martial arts. That was what gave the letter its undertones of a challenge. Had her past caught up with her already, even after transferring to this high school? Of course, the reason why she transferred wasn’t to escape her past, but that was just one of the bonuses of switching schools. Tomoyo dismissed her concerns as mere feelings of paranoia and stuffed the letter into her pocket.
Even if it wasn’t a challenge, the idea of such a lunch was unpleasant. In fact, she was dreading it, even as she was walking up the stairs leading to the rooftop. Martial arts were something Tomoyo did not want to be known for.
To want to discuss martial arts... Narukami must've been one of the students who watched her confront the delinquent motorcyclists from the other school. It wasn't like she fought people for her own enjoyment. At least, that was no longer her reason for fighting. Those gang members were disturbing the peace in the school, and so they had to be dealt with. They were the sort of people who didn't listen to words.
She would have to tell this guy she knew very little about martial arts. She only knew how to fight... and the mere thought of that was depressing.
What kind of a face was she wearing when she opened the door to the rooftop? Tomoyo was sure it wasn’t one of joy. Being aware of this, she lifted the corners of her mouth to force a smile. It wasn’t Narukami’s fault she was feeling down, and so he didn’t need to suffer eating lunch with someone who didn’t look like they were enjoying it. Tomoyo resolved to smile for him. Besides, perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad. If she could just get her mind off of her past, then everything would be fine. The past was the past. This Tomoyo wasn’t the same one from years ago.
“Good afternoon,”
[/color] she called out to the male student standing there. “Are you Narukami?”[/color] [/blockquote][/size]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 7, 2011 20:02:27 GMT -6
Finally got the last two packs yakisoba bread. What's with this item anyway? Do people really like yakisoba bread that much? And if that's true, why are there so few of them available everyday? It's like a sports fest event in here.
After buying two cans of green tea, I ran as quick as I could to the rooftop, so that Sakagami won't have to wait long, but seems like she's still not there yet. I decided to wait and compose myself.
I wonder if she decides to ignore the letter and not to come. Well, she looks like the kind of person who tends to get lots of letters from admirers and challengers anyway. Maybe she decided to discard my note along with many others. It'd be sad if she rejects my invitation, though. I just want to see her for a bit, not confess my love for her or anything.
Suddenly, a voice coming from the doorway pulled my out of my trance: “Good afternoon, are you Narukami?"
She's here! Oh no, she totally caught me off guard. What should I do now? An introduction will probably be a good start.
"G-G-Good afternoon, Sakagami-san!" Then I proceeded to shake her hand like a politician (an awkward one, I guess). "I-I'm Narukami Akira I'm very pleased to meet you. Your martial arts skills are truly amazing. Where do learn those from?".
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Sakagami Tomoyo
Retired Staff
Student Council President
In-Character Posts: 121
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Post by Sakagami Tomoyo on Aug 12, 2011 13:33:56 GMT -6
Sakagami Tomoyo ______________________________________________________
“G-G-Good afternoon, Sakagami-san! I-I’m Narukami Akira. I’m very pleased to meet you,” her fellow 2nd year student said as he extended his hand for a handshake.
It definitely wasn’t unusual for Tomoyo to be approached as if she were some kind of celebrity. This encounter, she realized, was quickly and regrettably heading in that direction. It was troublesome to be treated so formally and viewed so highly by her peers. Still, something like that was merely a step to Student Council Presidency, wasn’t it? Even so, if she could choose, she would want nothing more than for the other students to see her as an equal to them. In a way, her popularity was both a boon and a bane.
“Likewise,”
[/color] Tomoyo said as she returned the handshake. Just as the letter said, they were here to talk about martial arts. How should she answer his question: Where did she learn her martial arts skills? A typical answer would be something along the lines of, “I used to take classes when I was younger,” but Tomoyo couldn’t offer an explanation like that unless she wanted to lie through her teeth. Lying wasn’t one of her strong points, either. Going along with that, she couldn’t be fully honest and say, “Beating up thugs all day is good practice.” That would surely frighten anyone, but the sad part of it was that it was the truth... of her past, anyhow. To answer him, Tomoyo settled to say, “Thanks, it’s just something I’ve picked up over the years.”[/color] She hoped that would satisfy him. It wasn’t a lie; it just omitted all the facts. Actually, a lot of it was just natural strength... the fighting just refined her technique. Not wanting to linger on the subject too long (just in case her answer wasn’t specific enough for Narukami), she quickly turned the conversation around to focus on Akira. “Are you practicing a martial art? If you came to me for tips, I can’t help you,”[/color] she smiled bitterly. What she did came easily to her; she wouldn’t know how to explain it to somebody else beyond the basics, nor did she exactly want to explain it. For starters, fighting wasn’t something she was proud of. “But, if you're comfortable with it, go ahead and show me what you know.”[/color] [/blockquote][/size]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 13, 2011 7:45:24 GMT -6
Sakagami is just a schoolmate of mine, and yet I'm treating her like an action star whom I've always want an autograph of. I must look like a starstruck fanboy right now.
“Are you practicing a martial art? If you came to me for tips, I can’t help you”.
Well, I didn't plan to ask her about tips on martial arts skills anyway, since her style is rather different from mine. I only asked her out of pure curiosity and admiration.
“But, if you're comfortable with it, go ahead and show me what you know.”
Man, she really gets straight to the point right away. Show her my skills... Oh hell no! How could I forget this? A partner is required to practice the signature grabbing and throwing moves, and I've never done it with a female partner before! It already took a lot of effort for me to shake her hand before, and the aikido moves... are on a much higher level.
"Well, I'd like to show you, but", I tried to come up with an excuse. "We're on the rooftop, so it might not be safe here". I decided to change the subject. "I bought yakisoba bread and tea for you. Could we eat together?"
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Sakagami Tomoyo
Retired Staff
Student Council President
In-Character Posts: 121
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Post by Sakagami Tomoyo on Aug 14, 2011 11:37:57 GMT -6
Sakagami Tomoyo ______________________________________________________
“Ah, I see. That’s fine.”
[/color] The rooftop didn’t exactly seem like a dangerous place if one was careful, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. Plus... the rooftop was off limits to students. That was why it was so quiet up here during lunch time; it was only the two of them. The rule wasn’t exactly enforced, but if a teacher caught them up here being noisy, they would just be told to go back inside. The consequences were so mild -- almost non-existent -- that Tomoyo didn’t feel the need to remind him of the rule. Just like he said he would, Akira had bought bread and tea for her. The idea of eating lunch alone with a student she hardly knew was awkward, even for her. Still, she nodded her head. “Of course,”[/color] she smiled, accepting his offer. They would just need to break the ice; that was all. “Let’s sit here against the railing.”[/color] To be brutally honest, she wanted to get this over with, but Akira was being kind. This wasn’t unbearable. This could even be enjoyable if she were to indulge herself in the moment. Nothing good ever came from focusing on what one would rather be doing, so Tomoyo forced those thoughts out of her mind. She was eating lunch with Narukami now, and she resolved to focus on that fact. She didn’t know if Akira wanted to have the conversation stay on the topic of martial arts, but because that was the reason he gave in the letter for inviting her to lunch, Tomoyo figured she’d talk about it with him for a little while longer and gauge his interest. If it looked like he was getting bored, she would talk about something else... probably shoot the breeze or something, or just see what he wanted to talk about instead. “So, what got you interested in martial arts in the first place?”[/color] she asked, connecting her gaze with his. People always had a reason for their actions, and learning people’s reasons was something Tomoyo was passionate about. Something as dedicated as martial arts wasn’t done simply on a whim. Whether Narukami took up martial arts to learn self defense, or just for fun, or for an entirely different reason, Tomoyo was genuinely interested in why he decided to learn it in the first place. [/blockquote][/size]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 14, 2011 20:15:39 GMT -6
Phew, at least she agrees to have lunch with me right away. That's a good start. I don't really have many female friends to begin with, and the ones I'm really close with are my relatives, like my elder cousin Mamiko. Otherwise, I get extremely nervous when talking to other girls, and any conversations I have with them are strictly business, like lecture notes or school festival duties.
I'm glad that Sakagami decided to accept my impulsive invitation. This probably is a great chance for me to get along with my female peers more. Let's just stay calm and go through with it. This is just another kind of training to improve myself, just like aikido.
So she asked about the reason I decided to practice aikido... Ok, it's not hard to answer.
"Well... it's rather simple, though", I replied. "At first, my parents kept on insisting me that I should participate in some kinds of physical activities... to burn off my extra energy". "I was known as an hyperactive kid when I was young", I hastily added. "Besides, when I read about martial arts, I found out their principles have things in common: improving one's physical and mental strength, alongside self-defence". "To me, such self-defence skills can be employed to protect myself, and other people too, especially some of my school friends who are victims of bullying. I also have heard stories about how civilians with such skills can stop street thugs. There is an aikido dojo near my former home in my hometown, so I decided to become a student there".
"And...", I decided to explain myself to her. "When I saw you taking down those bikers all by yourself, I was delighted that there is someone else that want to, and can, take down those who do unreasonable things. It's... It's just that... I was so glad that I found such an amazing person who is quite similar to me."
"I just want to be your friend... if you don't mind, of course."
I managed to speak my mind. But what will Sakagami think of me?
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Sakagami Tomoyo
Retired Staff
Student Council President
In-Character Posts: 121
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Post by Sakagami Tomoyo on Aug 15, 2011 23:58:21 GMT -6
Sakagami Tomoyo ______________________________________________________
Akira started off by saying it was for a simple reason. That was fine. It wasn’t like Tomoyo had been expecting any profound motive behind his desire to take up martial arts. He explained it was because he needed to burn his excess energy as a kid. That made sense. Kids without an outlet for their energy would often be too hyperactive for their parents to manage; having one’s kid take a martial arts class seemed like it’d be a good method for directing that energy somewhere.
However, that wasn’t the only reason why he was so dedicated to aikido. He also did it to learn self-defense, so that he’d be able to defend himself and others around him. Wanting to defend people was something Tomoyo could relate to with ease. She nodded her head in firm approval as he spoke of protecting others. She was glad to know that there were so many people willing to take action against people who preyed upon others. The way Narukami talked about it sounded as if he was taking his reasoning from a book... but his intentions were pure, and he seemed to be on the right track.
Tomoyo didn’t know if they were as similar as Akira said they were. They were only similar in morals. Still... “It’s a worthy cause,”
[/color] she told him. “It makes me happy... to know that there are people like you in this school.”[/color] It sickened her to talk this way... as if she was approving of him. He didn’t need her approval for anything, but what else could she say? Yes, it was comforting to know that people like Akira existed, but Tomoyo couldn’t help but feel her words were phony in a way. It just wasn’t coming naturally; although something like that would be undetectable to anyone but her. Perhaps it was because Akira was pretty much a stranger to her, or maybe it was all the uncomfortable formality radiating from their conversation... Yes, she was certain it was because of the latter. As if pouring salt over a wound, Akira said he wanted to be friends with Tomoyo... if she “didn’t mind, of course.” No, she didn’t mind being his friend. She would fully embrace the idea of being friends with him, but this talk just felt too formal. She felt like she was being put on a pedestal, with the way he called her “an amazing person.” But, people said things like that all the time. Maybe first impressions lingered longer than she thought they did... but as it stood now, it would be hard to call him a friend. Having someone look up to her wasn’t a bad thing. After all, Tomoyo was a person who wanted to be people’s light. She liked to guide people. However, it would be hard being friends with someone who only saw her in such a manner. Despite those concerns of hers, she said yes. “Yeah. Let’s be friends.”[/color] The face she had on was one of bright confidence; she wouldn’t let any other emotion show, for Akira’s sake. She was doing it for him. Besides... No kind of person would answer “no” to a request like that. [/blockquote][/size] ((OOC; can we call this thread done? :] I think this brings it to a satisfactory end.))
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