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Post by Yasuda Erina on Sept 21, 2017 20:56:12 GMT -6
Monday, May 19th, 2003
Though Monday morning was, for many students, a return to the daily grind of classes and schoolwork, for Yasuda Erina, it was a return to everyday adventures and comforts. Crisp uniforms, morning greetings, the recounting of weekend exploits... Even things like that were fun sometimes, weren't they? Yes, she wanted to say that every day was fun!
"I found the Hikarizaka Oyakodon!" she had announced to her friends after exchanging good mornings, ignoring expressions of surprise and befuddlement as she pressed on with the details of last week's explorations. Retelling the story was almost as fun as the memory itself, and the girl described the event in a flurry of words and gesturing that could make one dizzy. Seated beside her, Miyahira Suzume listened with an amused smile, though Erina thought she also saw a hint of something she couldn't quite place. Confusion? Worry? Either way, it was no good, wasn't it? No, no, Suzume shouldn't feel bad!
"Come with us next time, Suzume-chan!" Erina attempted to whisper to her deskmate as homeroom began. "Exploring was really, reeaaally fun~!" This invitation elicited only a weak smile and noncommital nod from the darker haired girl, but that was fine. They could talk about it more at lunch! Suzume could be such a quiet girl, she just needed an extra push! And if Suzume came and became friends with Tomoya too, then maybe Mayu and Kohaku and others could come as well!
Visions of potential outings danced through the young girl's head throughout her first few class periods. Where would they go together? Another restaurant? Oh, maybe something cute, like a cafe! Did Hikarizaka have any temples? Karaoke might be fun too! What would Suzume like? She should pick the next fun place!
By the time lunch began, Erina was brimming with excitement and wasted no time in showing it. Without a second thought, she turned to her friend, all smiles, and unleashed the flood of enthusiasm that had been building up since the day began.
"Suzume-chan, you should become an explorer too! Pleeeeease~! It would be suuuuper fun, and you can meet Tomoya-sempai too, and if you come, maybe even Mayu-chan would be okay! I bet you know lots of places we could go, and you should pick next time and-"
"I... Hold on a minute."
Suzume Though nothing out of the ordinary, her friend's sudden word barrage caught Suzume off guard, and she raised her hands in a stopping gesture as she cut the verbal assault short.
"Er... What is it you're asking?" she tried again, offering a patient smile, though from what she could piece together, she was certain she had a fair inkling...
It was about that upperclassman, wasn't it? The one Erina had gone to the Founder's Festival with. The one she had gone "exploring" with. The one she absolutely insisted she wasn't dating though it all seemed a little odd. The one that Suzume was fairly certain had some kind of reputation. Erina wanted her to... meet him?
"Ah! Um..."
Getting interrupted seemed to have made the pigtailed girl lose her train of thought, and she paused for a brief moment to recollect her thoughts before continuing, swiftly regaining steam with each word. "You should be friends with Tomoya-sempai too and we can all go exploring together!"
He was "Tomoya" instead of "Okazaki" now, huh... She had said that earlier too while telling her story. Had something happened then? Maybe they actually had started dating after last week's outing. But Erina didn't seem like the type that would or even could keep something like that a secret. And she was always friendly too. It hadn't taken them long either to move on to a first name basis. No, she was over thinking all of this. It was probably fine.
"If that's okay, I suppose..."
"Let's go find him! You can meet over lunch! That's the best way to make friends, right~?"
"Ehh? Right now?!"
A reply wasn't necessary. Though their friendship had not been long, Suzume had quickly learned that with Erina, life's pace always seemed to double in speed. Before she could object, her bubbly classmate had scooped up her wrapped bento, chirped a quick goodbye to their other friends, and started for the door, looking back only when she realized she was not being followed.
"Come on, come on~!" she urged, hurrying back to collect her friend, tugging playfully at her arm. For the moment, Suzume could only nod dumbfounded, grab her own lunch, and follow along.
Ah, this was so exciting! It was always fun when friends met! Now they could all be together at once!
Erina hummed a happy tune as she practically skipped down the hallway, Suzume in tow. Now that she thought about it though, where was Tomoya at lunch? Oh no, she hadn't planned that part! Her steps slowed as she considered where to head first, though instinctively, her feet led her in the direction of the cafeteria.
Oh, yes, that might be it! Tomoya was in the cafeteria the last time she had seen him at lunch! Maybe he would be there again! She began to quicken her pace again, but a light tap on the arm stopped her.
"Isn't that him over there?"
The freshman quickly turned to glance in the direction Suzume had indicated, perking up as she caught sight of a familiar head of navy hair out the hallway window. Ah, that was Tomoya sitting on that bench outside! Yes, that was perfect!
"Good job, Suzume-chan! Let's go surprise him!"
Surprises, however, weren't the girl's strong suit. She bounced down the stairwell and out of the school building in the least conspicuous of manners, slowing down only when she was within hearing distance of her target.
"Tomoya-sempai~!
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Oct 2, 2017 0:55:20 GMT -6
Okazaki Tomoya gazed lazily out the windows of class 3-D as he mulled over his troubled thoughts, completely ignoring the lecture that was taking place in front of him. The developments from yesterday were weighing heavily on his mind and, with studious note-taking being the only other escape from his thoughts, he decided to try give them some thought to see if he could find a resolution. He decided to start at its source: Erina. He still had to remind himself that it was 'Erina' now and not 'Yasuda'. While it felt more natural, he had previously trained himself to always call her by her last name so as to maintain the perceived air of distance between them. Now that distance was gone. How would Erina's friend react if he called her by that name in public? Bad enough they were acquaintances, but if they were on a first name basis...would they reject her? Or would they simply urge her to reject him? He was lucky that his "delinquency" extended to little else then skipping class and goofing off...but rumors had a way of taking on a life of their own and it's likely Erina would be negatively effected by his reputation.
Then there was the other side of the name change. His name. 'Okazaki-senpai' was acceptable as the title may be interpreted as an ignorant underclassmen who hasn't yet learned who actually deserves that respect...but 'Tomoya-senpai'? He couldn't help but feel apprehension towards the change...what would others think? What would they say? Ironically, when it came to rumors and gossip about himself he couldn't give a damn, but he couldn't extend that same cavalier attitude towards Erina. She seemed to be fitting in well and making friends - it would be cruel to deny her of that because she decided to befriend him.
Finally, there was the matter of the club. The Explorers Club. It was such a ridiculous concept that he still didn't believe how she was able to believe it so readily. True to his words, however, they had explored the town and had gone on a genuine adventure. Due to this, it felt like it was too late to simply back out and admit to his lie...it was certainly too late to escape from his own guilt. Yesterday was founded on a lie. The memories that Erina hoped to cherish would be due to a club that doesn't actually exist. He didn't even like clubs. If anyone asked him right now if he was in a club he'd emphatically deny it, despite pretending to have been in one just yesterday.
And yet...despite all of these doubts he still felt compelled to push forward. Though he wouldn't admit it to himself, yesterday had been truly enjoyable and had given him a feeling of warmth he hadn't felt in ages. He wanted to believe all of these fears would simply resolve themselves on their own. That Erina might discover the truth, laugh it off, forgive him, and see everything for as innocent a mistake as they had began. That she would laugh in the face of all the rumors and gossip and change them for the better, so she wouldn't have to be hurt by beings friends with him. That they could keep going on adventures like this. That maybe, by going on these adventures, he could feel more of that same warmth he had felt yesterday. But reality was rarely so kind.
The sudden cacophony of shifting chairs and moving feet snapped him out of this thoughts. It was already time for lunch. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed. He glanced over to the desk next to him only to find it empty. Sunohara was gone. This meant that he would likely need to grab his lunch at the cafeteria. He stood up and stretched, moving to leave towards the cafeteria when he suddenly paused. A thought had occurred to him that caused him to hesitate. If he went to the cafeteria now there was a chance that he would run into...
"Tomoya-senpaiiii~"
Geh. He could imagine it so clearly. There's no way he would be able to prevent the rumors from flying after a declaration like that. Perhaps a more secluded location would be best? Meeting Erina after school for their "club activities" seemed safe enough, but during the day it was probably best to avoid her when he could. After some thought, he decided to move towards the courtyard. Some fresh air and a change of scenery might do his tired mind some good. He chose to sit down on a bench underneath some trees, finding comfort in the shade and seclusion. Since more students were busy eating lunch, he had the bench to himself. He took a deep breath. The fresh air, chirping birds and calm quiet helped put hims mind at at ease. He was worrying too much. Anxious about possibilities in the future rather then the reality of the present. It wasn't like him. He took a few more deep breaths in an attempt to fully clear his mind. It would be fine. It was unlikely for them to bump into each other and she was likely preoccupied spending time with her other friends. As long as he avoided the caf-
"Tomoya-senpai~!"
Geh. His nightmare had become a reality. His calm quickly turned to a panicked alertness as he turned his attention towards the call, hoping to silence her cry by acknowledging her as soon as possible. That was until he noticed she wasn't alone. He froze. Oh no.
"Y-yo..."
He managed to stutter out, an unnatural smile gracing his features accompanied with a stilted, uncharacteristic wave of his hand.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Feb 26, 2018 23:09:14 GMT -6
Suzume In truth, Suzume had lost track of her own state of mind as she was pulled along, caught in Erina's excitable antics. It was only when she heard her friend call out and saw the target of their search turn to face them that she realized she had not prepared for this moment. How was she supposed to feel about this?
"Y-yo..."
The upperclassman seemed to falter as his gaze registered her presence, a subtlety that did not go unnoticed by Suzume, though Erina seemed to disregard it.
"Tomoya-senpai, look, look! I found a new explorer! Ta-dah~!"
With a dramatic flourish, Erina gestured toward Suzume, who could only smile sheepishly in response.
"Hello..." she attempted, mind still struggling to catch up to the current circumstances. Though she managed to maintain an even tone, her averted eyes and the hand that instinctively reached for the back of her neck betrayed her uncertainty.
Were they really going to become friends here? While that was certainly Erina's intention, Suzume could not help but find that... difficult. She was not exactly a social butterfly as it was. Such a forced meeting with a strange older boy would have been a little awkward already, never mind that she had questions about this particular strange older boy. She had no solid reason to doubt him yet, but... Was this going to be okay?
"My name is Miyahira Suzume, it's nice to meet you."
Whatever the case, Erina had alreay dragged her too far in to turn back now. She finished off her standard greeting with a light bow and bated breath.
It's nothing. There's no reason to be rude. It's fine... probably...
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Feb 28, 2018 1:26:39 GMT -6
Strange social situations were not new to him (being friends with a certain blonde delinquent, one quickly learned to be prepared for anything). While he wasn't necessarily the most polite about it, he usually had a response or reaction to any situation life happened to throw his way, be that biting sarcasm, a lighthearted prank, or a silent glare. Unfortunately, none of these reactions felt right in the current situation. This was Erina's friend - a friend she apparently felt close enough to introduce to him personally. He was at a loss. It would be a bit cruel of him to act harshly towards her (especially after that wonderful flourish). However...he wasn't quite sure if he could trust being completely open with her. Her averted eyes told him more then enough - she was just as uncomfortable as he was, possible even more so. On the other hand, Erina was simply beaming. He knew she had a tendency of putting him in awkward situations but...this seemed to surpass anything she had done in the past.Though he couldn't help but be wary towards this newcomer, he felt a certain kinship towards the newcomer. For even if the "Explorer's Club" was a lie he had concocted on his own, the two of them must certainly belong to a secret "Being dragged around by Erina" club.
"Okazaki Tomoya. Likewise."
What was he supposed to say now? He could lie and simply own the situation...
A new explorer you say?! Fantastic! Welcome! To the Explorer's Club! Where all your dre-
Urgh. Now wasn't the time for day-dreaming. Besides, he had a feeling this girl wasn't quite as naive or innocent as Erina. It might get ugly if she chose to interrogate him on the veracity of his "club". Not only that...but his general stance on clubs hadn't changed. Owning it completely would be going too far - even for him. But he couldn't very well deny it either. Being vague and noncommittal might convince her to leave if it had simply been the two of them...but what would convince Erina to drop this "brilliant" idea of hers? His mind swirled with thoughts, but no answers came to him. Had this been any other situation, it was likely he would have simply acted casual and carry on as usual...but because she had introduced her as a new "explorer", his lie was now directly in the spotlight. And he just didn't have the heart to tell Erina the truth. He could only forge on in the darkness, hoping this entire situation would end as soon as possible.
Though he felt he should have continued the conversation in some way, he simply couldn't find the words to do so. All he could manage was a small dip of his head, attempting to reciprocate the bow as he remained seated.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Aug 7, 2018 3:27:07 GMT -6
Suzume
"Okazaki Tomoya. Likewise."
The exchange of stiff introductions only seemed to solidify the increasing tension that hung between them, and seconds that felt like centuries passed in agonizing silence. Meanwhile, Erina's hopeful gaze bounced back and forth between the pair with increasing anticipation, and Suzume silently begged her to save the conversation.
"We should all go exploring together! It'd be even more fun with more people, right? Right~?"
Thank goodness. Please just keep talking like always.
"And Suzume-chan is a kendo master, so she can protect us on our adventure!"
A small smile broke through Suzume's features at the unexpected comment, and she raised a hand to suppress a quiet chuckle. Flighty as she was, Erina truly was a savior in these types of situations.
"Where are you going that you need protecting?" she quietly giggled, a sense of playfulness peeking through her lowered guard. She shot her friend a teasing look, but caught Okazaki's eye along the way and instinctively dropped her gaze back to the ground. Erina, however, picked the conversation right back up.
"We're going to find all the special, secret places, of course!" the pigtailed girl chimed. "And the adventurers always run into bad guys in cool places! I bet Tomoya-sempai runs into bad guys!"
Wait. Um.
Suzume chanced a furtive sideward glance at the boy in question. Had Erina said anything strange? Did he run into "bad guys" that often?
Ah, no, it's not like I've actually heard anything like that specifically... I need to relax.
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Aug 12, 2018 2:08:45 GMT -6
"We should all go exploring together! It'd be even more fun with more people, right? Right~?"
For once, her logic was completely sound. Exploring was definitely an activity that was more fun with a group rather then alone. It was just unfortunate that she chose *now* to be the logical one, especially given how illogical everything leading up to this moment had been.
"And Suzume-chan is a kendo master, so she can protect us on our adventure!"
Suzume...Kendo...
He had been too surprised to notice before but as she repeated her friend's name, and emphasized her connection to Kendo, realization finally dawned on him. This "Suzume-chan" must have been the very same girl Erina had mentioned when they had met in the cafeteria last week. The day the "Explorer's Club" first came into existence. What was it Erina had said again?
"But Suzume-chan is very, very kind! She went alone instead of risking my life too!"
His eyes shifted from the speaking Erina to the now smiling Suzume. Taking a closer look...she did look somewhat familiar. She had been the girl that had come looking for Erina after he had dragged her into the hall.
"Where are you going that you need protecting?"
And there it was again. That feeling of being connected to this girl, even as strangers. For here was another person who had come to understand Erina's nature and found her own way of interacting with it. Perhaps she even felt the same warmth that he did when interacting with her. Though he didn't outwardly show it, he felt some relief from this knowledge. Because while the two of them had little in common...they shared a connection through their individual interactions with Erina. Which meant that as long as Erina stood beside them...things would surely work out in the end...right?
Erina spoke up enthusiastically once more, but this time he noticed a silence from the girl. Perhaps she wasn't quite comfortable enough to carry on the conversation alone...not that he could blame her. Assuming she was more aware of the social pecking order, she was likely wary of him for both being an upperclassmen as well as a rumored delinquent. Given that, it's surprising she had even managed to smile at all. It was a testament to Erina's ability to wrap others up in her own world.
As the silence began to drag, Tomoya realized he had been staring at Suzume for far too long. He had been so lost in thought, trying to remember events from the past, that he hadn't even caught the last thing Erina had said. With no reply to the girl's latest claim, whatever that may be, an awkward silence threatened to claim what little momentum Erina had managed to kindle between the three of them. Though he didn't ask to be placed in this situation, nor was he particularly fond of suddenly making friends with strangers, he felt somewhat obligated to at least make an attempt towards conversation. With no real plan in mind, he decided to react a bit more...openly and authentically in regards to his latest train of thought.
His face adopted a look of sudden realization as his once glazed-over eyes now lit up with recognition, his voice adopting a tone of surprise.
"Ah! I remember you. You're the samurai who fought in the great bread battle."
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Oct 30, 2018 20:12:02 GMT -6
Suzume
As Suzume continued to observe Okazaki's face for a reaction, she became suddenly aware that the boy was staring back. Hastily, she looked away, but another silence had already claimed the moment, and breaking eye contact did little to assuage the increasingly uncomfortable atmosphere. When he finally spoke, his words caught her off guard.
"Ah! I remember you. You're the samurai who fought in the great bread battle."
It took a moment, but understanding soon spread across her face, and she nodded slowly. "Yes... Yes, I suppose that's true," she spoke carefully, a bit jarred by the sudden change in topic. She had seen Erina with him by the cafeteria that one day, so she must have said something to him. But... Was he trying to avoid the earlier subject? Did he really run into shady sorts that often? She had little time to analyze the possibility further as Erina jumped back into action.
"Suzume-chan is super tough! I bet she defeated everyone in the cafeteria like hyaaah!" The energetic girl swung an invisible sword through the air as she let out her exceptionally unintimidating battle cry, soliciting another smile from her friend.
"Like hyah, huh?" Suzume repeated, giving the girl a playful chop on the head. In response, Erina simply grinned, but Suzume shook her head. "You shouldn't look so happy about being cut down in battle." She glanced back at Okazaki, realizing she had almost forgotten he was there. While being so suddenly introduced was awkward already, leaving him out as the third wheel after being thrown together would be equally awkward. She fell silent to allow him the chance to speak again, and her thoughts drifted back to her prior concerns.
There was no reason to suspect anything yet. Everything so far was just speculation, and as Erina's friend, he deserved a fair chance. Still... She'd proceed with caution for now. After all, she had little reason to trust him either.
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Dec 31, 2018 20:25:39 GMT -6
He wasn't sure what to say. Erina's friend still seemed uncertain of the situation, as did he, but he had more to lose if he gave the wrong impression of what his true intentions were.
Just what are my true intentions anyway?
He quickly mapped out any options he could think of. One option was to try participating in small talk such as asking when they met and how they became friends...but not only did that sound boring and out of character for him, but the moment she began to ask those same questions back to him, what would he say in response? That their first interaction resulted in her smacking her head on a metal pole? Or that their second interaction involved skipping class by napping in the same classroom? Memories like those certainly wouldn't do him any favors. Another option could be to simply allow them to continue catching up with one another...but it was clear the awkward atmosphere would continue as long as he stuck around. He could leave? Cause a distraction? Make an excuse? Feign a life-threatening injury? No. No. No. Definitely no. He sighed, his eyes wandering towards Erina...seemingly the source of all his problems and the one he always struggled to best in these one-sided mental battles. Her inability to read the atmosphere always made things-
Inspiration.
As if the boy had suddenly come to a realization, his eyes perked up in acknowledgement and he hit a closed fist on an open palm.
"Oh! I see! You're trying to "level up" our group with new members who have a particular set of skills. Nice thinking!"
From the moment he had first met her, Erina had the ability to create her own little world and wrap others into it, willingly or not. It had happened to him time and time again, and he could tell this friend of hers was no stranger to the effect as well. So rather then try and bend an impossibly heavy atmosphere to his will...why not thrust Erina to the forefront and have her control the pace instead?
He gave Erina a nod of approval before continuing on, first gesturing towards Miyahira
"So that makes our warrior, the one who can protect us from all dangers."
Then to himself
"The...tall one. Always useful for reaching high places."
Before finally to Erina
"And finally..."
He paused for a moment, contemplating his options, before finally relinquishing control of the conversation.
"Well, what do you think would suit you best?"
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