I quickly turn about, leaning to the side to see past Hanako.
Sure enough, in a corner of the room, Kenji's hunched over a sheet of cloth as he paints it. His eyes remain only inches from the brush, reminding of how close he had to be to make out my face when I met him.
Sorry about that. Our class doesn't have many students with even partial eyesight, so they're in high demand.
ED: In the land of the blind...oh yeah, I guess that made sense. Kenji is near blind, so he's in the same class as Lilly's.
That's right, class 3-2 was specially for students with poor vision. Preparing for the festival must be pretty arduous for them.
ED: I can't even fathom why Shizune would even go down so hard on this class. Goddamn Nazi. Let's lend our pair of eyes, Dovahkiin.
Need a hand? I could give you help if you need some. Maybe Hanako could too.
ED: Wow, you remembered Hanako? Amazing.
A chance to set her mind on something would do her good, but I doubt she has the courage to ask outright. She quickly nods in affirmation afterwards, so I'm confident I made the right move.
ED: Eyes on the prize, Dovahkiin.
Lilly gives a noticeable sigh of relief.
Ah, that's good. This might actually get finished before everyone goes off to dinner, now.
Would you be able to help the person painting the main banner? It's a big task for him to do, but nobody else can help.
ED: Not trying to look down, but vision-impaired folk and art craft isn't really...I mean, how do you even do your budget reports? In Braille?
Kenji? Sure.
ED: Only because YOU asked.
She seems surprised that I know him. I can't really blame her.
ED: Hah.
I take it you've met?
ED: Don't tell her about the shower incident.
Our rooms in the dorm are right next to each other. Hard to miss each other, really.
Well, it's good to see you're getting friends so fast.
ED: Wish she ain't blind so we can make a face about that statement.
Friend...I wonder if that's the right word to use for him.
ED: Calling him 'friend' would be an insult to all friends.
Hanako's silence during the proceedings reminds me of the reason I put her up to helping in the first place.
ED: I'm getting impressed with your Hanako awareness skills.
We'll go help him then. He knows what needs doing, right?
That's right. Just ask if you have any problems.
Chorusing in assent, Hanako and I begin another trek across the classroom.
Kenji sits crouched on the floor, his gaze fixed on the white calico in front of him.
ED: Maybe if we pretend to be someone else...wait no, that's a bad idea. He might murder us in our sleep.
Hey, Kenji.
No answer. He continues dragging his paint-soaked brush along the large half-painted letters that's sketched on the sheet in pencil.
Kenji?
If this is the way he treats class members, it's no small wonder he's working on this alone.
It's me, Hisao. From the-
Right, right, I know that, man. What are you doing here, though?
His dismissive attitude annoys me.
ED: Endure. In enduring, grow strong.
He must be the type to really get focused on his work, hating to be disturbed by anyone until he's done, I suppose.
While we talk, the sound of Hanako's footsteps as she walks out from behind me reminds me that she's here.
I was just going to help with the banner. Hanako and I, that is.
H...Hello...
ED: Don't worry about the face. He can't see shit. Maybe lower your voice pitch a bit..
Oh. Er, hey. I guess that's okay.
ED: Too late.
As soon as Hanako enters the equation, his demeanor takes a complete about-face. His sudden faux-hospitality is slightly unsettling. Oh, right. Women. On second thoughts, this may not have been a great idea after all.
Hanao and I grudgingly set ourselves down on the opposite side of the cloth banner to Kenji, noting several small paint tins on the ground around it.
Class 3-2...noodle stall?
ED: Did they submit it for blind-tasting yet? Ah, hyuck, hyuck. Blind. Taste. Get it? Ah hyuck, hyuck. Wait. Why am I making fun of blind people? Shit. Sorry.
You guys selling noodles at the festival on Sunday?
Yeah, some stalls outside. Or something.
"Or something?" His noncommittal nature sparks a fair amount of suspicion on my behalf. The task at hand comes first, though.
So how do you want to split this? We do borders while you do the text? Or do you want to switch and do the borders?
Text is mine. You do borders.
He has surprisingly strong feelings on the topic.
As I reach over to grab a brush, I notice Hanako's already debating between colors to use.
By the time I've put brush to cloth, she's already started on the delicate pattern.
Looks like my idea of taking her mind off everyone around her worked.
ED: Eh, half the class literally can't see anyway.
With a dark blue stroke, the three of us silently get to work.
ED: Well, this is as close as we can get to Lilly for now.
Not before Kenji takes advantage of Hanako's working to lean towards me and whisper conspiratorially, though.
ED: You don't have to answer that question.
Hanako just wanted some help to find Lilly, that's all.
ED: GOOD answer.
He apparently disapproves of my motivations.
ED: Stay back...
I get it. It looks like I misjudged you.
ED: Uh oh.
You're infiltrating them, aren't you? Going deep undercover.
ED: I'd love to go undercover, but I think we're both thinking different things.
I should have guessed. Letting the truth slip by him would probably be better than outright lying or annoying him, in any case.
Is that why you're here?
Obviously. It sucks, but there's no better way to get intel than going in yourself.
We gotta stick together, man. This is a harsh school, a harsh world.
Yes, very harsh.
He misses my true meaning as he leans back, satisfied I'm sympathetic to his cause. I'd better get down to work.
ED: I hope he doesn't catch on to our romance attempt. He might end up killing the girls or something.
Finished.
Looks like I am too. Good job.
The two of us connect up the lines of our patterns, mine being as close as copy as I could manage of hers.
With a grunt, I lever myself up from the floor and look around.
Aside from Hanako and myself, there's only Kenji left finishing off a sign as well as Lilly and a couple of students talking among themselves in the classroom.
Looking at my watch, it's no surprise. It's getting pretty late.
Need a hand?
I offer a hand to Hanako, which she uses to get herself up.
ED: ...it's not like you- Ah, I give up. Do what you want with her.
As she does it, I can't help but glance at her wrist; if her scars extend even to there, just how much of her body was burned?
ED: Fuck you, man.
Looks good, doesn't it?
ED: *Psyduck* Have you gone mental?
She looks surprised for a moment before noticing that I mean the banner.
ED: Phew.
It does...I guess.
Her smile shows that she feels a slight sense of pride in the result, just as I do.
With the floor significantly neater for the decorations being placed on desks and shelves, it's much easier to get to Lilly as we cross the room.
We've finished the banner. I guess that's all that needs to be done?
Lilly gives an appreciative nod.
Thank you Hisao, Hanako. If there's any way I can thank you...?
It's fine. Beats sitting in my room studying, at any rate.
I don't mind either.
She nods, before suddenly remembering one last person.
Oh, is Kenji still here?
ED: Who gives a fuck?
Just as I open my mouth, Kenji gives the answer from the other side of the room.
ED: His ears. We must cut his ears.
Yeah, just finished.
He carefully slides his sign onto an empty section of shelf to dry, before quickly walking past us and out of the door.
ED: I hope not.
Bye.
The remaining two students say their goodbyes to Lilly before taking their cue to leave as well, leaving only the three of us.
Well, I guess that's everyone.
I hope we won't have to do anything like that again.
Working past schooltime?
Indeed. The class's plans this year were ambitious. Maybe too ambitious.
The stalls look nice, though.
She's right, it shows that a lot of work's gone into them.
My my, I'm sure a lot of us would be glad to hear that. At least now there's not much work to do until the festival itself.
Umm...It's getting pretty late. Should we go?
That's probably a good idea. Are you going back to the dorms as well, Hisao?
Yeah, I guess I'll tag along.
The night time lighting really makes the gardens look quite different. Compared to the usual look of lush greenery, things are much more calm.
Being that it's so late, the lack of students around probably helps. The odd one or two can be seen scurrying to and from the dorms trying to eke the most out of their approaching curfews, but no more.
All that can be heard is our footsteps, in addition to Lilly's cane regularly gently tapping the ground in front of her.
It's nice to finally be able to relax a bit after the mad rush during school.
Without even noticing it, I let out a small yawn.
Yeah. Still getting used to the flow of things, I guess.
The...uh...thing..with Shizune took me kind of off guard, though.
ED: Who cares about those two?
I grit my teeth a little at the candid mention of their rather public spat. That said, I do want to sort out what in the world was behind it.
Ah..about that..
I'm sorry about it being so public. Shizune and I...go back some ways.
Her voice seems slightly irritated as she remembers Shizune, obviously unwilling to discuss it any further.
ED: Better not ask again.
I glance at Hanako for her views on this, but her expression is, unsurprisingly, evasive and difficult to read.
Either way I guess her apologizing for it is something, even if my curiosity goes unanswered.
I'll be glad once the festival is over, in any case.
The change of topic is welcome, clearing the thickening air quickly.
I can imagine. My old school's festivals were a lot more low-key than this.
Yamaku stresses the idea of a school community, so the staff likes to make our festivals and such special occasions.
And yet the students are the ones who do the work. What an unfair world.
Hanako and Lilly both chuckle in agreement, savoring the fact that non of the staff are around to hear our grumbling.
I suppose coming from a strict all-girls school helped me a bit with Yamaku. Compared to there, Yamaku is much more relaxed.
That'd go a way towards explaining her well-bred speech and behavior, in any case.
As we come up to the dormitories, it eventually comes time to leave for our respective rooms.
See you Lilly, Hanako.
The two give polite nods before setting off to the women's dorms, just next to the guys'.
ED: Maybe we can stealth our way in.
ED: Guess not.
Walking past him, I quickly stretch my arms and rub my neck, both quite sore after having worked on the floor for so long, before walking to my room.
It feels good to actually have direction, though. After so long in the hospital, the everyday facts of studying, homework and teachers seem almost a blessing.
I guess if things continue like this, my time at Yamaku might turn out okay.
ED:
Adhering to the nurse's naggig voice in the back of my head, I set my alarm clock to wake me up early enough to go jogging again.
I made a promise and I'm going to keep it. Besides, Emi is bound to rat on me if I don't show up.
ED: Damn you, Rainbow Dash.
But it's not all that bad.
End of Day 4
BURN THE WITCH!
Target detected.
Influence Gained: Lilly, Hanako.
It's not hard I think. Equality for porn stars of both genders? Jesus F. Christ.
