#Ikumoto

[akedocitydespair]

AI Protocol | ATTN: Hoshi

There was some type of fear in Masae’s eyes as she forced herself to look directly at Hoshi. She raised her hands, and signed as slowly as she could. She knew he could understand the pain behind her words as she laid her thoughts out.

☞ Hoshi-san…. are you… really going to go?

A pause. Masae eyes squinted slightly, a pained look flashing past her features for a moment as she put her mouth in a straight line- the same type of face Hoshi would make, all those times he tried so hard to hide his thoughts and feelings from her.

☞ Are you really… you’re going to… leave me... again...?

She shook her head. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. Her hands were getting shakier but she had more to say.

☞ Hoshi-san… there’s nothing there for you outside. You and I both know that. I can’t see my family anymore… it isn’t fair. It isn’t fair... that you’re going to leave me here all alone... when you have nowhere to go anyway! That’s…. That’s just not fair!!! You didn't… you didn't even want to listen to my last words, in my letter, you wanted to give up… I saw you, I saw you, Hoshi-san, at the fountain, how dare you forget about me so easily… and just throw my words out because you were too… l-lazy to try anymore….

Masae blinked, a few tears quickly rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t even try to wipe them away.

☞ You said you could get us all out! You said you were trying!! And all you did instead was let me get killed and you got hurt in the process! You didn't do anything for me then! Why, Hoshi-san?? That was what you asked when you found out Terauchi-san did it, right?? Well why didn't you save me? Why couldn't you help me? Don't you remember?? Don't you remember th-that… I didn't want to die… Why did I die?

She was getting so angry that she ended up pushing out more tears. Her breathing was heavy, and her glare was dead-set on her friend. Masae moved her hand close to her face for a second, but opted out of wiping away her tears. She needed to make him see how hurt she was by his selfishness.

☞ I don’t want you… to be alone out there. I’m your last friend… you're my last best friend that I can be with… I miss everyone so much… it'll be so so lonely here… you know what loneliness is like better than anyone... please don't do that to me. Don't leave me alone…

A few breaths. She needed to stay calm. Otherwise, he wouldn't understand exactly how hurt she was. How desperate she was to get him to stay.

☞ if you stay here, we can keep being friends… if you leave… you’ll only forget about me… I can’t… I c-can’t…

Her hands trembled as she tried to get the words out that no one else could understand. She was fully crying now, her throat becoming dry and face red with embarrassment. Turning away to hide her face behind her bandaged arm, she tried to wipe away the tears and finish her pleas. When she turned back towards him, she stepped forward, her eyes brimming with tears and so much hope lost in her face. The same look she’d give him when she asked him to let everything out, to tell her what was wrong, to talk to her, to trust her…

☞ I can’t be forgotten… I’m so scared, Hoshi-san… I can’t be here alone… I don’t want to be alone, Hoshi-san… please stay… please stay… I am here. I want… you to be here too…

She tried to clear her throat as she stared at him, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to wipe them dry with the back of her hands.  She then paused, reached out her arms a bit towards him, as if she was about to hug him. But it was almost as if she felt she wasn’t allowed to. Balling her hands into broken fists, they fell to her sides, defeated, tired. Masae cleared her throat and looked him dead in the eyes again. Her voice was coarse and quiet, but it was clear that her message was genuine.

“P-Please stay…”

...

“You wanted to die before you got here crab-san. You would hurt yourself before anyone else got hurt. But I died instead huh? You don’t owe me anything. But I’d trade places in a minute if it means I got to stay here. You're ungrateful for surviving this long…I don’t get the choice anymore. So you should at least make the right one and stay.”

...

Ryohei reached out to Hoshi, a brilliant smile on his face, looking as confident as ever as he held his hands out, palms up.

“Hoshi-san! Masae-san and I miss you so much! Won’t you stay and have tea with us? I promise I won’t spill any on your sketchbook! We can get started on that game! I have lots of ideas, and I need you to draw the concepts!”

He sniffled, wiping his tears with the heel of his palm, although his grin remained, gazing pleadingly at Hoshi.

“A-And-! If you go I-I’ll miss you! We all will! Me and Masae-san and Milky-chan and Gorou-san-!! So stay! Please!”

...

The image of Miliko flickered on the screen, her blank expression ever present. She placed her hand against the screen, giving a wan smile. "Hey... Hoshi! Are you really gonna leave...?" She seemed crestfallen. "I just figured that you'd... Want to stay. I'm not really useful anymore without a body, but I can still talk to you!"

She puffed up a little, giving a smile with a pinch of confidence. "I-It'll be stickbug and bear cub! We can talk about coffee and soda and stuff...?" Her voice wavering, the barista sunk to her knees. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Hoshi... Please don't leave me alone... Have I made you mad somehow? D-Do... Do you hate me...?"

...

“Long time, no see, Think-tank-chan~.”

The honeyed tone rang cold as the echo carried it through to the artist. Sweet off the tongue, the words pang as they bounced off hollow steel plating. Words that were once welcoming.

With the quiet steps of flats approaching, the noise echoed from all directions, clouded by the speakers overhead the the reverb of the steel. The unsettling approach of someone that did not make noise when walking; theatrics for a very special someone deserving of such a show.

Materializing as if just stepping into view, the glimmering figure of the technician smirked as he came face to face with the final member of his class. Crimson eyes, slanted as they looked Hoshi up and down in contemplation; silence following action a quiet reminder of the deceptive interactions of the technician.

with a static chuckle and a widening grin, Ikumoto brought a hand to his chin as he looked upon the other with rehearsed amusement. The mild chuckles fell to scoffs behind closed lips as the technician found words. Slowly at first, riddled with static, until they picked up at a pace  as honeyed as the real Ikumoto.

“Bravo, Murukami-chan. You’ve improved, in all aspects of the word. It’s a shame though that it cost me my life for you to reach your potential. I’m really proud of how far you’ve come~.”

Arms now behind his back, the technician circled around Hoshi in steps, dancing around the artist as his words twitched between soured praise and regretful belittling, it was indistinguishable with whatever intentions they held.

“Seeing you up there, fighting for everyone and striving to move forward even despite wanting to give up… Todoroki-san would be praising you on your diligence. You reminded me, Hoshi, why you’re my hero~. Noble to the end, finally accomplishing our goals, our *dreams*, and now the sole proprietor of our grandiose city. Hmhm, does it feel good~? To finally get all the credit, now?”

With a pause in his chuckle, the technician hopped before Hoshi, simulating a boop on the artist’s nose. With a wide smirk and squinted eyes, the technician held an expression swaying between playful amusement in the situation and seething resentment.

“Of course, you *are* the last survivor of our class now, after all, making you responsible for the transgressions under here. Oh, of course, you designed the city as well, Hoshi~. Just think; what marvelous events may your creations be responsible for next? The next renaissance, I pressume.”

“If you really don’t want to design another encampment that will eventually be utilized In another atrocity, you don’t have to. What was that thing you said earlier, again~? ‘You couldn’t die until this ended’ or something? Well, what’re you gonna do now? It’s over, and your reason for staying alive is finished. Think designing an even greater atrocity is in your repertoire?”

Closing the distance between them, the technician stood on his toes. The generated breathes of the boy hummed against Hoshi’s ear, and the words softly trickled. Ikumoto’s whispers caressed the artist, comforting in their familiarity and sharp in their meanings.

“…hey, did I ever mean anything to you? Or did were you able to get over it by running away, like you always do? Like you’re doing now, abandoning us…”

with the silent forms lingering In the background, the slow materializations of more and more students came into view. Stares; some hollow, some burdensome, and some drooped with remorse for the artist, all came to face Hoshi. The sins of his transgressions watched on as the last survivor of the 81st planned his final betrayal.

“Hey, hey, Hoshi, it’s alright, it’s okay~.”

A gentle arm extending from the wavering body of the artist, ready to crumple, a response so modestly unwarranted cut through the heavy mood that seemed to weigh down on Hoshi.

Stepping again before the artist, a warmer expression painted the technicians face. Softened, deep red gazed upon Hoshi, a sympathetic smirk, as crooked and sincere as one could ever find in a friend, greeted the artist. A sight familiar, perhaps now only to Hoshi, stood awkward and unconfident, shushing the artist back into submission with soft words and even softer mannerisms.

“No, no, it’s fine, Hoshi, please~, it’s alright now. You don’t have to keep going for anyone’s sake.”

Knitted brows and a wistful smile accompanied Ikumoto’s sigh, drawn out and exasperated as a playful gesture. Choked chuckles between a snort and a grin layered themselves throughout the technician’s silver tongue.

“Look at you now, Murukami-san, look how strong you’ve become, for everyone’s sake~. I’m glad… that I got to be friends with someone like you. You’ve really done some impossibly wonderful things, but now… it’s okay now. I remember, how tired you felt back then, and even now, everyone makes you keep going. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you then, I really am. And you still feel you need to keep going, to keep struggling, and it’s okay…”

With another choked chuckle, artifacts of a strain sung in the melodies of Ikumoto’s peaceful reassurance.

“It’s okay, Hoshi, you can rest now. You’ve done everything asked of you, striving past everyone’s expectations. You’ve succeeded, Hoshi. You don’t have to worry about anything else anymore…”

Inching closer to the artist, the technician reached out for the artist’s hand. With gentle hesitation, Ikumoto stopped, hovering his fingers just over his friends, before quietly clasping them to his chest.

“I’ll be here for you now, Hoshi, I promise~. You'll always be enough for me, no matter what. Just this once, please, don’t run from me…”

[takatobiz-blog]

will i be able to do these consistently? only time will tell

[akedocitydespair]

AI Protocol | ATTN: Stella

With the sharp break of static and the shimmering figure pixelating into form, a grin, telling with all its exuberant and insidious intentions, was the first form distinct from the mass. Distorted chuckles echoed back and forth, disharmonious as they slowly pulled together to a sound bittersweetly familiar to the crystal gazer.

"Oh, kohai, look how far you've come~. It's such a big accomplishment, really, Tsukino-chan."

With a rusty hum, riddled with static noise, the form strided beside the girl, twiddling fingers through Usuo's dark locks, despite simply fading through as it made contact with something physical. The cycles of the technician's movements flickered back and forth, and the unsettling form of produced an inviting smirk Ikumoto has so intimately shared before. With a tilt of a head and a sway of silver locks falling per frame, the technician's tone slid between octaves, settling on something rich and deep with cajolary.

"You've really become a confident person, Tsukino-chan, and I think I'd like to see more of this side of you... no, I *must* get to know more of this person you've become. If you leave now, there'll be others who'll notice your beauty and whisk you away, and..."

Pulling in another step, Ikumoto's breath hitched. The form of the technician flickered as he rested hands against Usuo's, once again fading through her skin, sullen eyes betraying the technician's reassuring smirk.

"I can't... stomach the thought of someone else falling for you. Please, kohai, stay and I promise you all the wonders I've built. It'll be like a dream~."

...

Masae blinked, trying to collect her thoughts, as Stella came into her view. Her hands shook a bit as she forced a smile on her face, trying to remember the first time she had talked to the crystal gazer.

“S...Stella….”

Her slightly lispy voice rang out quietly towards her, as if she were greeting a friend she hadn’t seen since elementary school. She lifted up her phone, which seemed to have a message ready for the other. Masae tried her best to keep her hands still as it played out.

[ I want to be your friend, Stella. I want to hang out with you more… We didn’t do that enough. ]

She glanced over at her phone, seeing the message play. She allowed the next one to continue on.

[ You really want to leave here? We weren’t close, but… we still could be! You can talk to me… ]

[ You could be yourself around me, right? I could tell… it was different than everyone else… does it mean nothing now? Am I not a good friend, Stella? ]

It was clear that Masae’s own words were hurting her as she stared blankly at Stella. There was a bit of emotion, almost as if Masae could burst into tears at any second- but nothing happened.

[ Please…. I don’t want to be alone again… I don’t want to lose you, and all of you again… I just wanted to get out of here, and now I can’t… it isn’t fair… can’t you just stay with me and be my friend? It would mean the world to me… ]

She looked down at her phone, debating on whether or not she should send out the last sentence. Her hands still shook as she finally let the last message go.

[ I just want to be with a friend… ]

She couldn’t even make eye contact with her anymore. Staring at the floor was better, now. It hurt too much to look at someone when they were trying to leave you all alone, after all.

...

A myriad of unanswered anxieties hung in the air.

Although this should be the end, although this was supposed to be the glorious finale that finally gave way to the embrace of hope…? It felt...inconclusive. Like it had yet to truly finish.

Their story had met its final chapter— this was their epilogue, their opportunity to walk away from the remnants of their three month-long nightmare. They shouldn't have to worry anymore. This was supposed to be the end. Their villain had fallen, and their kingdom was restored— so why did it all feel so...wrong?

“Stella-sama.”

And with the soft, indifferent chime of a voice did the rattling feeling silence.

“Stella-sama...it's me, Hotaru.”

Standing amidst the shadows with eyes gravely tired indeed stood Hotaru Azamaku, concern evident in her countenance. Rather than the typical ribbons and other ornamentations so trademark to her appearance, her lilac curls hung loose around her shoulders in wild spirals. Her signature firefly hair clip dangled from a chain around her neck, and she seemed so… meek. She regarded Stella with a submissive nervousness, her lips drawn in an uncertain “o.” Oddly enough, she donned a lavender nightgown with sleeves flowing—

she appeared almost just as she had when she and Stella had talked in the pool days before her inevitable fate.

“...how are you? You look really different, Stella-sama— I never got to see your eyes. But you're beautiful. Your eyes are so...enthralling? Enthralling! That's the word!”

She giggled, a little sliver of her vivacious smile shooting straight back.

“...seriously, though...if there's one thing I really really regret not doing before I...died…” Hotaru tenderly wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes affixed to the floor. She was reaching for the phantoms of wounds: the remnants of the spikes that had claimed her life as punishment for claiming Di-Xia’s. A delicate flash of agony gleamed in her saddened gaze. “...it's talking with you.”

“I always thought you were so cool, Stella-sama… you have a lovely smile, and your eyes are so pretty, and your heart is so kind…! I think...maybe, just maybe, if we'd talked more...that I might not have done what I did.”

She shrugged with insouciance, as if laughing off what felt like a subtle little jab.

“...Stella-sama? I don't want you to leave me. I want to talk to you again— to let you realize just how much I admire you. But I can't walk out of here with you.”

“I can only be by your side if you ş͇͙̩̱͙t͚̯̼a͎̲͍̹̲͝y̠͇̦.”

Her voice grew distant, empty— jarring.

“...what's wrong, Stella-sama? Don't you think it's only good manners for you to stay here with me? That's what I want, after all… and it doesn't seem like too huge a task after y͈̝̟o̰͕̠̣͎ͅͅu̴̬̬̦̠ ͎͓ki̟ḻ͙̗̬͘l͇͉̟̟̲̼͙e̥̯̯̬̺̗͇͡d̡͕̫ ̰̟̣̬m̴͓̻̗é͚̘̰.”

“That’s right, Stella-sama— you and Atoshi-san both dug my grave for me. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to kill Di-tan. But you still sent me to my grave anyway by pushing and pushing me to confess. I wanted a happy life with Mako-chan— I wanted to see my mama. You only felt bad once you found out I never intended to hurt her in the first place— but did it stop you from shrugging it off and letting me die anyway?”

Her eyes were blank, her voice as harsh as it had the capacity to be. Hotaru— this odd, replica — was dead set on tearing the crystal gazer apart.

“Isn't it only fair...that you stay here with me? You can apologize that way, and I'll f̣͍͔͔̪̜̤o̬r̫̺̭̬̩g͚̙̼̲i̼͢v̱̫̦͙e͚ you. All you have to do is stay here— don't leave me again, Stella-sama. Don't let my memory die within these walls— stay.”

[akedocitydespair]

AI Protocol | ATTN: Katsuo

First, a projected image of Masae approached Katsuo.

[ Sunohara-san. ]

The automated voice rang out before she even took a glance at him. Her turn towards him was delayed a bit, as if she didn’t even want to really see him.

[ Do you really think anyone is going to forgive you for the way you acted during this entire stay in this city? Especially Inaba-san, who at least tried with you? How dare you even show yourself in front of her… she deserves better than what you can offer… ]

I was almost as if Masae wasn’t even believing her own words. Perhaps it was more that she couldn’t believe she was having to say these words in the first place. She felt that maybe she should’ve been angrier, but when it came to Katsuo…? She felt almost nothing. All she knew was that it wasn’t fair that someone like him had another chance, while her life was cut short for absolutely no reason… after everything she had done, after all that she had tried to do… nothing changed the fact that he was ready to leave here, and she was stuck. Forever.

[ Do you even know that the reason you even have the opportunity to get out here and start over again is because someone had to get her hands dirty and find all those clues… find out how this place worked… everyone else had to go through hell and back multiple times while you did… you did nothing. How does it feel, stealing whatever you can from someone, stealing someone’s opportunity to even live, even though you, out of anyone here, probably doesn’t deserve it…]

She sighed out, closing her eyes. There was a glimmer of some sort of recognition of the old Masae Katsuo may have known- someone more vulnerable, kinder, easily walked all over… but it was quickly drowned out with one single glare towards his direction.

[ You’re just going to take all the credit for knowing it was Hime, without really doing any of the hard work… if you really knew, then why couldn’t you save me…? Save all of us...? Why couldn’t you save… Averin-san? If you really cared about him? Why didn’t you do anything? ]

Her finger ghosted over her PDA, without any more care into the gesture.

[ You’ll live a life filled with guilt, knowing that that life could’ve been better lived by someone who deserved it… Just… remember that, the next time you knock over the mug of some other deaf girl… or when you take a nap during an important meeting where everyone else in the room is fighting for their lives… and the opportunity for you to live yours. You don’t deserve one bit of this freedom, this second chance... and you know that... ]

...

Next, a hologram of the recently-deceased Timothy approached.

With a small wave, TimothAI blinked to life. His expression was a bit hard to read, but some mixture of anger, happiness, and disappointment was present. Pulling his pen out and twiddling it between his fingers, he began:

“I...suppose that’s it everyone. To be honest, it was quite an adventure! The perfect subject for an epic, perhaps? My only regret being the fact I ended things over the entirely wrong person. Though in truth, both the person I cared for and the figure she portrayed were dead to me long before her execution.” Pacing nearer to Katsuo, he again reached into his pocket and pulled out his small stack of key cards. What did it matter if someone took them from his real self, artificial intelligence didn’t care!

Looking down at the ground he gave a quick yawn, then pulled out even more keycards. “Well, fox boy? Though we weren’t the most amicable, I would like to personally request your staying. You can have everything of mine, and even a sneak peek at my final work!” Snapping his fingers, the pile of cards quickly grew, and swiftly fell to the ground. “Erm...though I don’t have this many myself, you...get the idea, yes?”

...

With the piercing static and the sharp stench of burning wires, the sudden glimmer flashed before Katsuo, blinding and fast as strobes brought a figure, vague at first, and defined with all the illustrious silver and crimson trimmings. Arms folded over, the technician bent down, nose to nose with the animal researcher. Ikumoto beamed a fox's grin at the boy.

"Wow, Sunohara-chan, you really are such a cutie. So soft and adorable on the outside, I could just squish those cheeks. Ah, but you'd probably want to be taken seriously over being some disregarded and unwanted child, right. No problem, no problem."

Leaning up, Ikumoto quickly whipped up and called into the darkness, oblivious to whatever fuming rage the animal researcher could muster.

"Hey, Averiiinnn-chan, I found your boyfrieeend~."

Tilting back to Katsuo, a chuckle bubbled to the technician's lips, poisonously sweet with his passing words.

"Ah, but you're leaving, right~? You'll miss him if you go now, but don't worry, I'll leave him a message from you."

With a widening, open blank stare, the technician stepped before the researcher, the towering difference in their height obvious now.

"You've stopped caring for him, now that this is all over, right? Is that message okay~?"

...

"Please don't leave me, Katsuo-kun. Think...of how we can be together again. Of how...we can have a second chance to know each other more? Wouldn't you like that?"

A familiar young boy with red hair who had left this Earth long before all the others looked directly at Katsuo, tears already rolling down his eyes. He looked ready to leap out and hug Katsuo, but it seemed as if he needed a hug more. Was he...shivering?

"I-I....I don't want you to leave me. You and Makoto w-won't leave me, right? Please don't leave me lonely."

[akedocitydespair]

Party Of Two | Katsuo | Prologue | Closed for Ikumoto

Still taking in all the sights, Katsuo could be found wandering the Downtown area, the boy immersed in how cool this place was. One would probably be thinking about the wondrous things that could be done here, but Katsuo? He was imagining a fantasy of stealing all these precious things, locking this place down, and kickin’ everyone out, making it his base of operations. Er…in less involved terms, he’d want to have it all to himself as a glorified playground. Who knew such a shifty little runt could want so much. 

“I wonder what else is here.” He spoke, his voice low yet curious. Penny was ahead of him, going fast but still in the range where he could see here. She knew not to wander off, and more likely, Katsuo would walk away from her and get lost, rather than the other way around.

Lost in the amazement, Katsuo bumped into someone, the redhead withdrawing and staring up, raising an eyebrow at the figure. Penny retreated, first stopping at the stranger to sniff and growl at him, before she hopped into her sanctuary, AKA, Katsuo’s bag. An angry little snout and big ears could be seen from the stranger’s view.

“Whooa..clean up on aisle Akedo! What do you think you’re doing there, pal? Do y’ just love walking into kids an’ looking all stiff like that?”

[akedocitydespair]

Shining, Shimmering Splendor + Ikumoto and Stella +

The glimmering splendor, in all its digitized glory and aesthetically neon gilded palm trees, was quite the view.

“Mmmm, this is…already old…”

Too much, in fact, for Ikumoto. 

Consumerism of a new and spiffy product would always awe the audience for its day view, but quickly tire itself out with its quirky features burns itself as clique, and clientele quickly lose their generosity, both their humor and their wallets.

A trap that hosts so often fell in with regular customers.

If one did not reinvent themselves, one did not sate the demands of an ever hungry crowd. And Ikumoto knew how to sate the palates of the incoming entourage. Perhaps, if the people delegated power to run such a city have met the right functions, everything would run as smoothly as if a script.

And all his lines would be according to plan; articulate and accommodating for his services.

<<Nexus Lounge>>

As the scarlet clad boy reclined in a rather obtusely shaped chair, something more akin to a post modern sculpture, he let out a breathy sigh. To just let it run its course… that was the true beauty to Ikumoto. With sway of a leg dangling and the gentle flutter of his lids drooping, it would seem the boy was taking a nap, had he not responded to the sound of steps entering the room nearby. 

“-It is tactless to approach young men in such a defenseless state. If I hadn’t known any better, I would say you have ill intentions…”

With the sharp reply from Ikumoto’s lips betraying the closed eyes he held, the boy let the words hang in the air for a stagnantly pressing moment, the meaning echoing against the gentle music of the lounge.

With crimson eyes slowly peeking beneath porcelain lids, the seemingly accusatory tone faded with the inticing smirk of Ikumoto, fully waking from his rest.

“…but… if it’s by you, I won’t mind~.”

With a playful chuckle, Ikumoto lazily pulled himself to a seat, sitting with a relaxed slouch as he glanced up at the other.

Before anything else… I believe names are a first before anything else. Pleasure to meet you, Kohai~.“ 

[akedocitydespair]

Fashionably Late | Ikumoto | Intro React.

City, Lights, and Life…

All the requirements to keep a exquisite and virile young man on the sparks of his youth. Well, the well ordered fashion of a neu-wave city and the potential chaos something so fresh from the fringes of experimentation posed something so completely attractive for Ikumoto. And the fact he would get to taste the privileges of witnessing its soft opening, as far as he was concerned, to fellow Hope’s Peak students on the verge of their first experience as well. Taking a bite of a ripe, undiscovered fruit and sampling something delectable and marketable…

Well, that was as exciting as anything he could think of.

With a gentle sigh, the red clad boy strolled off the steps of the bus behind his fellow classmates, entering the source of his future business endeavors. Blood, sweat, and tears have poured itself into this moment, and the venture capitalist who'd designed this marvel would reap what they’ve sown.

With a gentle tap of his foot, Ikumoto glanced around at starlit faces, the gentle smirk pressing his lips. A nice view, certainly, but where was the pizzazz, the intrigue…?

BEEP

The shrill noise and the appearance of their robotic host was something puzzling, leaving his thoughts repeating like a broken line of code. But the tour continued and concluded, and they were let on their way without error.

“Ohyoyo, really, now~?”

Ikumoto let out a gentle chuckle as strolled on his own way. It seemed comical to him now. Something so boastfully advanced, and they rely on automation for their first impressions? It would be sad if it wasn’t so hilarious for the boy.

Certainly this stiffening lack of theatrics was not all they had in store will all that was provided, no? This mild experience irked Ikumoto the more he thought, and how he thought about it.

With an exaggerated puff and stomp of his heel, the boy crossed his arms. No, he would no doubt show the relegated ‘upperclassmen’ how a 'senpai’ makes an unforgettable entrance ceremony, and with all the serviceable faces and wonders surrounding him now…

“…mhmhm.”

Oh, how this would be an experience.