Chapter Four now up for your perusal 
I don't spend the entire day away from class, of course. Although I may be good at playing catch-up, I still need to attend most of the time. I almost regret turning up to the classroom this afternoon, however, when I open the door to find the shrill high pitch of Misha greeting me.
?Oh? Hello...? She quickly realises who I am... ?Hey! Playing delinquent again??
I blush in response. I'm not entirely certain of what to say now, and back away slowly around the door as Shizune closes in. She makes a quick gesture to Misha, as my head disappears and only my fingers remain, curled around the open frame. I've never been entirely comfortable around Shizune, mainly with my shyness and her aloofness. My close friendship with Lilly hardly helps, either. But before Misha can translate, Hisao comments.
?What is it, Hanako??
I reply directly to him, refusing to acknowledge the two girls staring at my hand on the door edge. ?H... has Lilly been here?? It isn't Hisao who speaks though, but Misha.
?Sorry, haven't seen Satou. She, eh, came by in the morning though.?
I continue to watch Shizune, keeping an eye on her, but try not to react to what Misha has just told me. They don't know that I heard the confrontation this morning, and it would do me no favours to reveal it now. Misha seems kind of embarrassed though, understandable with Hisao right next to her. Shizune stares back at me, refusing to budge even a little. I wonder what could be going through her mind. She can't possibly suspect me of eavesdropping, she couldn't have heard me, let alone seen me outside the room. No, I believe she simply wants to intimidate me. I feel terrified, of course, but I won't let her beat me here. I maintain eye contact, refusing to break, while asking Misha for more details.
?Do... do you know where she is??
Shizune signs to Misha, meeting my continuing challenge.
?If she has any sense in her head,? comes the translation, ?she's in her classroom, working on their festival project. But who knows where that woman is loitering at.? It's clearly a direct attack from Shizune, trying to reassert her own dominance. Maybe she still feels put out from her defeat to Lilly and Hisao earlier in the day? Or perhaps she just wants to show me that she is the superior person here. It doesn't work.
?You need to find her?? says Hisao. ?She was looking for you in the morning but I guess you missed each other.? I was rather surprised, to tell the truth, that she didn't come to my usual haunts this morning. Maybe she was too busy after all, but I didn't see her at the tea room, nor in the library when I retreated there for the rest of the period. Yuuko hadn't seen her either. Curious. I pause, thinking on this, when I realise that Hisao asked me a question, and I haven't yet replied.
?Y... yeah.?
?I can come with you,? he offers. ?If it's okay.? I would honestly rather go alone, but Hisao's gesture catches me off guard yet again. Besides, he can always stay here. With the Student Council. I decide to save him, nodding furiously at his suggestion. Even then, he looks uneasy, as though he's afraid of doing or saying something to drive me away or make me more scared.
?It's dinnertime soon. Were you planning to eat with Lilly?? I nod again, more gently this time. I had tried looking for Lilly in the cafeteria, but too many people were present. I try to avoid the room anyway at the best of times, if only to avoid being judged. Hisao picks up his bag and we leave Shizune's glare and Misha's mild grin behind.
He walks quickly. I have to almost run to keep up, but Hisao notices and slows a little. I feel more at ease now that Shizune isn't here trying to provoke a fight. It's odd, I've never experienced anything like this before. It feels... normal. Walking with a boy. I still keep my distance, though. We aren't quite that close yet. I'm really not sure what to make of Hisao, except that... I trust him.
We reach the cafeteria, but Lilly isn't there. I bow my head, and Hisao picks up on that almost immediately.
?Have you looked somewhere else already??
?J-just at the library... I was reading...?
Hardly a comprehensive effort. ?Ah, so not exactly a thorough search then. Well, if I had to guess, she'd be in her own class like Shizune said, right??
I guess so. ?R-right.? I nod yet again, nearly imperceptible, and the silence descends once more.
Hisao breaks it again. It's like he's trying to do everything possible to keep me talking, to make me more at ease with him. Forcing issues isn't the best way for me to deal with them, but he doesn't know that ? he's known me for less than a week. I try to humour him as much as I reasonably can, at least for now.
?So you and Lilly usually hang out together after class, right?? he asks.
?Y-yes.? Did he really expect me to give more than that?
?Must be a pain being in different classes, I'm guessing.? I nod again quickly.
?Lilly... comes by the classroom, though. Even when she's busy...? I really do appreciate it, and can't help but smile a little at her actions. Hisao smiles back briefly. I wonder what he's thinking right now?
We leave the cafeteria and head upstairs, towards Lilly's classroom. Other students pass us on the way, but I keep my head down and face hidden. I instinctively move behind Hisao, before realising what it is I'm doing.
?Hey, are you alright?? he says, a look of concern on his face. I don't want to discuss it with him.
?J-just keep going...? We carry on, and after passing the students I move back to Hisao's side, but whatever good cheer I had gained from the last discussion is gone. I stay tense, head still lowered, never getting closer than an arm's length to Hisao. We continue in silence.
Nevertheless, even that is broken again soon, as we get closer to Lilly's classroom and hear the noise coming from within. ?Well,? Hisao says, ?I guess we found her.? Truth be told, I'd expected this. But I didn't want to say anything, and if necessary I'd have simply stayed in the library for a while longer. But Hisao was willing to come with me, and the backup was useful. At least I have someone I can trust, no matter how little, to help me cope with everyone. Then again, this is a class for blind people. Much easier for me to deal with when no-one can see my scars.
On the edge of hearing Lilly's voice is audible, though I can't make out what she is saying. Probably instructions of a kind, taking charge of the situation in her class. I slowly edge behind Hisao, hoping against hope that he doesn't notice, or doesn't care too much. He opens the door, and I peer in over his shoulder, seeing a throng of people sitting, standing, kneeling over banners, mixing paints, talking excitedly about the projects they have for the school festival. Canes are swung around as some expertly side-step paint cans on the floor, everyone having found a way of dealing with their condition. If only it was as easy for me!
Lilly stands at the front of the class, three or four students surrounding her. We walk over to her, me behind Hisao attempting to stay out of everyone's way, but feeling less nervous than I thought I would. Hisao greets her as we draw close, inadvertently interrupting a smaller girl who is busy chattering away to Lilly about the arrangements for the class stall.
?Hi, Lilly.?
She positions her head up, confused for a moment and not recognising Hisao's voice. ?Sorry, who...?
?Ah, sorry. Hisao. I have Hanako too.? It's good of him to introduce me, rather than leaving it to me to alert Lilly to my presence.
?H-hi,? I say. Lilly turns her head in my direction and frowns slightly. Maybe she thinks I won't be able to handle being among so many people, when in reality I'm doing much better than usual. The fact that everyone here is blind, or partially blind, is the main reason for that. Still, she decides to take things slowly for my benefit, and turns back towards the girl who had previously been talking to her.
?For the moment, just ask Moriya for his advice. Kenji's busy with painting one of the banners already.?
The girl turns away, nodding, and skips in the opposite direction, using the wall to guide her. I steal a glance at Hisao and notice an odd look on his face. It seems like a sign of recognition ? does he know her? Or this Moriya, or Kenji? I have briefly spoken to some of Lilly's classmates in the past myself, usually when I've been waiting here for her, but neither name jumps out at me. And I didn't recognise the small girl who just left. Hisao seems to know someone here though, as he looks over my shoulder and behind me. I turn my face to see where he's looking and see the girl talking to a boy with glasses and a scarf (a scarf indoors? Really?) hunched over a large sheet and some paint on the floor. Given what Lilly just said to her, I would assume that's Kenji. I turn back to Lilly as she continues to speak.
?Sorry about that. Our class doesn't have many students with even partial eyesight, so they're in high demand.?
Hisao doesn't surprise me much with his next words. ?Need a hand? I could give you some help if you need some. Maybe Hanako could too.?
I would certainly like that, and I nod strongly to confirm that sentiment. It would be nice to actually do something with people, for a change, and maybe it would be good for me to do so. Lilly could use the help too, and maybe a chance to bond a little more with Hisao wouldn't be such a bad thing. I could never do something like this in my own class, or most others for that matter, but here I don't feel as judged. I'd love to help the blind class on their project for the festival.
Lilly sighs, evidently pleased. Of course, she couldn't see me nod, but no doubt she can tell that I'm happy to be involved. I would have made some comment, however small, if I wasn't. And Shizune can't complain at either Hisao nor myself now.
?Ah, that's good. This might actually get finished before everyone goes off to dinner, now.? Lilly sounds relieved. ?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.?
?Kenji?? Hisao replies. ?Sure.? I was right then, the boy in the corner is Kenji, and Hisao does know him. Lilly is apparently surprised by this, and I have to admit I'm also curious to find out how they know each other.
?I take it you've met?? Lilly asks.
?Our rooms in the dorm are right next to each other,? comes the reply. ?Hard to miss each other, really.?
How obvious could that answer have been? It makes so much sense, and I missed it completely. Ah well, at least I wasn't the only one. ?Well, it's good to see you're getting friends so fast,? says Lilly. I look at Hisao's face again and an odd gesture appears for the briefest of moments at the word 'friend'. Maybe that's hardly the right word for Lilly to use? I don't know, maybe I'll witness a little more when we start working with this Kenji guy on his banner. Hisao speaks up and brings the conversation back to the topic at hand.
?We'll go help him then. He knows what needs doing, right??
?That's right. Just ask if you have any problems.?
Hisao and I both voice our agreement and make our way to the corner where Kenji is kneeling. His eyes are fixed on the rectangle of white on the floor ahead. Hisao greets him as we get closer.
?Hey, Kenji.?
Silence. Did he even hear us approach, or Hisao say hello? Or is he ignoring us?
?Kenji??
Suddenly, Kenji rises sharply, paint dripping from his brush into the pot by his side. ?Huh? What? Who is it?? How sharp and abrupt. Not to mention rather rude. And people wonder why I find it hard talking to new faces...
?It's me. Hisao. From the...?
?Right, right, I know that, man. What're you doing here, though?? Worse and worse. Not the best first impression, even if I do feel a very small bit more relaxed in this room. I decide to edge a little out of Hisao's shadow, though, if only for the sake of asserting my actual presence here. I may be the type to hide behind others, but I don't like being a third wheel. Hisao jumps on this as a chance to explain our being here.
?I was just going to help with the banner. Hanako and I, that is.?
?H... hello...? I stutter.
?Oh. Er, hey. I guess that's okay.? Kenji seems put out a little, but weirdly enough he also seems to calm down just a bit when he notices me. It's actually quite creepy, and I consider just walking away, but think better of it. Still. Creepy.
We all sit down again, Hisao and I on one side of the banner and Kenji directly opposite. I read the kanji that's half painted on the cloth ? Class 3-2 Noodle Stall. Looks like Hisao was reading it as well.
?You guys selling noodles at the festival on Sunday??
?Yeah,? Kenji says. ?Some stalls outside. Or something.? I wonder at his words. 'Or something'? Does he even intend to bother going to the festival? That being said, I can hardly comment. I may be willing to help, but I won't be attending either. Does anyone really expect me to, with so many people being there?
Hisao returns us to the task at hand. ?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?? He looks sideways at me and I wonder what his thoughts are. I'm not fussed myself, text or borders are both fine by me.
?Text is mine,? comes the response. ?You do borders.? How abrupt again. He sounds very determined that no-one else should do the text. Ah well. I pick up a brush and try to decide which colours would look prettiest ? it's nice to have some work to busy my mind. As Hisao starts to paint, I am already in the middle of a pattern of some kind, I haven't quite figured out yet. It looks nice, though.
As I paint, I surreptitiously glance upwards on occasion. I may not take an active part in discussions in general, but that doesn't mean I don't listen. One can pick up an awful lot by simply listening. And I'm good at not drawing attention to myself. I notice Kenji lean in towards Hisao and whisper, as if his words are not for my ears. I can still hear every word, though. Having to listen to Mutou-sensei over Misha in class has developed my hearing at least a small amount, but it's enough.
?Okay, man, why're you here??
?Hanako just wanted some help to find Lilly, that's all.?
Kenji frowns at this. ?I get it. It looks like I misjudged you.?
Curiouser and curiouser. What could he mean by that? I continue my painting and act oblivious, but I'm interested now.
?You're infiltrating them, aren't you? Going deep undercover?? What the hell is Kenji talking about? The look on Hisao's face is the same as I feel. I hide my own look of confusion, acting as though I'm unaware of the discussion taking place.
?Is that why you're here?? Hisao humours him.
?Obviously. It sucks, but there's no better way to get intel than going in yourself.? Intel? On what? ?We gotta stick together, man. This is a harsh school, a harsh world.? Probably the only thing I've heard from Kenji that makes any sense at all.
Apparently Hisao agrees. ?Yes, very harsh.?
Silence falls again as we all settle back to our work. I am left to wonder what I just witnessed, and decide to put it out of my head for now. Clearly this Kenji fellow has a severe mental quirk of some kind. I forget him briefly and return to the pattern I was working on.
?Finished,? I say, before the others. The border is all done, a very pretty piece of work too.
?Looks like I am too,? says Hisao. ?Good job.? I feel pleased at the praise for my work, and see that Hisao has essentially copied my design in an attempt to maintain symmetry as much as possible. Ironic to some extent, but beautiful penmanship. With the last lines connected the banner is nearly complete.
Hisao pulls himself up and looks around the classroom. I look too and see that most of the class has gone ? Kenji remains working on another banner, while Lilly is still talking and coordinating the efforts of a few stragglers.
?Need a hand?? Hisao offers his hand to me, which I take gracefully, and helps me to my feet. My legs feel quite numb after sitting down for so long in one position. With all the painting, I had failed to notice the pins and needles creeping along, but try to ignore them as much as possible. I know they'll soon go away. As I get up, however, I notice Hisao's eyes on my right wrist, and see the scars that extend even past my long sleeves. What could he be thinking now? I cover my wrist with my left hand, and turn my face down and slightly away, refusing to meet Hisao's eyes. His next words come as a brief shock to me.
?Looks good, doesn't it??
I recoil briefly and my face registers a moment of surprise, until I realise he is no longer staring at me. Instead, Hisao's eyes are fixed on the banner, and I realise what he really meant.
?It does... I guess.? I smile at him, more as a sign of forgiveness than an agreement, although I most certainly do agree with his sentiments on the banner. Something we can both be proud of. We cross the room again and return to Lilly. Once more, Hisao takes the lead.
?We've finished the banner. I guess that's all that needs to be done??
Lilly nods and smiles at us both, using the direction of Hisao's voice to know where to face her head. ?Thank you Hisao, Hanako. If there's any way I can thank you...??
?It's fine,? Hisao replies. ?Beats sitting in my room studying, at any rate.?
?I don't mind either.? I feel a need to make it clear to Lilly, and to Hisao, that I was happy to be of some use today. Anything that takes my mind off things is good in my book. And it was definitely interesting, in a way, to meet Kenji. On that note...
?Oh, is Kenji still here?? Lilly asks. Before either of us can respond with the affirmative, Kenji himself shouts across the room.
?Yeah, just finished.? He puts his sign onto a shelf to dry, walks towards us, and passes us heading for the door. ?See ya, man.?
?Bye,? Hisao says. The other students still remaining do the same, saying goodbye to us before leaving. Soon, Lilly, Hisao and I are the only people left in class 3-2.
?Well, I guess that's everyone,? says Hisao.
?I hope we don't have to do anything like that again.? I can kind of see where Lilly is coming from, with the sheer amount of effort she has had to put in to make this project a potential success, not to mention keeping Shizune off her back.
?Working past school time??
?Indeed. The class's plans this year were ambitious. Maybe too ambitious.?
I feel a need to give my opinion here, seeing the dedication the class have clearly put towards their work this year. ?The stalls look nice, though.?
Hisao agrees with me. ?She's right, it shows that a lot of work's gone into them.?
Lilly can't see the smile on my face, but Hisao can. She must be able to sense the good cheer in both our voices though, a rarity for me, and chuckles a little as she speaks.
?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.?
I'm certainly happy to hear all that. Still, I can't help but feel a little tired now after all the hard work we just did. The clock seems to share my point of view. Besides, I've not eaten since lunch, and I feel kind of hungry now. I can always cook a small meal in the dormitories. ?Umm... it's getting pretty late. Should we go??
?That's probably a good idea,? comes the response from Lilly. ? Are you going back to the dorms as well, Hisao??
?Yeah, I guess I'll tag along.? There isn't much else to do at this time, anyway.
We leave the classroom and head outside, into the Yamaku gardens. As curfew approaches we see a few students rushing around, but otherwise it's nice and quiet. Peaceful. The sun has already set, and the moonlight makes the trees look eerie, but so calm. The only sounds are our footsteps, and Lilly's cane. I hear Hisao yawn a little.
?Tired?? Lilly asks.
?Yeah. Still getting used to the flow of things, I guess. The... uh... thing with Shizune took me kind of off guard, though.?
I nod a little, before realising that they still don't know I was eavesdropping. I catch myself just in time, but Hisao doesn't appear to have noticed anything, looking back at the school building, while Lilly can't have noticed me anyway. I see Hisao grit his teeth in anger,or possibly annoyance. I still regret a little that I chose to skip class today. Seeing Shizune's face and her effect on the class would have made for an interesting morning, even if I risked being caught in her wrath by association. Then again, it doesn't seem to have done Hisao too much harm today. Save the teeth, of course.
Lilly decides to respond to Hisao's comment. ?Ah... about that... I'm sorry about it being so public. Shizune and I... go back some ways.?
She hardly needs to remind me, but Hisao has no idea about their history. Hisao looks at me when he realises Lilly has no intention of elaborating, but it's not my place to say anything about it. Especially when one of the two subjects is present. I deliberately make my face unreadable, more so even than usual, and give Hisao no clues whatsoever. He'll have to keep wondering until Lilly agrees to explain matters to him.
?I'll be glad once the festival is over, in any case.? Lilly is clearly trying to change the topic, and it works.
?I can imagine,? says Hisao. ?My old school's festivals were a lot more low-key than this.?
?Yamaku stresses the idea of a school community,? Lilly explains. ?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.? I laugh a little at Hisao's comment, agreeing and feeling slightly impressed by his perceptiveness. Lilly does the same, as Hisao smiles at us both. It's made more funny when we consider the previous topic, regarding Shizune. If only Hisao knew how much work she decided to take on as Student Council President, especially regarding the festival! Well, it's her own fault. As we giggle, Lilly puts on a straight face just long enough to speak again.
?I suppose coming from a strict all-girls school helped me a bit with Yamaku. Compared to there, Yamaku is much more relaxed.?
We continue onwards, the sounds of laughter not quite dead but certainly fading away. Eventually we come to the steps outside the two dormitories. I look at the wall where Rin the artist, a rather eccentric girl, has been painting a mural for the festival. It looks nearly done, but in the moonlight I can only see a few details standing out. Maybe it will look much better in the day.
?See you, Lilly, Hanako.?
Lilly and I each nod in acknowledgement, before leaving Hisao and entering our own dormitory. We pass the teacher on security duty tonight, and head upstairs to our rooms. I quickly eat and prepare for bed, wondering what the next day will bring...
?Oh? Hello...? She quickly realises who I am... ?Hey! Playing delinquent again??
I blush in response. I'm not entirely certain of what to say now, and back away slowly around the door as Shizune closes in. She makes a quick gesture to Misha, as my head disappears and only my fingers remain, curled around the open frame. I've never been entirely comfortable around Shizune, mainly with my shyness and her aloofness. My close friendship with Lilly hardly helps, either. But before Misha can translate, Hisao comments.
?What is it, Hanako??
I reply directly to him, refusing to acknowledge the two girls staring at my hand on the door edge. ?H... has Lilly been here?? It isn't Hisao who speaks though, but Misha.
?Sorry, haven't seen Satou. She, eh, came by in the morning though.?
I continue to watch Shizune, keeping an eye on her, but try not to react to what Misha has just told me. They don't know that I heard the confrontation this morning, and it would do me no favours to reveal it now. Misha seems kind of embarrassed though, understandable with Hisao right next to her. Shizune stares back at me, refusing to budge even a little. I wonder what could be going through her mind. She can't possibly suspect me of eavesdropping, she couldn't have heard me, let alone seen me outside the room. No, I believe she simply wants to intimidate me. I feel terrified, of course, but I won't let her beat me here. I maintain eye contact, refusing to break, while asking Misha for more details.
?Do... do you know where she is??
Shizune signs to Misha, meeting my continuing challenge.
?If she has any sense in her head,? comes the translation, ?she's in her classroom, working on their festival project. But who knows where that woman is loitering at.? It's clearly a direct attack from Shizune, trying to reassert her own dominance. Maybe she still feels put out from her defeat to Lilly and Hisao earlier in the day? Or perhaps she just wants to show me that she is the superior person here. It doesn't work.
?You need to find her?? says Hisao. ?She was looking for you in the morning but I guess you missed each other.? I was rather surprised, to tell the truth, that she didn't come to my usual haunts this morning. Maybe she was too busy after all, but I didn't see her at the tea room, nor in the library when I retreated there for the rest of the period. Yuuko hadn't seen her either. Curious. I pause, thinking on this, when I realise that Hisao asked me a question, and I haven't yet replied.
?Y... yeah.?
?I can come with you,? he offers. ?If it's okay.? I would honestly rather go alone, but Hisao's gesture catches me off guard yet again. Besides, he can always stay here. With the Student Council. I decide to save him, nodding furiously at his suggestion. Even then, he looks uneasy, as though he's afraid of doing or saying something to drive me away or make me more scared.
?It's dinnertime soon. Were you planning to eat with Lilly?? I nod again, more gently this time. I had tried looking for Lilly in the cafeteria, but too many people were present. I try to avoid the room anyway at the best of times, if only to avoid being judged. Hisao picks up his bag and we leave Shizune's glare and Misha's mild grin behind.
He walks quickly. I have to almost run to keep up, but Hisao notices and slows a little. I feel more at ease now that Shizune isn't here trying to provoke a fight. It's odd, I've never experienced anything like this before. It feels... normal. Walking with a boy. I still keep my distance, though. We aren't quite that close yet. I'm really not sure what to make of Hisao, except that... I trust him.
We reach the cafeteria, but Lilly isn't there. I bow my head, and Hisao picks up on that almost immediately.
?Have you looked somewhere else already??
?J-just at the library... I was reading...?
Hardly a comprehensive effort. ?Ah, so not exactly a thorough search then. Well, if I had to guess, she'd be in her own class like Shizune said, right??
I guess so. ?R-right.? I nod yet again, nearly imperceptible, and the silence descends once more.
Hisao breaks it again. It's like he's trying to do everything possible to keep me talking, to make me more at ease with him. Forcing issues isn't the best way for me to deal with them, but he doesn't know that ? he's known me for less than a week. I try to humour him as much as I reasonably can, at least for now.
?So you and Lilly usually hang out together after class, right?? he asks.
?Y-yes.? Did he really expect me to give more than that?
?Must be a pain being in different classes, I'm guessing.? I nod again quickly.
?Lilly... comes by the classroom, though. Even when she's busy...? I really do appreciate it, and can't help but smile a little at her actions. Hisao smiles back briefly. I wonder what he's thinking right now?
We leave the cafeteria and head upstairs, towards Lilly's classroom. Other students pass us on the way, but I keep my head down and face hidden. I instinctively move behind Hisao, before realising what it is I'm doing.
?Hey, are you alright?? he says, a look of concern on his face. I don't want to discuss it with him.
?J-just keep going...? We carry on, and after passing the students I move back to Hisao's side, but whatever good cheer I had gained from the last discussion is gone. I stay tense, head still lowered, never getting closer than an arm's length to Hisao. We continue in silence.
Nevertheless, even that is broken again soon, as we get closer to Lilly's classroom and hear the noise coming from within. ?Well,? Hisao says, ?I guess we found her.? Truth be told, I'd expected this. But I didn't want to say anything, and if necessary I'd have simply stayed in the library for a while longer. But Hisao was willing to come with me, and the backup was useful. At least I have someone I can trust, no matter how little, to help me cope with everyone. Then again, this is a class for blind people. Much easier for me to deal with when no-one can see my scars.
On the edge of hearing Lilly's voice is audible, though I can't make out what she is saying. Probably instructions of a kind, taking charge of the situation in her class. I slowly edge behind Hisao, hoping against hope that he doesn't notice, or doesn't care too much. He opens the door, and I peer in over his shoulder, seeing a throng of people sitting, standing, kneeling over banners, mixing paints, talking excitedly about the projects they have for the school festival. Canes are swung around as some expertly side-step paint cans on the floor, everyone having found a way of dealing with their condition. If only it was as easy for me!
Lilly stands at the front of the class, three or four students surrounding her. We walk over to her, me behind Hisao attempting to stay out of everyone's way, but feeling less nervous than I thought I would. Hisao greets her as we draw close, inadvertently interrupting a smaller girl who is busy chattering away to Lilly about the arrangements for the class stall.
?Hi, Lilly.?
She positions her head up, confused for a moment and not recognising Hisao's voice. ?Sorry, who...?
?Ah, sorry. Hisao. I have Hanako too.? It's good of him to introduce me, rather than leaving it to me to alert Lilly to my presence.
?H-hi,? I say. Lilly turns her head in my direction and frowns slightly. Maybe she thinks I won't be able to handle being among so many people, when in reality I'm doing much better than usual. The fact that everyone here is blind, or partially blind, is the main reason for that. Still, she decides to take things slowly for my benefit, and turns back towards the girl who had previously been talking to her.
?For the moment, just ask Moriya for his advice. Kenji's busy with painting one of the banners already.?
The girl turns away, nodding, and skips in the opposite direction, using the wall to guide her. I steal a glance at Hisao and notice an odd look on his face. It seems like a sign of recognition ? does he know her? Or this Moriya, or Kenji? I have briefly spoken to some of Lilly's classmates in the past myself, usually when I've been waiting here for her, but neither name jumps out at me. And I didn't recognise the small girl who just left. Hisao seems to know someone here though, as he looks over my shoulder and behind me. I turn my face to see where he's looking and see the girl talking to a boy with glasses and a scarf (a scarf indoors? Really?) hunched over a large sheet and some paint on the floor. Given what Lilly just said to her, I would assume that's Kenji. I turn back to Lilly as she continues to speak.
?Sorry about that. Our class doesn't have many students with even partial eyesight, so they're in high demand.?
Hisao doesn't surprise me much with his next words. ?Need a hand? I could give you some help if you need some. Maybe Hanako could too.?
I would certainly like that, and I nod strongly to confirm that sentiment. It would be nice to actually do something with people, for a change, and maybe it would be good for me to do so. Lilly could use the help too, and maybe a chance to bond a little more with Hisao wouldn't be such a bad thing. I could never do something like this in my own class, or most others for that matter, but here I don't feel as judged. I'd love to help the blind class on their project for the festival.
Lilly sighs, evidently pleased. Of course, she couldn't see me nod, but no doubt she can tell that I'm happy to be involved. I would have made some comment, however small, if I wasn't. And Shizune can't complain at either Hisao nor myself now.
?Ah, that's good. This might actually get finished before everyone goes off to dinner, now.? Lilly sounds relieved. ?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.?
?Kenji?? Hisao replies. ?Sure.? I was right then, the boy in the corner is Kenji, and Hisao does know him. Lilly is apparently surprised by this, and I have to admit I'm also curious to find out how they know each other.
?I take it you've met?? Lilly asks.
?Our rooms in the dorm are right next to each other,? comes the reply. ?Hard to miss each other, really.?
How obvious could that answer have been? It makes so much sense, and I missed it completely. Ah well, at least I wasn't the only one. ?Well, it's good to see you're getting friends so fast,? says Lilly. I look at Hisao's face again and an odd gesture appears for the briefest of moments at the word 'friend'. Maybe that's hardly the right word for Lilly to use? I don't know, maybe I'll witness a little more when we start working with this Kenji guy on his banner. Hisao speaks up and brings the conversation back to the topic at hand.
?We'll go help him then. He knows what needs doing, right??
?That's right. Just ask if you have any problems.?
Hisao and I both voice our agreement and make our way to the corner where Kenji is kneeling. His eyes are fixed on the rectangle of white on the floor ahead. Hisao greets him as we get closer.
?Hey, Kenji.?
Silence. Did he even hear us approach, or Hisao say hello? Or is he ignoring us?
?Kenji??
Suddenly, Kenji rises sharply, paint dripping from his brush into the pot by his side. ?Huh? What? Who is it?? How sharp and abrupt. Not to mention rather rude. And people wonder why I find it hard talking to new faces...
?It's me. Hisao. From the...?
?Right, right, I know that, man. What're you doing here, though?? Worse and worse. Not the best first impression, even if I do feel a very small bit more relaxed in this room. I decide to edge a little out of Hisao's shadow, though, if only for the sake of asserting my actual presence here. I may be the type to hide behind others, but I don't like being a third wheel. Hisao jumps on this as a chance to explain our being here.
?I was just going to help with the banner. Hanako and I, that is.?
?H... hello...? I stutter.
?Oh. Er, hey. I guess that's okay.? Kenji seems put out a little, but weirdly enough he also seems to calm down just a bit when he notices me. It's actually quite creepy, and I consider just walking away, but think better of it. Still. Creepy.
We all sit down again, Hisao and I on one side of the banner and Kenji directly opposite. I read the kanji that's half painted on the cloth ? Class 3-2 Noodle Stall. Looks like Hisao was reading it as well.
?You guys selling noodles at the festival on Sunday??
?Yeah,? Kenji says. ?Some stalls outside. Or something.? I wonder at his words. 'Or something'? Does he even intend to bother going to the festival? That being said, I can hardly comment. I may be willing to help, but I won't be attending either. Does anyone really expect me to, with so many people being there?
Hisao returns us to the task at hand. ?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?? He looks sideways at me and I wonder what his thoughts are. I'm not fussed myself, text or borders are both fine by me.
?Text is mine,? comes the response. ?You do borders.? How abrupt again. He sounds very determined that no-one else should do the text. Ah well. I pick up a brush and try to decide which colours would look prettiest ? it's nice to have some work to busy my mind. As Hisao starts to paint, I am already in the middle of a pattern of some kind, I haven't quite figured out yet. It looks nice, though.
As I paint, I surreptitiously glance upwards on occasion. I may not take an active part in discussions in general, but that doesn't mean I don't listen. One can pick up an awful lot by simply listening. And I'm good at not drawing attention to myself. I notice Kenji lean in towards Hisao and whisper, as if his words are not for my ears. I can still hear every word, though. Having to listen to Mutou-sensei over Misha in class has developed my hearing at least a small amount, but it's enough.
?Okay, man, why're you here??
?Hanako just wanted some help to find Lilly, that's all.?
Kenji frowns at this. ?I get it. It looks like I misjudged you.?
Curiouser and curiouser. What could he mean by that? I continue my painting and act oblivious, but I'm interested now.
?You're infiltrating them, aren't you? Going deep undercover?? What the hell is Kenji talking about? The look on Hisao's face is the same as I feel. I hide my own look of confusion, acting as though I'm unaware of the discussion taking place.
?Is that why you're here?? Hisao humours him.
?Obviously. It sucks, but there's no better way to get intel than going in yourself.? Intel? On what? ?We gotta stick together, man. This is a harsh school, a harsh world.? Probably the only thing I've heard from Kenji that makes any sense at all.
Apparently Hisao agrees. ?Yes, very harsh.?
Silence falls again as we all settle back to our work. I am left to wonder what I just witnessed, and decide to put it out of my head for now. Clearly this Kenji fellow has a severe mental quirk of some kind. I forget him briefly and return to the pattern I was working on.
?Finished,? I say, before the others. The border is all done, a very pretty piece of work too.
?Looks like I am too,? says Hisao. ?Good job.? I feel pleased at the praise for my work, and see that Hisao has essentially copied my design in an attempt to maintain symmetry as much as possible. Ironic to some extent, but beautiful penmanship. With the last lines connected the banner is nearly complete.
Hisao pulls himself up and looks around the classroom. I look too and see that most of the class has gone ? Kenji remains working on another banner, while Lilly is still talking and coordinating the efforts of a few stragglers.
?Need a hand?? Hisao offers his hand to me, which I take gracefully, and helps me to my feet. My legs feel quite numb after sitting down for so long in one position. With all the painting, I had failed to notice the pins and needles creeping along, but try to ignore them as much as possible. I know they'll soon go away. As I get up, however, I notice Hisao's eyes on my right wrist, and see the scars that extend even past my long sleeves. What could he be thinking now? I cover my wrist with my left hand, and turn my face down and slightly away, refusing to meet Hisao's eyes. His next words come as a brief shock to me.
?Looks good, doesn't it??
I recoil briefly and my face registers a moment of surprise, until I realise he is no longer staring at me. Instead, Hisao's eyes are fixed on the banner, and I realise what he really meant.
?It does... I guess.? I smile at him, more as a sign of forgiveness than an agreement, although I most certainly do agree with his sentiments on the banner. Something we can both be proud of. We cross the room again and return to Lilly. Once more, Hisao takes the lead.
?We've finished the banner. I guess that's all that needs to be done??
Lilly nods and smiles at us both, using the direction of Hisao's voice to know where to face her head. ?Thank you Hisao, Hanako. If there's any way I can thank you...??
?It's fine,? Hisao replies. ?Beats sitting in my room studying, at any rate.?
?I don't mind either.? I feel a need to make it clear to Lilly, and to Hisao, that I was happy to be of some use today. Anything that takes my mind off things is good in my book. And it was definitely interesting, in a way, to meet Kenji. On that note...
?Oh, is Kenji still here?? Lilly asks. Before either of us can respond with the affirmative, Kenji himself shouts across the room.
?Yeah, just finished.? He puts his sign onto a shelf to dry, walks towards us, and passes us heading for the door. ?See ya, man.?
?Bye,? Hisao says. The other students still remaining do the same, saying goodbye to us before leaving. Soon, Lilly, Hisao and I are the only people left in class 3-2.
?Well, I guess that's everyone,? says Hisao.
?I hope we don't have to do anything like that again.? I can kind of see where Lilly is coming from, with the sheer amount of effort she has had to put in to make this project a potential success, not to mention keeping Shizune off her back.
?Working past school time??
?Indeed. The class's plans this year were ambitious. Maybe too ambitious.?
I feel a need to give my opinion here, seeing the dedication the class have clearly put towards their work this year. ?The stalls look nice, though.?
Hisao agrees with me. ?She's right, it shows that a lot of work's gone into them.?
Lilly can't see the smile on my face, but Hisao can. She must be able to sense the good cheer in both our voices though, a rarity for me, and chuckles a little as she speaks.
?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.?
I'm certainly happy to hear all that. Still, I can't help but feel a little tired now after all the hard work we just did. The clock seems to share my point of view. Besides, I've not eaten since lunch, and I feel kind of hungry now. I can always cook a small meal in the dormitories. ?Umm... it's getting pretty late. Should we go??
?That's probably a good idea,? comes the response from Lilly. ? Are you going back to the dorms as well, Hisao??
?Yeah, I guess I'll tag along.? There isn't much else to do at this time, anyway.
We leave the classroom and head outside, into the Yamaku gardens. As curfew approaches we see a few students rushing around, but otherwise it's nice and quiet. Peaceful. The sun has already set, and the moonlight makes the trees look eerie, but so calm. The only sounds are our footsteps, and Lilly's cane. I hear Hisao yawn a little.
?Tired?? Lilly asks.
?Yeah. Still getting used to the flow of things, I guess. The... uh... thing with Shizune took me kind of off guard, though.?
I nod a little, before realising that they still don't know I was eavesdropping. I catch myself just in time, but Hisao doesn't appear to have noticed anything, looking back at the school building, while Lilly can't have noticed me anyway. I see Hisao grit his teeth in anger,or possibly annoyance. I still regret a little that I chose to skip class today. Seeing Shizune's face and her effect on the class would have made for an interesting morning, even if I risked being caught in her wrath by association. Then again, it doesn't seem to have done Hisao too much harm today. Save the teeth, of course.
Lilly decides to respond to Hisao's comment. ?Ah... about that... I'm sorry about it being so public. Shizune and I... go back some ways.?
She hardly needs to remind me, but Hisao has no idea about their history. Hisao looks at me when he realises Lilly has no intention of elaborating, but it's not my place to say anything about it. Especially when one of the two subjects is present. I deliberately make my face unreadable, more so even than usual, and give Hisao no clues whatsoever. He'll have to keep wondering until Lilly agrees to explain matters to him.
?I'll be glad once the festival is over, in any case.? Lilly is clearly trying to change the topic, and it works.
?I can imagine,? says Hisao. ?My old school's festivals were a lot more low-key than this.?
?Yamaku stresses the idea of a school community,? Lilly explains. ?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.? I laugh a little at Hisao's comment, agreeing and feeling slightly impressed by his perceptiveness. Lilly does the same, as Hisao smiles at us both. It's made more funny when we consider the previous topic, regarding Shizune. If only Hisao knew how much work she decided to take on as Student Council President, especially regarding the festival! Well, it's her own fault. As we giggle, Lilly puts on a straight face just long enough to speak again.
?I suppose coming from a strict all-girls school helped me a bit with Yamaku. Compared to there, Yamaku is much more relaxed.?
We continue onwards, the sounds of laughter not quite dead but certainly fading away. Eventually we come to the steps outside the two dormitories. I look at the wall where Rin the artist, a rather eccentric girl, has been painting a mural for the festival. It looks nearly done, but in the moonlight I can only see a few details standing out. Maybe it will look much better in the day.
?See you, Lilly, Hanako.?
Lilly and I each nod in acknowledgement, before leaving Hisao and entering our own dormitory. We pass the teacher on security duty tonight, and head upstairs to our rooms. I quickly eat and prepare for bed, wondering what the next day will bring...
