[b][i]Tuesday 21st April: After-School[/i][/b]

[b]Leiko Hamada: Warakuma High School- Auditorium[/b]

Eventually, the crowd started to settle on their own choices as they all signed a respective form, save for a few stragglers who appeared torn on their decisions. It was to be expected though, since Leiko [i]did[/i] only just spring this on them, so she would allow the group a little longer to reach their conclusions. There were a few surprises upon observation however; namely that Noboru Yamamoto had decided to [i]show up[/i] for a drama session, let alone partake in the whole process. She could feel her eyebrows arch upwards as he walked over to the backstage form and scrawled his name on the dotted line. Strange for a boy of the Yamamoto name to go for a behind-the scenes role, but his well-built, muscular frame would prove useful for moving particularly heavy props...

Upon other observations, Dragunov had announced himself a candidate for antagonist, which hardly surprised Leiko due to the nature of his audition. Aesthetically, he really looked the part too, with his towering, intimidating figure, so she would certainly need to bear him in mind when casting...

She also noted Shinichi, Hashimoto, and that new member (Moritomi, was it?) gathering around the 'main character' form and signing their names boldly on the sheet. Leiko wasn't exactly sure if any of them had what it takes, particularly that Maki individual, since she hadn't even [i]seen[/i] a real audition from the boy yet, but she was keen to find out all the same. Rui was a boy of many secrets, who might just yet surprise her, and Hashimoto had a certain charisma to him when acting, no doubt. But would they be good enough to take up such a huge mantle?

"Consider me signed up for the hero role, President-dono." Ah, there was Masatomo again, approaching her with a cocky tilt of his head an a well-chosen glare. "I'll wipe the floor with this riff-raff. And then you'll see what a colossal waste of time this all was." Leiko opened her mouth to retort to his rudeness but she was quickly interrupted with a strangely disjointed remark. "I have to go home a little early today actually, by the way. Take care of yourself alright, dear President?"

Leiko watched him with a confused expression as he turned and left for the door rather abruptly, before shaking herself quickly out of her reverie and whipping out her phone. She recalled that Kasumi would most likely be interested in knowing the details of today's session so she hastened to inform him that the forms for theatre roles were now available. Just as she was about to put away her phone however, she noticed the message icon suddenly light up.

[quote=From Saya Ueno] [i]Hama-chaaan! ^_^ Meet me by the gates when you're done with Drama ok! I have a present for you ;) [/i][/quote]

Saya? What did she want? Wasn't she supposed to be helping her parents shop for groceries today? It was a little weird, but then again, it was Saya she was talking about. The girl was just so excitable about everything. Allowing a wry smile to cross her lips, Leiko shoved the mobile phone back into her cardigan pocket before addressing the rest of the group. 

[color=yellow] "Okay everyone, thanks for your consideration. I'll announce the audition dates soon, but in the meantime, let's focus back on drama, shall we? Right then. Some of you have problems with controlling your voice. So today, we are going to focus on projecting your voice as long and as far as you can. Place your hands on your stomachs and we'll go through breathing with our diaphragms..."[/color] 

[hr]

"Wow, thought you'd take forever, Hama-chan! Did you even listen to the last bell?"

Saya was loitering by the gates, a pout plastered across her face as Leiko finally emerged from the school. She probably worked her group a little [i]too[/i] hard at the end, but hey, that was show biz. [color=yellow]"Guess I got a little too carried away at the end. Besides, what's with this sudden meet up?"[/color] Leiko inquired with a questioning look towards her impatient friend. [color=yellow] "Aren't you supposed to be shopping for your parents?"[/color]

"Sure did!" Saya chirped, holding out the paper bag of fruit and vegetables and other miscellaneous things for Leiko to see. "But I found something and I thought I just [i]had[/i] to get it for us, you know?"

Leiko looked a little surprised at the usage of the word 'us', but she bit her tongue as she waited for Saya to explain herself. It wasn't until a gaudishly pink strap was thrust under her nose that her mask of indifference melted away to a shocked look. [color=yellow]"What's that?"[/color]

"A phone strap dummy! We both have one!" Saya beamed, holding out her own neon yellow strap for Leiko to see. "They were embroidering them at the mall, and I thought that I just had to get one for each of us! They're like, a symbol of our friendship!"

Of course Saya would think of something so inane. [i]Of course.[/i] Leiko looked a little apprehensive as she took the strap for closer inspection. On one side inscribed the name 'Saya', and on the other side'Best friends'. It was so sickeningly cute and stupid it took all of Leiko's self-restraint not to ask for Saya to get it returned. 

Whilst Leiko was inspecting her own, Saya had already gotten to work on attaching her strap to her phone. "It says the same for mine, except mine says 'Leiko' of course." Saya explained happily, allowing the strip of vibrant fabric to dangle from her phone proudly. "I know it's kind of a boyfriend-girlfriend thing too so I made sure to put the 'Best friend' motif on both of them. Neat, huh?"

Leiko coughed uncomfortably in response, sliding the strap slyly into her cardigan pocket before shooting Saya an encouraging smile. [color=yellow]"Yes, it is certainly...something. Thank you, Saya."[/color]

Fortunately, Saya didn't seem to take note of her less-than enthused response and instead chose to chatter mindlessly about this and that as they made their way home in the darkening streets of Warakuma.  Boys, gossip, clothes, schoolwork, clubs, all manner of subjects passed their lips, but Leiko couldn't help but feel an unnatural chill in the air as they walked. Something...felt wrong, somehow.

"Hey, so what are your plans for Golden Week, Hama-chan? I heard that they're holding some kind of cooking contest in the mall! Do you think I should go for it?"

[color=yellow]"Hmm? Oh...yes. Sounds nice..."[/color] Leiko murmured distractedly, arms wrapped tightly around herself as her fingers dug into the soft, comforting fabric of her angora sweater. It was so...cold.

"I mean, not to blow my own trumpet or anything, but I'm pretty okay. I mean, what if they give out an awesome prize like money or clothes? That would be sweet!" 

[color=yellow]"S-Sure...[/color]

"Yeah and..."

Leiko's hand suddenly reached for Saya's wrist and stopped her abruptly in her tracks, olive green eyes looking around them wildly. [color=yellow]"I don't like this. Let's retrace our steps."[/color]

"Huh?" Saya's expression was that of utmost confusion as she gauged Leiko's uncharacteristic panic. "What's wrong? We always walk this way back."

As Saya tried to spot the root of Leiko's fears herself, a piercing wind started to pick up, shop signs screeching on its hinges and creating an unsettling sound, so much so that blood pumped wildly through Leiko's veins until she could feel the pulse on the roof of her mouth. [color=yellow]"We need to go. [i]Now.[/i]"[/color]

But it was too late. By the time the girls turned back, there was a solid line of figures, wrapped in robes, hoods disguising their visage as they stood as still as statues. Saya's startled gasp echoed in Leiko's ear as the girls froze in place, uncertain of what was happening. Leiko dared to glance behind her, and true enough, the same figures were blocking the other exit. Their only path of escape.

"U-Ummm..." Saya's hoarse murmurs were lost on the crying winds, and it took all of Leiko's courage to speak out to the mysterious figures. [color=yellow]"You're in our way. Please step aside.[/color]

Did that sound confident? Leiko really hoped so, although the telltale tremble in her voice probably indicated otherwise. The figures, meanwhile stood just as still before, as if her words hadn't reached them at all. Dear god, were they even [i]human[/i] underneath those robes? It was an absurd question, but Leiko's panicked thoughts hardly held any semblance of logic at this point.

A flash of yellow suddenly caught Leiko's eye, and a feeling of hope and sheer joy passed through her as she noticed the phone slip into Saya's hand. She was calling the police! Yes! Everything was going to be okay!

And then...they moved.

[color=yellow]"SAYA!"[/color] Leiko's scream pierced the air, drowned only by the fury of the wind as limbs coiled around Leiko's body, ripping her away from her friend's side as Saya's phone slipped out of her hand lifelessly. Saya's eyes opened widely for a split moment, utter terror filling her eyes before she crumpled to a heap to the ground without a sound.

Was...was she...?!

Leiko's mouth opened again to cry for her, but a chemical scented cloth filled her mouth and nostrils, causing her to cough and splutter. She couldn't [i]breathe,[/i] god, what was happening?

Why was it getting so dark?

Where...was she...?