[h3]Shizuka Otonashi || Agriculture Club || May 4 MON: After School[/h3]
As if he could sense the worry in the club members' voices, the president spoke, [color=aba000]"Hey, don't worry about it! It's something I chose to do for the sake of the club, I didn't force myself to."[/color] Matt flashed his signature carefree smile to reassure the girls that he was alright with cutting down some work hours. The freshman nodded in agreement with a light smile of her own, feeling a similar sentiment to the upperclassman. It [i]was[/i] her first club in high school, at least some excitement was expected. Perhaps, it might even be a step forward to overcome her timid nature!

After a brief discussion on what the club could start on during the next club session, including the preparation of the given land for cultivation, the club was dismissed. Shizuka had originally hoped there could have been a few more new people to meet in the club but figured it was better this way, being a little more comfortable with acquaintances she had met previously. When farewells were bid and they all separated to their own ways, the raven haired student headed home.
[hr][h3]Shizuka Otonashi || Otonashi Residence || May 6 WED: Evening[/h3]
Arriving home from a long day at school, followed by her part time job at Star Drop Cafe, Shizuka settled her belongings down in her room before walking along the corridors of the family mansion, heading towards the dining room. A servant stationed at the door to the room bowed as she pushed the door open for her young mistress. The scenery before Shizuka caught her in surprise: [i]both her father and mother were home, and eating together for once[/i]. No, they are not in ill terms with each other, but... Both of them were always too caught up in their own respective jobs that it was either one of them was home or neither, the latter at most times.

Feeling joy at this rare occasion, Shizuka paced towards the edge of the long table where the two dined and greeted with a gentle curve upon her lips. [color=violet]"Good evening father, mother! What a delight to see both of you home for once."[/color] She took a seat at the chair across her mother, as one of the servants organized utensils on the dining table mat before her. The youthful mother, who Shizuka inherited most of her physical traits from, responded first with a mature yet bright tone, [b]"My, my, we have the whole family on the dining table after such a long while! I wouldn't mind getting used to this. So how has school been treating you lately?"[/b] She inquired, before rolling a small amount of pasta and elegantly placing it into her mouth. The solemn, bespectacled father, with the same hazel eyes as his daughter, quietly yet firmly inserted his comment into the topic. [b]"Is it not nearly exam week for your school? I have been informed by patients from the same school, asking for medical certificate as proof to be exempted from classes for a couple of exam days. Some of their conditions... are not as bad as they claim to be. Skipping exams I suppose, unethical children these days..."[/b] He muttered the last statement to himself in a frustrated tone as his middle finger readjusts the position of his glasses before returning to the utensil he held.

It was nice to have such a small talk over the dining table with one's family, Shizuka rarely experienced such so she would appreciate each time she was able. It momentarily caused her to forget the loneliness she experienced every time she had eaten alone, and no doting mother or father to check what she was up to in her room. Her share of pasta had arrived but before digging in, she parted her lips to reply to what her parents had said,[color=violet]"Ah yes, father is right. I've been studying from time to time inbetween breaks from classes and the little time before work. Preparation for the exams aside, I joined a club--"[/color]

Before having the chance to finish her statement, a servant came bursting in and hurried to her father's side, [b]"Sir! An emergency call from your hospital just came in, they require your immediate assistance! A traffic accident just occured involving more or less a dozen victims. We shall ready your car, sir."[/b] With how dire the situation seemed to be, the bespectacled doctor had no choice but to leave immediately without finishing his meal. [b]"Forgive me, but I must go. Enjoy the rest of your meals and a pleasant evening to the both of you."[/b] With that, he was gone. As if on cue, after a small sip of her wine, a grandfather clock rings as the mother glances up from her drink to the time it displayed. [b]"Oh my, is that the time already? I'm sorry Shizuka, my darling, but my flight to Osaka for the fashion conference is but a mere hour away. Please take care of yourself for me and I'll be calling you once I arrive, alright? Farewell for now!"[/b]

.......... What was Shizuka expecting? One way or the other, it usually ended up this way: being alone. But she was an obedient child, she knew her parents worked hard for her sake and for other people's sake. She never complained then, nor will she now. Even then... Maybe she had hoped for an ordinary family like any other, eating meals together, watching television together, going on outings together, any normal family activity. This was the reason she succumbed to the dark world of otaku (or so others say) in the first place.

After quickly finishing her meal, Shizuka returned to her personal room filled with all the manga, anime DVDs, and otome games any otaku would die for. Picking up the handheld console in her hand, a little droplet fell onto the unlit screen. [i]Just where did it...?[/i] Streams of tears trickled down the surface of her cheeks. But why? This was nothing new to her yet... Why did tears fall? Attempting to control the flow of tears with rubs against her eyes, it was futile. Before long, the tears became uncontrollable, Shizuka continued to quietly weep in the painful silence of the Otonashi residence.