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[color=gray]Hatsu Residence, Kurosuoba
April 3rd, 2018[/color] | [color=gray]5:49 AM[/color][/b]
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He usually wouldn't be wide awake at this early hour. He had always been a night owl for the majority of his lifetime. But now he was forced to discard that lifestyle, whether or not he liked it or not. It was indeed a difficult period to live through, but if discomfort wouldn't kill you, something else would. And so here he was, before most inhabitants of Kurosuoba, wandering through the Internet to kill his time before the clock bell the six chime to signal the new day. After scrambling through the news and some interesting online videos, he eventually came back to his usual website: a place where only intellectuals and curious individuals pass through. It was a website designed as a forum format, where visitors could create a discussion page with any topics of science, and the users there, usually older university students or teachers, but sometimes an outlier like Amari, would try their best to answer them. In recent months, he had already been an active member of the site, and his answers had been quite well-received among the askers.

He was already cleanly dressed for school already. His backpack was already packed and ready. He still had ten minutes to kill before he step into his new world. And what better ways to do that than assisting those in needs.

[color=8da7b3]"For that problem..."[/color] He mumbled to himself. [color=8da7b3]"If the function is larger or smaller than a real number, then its integration should also be the same."[/color] 

He proceeded to put everything he just said into the computer screen. His ten fingers lightly tapped the keys as letters consecutively popped up on the monitor. From time to time, he would be obliged to press a few keys at once, sometimes up to three, which was the only interruption of the smooth movements of his palms. Once he had conveyed the idea, he just needed to put the numbers in display, and everything was done. The guy should be able to finish it after that instruction. 

He then went on to solve one more before the bell rang. Six exact hit. Each bell echoed throughout the house and beyond. It was quite an antique clock, ran completely mechanically. But it worked well. Hell, if maintained right, it could even outlive the entire family itself. 
Then, he heard a knock on his door. 

[color=82ca9d]"It's me."[/color]

It's just mom. 

[color=8da7b3]"The door's unlocked."[/color] He simply replied, as he powered down his laptop. 

Opened the door was this young woman, dressed fully in her work attire - a knee length neat skirt and long sleeved shirt, all in black, with silky white braided hair let down to her shoulder. She held a tray with two cups of hot tea brewing white fumes. 

[color=82ca9d]"Are you ready for the first day of high school?"[/color] She asked as she placed the tray onto his desk, her voice as sweet and patient as ever.

[color=8da7b3]"Yes Kaa-san. You know I already have everything settled last night?"[/color] Amari replied

[color=82ca9d]"Even that?"[/color] She asked, as her son eyed the floor briefly, a little frowning.

[color=8da7b3]"Yeah, all ready."[/color] Then replied.

His mom only nodded with a large smile as she took the cup of tea with her delicate hand, sitting down on an extra chair before sipping it slightly. Amari did the same, but took a large gulp than her. 

[color=8da7b3]"Is this ginger?"[/color] He asked. 

[color=82ca9d]"Yes, you've guessed it. It helps a lot."[/color] 

A ghost of a smile escaped his lip. Despite the appearance, in recent years, his mother had been in the occupied zone, as the stress of both professional and personal life hitting her all at once. It wasn't easy for everyone to handle. Any weak-minded individual could be driven to the brink of poverty at any given day. Going through all of this by herself was already an achievement of herself. And yet these very small things she still managed to devote the time to provide. 

The mother could see it. She placed the cup of tea onto the tray again. 

[color=82ca9d]"Don't worry too much about it Amari. If you don't forget your routine, you should be fine."[/color]

[color=8da7b3]"No I won't forget it. Thank you, Okaa-san."[/color] He replied as he stood up from his chair, his tea finished. [color=8da7b3]"I should be going now."[/color] 

[color=82ca9d]"Do you need me to give you a ride?"[/color] She kindly offered.

Amari stood in thoughts for one moment. [color=8da7b3]"No thanks. This should be good exercise."[/color]

[color=82ca9d]"Enjoy your day then!"[/color] She waved him goodbye as he left his room, and the house in general.[hr]
The school was rather not that near. It can take a walker thirty minutes, and a biker ten to fifteen. But Fujioka was the only place that accepts him now. Unforeseen circumstances really was a cruel thing. But as a common walker like him, it should not be a problem. While on the trail to his new second home, the man's thought wandered the questions. High school huh? Would it be hard? Would he make it through. Probably. People usually quotes Amari's unusually bright mind as a math student as assurance, and they did have a point. You wouldn't see a pool of knowledge like him even in university level. But they still didn't address fully. His bulb in other subjects were just as common as a normal high schooler, sometimes even dimmer. 

Well, as his reputation goes, it shouldn't be a problem. But then what about friends. Friends...It struck a bad chord. Just like a mathematical equation, when the number went irrational, it became almost unbearable to calculate by hand. He hadn't bothered reconnecting with any of his old friends after that incident. Well almost any. He just plainly didn't care about them anymore. They didn't even give a damn when he was away. Perhaps the only one who dis was Ryuuto. And he was probably the only one. Now that he was in context, where did that guy go anyway? Amari was pretty sure with that straight A record, he'd be transferring to a gifted school or something in some large cities. But just as the thought passed his mind...

[color=8da7b3]"Wait, is that?"[/color] He briefly saw this silhouette of a figure. [color=8da7b3]"Ryuuto?"[/color] 

The guy didn't hear him from the distance of course, as he turned the corner. Amari found his sight slightly hard to believe. His strides widened. Nearly running to the corner of the street, the confirmation was indeed surprising. It was him...

And to an even greater surprise, he was lying flat on the ground, facing a tower of a person. 

[color=8da7b3]"Ryuuto?"[/color] Amari asked, before turning his eyes over to the Goliath in front of him. [color=8da7b3]"I'm sorry, do you guys need any help?"[/color] 

[@Raging Fenrir][@Rabidporcupine]