[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/GHGRFIY.png[/img][/center][hr]

It was a long and tiring ascent, and Suguro Umi had been shivering from the prolonged exposure to this white frosty morning. Ordinarily, one would've thought to bring warmer clothing for such an occasion, but while she at least remembered her jacket despite being so panicky over the aspect of failing to arrive on time, Umi didn't have the luxury of any adequate thermal leggings. As such, all that cold had dug in from the lower half of her body and worked its way up. What made it all the worse was the fact that Umi would have to endure so much more, as she'd barely even [i]started[/i] her climb up the treacherous mountain path that was to take her to Jigokuraku Academy.

Still, Umi trudged onward for a few more steps, unwilling to allow her difficulty in handling the cold to stop her from making it to school on time. She made a valiant effort, but in the end, it was too much for her, and she collapsed instantly. Her saving grace would come in the form of a pair of headlights shone from an SUV, which had maneuvered to pull over the second its driver saw she was there.

[color=ec478c]"Oh, hey there!"[/color] a cheerful female voice called out as the left side window rolled down, [color=ec478c]"Need a ride?"[/color]

[color=04ece9]"I, uh... th-thank you, I..."[/color] Umi hesitated on taking up the offer, unable to help but wonder if it really wasn't a problem for the SUV's driver. Judging by the direction it was going, Umi guessed that the woman was a fellow teacher of the academy; after all, why else would one want to drive up an old beaten mountain path. However, their was still the chance that the seemingly friendly woman was going out of her way [i]completely[/i], in which case she'd be expending valuable time and fuel already.

With a small nod to herself, Umi decided to accept the kind offer, and reached for the passenger door...

[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/8VTrCVz.png[/img]
[b]Interactions:[/b] Suguro Umi (Yours Truly :])[/center][hr]

After waiting for her newfound passenger to clamber in and buckle up, Tanifuji Egao shifted her SUV back out of park and slowly applied the gas. No doubt the poor Umi was shivering from her failed attempt to climb the mountain, but thankfully Tanifuji had the air conditioning set to warm her back up in no time. Now it was just a leisurely drive up... a few bumps along the way aside.

[color=ec478c]"It's a shame the bus can't take you guys all the way up today..."[/color] Tanifuji noted, [color=ec478c]"At least this girl can handle both the terrain [i]and[/i] all this frost that's coming down right about now."[/color]

Umi remained silent for much of the ascent. She always was a rather shy girl, and had a tendency to look down, almost if she was ashamed. Noting this, Tanifuji shifted her eyes to face her reflection on the rear view mirror.

[color=ec478c]"Something wrong?"[/color] she asked out of curiosity.

[color=04ece9]"Oh no, n-n-not at all. I-I just..."[/color] Umi stuttered, [color=04ece9]"Er, h-how do I... a-address you, e-exactly?"[/color]

[color=ec478c]"Tanifuji-senpai; that's my official name on campus. People have called me sensei as well, but I'd rather stick to senpai. Sensei just makes me sound like an old hag,"[/color] by this point, Tanifuji had managed to drive all the way up to the Jigokuraku Academy gates, and found a spare park that she was confident she could reverse into, [color=ec478c]"Welp, here we are..."[/color]

Bringing the SUV to a stop for the last time, Tanifuji undid her seat-belt and popped the trunk so that she could get what she needed to out of it. Umi had started to exit at around the same time as Tanifuji had opened her door, and while it took her a while to ensure she got out OK, she was able to grab her schoolbag out in due time.

[color=04ece9]"Th-thanks again f-for the ride, S-Sen..."[/color] Umi [i]tried[/i] to account for the height difference as she looked up to Tanifuji but, now that she saw the young woman at her full height for the first time, she realized that said difference was something she'd [i]severely[/i] underestimated, much to her shock. It was true that Umi had little to go on while the two were seated, but still...

[color=ec478c]"Oh! Did I surprise you with how tall I am?"[/color] Tanifuji had to bend her knees and lean forward slightly so that she could properly meet Umi's wide-eyed gaze, but she remained as cheerful as ever, [color=ec478c]"I was always big for my age even [i]before[/i] this silly pituitary gland of mine decided to overdo the growth spurt thing, so I've got used to seeing looks just like that."[/color]

[color=04ece9]"Oh, I... I-I see..."[/color] Umi said, slowly raising a hand to wave goodbye, [color=04ece9]"W-well, I... I-I'll see you in c-c-class, I hope,"[/color]

[color=ec478c]"Who knows; you just might,"[/color] with that, Tanifuji went around the back of her SUV to grab a dufflebag and a few items of equipment, before closing the trunk shut and locking it. She then went on her way, while Umi headed to where the other students were.

...

Now that she thought about it, [u]Umi wondered what the students would think knowing she was the one to get a ride from Tanifuji, afeared for what kind of judgement would be passed onto her.[/u] Perhaps they'd show jealousy at her for not being picked themselves, or perhaps they'd express their pity for her in a baleful manner, for not even being able to make one lousy hike like everyone else.

It was safe to say that Umi would feel out of place compared to everyone... and worryingly quickly, at that.