[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/mLQPYVl.png[/img][/center][hr][i]Diing doong diing doong...[/i]

[color=eb46e5]"Fyuuu..."[/color]

One of the girls of class 3-3 slumped down at her desk by burying her head in between her arms. The lunch bell came as a relief to her because class was exhausting. Many of the students around her began to shuffle in the classroom, opting to eat lunch or go somewhere else to do so. She didn't have any energy to do the same, herself.

[color=b32eff]"Shizuku."[/color]

A voice called out to her, coming from the bag next to the table. For a normal person this'd seem strange, but Shizuku knew exactly why it was coming from there. For that same reason, she didn't respond, even as the voice started to call out her name faster, louder and more demanding. She just didn't care. Trying to drown out the noise that came from her belongings, Shizuku tried listening for other voices in the crowd.

"Hey, hey, did you hear? Apparently that Nakamura guy..."
"Did you see the latest episode of Gundai Fighters?!"
"Force of Will? So that's what this is..."

That last one caught Shizuku's attention, perking her head up as she scanned her eyes around the classroom. She saw a small group of her boy classmates put their desks together and crowd around, laying out the playmat for a trading card game. One of them pulled out two deck boxes, one for the player sitting across him. As she was watching, she could still hear the [color=b32eff]"[i]Shizuku![/i]"[/color] coming from her bag. Giving up, Shizuku took her phone out and flipped it around. Greeting her inside the casing was a trading card depicting a boy her age. Instead of a school uniform, however, he was clad in a fantasy get-up with two daggers holstered on the hip, barely hidden behind his dark cloak. [color=b32eff]"It took you long enough! What's your deal right now? Hurry up and join them for a game!"[/color] the card spoke to her.

[color=eb46e5]"There's no way I can do that, Cross!"[/color] Shizuku replied to it with a whisper. Anyone who saw her like this would think the girl's crazy for talking to a trading card, but Shizuku knew only she could hear his voice. [color=eb46e5]"It's way too embarrassing to be the only girl in a group..."[/color]

[color=b32eff]"Will you let go of your pride already?! It's been a week since you've become an architect, and you've still not practiced one bit! What are you going to do if a challenger comes up, huh? You don't have [i]time[/i] to sit around like this!"[/color]

Of course Shizuku knew what Cross was talking about. The Fool's Game... in exchange for one wish being granted, you start playing the game as an 'architect.' Cross, Shizuku's J-Ruler, is her entry ticket. With him, she's supposed to do battle against others. The bell tied around Shizuku's wrist is meant to signal when another architect is in the area. If she doesn't win, then...

[color=b32eff]"...! Shizuku, your bell!"[/color] Cross suddenly shouted, worry in his voice. Shizuku was surprised for a moment, then looked down at her wrist.

[i]Chingle... chingle...[/i]

[color=eb46e5]"H...uh?"[/color] Shizuku stammered.

[color=b32eff]"Someone inside this school is the same as you, Shizuku! This is your chance, request a battle and-!"[/color]

"Yo! Is that a Ruler?" a new voice rang out. Shizuku flinched and looked up, staring at one of the boys she'd seen at that other table, earlier. "It is! I didn't know you played the game, too! Hey, we're actually having a few matches during lunch and could really-!"

The sudden nature of the boy's approach and imminent request left Shizuku flustered. She could only stutter out the following: [color=eb46e5]"O-Oh! N-no, I'm just a beginner and... s-sorry!"[/color] She grabbed her bag and fled the classroom, leaving the boy's friends to tease him on how he sucks at talking to girls. The truth that they didn't know was that Shizuku just got scared of how the boy may have been another architect. She walked down the hall at a brisk pace, trying to get away from the group. The bell's chimes didn't stop with distance, however. It just kept occasionally making sound, and those sounds didn't come from the shockwaves of her walk.

Then, suddenly, when having rounded a corner, they stopped altogether. Shizuku found herself in one of the hallways close by the entrance to the courtyard. [color=b32eff]"Seems you missed your window,"[/color] a displeased voice came from her uniform's pocket. Cross' voice. Shizuku ignored him and took a look around. Among the crowd of chatting and moving students stood a lone girl, looking up at the largest bulletin board inside the school. Shizuku couldn't tell if they were classmates or not. Although a bit apprehensive, she found herself drawn to the girl. She looked so lost in thought... was it something on the board? Taking a few steps closer, she tried searching for what the other girl was looking at. Most of it was just club recruitment and test announcements, though one new thing was on it as well. It seems one of the students went missing... Ito Ai. Shizuku found herself standing next to the girl now, and turned her head.

[color=eb46e5]"Um... did you know her?"[/color] she asked, somewhat sheepishly.