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

[sub][color=FFDB58][b]April 25, 2025[/b][/color][/sub]


It all came back to that stupid corpse she touched. 

When Hoshiko returned home after the stint with the police, her aunt was waiting for her like the villain in a movie waiting for the hero to arrive after surviving the gauntlet of henchmen. Hoshiko knew she was in for it as soon as she didn't get any response after chirping that she was home, and then she knew it was worse than she even could anticipate when her aunt didn't say anything at all and just stared at Hoshiko. Stared, glared, furrowed her brow, fingers pinching her own elbow like she was trying to pierce flesh. It didn't take any longer than a few seconds before Hoshiko was on her hands and knees admitting to what she did and begging for forgiveness. She might have even cried, but it all happened so fast she couldn't be sure. Even if she had, she wouldn't admit it. To others, anyway. 

Her aunt wasn't completely heartless, though. After a very thorough parental style lecture about responsibility, consequence, and expectations, she hugged Hoshiko and said that going through that was punishment enough - and that next time she saw something like that to tell the right people. Hoshiko asked if her aunt was going to tell her parents and it got a laugh so boisterous that it served as an answer in itself; what would her parents do? Drop everything in their lavish Tokyo lifestyle to worry about their not famous daughter? Hardly. Hoshiko went to sleep that night with her homework unfinished and gripping her pillow a little tighter than normal. In her defense, it had been a hell of a long day. 

The next day at school was a bit of a blur. She was there, but she was hardly present. Some of her classmates could tell she was out of it if only because she wasn't being loud and disruptive and confidently incorrect whenever the teacher asked her a question or to read from a passage. Their concern to her wellbeing was noted but she could only tell them that she was fine with an awkward extra boisterous and totally suspicious laugh that only made them understand she was clearly hiding something but they were polite enough to not push it and take her at her word. But how could she tell them that she did something so stupid in front of like a bunch of senpai who totally thought she was uncool now. How was she supposed to make friends if they all just thought she was the stupid corpse toucher? Maybe she could transfer schools. Maybe to a place where they let her play on the baseball team instead of just telling them to be equipment or team managers. 

After classes that day, Hoshiko kept her head down - literally - and did the second most embarrassing thing she'd done in as many days: collide with a student who was carrying documents that now scattered on the ground. [color=FFDB58][b]"OH GOSH, I'M SORRY, I WASN'T LOOKING, IT'S ALL MY FAULT I'LL HELP YOU"[/b][/color] Hoshiko was frantically crawling on the ground grabbing papers and missing the fact that the person she ran into seemed...bemused by it. 

She wasn't laughing, but she wasn't upset. She just...looked at Hoshiko with a very faint smirk. [b]"It happens to everyone. Don't worry about it."[/b] The girl said in a gentle, reaffirming voice. It was soothing, the voice, with a hint of casual, confident authority that comes only with someone who is used to being responsible. And as Hoshiko handed over papers, she understood why. 

[color=FFDB58][b]"Waaaa, President Fusae. Is this the third year hallway?"[/b][/color]

[b]"Yes. Are you lost? A new student? No, I've definitely heard of you."[/b] Fusae, the [url=https://i.imgur.com/LDMvDXy.png]student council President[/url] replied and offered a hand to take the papers back from Hoshiko. Her comment seemed only to make Hoshiko more nervous, which continued the amused little smirk on Fusae's face. Were all first years this...spirited? 

[color=FFDB58][b]"You...heard of me? Uh...what...what have you heard? I mean...it's not true. I didn't tou-"[/b][/color]

[b]"Don't worry, I don't listen to rumors. Even if they're about a certain blonde first year loudly - and rudely I hear - asking if the cooking club cooked...burgers, was it?"[/b] 

Hoshiko both sighed and reddened her face in embarrassment. Had she almost admitted to a corpse thing to the student council president? Who does that? Fortunately her own reputation as a burger enthusiast loudmouth was already making waves to even third years like Fusae. Hoshiko wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing but it was skewing a little towards bad. There was only one chance to make a first impression and hers...hers had been made for her already. But she wasn't going to apologize for being who she was. She didn't do anything wrong. 

[color=FFDB58][b]"Right. The cooking club."[/b][/color]

[b]"You know, you should always walk with your chin up. It helps you see where you're going. Keeps you on the right path. Do you need directions?"[/b] 

[color=FFDB58][b]"No! No. I was...I'm just...I don't know. I...I don't know."[/b][/color]

[b]"You mentioned that. School can be overwhelming, I get it. A girl like you shouldn't be moping in the halls. Surely you've got clubs or friends to be with, right?"[/b]

[color=FFDB58][b]"I don't know. They won't let me in the baseball club because I'm a girl and I can't join academic minded clubs because I'm...because they don't interest me."[/b][/color]

[b]"Tell you what. I'll talk to the baseball club, put in a good word for you, if you do me a favor."[/b]

[color=FFDB58][b]"You mean it? Of course, what favor? Anything!"[/b][/color] 

[b]"Not now. Just in the future. Don't worry, it'll probably be something silly like helping me deliver papers to the teacher's office. Just...consider this an "I owe you" kind of thing. Okay? Now stay out of trouble, okay?"[/b] 

Hoshiko furiously nodded as Fusae departed, bringing both her fists to her chest and pumping them. [color=FFDB58][b]"Waaaaa, she's so cool! That's what a senpai is like! So, so cool!"[/b][/color] Whatever mood or funk she had been in seemed to vanish like a raincloud on a sunny day. And with that, Hoshiko rushed down the steps to waste her time at the batting cages. If Fusae was going to work her magic then Hoshiko wanted to be in top shape for future club activities. 

And once more she went to bed without her homework getting done. 

[sub][color=FFDB58][b]April 26, 2025[/b][/color][/sub]

[color=FFDB58][b]"Can't I just have one more day to do it? I...I don't have an excuse I just forgot. But I meant to do it! Honest!"[/b][/color] Hoshiko pleaded her case to her homeroom teacher as to why her homework wasn't done and why an extension was needed. It...it wasn't going well but at least the teacher wasn't yelling this time. That had meant one of two things. Either they knew Hoshiko was being honest and they were sympathetic or else they were tired of trying to reason with her. It was likely the latter. 

Regardless, Hoshiko was given one more day to finish the assignment but if she didn't turn it in tomorrow she would have no more extensions for anything for the rest of the school term. That was more than fair from Hoshiko's point of view and she left the teacher's office with a heavy sigh and no real intention of going to complete the homework straight away. 

[color=FFDB58][b]"Well...now what?"[/b][/color] Hoshiko thrust her hands into her pockets and racked her brain trying to find something, anything, that would keep her from doing the responsible thing and doing her homework. Unless something fell into her lap or ran into her, she had nothing and, reluctantly, began the long walk to the school library.[/center]