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Hanako retreated her hand rather hastily when her roommate jumped at her touch, but was relieved that the girl didn’t shout or flail about and took Hanako’s meaning. She watched as the girl spun and turned the key into her hand, the girls fingers feeling out the shape of the object. Hanako continued to wait patiently as the girl held up a finger and then watched her tap away at her phone. It wasn’t until she held up the phone in front of her that Hanako understood what she was doing as she read the words that were spelled across the screen. It was amazing that a blind person could use a cellphone so effectively, and even communicate with it even if tapping the girls hands was a primitive and slow form of communication. Hanako reached out and tapped the girls key holding hand with a finger.

Hanako was taller than that average Japanese girl, so she had to kinda hunch a bit to read the message but she didn’t mind and there was no way for this girl to know that. Reading that her roommate was happy to meet her, Hanako clapped her hands in delight. She wasn’t sure how loud she was clapping but she tried to keep it to what she hoped was not super loud. The clapping didn’t sting her hands.. so she assumed it wasn’t very loud.

The phone was retracted and new words were typed on it and held toward her general direction. Hanako didn't have any voice or talking apps on her phone, wasn't even sure what kinds were available. Or even if her phone did have something, she didn't know how to use it and she didn't see any apps on her earlier scan of her phone that just seemed to fit that description. So this time she tapped the hand that didn't have the key to indicate that no, she didn't have any talking apps. Another message was written on the phone and it took a moment for Hanako to understand what the girl meant, but then she realized the app she was talking about must be the same that was on her phone, or much like the devices on her alarm clocks and other household appliances that flashed brightly when timers went off. Again, Hanako tapped the hand holding the key, her key. She kinda hoped she’d get the key back eventually but right now it seemed to be the only link they had to each other.

Hanako tapped the hand with the key again, answering that she did know where their dorm room was. Hanako didn’t know if this girl had been sitting here waiting for someone else, but she would have been more than happy to walk the girl to their dorm if she asked.

Hanako looked up as the girl verbally spoke and was positive she said Thank goodness this time. Variations of thank you, thanks, thanks a lot ect ect were pretty easy for her to read off of someones lips. Hanako was beginning to think that maybe it would be a good idea to slip back into reading lips and hone that skill once more. She’d consider it later though, after settling in and seeing how life at University would be. Hanako waited for another message to be typed out on the phone, oblivious that the phone was speaking the words as they were typed out. After a moment of more typing the phone was held her way again and she hunched down to get a good view of the screen. Hanako did a little hand wave gesture to imply that it wasn’t a bother.. then realized that the girl couldn’t see the hand gesture.. Hanako’s embarrassment was probably on the same level as Koko’s.. She reached forward and tapped the hand that represented “yes” once more, answering that she could lead her to their dorm room. Hanako sat up straight, no longer looking toward the phone as she twisted around to the other side of her and picked up her handbag and slipped it over her shoulder. She grabbed in her left hand the bag of food and then stood up, trying her best to make noise that would signify that she had gotten up. Hanako stepped around in front of Koko and took a couple steps back and waited for the girl to get up and unfold the cane that was in her lap. Hanako lastly slipped her phone back into her back pocket and reached forward to give the other girls left hand a gently tap before she took the girls hand in her own. Hanako had noticed that Koko handled her phone mostly with her right hand so she took a guess that the girl was right handed. She turned away from the bench they had been sitting on and moved Koko’s hand up and put it on her shoulder. Hanako didn’t know of any better way to go about this and hoped this gesture wasn’t offensive in anyway. This would allow her roommate to walk without being separated by keeping connected with her Hanako by her shoulder, while freeing up her right hand to use her cane. It was also a lot less awkward than just holding Koko’s hand the entire time, or linking arms with her. Hanako knew people would probably stare at them as they walked, but she had learned to ignore the stares years ago.

Thankfully, the walk to the dorms wouldn’t be super long. Shorter than the walk Hanako had taken earlier this morning to get food. They were still at the entrance of the University, near the large gated arches that led to the university and the dorms. The gates stayed open till nightfall, but from what Hanako gathered there were several smaller gates that you could use your student pass on to open if you happened to be out of the University when nightfall came. Hanako took one step forward to signify that they were going, waited for Koko to follow, then took another few slow steps before settling into a casually slow pace that she hoped was good for Koko. With them walking, there really wasn’t going to be much opportunity for communication. Hanako herself hadn’t really gotten the layout of the University down to rights, so she had to remember which footpaths to stay on to get to the dorms and her roommate would have one hand on her shoulder and another holding her cane, so there would be no phone messages to read. Hanako led them through the gate which opened up to a decent wide path with sakura trees flanking them on both sides. More stone benches were tucked between the trees. Other students were hustling about around them, carrying boxes, bags and other items toward the building. Some were walking in groups, leaving or just sitting on benches, talking amongst themselves. Hanako could already feel eyes watching them, but these stares lacked the maliciousness of the past. The air was filled with the scent of blooming Sakura trees, their petals drifting through the air and landing on the path in front of them. It made for an amazing sight and Hanako found herself wondering if the blind girl she was leading was born blind or if she had developed it later in life, and if it was the latter, had she ever seen the sakura trees in full bloom before? The air smelled of other flowers and plants that were meticulously maintained in flower beds next to and behind the Sakura trees. One could tell that the university went to great lengths to make their school as beautiful as they could. Hanako ignored some of the small foot paths that snaked off from this main one, wondering where some of them went. She knew the University grounds had walking trails and guessed that these connected to some of them. Unlike her brothers University, which had two paths that forked, one to the School facilities, and the other to the Dorms, the girls University had all its dorms behind the main University buildings. The school itself was shaped in a large crescent, the front of the school being the side that was conclave. The large walkway in front of the University broke off into many paths that led to some of the buildings and facilities but Hanako and Koko continued forward, right into the University itself. The main entrance of the University was a large opened room with an arched ceiling. They passed under a large decorative awning and moved from concrete to tiles. In the center of this large open ended room was a large fountain depicting several female figures and male figures standing in unity (Hanako assumed this to signify the relationship between this school and her brothers). There were curved benches dotted throughout the area and more small gardens with plants and flowers. The left and right wall had openings that led to the University proper and next to those openings were many small lockers for students to switch into inside shoes/slippers. Hanako walked past all this and out the other side of the arched room, back into the morning sunlight and back onto a concrete walkway. After a couple curves in the path, and past some larges densely packed areas of trees, the dorms appeared before them. Her brothers University had three separate buildings spaced apart from each other, but their school has all three buildings set next to each other, with the left and right building at slight angles, and all three buildings connected with short walkways, an outdoor walk path on the outside, and an glass enclosed walking bridge on the second floor. Hanako and Koko’s room was on the first floor of building A which was actually the middle building, with building B on the left and C on the right. The entrance of the dorm building was a set of two large glass doors, which were currently open. Hanako led them inside to a large commons room filled with chairs and sofas and small coffee tables for students to lounge about on. Off to their right was a hallway that led to more recreational rooms, pool, fitness room, private study areas, computer lab ect ect. Straight forward was a large staircase and elevator and to the right there were dorm rooms reserved for those with special needs. This was where Hanako led her roommate. These dorm rooms were closed behind a door and Hanako had to fish out her student pass to open the door. Next to the electronic key swipper thing was a large rectangular panel with room numbers listed and doorbell buttons. Braille dots sat below every room number and every set of text and instructions. Hanako assumed that these dorms required their passes to enter as a way to keep the normal students from entering. She wasn’t sure if this was just a way to separate them, or if didn’t want the ‘normal’ students to cause trouble in here.

The door to their dorms led to a quiet hallway. There wasn’t anyone else about at the moment so the only sounds were that of the air conditioner humming away. AC in japan was a luxury and she was so excited to learn the University had it. Their room number was #104, which was just a short walk down the hall. After stopping in front of the door, Hanako realized she still hadn’t gotten her key back.. and was relieved to see that Koko was holding the key in the same hand as her cane. She had the idea of letting her roommate unlock and open the door, so she reached up and took Koko’s hand from her shoulder and moved it down to the doors lock, gently guiding the girls fingers to the metallic keyhole that sat above the doors handle. Hanako reached across Koko and tapped the hand with the key and then stepped back so Koko could try opening the door. Hanako didn’t believe she left any boxes or objects on their dorm rooms floor, she hadn’t brought much and the things she did have didn’t take long unpacking, so if Koko wished to go in first, Hanako would let her do so.