Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was late. The sun was going down. Shin hurried from the school library with his backpack loaded with the books he had not been able to finish reading in time. He would have preferred to have just photocopied the pages of information he needed, so he could tuck them neatly in his manilla folder and make his studies far more proficient. Instead he had about nine books weighing his already small shoulders down. He stooped over, making his four foot three inch form hunch smaller.

Shin's head lifted some and his eyes blinked at the sound of a girls voice. He caught sight of Braylee and actually found himself staring for a moment. She didn't seem to know where she was.... with all the looking around she was doing and all. Shin glanced at his watch and gave a little groan at the glowing time. He was a minute late starting his walk home. If he tarried he was going to so much more late! He'd have to skip reviewing his notes for class tomorrow! Yet...his father would have been greatly disappointed in him if he ignored a lady who may have needed help. With a soft sigh he turned his feet towards Braylee and began to approach her. "Excuse me Miss? Are you looking for something?" He called out while adjusting his backpack straps.

Shin watched as the girl turned to face him. She was clearly startled. He gave her a moment to collect herself then reply. He didn't want to rush her into answering him just because this was putting him further behind his schedule...though he had to admit that the delay was starting to make the back of his scalp itch. When the girl asked him if he went tot he school, Shin bobbed his head up and down curtly. "Yes. This is my school..." She...went to Valley? His eyes moved over her vest with a bit of surprise. What was she doing here then?

"Lost..." Oh..well that would explain it wouldn't it. Shin closed his eyes and gave a soft sigh. he was going to be late. Oh...God he felt like he was going to throw up... He had this evening planned and now it was all wrecked! "Where do you live. I will escort you home." It was only proper...he would have prayed she lived close but...if she was lost he really doubted this would be the case.

Despite the rising anxiety that Shin felt over having to change his plans, he had to accept the fact that it would have been very dishonorable if he had left girl without offering help. Shin started to turn the way Brayleee indicated was her home. Vally...He was pretty sure he knew where that was from here. Already in his head he was imagining the streets that they would need to take in order to at least reach the general area of the other school.

Suddenly the girl was rather excitedly holding his hands. Shin glanced up, then straightened up as stiff as a tree. She had...kissed him! Oh..sure...it was just on the forehead but...that was improper! Only mothers and sisters were allowed to kiss a boy his age! It was the only acceptable time! Shin's face flushed a strange dark red color. Braylee was still rambling on as she addressed her manners. Yet the moment she released Shins hands....he flopped backwards, pulled by the weight of his backpack. Plus being set off balance by his shock, he toppled over like a turtle on the ground. "Uwah!" He cried out, his arms flailing uselessly in his falling motion.

She wanted to know what she could call him? Shamed was a good name for him right now! "神によって、この夜はそれ以上複雑になることはできませ!" Shin ranted in a small outburst of Japanese. He paused, his dark eyes lifting to glance up at Braylee as he seemed to remember himself. "I am.. Kaneko...Shin Kaneko....please give me a moment.." He said in half apology as he started to squirm out from the straps of his backpack.

"I...yes. I am unharmed." Shin managed to mumble when Braylee would ask if he was allright. Just his little ego was currently bruised, he was going to be late getting home, and he was sure by now that Jack would have taken a snack into their bedroom. Ah! Crumbs! And he wouldn't see where to sweep up now!!

Once his pack was off his shoulders, he allowed Braylee to pull him into a sitting position. He turned and jerked the pack up so he could unzip it. "Young...?" He said with a hint of surprise. Shin glanced up at Braylee with more then a little confusion. "Miss Adams... I am not young. I am seventeen. Why would you think that this is a lot for a boy my age?" He honestly was perplexed...though a part of him wondered if perhaps he did not want to know the answer to that question now...

Shin pulled out two rather thick books from the pack and set them beside him. Neither bore any pictures on their covers, as they were just reference books for history on a shole. he quickly zipped the backpack up and shifted it onto his shoulders. "Ah...this will do..." As he collected the other two books into his arms he finally answered Braylee. "I am researching world history in an attempt to select a era rich with historical events, so that I may then research a topic for my final history report." He informed the girl with a faint smile. While it was true they may not have even hit the halfway mark in the school semester... "I wish to have enough time to write it up and polish it off before it is properly assigned."

Braylee's responses, every one of them, was nothing unusual for Shin to come across. Yes he was short. Yes he was proper. Yes he was focused on his studies to the point it was nearly an obsession. Despite all the times he may have dealt with any of this, Shin did not feel any sense of aggravation or frustration. It was only natural to elicit such responses from a stranger. Shin stubbornly wrapped his arms around his books however. "It's not proper." He politely responded to her offer to carry his books. If she wasn't family or a close friend his father would simply find the thought of a girl carrying his things unforgivable!

Shin's head gave a faint nod then he took a step in the direction he believed Braylee needed to head in. "Of course it will be. And while the other students are having melt down's over all the work they have to perform, I will be able to stay calm and focused on the finer details." He shared with Braylee. Having the girl grab his hand with no warning was...shocking. But not nearly as much as when she had kissed his forehead. He found himself tugged along after her, and he struggled to keep up for a few seconds under the weight of his books. "Ah...yes...in this direction... You are correct."

Shin walked with Braylee. His eyes darting from the street, to the sky, then to his watch in little circles. Each second that passed felt like one wasted. he would have broken out in a sweat if he had not known that this was expected of him by his father. When Braylee suggested getting to know one another, Shin's eyes darted down to the sidewalk in a sudden flash of embarrassment. Once he shared personal information with her..that would change this whole situation. Shin was not sure if he felt comfortable with just...sharing so openly.

"I...Am Shin...Kaneko." He stammered uncertainly. "I live in a small modern house with my father. His fiancee and her son have recently moved in with us. We have traditional oriental standards in my home. I...like the color blue." Was that what she wished to know? Or was he just throwing out random bit's of information in the hopes of dissuading any questions?

He supposed he should have expected such a question. Shin wanted to ignore it, but as it was the one with the most seriousness to him. It seemed like he would be untruthful in his avoidance. Shin clutched his books more tightly to his chest as he walked along with Braylee. He set his eyes on a point further down the street so he looked less like he was trying to hide his gaze.

"No. We do not get along together at all. In fact he and are are..." Enemies? No. That was too strong a word. It wasn't the right one either. When Shin was not around Jack he did not have the same fury as he normally did. "We are at odds." He finally decided to settle upon. Jack had values and a personality that just seemed very contrary to his own at times.

Shin glanced up and down the street, then paused to cross at a corner. It was his turn to say more right? "Ah..hem... I like vegetables. Particularly artichokes and beets. I dislike cookies and ice cream. I do not like how cookies crumble and make a mess when you eat them. Ice cream seems too cold half the time for me to enjoy the flavors...though I do like half melted ice cream. I also have a great weakness for White Rabbit candies. I can eat myself sick on them if left alone with a full bag."