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 Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:43 pm
"MIIIZUUUUSHIIIMAAAA!"
The pig-tailed girl's voice echoed through the entirety of the dorm corridor. Suddenly, the track club's fastest runner made a mad dash down the building, the wind of her heels curling the skirts of several clueless staring girls like a wave. She latched her hand onto the last door at the end of the hallway and pulled it open with all the strength in her arm. Her face was twisted in a familiar scowl and, like before, she stomped over to the brunette who was still reading and signing paperwork. Shinju gave a single glance up to Kotomi and went back to her work.
"Don't you ignore me!" Kotomi yelled, slapping the a familiar newspaper in front of her. "What is the meaning of this?!"
Shinju only have to read the author of the article to know it was trouble. Umiko was a handful. "Ignore it," Shinju told the other Etoile. "It's just baseless gossip."
"This is not baseless gossip, Mizushima." Kotomi retched. "Have you even read it?"
Shinju sighed. "No, I haven't. And, you're going to make me read it, I guess?" Kotomi did not respond.
Taking the newspaper, Shinju unfolded it and skimmed over Umiko's familiar style of eye-catching writing to the main portion of the article: The poem. As she read, a light blush crept up on the Etoile's cheeks. The passion and feelings in the poem was so profound and heartfelt that even Shinju -- who never liked sappy literature -- felt her heart flutter. She had to clear her throat to recall she was still in the company of her obviously jealous friend.
"E-Erm," she stammered. "It's an interesting article. Umiko h-has a knack, as always . . . "
"You're blushing," Kotomi noticed. "Mizushima, don't tell me you're-"
"Kotomi, it isn't like that. I don't-"
"You're actually taken by this anonymous's words?!" Kotomi bellowed. "But, I- Shinju! You-! It's not fair!"
The older Mizushima stood. "Kotomi!" She cried in response, cutting her off. "This is nothing, I mean it! I know you're upset about before, but-! But-! Augh!" Shinju tumbled back into her seat.
"Mizushima . . . "
"Listen, this isn't the time or place for this, okay?" She said, getting up one last time. "Tomorrow. Tomorrow we can talk to your heart's content. Just, not today, okay? I'm heading to the bath house. I need to clear my head." Shinju departed from her room, abandoning Kotomi within its confines.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 5:15 pm
Aiza wrapped her towel around her form and let down her hair. The once short looking and styled hair now cascading down her smooth back in chocolate waves. After making sure her clothes were folded neatly in their bin the small girl picked up her washcloth and her vanilla scented body wash/ shampoo. Making sure she thoroughly washed herself and smelled good she made her way to the bath, her hair now in wet waves that flips up at the tips.
Aiza closed her eyes and relaxed as she sunk shoulder deep into the water, her muscles becoming less tense. Ahhh this is just what I needed after a day like this... She sighed sadly as the previous events came rushing back,
Why me? I just wanted to go through school, graduate, and get a job so I could have my own art studio. Maybe right a book... but look at where books have gotten me! I've never been so embarrassed in my entire life.
She sighed heavy heartedly and sinks lower into the water so its just to her chin, "I wish I never wrote that stupid poem," she whispers to herself and fights to keep the sobs from breaking past her lips.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:05 pm
The bathhouse was actually Shinju's least favorite place to be. While she didn't mind being the center of attention, being gawked at while in the nude rubbed her the wrong way. It was the main reason why she always took her baths late into the evening when most of the students were in their dorm rooms prepping for sleep. Though it has caused her to be the victim of a few colds when her hair wasn't dried enough before bed, the Etoile found its benefits to be most rewarding. Plus, the loneliness gave her time to think -- something she really did not have the pleasure of doing while being amongst the school presidents.
Shinju headed straight for the building. She kept her essentials in said bathhouse to avoid going back to her room (especially with Kotomi bursting in every other hour). Thankfully, the sisters allowed her a special locker because of her status. She fished her essentials out from the metallic container. Stripping down to her natural form, the brunette tucked the towel over and under and entered the area. Just as she was about to remove said towel, she hesitated, because she saw a figure comfortably sitting in one of the baths.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Shinju apologized, her mouth in an embarrassed squiggle. "I . . . thought the baths were vacant."
Please, don't look, she thought with an internal grimace.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:22 pm
Aiza was in her own little world when a familiar voice broke her out of her trance and even caused her to jump a little. She turned her head to look at the woman speaking to her. Yep, definitely a woman she thought as her face went red and her eyes immediately moved to the others face. Her eyes grew a bit wider as she noticed who it was, M-m-m-mizushima-sama!! she thought in a panic. Wait she said something to me! don't be stupid answer back! Aiza curled her arms around her own body despite the fact that she left the towel around herself anyway. The artist increasingly grew more and more nervous while keeping her eyes on the water and shying away from the Etoile, "I-it's quite alright Mizushima-sama. I c-can leave if you'd like..."
She sat there trying to calm her breathing as she hid her face from the upper classman using her wet hair as a shield.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:42 pm
The awkwardness of the situation seem to grow more heated on Shinju's end when she blurted out, "No, it's fine. Stay." Mentally cursing herself for her feigned manners, the Etoile strode forward and bent to her haunches with her back to the underclassman. She could've commanded the younger student to get out that instant, then snap her fingers and have a myriad of girls come rushing in to wash her head to toe. While that would've been a pleasure, the moment was lost when she agreed to have the other stay.
Shinju tentatively removed the towel, not once glancing behind her. Folding it neatly at her side, she reached her hand over and grabbed at the shower head provided, and began soaking herself with the water. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear only revealed the beat red hue of her lobe. Could this be any more embarrassing?
To try and lessen the tenaciously cumbersome atmosphere, Shinju tried some casual conversation. "So, what school are you from?" She asked.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:01 pm
The blush now seemed like a permanent pigment to her skin as she turned her back as well. Even though she wasn't quite as nervous anymore since the initial shock was over she had a hard time calming her beating heart. "I'm from Lulim." she answered politely and her voice soft. Aiza ran her fingers through her hair as she just gazed down at the water in a bit of a daze.
I wonder what she's thinking about, she thought as curiosity built and built inside her. The sophomore bit her bottom lip as she chanced a glance over her shoulder at her sempai but quickly turned back. "Ummm how are you? I saw the mark, from this morning. I know it's none of my business but I wanted to know if you are alright..." She splashed some water over her head in an act to calm herself. I wonder what she thinks about my poem, I wonder if she even knows about it, she's probably too busy to read it... but despite her inner musings, Aiza decided to bring it up anyway, "Did you hear anout the 'Anonymous Admirer' Mizushima-sama?" There she said it! Now she just hopes she wont regret that decision.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:00 pm
"Ah, really," Shinju said offhandedly. "My older sister graduated from Lulim." Of course, that was years ago. Nagisa was already married by the time Umiko and her stepped into their junior years. She was hardly a memory amongst the school anymore -- especially with how rumors rise and fall like the ebb and flow of a stormy tide. "I'm from Spi- Oh, wait, I think you know that already, aha."
The Etoile shifted her chin over a shoulder for a moment, regarding the girl and her question towards her well-being. Eventually, her returned her glance back to the bathroom wall, spraying the water of the shower head onto her hair. "I'm all right now," she replied, swelling with memories of that moment. Hadn't she come to the bathhouse to forget those worries temporarily? "Thank you for your concern."
Just as she was calming around the girl, Shinju's face brightened again. "A-Ah, yes, I did," she returned. "Considering my sister is the one who wrote the article, of course I had to read it. It was a nice poem." The junior let her adoration for the composition remain at an ambiguous "nice." Regarding it with more feelings might, once again, encourage more rumors she was not interested in being part of.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:33 pm
Feeling a little insulted at how casually the Etoile was speaking of her school, Aiza frowned a bit but decided not to dwell and forgive her. She thought for a moment about who her sister might be but she simply couldn't remember, it was something way before her time she supposed. "It's no problem," she answered back, feeling more and more as if Mizushima-sama really didn't want her there. And she grew more disheartened with each passing second.
That was it, that was the last thread to fall onto her heart. The meager weight of what she said broke her heart a little, forming a deep pain in her chest. Nice? Just nice? I poured everything I am, every feeling I ever had in that poem! She didn't know whether to be sad or angry so she sat there trapped in her own thoughts.
What did I think would happen anyway? I'd read her the poem and live happily ever after? That was stupid... she sighed as she finally chose to just be depressed. She stood and tried to blink away the tears forming and spoke politely without any emtion so her voice would not betray her, "I apologize but I must be getting to bed Etoile-sama," she stepped out and wrapped her dry towel around her. She stopped and bowed, "Goodnight Etoile-sama." Aiza exited the bathing room and bee-lined to the changing room where she began to get dressed.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:06 pm
Shinju was taken aback by the younger girl's sudden up and departure. Though she did not know how long Aiza was in the bath, Shinju assumed she had just arrived early considering the rarity of students actually entering the building a few hours before curfew was called. Still, the older Mizushima could not hold the girl back, and bid her farewell with a nod.
"Goodnight-" She returned, cutting herself short when she realized she did not know the girl's name. Finally to her lonesome, Shinju contemplated the matters of her heart and mind during her wash and soak. The Mizushima emerged from the baths much later after Aiza had left, dressing into her nightwear, and making her way back to her dorm room. To no surprise, she came upon Kotomi on her bed, regarding the newspaper she had slapped before Shinju earlier.
"Leave," she commanded of the violent-eyed girl. "I need rest for tomorrow."
Kotomi did not argue with her as she normally would. She got off her partner's bed and promptly exited. Shinju literally collapsed onto her bed, twiddling the end of her rather damp hair tiredly. She eventually found sleep when she never sought it, drifting through the hours of the night only to wake the next day with a slight cold.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:30 pm
The tiny poet let out a quiet sigh as she finally reached her room. It was lonely sometimes because she didn't have a roommate. She was one of the lucky few who received a single bedroom. Aiza sat on her bed and brushed her hair until it was silky and dry before lying down to go to bed but she could not rest. There were too many thoughts swimming around in her head. Thoughts of doubt, and disbelief clouded her mind and kept her awake all night. Aiza sighed once again as she turned her body to stare up at the ceiling and found herself thinking once again Why me? She stayed that way all night, not getting a wink of sleep.
As soon as her alarm began to blare she shut it off and stood, making her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She grimaced at what she saw in the mirror. She had bags underneath her eyes and she looked horrible, Just great she thought with a deep sigh. She brushed her teeth and splashed cold water onto her face to try to wake herself up. Leaving the bathroom she began to prepare for the rest of what seemed to be developing into a long day.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:47 pm
"Shin . . . Shin . . . ju! Shinj . . . Shinju!"
Shinju awoke with a start to a face identical to her own. She bent at the waist upward, looking up. After a short moment of thought, she realized it was Umiko. Sniffling, the Etoile tilted her head. "Whab?" she asked, her stuffy nose distorting her voice.
"You've overslept," Umiko said, eying the alarm clock next to Shinju's bedside. "It's already ten o' clock."
Shinju tumbled back into her bed. "You'reb kibbing," she said with a sigh. "Damb it!"
"What?" Umiko questioned.
"Rumbors . . . " Was all Shinju sighed.
"Let me guess, you fell asleep with your hair wet again?" Umiko did not receive a reply. "Huh. I thought idiots didn't get colds."
"Ohb, shush," Shinju replied with a roll of her eyes. "Nowb, what?"
"I'll tell the presidents you're in bed with the cold, all right?" Shinju eyed her suspiciously. "No, no, I won't tell them you're dying," she added with her typical cheeky grin. "Get some rest."
Shinju gave Umiko a nod. With that, the younger Mizushima departed from her twin. Besides, with her sister resting, she could enact the plan she had thought up since yesterday. For once in her life, her days on Astraea Hill were no longer going to be dull thanks to the little journal she found. First on her list, call the owner out. Hiring the help of the AV Club, Umiko prompted the morning announcer with the message of a certain girl.
"Aiza Mudo. Aiza Mudo. Would Aiza Mudo please come to the AV clubroom? Repeat: Would Aiza Mudo please come to the AV clubroom? Thank you."
Umiko gave the annoucer her thanks and slouched back in her chair, wearing her typical devilish grin. Part one of plan: Initiated.
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:04 pm
Aiza was sitting in Advanced Math finishing a quadratic equation when she heard her name being called over the intercom and the whispers started. She had already had a long, hard day. She didn't eat much of her breakfast, bumped into four different students and fell asleep in her second class of the day. What else would she encounter? She waited patiently for the teacher to dismiss her. As she's grabbing her books the girl noticed all the eyes on her and left the room with her head down. As she walked the halls she began to think, What could the AV club possibly want with me? Maybe they're doing a clay animation and want to ask me to make the little figures? That would make sense but they could just contact me after school for that. Her inner musings stopped as she reached the door and knocked before letting herself in, "Hello?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:06 pm
A twin-tailed, drowsy girl regarded Aiza when she entered. "Heeeey, she's here, Mizushima-san . . . " She called rather sleepily to the twin behind the divider.
"Ah, yes, yes. Take care of her for a moment, Mari?"
Mari yawned and offered Aiza the seat next to her. "If . . . If you want . . . Sit," she said.
It was a short while before Umiko finally emerged from the back. Mari left Aiza when she saw her, taking her workplace back from Umiko so she could return to slumber. Sitting in the same chair Mari had before, Umiko began to set up her work area. She rested her notepad on her lap, open at the ready, removed a pocketful of pens and placed it on the nearby desk, started her tape recorder, and finally gave the underclassman her most earnest and honest smile.
"All righty. Aiza. Would you prefer Mudo-san? Aiza. Let's just cut through all the red tape. I've got some matters for you. One." She removed the journal from her pocket. "I do believe this is yours." Umiko showed it to her, but did not return it. "Two: Anonymous Admirer. Ring a few bells? I know that is you. Three: I can assist you in that little bit of affection if you agree to four: You help me. Do we have a deal?" Umiko spoke in a matter-of-fact, businesslike tone. "As a to-be editor-in-chief, I need to keep the readers enticed and that can only be done with interesting material. Do you recall how the three schools burst with talk after your poem was published?" There was so many stars twinkling in Umiko's eyes, they were forming constellations. "I must have that again! Here's the plan: You write more poetry for me under the pseudonym Anonymous Admirer. In return, I'll help hook you up with my sister. Sound good?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:46 pm
Aiza smiled as she entered the room surprised to see such a tired girl in the middle of the day. She seemed worse than Aiza herself. "Oh, yes. Thank you." she said as she took her seat and placed her bag on the floor beside her. A brow raised in confusion when she heard Mari say Etoile's name but realized she must've meant her twin sister, but what would her sistervwant with me? Clasping her hands together over her lap, she stared at her fingers while waiting patiently for instructions. The young poet looked back up at Umiko and smiled kindly as she sat giving her the same honest smile, not knowing what was about to transpire.
She sat and listened, her smile diminishing and her heart dropped into her stomach in nervousness. She was caught. It felt like it was all over. Aiza made up her mind and balled her fists but spoke quietly while shaking her head a little, " As tempting as that sounds I-I don't think I can do that... My poems are supposed to be special and private. They're not fuel for others to judge and make up fantasies about. They're a part of me. My heart. I can't sell out." she closed her eyes tightly remembering last night, "Besides, your sister would never want me anyway, she didn't like the poem. I can come to terms with that." A deep sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and drew in a breath to calm her trembling voice, "Can I please have my journal back?" she squeaked out timidly.
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Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:14 am
Umiko's took Aiza's rejection with a completely neutral face. Like her sister, forbearance ran in the family. She wasn't going to give in to defeat that easily. "Actually, I think I'll hang on to this," she said stubbornly, keeping the journal close to her person. "I don't want to force anything on you, Aiza, but I'm not fond of walking one step forward only to take two steps back. Maybe we can talk another time."
The younger Mizushima was rising in the middle of Aiza's admittance of her sister's opinion to the poem. Only then did she stop and actually take the girl's words for naught. "Do you really believe that?" Umiko asked, tilting her head. She had heard of her sister's reaction from Kotomi after the two's small squabble. Just as she offered to play matchmaker between Aiza and Shinju, she was already doing so between Kotomi and her twin. Unfortunately, to the Etoile's opinion of her friend as only seeing her as such -- a friend -- did Umiko lose the fun she'd thought she'd have getting those two together. Kotomi was still fighting for the spot at Shinju's side, but she wouldn't have any of it.
Umiko opened the underclassman's journal to the poem again and skimmed through a few lines. Coming upon the specific stanza, she read it aloud, then clapped the book shut. "Those were her favorite lines," Umiko said. "She flushed at those lines specifically. Actually, she's sick now. Do you know why? She went to bed with her hair wet. That only happens when she's up all night, contemplating something." Umiko pursed her lips. "You're on her mind, Aiza. Don't you know what kind of opportunity that is? Don't skirt around it, it hurts if you do." And, with that, the journalist took her leave.
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