-||- OOC: This is a thread for the characters just beboping around outside in the town. Mingle, argue, fight, whatever. Do what you think would happen in Tokyo, but Japan has much less crime than America, mind you. I'm not sure when this roleplay is supposed to take place due to lack of regulations and things, so I'll make this portion of the roleplay set sometime in early October. -||-

Just as the leaves were beginning to fall in their swaying tango of yellows and reds, just as the sky was beginning to morph from a crisp cadet blue to a fading yellow-pink, just as the light gray clouds moved in their monochrome winds to block out the sun and cry their light autumn rainfall, a young tan-haired boy in a school uniform emerged in the park, alone and small in such a big world.

But was he sad? Nay, nay. Loneliness does not always signal depression or angst, but rather, this boy was quite accustomed to seclusion. He appeared not older than eleven or twelve, perhaps an ichinensei in junior high school. This child knew he was that, was wary of certain physicial limitations and aware of lack of knowledge in some areas, and was justly arrogant about everything else. He was arrogant to push others away, arrogant because it was hard to find anybody his age of his own skill level, arrogant to hide his real insecurities about things he pretended to know with boisterous actions and sarcastic speech. Hiro Sohma was a child, deny it not, but this did not mean he had to enjoy it.

A light wind tousled his hair as he sat upon a concrete block beneath a tall maple tree, wide mahogany eyes gazing with disinterest as the crinkled leaves brushed lazily against his lightly freckled cheek. This was the very block where everything had began, where he had stolen that Honda girl's notebook and caused everyone to hate him for a little while. That stupid Honda girl had caused everything, turned people against him, and melodramatic as he was, he did not like this. It had caused Kisa-chan to feel anger towards him, which was the very last thing this boy wanted.

Oy, all of this reminiscence was giving him a headache. It was dusk, time for the waning sheep to be herded by their master. Always playing against the rules and contradicting everything a person thinks they know of things and things, this sheep knew no shepherd. He was free and independent! He refused to be gathered and conform to the crowd! Again with the overreaction, but these were his feelings, and being born in and cursed of year of the ram, he was very in-tune with them, although revealing them was certainly not his fancy. Hiro is a thinker, not a feeler. Hiro must not show his feelings, lest he be weak and can be easily manipulated by those conniving beasts (read: "humans") brainwashed by such ugly monsters (read: "society"). But this was Japan, and in Japan, free thought is frowned upon.

Some found it hard to believe that Hiro Sohma was only twelve years old, his birthday having passed two months ago, give or take a week.

Some found it hard to believe that such a young child could possess such an old soul, could wholly immerse himself in his thoughts and dwell on things far beyond what a normal pre-teen would ponder upon. Instead of the newest video games and anime -- which he undoubtedly enjoyed -- he would think of philosophy and life, the meanings of things most twelve-year-olds did not know.

Some found it hard to believe that a twelve-year-old could fall in love. But Hiro Sohma was not your average twelve-year-old, that was for damn sure.

Just as the rain was beginning to drizzle, the young sheep made his way home.