FIRST MEETING: A certain liar and a certain easily fooled hafu.

[foreignstorage]

Who: Kurausu and Mirai.
What: Kura goes in to tell Mirai not to be bothered by the rumors - after all, he knows they're not true!
Where: One of the many hallways of Chitoku!
When: Thursday, May 11th, after classes.

Kura'd only started hearing the rumors a day or two ago - rumors traveled slowly to him, through the few friends he had who could put up with him in person. He certainly wasn't any expert or rumormonger or anything, but the girl's death had spread through the school like wildfire, and that kind of rumor was the sour aftereffect. Sour rumors were something he was used to hearing, especially about himself, but... He had the feeling that this one was especially wrong! After all, there's no way someone would just... start dating so soon after someone close to them had died! No way! It was just a poisonous rumor!

And that wasn't okay to say about anyone! Especially someone who was probably still mourning!

With that in mind, Kura had gathered his courage and tracked down his senpai after classes the day he'd heard about it - he had to kind of guess who Mirai was, but he'd heard what he looked like and pretty much caught him in the hallway outside of his last class of the day; Kura had been anxious enough he'd nearly been held back by his teacher for disrupting class, but he'd managed to avoid that hurdle and make it to where he thought Mirai might show up. So, Mirai! Enjoy having a boy who's got a few inches on you and a beanie pulled down over his hair call for you--

"Hey! Senpai!" It had a booming quality to it, the kind that both curried peppiness and demanded attention. Thankfully, it was obvious who was was directed at. "You're... uh, you're Imaizumi-senpai, right!?" He sounded a little embarrassed that he had to check, but he'd already figured he didn't want to make a mistake!

Comments

[burningbow]

After forty-five minutes of alternatively editing himself and challenging Katsura, Mirai did manage to slither through the crowd. As soon as he was out, though, the loudest voice shouted his name.

He had barely had time to straighten his bag at his side. A tall guy came standing in front of him so fast - a giant amongst the Japanese. Greeting seemed the best he could do. It would take him a lot more to get his pathway cleared.

"... Yeah? Who are you to know?"

[foreignstorage]

The loudest of voices was probably accurate; Kura didn't have a very good concept of quiet. His stance was pretty bold, too - and his eyebrows kind of sold out his hair color, even though most of his eyebrows were covered by his beanie.

Anyway!

"My name's Nishiyama Kurausu! I'm a second year! Everyone calls me Kura! It's nice to meet you!" Nooope, he still wasn't being very quiet. He'd toned it down a little, though, so it really wasn't much of a hassle: he just was... naturally loud. "I just wanted to tell you not to listen to those rumors about you! I know they're not true, and I don't think it's right anyone would make up that kind of lie!" It was kind of obvious what rumor he was talking about... as well as the kind of faith he had already vested in Mirai.

[burningbow]

Mirai listened and enlightened at each new word. He adjusted himself regally in the middle of the corridor. He inspected Kurausu, and he knew as soon as he set eyes on him - listened to him - that he would find a use. He was thoroughly pleased.

"Thank you," he said, "though you didn't have to come here to tell me that."

[foreignstorage]

He deflated a little at that, although he didn't seem to lose the pep in him. It was obvious he'd been a little nervous about how Mirai'd take that kind of flat out thing, but he seemed to take it a little positively!

"I know, it's just...! I hate that kind of rumor! And it's rude to say stuff like that about someone who just lost someone close to them! You know?" His voice was conversational, now. Not too loud. "I wanted to make sure it didn't get to you or anything, senpai!"

Kura had no idea about the other contemplating his uses, and even if he did, he probably would have immediately deluded himself about it, or said it was fine if it was in the name of making Mirai feel better in the wake of, well, y'know!

[burningbow]

Mirai seemed placated by this. The conversation had been drawn very thoroughly to a close. He shrugged, and took in as much of the other boy as he could with the smallest of gazes. The boy might have a big height and thundering voice, but Mirai was pleased to be learning that he had a heart warm like a volcano. He had not forgotten Minoru had given the same confession, either. It made a change to have a conversation he did not have to think too hard for.

"Really? Do I look unhappy, Kura?"

[foreignstorage]

"W-well, no, but..." His face deflated a little more, almost embarrassed. He pepped himself back up again quickly, though - that embarrassment was only there for a second while he reminded himself why he'd had to come by. He raised his head for a confident declaration: "People can look happy and still be unhappy, senpai! Besides, uh...! I'd think you'd be unhappy, anyway, if you lost someone you were close to..."

He shifted a little on his feet. Sure, Mirai didn't look unhappy to Kura, but he was kind of dumb to that kind of stuff, right? Even if Mirai didn't look happy, he might still have been unhappy deep down, right? Kura couldn't check, or anything, but that was why he'd come by anyway! To make sure! Right! This was totally okay!

[burningbow]

Despite his intrusion, Mirai could hear some honest concern beneath Kura's words - which his lips never seemed to stop imparting. He kept his own words secret and cast his gaze left and right. They were beginning to catch the ending of the crowd. It would take a lot more to make him feel comfortable, though.

He shrugged. "Hey, I'm moved by your concern. But I'm doing fine, really. We all have to move on, right?"

[foreignstorage]

Kura was pretty aware of the crowd himself - but it wasn't like he expected Mirai to open up to him, either! He'd been mostly aiming to encourage, and that was all; try and make sure Mirai wasn't sad about it or anything.

The other's comment was good enough that he seemed to at least not deflate again! "Yeah, that's true! The reason I came was in case you needed the encouragement, you know, senpai?" Back to the level of pep he'd had earlier. His moment of quieter concern had passed. "It's really good that you're doing fine, senpai! I'm happy for you!"

Nevermind the fact your girlfriend was dead or anything, he was totally taking your words at face value. For now. What a sucker.

[burningbow]

"... Yeah."

Mirai could see the honest concern in Kura's expression and hear it in his tone. His own face became a little downcast. His own moment of concern seemed to be on the horizon.

"You seem bothered," he remarked curiously. "Why? You don't know me."

[foreignstorage]

"Uh... why?" He actually had to think about that for a second, before: "Well, I know how it feels, to, y'know, have people make up meanspirited rumors about you." He offered a lackluster smile, knowing full well the admission was probably expected.

"Besides, I don't think anybody should have to hear those kinds of things! Especially given the situation!" Back to moralizing; the morality was strong in this one. "That kind of thing's just cruel...!"

Honestly, even if Mirai fessed up right then that the rumors were true, Kura still would have felt bad for him. If it was Mirai's way of coping, or something, then nobody had any right to make him feel bad about it! Or spread rumors about it! The one he'd heard seemed almost barbed to rub Mirai's name in the dirt, so...

[burningbow]

Mirai picked a strand of hair and twined it round. He pulled it gingerly away from his head and thought about what kept him here, listening to this sympathy. He was quite sure he couldn't tolerate it longer. Unfortunately, Kura seemed a bit too gentle for certain things. This pleased Mirai.

"You're a kind guy, Kura-kun," he said. He was considerate with thought for the gentleness of his tone. The entirety of it was thankful and friendly. "I think I ought to give you at least a general offer of a drink."

[foreignstorage]

Kura was certainly a bit too gentle - if only Mirai knew about what he was used to. He smiled a bit at the compliment, too - he didn't seem to be used to them, although he brushed off the slight embarrassment with peppiness. He was glad it was appreciated and not annoying, though!

"Uh, I'd like that, senpai!" Thankful and friendly, more like 'Kura couldn't turn him down if he wanted to'. And he also wasn't quite familiar enough with it happening at all to wonder if his senpai was offering out of a sense of obligation, or something. So, as it was, he figured accepting was an awesome idea!

[burningbow]

There, on Mirai's face, re-emerged his honest smile. Behind it, quietly sleeping, lay the most selfish of intentions. He could see that Kura would be a valuable friend because he was useful. The size of him! His nose wrinkled, and he stared as though he was lost in the most difficult memory possible.

"Sunday afternoon, then? If you to require anything earlier, I'm afraid I'm a little busy. You understand, right?"

[foreignstorage]

How could he not trust that smile? Someone, tell him! (No, don't. Don't break his spirit this early.) He smiled an honest smile back, the kind that's bright enough to burn the eyes of the unprepared.

"Yeah, I understand, senpai!" No, he didn't. "Sunday afternoon's fine!" He took a second to process, before tilting his head. "Should we exchange numbers, in case something comes up?" When he'd planned one or two things before, he'd been stood up and told that they'd wanted to contact him, but didn't have his number.

So, with that in mind, he'd written it into his heart to not have no means of contact with someone if he was going to do something with them! It just made sense, anyway.

[burningbow]

Mirai thought again, rather absentmindedly, that this dimly kind guy would need to know a number to call. He was moved almost by habit to slip the smartphone out his back pocket, and to poise his finger over the number keys.

He looked expectantly at Kura almost immediately.

[foreignstorage]

Thanks for the mental insult, Mirai. He resembles that remark! Anyway, he recited his number from memory easily enough; he'd memorized it a while ago, if only for convenience's sake.

Besides, he wasn't so thick as to misunderstand what Mirai was looking at him for.

When he'd finished, he just tacked on - "And yeah! Just text me and I'll have your number, senpai!" Wait until the drama skanks hear the gaijin got Mirai's number. Just wait.

[burningbow]

Mirai was keying each number that came from Kura's lips. He would explain to peers who considered the Gaijin's number undesirable that he was being polite and considerate - like any true Japanese youth should.

"There you go," he said to Kura. A message with no shorthand or emoticons. He went back to his investigations of his new friend. "I trust you to keep it faithfully, yeah? Not to go selling it to every girl you can find."

[foreignstorage]

Even if 'gaijin' wasn't technically true, it was what he was widely thought of as; and, well... being polite and considerate to him was nice! Kura hadn't had that principle applied towards him too often, so...

"Right! I'm not just going to sell it or something, senpai. Don't worry!" He smiled again, just happy the other said he trusted him more than anything. "It's not mine to give out!"

[burningbow]

"Oh my. You really are very kind," Mirai said again. He slid the phone down his trouser pocket. Then, as his smile began to go away, came the look of concern he was so well-practiced in giving.

"Are you going to be okay getting back to class?"

[foreignstorage]

"Ah! Thanks for the concern, senpai, but I'll be fine!" He seemed confident about that much. Getting back to class wouldn't be hard at all! ... It probably helped he was hard to catch up in crowds, so to speak. He smiled brightly, before:

"I'll see you on Sunday, then, senpai?"

[burningbow]

Mirai nodded once. A polite manner to his underclassman. This would be a useful meeting.

"Later, Kura-kun."

[foreignstorage]

"Later, senpai!"

And with that, away Kura barrelled. Off to classes again! He sure was happy, though - he seemed to have made Mirai feel happy, at least, and he might've made a friend, too! He was nothing if not excited for Sunday; potential friends! Yessss!