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Who: Baku and Mirai
Where: Sugi Dorm, Room 618
When: Sunday, April 23, Morning
What: Kendo Episode IV: Return of the Wristbands

Fashionably late.

That defiant streak reared its ugly head again; sure, senpai told him not to be late, but there's not much harm to be done with a single minute. The small things are the spice of life, Baku. Finding the room wasn't terribly difficult; all he had to do was throw on something quickly and move up to the next floor. On this day in particular, Baku selected a maroon, short-sleeved, button-up dress shirt and a pair of black khakis. He would have his wrist weights too, but that's the whole reason he was going to see Mirai-senpai, wasn't it?

He finds the room in question with ease and, at the precise moment that his phone's clock ticks over to 9:31am, he raps his knuckles sharply on the door, taking a step back and waiting patiently for a response from within.

Comments

[burningbow]

Mirai's face was brightened by a nice smile. He stood with a bag slung over his shoulder, full and heavy, but let it fall to his feet where it stayed whilst he searched the room. It was full of things he had been wearing. Uniform shirts and trousers, black socks and blacker shoes. He kicked each aside as he walked past, shoeing them to the foot of his bed. Ogata-kun's weights were on his bedside table.

He deftly lifted both from his desk, one in each hand, and approached the door at a swift pace. He waited rather prudently, then unlocked the bolt and swung it open.

"Hello," he said. "I told you to come at 9:30, right?"

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Baku murmurs a soft 'ah-huh' of affirmation before he looks down at his phone. "Yeah, I barely made it; good thing I caught you, Senpai." As he places it away, he spots the familiar wrist weights in the older student's hands and nods, looking back to Mirai with a thankful nod.

"Thanks again, Senpai. They're my way of getting stronger even when I'm not training," he says rather matter-of-factly. The bands look thin enough to conceal under the sleeves of Baku's school jacket, but their weight defies their bulk. Each feels to weigh about three pounds, maybe more. It's a wonder he didn't notice them missing earlier.

"I almost feel naked without them, to be honest."

[burningbow]

Mirai's eyes blinked. Evidently he was not interested in imagining the reality of what Baku had said. He smiled at his kouhai with pleasant acceptance of his humour.

"Oh, right. I see you on Fridays. You're in the Kendo club with Tanemoto-kun, aren't you?"

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He nods emphatically as his club is identified, but he can't suppress the slight grimace as he comments, "yeah, Ryuta-san is there too. And in music club. And in my dorm. Someone wanted us to really get along, I figure. Not like I dislike the guy; rulebook fetish aside, his drive is respectable and he's always ready, but a change in scenery would've been nice.

"Come to think of it, Ryuta-san is the only one I'd accuse of being up anywhere near early on a Sunday. Special occasion, Imaizumi-senpai?"

[burningbow]

Mirai looked at Baku as time passed by them without giving an answer to his question. For here his kouhai was looking into the plans and eventualities and ways of darkly doing what he had grown to enjoy. He did not blame him. To many people - good or bad - he was a fascinating guy.

"Indeed. I'm going for a ride. My knowledge of this city is woefully incomplete. You can't blame me for wanting to explore everything."

And everyone, he thought. His eyes half-closed.

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"Yeah. I've been living in Kobe for a few years, and there are still some places I haven't been," he remarks idly, "well, if you haven't been to the Arima Onsen yet, it's worth looking into." When's the last time I went, come to think of it? When I got here? Have I really been working that much? He interrupts his thoughts with a grin.

"Well, I don't mean to keep you from your joyride, senpai."

[burningbow]

Mirai nodded and lifted up both his hands. The weights were in either one. Though from the crease between his brows, and how his lips were pressed thin, it was clear they were somewhat heavy indeed. But he was holding them out and hoping his kouhai would take them off his hands.

"Yes, I know. How about taking these from me, Ogata-kun? You came to collect them, right? Well then, how about you do that and let me find my way? Your suggestion is good, and I might try it. But please don't suggest too much. It ruins the surprise."

In his experience, to explore something meant you would enjoy it.

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Baku accepts the weights with a light, thankful bow before deftly attaching them to his wrists and testing his arms' range of motion almost gracefully. It makes sense that he's used to the weight by now, seeing as he's hardly ever seen without them. Much better.

"If you say so, senpai. 'The discovery is its own reward' and all that, right?" He says this with a teasing grin, "I'd say to take care around the Kitano district, but an eagle-eyed archer like you could probably see trouble coming from a mile away, huh? Anyways, enjoy your day out, senpai." With that, Baku offers Mirai a farewell half-wave before beginning the trek back outside.

Well, now that I'm up, I wonder what I'm going to do today...