A yawn forced itself from my mouth, catching me off guard. A pleasant nap would have gone a long way before we set out but there was no helping it anymore.

“Look alive now!” Suika laughed and poked me in the ribs as she passed up ahead of me, her steps quick and bouncy. It amazed me that she was so light on her feet, given the large pack she carried on her back. It looked like she was carrying half of the camping supplies all by herself without even so much as breaking a sweat.

As if guessing my thoughts, she began to whistle a cheery tune as she zoomed to the front of the group. A drinking song, really, but the others didn’t know that. They seemed to find her good humor infectious and, all across the staggered column, conversation and laughter sprang forth.

Despite feeling just a little touchy … because reasons, a smile bloomed on my lips as well. Yeah, Suika had it right. It was a lovely day and, even though we had started out at the crack of dawn, I wasn’t feeling that tired. It was impossible to feel tired surrounded by nature like we were, with the deep green of the forest providing refreshing shade from the ever-intensifying sun. As we had stopped going uphill some time ago, the going wasn’t too bad. We’d arrive sooner rather than later.

I tugged at the straps of my own backpack and shifted the weigh a little more on my right side as I had been favoring the left for the last half hour. As I wiped off a little bit of sweat that had trickled down my brow, I briefly made eye contact with a very indifferent young lady. It was clear that she was super indifferent because she made a show of turning her head and pointing her nose up towards the sky. A preposterously out-of-place haughty gesture.

Marisa, who was walking besides the person who couldn’t care any less about me, caught the little exchange and offered a silent giggle, one that also seemed to say, “Oh, looks like there’s trouble in paradise.”

I proffered a grin as a reply, one that I hoped said, “That’s just the way things go.”

I let the distance between us increase a little as I fell back into the rest of the group. I watched as Suika enthusiastically led from the front, having fallen into a conversation with the now-scowling class rep. It seemed like Reimu was wasting her breath by telling the troublemaker to be on her best behavior. She must have seen the stupid expression I was making as she stuck out her tongue at me before getting back to the one-sided conversation with Suika.

The perceptive Marisa caught that one too. With doe-like eyes, she seemed to tell me that she was still on my side no matter what the others thought. Or maybe not. Tossing in an impish wink, she turned to her neighbor, very clearly meaning to talk about me and find out what was going on.

I fell back further, deciding to enjoy the soft breeze that blew up from ahead. The rest of my classmates seemed oblivious to the whole exchange. They were excited. And who could blame them? We were almost there, after all. A few days all by ourselves without having to worry about work and study at a secluded camp. Not only was the area around the lake beautiful but the night sky in the area was famous for being clear, seeing as we were sufficiently far from the city. Star-gazing and … if I recalled correctly, a meteor shower would likely happen in a few days. A pretty special occurrence. And opportunity.

I stopped walking and stood off to one side of the trail. I pretended to take my duties as a student representative (or would-be one) seriously, acting like I was doing a headcount and making sure that everyone was still with the group.

Kaenbyou narrowed her eyes as she passed, offering a silent (and rather self-satisfied) rebuke. She saw through my bullshit. She spoke to her friend, Okuu, quietly, conspiratorially, likely meaning to get my goat.

By contrast, when Kagerou passed, she looked uneasy and didn’t even seem to notice me. It was a little too warm for her to be wearing a sweater, I thought.

A group of boys followed Kochiya and Kawashiro, not really getting the hint that they were basically eavesdropping and being rude. Behind them were a few of the newer transfers, like Yamashiro, who looked to be in their element and were fully dressed in outdoors clothes that looked similar to combat fatigues.

Way behind everyone else were some of the newer “troublemakers” that had horned in on the shtick I had going on with Suika. That is to say, being lovable rascals. Or, according to certain prudes, being delinquents. While I could claim to be a free spirit that was just misunderstood, they leaned into their image a little too hard, having “lackeys” and making all sorts of nonsense declarations about territory.

“And another thing, Kenji,” one of the “bosses” snarled as she passed by, “I’m counting on you to be on your toes. No telling what sort of nonsense the others are going to try to pull at camp”

Cleverly, I avoided making eye contact with any of them. Audaciously, I turned my attention to the riotously short skirt Aya had chosen to wear that day; there was a good visual contrast between her slender, pale, and shapely legs and the dark pleated material. Wisely, I only stole sidelong glances, pretending to still be doing my duties and watching over the group while admiring Aya’s nimble movements and how she effortlessly went back and forth between groups. She prided herself on being clued-in on everything that went on and was almost always hard at work. I watched her as she happily snapped countless pictures of the group, surely intent on squeezing out as many stories about our trip for the school paper as she could later.

With another yawn, I decided to get a move on again. I was looking forward to making it to camp.

[] Return to the front and merrily help lead the way.
[] Catch up with Kochiya and the rest from the other classes.
[] Hang back with Aya and see if she has any juicy info to share.
[] Tenshi option

Before too long, the group came out of the woods and onto the crest of a gently rolling hill, one that sloped downwards towards a large lake. Sunlight reflected off the blue waters made the scene a little dazzling and many in the group stopped to admire the watery expanse before them—the farthest shore seemed to be in a little bit in a haze but it otherwise looked like a pristine natural environment with only a few wooden buildings off in the distance, nestled between the trees that otherwise covered the area. Already the head of the group was well on their way down the hill, following the path towards the water’s edge.

Aya had perched herself on a large exposed boulder that was wedged between the lip of the hill and the forest. She was taking panoramic shots with her camera, a faint smile on her lips as she adjusted the exposure.

“Beautiful, right?” she spoke without breaking away from her photography as I found my footing next to her.

“Sure. It’s nice to get out of town every now and again,” I said.

At that she laughed, bringing the camera down and replacing the cap on the lens. With her usual lack of shame, she corrected the record, “I meant my legs. Caught you staring earlier.”

“They’re good too,” I shrugged, knowing better than to deny it.

“Wore this skirt just for you, you know.”

“Liar.”

“Who can say?” she shrugged and placed her camera into a protective case that hung around her neck. With surprising swiftness, she hopped off of the vantage point and onto the path again in a single motion; neither skirt nor dark, medium-length hair seemed to flutter much. She watched as I climbed down rather less graciously; my backpack encumbered my movements and so I took my time to make sure that I didn’t trip and fall flat on my ass. Her voice was flat as expressed what to a stranger might sound like an afterthought, “I did want to get your attention at some point for whatever it’s worth.”

“… You want me to help you find something out from someone who knows better than to talk to you? Is that about right?”

Aya had asked me to work for her on other occasions, paying me to act as a set of eyes and ears as I was one of the few who pretty much came and went as I pleased. I was no stranger to cutting class and also prided myself in not being involved in any clubs. Sure, I had been press-ganged into service by an unscrupulous authority figure but that was a different matter entirely. I was a neutral party and had a knack for getting to the bottom of things, even if it was more because I was direct and stubborn rather than clever and ingratiating. Or was that the other way around? Either way, I gave as good as I got. And that got me by. Usually.

“Hm, I guess you would be cranky. Heard you got into a lover’s spat earlier.”

I laughed and placed my hand on her shoulder. The material of her blouse was rather light and felt smooth against my fingers. I leaned close to her and pressed my forehead to the side of her head. I had thought to make a nonsensical joke about her being jealous but, instead, I found it hard to hide my surprise, “Since when do you wear that sort of flowery perfume?”

“It’s all for your benefit,” she brushed me off, gently banging up against my forehead with the side of her head and taking my hand off of her shoulder. Before letting go of my hand she did smile—perhaps a little too sweetly. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, I respect your privacy.”

“Since when?”

“Always. Not my fault you don’t understand my pure intentions.” she said. Aya began to walk down the path slowly, biding me to come along with a playful look she tossed with a turn of her head over her shoulder.

We were far from the back of the group and were basically afforded a private stroll together. I couldn’t say that I minded it much as I did enjoy spending time with Aya—in her own (admittedly, abnormal) way, she was the most honest person that I knew. If she wanted something from me, she’d ask. And if I wanted something from her, I could also ask. Terms could then be negotiated.

“You know, that girl from the track and field club is wearing short shorts. Nice legs there as well,” I tried to get a rise out of her.

“Momiji certainly caters to unconventional sorts of tastes,” she retorted, sounding overall indifferent to the provocation. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted the athlete in question up ahead, talking to one of the people in survivalist-style clothes. Pausing for a moment, her sharp eyes swept over me, sizing me up. “So, you don’t want to tell me about your own problems?”

“And see you write up an article on it? No thanks>”

“Not sure how you’re going to get what you want otherwise.”

“And what is it that I want?”

“What everyone who comes to me wants. Information.”

“I could always go to Himekaidou for that.”

“That shut-in stayed at home,” she recited that fact with undisguised satisfaction.”Besides, I’ve always been better at sussing out the truth.”

“That confidence of yours is why I love you.”

“Now who’s the liar?” she giggled, a light ripple of color coming to her cheeks. “Then again, I guess I should expect as much coming from a politician.”

“Am I really a politician if I didn’t want the job and no one voted for me?”

“As a journalist, I just report the facts.”

“Well, assuming both things are true, then our casual relationship is pretty inappropriate.”

“On the contrary,” Aya beamed, grabbing me by the arm, “it’s one built on mutual respect!”

Well, whatever else the truth might be, we at least seemed to have a mutual understanding. She was quick and incisive and I appreciated that more than I would admit to her face. And I was sure that she liked me for other reasons that weren’t purely transactional. At times we may have gotten on each other’s nerves but those were, ultimately, short-lived affairs.

“So, want me to try to get you a bigger budget from the student council?” I guessed that that was the sort of thing she’d want in exchange for information.

“… It would make my life easier but no,” Aya shook her head. She clung onto my arm and spoke quietly. It was a slightly too hot out for her to be pressed against me but I didn’t mind the feeling at all. If anyone up ahead bothered to look back, the might have thought us a happy couple enjoying a little alone time. “I do want your help with something but I’m not sure what it is yet. When the time comes, I’ll ask. I have a feeling that there’s something more to this trip than meets the eye….”

It was my turn to laugh again. Aya looked up at me, perplexed. I didn’t address it, instead keeping the thought to myself. How could I admit to her that I thought it endearing that, at the end of the day, she really did think herself a serious journalist? She’d just think I was making fun of her and counter with a barb. But, well, I was content to be one of the few to know that she really did have an earnest side and that it was pretty cute.

I hoped that none of those thoughts showed on my face. I decided to ask her about something else, to deflect for the time being.

[] Was there anything besides journalistic instinct that made her suspect something more was going on?
[] She probably interviewed everyone when we set off, anything that would interest me?

The best I could do on the spot was a little predictable. I whispered, affecting a conspiratorial air, sure that she would be delighted at my flair for the dramatic, “Do you have anything besides a hunch? An anonymous source?”

“It’s just that things are a little too convenient,” Aya whispered back. Playing along, she stole a look to the left and then to the right and searched for non-existent eavesdroppers. She let go of me and hurried her pace, before stopping and once again turning to face me. “Just think about it, how did we manage to get the only lodgings around the lake so cheap and having to book months in advance? Didn’t you feel anything off when you were discussing this with Reimu?”

I, of course, knew why everything had fallen into place so easily. I could just give her the scoop that she wanted and she’d probably love me for it. Still, it wasn’t up to me. I repeated the same lie I had told early on, about how Suika had wanted to go out drinking somewhere different and we had decided to camp out, only to hear about a lodge that had been closed for renovations and wasn’t fully open for business. And someone overheard and suggested the cost be split … before we knew it, it became an informal school trip. Reimu had been annoyed at having to organize some of the logistics but the promise of good food had won her over quickly.

If she sensed that I was lying, Aya played it cool. As we had caught up to the group again, she resumed her previous work of observing the others and taking photographs every now and again. I didn’t mind her leaving me out in the cold, content to watch her slender figure move gracefully back and forth, blowing around the area like so many gusts of wind.

We reached the camp soon enough.

The mountain that dominated the area looked even more impressive from the shore opposite to its base. It was a large, but supposedly dormant, volcano that could be seen even from town. I knew that somewhere among those slopes, in the less craggy areas, there was a large shrine and a lake. I had gone there once years before, riding the cable car and seeing the larger lake that was in front of me off in the distance. Of course, getting there had been easier and hadn’t required a hike as paved roads snaked through valleys and foothills to reach the area.

A cool breeze came on in over the water and relieved some of the fatigue that I had felt from the trek. I began to look around and get my bearings around the camp.

There were a few small wooden cabins in a clearing by the shore that were fairly textbook in terms of accommodations. They were all centered around common areas that included bathrooms and a small lodge that sat right by the water. A small pier extended just beyond that into the lake, hosting a few small rowboats that had seen better days.

Already there were people out exploring every corner of the area, splitting off into groups and chatting excitedly among themselves. A few of my fellow classmates had taken off their shoes and were wading into the lake and laughing, drawn in by the allure of surely-refreshing water. It seemed like it was everything everyone expected and more.

From the distance, I recognized Marisa standing at the water’s edge. She was watching the others play around, wearing a large and floppy hat that was no doubt meant to keep the sun off her face and neck. Her long blonde hair spilled beneath the dark hat about halfway down her back, where it was tied into a small bunch by a delicate ribbon. I hadn’t noticed earlier but she had changed how she wore her hair yet again. As if guessing that she was being watched, she looked around, saw me, and gave a little wave, holding onto the brim of her hat with a hand so that the wind didn’t send it flying. Someone else, a girl with long dark pigtails came up to her and said something, causing Marisa to turn away and start up a conversation.

There was no sign of Suika nor of … well, no point in worrying about her when she wasn’t worried about me.

I caught sight of something unexpected as I walked towards the shore: tall, weather-worn walls and the hint of a large structure beyond perhaps a kilometer or two from our camp site where a small peninsula formed. I couldn’t tell what it was at a distance but it looked like some sort of old-style hotel or mansion but it looked abandoned or, at the very least, currently vacant. Old growth forest covered the approach along land, dark and dense.

An irritated yell came from the front of the lakeside lodge. Reimu was trying to get a few of the people who had volunteered to help set things up at the camp to help out. Predictably, they were quick to disappear from sight and preferred to play around as someone else did all of the hard work. Only one of the more helpful girls … the one wearing loud tourist-y-type shorts … had stuck around but even she was having a difficult time dealing with Reimu’s mounting frustration. Not that the frustration was unreasonable—she’d understandably rather be sitting around carefree dipping her toes in the water than having to do work. That work was foisted upon her was annoying.

If she saw me, I was sure that I’d get drafted for drudgery right away.

[] Join Marisa; the lake’s siren song is impossible to resist.
[] Join Reimu; a little self-immolation would appease the gods.

I set my bag down a few meters away from the water’s edge. I was in fairly good shape, I thought, but the cross-country hike had worn me down more than I cared to admit. At once I felt more limber and, obviously enough, unencumbered. I was enjoying the relief as I approached Marisa and was stretching my arm and shoulders when the girl with her clammed up. At that Marisa wrinkled her nose and adjusted her large hat again, guessing that I was nearby.

“Hiya,” she greeted with a smile, her usual chipper self. Her light-colored eyes turned up to look at me in the face, alight with a twinkle of irreverence. “I missed talking with you while we walked. There was something I wanted to tell you at breakfast but you were gone.”

“Um … maybe I should leave?” the girl with the dark pigtails ventured quietly, averting her eyes from either of us. She stood over a head above Marisa but, then again, nearly almost everyone did at least as much. I hadn’t met the pigtailed girl before and offered a fairly standard greeting. She seemed to be taken aback at being talked to directly and looked to Marisa in hopes of guidance.

“No need,” Marisa said with a laugh. The tight blonde braid that rand down the left side of her face to her chest jiggled—I was glad that it was still there—and she lubricated the interaction with typical aplomb, “this is the person I was telling you about. The one who helped me out in the past.”

“After you ran away from home…?” catching herself, the girl put a small hand to her mouth, thinking she committed a faux pas. Her dark eyes drooped towards to the rocky ground below.

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” I spoke up, trying to make things less awkward. Marisa didn’t really mind talking about all of that anymore but it wasn’t something that outsiders could easily understand. It was easier to be cheery and show everyone that things were alright at present. “But yeah, I helped her out. Or at least I think I did. She’s helped me back a million times over since.”

“His aunt also really an amazing person, I’ll tell you about her some other time,” Marisa chirped, broadcasting her feelings directly so that she wouldn’t be misunderstood. It wasn’t something that an outsider could understand casually—straightforward as she tended to be, Marisa also had a tenderness to her that was best understood by actions and not with words.

“Oh,” the girl said simply.

Moving things along in typical fashion, Marisa introduced the girl, “This is Narumi. She’s expressed interest in joining the magic club that I set up.”

“Ah, yes, pleased to meet you,” the girl gave a nervous bow, her conservative ankle-length dress fluttering thanks to the wind. Though I had been a little out of it lately, barely attending classes, I would have remembered a new transfer student. Her excessive bashfulness made me conclude that she was an underclassmate. I wondered how it was that she had managed to come along. It wasn’t like the trip had been advertised beyond out year.

“A pleasure,” I answered with a nod and slight smile. I was going for “nice but a little mysterious” for the first impression. I told her my name but ended on a familiar refrain, “Everyone calls me Arc. There’s no need for formality.”

“Arc has helped me get materials for my experiments. It’s not exactly easy to get laudanum these days, you know,” Marisa said cheerily. She was a resourceful person but she wouldn’t be so far along in her “magical studies” if I hadn’t also allowed her to do as she pleased at home, borrowing or asking of me all sorts of things. The less she knew how I got her things, the better, I had decided a long time ago. I just found it difficult to say no to her.

“So he’s pretty reliable…” Narumi stared at my face, as if trying to find something that had been carefully hidden away. Catching herself, she quickly added, “I mean, of course a friend of Marisa’s would be reliable. After all, she’s really helped me out of many a jam.”

“Tried the water yet?” I asked no one in particular. For the better part of the last few minutes, the gentle lapping of water upon the shore had been on the back of my mind. A few others had been busy splashing around all the while, not having bothered to change into swimsuits.

“It looks a little cold,” Narumi said.

“I was waiting for you to start playing around,” Marisa said, “either you or Alice.”

“… Well, I wasn’t planning to go swimming just yet. But I wanted to at least dip my toes.”

“Go ahead,” the blonde egged me on, “get in there.”

Taking the hint, I left the nervous underclassmate and Marisa to finish their own conversation. I took off my boots, socks, and rolled up my trousers to just below my knees. The small stones beneath my feet were smooth and cold, still moist from when waves had passed over them. I took a step and then another and was soon ankle-deep into the water. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the cool sensation.

I marched on until my shins were submerged. It was an undoubtedly refreshing sensation and, if I hadn’t been wearing clothes, I might have well continued until the mostly still waters were up to my chin. Things felt just right, like being welcomed back home by an old friend who had been eagerly anticipating my arrival all day. Whatever else might happen during the trip, I at least felt like it would have been worth it to be so relaxed, accepting the gentle homecoming.

I felt at peace.

[] Share the moment with Marisa.
[] Think of those who could use more whimsy in their lives.



A timer because I feel I'm being a little too inconsistent with calling things. Let me know if more time is needed.

I was alone for a little while, letting the outside world come to me in fits and starts; peals of laughter in the distance provided a warm tickle that contrasted with the coolness of the water; the sound of Marisa’s quick and carefree patter helped my fatigue wash away; the sunlight that bled through my closed eyelids made me aware of how my own energy would eventually want to burst forth. For several moments, I let those sensations come and go, enjoying the gulps of pristine air as I breathed calmly through it all.

After some time, I was aware of a pair of eyes resting upon my back, though I couldn’t tell what it was she was thinking. As forward and bold as she tended to usually be, she still clung strongly to her mysteries and whimsies. Magic was certainly a fitting interest for her. More than once I had thought that there was more to her club than a girlish fascination for esoteric truth. My own involvement, and how she cheerily egged me on, felt like it might be a ritual in of itself—an induction into the deep secrets of her enigmatic heart.

“Water’s fine,” I said without turning around, “come on in and join me.”

“I don’t want to take off my shoes just yet,” Marisa replied, “gonna have to make it to the camp right after.”

“I bet that if I turn around, I’ll find them already off. You’re just trying to surprise me.”

“Ha, am I that predictable?” she laughed. Though it had been several months since … well, it was difficult to even think about. The other reality was best forgotten. Hearing her untroubled, cheeky even, was far more preferable.

“Come on,” I said with more firmness, trying to banish those darker memories decisively. I turned, finding that she had indeed taken off her shoes and socks and already stood with her petite feet at the water’s edge. Her toes tapped playfully on the surface of the water, causing minute ripples on the otherwise calm surface. With my eyes on her, she began to splash the water rhythmically. As she did so with exaggerated effort, she leaned upon the balls of her feet, exposing the pale and unblemished flesh of her soles.

Seeing that she kept still, hesitating with playful coyness, I took a few steps towards her. That wasn’t enough to get her moving either. She looked at me dumbly, eyes wide open and a curl on her lips that produced an expression that could be best described as simpering. A smile threatened to bloom on my own lips as I was keenly aware of what was probably going on; I spotted the trap and nonetheless pressed recklessly onward. With sharpened eyes I extended my arms towards her and, thus so thoroughly ensnared by her maidenly act, degraded myself further by initiating contact; I grabbed her hand and firmly, but gently, tugged at her, inviting her in again with manly confidence. To that, she yielded, at once becoming pliable, and insufferably demure; the smile on her lip may have turned abashed but it also was pleasant and docile. There was no longer any chance of escape.

“Ah, it’s pretty cold!” she squeaked, coming closer to me with lighthearted glee. She held in her other hand her large hat, as if suddenly deciding that the wide-brimmed thing might obscure her vision of me and the lake—not an unreasonable thing to think, given that she was much shorter than I was. Her hat would otherwise hit my shoulder and keep her at a non-figurative arm’s length distance. Still gleefully squeaking, she added, “Aren’t you embarrassed to keep pulling me in like this?”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” I answered her insincere question, “There’ll be rumors about me again? There’s already all sort of gossip, always has been, about me. I don’t give a shit.”

“I know,” she said, letting herself be pulled as close as I pleased. Marisa stood next to me in a shallow part of the water, her hand firmly in mine. That it was a little sweaty, just the slightest bit sticky, wasn’t worth teasing her about. Even if it would be a deserved bit of retribution. I let us enjoy the quiet moment just as it was. A light breeze came on in over the water, causing the fabric of her dark skirt to flap gently onto my bared leg. Her voice deepened, her eyes drifting towards the horizon, “Still….”

“It’s a little too late for you to worry about me getting into trouble, don’t you think?”

“It’s different,” she said, “vice president is a big deal. Supposed to be of unimpeachable morals, right?”

I laughed bitterly. An image of a smiling fox came to mind. She forced me into the role, she pulled all the strings from the very beginning. No matter what I did she would make sure that I proved to be a good investment. Even the trip had been….

“Oh, are you making fun of me? It’s bad enough that you’ll be spending so much time with Reimu alone, with those all those council sessions, no need to rub it in—”

Marisa had misinterpreted, but it wasn’t her fault. It was difficult to explain my relationship with that woman. It had been her under her influence and direction that I had gotten involved with Marisa’s problems at the start of the year. I could feel a certain nervous energy emanating from Marisa, as she looked up expectantly—I don’t think it would be fair to call it frustration or irritation, or even jealousy … maybe more like anxiety born from lingering insecurity. Though, perhaps those weren’t really her feelings and it was just a reflection of my own.

[] Even if she couldn’t understand the situation, reassurance would help.
[] Marisa would likely best react to a little lighthearted teasing.

I let go of her hand. Marisa looked a little too serious, and I wasn’t sure what the best way to deal with her was. That I was doubting myself was annoying. That wasn’t my fault nor Marisa’s but, again, it was annoying. Playing things by ear was one of my strengths and, more often than not, I managed to land on my feet. I owed Marisa a lot more but also—

I was going around in circles.

Impulsively, I decided to do something to break the loop. I placed my hand on Marisa’s hatless head, finding that her long golden hair was fairly soft. It smelled freshly shampooed, of something vaguely sweet and fruity. Perhaps the hat had also been meant to keep her fresh, untouched by the drying heat of the sun. I leaned in, partly for effect, and whispered as I tousled lightly, “I appreciate spending time with you.”

“You’re treating me like a kid!” she squeaked more loudly than before, though not entirely with irritation. She gave me a weak push in return, and I made a big show of almost losing my balance. At that display of high buffonnery a smile bloomed on her lips again. The edges of her cheeks were tinged with red. Marisa gave her braid a flick as if to set it back into position and, thinking I wasn’t watching, gave it a quick sniff, seeming to check that her hair remained fragrant. She quickly put on her hat again and tried to act more annoyed than she really was, crossing her arms, shaking her head, and withdrawing back to the shore.

I gave her space but, first, offered a quick little bow. At that she shook her head and turned away completely, and put her socks and shoes back on in a flash. Had there been a wink before she turned? I wasn’t so sure. At any rate, Marisa lightly jogged towards a group that was milling about farther down the shoreline, perhaps looking for the prospective magic club recruit, in the direction of the cabins.

Having cooled off enough, I left the water, put on my footwear, and picked up my stuff. Slowly, without really trying to think too hard about things, I also began to walk towards the cabins. We were to be assigned to different ones according to lists of names we had submitted. I didn’t really care where I ended up so long as no one there snored. Or was a gossip, for that matter. Didn’t need someone blabbing about my comings and goings.

“Took you long enough!” a certain energetic buddy of mine exclaimed, sidling up as I neared the cabins. Where Suika had been hiding was a mystery.

“Felt like getting my feet wet,” I said by way of greeting.

“You were probably playing around again,” Suika said as she poked my ribs. Somehow she managed the exact same spot as earlier and despite her playful tone, I had no doubt that the accuracy was deliberate. A little impressive too, I had to admit. I rubbed the sore spot as she continued happily, pretending not to notice the effect, “It doesn’t really matter. More importantly, I think I found us a pretty good spot.”

“Oh, you were serious about that?”

“I’m always serious!” she furrowed her brow for a moment and poked me in the same spot again. The quick jab somehow managed to bypass my protective hand. I winced but said nothing. “Come on, follow me, you’ll really like the spot.”

Under the threat of more … playful-for-our-usually-more-violent-standards … ribbing, I complied. The cabins would have to wait. Suika led me into the ring of trees that surrounded the immediate area. While it was cooler in the shade, it was also damper, and the smell of earth and plants made me think of mushrooms and of slimy things. Whatever freshness I’d gotten from the brief soak in the lake evaporated fairly quickly. There was no path that I could see but Suika seemed to know the way, confidently maneuvering between trees towards our eventual destination.

“You’re serious about sleeping out here?” I asked as I nearly stumbled over a large root. The sounds of people at the campsite were no longer audible. The stillness of the forest seemed to capture my words, dampening them to just above a whisper.

“It’s a camping trip, so obviously!” she exclaimed, her volume unaffected by the dense mass of trees and plants. “We’re almost there, come on!”

Truthfully, I wasn’t surprised that she had actually gone through with her idea. It was all she had talked about for the past few days, and the oversized pack she had hauled had been filled with the brim with camping supplies and contraband. Wanting to be outside the control of others and living as free as possible … I definitely got that, and that was something that drew us together as friends. Going up to the roof during classes, going out to drink during the week, ditching everything to play around town during the day … those were things that we did regularly. A cabin, a bunk bed that had to be shared with who knows how many others? That wasn’t her style—scratch that—our style. Where others saw delinquency we saw freedom.

“Thinking about that neighbor of yours again?” Suika noted the smile that had crept onto my face as we reached a small clearing.

More ribbing, although thankfully not literal. I denied it, “No, wasn’t thinking about her at all.”

She rolled her eyes as if to say, “Sure you weren’t.”

“This the spot then?” I changed the subject.

“Yeah, pretty sweet, don’t you think?”

It was pretty good. It was a small clearing that featured a large eruption of rock from the hillside that provided a small roof for a space underneath. Already there was a small tent and a half-finished stone circle that would probably serve as a campfire. It had a view of the lake down below and, somewhat surprisingly, to the campsite itself. We were closer than I would have guessed, under a kilometer, but it seemed like a world unto itself—I could just barely recognize a few individuals by the cabins but they would become invisible as the sun set. It was unlikely that they could see us, given how trees otherwise enveloped us.

“You have a knack for finding good spots, I’ll admit.”

Suika enjoyed the praise, putting her hands on her hips as a rather toothy grin broke through her mouth. “Got a bit of booze stashed here too, so you know the drill.”

“Just missing the girly mags. Otherwise, it’s a dream hideout.”

“Who knows, that kind of thing has a tendency of being stashed in the woods. Might want to look under stumps or in the small caves nearby, if you’ve got the heart of a fool that is. Might run into unfriendly wildlife or even monsters who’ll club you and eat your bones.”

“Even a large ogress wouldn’t be a problem for you, right?” I joked. “You’re a real badass and no one’s stronger than you are.”

“Damn right!” she laughed. It came from deep within and sounded coarse and guttural. The self-aggrandizing noise seemed to carry far into the woods, maybe even as far as the lakeside. Perhaps the others would think that it was a wild boar or something like it that was running around in the woods. Already she had produced a can of something—beer?—in her hand and was about to pop the tab open.

It almost made me feel like ditching my responsibilities for a little while.

[] Join Suika for a few drinks and some of the usual merrymaking
[] It would have to wait for another time, there were people waiting at the cabins

---

It was difficult to choose the winner here. Tried my best.

Suika was just about to hand me a can when I stopped her.

“Guess I’m not surprised,” she said, shaking her head.

“Later, we’ll have plenty of time. I know of the spot and it’s great.”

“Yeah, yeah, go back to your prissy doll maniacs and tarted-up rich girls,” she prodded, her words acerbic. “Old Suika, your best buddy and patient sufferer of your selfishness will just amuse herself as she usually does.”

“Jackass,” I countered.

“Asshole,” she piled on, but with none of the venom of real anger. She was happy with the spot and probably had expected me to flake right away. While a slightly sad indictment of me, not really unreasonable since she had spirited me away when she knew I had a lot to do.

“… Thanks.”

“Another one you owe me,” she snorted and then spat, before opening up the can in her hand. She had chugged it right away and was in the process of opening up another when I disappeared into the woods, making my way to the lakeside again.

Things were lively back at the main camp. Most of the business of the cabins seemed to have been sorted out and the masses of classmates clustered mainly around the lodge that was by the lake. Impromptu games of this and that—nets being set up and balls procured—raged as the others watched from the shade, sitting on furniture they dragged out from the cabins, on rocks, or even a couple of upturned milk crates. Others talked and joked around, a few clustering around the musically inclined sorts who were casually playing the occasional note while chatting. Beyond them, a number of others had changed into swimwear and were splashing around in the water.

There was supposed to be some sort of program complete with activities for my peers, but I couldn’t see anyone even making an attempt to impose some semblance of order; Reimu was nowhere to be seen—nor the counselor, the doctor, or the others. That, unfortunately, made me the only person even vaguely resembling an authority figure. An incredibly disturbing thought.

Kochiya stood off to one side, with a group that was watching a very haphazard volleyball match that had sprung up at the shoreline. She noticed me just standing there and met my eyes, smiling politely with recognition. Perhaps with a feeling of assurance that I was playing the role of responsible leader, making sure that everyone had settled in properly. That I likely looked overly seriously at that moment, standing and looking around, only further added to my discomfort. I dreaded to imagine how much worse genuine admiration would be coming from my peers. Though I wasn’t sure how, a good portion of me wanted to set the record straight with her.

Whenever I spoke to Kochiya, it was pleasant enough, but it did earn the resentment from her self-proclaimed fanclub—a bunch of weirdos that liked to egg her on to be more competitive, and had run a write-in campaign to have her elected school council president. Whether or not Kochiya had wanted the job herself didn’t really seem to matter much; she hadn’t really been a political rival to Reimu before but still went out of her way to campaign, not wanting to disappoint those who had named her as a candidate. While it would be a stretch to say that there was bad blood between Reimu and her, there was a strange tension there that I couldn't really explain either. Whenever either girl’s name was brought up in my presence, I had gotten a look from both as if I had to produce some sort of opinion about the other.

I noticed another familiar face on the other side of the lodge, in the shade, by where the terrain sloped gently until it met the water. Those pair of eyes were far more mischievous: they looked upon me as an curiosity, as something that was a bother but one that could be handled deftly. She was with her closest friends, the class rep from II-A and gymnast I had tried helping some time ago. Though we had spoken at times, I was never quite sure she was hiding rancor behind her occasional half-smiles.

She tugged at one of the long braids at either side of the head whenever she paused during conversation with her friends and, right after, her eyes would narrow ever-so-slightly and direct themselves towards me. I wasn’t sure what she meant by that. Perhaps the loud laughs that carried over the distance were meant to tease me somehow. Perhaps they were an invitation, a call for me to come over so that she could continue to avenge her friend with a few playful and cutting remarks.

Whatever else could be said about those two, they were at least not overtly hostile like the group of samey-looking lackeys centered around those “bosses” that had taken up between the cabins. Very quickly they had taken those semi-sheltered spaces and turned them into mysterious, smoky alleys with stacks of supply boxes forming walls and limiting access. Three groups in all, they each took up their own space and looked at one another with great suspicion; at me they looked with clear disdain, probably thinking me a nark at best but, more likely, some sort of threat. I wasn’t about to approach them out of the blue as that would be a pointless fight. If Suika had decided to stick around the cabins with me, a brawl would have been inevitable.

[] Talk with Kochiya and liberate her from her fans for a while
[] Engage with Kaenbyou and endure the barbs if need be

It didn’t seem like Kochiya was paying much attention to the conversation that was happening around her. From time to time, she would nod her head or say something innocuous like “Ah, yes,” when asked if she agreed with something directly. Perhaps the subject bored her. Her eyes, limpid but downturned, away from the many faces that beggared her attention instead idly fell into empty space; nominally her eyes were trained at the game and classmates in before her but in practice they drifted with aimless inertia, focusing on nothing in particular, and in their gradual voyage had momentarily come upon me.

Observing as I walked casually towards the group another thought arose: no one was really made an effort to talk with her and instead wanted to talk at her or talk and have her notice their cleverness. I knew what showing off looked like—I was fairly good at that myself!—and it appeared to me that it was indeed a case of one-upmanship among the boys. Preening, joking-but-not-joking about the faults of their friends, it was a transparent attempt to draw attention to themselves. That there were other girls present, joking around and laughing seemed also to be less about Kochiya and more of an attraction to popularity in general.

I felt a little frustrated on her behalf and resented the people around her. That must have been written on my face as I approached; the conversation quieted a down some when I was spotted and inquisitive, suspicious looks with a vituperative edge, were directed at me; as I had spent years being the target of shitty comments and rumors I had developed a thick skin and shrugged off the negative attention. I gave a little nod whenever I made eye contact, as any respectable student council member might do, and relished the muted resentment—though I had no power and much less any inclination towards abusing it, that they thought that crossing me recklessly would have consequences was pleasing.

“Miss Kochiya,” I said a little stiffly, hypocritically leaning into the optics of things. She grounded herself quickly, meeting my appearance with a polite-but-ambiguous smile, the sort that was much-discussed among the type of boys who saw their own favor increasing in her every innocent action. “Might I have a moment to discuss something with you? That is, if you’re not too busy.”

“Oh, no, there’s no problem,” she replied, easily parting with the rest of the group. Seemingly she did not see the hostile looks directed at me. Or, if she did, she hid her own feelings well beneath a practiced mask.

We walked together, away from the group and away from the game, slowly following the shoreline away from the lodge. She held her own hands in front, her arms coming forward and pushing her chest from the sides just a little—something that could have just as easily been unthinking as it could have been deliberately coquettish. Kochiya stopped when I stopped and her eyes wandered no more, instead orbiting solely around me. A heavenly miracle, the other guys would have thought if it had happened to them.

“I’m sorry,” I said a little bashfully, recalling at how seriously she had taken some of my joking in the past, “there was no actual business to discuss. I just thought that you could use a break from that circus.”

“A vice president rescuing one of his constituents? That seems alright,” she said and, for a moment, I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not. An energetic pull at the corner of her mouth betrayed a more genuine, if not to say odd, sort of smile and clarified her intention.

“It didn’t look like you were having fun. Surrounded by people who aren’t really interested in your opinion on things.”

“I think they are interested,” she said, shaking her head. “They are interested … but maybe wouldn’t be happy with what I have to say?”

“Oh? It’s okay to tell people if they’re being annoying, you know,” I said, fully aware that she could easily turn that on me.

Kochiya crossed her arms over her chest, pressing down on the white cotton material as she gave the matter some some thought. I found it somewhat odd how she wore that coiled snake accessory wrapped around a strand of hair on one side and had a frog-face hair clip higher up; the multicolored string bracelets that she wore around her wrist I got—normal and popular enough among girls her age—but there was something vaguely unfashionable about her hair. That she had not really changed her look despite probably backhanded compliments hinted at a certain stubbornness or ingenuity in her. Perhaps both.

She extruded a bit of air through her drawn lips. Was she deflating or hissing?

“I don’t know how to explain it properly,” she said, keeping her eyes intensely focused on me. Their focused energy might have made someone else shirk, maybe even blush. It felt more innocent than a deliberate affectation but I only thought as much because of our previous, brief, encounters. I couldn’t claim to know her well enough to be certain either way.

“Try your best,” I said, feeling that it would have been a mistake to tease her for her radiating earnestness.

“I, well … don’t you think people find you strange for being confident?”

“They seem to either like it or resent it, but I don’t think they think it’s strange,” I replied.

“Well, with me they do. I say what I’m thinking, what I mean, and get weird looks. It’s always been the same. Like, if there’s a mirage, like there was on the lake when we were arriving, I talked about the refraction because of the atmospheric conditions that made the image and no one really had anything to say about it. In fact, it seemed like they were bothered by my saying that, like it was unnecessary and should just be quiet. But then they all spend so much time around me and keep claiming to want to know me better. And then I end up pushing them away…? It’s been like that since I was little and so I keep quiet and just say small silly things and—“ Kochiya paused after going through a lot of explanation in a single breath. She shook her head and sighed, “Sorry, I’m being weird right now. Like I said, no one really wants to hear what I have to say. It’s rude to impose like that.”

[] If they don’t get it, it doesn’t matter, it’s more important that she engages with topics that interest her.
[] They’re not worth the effort in the first place. They just care about her looks and not her personality.

---

The wording of the choice isn't the best, I realize, and there's some overlap too. But if it helps clarify things it's more about how to tell her to not get hung up on the way others act and pigeonhole her.

“I can’t say that I get it,” I said, trying not to make Kochiya feel any more awkward. Though she kept her bright green eyes on me, it seemed like it was more out of inertia than conscious desire. She did not understand that her naked honesty made her wield an enormous power; it was what attracted the others to her, even if they would struggle to put it in so many words. That subtle thing, that genuine display, called forth a deep resonance that affected those around her. I found myself shaking ever so slightly, trying not to fall into a state of incoherence. So I chose my words carefully, adding, “I might not get it, but it doesn’t matter if I don’t. Same with everyone else. What’s important is that you feel it’s important. There’s nothing wrong with expressing yourself.”

Kochiya blinked, eyelashes fluttering with casual lack of concern. She seemed to think things over, her lips tightening once more but holding off on the release of air for the time being.

I felt like I had to explain myself further. It was difficult to apply a universal solution so casually, without making clear that the devil resided in the details. I said, picking my words carefully, “It’s their loss if they don’t appreciate what you have to say. What you think matters to you and that’s way more important.”

Her slender throat formed a firm curve from chin to chest as she leaned her head forward, as if comprehension would be easier if she were closer to my own face. Though spontaneous, it was a graceful gesture, a dancer’s gesture when making her leg and calf muscles taut moments before a pirouette. I was not sure whether she was trying to perform a choreographed act for my sake or her own.

“What happens after you show yourself … I can’t say for sure. But there’s no real reason to hold back,” I said, feeling like I was close to wincing. I was dumping a lot on someone I didn’t know that well, presuming to speak from a position of experience and authority when I had neither. At least not in her specific circumstances.

Kochiya laughed, as if reading my thoughts. A light timbre, carried for a short distance by the wind before disappearing into the background. “There’s a really serious look in your face, you know,” she said by way of explanation, “I’m not sure if I’m getting scolded or not.”

“Ah, not it’s nothing like that,” I felt the blood go to my head, though luckily not to my cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”

“It’s fine if you’re honest with me, I’m just not good at worrying about really complex stuff. I like to just be direct.”

“Being direct, like with Miss Reimu?” she said, right out of the blue. Or, rather, out of that clear green that pressed into my own eyes in a dazzling fashion.

She got my tongue. I wasn’t sure if she was teasing or being genuine … though I suspected that it was more of the latter—how could it not be? If she was being devious then it was a strange moment to start acting that way. Faint embarrassment seemed to gather on the wrinkle just above her well-sculpted nose, manifesting a tension that was otherwise hidden by her bold words.

“Perhaps if she were more direct….”

“They say if that if the gods are too generous with their gifts, they grow jealous. They come to eventually abduct those who are too blessed, giving them the ultimate gift of death.”

I stared blankly at her, wondering what it was that she meant by that. A serious smile, nearly-mocking with its sobriety, bloomed on her face, re-contextualizing the unflinching stare that she continued to drive into me. Another attempt at humor? Was she being true to herself in a way I didn’t get?

“I-I forgot that you were a shrine maiden,” I said at last, the words coming out like a congealed dribble. It wasn’t like that fact explained her oddness, not at all. The obvious contrast of Reimu … well, her strangeness was unquestionable, but it was in a different sort of way. It was in a way I could relate to, could even come to tease her over. Never the strange, disconnected intensity that I felt at the moment.

“Do you think that’s something that the others would understand? Is that a good way of being true to myself?” she asked, her smile static, querying and becoming as opprobrious and penetrating as her stare.

“It doesn’t matter,” I affirmed. “So long as you’re satisfied….”

“What if I won’t be satisfied until you understand?” she asked, her lips parting with an almost bubbly moistness as she said said the word “you.”

“I’ll give it my best, but it doesn’t have to be me, you know.”

She took a small breath and blinked, before speaking at length, “Doesn’t it? You’re one of the few people to ask me about me, so aren’t you my best shot? Sure, I could ask Nitori and a few others but, somehow, it doesn’t feel like it’s the same thing. I just know that if you’re right there’s no real point in talking to most of my classmates—they won’t get it anyhow. I could talk about Lord Tadanao or how data is transferred through phones and it’d be the same blank stares. Your stare, at least, isn’t that. I like it; it’s different; can’t tell you why, though.”

“I don’t mind, but….”

“It’s still a lot, I know,” she nodded. “I’m sorry, I just can’t help but think about how carefree everyone else is about this sort of thing. Like, it shouldn't be a struggle, you know. I’m a little bit jealous of Miss Reimu, I suppose.”

I thought of the class rep’s—student council president’s, after her promotion—typical look of annoyance. Sucking on a thousand lemons wouldn’t get you close to her scowling acidity. “Why would you be jealous of her?” I asked.

“She’s more direct and honest and doesn’t seem to worry about the consequences,” Kochiya said. “If she felt like talking to you about anything, she’d just go out and say it.”

[] She was wrong. Reimu was far more self-conscious than people realized.
[] It was true that the class rep was reckless about expressing herself and getting her way when needed.