17:06:01 [Haruka] "Ooi ooi."Thunk. The knob of his knuckle drops onto the center of Kazuhiko's head, grinding until he can hear a hiss of pain slither out from between the computer nerd's teeth. He steps to the side and drops his eyes onto the laptop, or moreover towards the open lunchbox. "Bento. Really? You'll give me that for my microwavable soba." A plastic-wrapped package is tossed haphazardly at Kazuhiko. It wasn't an offer. It was an order.

17:08:26 Kazuhiko rubs he head where the knuckles had grinded themselves into their usually bruised area. "I--ttai . . ." he glances shyly up at Haruka, "Tenjou-san. . . " he blinks at the uncooked TV dinner byproduct. "Demo . . . " he holds onto the delicious bento his sister had made for him that morning.

17:09:11 Umi slowly walks into view, looking around.

17:10:54 Haruka isn't phazed by the half-plea. "Why are you holding onto it like that?" He stands with his books carried in one hand against a leg. "You have my soba. Now finish the trade, Magami-kun." Shifting his leg, the bottom of a loafer threatens to break out for Kazuhiko's laptop. "Or .. "

17:12:06 Umi walks up behind Haruka, taking in the scene.

17:13:23 Kazuhiko's eyes widen at the obvious threat and he quickly holds his laptop at a distance from Haruka's foot. "Tenjou-san . . . my sister made me this this morning. It's . . ." he looks away, his face reddening. "Please take your soba back."

17:18:18 Haruka lowers his foot to the grass. Tch. He bends down as if to retrieve the soba but scoops up the unprotected bento instead. "Shut up." He looks down at Kazuhiko for a silent moment. "That really pisses me off." Shoving a foot forward he connects with the underclassman's shoulder, pushing him most likely to the ground. He hopes he drops that stupid laptop.

17:21:05 Kazuhiko barely has time to react to the theft as he is bowled over by the larger upperclassman. He manages to hold onto his laptop as he lands on his elbow to supports himself. He winceds as his elbow lands squarely on a rather pointed rock on the ground. He pushes himself back up slowly, and tucks the laptop safely away into his bookbag, then tends to his elbow.

17:22:36 [Umi] Ano . . .

17:23:54 Haruka now holds his short stack of books in one hand and the square lunchbox of bento in the grip of the other. He turns to look at the girl. His eyes instinctively dart to the class emblem sewn to the front pocket of her school uniform. "2-C." His mouth hints at a smirk. "Hey girl, just go away. I'm having lunch here." He takes a whiff of the bento.

17:25:30 Umi backs away from him.

17:26:38 Kazuhiko stands up, still holding the cut on his left elbow, "Ne, Tenjou-san, bully me all you want, at least don't be so mean to the girl." His face is red, but the redness is clearly from fear and humiliation rather than from anger. "And give me back my bento!"

17:27:40 Umi pulls out her cellphone and sits down at a distance, keeping to herself.

17:29:34 Haruka begins a long sprawling grin as the girl backs away from him, seemingly intimidated. He looks over his shoulder, leading into a turn in order to face Kazuhiko now. "Whaaaa is this?" His shoulders heighten in a half shrug. "You ask me for my soba and once I give it to you you want both of them now? That's--" His easy demeanor falls apart as his eyes flash at Kazuhiko menacingly. "That's very selfish of you, Magami-kun."

17:31:11 Kazuhiko blanches, "I . . . sore wa . . ." he steps back. "I . . . didn't ask for your soba," his voice falters at the last sentence and he glances down again.

17:32:12 Umi whispers, "That boy needs manners."

17:34:23 [Haruka] "Listen to this shit." He takes a step toward Kazuhiko, something that normally threatens violence. But he stops, glancing at Umi for no particular reason, and definately not in consideration. He shows the underclassmen his back, walking away. "It's very good, Magami-kun! Someone knows how to cook." He murmurs through a mouthful of bento. Kazuhiko left the chopsticks in the box, you see. >D

17:35:26 Umi looks at Kazuhiko and walks to him, "Are you okay?"

17:38:24 Kazuhiko picks up his bag and trots after Haruka, "Naze . . . boku ka?" He looks back at Umi, "Daijoubu da . . . I'm fine. Thanks anyway."

17:39:04 Umi nods and walks off in the direction of the library.

17:43:44 Haruka pops a seaweed-rolled riceball into his mouth and chews. Mmm, oishii. It's impossible to have time to cook when living on your own. The brass-framed wooden doors wedged open for lunch period are still yawning widely when Haruka stalks up. Naze. . . boku ka? He narrows an icy blue eye over his shoulder, the intensity lessened by the blue-tinted sunglasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. He swallows. "You probably don't realize how conceited you sound right now." Another piece of sushi enters his mouth.

17:46:45 Kazuhiko stops in his tracks. "Con . . . ceited? Nani?" he clenches his fists and stares at the ground. How can Haruka always turn things around that way?

17:51:11 Haruka is prepared to leave the underclassman behind, but he stops at the hall's intersection. There was a black-iron wastebasket. The bento is tossed in. "Yeah," His hands slide into his pockets, loafer heel pivoting himself more toward Kazuhiko loitering by the door. "Don't think you're the only one .. I have my eye on." He's forced to stop as the bell ending lunch tears through the peace of the halls and the gentle murmur of conversation of passersby.

17:54:12 Kazuhiko stares at Haruka, the color returning to his cheeks. "Have your eye on . . . .?" he frowns as most of his precious lunch is tossed away before Haruka disappears in the crowd. He prepares to head to his class where he'll have time to think, until he remembers that his next class is English . English with Haruka. He trudges on, head down.

18:02:58 Haruka makes a pit stop at the restroom, sticking his brunette head in. "Ooi ooi." He grins at the silhouettes hidden in a haze of smoke. He knocks his knuckles on the tiled wall. "Anyone seen Magami-kun's mighty warrior around this time?" The group coughs a unison no and try coaxing Haruka to pick up a cigarette himself. He shakes the bangs hanging in front of his eyes. "Nah. I wouldn't want a tardy slip." They all enjoy a laugh before Haruka returns to the halls. The second bell tolls before he slides through the classroom door. Hm. He brushes his bangs back, meeting eyes with Kazuhiko a moment. Maybe the boy was getting his hopes up that Haruka was skippin' today. No such luck. "Gomen, sensei." He grins, jumping into a seat.

18:05:42 Kazuhiko has always loved English. He enjoyed the opportunity to explore a different, foreign language. Except this year. This year, Haruka was his classmate, and his best friend was not. He watched Haruka nervously, hoping that he decided not to sit next to him. He reddens as Haruka glances at him and hurriedly pulls out his textbook.

18:11:49 Haruka slouches back in the chair at an impossibly uncomfortable angle. "Heeey, Himeko-san is wearing an exceptionally short skirt today. How did she get pass the front doors like that?" He snickers lewdly to the classmate at his left, who nods earnestly in agreement. "Today," their blond sensei strikes the board with a pointer. The diagram of the human mouth was chalked on the board. "It's Mr. Itani's turn to read aloud. We're working on our L's and R's for now." Haruka's gaze, once directed ahead at the said student Himeko's seat, drifts absent-minded away .. coming across Kazuhiko for a second. He couldn't cause much trouble from over here. Wait. Idea!

18:16:19 Kazuhiko sighs for the sensei's sake. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she didn't hear his lewd comment about the fellow classmate. He attempts to ignore Haruke's omnipresent watch over him. He perks up, however, when he hears that they're going to work on pronunciation. He'd never had trouble learning the proper functions of English syllables, but he enjoyed testing his abilities all the same. Sensei spoke very good English, and she had even brought an American friend of hers to class once. Learning from the source was, naturally, the most efficient process of learning. However, he didn't even want to wonder what Haruka could be plotting for today. He opened his book to the diagrams of the mouth.

18:23:47 Haruka snaps his fingers. Oh, I got it. He tries not to give away what's coming as he muffles his low laughter. "Aa, sumimasen!" Haruka's arm shoots up above the heads of the class. "Yes, Mr. Tenjou." The sensei calls on him in very pronunciated English. "Ahem," he begins with a coy clearing of the mouth. "Excuse me," He tries to speak carefully. In English, of course. "I have not have a book today's. May I please have also with .. " The sweatdrops form .. Er .. eh .. He ends up pointing at his subject. "Mr. Magami. Please. Ah, Please?" The sensei considers correcting his mixed verbs and form of noun, but knows getting anything at all from Tenjou Haruka was a miracle. "Yes you may, Mr. Tenjou." Score! He grins mightily at the underclassman as he gathers his papers.

18:28:11 Kazuhiko's face pales considerably. No! No! Why?? He watches Haruka with an intense distrust and hopes the teacher is especially alert today. Prays. "Is that alright with you, Mr. Magami?" the sensei smiles in that I-don't-care-if-you-want-to-or-not-help-a-fellow-student kind of way. "H-hai . . . I mean, yes, teacher." He stares back down intently at his book, as though focused on the familiar lines and nothing else. He cringes slightly when he feels Haruka seat himself next to him and scoot their desks together.

18:34:07 Haruka plops into that vacant spot beside Kazuhiko. Eh eh eh. He scoots their desks align. "Please follow along in your textbooks, unless you forgot them." When Haruka waves his acknowledgement in her direction, the sensei returns her sharpened gaze back to the board and begins to write. "A .. B .. " Haruka drops his paper onto the table, letting what was mostly borrowed notes ooze into Kazuhiko's way. "Really, that bento was good." He sighs, leaning back. "You're a pal for trading with me, even if you are an underclassman." His hand falls onto the back of the boy's chair. The genius feels a tug on it, perhaps .. no, a certainty (in Haruka's mind) .. of what was about to come.

18:37:56 Kazuhiko swallows and keeps his eyes on his book. "Ha-hai . . . " he mumbles. He pretends to go along with the teacher, flipping pages as she goes through, repeating sounds after she states them to the class. "A . . . .B . . . C . . ."This is going to be a long, long class. He leans forwards in his chair and puts his hands on his desk. "S-so, Tenjou-san. . . did you practice your pronunciation last night?" he stutters slightly as he whispers, trying meagerly to distract Haruka's attention from whatever he may be intent on doing.

18:42:15 Haruka moves the legs of his victim's chair a quarter-inch from the table. It protested with a small squeak of its feet against the floor. "Aa, beh, shee, dah .. no, deeee .. " He mumbles to himself, eyeing the back of Kazuhiko's chair. "I don't study English. That's a waste of time." He does seem distracted, however, leaning forward in his seat to yoink a pencil from Kazuhiko's box. He begins writing something on a peice of half-used paper. Not notes, obviously.

18:46:21 Kazuhiko blinks, "I . . . I don't think so at all!" he whispers. "Learning another language puts depth into our understanding ofthe world!" he swallows again, letting Haruka take the pencil and pretending to not notice his seat being pulled back. "If you cared at all about anything, you'd understand and not be such a waste to the school's income." he mutters the last bit at an almost inaudible whisper.

18:51:06 [Haruka] "Mr. Magami!" Their suspiciously-attractive sensei calls from the front of the room. "Voices low, if you must share something with your partner. Now," She returns to the board, which is only a few letters short to a complete alphabet. Haruka throws down the pencil and messily folds up the paper. He slides it over the desk at Kazuhiko, whose mutterance looks to have been unheard, or mercifully ignored. "You'll give this to your friend for me." He whispers, the hand on the back of the boy's chair nailing his spine with a slowly grinding knuckle. "And you better not look at it, or else."It was a little off-topic. No, way off. Haruka pushes the blue-tinted sunglass back up his nose and leans back in the chair as if settling into a nap.

18:54:51 Kazuhiko arches his back in pain at Haruka's cruel gesture. He obediently and quickly takes the paper and stuffs it into his pocket. He sighs to himself with relief when Haruka sits back in his chair. If he falls asleep, maybe the torment will end until class gets out. I'm easily a faster runner than he is, he thinks to himself. Not that Haruka had ever chased him before, but he felt good about his running, always having been in the top five for track growing up through school.

19:00:50 Serenity_Lowe walks in with some books. She had always hated being a new kid but this drop out had decided to drop back in. Her copper hair rested upon her shoulders and her eyes wandered around the room. She sat down over in the back not wanting to intrude on anyone's personal space. She just sits there, teal eyes looking from person to person...

19:01:04 Haruka did seem to drift in and out, up until the bell rang. He snorted awake as if someone were trying to hold a pillow over his face. He wouldn't put it past anyone. Wha? He looks at the students filing out into the hall. "Magami-kun." He grits his teeth at the hastily-abandoned chair beside him. Standing he shuffles his papers together, slips them under the flap of a book, and heads out in suit. Yawn. He dabbles his hand over his mouth. "Man, that made me S L double E P Y." The narrow halls were crowded, the intersections congested beyond belief. Right. School was out, and after school clubs would be meeting soon.

19:03:58 Kazuhiko hurried out of the classroom the moment the bell rang. Outside of the school, he heads towards a faucet, feeling safe enough to stop for a moment to get a drink and splash water over his face. He sighs. "Gomen ne, sister, your poor lunch was ruined . . . " He casually checks his watch, "Guess I better head over to track." He makes his way to the gym to change into his PE uniform.

19:07:25 Serenity_Lowe figures that she would need to make more of a comittment to school now that she is comming back in. She grabs her books and walks into the hallway. She gets pushed around but finally makes it to an empty corner and sees a door as she turns around. Grinnig, she opens it and realizes it must be the band room. Realizing that there is no electric guitar, that just kills it. She walks over onto the track after making her way outside. She takes her camera out and starts to take pictures. Of everything really. Mostly just runners...

19:07:50 Haruka tramples the stairs with the rest of 'em, strolling with the flow toward the main entrance to the school. There, as with custom, small cubbies line the walls. This is where, daily, sneakers are exchanged for loafers, and Haruka deposits his there. He kneels to tie his rather expensive name-brand footwear, listening to the roar around him. "Maybe their baseball team won't suck." He says, the optimism missing from his voice. Stuffing his school work into a brown leather bookbag he exits to the outdoors, beginning a round outside the school, and down to the field ..

19:12:45 Kazuhiko stands out on the field with the other members of the track team. Currently the teammates are being led by the coach in stretches. Kazuhiko sits on the ground with his right leg stretched forward, his hands touching the toe of his shoe. He can't wait until they get on the track on start timing. Running is always such a great way to forget about things. Kazuhiko glances over and notices the girl taking pictures. I wonder who she is? he thinks briefly before focusing on the next stretch.

19:15:44 Serenity_Lowe watches them some, focusing in and taking another snapshot of all of them. She then pulls her camera away from her face and looks over at Kazuhiko. She focuses in even more just on him, and takes a picture. She sets her camera down and leans against a tree waiting for them to finish so she can take some more pictures.

19:17:33 Haruka didn't really feel like seeing Kazuhiko anymore. Actually .. recalling what part of the last class period he was conscious for, he started feeling a little bit apprehensive. Why? Well some simple deductions'll help you figure it out. The grass scrunches under his shoes as he walks down a slope, the bookbag being carried over one shoulder now thumping rythmically against it. He knew something about Kazuhiko being a runner or something, but like what was said before, he wasn't here for him. Haruka thought that just maybe a friend or two would be around to watch him. One in particular .. He notices Serenity and snorts. "New girls are always so stupid." He mutters behind her.

19:21:11 Serenity_Lowe turns around to see Haruka. She looks down and then back up at him. She scuffs her shoe in the dirt and sighs "I don't think new girls are stupid... I think it's just me." She smiles some and turns back around and watches the track team.

19:21:57 Kazuhiko takes his place on the track next to five other teammates. "Ready . . . " his coach calls "Get set . . . " Kazuhiko poises himself for a push start run. "GO!" he practically leaps off the starting line, giving himself an early advantage over the other runners. He likes being ahead in the beginning--running next to so many others is distasteful. As he races around the track the cool wind blows across him, ruffling his hair and calming him as he focuses on the lane ahead.

19:24:31 Haruka was expecting the girl to lash out, not consent to the abuse. "Oh," his eyebrow fixes upward for a second while her back is turned. "I saw you come into English at the last minute." He explains. "Why are you taking pictures here?" He usually isn't so talkative, or at least as close to friendly as this indifference was. Maybe he's still caught off-guard.

19:25:18 Serenity_Lowe zooms out on her camera and watches them run. She notices that Kazuhiko is ahead of all the others. She takes a picture of him and the rest again. She then turns back around.

19:26:26 Haruka's eyes immediately dart to the class emblem which should be sewn to the left breast of her summer jacket, identifying her class. His read 3-C.

19:27:56 [Serenity_Lowe] "Well, yeah, I"m always...well WAS always late to class. I'm starting school back up." She then looks down. "Pictures? Oh...these...umm...I'm a photographer if you'd like to say..." she then looks back over at the track team...

19:30:17 Kazuhiko wins easily and slows to a stop, bending over with his hands on his knees, breathing deeply. He smiles with the other team members and stands by cooling down as a new group lines up to race. After standing and watching for a few moments he heads over to another water fountain to get a drink.

19:32:25 Serenity_Lowe takes another picture or so. One of Kazuhiko again and then another at the others. She smirks then turns back to Haruka...

19:33:50 Haruka read her emblem as 2-C. His distracted gaze returns to her eyes as she look at him. "What are you taking so many pictures of? Just the track?" He rolls one shoulder back before it cramps from holding the weighty bookbag.

19:35:41 Serenity_Lowe smirks and pulls the camera to her face, taking a few steps back to take a picture of Haruka. She smiles proudly and looks up at him, "Nope, not anymore!" she laughs a little.

19:35:47 Kazuhiko finally glances over at Haruka and the new girl. He looks around conspicuously. Standing here with all my team members, the fence to the track right there. Go for it! \o/ "Oi, Tenjou!"

19:37:54 [Haruka] "Nani?" He doesn't really understand her meaning. But then he doesn't need to when a familiar voice shouts his name. "Whaaat is this?" He smirks, moving to lean over the railing. "It's Ka-zu-hi-ko-chan after all." He lowers his head, forcing his sunglasses to slide down his nose. "Whaddis it?" He calls.

19:39:07 Kazuhiko swallows and takes a breath, "I . . I'm glad you enjoyed the bento! But next time I hope you choke, obaka-san!"

19:43:31 Haruka almost loses his glasses over the nine-foot drop to the ground the railing spared him from. How .. why .. "How dare he--!" His infuriated voice whines into the open air. "Underclassman!" He booms suddenly, like a war cry. He doesn't give Serenity a glance before gripping the cold metal rail and throwing himself over, clearing the drop with a short stumble. There was nothing more to say. With bloodlust in his eyes, he tears across the field for Kazuhiko.

19:45:32 Kazuhiko stumbles back, "Masaka--!" he watches Haruka momentarily before charging off--in the opposite direction.

19:47:19 Serenity_Lowe watches them fighting. She rolls her eyes and then starts to take pictures. She takes a picture of each of them and then both of them....

19:48:31 Haruka might not be some prized member of the track team like Magami Kazuhiko, but he was a part of his Osaka High's baseball team, and that required a good deal of sprinting. The grass became a blur under his pounding sneakers. "Magami!!" His outcry drew the eyes of whoever wasn't gawking or laughing at the scene yet. He closed distance, but .. he thought, I can beat him in a sprint, maybe, but if this goes on too much longer .. How ashamed he would be to let an underclassman get away with this!

19:50:35 Kazuhiko continues his run. Okay, this is easy he thinks. I can outrun him. He reaches a short fence bordering the opposite side of the field and attempts to vault over it. But, he was never that great of a hurdler . . . *TRIP* his right foot catches on the top of the fence and he crashes to the ground, "Ah!"

19:53:34 Haruka 's face breaks out into a grin, but his throat had become too dry and breath too ragged to enjoy this with a laugh. He doesn't slow, and he wasn't kidding like Kazuhiko was sure to use as his excuse. The runner that had been a blot across the field rapidly became a heap on the ground. "Take this!" His foot flew forward with his stride, and sank mercilessly into Kazuhiko's gut. "N-now," he pants, stumbling back. "Thank me .. for .. that."

19:52:27 Serenity_Lowe just stands there and watches them, ocasionally taking pictures. She then sees Kazuhiko trip. She stares at them and then runs as fast as she could over to him. She stands over him gasping for beath. "...you...okay?"

19:56:10 Kazuhiko 's eyes go wide at the impact and saliva falls from his mouth as the wind leaves his lungs. He crumples to his side, holding his stomach, looking up helplessly at Haruka. He looks like he attempts to say something, but no sound comes out.

19:56:31 Serenity_Lowe looks up at Haruka. She glares at him and slaps him on the shoulder, "Thats wrong...c'mon now...even I know that once a man is down...he's down...game over..."

19:59:38 Haruka wrenches his shoulder out from under her harmless slap. "Yeah," He seems to agree. "It's almost over." Leaning down his fingers enclose on the collar and short-sleeve of Kazuhiko's uniform, dragging the boy to get to his knees. "Say it." He glances hurriedly at the track team and their coat trotting toward them over the grass. He sticks his face close to his. "Thank me, or I'll do worse."

20:01:09 Kazuhiko's eyes unwillingly fill with tears. He gasps for breath, "A-arigatou . . . " his voice is weak and cracks slightly. His eyes are half-closed and once Haruka releases him he collapses again.

20:01:45 Serenity_Lowe gets in between both of them and pushes Haruka away from Kazuhiko "No...it's over NOW..." she turns to Kazuhiko "C'mon lets get outta here okay?"

20:02:33 Haruka does let go, relaxing his haunched shoulders and turning to meet the coach with eyes of confusion. "It looks like Magami-kun fell pretty hard." He shoots Serenity a threatening look: Don't say a word.

20:03:56 Serenity_Lowe looks over at the coach heading over "Uhhh...yeah... we were just helping him up...right?" she said turning over to Kazuhiko. She says under her breath "...man this school thing is gonna be tough..."

20:04:11 Haruka rolls his eyes as the coach looks between the three of 'em. "Yeah right." The coach says gruffly, taking Haruka's arm. "I may be older than you, but I haven't lost my eyesight yet. Let's go." He begins leading Haruka away, who glowers back at Kazuhiko and Serenity.

20:06:24 Serenity_Lowe sighs and looks over at Kazuhiko who is still on his knees. She watches Haruka being led off to wherever and turns back around. She then offers a hand to help him to his feet "You okay?"

20:06:33 Kazuhiko 's breathing begins to return to normal and he smiles weakly at the new girl. "I didn't think he'd jump nine feet down to the field, you know . . . ?" he stands shakily up. "Guess I'd better go get dressed." He heads back towards the locker rooms, staggering slightly. He hesitates and turns back around, "Ne, I didn't get your name. I'm Kazuhiko Magami." he smiles weakly again.

20:07:38 Serenity_Lowe nods "I"m Serenity Lowe. Hajimemashite..."

20:07:59 Haruka is led off, then. Reprimended by the proper authority figures and kept from the track the rest of the day. Doo-dee-dum. ^_^;