Join Me On My Artistic Journey

Hello My Little Marshmallow Peeps,

Welcome to the start of my Artistic Journey!

I'll be working off of Radiorunner's curriculum for the Solo Artist. Starting Monday, January 24, 2022.

I don't have time every single day to dedicate to this so I'll be studying Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I'll also be documenting my journey here for you to follow along.

I'll post my sessions and assignments, as well as talk a little bit about the lesson and link the resources I used for each lesson.

All suggested resources can be found in Radioruinners Curriculum, but I'll only post the ones I personally used per session.

If you want to join me in learning you can grab the curriculum here.

Let me know in the comments if you've done this specific lesson plan, if you plan to join me in learning, or if you've learned in school or on your own. I would love to hear about your experience!

See you next time!

- Hika

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Day 1

Chapter Two: That Kind of Girl

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Shiro sank in his chair, wanting to disappear. As luck would have it, Mr. Azuma was his homeroom teacher. He’d make this year difficult for sure. Shiro didn’t really believe in bad omens, but if he did, this certainly made the cut.

“Hey man, don’t sweat it.” He felt someone pat his shoulder.

“Yeah, Ishida. It happens to the best of us.” Another student comforted him.

It didn’t put him at ease comparing themselves to him. He wasn’t like them. He wasn’t average. There was more expected of him than the common student. He put on his signature smile. “Yeah, thanks!” is all he could think to say.

“Psst.” He heard someone call to his right. “Ishida, over here.”

Shiro turned toward the direction of the voice. Makoto Hamada smiled as if she was greeting an old friend. At least there was a familiar face in the class. Although many knew his name, he was almost embarrassed that he never learned theirs.

Makoto was an acquaintance from two summers ago. At a point in his life, he allowed himself the luxury of friends.

“Ms. Hamada, it’s nice to see you again,” Shiro whispered.

“Are you alright, Shiro? That was brutal.” She glanced back and forth between him and Mr. Azuma.

“Heh, yeah, don’t worry about it. It’s my fault.” Shiro rubbed the back of his head. He didn’t like to be late for class and bring unwanted attention to himself. But it couldn’t be helped.

“Are you excited about club activities?” Makoto squealed.

“Y-yeah, are you ready for it, Madam President?" Shiro bowed his head to the girl who’d be his club president for his final year.

She covered her cheeks with her hands at the compliment. “I’m glad we’ll be in a club together again this year.” She grinned. “I understand why you rejected the Vice President position though, with graduation and all. So, don’t worry. No hard feelings.” She pouted.

“I appreciate that. “He replied.

“But I do have a small favor to ask…” she said shyly.

“O-oi!” Azuma’s voice interrupted their quiet conversation.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Scolded for the second time in one day. Shiro stood from his chair and bowed, “S-sorry, Prof—”

“Do you know what time it is?!” Azuma’s voice rumbled throughout the classroom.

He was sure everyone could hear it on the second floor. Shiro didn’t dare look up. He didn’t have a response.

“I got lost.” Replied a female voice.

Shiro didn't have to look to recognize the voice. The same girl that called his name just moments earlier. He made his way back to his chair. No one noticed his outburst. Everyone’s eyes were on Mr. Azuma and the girl with the reddish-brown hair.

Is this… real? Shiro dug his fingernails into the skin on his arm. He winced at the pain. She’s… here. Shiro felt nauseated. The room spun and his throat burned. “Kei- “

His hand came up to his mouth on its own. Holding him back from saying the name and willing the contents of his stomach back down his throat.

“That’s no excuse!” Azuma’s voice shook.

This must have been the first time a student had challenged him. He was sweating and loosening his tie.

Shiro knew Azuma well. With him being the only business professor in the school, he’s had enough interactions with him to predict his actions. Azuma was not the type to be rattled, especially by a teenage girl.

Keiko flipped her hair away from her face. “The first day of class should be about getting to know our peers.” Her voice grew louder. “What is there to be late for?” Keiko folded her arms across her chest. “This isn’t even a real class, it’s homeroom!” Keiko smirked at the man, whose fists were clenched into balls.

“You little —”

“Mr. Azuma!” a man yelled out in the hall.

Azuma calmed himself enough to speak to the man.

Keiko’s eyes darted around the classroom. For a second, she and Shiro made eye contact. She quickly looked away and took an empty seat by the window in the front of the class.

He stared at her for a long time, waiting for her to turn into someone else, anyone else.

Why? He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to call her name. His headache threatened to return as he suppressed every and any emotion that tried to force itself on his face. Why did she come back?

“Who does she think she is?” Makoto glared at the new girl.

“I know, right? Where does she get off talking to Mr. Azuma like that?” said another female student.

“Anyway,” Makoto tried to continue their previous conversation.

Shiro wasn’t able to hear most of what she said. He was still fixed on Keiko. He didn’t know what to feel. He didn’t expect to see her again. Though he’d given a lot of thought about how he’d react if he ever did. His goal was indifference. Try to hold back the anger and be civil, but uncaring. He never expected to feel this… curiosity. What had she been doing all this time? Did she recognize him? Did she even remember him at all? When did she get back? And most importantly, how did she get past the three-year rule? What the hell was going on?

He clenched his fists. He was disgusted with himself. He had so many questions, but he refused to let himself dwell on them. He didn’t realize he’d been digging his nails in his arm again until he felt a bruise forming. Tsk! Dammit! Shiro cursed himself.

“Ms. Matsuda!” Mr. Azuma didn’t look at the girl when he approached her. “Why don’t you have a seat next to Ishida over there,” he pointed at the empty seat next to Shiro. “You were both tardy. You must have a lot in common.”

The girl didn’t protest. She didn’t look his way. Not even once.

“Here, since you missed the entrance ceremony.” He handed her a black pin that symbolized her third-year status in the school.

“Th-thank you.” She seemed just as surprised as everyone else was with his change of attitude.

“Well, that’s a first.” The student behind him said.

“Mr. Azuma has met his match!” Chuckled another.

Shiro tuned out their teasing and focused his attention on his teacher. He didn’t dare look to his left, where Keiko pushed her chair as far away from him as possible. She was practically in the aisle.

He spent the rest of the class so focused on avoiding her, he’d almost forgotten about Makoto. The bell rang before he could apologize to the girl who was still rambling on.

“Is that okay with you, Shiro?” Makoto’s voice picked up again.

“Uh, yeah. Sure.” Not having a clue as to what he just agreed to.

“Great!” she hopped out of her chair and swung her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll bring her by to see you Friday afternoon, during our free period.”

She was out the door before he could ask for more information.

“Her?” He questioned, though she had already gone.

X X X

The rest of the week went by smoothly, all things considered.

Mr. Azuma didn’t give Shiro a hard time during his regular classes. In fact, he seemed more relaxed than usual.

As for Keiko, she missed more days than she attended. The days she did attend, she came in late. Her lack of presence in homeroom helped a lot. He barely had to see her.

Shiro glanced to his left at the empty seat beside him. She was a no-show again today. She arrived late yesterday, and it’s already almost lunchtime, so he was sure today she would miss entirely.

Good, he thought. It will be a smooth day.

Shiro’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced down to read the message.

Kenshin:

Happy Friday!

Shiro:

Same to you!

Kenshin:

Has she said anything?

He didn’t bother replying. He knew he meant Keiko. He immediately regretted bringing her up, but he couldn’t talk about it to anyone else.

He heard a quiet gasp to his right. Makoto rolled her eyes and went back to taking notes as Keiko slipped in at the last minute. Shiro waited for another confrontation between the girl and their teacher, but it never came.

He avoided looking in her direction as he had done somewhat successfully the entire week. He could hear her scribbling in her notebook. She seemed to be in a hurry. He checked his watch. Three minutes for the bell.

His curiosity got the better of him, and he glanced her way. She was writing notes down from today’s lecture. Her eyes darted back and forth between the blackboard and her sheet of paper. Shiro followed her gaze to the front of the class.

The board was covered in notes from the day’s lecture. Shiro tried to remember if they’d always been there. In the years he had Mr. Azuma as a teacher, the man never spoon-fed anyone lecture notes like this. This seemed out of character for him.

The bell rang, and as quietly as she had entered, the girl disappeared.

“I’ll bring Ishimoto by to meet you before the lunch period is over.” Makoto shoved her notebook in her bag.

“Sounds good,” Shiro answered, still unsure of who he was meant to see and why.

Makoto hurried out the door and Shiro realized then that he’d forgotten to bring his food. He had had little to no interaction with his siblings since the incident with Saito. He didn’t even have time to greet them this morning before he left since he had another late night and didn’t want a repeat of Monday morning. He’d have to apologize to Aya later for wasting the meal.

“Ishida!” Mr. Azuma dropped a bag on Shiro’s desk. “Your sister dropped off your lunch this morning.”

Shiro’s hunger became unbearable at the smell of pork. “T-thank you!”

“Mm-hmm,” Azuma grunted.

Shiro rounded up his things while his phone vibrated in his pocket. He knew his colleague would want to hear about his week, but he didn’t want to ruin his appetite thinking about it. Instead, he exited the class and made his way to his usual lunch spot. The library. His favorite place, surrounded by his favorite things.

X X X

“What a week.” Shiro sighed, stretching his arms. He stacked his lunch box and wrapped it in a cloth. He pulled his phone from his pocket and read through his messages. Most of them were about Keiko.

Kenshin:

You did the right thing avoiding that girl.

He didn’t like talking to anyone about it. But if there was anyone he could talk to, it was Kenshin. Kenshin didn’t attend Bura Bura, and they didn’t have any mutual connections. It couldn’t hurt to vent to him every now and again. They’ve never met in person, anyway.

Kenshin:

I found a few errors in the last update.

When you’re free later, let’s work on these.

Kenshin included a screenshot of several errors in the work Shiro had turned in last week.

He worked as a Jr Programmer for his father’s company. He started working his freshman year to pay for Bura Bura Academy’s tuition. It wasn’t expensive, a part-time job could easily cover it. And would probably be less hassle than his current employer. But working for his father’s business associate was part of their deal. He wouldn’t have been able to enroll here otherwise. Though he regretted every minute he attended.

Promise me… His old friend’s shaky voice echoed in his mind. He held out his hand like he’d done in his dream

“I promise.” He mouthed. Repeating the words that had sealed his fate back then. The ones that tormented him even today. He stood to grab a book on programming from the shelf. There was no use letting it bother him now. He didn’t have much reason to complain. He had his life set up for him. He just needed to live it.

Besides, it was wise to learn the field that would be the rest of his life. Shiro found programming a little dull. He wasn't great at it on a good day and this week was rougher than most.

Shiro put his head back and let out a sigh. “So much for a relaxing weekend.” He made efforts to stop working late, and this is where it got him. His father would be ashamed. Good thing he wasn’t around to see his son failing the business.

Kenshin was very understanding, though. He didn’t report errors to his father so long as they were dealt with in a timely fashion.

Shiro:

Tonight.

Thanks for looking out. It’s been a rough week.

Kenshin:

No problem. What are friends for?

The word almost made him sick. Friends. He repeated in his head.

“You’re causing me a lot of grief, you know that?”

He heard a male voice nearby. He tried tuning it out and searched for another book.

“Do you know what it took to get you enrolled here?” he heard the voice say.

“It wasn’t my fault!” said another voice he could recognize anywhere.

He slid a couple of books aside and peeked through the cracks, trying his best to not make a sound. He could just barely make out two figures. One was Keiko and the other looked like a man, but he couldn’t tell who it was. Shiro leaned in closer to hear their conversation.

“They called from the hospital. She had another...episode.” Keiko explained.

“I heard.” The man responded coldly, “I made Azuma aware of our circumstances.”

Circumstances? Shiro squinted his eyes, as if that would help him hear more clearly. What are you involved in, Keiko?

Shiro’s imagination ran wild. What if Keiko was a spy, and she was sent off to train on a secret base this entire time? That would explain a lot of things. It would also be entirely impossible.

Control your imagination, you idiot. He scoffed at his own stupidity.

“Ishida?” called a voice from behind him.

The couple turned in his direction, though they couldn’t see him through the bookshelves. The man took the stairs while Keiko made her way to the main exit.

He turned toward Makoto and another student as they walked toward him.

The girl was petite, with short, light brown hair. Makoto was of average height and even she towered over the girl. Shiro was almost double her height. She reminded him a little of Aya. They even had the same hair color.

“This is the girl I was telling you about. First-year, Hana Ishimoto. She’ll be joining us in Paint Club temporarily.” Makoto said, with both hands on the girl’s shoulders.

“U-um, good afternoon, Ishida.” The girl bowed.

She wore a single white pin on her vest. She clutched her bag so tight her knuckles were white. Her hair was covering most of her face, so he couldn’t see her expression.

“Good afternoon, Ishimoto.” He said back, a little embarrassed.

“Ishimoto is the Gardening Club’s second chair. They need help with marketing, so she will be shadowing you until the collaboration is over.” Makoto explained.

Shiro noticed Hana had a bit of rice stuck to her cheek. He reached out unconsciously, plucking it off. The girl stared up at him through her bangs, her eyes hidden behind her hair.

He hadn’t realized what he’d done until then.

He bowed his head as low as he could to hide his flustered expression. “M-my apologies, Ishimoto!” Shiro couldn’t look at her face. “It’s just, you reminded me of my little sister with your face covered in food...”

Hana’s eyes grew wider, her face turned a shade of bright red.

“N-no, I didn’t mean...” he tried to explain.

He could only watch as the girl ran out of the room.

“S-sorry...” he repeated.

Makoto covered her mouth, clearly having been laughing to herself. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh.” Makoto said.

Her words and actions contradicted each other as she let out a giggle. “Did you see her face? She looked like she was going to faint!” Makoto teased.

“Will she be okay?” He rubbed the back of his head.

He felt guilty for scaring the first-year off. Even if he did think she overreacted.

“Don’t worry about her. She’ll come around.”

Makoto didn’t seem too concerned about Hana. He felt a ball in his throat. He’d apologize to her when he sees her again. If he sees her again, that is.

X X X

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Hana ran from the library and leaned up against the wall to catch her breath.

She reacted so childishly, but she couldn’t help it. She just gets flustered around Shiro.

“But of course, he didn’t remember me.” Hana smiled something sorrowful.

Why would he remember you? You are nothing to him. Her inner voice taunted.

Her vision blurred, and she felt her body go numb. Oh no, it’s happening! She put her back against the wall and shut her eyes.

Hana felt a hand wrap itself in hers and another over her shoulder. Her eyes popped open as the foreign touch quickly brought her back to reality.

“Just breathe.” Said a girl with long wavy hair. Concern spread across her face. “You’re okay, you’re safe. Breathe.” She repeated over and over.

Her voice was loud and not exactly soothing. But it worked. Hana was too shocked to continue her meltdown.

The girl let go of Hana’s hand, sensing that the moment had passed. “My mom gets panic attacks, too.” She rested her hand behind her back and leaned on the wall beside her.

All she could do was look down in shame. No one’s ever noticed her episodes before.

“Was it that obvious?” Hana’s eyes fixed on the floor.

“Nah, I’m just good at sensing these things.” Keiko winked, standing directly in front of her.

She was tall for a girl, at least a foot taller than Hana was. She didn’t have the body of a high school student either, though she was wearing a uniform. Her curvaceous figure could easily be mistaken for an adult.

Hana noticed she only wore one black pin on her vest. At orientation, she learned the pins represent your year. Black pins are for third-year students.

“Are you really a high school student?” Hana accidentally said out loud.

“S-sorry!” Hana said, turning away from the girl.

The redheaded girl giggled to herself. “Well, what’re you apologizing for?” She bent down to Hana’s height.

Hana didn’t reply. She felt herself turning red again.

“Stop that!” said the girl, folding her arms against her chest. “You’ll get eaten up alive if you continue that way.”

The girl brushed Hana’s caramel-colored hair out of her face and clipped something on each side of her head.

“There.” She stood up when the bell rang. “Don’t hide those pretty eyes anymore.”

The girl walked away and waved goodbye without looking back.

Makoto walked out of the library. “Let’s get to class.” She called for Shiro to follow.

The two walked past her, not noticing she was there. It’s the same as back then.

When they were children, Shiro would often walk past her. She could never work up the courage to speak to him. Even though they went to the same elementary school and the same middle school after that. He was always just out of reach.

“Ishida,” Hana said, too low for him to hear. She reached out for him and grabbed the back of his shirt without thinking. “Ishida!” she said again, this time loud enough to catch the attention of several other students.

Shiro and Makoto both looked back at her. Their expressions were both startled and confused.

For a while, Hana kept silent. Embarrassed by her outburst. Her body went numb again.

Just breathe, the redhead’s voice echoed in her head. You’re okay.

“L-let’s have a good year,” Hana said with a bow.

She didn’t stand or look at him.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. He bent to her height. “Yeah,” he smiled at her.

She returned his smile as her heart threatened to pop out of her chest. It was beating so hard she was sure he could hear it.

“I’ll see you in class,” he waved in Makoto’s direction.

“C’mon, I’ll walk you. If you don’t mind.” Shiro gestured for Hana to lead the way.

She willed her legs to move. When they did, she couldn’t be sure they were going in the right direction. She led him up the stairs to the third floor.

“Paint club is pretty straightforward.” Shiro broke the silence. “Makoto is the President. She makes all the decisions about what we will be painting. Mostly watercolors.” He explained.

Hana nodded along, though she was mostly too afraid to look at him at all.

“We are expected to bring our own supplies, which can be a little pricey. But you won’t have to worry about that.” She heard him say. “Since you won’t be around long, anyway.”

The words struck her like a knife in her chest.

“M-maybe I’ll join the paint club too.” Hana mused.

“The student body president implemented a one club per student rule this year.” He countered, “Besides, it’s better if you stick to one club. You’ll have more time to focus on your major.” Shiro smiled a strange, forced smile.

“I see,” she stopped at her class. “If the promotion goes well, I may just transfer to paint club, and you’ll be stuck with me.” She tried to joke, but the words sounded weird coming from her.

When he didn’t respond, she looked up at his face. He looked horrified.

“I-I didn’t mean — “

“Ms. Ishimoto!” her teacher called out to her, “Have a seat.”

The door closed on Shiro before she could thank him for walking her.

How could I mess this up? She sat in her seat and prepared for the panic to set in.

X X X

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Shiro went about the rest of his day on autopilot. After school, he waited at the bus stop as usual. Luckily. there were no other students waiting to board. Many of them probably had weekend plans with friends. He was happy to have the time alone to think.

The man Keiko was involved with turned out to be Hana’s teacher. That explained the special treatment she was receiving for Mr. Azuma.

Is Keiko really that kind of girl?

If the school finds out, she’s risking expulsion. Not to mention costing two teachers their jobs. Is she really that reckless with other people’s lives?

Shiro thought back to the Keiko that was his best friend. The one who spent hours reading his stories and decorating his notebooks. The same Keiko that abandoned him six years ago without saying a word.

“I guess she is.” Shiro didn’t know what kind of person Keiko was now. But one thing was certain, he couldn’t avoid her forever.

“Time to rip off the band-aid.” He stood up and boarded the bus.

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Chapter One: The Wrong Choice

“GAHHHH!” Shiro jumped out of bed, pulling his pants on. He ran over to the sink and splashed some water on his face. His phone blinked with unread messages.

Kenshin:

Good morning!

Are you awake?

Looks like someone slept in.

Shiro:

Morning. Nope. Right on the nose, as usual.

Shiro tucked his phone in his pocket and took the steps two at a time until he reached the bottom, ignoring the ache in his head.

“Oi! Isn’t this a bit much?” He heard his younger siblings in the kitchen.

“B-big brother needs his strength. It’s his third year.” His little sister Aya placed some heart-shaped carrots over the rice she’d stuffed in a container.

“You should let him starve,” Akio grabbed a mini sausage from Shiro’s lunchbox and tossed it in his mouth.

Shiro stepped out from the hallway and lifted his finger to his mouth, signaling Aya to keep quiet.

“Maybe then he will learn to wake up on time.”

“Who’s going to starve?” Shiro stood over his smug little brother and cracked his knuckles. The smirk left Akio’s face as soon as Shiro pressed his fists to his brother’s temples.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Akio freed himself from Shiro’s grasp and hid behind his twin. “Did you see what he did to me?!”

“Good Morning, big brother!” She greeted.

“Don’t ignore me, dammit!” Akio stomped his foot on the ground. “I’m supposed to be your favorite! We’re twins, you know!”

Aya shoved a fresh strawberry in Akio’s mouth and patted his head.

“Fine, take his side.” He turned toward the living room. His face was as red as the strawberry Aya shoved in his mouth.

He sulked at the doorway with his back turned to them.

“I made breakfast!” Aya hopped off her step-stool and untied her apron. She scanned the leftover food on the table. “It’s probably cold already.” She said, looking at her feet. “Sorry, we didn’t wait for you.” Her eyes avoided him.

Shiro patted her head and took a waffle from the table. He bit it in half, aware that Aya is watching him.

“It’s good!” He said as he bit the tasteless, gummy waffle. “Did you make these yourself?”

Her eyes lit up as he finished it off with a big bite. He reached for another, sensing she wasn’t entirely pleased.

“Go on. Ask him Aya.” Akio returned, nudging Aya forward.

Shiro swallowed the last bit of food and waited for his sister to speak.

“Erm, big brother… Do you think…” Aya squeezed a folder against her chest. “Can you help me with an assignment?”

“Assignment? School hasn’t started. How do you already have work?” Shiro held his hand out. “Give it here. Let’s have a look.”

Aya handed her brother the folder. “At orientation, they asked us to make something related to our hobbies. I wrote a story but…” Aya looked down at the ground as Shiro read through her work. “I got stuck-“

“Well, here’s the problem right here.” Shiro pulled a pencil from his bag. “There’s nothing pushing your hero forward.” He scribbled some notes on a fresh sheet of paper.

Aya watched quietly, her eyes never moving from his face. He could feel her staring at him, but he tried to ignore it. He felt his surroundings slip away. The words on the page invited Shiro to an unknown land. He felt jittery as he filled the gaps left in Aya’s writing. Before he knew it, he was lost in Aya’s world. He explored the characters and their missions, their flaws, and their strengths. For a moment, nothing else mattered.

He tried his best to adjust her manuscript only when necessary. He didn’t want to influence the world too much. This was Aya’s story, after all. And it was a damn good one. She was only nine, but she was creative. He could see her becoming a famous author one day.

Except that could never happen…

Shiro snapped back to reality. Aya hovered over him as he finished the last of his edits.

“That should do it.” Shiro handed his sister the folder, his headache returning. He took two painkillers from the cabinet and poured himself a glass of water.

“Did you work late again last night?” Akio questioned.

Shiro nodded, resting his head in his hands.

“Now that Mama and Papa are away, you can go easy on yourself!” Aya suggested.

“So, they left already?” Shiro peeked from under his hands.

“They didn’t tell you?” Akio furrowed his brows.

Shiro straightened out his posture. His youngest siblings kept their eyes on him, studying his expression.

“They’ll be back in time for your graduation. I’m sure of it!” Aya cheered.

As if that would matter to him. He had no intention of attending graduation. The sooner he could leave that school, the better.

Shiro checked his watch without acknowledging the comment. “We can still make it on time if we leave now.”

“Saito, catch!” Akio grabbed two of the lunchboxes off the counter and tossed one across the room, tying the other to his bookbag. Saito threw her hands up to catch it from the sofa and gave Akio a thumbs up.

“Are you skipping school on the first day?” he yelled toward the couch as if he didn’t give away her plans.

Shiro was in no mood for his rebellious sister. Saito had a lot of potential. she was a great student before their sister Kokoro moved to Germany with her new husband. Her recent rebellious streak is going to cost her a decent future.

And my freedom.

Now that their parents were away, Shiro was responsible for his siblings. He was already on a tight leash with his parents, he didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself.

Shiro stood over the sofa where his younger sister was lying, far too comfortable for a Monday morning.

“Big Sis!” Aya tried to warn her.

“Not a care in the world for the middle child.”

Saito was lying upside down on the couch, with her head hanging and her feet crossed over the headrest. Her eyes were closed and her foot was tapping to whatever music blasted through her headphones.

He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She shrieked and flopped around like a fish out of water.

“You’re already in uniform. You might as well get your butt to class.” Shiro grabbed Saito’s shoes from the rack and walked out the door.

“Let’s go. We’re already late.” He called for the twins to follow.

“Put me down right now, Shiro!” Saito yelled as he locked the front door behind them.

“I will, once we’re on the bus.” He taunted.

He stuck his head out of the gates, checking to make sure there was no one around to hear his rebellious sister’s complaints.

Saito didn’t struggle for long. She calmed herself as soon as he turned the corner.

“Just as I thought. All bark and no bite, little Sis.” He teased.

She relaxed over his shoulder, accepting her fate. He’d be lying if he said this was effortless. He was doing his best to keep the girl steady, while his head was spinning like a top.

“Aren’t you taking this too far?” Akio had to jog to keep up the pace. Aya, not too far behind.

“Shouldn’t it be Saito’s decision whether she goes?” Akio huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Shiro ignored the question.

“After all, you got to choose.” Akio taunted him.

Shiro’s legs stop on their own.

Choose? Does he think I ruined my life on purpose? To dishonor my family? I didn’t choose this! SHE did! She was at fault!

Shiro kept his thoughts from showing on his face. At the very least, he was skilled at hiding his emotions.

He placed his sister on her feet, handing over her shoes.

“I’m going to be late for the next bus.” Shiro continued down the sidewalk. “Get yourselves to school.” He muttered, not bothering to wait for them.

X X X

Saito joined him on the bus, waving the twins off through the window. Their school was within walking distance of the bus stop. Saito watched as they made it past the crosswalk and didn’t take her seat until they were through the gates. It was hard to believe someone as irresponsible as her would have such protective instincts.

Shiro stood in silence, gripping the strap on the bus for balance. He was still dizzy and more than a little annoyed. Even though the seat next to his sister remained unoccupied, he wanted to keep his distance.

“At least you’ll make it on time.” He sighed, glancing at his watch for the hundredth time.

“Shiro.”

“Hm?”

He waited for his sister to continue. The silence was long enough to be awkward. But then, Saito has always been a little difficult to talk to.

“Are you still mad?” She fiddled with her bracelet. “At what Akio said?”

“No.” He lied.

He was still upset, fuming even. But not at her, not even at Akio. Akio was a kid. He didn’t understand half the things he said. Even if he was a perceptive little runt.

He was upset with the only person there was to blame. It was her fault he had to be tough on his younger siblings. If only she hadn’t forced him to make that promise. Shiro was screaming inside. He gave up everything for that silly childhood promise.

And for what? She didn’t even-

“Why did you choose Bura Bura Academy?”

The question caught him off guard. He looked at his sister who stared at him with a blank expression.

“You were supposed to go to that school of technology, but chose a creative school against Papa’s wishes. You wanted to be a writer, yet you are majoring in business.”

Shiro didn’t respond. Even if he tried to explain, Saito wouldn’t understand. She was too little to remember. The only one besides his parents who knew of his current circumstances was Kokoro, and she was in Germany.

“Just seems counterproductive.” She shrugged.

“Was there a question somewhere in there?”

Saito peeked in her lunch box, snacking on some chocolate sticks that were inside. “Do you regret enrolling in an art school?”

Shiro looked toward the window at his own reflection, making sure that his expression matched his words. “I wouldn’t say that.” He glanced back at her, not wanting to elaborate. “Tell me,” Shiro said, wanting to change the subject. He took the empty seat next to his sister, “Why were you going to skip school?” He tried his best to sound like a concerned older brother.“You’ve always liked school. Why the change?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Shiro was confused by her answer. Saito rolled her eyes at him.

“When you told Father you wanted to go to an art school, I was impressed. I didn’t think you’d ever have it in you to deviate from the plan.” She spoke while chewing.

The plan. He echoed in his head.

“You were following your heart…I respected that.” She sounded disappointed.

“What’s that gotta do with you skipping out on the first day of school?” He fought the urge to squeeze her head like he’d done to Akio before. But he knew how that would look on a public bus.

“When has a war ever been won alone?”

“We’re not at war, I just changed my mind.”

“Oh yeah, then why did your face light up when you helped Aya with her story this morning?

“Wha- did you put her up to that?”

Of course she did. He answered himself in his head.

“We’ve been worried about you.”

“We?” He didn’t hide his surprise. So they have been talking about me. He had the feeling something was off for a while now. Kokoro even offered to pay for his trip to Germany so he can have time off. But he denied, he couldn’t put her out like that.

“All of us have, Aya, Aki, even Koko.”

“Kokoro is?”

“Duh, we’re your family dumbass.”

The bus reached Saito’s stop.

“Think about it.” She said as she gathered her things. “Besides,” she stretched her arms above her head, “you’re not cut out for programming, your last assignments were atrocious.”

“Have you been going through my computer?!” Shiro yelled to Saito who was already walking away.

She made a face through the window and stuck her tongue out at him.

“Well I’m sure mom will pick a nice-looking guy for you, I wouldn’t worry too much about your lack of personality!”

Shiro folded his arms over his chest.

Where does she get the nerve…

He glanced around at the few people on the bus who were staring at him after his outburst. He pulled his phone out and sank into the seat, distracting himself from the other passenger's giggles.

Though he had to admit Saito was right about one thing. He was a lousy programmer.

She was much more suited for it than he was. She helped him whenever she could but Shiro didn’t like taking advantage of her goodwill. Especially since he knew their father would never recognize Saito for her work. Their father held a traditional view.

Their mother was the exception. She was a doctor, but she’d gotten her career lined up before his parent's marriage. His parent's marriage was arranged by their grandparents. Just as Kokoro’s was. Just as his would be. Somewhere out there, he had a fiancé he’d never met.

His phone lit up in his hands. He’d almost forgotten he took it out of his pocket.

Kenshin:

Rough night?

Sorry, didn’t mean to keep you up late.

Shiro:

No worries, it was my fault.

I’m the one who messed up the job.

Thanks for catching it though, couldn’t have done it without you.

Kenshin:

Haha. it’s no problem, Ishida. That’s what I’m here for.

...

I wanted to ask you something personal.

If it’s okay?

Shiro:

Shoot.

Kenshin:

What are your plans after graduation?

I mean, besides marrying my sister, lol.

Shiro:

About that. What’s she like?

Kenshin:

My sister?

Shiro:

Yeah, I should probably get an idea of her personality, for the marriage and all.

Kenshin:

She’s…a little dull. No personality to speak of.

Just what you'd want in a wife, I guess.

Shiro:

That sounds...convincing.

Kenshin:

Are you okay with that?

I mean, is that what you really want?

Shiro dropped his hand down to his lap.

What I want…

He stared out of the window as the trees flew by. He wasn’t really sure what he wanted anymore. If he was even capable of wanting anything at all.

Kenshin:

Are you there?

Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.

Forget I asked.

Shiro:

It’s not that.

This is what I want.

Thanks for worrying about me, I’m getting to my stop.

Ttyl

X X X

Shiro practically sprinted to the class assignment list.

Even after his eventful morning, he still had three minutes to spare. If he could only find where he was supposed to go.

He quickly found the Third-year class assignments and skimmed through the list.

“Hamada, Ikeda...Ah, here it is.” Shiro spotted his name right in the middle of the list. “Ishida, Shiro class 2-D.” If he remembered correctly, Mr. Azuma and Mrs. Hanao were the third-year teachers this year.

Bura Bura wasn’t a normal high school by any means. The teachers rotated years at random. The Headmaster thought it helped keep the creativity alive for the students and the professors. It certainly kept things interesting.

Shiro prayed with all his might that he was assigned to Mrs. Hanao’s class. Azuma was a strict teacher. There’s no way he would let him off easy for his tardiness.

Shiro looked at his watch. “Two minutes left.” He swung his bag over his shoulder and took a running start.

He felt his body collide with something. He brushed himself off before realizing he had bumped into another student. Both of their bags fell to the ground, their notebooks scattered over the concrete.

“My apologies!” Shiro scooped up his things and the other person, a female student based on their uniform, did the same. “I didn’t want to be late for class. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” He jumped to his feet after pulling the girl up from the ground, never once looking her at her face. “Sorry, again!” he yelled, now running toward the entryway.

“Shi—”

He could barely hear it over the first tardy bell.

“Shiro Ishida?” yelled a female voice.

That voice. It can’t be. Shiro turned his head slowly toward the person calling his name.

“Kei…ko?” He felt the acid in his stomach rise just saying the name. He‘d almost forgotten where he was.

For a moment, it didn’t really matter to him. They were just kids when she left. He couldn’t be sure what she looked like now.

But there she was. Her wavy, reddish hair was down to her lower back now. She still wore that dragonfly hair clip he gave her for her ninth birthday. Her eyes were darker than he remembered, bigger too. She still had the same birthmark under her right eye.

Of course, she does. Birthmarks don’t just go away, you idiot!

Shiro knew then that he must’ve still been dreaming. At the very least, this was some kind of trick his mind was playing. He wasn’t sure who the student he bumped into was, or if there was anyone there at all. All he could see was Keiko.

That dream must have impacted me more than I thought. He wasn’t sure what his face looked like.

Did he look surprised? Confused?

He spent years perfecting his fake smile. He couldn’t form a natural expression even if he wanted to. She stared at him quietly while he assessed her.

This can’t be real. I’m still dreaming. But why is she in uniform? He debated.

She wore a white button-down shirt with a black vest over it. Her black stockings reached halfway up her thighs. She had on the same red skirt all the female students at Bura Bura Academy wore.

No bow around her neck, though. But that wasn’t out of character for Keiko. No pins either.

Bura Bura had a three-year rule. You had to attend all three years of high school here. Transfers weren’t allowed. It was part of their creative journey as art students. In the Headmaster’s mind, at least. Learn from the past. Grow in the present. Create the future. Was his motto.

Shiro had always respected that about him. Even if he was a bit unorthodox. The headmaster was a foreigner. He was fascinated by Japanese culture. It wasn’t uncommon for foreigners to be enamored with Japan. Eventually, he went on to move here permanently and open the school. He played by his own rules.

It was faced with mixed reviews the first few years. But for the most part, people enjoyed the environment and tuition is affordable.

Not once did a student leave after being enrolled in their first year. This was the only reason Shiro still attended despite being offered a scholarship to the Tetsudori Institute of Science, where he was currently employed part-time.

He didn’t want to be the one to tarnish the school’s image. He knew how important a reputation was.

The three-year rule was unbendable.

This couldn’t be her. Keiko could never enroll here. He was both disappointed and relieved.

He had to give himself credit, though. For the most part, his mind got it right. What she’d look like if she had come to this school. What she would’ve sounded like if he got to see her grow into a teenage girl.

Shiro gripped the straps of his bag and turned away from the apparition. “You should get to class too,” he said to the girl he was sure was a hallucination.

He rushed toward the double door entrance, running to a class he was already late for.

Or maybe he was running away from a hallucination he no longer wanted to see.

Maybe both of those things.

He just… ran.

X X X

After he caught his breath, Shiro peeked over his shoulder at the stairway. “Whew, it was just in my head, after all.” He straightened himself out and put his hand on the classroom door. He was sure it would be fine if he slipped in now.

“Shiro, my darling!”

Goosebumps rushed over Shiro’s body. “Oh, no.” He wiggled the door handle, but it was locked. Dammit!

Shiro felt the impact of Masashi Toda’s body as they both fell to the ground.

“Shiro, baby!” The boy locked Shiro in an awkward embrace, not attempting to stand. “Are you avoiding me?” He almost sounded annoyed.

“Just… trying… to get to… class!” Shiro gasped for air under Masashi’s weight. “Get… off, Ma… sa… shi!”

The boy ignored Shiro’s pleas, whispering close enough in his ear to feel his breath on his neck. “Why did you leave the Writer’s Club, my darling?” It almost sounded threatening.

“Mr. President!” Another student stood over them.

Gorou Kawano pushed his tinted glasses up with his finger. “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” The redheaded boy seemed unbothered by the scene. “We need you in the Clubroom. There are preparations to be made. He glared at Shiro accusingly, “Now that we are one member short.”

“Nice to see you too, Kawano.” Shiro felt a chill in the air. “Do you mind?” He tried breaking himself free from Masashi’s grasp.

“Ah, of course.” Gorou snapped his fingers.

The door behind them opened, and a girl stepped out. She was tall and had her hair braided and styled in a high ponytail. She was holding a book in her hands. Based on the single white pin on her vest, she must be a first year.

“Did you just come out of the supply closet?!” Masashi yelled.

“This is first year, Asuka Matsumura. The newest member of the writing club.” Gorou explained. “Now, if you’ll please escort the president back to the clubroom, we have business to attend to.”

“Wait, but Shiro!” Masashi pleaded.

Asuka placed her hand over Masashi’s shoulder and flicked him off with little effort. His body crashed into a wall with a loud thud that even made Shiro wince. But the boy jumped to his feet as if he didn’t feel a thing.

“I refuse to accept this!” Masashi pointed his finger at Shiro. The girl pulled on Masashi’s collar and dragged him away.

“Shiro my love! Shiroooo-” Masashi continued to struggle as the girl pulled him around the corner and out of sight.

“Many apologies, Ishida.” Gorou bowed. “I will take my leave.”

After a couple of steps, Gorou paused.

“I’m sure you have your reasons for leaving the Writer’s Club. I am sure you have a lot on your plate getting ready for graduation and preparing for your future. Though I may not understand your choice to disregard your incredible talent. I have always admired your skills as a writer.” Gorou glanced back at him with a pitiful expression. “Until we meet again.”

“S-sure.”

He stood there a few seconds after the altercation and another hand came down on his shoulder, pulling him into the classroom.

“Ishida!” yelled his angry professor.

“Mr. Azuma… I… uh…” Shiro stuttered, his classmates’ eyes all on him.

Dammit…

Hika - Saito T_T middle child struggles.

Prologue

Chapter 2