[ He very nearly swats her hand away out of instinct, but manages to stop himself in time. It's good that she lets go fast enough, if not he might actually have done it.
But there is only one umbrella, so he holds out his hand for it. He's the taller one, so it made sense for him to hold it. ]
[Wow don't damage her hands, she needs those for work!!!
She was about to straighten up, be it's true, he's much taller. She pretty much gives it to him, even if that means she's getting rained on right about now.]
[ If Tokiya's been frequenting the music room, he'll find that someone beat him to it for once. At the piano is a girl clumsily hitting notes to the tune of a graduation with her right hand. She's obviously no music student, but she tries her best to provide accompaniment to the melody she sings. Tokiya has probably heard singers with far better technique, but she's pleasant enough to listen to. The emotion is there. ]
Our meeting was made in a moment at the intersection walking home. You called out to me, didn't you? "Let's go home together." While I hid my face with my bag in embarrassment, In truth, I was very, very happy.
Ah, the way the fireworks beautifully bloom in the sky is a bit lonely. Ah, the wind flows along with time.
So happy, having so much fun, we had so many adventures Inside the secret base that belonged to the two of us.
[ Before she moves on to the chorus, she looks up at the doorway where Tokiya is and smiles. ]
Ahaha, sorry. Were you going to use this room? I don't mind.
[ It's beginning to rain: there's a strange symbol in the floor, something geometrical. It's outlined in red, smelling of something copper. The culprit, a pink haired girl 160cm tall, stands to one side far from any shelter. Blood flowing out of a small cut on her forearm, she looks sadly upon the symbol, rainwater beginning to wash it away. ]
[ Then don't go around (wo)manhandling people abruptly, young lady.
As soon as he gets the umbrella he puts it over her instead - though he's pretty much still half out of the umbrella due to her invading his personal space. But he doesn't mind. ]
[ Tokiya's thought processes are a lot less complex. Slaine looks very much like a normal human, and more importantly distinct from the horde of sameface clones that haunted the school's rooms - therefore immediately making him a lot better as company. If anything, he was content to stand just in silence, regarding the other with a subdued intensity once the question is posed. ]
... It does.
[ His reply comes after a few seconds, enough to let him assess the situation clearly. ]
This is no mere rain.
[ But then again, is anything a mere thing in this place? ]
[ When it starts to rain, his first instinct is to move and try to get indoors; since being locked out the last time didn't do well for his health. However, he immediately changes course when he catches sight of the girl - not only because she is making no move to get in, but also because there is evidently something red on her arm and that never meant anything well. ]
We should go inside.
[ At least the nurse could give them some basic first aid materials. ]
[Slaine weighs that reply for a few moments in silence, staring up at the dismal grey clouds as though they might distinguish themselves from any ordinary ones. Of course, they look no different, but he keeps his gaze skyward all the same.
What was happening without him, while he's here in this place...?]
Another oddity amongst the rest, I suppose.
[Though mercifully, it's not dangerous unless that rain gets in someone's eyes. And then, it's mostly going to be painful. Maybe they should consider themselves fortunate...or maybe they just ought to be all the more wary.
[ Indeed, he had been frequenting the music room - if only because it is the most familiar place in this unnatural school. While it had no recording room, it did have instruments and good acoustics; which was as close to Saotome Academy as it could get. Often he would come here to play the piano or sing - but only when he was alone.
So it is quite surprising to see someone else here. Even if his honed music sense tells her that she isn't... very good (but that's just by idol standards). Nevertheless, he hasn't expected a fellow musician here. ]
Are you using it, then?
[ Tokiya gestures vaguely with one hand, still standing in the doorway. Her smile is not returned, but he does give her a nod of acknowledgement. ]
[ She was, but she can always find other things to do. This happened way too often even back home, so she has no qualms getting up from the piano seat and stepping aside. ]
No, it's just something I chose to do on a whim. [ She then begins to approach him, sparing the painted cherry blossoms an idle glance as she continues. ] The windows reminded me of graduation, so I wanted to hear a graduation song... I don't have the talent to play something by ear, though.
[ But she probably has an actual musician right in front of her, so she gives him a pointed look. ]
[ Her uninjured hand stretched out towards the symbol, she's trying to activate it--in vain. There's no aether that she can feel, and it leaves her strangely...empty. It's a second before El actually reacts, because it takes her a second to realise there's nobody around...so the other person must be talking to her. Raising her head to look at him, she blinks, taking in the sight of his face, his clothes... ]
We should? [ Her tone is one curious, wondering why he's used the word "we" instead of "I", why he's including her despite them not knowing each other...
But really, she doesn't mind the rain, it's small and light compared to the heavy rain in Gridania or La Noscean. Even when raindrops fall on her cut and drip bloodied from her fingertips, El doesn't flinch.
He's just going to half-relent and end up keeping the umbrella just 60% over her and 40% over him. In any case, it isn't far before they reach the awning. The first thing he does is look over her if anything important (like the papers) had gotten wet. ]
NO, HE'S STILL ARGH--oh too late, she can't silently protest anymore now that they're under the awning. She blinks when he's checking over her, and she holds up her folio.]
Dry.
[Reaching into her bag though, she takes out the handkerchief that Sorata puts into her bag for her, and starts wiping at his shoulders, where he got wet.]
There was something to learn, but what does one do when they literally could not understand what anyone was talking about? Hearing the teacher and the classmates around them, their gibberish was not merely complex terms from math or science, but some alien language (or some dialect of Japanese from somewhere deep deep within the boonies.
It is a student's obligation to learn from the teacher. Saitou surprisingly is still attempting to note down what he could.]
[ As with before he had half a mind to just back away - she's invading his personal space, and for someone so reserved it's a little too uncomfortable - but what she does is reminiscent of what Haruka did before, so he just allows her to dab at his jacket for about ten seconds before he politely stops her hands. ]
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