Title: ...Damn Trains...
Summary: Falling asleep on the train lands Kazuo in Port Island. He meets Fumiko and Ariko again, as well as Itsuka Mizuhara and Masahiko Irie, and talk with them all before his train back home comes. Hope his dad won't be too mad....
Who: Kazuo Yuudai, Fumiko Kohaku, Itsuka Mizuhara, Masahiko Irie
Location: Port Island—Port Island Station


The monorail station situated on the man-made island proper, this area sees a lot of traffic from students going to and from Gekkoukan High as a stop for the "Anehazuru" line that runs between the mainland and Port Island.
No expense was spared in the landscaping. A beautiful (though small) fountain can be seen just down the steps from the station, with numerous orange and purple flowers lined up all times of the year, the flower shop Rafflesia offering these and other flowers for people to take home, but sitting by a bench and admiring them is free. This station is also the home of the Screen Shot cinema, offering marathons of three back to back movies for the price of one. Under the shade towards the western end, there is a shogi parlor set up by a nondescript cafe. It has a very shady air thick in cigarette smoke, but that never stops people from passing by (quickly).
Most people prefer to pass by here and go on with their business, as the crime rate is higher here than in most parts of the city. It is especially suggested that one not hang around the back alley too often, or for too long...


"...Dammit."

Kazuo heaves a sigh, and looks at his watch. He wouldn't be able to catch a train to Inaba for another hour or so, at the least. So until then, he's stuck in Port Island. He shakes his head. It was just supposed to be a quick afternoon errand! Why'd he have to go and fall asleep on the train?! He was lucky someone hadn't decided to try and pick his pocket!

A moment later, Kazuo pulls his cell phone from his pocket, dialing a number. A pause. "...Hey Dad? I'm sorry. I fell asleep on the train, and missed my stop. ...Where am I?" He looks around. "Port Island." Wince, and Kazuo pulls the phone away form his ear to the tune of unintelligible yelling.

When he puts the phone back to his ear, he says, "Ouch. I'm sorry Dad. ...Yeah, I have enough. Should be able to get home. It'll be a while, though. I'll call you when I get on the train. Yeah, I'll let you know if something happens. Okay. Thanks, Dad. Bye."

Beep.

He replaces the phone, and finds a bench, prepared to wait it out....


Ariko Kawano is doing her best to add to the already considerable amount of cigarette smoke in the area. She sits there crouched at the mouth of the dark alley with her back against the wall. The young girl is more or less well dressed for the cold weather with her purple scarf, leather jacket, and a pair of thick black gloves on her hands. Gently, the cigarette is removed from her mouth and she exhales some left over smoke up into the air. It looks like she is alone or has at least scared away the normal group of deliquents that call that alleyway their home.

The deliquent lazily stands up and casts a glance over the station proper. Her attention hangs on some longer than others, but she eventually looks over towards where Kazuo is seated. Ariko places just her gloved thumbs in the pockets of her jacket and carries her cigarette in her mouth as she walks over towards him, interested in the boy who is seemingly have a fight with his cellphone. "A tourist?" The girl asks simply before unceremoniously plopping herself down on Kazuo's bench.


Well, Kazuo won't be waiting alone at least. Fumiko walks past him, carrying a couple of shopping bags, and dressed for the weather in a candy cane outfit.

She pauses, blinking, as she senses a pair of familiar resonances, and wanders back over towards the bench. The young girl smiles cheerfully, "Hi, Yuudai-san, I didn't expect to see you here. Visiting, or running errands?" A blink and a smile is offered to Ariko as well, "Oh, hey, Kawano-chan - it's been a while since I saw you. How have you been?"


At least the trains out here are pretty nice, right? ...Generally, anyway. Itsuka is currently out at the Port Island station, herself, having finally elected to walk back after some extra time at the school library herself. Accordingly, she's still in her uniform, actually, even at this late hour, marking her as attending the rather nice Gekkoukan High School. She is not headed towards that /dark alley/ at first, if she plans to head over there at all, but the glance over reveals not just Kazuo but Itsuka approaching. And, to her surprise, the delinquent type girl, and then this guy... Oh huh, that's a cigarette, too. Itsuka 'hmms' a little, and glances over the now /three/.

She could just assume they're friends and let them be, or...

She readjusts her grip on her school back and walks up with a little wave. "...Hi! Surprised to see how popular this place is at this hour!"


"Huh?" Kazuo looks up, blinking slightly as someone sits down next to him. Her words register, and he shakes his head. "Oh...not really," he states, as if that would explain everything. He doesn't have any visible form of identifying where he's from, unless Ariko knows him from Inaba. However, he does remember seeing her briefly at Junes....

About to explain further, a familiar voice catches his attention, and he looks towards its source, offering a smile. "Ah! Hi there," he offers. A shake of his head. "I was supposed to be running a quick errand, but I got careless and ended up here."

Another voice, and Kazuo looks towards this one too. "Hello," he offers politely. "Well, I'm not actually supposed to be here, you see...I fell asleep on the train near Inaba, and didn't wake up until we were pulling into the station here." He looks a little sheepish.


Cigarettes can have neat side-effects sometimes to go along with their terrible long-term permanent effects. The side-effect that Ariko is grateful for is that it allows her some time to think in contemplation in social circumstances like this. Her eyes moves towards Fumiko when she approaches while she takes another drag on her cigarette. Funny, she doesn't feel hate towards Fumiko anymore. She feels nothing at all. The young girl is unable to determine whether this is a good thing or a very bad thing. Finally, she removes the cigarette from her lips and puts it out on the bench beside her. "Just peachy. How is Riki-san and you?"

The girl from the burger place in the Junes Food court is one and the same as the Ariko that sits next to Kazuo now. She looks over at Kazuo and his leather jacket before nodding simply. "Hardly recognized you without your friends. Waiting on them?" The deliquent continues to interrogate as she flicks her green eyes over at the only person she doesn't recognize, Itsuka. Tch. She's wearing a Gekko-High uniform. She's one of those kids. "This place gets very popular when it gets late. Just..." Her eyes flicker towards Itsuka's jacket for a moment again. "...not with people like you." While her words are not the friendliest, there is nothing that makes Ariko seem threatning beyond her outward appearance.


A soft giggle, "I'm just finishing up some shopping myself - I ran out of supplies for cookies, and Port Island's got some of the more exotic ingredients I needed." Fumiko shrugs, "What were you going to get, Yuudai-san? Maybe we could go to one of the shops and buy it, so that you don't have to make an extra trip."

A calm smile to Ariko, "Riki-kun and I are doing fine. I'm planning on dragging him out of the lab and back home to bake cookies with me, once I get back to Sumaru."

Itsuka gets a glance and a tentative, "Hello. I don't think we've met before, have we?" Fumiko looks back at Kazuo, "May I sit down with you, Yuudai-san?"

If Itsuka were the type to let being the odd one out hold her back, then...! Well okay she's been that type before, but she's not doing it right /now/. ...And, of course, since she failed to grab them back in her first year, she never got in the habit of smoking, so she doesn't get that kind of opportunity to stop and think. Instead, here she is, and first, she looks to Kazuo at his answer. "Aaah... I know how that goes. It happens to me, too--at least you ended up at a station that's easy to wait at, right?" She laughs, a little, "So don't worry about it. You're from Inaba, then?"

Ariko, though... Itsuka tilts her eyes at the green-haired girl, 'hmm'-ing a little. "Oh, one of those?" she asks. "I guess. Seems a little dim back there, though, even if I guess the card games are pretty good." Pause. "...So I hear, anyway." She sort of shifts her posture a little bit, trying to figure how best to itneract with the /delinquent/. But, as she's doing that, she gets a greeting, and, "Ah, I don't think so. I'm Itsuka Mizuhara. Nice to meet all of you! ...I hope I'm not interrupting something?"


The sound of a passing train in the distance might draw people toward the direction of the station, in which case they will notice the arrival of the newest arrival, who moves rather quietly despite his causal gait. His attire today is a red form fitting tee shirt, covered by a buttoned up peacoat. The fact that he also wears jeans and low cut sneakers shows that whatever he's up to, it's likely not school or 'work' related.

There are a lot of familiar faces all congregated in one area, as well as a new face, so Masahiko Irie merely stops and watches, a brow silently arched as he tries to figure out what's going on. If anyone gives him a look, he merely nods in response, though he doesn't speak until spoken to. Not yet at least.


Kazuo chuckles at Ariko's comment about his friends. "No, they're at my house now. I was just going to run a quick errand, and...well." Ariko had heard the story of how he got there, so there was really no need to bore her by repeating it again.

To Fumiko? "I was looking for a particular movie Hotaka wanted us to see," he explains. "They didn't have it at the local place, so I had to go a little farther away for it."

He nods to Itsuka's question. "Yeah," he offers simply. To the introduction, he offers simply, "Kazuo Yuudai." He tips his head back, in a rather informal backwards nod of greeting. And a pause as she asks about interrupting. He shakes his head. "No, not at all," he inquires. "At least, not on my part, anyway." He had just shown up, after all.

Masahiko's arrival is noticed by Kazuo, yes. But since the other fellow seemed to want to remain away from the main goings-on just then, Kazuo doesn't try to draw him in. However, he does offer a polite nod of greeting in return to one Masahiko might offer when he looks that way.


"You should get Riki-san out of his lab more." There is a slight, awkward pause as Ariko glances off into la-la-land for a moment. She comes back to reality with a slight frown on her lips. Some scars take a long time to heal and others never really do. They leave faint reminders of what has happened in the past. Ariko Kawano has both kinds of scars, but she likes to imagine that so does everyone else. Itsuka gets turned toward next. "Yes. One of those. You must be pretty...smart to get into Gekkoukan High." Ariko probably could never have gotten into there herself and there is some distaste placed on the word 'smart' that is usually a compliment to most. The deliquent motions to herself with a gloved hand. "Ariko Kawano."

Kazuo may have noticed Masa before her, but Ariko soon notices her old aquaintance a few moments later. "Hey!" She yells out towards Masa. "Masahiko! You are not going to come over here and say 'hello'?!" The deliquent demands of Masa before smiling wryly. "It would be a shame if I had to drag you over here."


A smile to Itsuka, "Fumiko Kohaku. And no, I don't think you're interrupting?" A glance to Kazuo and Ariko, and Fumiko shrugs slightly. An awkward smile to Ariko, "I try. Some of the time, it works. Other times, I get caught up in what he's working on. And some times, he really doesn't want to be dragged out." Another shrug. "But he likes baking."

Ariko calls Masahiko's name and draws Fumiko's attention to him; the girl looks over towards where Ariko is yelling towards and she smiles. It's a smile that Ariko is probably familiar with - but for once, it's not directed /at/ Ariko. "Oh, is Irie-tan here too? Gosh, everyone seems to be showing up. I wonder who's next."


"Nice to meet you," she says as she remembers Kazuo's name--or well, tries to make sure she remembers, in any case. She has been told she's basically welcome by /him/, though, so that pretty much counts, right? And FUmiko, too, and... Well Ariko hasn't actually asked her to /leave/, anyway, as she's instead called her..

"Ha ha... I guess? I don't really think of myself that way, though. I transferred in back in middle school. ...But nice to meet you, too." And she smiles to include Fumiko in that, as well. And... finds that... huh, boyfriend, maybe? Baking? "Oh, really, he likes baking? Oh that's great when a guy can cook, isn't it?"

And ahaaaa Masahiko, too. "Oh, hey!" She laughs, a little, at Fumiko's note about people showing up. "I guess so, huh? Kinda funny how this stuff works out, isn't it?" Pause. "Hey, there any space on that bench?" If there is, Itsuka will take a seat wherever it is before really waiting for an answer. "Aaah it's nice to be outside again."


"I had my reasons to be here," Masahiko admits with a small smile, suggesting that his meeting these people here might not have been by chance. While his resonance is still as gentle and strong as ever, there is an odd cool grace about the young man, even if his manner of speaking cannot keep up. "Hope everyone is doing well." He moves to stand by Ariko, seemingly a symbolic gesture more than anything else, though he does lean over to state, "When you have the time, we should talk." While his tone is gentle, there is a definite formal and business-like way to how he says that. It may have to do with the glance given toward Fumiko as he speaks to the rebellious girl, as if seeing how the Daughter of Kandori reacts to such news.

Itsuka's statement gets a simple nod from the so-called 'Yakuza Prince'. "Indeed. Hopefully, the nicer weather will stick for a month or two, got a big party planned in the next couple of months," he admits with a small smile.


Kazuo senses some...underlying tension between Ariko and Itsuka, for some reason. But he knows it's not his place to butt in, so he doesn't ask about it. He doesn't really know either of them well enough to be poking around in their personal lives. As Ariko acknowledges Masahiko, Kazuo looks to the other fellow again for a moment, and then back to Ariko, curious. "Friend of yours?" he inquires.

Kazuo confirms Fumiko's statement that Itsuka's not interrupting with a shake of his head and a half-smile towards both Fumiko and Itsuka, but does not speak to add anything to that comment. There's no need. He's not overly familiar with Fumiko's particular breed of smile there, and wonders at it, but sees no need to ask. There are no obvious problems now, so....

So apparently they all know the other fellow. Truth be told, Kazuo feels a little better for knowing there's another male there. The estrogen levels were starting to get to him. As much as he dealt with women like they were just people, they did things that confused him a lot. He understood other guys a lot better.

Room on the bench? "Far as I know," he offers, and scoots a little, so that he's not taking up so much space. Propping one's ankle on his other knee tended to make one's legs take up more space in a sitting area. So he puts them on the floor proper. "There." A smirk as Itsuka mentions being outside, but he replies with little more than an affirmative grunt.

Resonance. If there's nothing scent-based in Masahiko's resonance, it might be harder for Kazuo to note...but it might be sensed. Or if nothing else, something about Masahiko will probably seem 'weird'. Kazuo's own resonance is notable, too, but not overly so. Not at that moment, he's calm. As Masahiko approaches the group at large, Kazuo offers a nod and a greeting of, "Hello." He doesn't know the other man, so he's not going to be overly friendly. But neither is he going to be rude.


Tch. Ariko recognizes Fumiko's smile all too well it has a similar negative impact on her even though it not aimed at -her- for once. Her eyes flicker over towards Masa and then back towards Fumiko. Curiosity has suddenly stricken the teenager. Could the not like each other either? My, my. What a small world we all live in. Fumiko's explanation about Riki is acknowledged with nod, but it draws no further reply from Ariko. She does not need to rehash old feelings right now.

The teen with the multicolored hair moves over to the far end of the bench that Kazuo, Fumiko, and now maybe Itsuka all sit at. There should be enough room as none of the people sitting there would take up much space. Now whether or not everyone there would -like- sitting that close is another story. Kazuo's comment draws her attention back on Masahiko. "We run into each now and then." Ariko says truthfully in reponse without breaking eye contact with Masa. "Oh? We can talk now if you want," says the deliquent simply to the Yakuza prince in a similiar business like tone back. Masa was pretty much always about business so his tone did not surprise Ariko in the least bit.


Fumiko's reaction to Masahiko's comment is a polite smile, nothing more. And Fumiko almost always smiles, doesn't she? "Oh, I don't know - it'd be nice to see some proper snow in time for Christmas. It's so romantic, you know?" She shrugs to Itsuka, "Sure, Mizuhara-san."

A soft giggle and Fumiko notes, "Irie-tan and I are acquainted too - but I'm friendlier with Kawano-san, frankly." Another shrug and a pause, "Oh - and if you want to talk, don't mind me, Irie-tan. I won't carry gossip, I ~promise~." A sweet smile that butter wouldn't melt in, the girl folding her hands in her lap.


'Reasons' is pretty mysterious, isn't it? Itsuka, for her part, either isn't paying attention to or doesn't notice all this resonance stuff; instead, the fairly energetic young woman is just being friendly, adding, "Pretty well," to Masahiko, "Just studying for finals, you know?" A pause, though, "Ooh, I see. Then maybe it will."

Oh, Itsuka doesn't seem to worry herself too much about tension at first, even as suddenly the guy quotient is rather higher. Now, though, she has a fairly comfortable seat on the bench, rather pleasant in fact, adding, "...I really like your hair," to Ariko.

Oh--Fumiko's comment, "Aah, I know, right? Romantic, but no good for somebody without a date," she admits with a sigh. "I guess it's just how it goes, though. And... Aaah, I see. Well, I'm fine sticking around, if something's secret I can go, though. I'm just sitting until I catch the train back to Iwatodai."


A smirk is given to Ariko's words, as if Masahiko was ready to laugh. "You might But I can't. Trust me, you'll want to talk to me. It'll give you the power of choice," he replies before Fumiko offers her thoughts on Irie speaking freely.

The young man lifts his eyes to the girl, glancing toward Ariko for a moment as he considers. Finally, he speaks rather frankly toward Fumiko. His words are sincere and perhaps even thoughtful, as if a father trying to offer advice to a wayward son than a young man telling off a rival. "Shouldn't lie. Hurts yourself more than it hurts anyone else. Hell, I know you don't like me. You know you don't like me. No point in making a charade to sugar coat, just a waste of time on your end You may share that little tidbit with whoever you want, won't bother me," he points out before he slides his hands into his pockets.

A hand is soon withdrawn and lifted up to stop any possible chatter, as Irie decides to continue. It's rare that he talks to much, so for those that wish to hear, they may. For those that don't, well, no worries, this isn't a common affair.

"But no worries, I'm just passing through. So if you want to keep up the pretense like you like me, won't be much longer. Had to say something to someone as well as wanting to see someone again." His eyes flicker toward Itsuka for a moment before they go back toward Fumiko, perhaps suggesting that he wanted to see Itsuka again. "Soon as I exchange names with the new guy, I'll be on my way. It was lovely talking with you ladies Ariko-san-" Masahiko pauses for a moment, trying to recall the name of the SEES woman. During the silence, the hand is put down. After a second or two, it comes to him, "Mizuhara-san."

Finally, his attention moves toward Kazuo. "Haven't seen you around, but sure I will again. Masahiko Irie. Hang around Sumaru usually, but sometimes travel around a bit," he points out with a small smile. "Just got things to do." After he gets Kazuo's name, he prepares to leave with a "Take care all" seemingly having done all he wished to do.


Kazuo's reply to Ariko's appraisal of how she knew Masahiko? A very simple, "Ah, I see." Doesn't seem like the explanation requires much more than that. Besides, Ariko and Masahiko seem like they have stuff to talk about, so he's not going to get nosy and poke into their business. Because it's none of /his/ business.

He chuckles when Fumiko remarks about snow being romantic. "Oh, it is," he agrees. "Until you have to get out in the yard and shovel it away from your driveway and walkway. Or until you fall on your butt because you slipped on a patch of ice that the snow hid," he quips with a smirk.

Oh yeah. Kazuo's definitely noting some tension here. But aside from a look between Fumiko and Masahiko, he doesn't comment on it. Not unless things escalate. And for the time being, everyone seems to be staying pretty nice, so he doesn't foresee things escalating. But...never can tell, right? Right over that tension he's ignoring, he nods to Itsuka's comment. "Waiting on one myself," he agrees. "Though not to Iwatodai, to Inaba." Small smile.

He quiets when Masahiko speaks, turning his gaze to the other fellow with interest. His brows raise in surprise when he finds Masahiko so frank. It's actually rather refreshing, truth be told. Even if it's not aimed at him. He agrees with most of it. But since his Masahiko's words stand on their own...well, no need to reiterate. Besides, if Fumiko didn't like the guy, agreeing with someone she didn't like is liable to get him slapped!

He's just listening to the other fellow speak, and then he realizes he's being asked for his name. Even with the promise -- or was that a threat? -- of seeing him again, he decides to offer it. "Kazuo Yuudai," he offers quietly.

He might have been about to ask how and/or why Masahiko figured he might be seeing him again. But he is pre-empted from speaking any further when an announcement comes over the PA system -- a train that's heading to Inaba is boarding. "Ah!" He stands. "That's my train. I better get a move on, before my dad gets worried." He offers smiles and waves to those gathered. "Later, everyone!"

So said, he hurries to the train. Wouldn't do for him to miss it. And he's not gonna fall asleep on this one, dammit!



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