☆ѕмιlℓε!☆

There was little point trying to push someone like this away…they just took being pushed away as a challenge,  and clearly he wasn’t getting anywhere with that. Sigh.

          ↬ ◤I see.◥ 

   The auburn-haired boy only seemed to get more and more distressed the more she spoke. Ritsuka had thought she was performing a kind gesture—was he misunderstood, or was she? In either case…the library hardly seemed the place to make a scene. Setting her book aside, she gave the flower another gentle nudge toward the other. A peace offering, of sorts.

          ↬ ◤…It is not my intention to be cold. I didn’t mean to upset you.◥

   He seemed upset, at least. There were many things that Ritsuka knew, and many things she could comprehend with ease—but that just wasn’t one of them. She understood that social interaction was important to human longevity. To happiness. What she didn’t understand was why people craved it so badly. Why fight so hard for something that could so easily be lost? It simply wasn’t worth the risk—it simply wasn’t practical.

                 Granted, practicality seemed fairly low on this young boy’s priorities.

"It's okay! I wasn't upset, really! Just a bit embarrassed that I got caught..." The maroon-haired pierrot turned bashful, his hands clasping together as he awkwardly shuffled his shoes. "But I promise, I'm okay! You don't have to worry, okay?" He flashed her an assuring grin, giving the girl a thumbs up in return.

Shaking his head, Shizuka mused: "This is all just theory. I won’t argue with the statement you yourself are strong, but I am most certainly not. I never will be. Why not go and befriend someone else, instead of wasting your time with me?"

It was clear Shizuka had been pushing others away for so long, thinking that they too, would betray…that to have someone so innocent and who he did not wish to see go down his own road genuinely concerned for his sake made him quite philosophical, to state matters about himself - and yet, he honestly didn’t KNOW how to let people in any more.

Taking a deep breath, he was slow to move his hand to gently tap his shoulder. Not enough to trigger a lot of shock, but enough to get the idea. "I'm staying here with you because I believe in you, and I want to help you!" The pierrot's smile was friendly again as he continued to speak. "I don't think spending time with you would be a waste. Even if I can't help you at all, I want you to know what it's like to have someone who cares about you, because I care about you! I care about everyone, even those who have hurt me!"

That said, Shizuka re-opened his book, musing: “You are a very innocent person, to think such things. If you do require assistance getting through bad situations, I suppose I could help. I know lots of things.”

"Something is just making things harder for us, for some reason..." He seemed to stare into space now, lost in though. "Maybe there's a lot in store for us. We're strong people, I think. Especially since you've gone through what you've gone through. I won't pry..." He pressed his fingertips against the surface of his mask once again. "Whatever happens..." The pierrot's voice quickly trailed off as he kept thinking to himself.

And so Shizuka could not answer the question, closing his eyes in thought. However, the other sitting next to him made him blink, and move slightly away. The boy talked about having always been alone before coming here. He’d grown used to it, but never liked it. As such, seeing as he didn’t have to be lonely any more, he was trying to make friends.

"… So you’re willing to risk the possibility of bad people to make friends. The world is not quite so forgiving as that, I’m sad to say. That’s why I consider books friends. They can’t betray you or use you like some people do. You should be more cautious.”

However, he fell silent immediately, a shocked expression appearing on his features as he realized he had said too much. "...Ah, um. That's what I'd say if I had any of those. Haha!" He laughed it off quickly, keeping his smile wide as he tried to continue his train of thought.

      ↬ ◤…While I appreciate your concern, I can assure you I’m fine. I don’t need anything.◥

With the way Ritsuka had responded, it was almost like she was turning down a drink refill instead of company or even a possible friend. Had she even heard him? Ritsuka’s own words were nearly a mumble as she slipped a bookmark into her book, moving to return the boy his flower. She vaguely…recognized the boy from…somewhere. Somewhere she couldn’t quite place her finger on.

                                               She just needed to put the pieces together.

          ↬ ◤…You’ve been following me.◥ 

It wasn’t stated as a question, but demanded an explanation nonetheless. Yes, she was sure of it now. She had thought something had been amiss since she’d come here. The feeling of being watched—followed, even. Like a shadow. She would even catch glances of someone on occasion. The whole ordeal was a bit of an unsettling one—she had almost come to the conclusion that this was typical of the school. Admittedly, she did feel more at ease in knowing that this pursuer was so small and…cute. Statistically much more harmless.

Of course, statistics alone couldn’t clear this boy of suspicion, regardless of how small and cute he looked. He’d said that Ritsuka looked like she needed a friend, but—someone who follows a person for days in hopes of striking a friendship…

                       Isn’t that the lonely person? 

Despite every bone, every nerve ending, every cell in her body fighting against her, Ritsuka set her book aside and gently pushed the flower back toward the small and cute, albeit oddly dressed, boy.

...Oh, she had noticed.

Within moments, his face had turned red with embarrassment as she pointed out his 'activity' since school started. "W-well, I mean... You seemed lonely after seeing you a few times... I-I went to see if you ever really spent time with anyone, but..." His heart sank, knowing that what he did was wrong. "I'm sorry for what I did... I just don't want people to go through the same loneliness that I did..."

"I come here often as I do to read books in peace. Nothing more, nothing less." Though he had hoped the conversation would end there, the young man persisted, giving a grin so wide it honestly seemed to take up his whole face, nattering on about himself being someone to talk to and who could keep secrets…and someone who could assist sad or lonesome people.

"….I have no problems with being alone."

With that, he shook his own sadness away, the smile reappearing on his face. "Since I don't have to be lonely anymore, I'm trying my best to make friends. I may not be the smartest, or the politest, but I can say I'm trying my best..."

Another day, another period of keeping to himself and not talking to anyone. At least, that had been Shizuka Megumi’s idea in today: he had no desire to talk to anyone, or risk a betrayal happening again. As such, he’d taken his favourite book to the school gardens, still in bounds of the school, but quiet.

Lots of plants and flowers. Sitting under a large tree, it’s leafy branches shielding him from view, Shizuka adjusted his glasses and read. However, he was barely sitting there but a minute before the peace was disrupted, a  voice cutting through his nerves.

"……It’s rather rude to interrupt someone who’s busy reading, you know."

As the pierrot wandered about the gardens as usual, a figure caught his eye: a student with fluffy, silver hair and a blue suit, his book seeming to touch his forehead as he read with impressive focus. He had spotted the other student two or three times since he arrived at the academy, though he was certain Hiro had missed many more appearances of the book-obsessed teen.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision when Hiroyuki decided to finally approach him, lifting his hand to attempt a wave only to have a piercing stare sent his way, causing his visible eye to lower along with his hand.

"I, um," He didn't expect the other to be so... cold. There was no other way that he could describe it. "...I'm sorry to disrupt you, but..." Oh, his words were getting caught in his throat. "...Are things okay? You know, like... um.... I see you here a lot..."

However, he was quick to fall out of his nervous sputtering, his eyes finally meeting the others as he tried to give the other his biggest smile. "Y'know, if you want someone to talk to, I'm always here, even if you don't know me! I can keep secrets, I promise!" His eyes seemed to glitter as he spoke with confidence.

um·brage     /ˈəmbrij/      [noun]  ➝

the slightest indication or vaguest feeling of suspicion, doubt, hostility, or the like.

Ever since her arrival at Hope’s Peak, Ritsuka had found a sort of sanctuary within the school’s massive library. It was nearly a maze, really. Rows upon rows upon rows upon rows. It was nothing short of incredible.

           She could hide here forever if she wanted to.

…Or, perhaps not. Even with her eyes buried in the sets upon sets upon sets of words in front of her, a keen pair of ears had picked up on a shuffle of footsteps behind her. So she delved deeper into her world of words, and waited for the intruder to go away. 

             She waited.

                                 Waited. 

Waited until seemed like this infiltrator wasn’t leaving until they were addressed. And, only after an enduring moment of silence, she spoke.

          ↬ ◤…Do you need something?◥

The girl’s tone wasn’t hostile, but it wasn’t exactly friendly, either. Perhaps cautious was the best word to use here.

...Maybe, he could change that loneliness?

The atmosphere of the library was a tranquil one as students, however many there were, had their eyes glued to the leaves of their books. Whenever he tried to do that in the past, he couldn't see why they were so interested. In fact, he couldn't see anything except for careful shapes of ink on multiple pieces of paper... Nothing much to look at.

As he inched closer, his steps quiet as he tried not to disturb the girl in her solitude. However, the calm atmosphere was cut by a sudden feeling of unneighborly annoyance. He had been caught, and he had no time to think over what he should say to his new captor.

↬ ◤…Do you need something?◥