in the end, it's all the same

    That was rather embarrassing– The words of someone else snapped her out of her thoughts, her shoulders tensing up accompanied by a rosy pink tint on her cheeks. When Kaede focused her mind on something, she always did it with full-force.

    “I-I’m sorry! That was weird of me, wasn’t it? I couldn’t help it.”

    There had been a lot for her to ponder, but she’d hardly take it out on someone else. That simply wasn’t in her nature. Taking a moment to compose herself, she let out a quiet sigh with her gaze fixed on the one in front of her. “Jeez, that was a horrible way on my end to give a first impression. But.. Thank you for the concern. I just need to relax, is all.”

 Takane stared, blinking in a clueless manner. This girl was an odd one, wasn’t she? Leaning onto the table, she rested her head in her hands while sighing. This was nothing she hadn’t dealt with before. Spacey friends seemed to be her specialty.

 She shook her head idly, a concerned look still on her face.

 “ What’s wrong? Are you doing okay? ”

 Takane then spotted her empty cup, promptly leaping from her seat. Jerking her head in the other’s direction, she raises her eyebrows in a curious fashion.

 “ Uh... I can refill that for you by the way... What were you drinking? ”

     Alyssa did enjoy shopping herself, whether it be for clothes, groceries or anything of the like. Then again, she liked people in general, and since that involved her meeting people, she was inclined to like it. Really, she was used to being social what with being involved in dance and the like.

     She knew she was prone to wandering around aimlessly through the city, but she had been here long enough to know where she was going. After all, she hadn’t wanted to get lost in such a huge city.

     Still, it seemed someone else was lost. The person seemed to be a girl around her age, maybe a bit younger, and she appeared lost. She’s been in that situation before, so she might as well help her. She walks over to the other girl, a small smile on her face.

     “Pardon me, but you seem to be lost, no? I can help you if you want, I’ve been in your situation before after all.”

 Stiffening, Takane turns to face the girl head-on. This was what she wanted to avoid. But, who could ignore such a pitiful display? Pursing her lips, she holds her breath while staring with a less than welcoming look.

 She basically hides in her scarf while looking to the side, eyebrows knitted together. She clears her throat, not even daring to look at the other.

 “ I... Can’t find the grocery store. ”

 She’s thoroughly frustrated and it’s apparent by her tone of voice. She feels silly. What kind of person can’t shop without facing trouble? Apparently her, she guesses.

 Takane found shopping a bore, and honestly if she didn’t have to do it, she never would. She found people annoying and going out was hard enough. (She’d much rather be in bed.) But, there were things that made it bearable.

 This day in particular was a good one, so she figured this would be the best day to go out. Even so, she hadn’t bothered to check where in particular she was going. 

 It was a rather comical sight, the disheveled girl peering left and right in the middle of a mildly busy street full of other pedestrians. Oh, she was almost in tears from the frustration. 

@tsuukareta

    It was natural for her to have plenty on her mind for the environment was so new and different (arguably unique compared to the academy). Others might call her change of settings a stroke of bad luck, but she didn’t want to think that way. No, she had to remain positive! Both for her sake and everyone else around her.

    The blonde strolled towards the nearest cafe, sitting alone at a table and running her fingers atop the cup of coffee in front of her. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say she was deep in thought, for anyone around her could clearly see that as she mused to herself.

    “I see.. Even if I don’t understand this, I can’t back down! I’ll do it.. I’ll figure this out.” 

 People talking to themselves, she thought, was normal. She did it, her friends did it, it wasn’t unheard of. But, the girl in front of her was on an entirely different level.

 “ ... Hello? Are you there? ”

 It wasn’t as if she loved her job in the first place, but it made it a lot easier when people answered the first time she spoke to them.

 “ I... Are you okay? ”

 Takane was suddenly face to face with someone she didn’t know. Of course, it wasn’t their fault. She was too busy playing whatever game on her phone before she felt her shoulder brush against them. She decided to pin the blame on them anyways.

          Shintaro just stare at her, quite in disgust at how she eats the apple like how a barbarian would eat. As expected of Takane, she’s different than any other girls, and he’s not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. 

           “ Me too… “

          To think that she too, would just woke up and immediately in an unknown city. The raven haired too, he woke up in a cold sweat in a stranger’s ( suppose it’s his ) room and have just walk around the place searching for where he might be. He won’t admit it but he was glad to meet her–at least, he have a friend here. Hah, thinking about that makes him feel pathetic.            “ It’s a good thing, i guess…. “

  Takane quirks an eyebrow at him as he stares, taking another healthy bite from the apple and listening to him speak.

  “ Wild to think this isn’t the craziest shit we’ve seen, huh? ”

  And it’s true. The duo had been through a lot along the side of their friends. Waking up in an unknown city full of sheep was like nothing to her at least. Though, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t glad that some of her friends were here. It’d be awfully lonely.

  Takane had successfully located the coffee shop and happily sat in a corner sipping at her piping hot coffee while scanning over the pages of a book. She was enthralled in her own world as per usual, headphones drowning the noise around her and leaving her perfectly isolated.

  A familiar glimpse of red caught her eye and caused her eyes to flicker from her page for a split second. 

  Wait.

  She raised her gaze and settled it on the girl who’d just walked in. Before she could think, she yanked the headphones from her ears and spoke, eyebrows knitting together in a confused expression.

 “ A-Ayano? ”

             “ No offense or anything, but there’s no way I’d eat this. “

He’s not sure where or how did she get this thing. Perhaps she picked it from a tree or something he didn’t know but this apple looked exactly ( not really ) the same as the apples that Snow White’s stepmother gave her which eventually leads to her doom, Shintaro didn’t want to ended up like her. 

@tsuukareta

  “ What, you think it’s gonna kill you or something? ”

  Takane raised an eyebrow at her friend before tossing the apple in the air and catching it with a plop! She sat next to him and took a generous bite, wiping the juice from her mouth with her sleeve and staring at him blankly. 

  “ How’d you even end up here, anyways? Didn’t think I’d run into you here. ”

  Bringing her hand to her chin, she thought for a moment.

  “ Come to think of it, I can’t place how I got here either... Just woke up here. ”