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Please let August be better than July I'm begging

✽ Due to 10+ classes raising their ranks last month, ALL characters have access to the courtyard via the door in the locker area and the windows facing the courtyard.
✽ Characters with 1-10 tallies are not able to get any further past the end of the courtyard before they fall unconscious; characters with 10-20 can get halfway to the pool building before the same happens to them; characters with 20+ tallies can reach the pool building but unfortunately, the door is on the other side. There are no windows on the walls, but from the clocktower, characters can see that it has a glass ceiling, though they are unable to see inside.
✽ Outside, there is no breeze, and it occasionally rains ash.
✽ Characters going up to the 4th floor will feel that the door is warm to the touch, and will occasionally open (see: missions)
✽ The student store opens, with the door propped open with a doorstopper. The npc running the store ~~is currently not interested in conversation, but may be available for threading in the future~~ and is available for threading in the toplevel below. Please see the updated bonus activity page for more information.
✽ Posted on the bulletin board and also handed to each club president before break is the notice that proof of club activity is due at the end of break. Please submit these proofs in the toplevel below.
✽ There is another ad on the bulletin board advertising an exchange student program for the month of October. Applications will be taken until the end of August, and there is a 300 merit point fee. Sister cities include Death City, Devildom, Ishigami Village, Lanling, LazyTown, and Maiami City.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Does Amami have a bracelet tan line ]

Huh...? For what? You're not disappointing.

[ He hasn't disappointed npc-kun, and therefore he isn't disappointing. H(is money)e has more than exceeded expectation, actually. ]

( i kinda hope so. he deserves that much of a tan. )

...Thanks, Kamo-kun. It makes me feel better to hear that from you, but... I probably don't deserve it.

( there's a long pause as his gaze falls to rest on the tree but, as it passes, he plasters a much brighter smile over his lips and he turns back to face them. )

Ha, look at me, getting all gloomy. ( embarrassing when he's supposed to be the reliable older brother. )

Look, you don't have to worry about what I think. Call it a gut feeling, but I don't think you could disappoint me if you tried, and as long as your goal is something that will make you happy, I want to do what I can to support you.

[ There's something to be said about people not having to deserve being believed in, but they actually sort of do, in npc-kun's opinion, when it's safer to offer trust once deserved than it is to take that trust away when it's broken. ]

...Yeah, it'll make me happy. It's something I've wanted for a very long time, ever since I can remember.

( fair. amami means what he says and says what he means though — at least, right now he does. he drops off the counter, straightening up again and offering a smile. )

Then that's enough for me. We'll make it happen for sure.

( or, well, kamo-kun will. amami just wants to help. )

[ He can help... with his $$$ ]

Do you have one? A goal you've been wanting to reach for a very long time?

( when amami just hands over the whole suitcase post-mission and i have go to regain for him again. )

Yeah. I'm still working on it, but I'm going to make sure I see it through.

( you ever just in complete denial about the reality of your situation back home? yeah. )

[ Amami maxing out item from home regains each month to support his super high maintenance sibling ]

Hm...

[ There's a little purse of the lips, like they want to ask what it is, or how they can help, to return the favor Amami had offered them but also... understanding it could be private, the way theirs is, a goal kept close to the heart and tucked away as if exposing it to the world would only get it torn apart. ]

...yeah. Don't ever give up on it. No matter what anybody thinks or says.

( you're joking but just wait for it. only 1/4 of anything i regain is ever actually meant for him. )

You don't need to tell me that.

( some things are more important than anything that anybody has to say, and amami smiles wide at the encouragement. kamo-kun gets it. )

[ ...

They place that smile back on their face. ]

Yeah! And, hey— I know you said you don't have any more money right now, but if there's anything you need in the meantime, do me a favor and it's yours!

[ This is not generosity, don't be fooled ]

( oh wait, hold up. he was about to gather his things, but glances back to them when they say that, curiosity piqued. )

What's the favour?

( he's absolutely fooled. he doesn't need more rocks, he'll do it for free. )

[ ngl after about 20 comments in any thread I lose track of where people are and what's going on ]

Advertisement! I'm going to need lots and lots of posters, and you can help me draw!

( that catches him, and after a moment's surprise, he laughs. )

I guess I can't say no to you. What did you want on them?

( imagine coming back to your school in september and those hideous blobfish are hung up everywhere i'd cry. )

[ forget Rokkun, Maya's the one going on a murder spree after break ]

Hm... Zebras and raccoons and manta rays.

( being ugly isn't a crime, maya... )

Zebras, raccoons, and manta rays — got it. Next time I come by, we can put together some posters then.

[ vandalism is punishable. Her school her rules ]

Okay! When are you going to come see me again? I'll have crayons at the ready!

( she just can't stand that hiro has competition now...! )

I should be able to come back tomorrow. ( if he's assuming he doesn't die overnight........ )

Barring that, even if something comes up, I'll try to drop by before the end of the week.

[ no don't do that, imagine if Amami's courtyard adventures is that night and for the rest of the month npc-kun is just

]

Hehe... I'll be waiting for you!

[ ... ]

Tarou-nii!

( yeah :) imagine )

See you, Kamo-kun.

[ knife emoji ]

( that's fair, but to his credit... 20 days later, the shop is one of the first places amami visits some time in the late morning. that backpack they sold him is slung over his shoulder, and he peeks in the doorway to make sure it's really Business Hours before making his way in — calls out in case kamo-kun is in the back room with their secret menu items or something. )

Kamo-kun? You open today?

[ It's hard to tell whether the store is open, what with the way npc-kun is sitting at the counter with their head down on crossed arms. Half the school suddenly disappeared... this is killing their business...

And it kills them when they lift their head at that voice and that nickname and their face twists, like they want to smile but also be angry and maybe also cry. Instead, they settle for picking up the closest thing at hand— a worry stone— and throwing it at Amami. ]

Where were you!? I looked for you—- You promised me!

( oh, yeah, that's deserved. not that amami's expecting it, but he ducks on instinct to avoid the funky little rock that comes flying at his head, kind of wincing and giving a glance over his shoulder in hopes that it didn't end up breaking any of their other wares. the surprise is visible in a wide-eyed expression when he looks back, but it's painted over with guilt quickly enough. he raises his hands up, palms out in front of him, to try to give off a "calm down" kind of vibe. you know, like a "please don't throw any more rocks at me" vibe. )

Sorry. I'm sorry. I know, I said I'd be back the next day, right?

( how many days it has been is still kind of up in the air for him — more than one, clearly. calendar wasn't his first thought to check in the morning, but maybe it should've been. )

I really did come as soon as I could though.

[ TWENTY FUCKING DAYS he was gone almost and entire month and during that time npc-kun went through like four stages of grief, refused to entertain the last step, and kept cycling back between the first two. It's anger that flares up now, vindictive anger that they have no choice but to latch onto because the other option is to cry and they don't want to, not in front of Amami.

So they push themselves up from behind the counter and stalk across the room, purposely ignoring him so they can retrieve their rock, crouching to pick it up and nestling their thumb over the indention. It wouldn't have surprised them if this were just a normal stone to begin with, and for all the worrying and rubbing they did...

They can feel the tears come, the anger washing away. It's okay if they cry, like this, crouched down on the ground and hugging their knees because Amami won't see. ]

You aren't lying to me, are you? I thought...

[ ... ]

I thought you died. But I couldn't accept that until I saw you again with my own two eyes.

...

( it's clear immediately just how bad he's fucked up. and to tell the truth? he's never quite sure what to do in these situations. the kind of overwhelming, volatile emotions that cause people to act out — amami has long since tried to shut them out for himself. always composed, always smiling, always maintaining a safe distance. it looks like he was careless in that last regard. or maybe he knew what he was doing; maybe he's just selfish. it does, admittedly, make something in his chest soften, a spark of happiness buried under his guilt at the fact that somebody might have noticed, might have looked for him, might have cared where he ended up... even if kamo-kun is one of the last people he'd want to hurt with something like this.

he's probably a pretty awful person for that.

even so, he's not so awful that he'll make excuses about keeping distance with kamo-kun now. not once he's already done the kind of damage where they're crouched down on the floor of their little shop, looking small — sounding small once the anger in their voice begins to crack apart and crumble away. so he turns to follow them over, crouching down to their level beside them, and his quiet words are started off with a bit of a sigh. )

Do you think I would do that? ( a pause. ) ...Do you think that I wouldn't come back for you?

( he rests his cheek against the palm of his hand, watching their profile. )

I don't blame you if you don't believe me, but I don't like to go back on my word if I can help it.

[ No... don't crouch next to them and try to look at them when they're trying to hide. All that does is make npc-kun bury their face in their arms and squeeze their eyes shut tight because if the tears don't fall it doesn't count as crying, if they hold their breath they don't be betrayed by sobs.

It's not Amami's fault, they know this. But if they don't direct their rage and grief somewhere, they feel like they're going to explode. ]

...I know. I believe you...

[ That he wouldn't lie if he could help it, that he keeps his promises if he could help it. But sometimes... you can't. Sometimes you're told "I'll be right back" and then you don't see somebody for days— and days later you're told they fell off a cliff and won't be coming back- and you're three and you're powerless and even if you did run after them, what could you have done? ...They're not three anymore, but they felt just as powerless. They scoured the whole school, but what good did that do. ]

But sometimes, you can't help it. Something happens and you—- and I don't...

[ They lift their head a little, peeking out of the corner of their eye at Amami, then looks back down at the darkness between their arms. ]

I didn't know what I'd do if I lost you too.

Please let August be better than July I'm begging

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