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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

( 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.

( the little peek is a critical hit. a surge of guilt prickles under his skin, presses down on his ribs, and he makes an effort to breathe all of it out in a small huff. )

I'd like it if you guys had a little more faith in me.

( it's not the first time he's gone over this, and he's not crazy about this assumption like he'll be taken out of the picture so easily. he sounds a bit sheepish too, like he's not sure if he should laugh along at the suggestion or not. can't be helped. amami's got nervous smiling syndrome.

he'll quit with the crouching though, letting himself properly sit on the ground. or, semi-properly, with one leg stretched out, and the other folded under him like he's halfway to crossing his legs. it's fine. the important part is that he's able to lean over, wrapping his arms around kamo-kun so that he can try to tug them closer — topple them over onto him, if he has to — mumbling something like "c'mere," under his breath in hopes that they'll humour him. he can't try too hard if they don't cooperate, after all; been a while since he's had the opportunity to show this kind of affection. it makes him feel kind of vulnerable, even as a smile tugs faintly at the corners of his lips. )

...You won't. ( lose him, he means. )

It might take me a while to find my way back here and there, but I've got someone waiting for me, don't I? So I can't very well leave you alone.

( looks at his canon. looks at his wrist. he thinks he might've earned a little bit of hubris. as a treat. )

[ Don't ever show npc-kun that extra tally, they'll go ballistic

Faith is a lot easier to have when the person is there right beside you, though, saying it and putting it into words instead of leaving the thoughts to churn around in your head. It doesn't take much coaxing at all for npc-kun to lean against Amami, to settle against his side and wrap their arms around him too and give him a hug; it's the sort of hug that starts with a squeeze so he'll know just how much they missed him, and it's the sort of hug that they don't pull away from until they feel good and ready, instead choosing to make themselves comfortable in the embrace. ]

...Okay.

[ ... ]

Were you okay?

( they won't see it today and that is a promise.

there's some relief as they accept his words though, perfectly happy to sit on the ground in the middle of the shop if that helps them to feel better. it makes him feel a little better too, actually. but he'll give a thoughtful hum as the thinks over the question, which is actually kind of subjective. it depends on your definition of "okay," kind of? but that's hardly something he's going to tell them. little white lies like this have yet to betray him, so he'll keep it simple. )

Well I did make it back in one piece, didn't I?

( it was a long night, but if you forget about the kinda-sorta patched up arm(?) then he's no worse for wear from when they last saw him! )

Oh, I was pretty tired though. Passed out as soon as I got back, and after I woke up, I came here pretty much first thing.

[ ...

npc-kun leans back from the hug and looks Amami up and down, just to be 100% sure he isn't missing any limbs or has had half his stomach gouged out by some wild beast or anything like that. One piece doesn't mean a whole piece, necessarily, but as far as they can tell...

... ]

Where did you go for so long?

...

( oh, okay, he hadn't really prepared for that one. should have, probably, but didn't. hadn't expected twenty fucking days worth of upset kamo-kun he had to explain himself to, and the pause is probably more than noticeable before he speaks up again. )

There was something I needed to check on. I was never far though — can't really leave campus, after all.

"Never far"...

[ but didn't come see npc-kun... okay... they see how it is ]

Lying by omission is still lying. Tell me what happened. Believe that I believe in you.

Sorry, it's just that usually when we talk about this stuff, we get looked at like we're crazy.

( being in trouble isn't a great alternative, but then again, neither is letting kamo-kun know about the things he's been getting into that are more than a little bit dangerous. )

We went to talk with someone. I was in the courtyard pretty much the whole time, but even if I might've stayed behind a bit longer than the others, I didn't think it would be that long.

( ... )

... How long was it?

[ npc-kun has a great poker face as long as they're staring out into the far distance, but that doesn't stop them from thinking Amami's a little crazy. What conversation lasts that long? And there's no way they would have missed seeing Amami for all the running around they did on campus.

... ]

Three weeks. I waited for you for three weeks.

( ... )

Oh.

( obviously, he did not expect that. sounds like it's a good thing he gave the tree to them for babysitting before that night. )

I guess I kinda deserved to have a rock thrown at me in that case, huh?

Please let August be better than July I'm begging

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