yogen | i left some seasons eager to fall, i left some work to bury alive

For most of the past two months, it was safe to say that Miyuki was taking his duties on the student council as seriously as he would have if this were his actual school. Granted, it was nearly impossible to match the kind of intensity that the Ultimate Moral Compass held as President, the most he could do was make up for that by... well, doing what he usually did. Which was not sleeping well, and trying to keep an eye on things the best he could.

He's made it a point to mention to anyone curious about student council proceedings that he'll be available to answer any questions that they may have, either about requests for the school or concerns that've been keeping others up. If it's during school hours, he's typically in classroom 3-A, and for a few hours after that, he can be found in the student council room itself. All things considered, he was still the most comfortable doing work in there rather than anyone else.

Regardless, if you need him (or really, the student council PCs in general), come say hello! They're not scary, Shirogane only looks like that because he gets two hours of sleep a day. Please, help him.

In the back of his mind he keeps asking himself, how he got away with it.

It's been a couple months now, and everything's going according to plan. Sure, he had never anticipated someone else taking the blame or any of the follow up, but with the start of student council elections, it meant that it was finally time to start on the rest of the plan. Which unfortunately, caused the rumors to start back up (?). They were just that though, rumors, right?

Of course, he was keenly aware of that. The easiest way to deal with that is to just ignore it. Pretend that it doesn't really effect you, and that even so much as acknowledging it is ridiculous. He seems to recall something of a rumor like that before... with the thought being, maybe if he was confessed to, maybe he'd entertain dating--

Today, he's taking a moment to acknowledge a poll that's been "mysteriously" posted at certain places around the school. If you've asked or expressed interest in being on the student council, your name's been added on-- and you may have a random percentage next to your name. Regardless, there's one name that seems to stick out like a sore thumb. The one with the highest percentage, based on a jury of her peers. Which may lead to, if you come across Miyuki looking at the poll, he'll make a comment.

"They really want Inaba to join, huh...?"

Innocent enough, voice attempting to maintain full neutrality. His eyes may shift to whomever approaches, heading right back to the posted poll. This is definitely on the level.

[ As they pass in the hallway in the morning, a certain somebody is quietly slipped a note into her pocket. When she opens it, she'll find something incredibly vague.

"Vega. Deneb. Canopus. Polaris. Betelgeuse. Sun.

Two."

With that done, a little before 1:30p that day, Miyuki's made his way back to the dorms. Occasionally he'll take up space in the common room, but this time around he's headed for one of the bedrooms. If asked, he has an excuse: the student council's asking him to evaluate the dorm rooms to make sure nobody's hiding anything dangerous. It's a safety concern!

Regardless, a little after the top of the hour, he'll head to room ★6. Verifying no one is around, that nobody was following him or decided to tag along, he makes his way in. He's pretty confident she was able to understand it completely, and can't help but hide his excitement as he closes the door behind him. ]

The coast's clear. It wasn't too vague, was it?

It took me a bit, but I managed to get it. Besides, stuff like that wakes up the brain a little bit. More than any of the classes, anyway.

[ The classes are pretty much such a snooze because they're all repeated material that she's already pretty much aware of, so it winds up being more repetitive work than anything. ]

Although, I probably should ask... You don't have your cell phone on you, do you? I found out recently that they actually work here if you exchange numbers. Kind of weird, considering that we're in the 2000s. Although if you don't, there's also option B of trying to program a separate private messaging client for just both of our PDAs.

I thought they would've required a signal, so I haven't been using it. I can't really vouch for its security either, considering that we probably have more than one tech wizard walking around here.

[ The last thing he wants is for any text messages to get leaked. Or anything else, for that matter. ]

If you're willing to do it, I'd be fine with that. If it's you making it, I can't imagine anyone being able to crack it open. I could write whatever I want in there.

[ He lets the implication hang, stepping away from the door and stepping closer towards her. ]

The PDAs also require a signal, it's not like they're magic. Just technology. But you're right that there are a few others that are good at it, but at least I'm aware of the ones to look out for.

[ She laughs a little sheepishly, her cheeks tinged slightly with embarrassment. ]

You put too much faith in me, though. Besides, I don't mind the handwritten notes. It's much more personal and I something that you handwrote. [ However, don't think she didn't catch that last thing. ] You should write whatever you want regardless.

That's impossible. I can't think of one instance where you've let me down yet, Inaba. [ In his current biased state. Her little laugh. It's cute. ]

Maybe once we've finally gotten you on top of the student council, I'll start leaving notes for you every day. I should take the time to praise my queen whenever the chance comes up, after all.

[ And now her face is growing a beet red. While it's true that she's trying to basically reach the top of the student council, the idea that he's going to leave notes for her every day... ]

Geez. You don't have to go that far. Although I suppose leaving notes is definitely a lot less embarrassing than other things you could be doing.

[ Oh, his time is coming. He's not embarrassed yet, but once he comes to his senses... maybe he'll toss himself into the principal's office.

This Miyuki Shirogane on the other hand, simply chuckles. That embarrassment is part of the charm, considering how normally harsh she can be. ]

No, I haven't gone that far yet. An overwhelming campaign would make you seem arrogant, and may draw more eyes to you as an enemy. Considering that the student body already seems to be onto us, I can't have anyone thinking they should get revenge for Arisu by taking you out.

Don't worry. I'll get you into the student council, and I'll keep you safe at any cost. Promise.

[ At the expense of everyone else. ]

They're just saying things. They won't be able to find any proof anywhere, so we just need to have it pass.

[ She manages to say those words calmly, unbothered. ]

After all, it's just a normal thing in this place--sure, she may not recall anything afterwards and it might take a while, but she'll come back eventually. That's just how it is. Nobody did anything to the person who killed the president before her, after all. This should be the same. They all know that, so... I have no doubts that it'll be fine.

[ It's a strangely cold, harsh judgment of the situation that she dares not say outside of this room, but Inaba trusts Miyuki enough not to spill.

But then, he says that he'd keep her safe at any cost and that-- Oh.

That brings her out of her stoic side again. ]

...you don't have to say something so embarrassing.

[ Embarrassing, yes. But it makes her happy, regardless. Her gaze flits away from his own a little, clearing her throat.

Calm down, Inaba Himeko! ]

Getting into the student council is much easier this year. I just need to convince the staff, after all, so even throwing a proper campaign wouldn't really do much. The only thing that would be useful would be to see what the student body wanted out of the student council, as well as what each individual club needs so that could be shown to the staff members that I'd be a useful asset.

Although...

[ She adds, brushing her hair behind her ear, putting on a smirk that's more mischievous than gentle, her voice slightly teasing. ]

I might need a little more motivation, to give it my all.

[ Awful. She's being absolutely awful. ]

It may be normal, but you do still run the risk of just one outlier existing. Getting rid of Hiro Arisu was a good start... taking a knife was a small price to ensure it never came back to you.

[ It didn't absolve him, but Inaba wasn't blamed for it. That much was good enough. For her to be so calm and straightforward about the situation, not worried in the slightest...

No one else deserved to be in charge of this school more than Himeko Inaba. That, he was sure of.

At her last comment, Miyuki quirks an eyebrow. He steps forward, closing the distance between them. Caressing Inaba's cheek, with a smirk of his own. ]

Really, now. How much of it do you need?

That person would have to be one of the normal students, right? According to my information network, that person already graduated. Well, I'm not going to let my guard down if in the off chance someone dares try something. I've been learning self defense and I'm good at talking around people if I have to.

[ Her smile softens a little. There's something a little sad as she speaks up again, a little softly and --

It's a lot more honest than she normally would be.

Only time will tell if what she says next is the rumor's influence or something else. ]

But...

[ She hangs her head for a moment, brings a hesitant hand to the side of his arm. ]

...don't do that for me again. If anything happened to you, really, I--

[ Her voice cracks with emotion.

How selfish of her.

Even though she's done something horrible for her own personal gain, she still wants to stay with him. She's allowed that much, isn't she? ]

I don't know what I'd do with myself. It'd be incredibly lonely without you.

[ But as for the last thing, she raises her head, looks him straight in the eyes and widens her grin. The tone of her voice shifts -- just a little more playful, a teasing note as she brushes a strand of hair over her ear. ]

That all depends. How much of it are you willing to give me?

[ That change in her tone causes his own grin to fall. It was only natural that he'd want to take the proverbial bullet for her, to make himself useful. Given that he wasn't in the running to be the president, given that he was essentially just advising... he didn't need to try quite as hard, did he?

It... felt odd. There was the obvious reason he worked so hard and put forth so much effort. More than anything, he wanted to be presentable and shed any feelings of inadequacy he had. No, the pathetic and useless Miyuki Shirogane was already dead.

Whoever he was... he was here now. Here in front of Inaba. Here for Inaba.

The truth may be somewhere in the middle, between the true reason he's worked himself to death to seem as impressive and perfect as he could, and between the rumors circulating and working its magic on him. Even now, he's trying harder than he ever has to keep it together.

If anything, Miyuki Shirogane wanted to be her rock, for when she couldn't take it anymore. ]

I'm not going anywhere.

[ It may not be his choice, but he feels confident in saying that, matching her gaze. ]

You won't be alone, Inaba Himeko. No matter what happens, I'll be on your side.

[ Whether or not that was said because of the influence, he wouldn't know. Right now, he felt like his feelings on the subject were as clear as day, filled with a determination matched by his typically sharp gaze.

Which leaves him with not much else to say. How much of it was he willing to give? Just as with everything he put his mind to... as much as he possibly could. Which he punctuates by leaning in, pressing his lips against Inaba's in a tender kiss. Eyes closed, the world practically disappearing around him, only leaving himself and the girl he's fallen for. ]

[ Stupid.

She keeps saying those words in her heart. There's a part of her that wants to cry, wants to scream out. She hates that negative side of herself, that struggles to accept that hey, maybe in an awful place like this school, sometimes you need these slivers of happiness.

It shouldn't be so reassuring when he kisses her.

There are words that she might recall later, sitting in the back of her mind, much later.

But for now, she allows herself this. The few short seconds of the kiss, the way she melts into it, how her heart beats just a few seconds faster. When she pulls away from him, her gaze shines with confidence. ]

Those are loaded words, you know. But if it's you, I'll trust in them. After all, you are the Shirogane Miyuki that I fell in love with.

[ He is, isn't he? ~~Is he?~~

It really is a source of happiness and pride that he gets to hear something like that from Inaba, someone who didn't easily trust those she didn't know before this school. It made all of the trials and tribulations that came with their school life worth it.

Even with the blood on their hands. ]

...love you too, Inaba.

[ His words get caught for a second, as he takes a deep breath. ]

After we get you to the top... it should be safe to be open about our relationship. I want let everyone know how glad I am to have you.

[ somebody kill him before he embarrasses himself more ]

You're allowed to call me 'Himeko', you know. You have that permission.

[ The words are spoken softly, almost too soft for someone who has blood on her hands. There's a gentle, simple warmth in what she says.

This isn't something that she allows for, usually, as someone who despises her name so much.

Ironic, given that she's planning on becoming the queen of the student council. ]

We're alone, after all, so... it's fine, if you call me by my first name.

[ KILL THEM BOTH TBH ]

...Himeko.

[ After so long, it was hard for him to get used to that. In his mind, if she truly hated that name so much, then of course he'd call her by her family name. At her request, as gentle as it is... how can he refuse her?

As gentle as him lowering his hands to take hers. ]

As long as it's just us. Even after you truly become class royalty.

[ That's a distinction he wants to hold all to himself. ]

Of course--

[ She starts off, affectionate at first but then looks like she immediately remembers something and frowns. ]

Ah. Well, I suppose if you really want to be the only one to call me by my first name, we're going to have to get rid of someone.

Oh. Really?

[ He quirks an eyebrow... ]

And who might that be?

The current school nurse.

[ Her mood sours, and she finds herself frowning. ]

Calling me by my first name without my goddamn permission, and then continuing to refer to me that way when I tell him to stop.

Oh. That guy.

[ Admittedly he hasn't spent too much time around him, but on the other hand, he's been pissing Inaba off something fierce... ]

I don't know how easy it'd be to get rid of a faculty member, but considering that it should be easy to be alone with him, it shouldn't be too difficult. Right?

[ HE'S ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT THIS?? ]

[ I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS....... there is going to be so much regrets later on.

Nevertheless, she continues, seriously: ]

I don't think it'd be that easy. Even if isolation might not be as difficult, he's not human. Not to mention that he has a partner that is also not human and extremely dangerous.

It's a pain in the ass, so instead I just decided not to bother. It's why I'm trying to self teach myself more intensive first aid so I don't have to rely on someone like him.

That's not a bad idea. I sure as hell can't trust anyone like that if anything happens. I'm already lucky enough that you were there to help patch me up.

[ Ahhh, don't bring that up, changing subjects-- ]

...Do we know if anybody else distrusts them? There's strength in numbers.

Unfortunately, not at the moment.

[ She sighs, shaking her head. ]

Anyway, enough of this bleak bullshit! We're supposed to be enjoying our afterlives. We can shelve this for later, anyway--once I do a little more looking into it. Can't do too much planning with a lack of information, after all.

Let's just enjoy ourselves. We have a private room and all the time in the world.

[ --She's right. If they're meant to be dead, the most they can do is make the most of their time together. Not spend their time conspiring to commit murder and talk about who stabbed who and what not.

A private room... all the time in the world. ]

You're right. So then, Himeko. I hope you don't mind if I spoil you a bit more.

...

[ It makes her heart flutter when he calls her by her first name. She's happy, in fact. Enough that what peeks out is a much shyer, more demure Inaba. ]

I-If... you really want to, then... I won't stop you...

[ As the month continued on, Miyuki went about his day normally. Sure, he'd still disappear from time to time, and seemed to generally be in a good mood, but other than that, it was smooth sailing. Even today seemed pretty usual.

Except for one thing. With all of the other rumors swirling around the school, one slowly started to fade a bit into the background. There were a few comments about where Miyuki was going, but more than anything, he was starting to be known as an accomplice than a love interest to a certain somebody.

Which is why as he washes his hands in the men's restroom (ugh, he still hates this pink water--), he looks at himself in the mirror, grinning. And then, reality. Starts. Sinking in.

...

Oh my god. ]

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

[ WHAT THE HELL HAS HE BEEN DOING?! ]

AAAAAH!! Why in god's name did I say any of that?! Why did I do-- why?!

[ His hand's flat against the mirror, and he's trying hard to work through his sudden mental breakdown. ]

Am I that stupid?! What the hell was I thinking?! I have to die! That's the only way I'm getting out of this!

[ He's already dead. ]

[ After a bit of time's passed, Miyuki's slowly starting to get used to this new set up for the student council. He has his reservations, considering recent goings on in the school as well as any grudges he may still hold. Some things are hard to get over, after all.

The wildcard in all of this was Helena Adams. Someone who'd been helpful to him before, and always seemed fairly kind to those who were kind to her. Perhaps he hadn't been paying enough attention, but during the typical bland student council meeting, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed much... much more exhausted than usual. It was something he was familiar with seeing, mostly on his own face, and considering they were working together now...

...well, he can't really help himself. Even if he wasn't the president, it was still in his nature as a fellow member of the student council.

As everyone disburses, Miyuki keeps at his place at the table. Having spent enough time in this room at this point, he understands that the meeting itself isn't a good time to talk shop with anyone. So he takes this moment to speak out in his typical formal and polite manner: ]

Sorry, Miss Adams. Can I ask you to help me with something? It shouldn't take too long.

Of course, Mr. Shirogane.

[she's tired, but she thinks she's hiding it successfully. she hasn't missed class, or meetings. she takes notes, and she's working on putting together a plan for the suggestion box. so when Miyuki asks her to stay behind, she agrees easily. it'll keep her busy for a little longer, after all.]

What do you need? Oh, and I did want to ask if at the next meeting I could have a few minutes to bring up an idea to everyone - I've been working on it for a little while.

Sure. I mean-- I'm not really the person to go to for that, but I can still pass that along to Ishimaru if you'd like. I don't see it being a problem, though.

[ There's always fluff that can be trimmed from these meetings, so if there's something on Helena's mind, they can make room for it. Unfortunately though-- it's hard to escape how observant Miyuki is, as evidenced by his concern. ]

Well, I was actually just wondering how you were doing. You seem like you've been working harder than usual lately.

[ A semi-subtle coded sentence... just because, saying "you look exhausted" might be a bit too on the nose. ]

Oh...right, that's more for Mr. Ishimaru.

[she's so exhausted that even that slipped from her grasp. how embarrassing....]

I'm all right though, but thank you for the concern. There's just been some tricky projects in my class.

[tricky because she can't gravitate to Shin, who knew her. who could read her notes, communicate how she liked best. now she has to go through the tedious process of figuring out who works best with her again.

but that's not what her nightmares are about.]

Er-- well, yes. Although, it's fine. I have to keep myself from acting with authority sometimes-- I was used to being the president myself that sliding back into a supporting role was kinda tough.

[ Which, honestly, being stuco president here would've been a huge pain anyway. Not that he wouldn't have taken it if offered, but maybe it was a blessing that Ishimaru had been here to take up the mantle.

When she brings up the projects, he nods. He didn't know much about how Helena and Hiyori interacted, and really... wasn't someone who was close to Hiyori to begin with. So for the most part, he's in the dark. That doesn't really matter much, in the end. ]

I wouldn't mind lending a hand, if that's okay with you. I'm pretty caught up on my own school work.

Are you sure? I wouldn't wish to be an imposition...you've been so busy with the archives and past records.

[that, and she's a little embarrassed that someone not in her class would have to notice.]

That's not a problem at all. I'm actually pretty good at managing my time well!

[ Nobody else needs to hear that he said that. ]

Plus, everything's secure in here and in my notes-- we should be fine once I'm able to have this copied.

Is that what you need help with today? I can do that easy enough.

[sorry, was this a wellness check in? because if it is she's going to kite around it for her life instead of admitting there's a problem.]

[ sorry, but that's his defense mechanism. he can see right through that. ]

No, I was thinking I'd take a break from that for the rest of the day. The last thing I want to do is fizzle out before I even get started.

[ The last time he met with Nene Yashiro, it didn't go so well. There was something disgusting in a cup, both of them felt ill afterwards, and really... it wasn't a pleasant time for anyone.

Really, it had been a while since he'd actually had a chance to talk to her. She was one of the first students to actually make him feel welcome, showing a kindness that made him feel bad that she even had to be placed in this rotten situation. What would happen to leave a nice, normal girl like her in a place like this?

...He's. Never really noticed the curse. Oops.

Still, with a lot happening as of late and the relative peace that they had (the annoying flashbacks notwithstanding), he decides it'd be a good time to check in and see if she's doing better. Let's see, he knows that she's a member of one of the clubs... oh, right.

He's made it to the gardening club room, and knocks on the door before entering. ]

Yashiro? Are you in here?

[ If yes, he'll wave! If no... thread over already?! ]

i left some seasons eager to fall, i left some work to bury alive

miyuki shirogane wants to advise (stuco open thread)

miyuki shirogane wants to sow the seeds (rumors, open)

miyuki shirogane wants to swear fealty (closed)

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miyuki shirogane wants to hide out [open, 6/29 evening]

miyuki shirogane wants to be reliable (closed)

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miyuki shirogane wants to reconnect (closed, late july)