boarding | 1st ♉ [ March 17th

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1st ♉ [ March 17th | Any time ]

「 Anyone wandering about the place should come across this senior making his way around campus, running from clubs to the library and generally being quite the busy one. It's his final year at North Feldman after all, and he's got a lot of extra-curriculars to attend to.

Students and faculty alike will either find him A: wandering the hallways and bearing an easy smile for anyone he comes across—a good chance for you freshmen to ask for directions or just for anyone to chat him up in general;

B: leaving his dorm room while carrying his set of bow and arrows and other gear for training at the archery club;

C: wandering somewhere outside with star charts, astronomy textbooks, and a telescope in tow during the late afternoon and early evening for an outdoor session with the astronomy club—everyone's encouraged to come and join in the stargazing!

and lastly D: he'll be walking up to your character at the library and kneeling down to pick up the book your character just dropped and looking at the title, 」

Ah, I don't believe I've read this one yet. Is it any good?

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The library was amazing. The libraries back when Kiyoshi was a wee boy in school were no where near this big and spacious. Kiyoshi really wasn't much for books, but he was a curious guy. After passing by a certain shelf, a book had caught his eye. It was under fiction, in the romance section. The title was cheesy, and also in French. Probably wondering how terrible it was written, Kiyoshi reached out to try and get it.

But it fell down before he could barely touch it. Laughing at himself, he went to go pick it up...only to see a bright blue head of hair.

"Barely read it myself." He spoke, with his thick Japanese accent. "Thought it would be one of those terribly written ones. Those books are the most hilarious! You should look up this one called Twilight. It's about-

...You know...you're kind of cute."

「 This…jibe would've come eventually, given that it's an all-boys' school, but however you look at it, it's plenty inappropriate just coming from a student although he's not sure if this newcomer's either one or a teacher. Or someone else entirely.

A comment about Twilight dies in his throat as he quickly composes himself and politely offers him the book with both hands. 」

I…thank you.

"I mean it! A lot of the guys here are angry at me because I gave them compliments and they thought I was joking!"

...Well that was only kind of true, but Kiyoshi's compliments did seem more like sexual harassment than anything. Kiyoshi took the book in his hands, giving the blue-haired cutie a bow of his head in thanks.

"Fujisawa Kiyoshi. Feldman's new French teacher." He might as well introduce himself, right?

"Really…" For his part, Homare'd been teased about his effeminate looks before, and it was a bit hard to…ignore certain looks and remarks sometimes, this being an all-boys' boarding school and everything, but after a few years at North Feldman things like that just kind of slip under his radar nowadays.

Nevertheless he bowed back, offering him a smile. A new teacher, eh? And with a Japanese-sounding name… "A pleasure"—yes really—"to meet you, Fujisawa…sensei?"

That was too cute. really.

"Please, call me Kiyoshi. Fujisawa is my father." He chuckled a little when saying that, but there was a slight tone of force when he mentioned his father.

"And does prettyface have a name, too?"

If he struck a nerve, he didn't show it. "Kiyoshi-sensei"—by way of compromise—he didn't like dispensing with honorifics entirely, especially if that teacher's Japanese. Even if he's…not quite behaving as a proper teacher should. "I'm Kanakubo Homare, graduating next year…"

"You're a senior, huh? Kinda' bittersweet, ain't it? We only met, and we're only gonna know each other for a year."

Right. "I–I guess it is…" What's he supposed to say to that, really? It's not like he outright dislikes Kiyoshi, but…he's so forward…

Mr. Day already had the usual stargazing spot set up on the soccer field, of course. Just because classes weren't officially in session yet didn't mean a casual club like this one couldn't still get together! And even if it did, the stars didn't go away just because there was no club to gather under them. Naoshi would've made time to get some viewing in even if he was alone, anyway.

But of course, company always made it better, and gave him a reason to pack snacks and drinks (student-appropriate, of course!). Homare wasn't the only boy both in the club and on campus in advance of the new school year, but he was the first to show tonight!

That meant it was just the stars, a spread picnic blanket, a large plastic milk basket of supplies and snacks, and the little man, himself, peering into his own personal telescope as he waited for the others to join him.

Ah, this was something to write home about, every time. He'd always had to tell Haruki-sensei that the snacks weren't necessary, especially since the club's funds likely didn't cover those, but he didn't know that, really, and he had to admit that the food was a huge draw for most of the students here.

"Good evening, Haruki-sensei." It's a lot more fun when there were more of them around, but given that the school year's just starting, he was happy enough in here. He set the books down on the blanket and began adjusting his telescope beside the other's.

Though he spoke the language fluently, Naoshi had never once set foot on Japanese soil. Still, he didn't mind at all that Homare not only preferred to use his real name instead of 'Day', but even used the honorific in Japanese fashion as well. The Space Science teacher was American born and bred, but was perfectly happy to be "Haruki-sensei" when it offered his student just a little taste of the homeland he'd been away from for so long.

That was why Naoshi answered in all Japanese as well, since no others from the club had arrived yet. He had an accent, but was as comfortable with the tongue as he was with English, and it was even refreshing to use the language with someone other than his family for a change.

He didn't have the Japanese habit of using surnames, though. As with all his other students, it was given names all the way. "'Evening, Homare!" He smiled, picking his head up from his scope. "Heh, not surprised you're the first to show. How was your day?"

"It was pleasant enough." Having the new French teacher flirt with him, uh… "Although I'm more grateful for the clear skies today than anything else." Besides the small sense of comfort the little teacher gave him. He may be growing comfortable in Feldman, but that didn't mean that he didn't miss his family, or his homeland.

He was a bright little spot of home, in a strange place like this. At the very least Homare's long used to calling other people by their first names, though he hasn't quite gotten over the old habits just yet. A bow—"And I hope Haruki-sensei has been well."

"Naturally! Every day's a good day with Mr. Day!" Okay he went back into English for that particular play on words, but then it was back into Japanese with him.

"Looking forward to getting to know my new coworkers and new students, and making my second year teaching just as great as my first!" he grinned, bending back over his telescope. "And the Pleiades are a lovely-looking set of sisters tonight, too."

The other students would probably just laugh at him, but Homare merely shook his head, a little smile tugging at his lips. Of course it was silly, but even after a year of being in the astronomy club, well, he still wanted to be polite. Haruki-sensei was making it more difficult by the day, though.

"But won't they try to pull pranks on you again?" If this becomes some sort of unofficial ritual at Feldman somehow…well it's not like Homare can be a good example for all the incoming freshmen, but…don't mind him he'll just be casting a quick glance over in Naoshi's direction to make sure that no one fiddled with his telescope or anything.

Given that a laugh was what the little man wanted, it hardly would have been impolite to do so. Coming from Homare, though, Naoshi had learned that amused little smile was about the best you could get if you were 'higher' than he was, rather than a peer. After knowing the young man through his Junior year, Naoshi had come to accept that, rather than being disappointed by the lack of a laugh as he'd once been.

There weren't any black ink raccoon rings around the little teacher's eyes, though. Those handful of tricksters who treated him a bit too much like a peer hadn't gotten at his scope today.

"They're welcome to try, heh! I've got a whole year of experience now, they won't catch me so easily!"

And he chuckled now, though he quickly caught himself then. "Good luck to that, Haruki-sensei." The students here were too clever by far—not that he was privy to any of their pranks, mind you. But when you've been here for far long and have gotten used to the culture…that's the only time he ever did feel proper seniority over the little man. That he'd been here even longer than his teacher, and maybe him being slightly more casual to this one than to his other teachers because of his Japanese background and their mutual love for all things astronomical could only allow him so many concessions to etiquette (or lack thereof).

It's such a little thing, but it weighed heavily on his mind each time. "But even with just a year, they were still taught by you."

"And if they think it's gonna be any easier for the upcoming year, they've got another thing coming to them!" he grinned.

Not that he aimed to make his class hard, but appropriately challenging and engaging, equal parts fun and educational. All work made you boring, and all play wasted your potential. What Naoshi's own imperfect childhood had taught him was that a balance had to be made.

"How about you? Excited for your Senior year to start?"

So energetic…but without him the astronomy club might've died a whole lot faster, given how Homare wasn't quite cut out to lead a club without succumbing to some form of pressure.

He made a little noise of agreement as he adjusted his telescope's length, mounting it carefully like he'd done so many times—"And a little nervous as well…"

[ What catches Ross's attention is the telescope (omg)-- and then the star charts (omg!), and then the textbooks (omg!!), and all of that can only mean one thing. So here, have a teeny overeager frosh. ]

Going stargazing?

「 So few of the students at Feldman seem interested in astronomy period despite the lovely sprinkling of stars above this little town's sky. For a moment Homare thinks that it's someone just asking a casual question or worse, being a little condescending, but that look…

C–Cute… Beaming, 」 Un! That's right…would you like to join me?

[ He is just so excited; it really is rare, in general, to find people interested in astronomy. Plus, Feldman's size makes it perfect for stargazing, because (hopefully) there'll be less light pollution than in bigger cities. ]

Yeah! [ And then added on quickly just in case, because he doesn't want to be a bother, ] Uh, if that's okay, I mean, I don't have to come if you already have plans. It's just, I'm just a freshman and everything's kinda new, still.

「 And right now Homare's getting those big brother urges to adopt him and show him all the best stargazing spots at school but for now, Ross may not see it but he's sparkling all over on the inside and holding his precious telescope up to him with both hands. 」

I see…then I really have to show you around as your senior. And you can help me watch the stars tonight…

[ Ross is grinning about as big as he possibly can. ] That'd be totally awesome! Where are we going? Do you want me to carry anything?

[ Does the eagerness ever end? Spoiler: not for a while, because ahh upperclassman who also likes astronomy who is paying attention to him aahhh he totally likes high school already. ]

「 Heaens, but he needed to introduce this one to Haruki-sensei yesterday. But that kind of enthusiasm is wonderful, not to mention kind of adorable. Rather like when he would stargaze with his sisters back home. There were a lot of stars where they lived in Japan… 」

Do you know how to care for a telescope?

Um... beyond, just, keeping everything covered when you're not using it?

[ Because that's approximately what he does with his binoculars at home. Not quite the same as a telescope, though. ]

That's a start, but remember that a telescope is a sensitive instrument, especially the lens. You have to be especially careful around them. 「 But here, he'll hand over his telescope— 」 Can I trust you with this?

[ He nods, wide-eyed, and carefully takes it. ] Oh, gosh, yes, I'll be really careful. I've got-- binoculars, at home, and they're sort of similar, I guess?

That depends on how much you want to see…my telescope is good for deep sky viewing, but not much if you'd like to see planets instead…

Well, binoculars aren't so great for that either. But they're all I've got, and they work pretty well, so...

Anyway. Are we looking at anything specific tonight? [He hasn't kept up with current events in the sky very well-- astronomy was one of the great casualties of middle school.]

「 THE POOR KID…well it's not like the study either astronomy or astrology are encouraged in upstanding Japanese high schoolers, but there you go. 」

Mostly deep sky objects, although even with this telescope they'll be rather faint, if that's okay…

Yeah, of course! It's still better than nothing, right? And I haven't really been out in a while, and it's always more fun with more people.

Exactly! I think the Astronomy Club would love to meet you. 「 Which is essentially a party of…well, very very few. 」 Maybe Mr. Day has a better telescope on hand he could lend you.

--Whoa, wait, we have an Astronomy Club? [ The very epitome of frosh, tbh. ]

「 This little guy just keeps getting cuter and cuter— 」

I think it's time you joined us, don't you?

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1st ♉ [ March 17th | Any time ]

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wow i derped and used action tags back there sorry /prefers prose anyway

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now YOU I won't mind throwing horrible Sinfest references at...

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