Miki Route 1-4: Go Home Club

#This is a continuation from A31 "Support," with the first few lines being shared from existing scripts

label en_AM4:

    "After about ten minutes of restlessly shuffling in her seat and trying to read, Hanako closes her book and leaves too."

    "As should I, since the assignment is all but finished and there is nothing else to do in the classroom."

    "Not that I have anything to do anywhere else either."

#Hall w/ crowd

    "The school is a beehive of activity, but nobody pays me any heed."

    "I saunter past classrooms filled with students frantically doing this and that, buzzing around like worker bees."

    "You wouldn't guess the school day is over."

#Courtyard

    "It's a bit quieter outside, but not by much."

    "People zip by, left and right, hurrying as quick as they can; busy and energetic."

#Dorm path/lawn

    "As I depart from the main building to head for my room, I spot Miki and a few guys across the lawn, walking with a purpose."

    "Just as I'm wondering what they're up to, Miki spots me and gives me a wave, beckoning me to come over."

    "Well, this should be more interesting than staying in my room by myself, right?"

    hi "Hey, what's going on?"

    "Miki quickly scans our surroundings to see if other students are within earshot."

    "Out of the three beside her, there's one guy that I recognize from our class and two I've never seen before."

    "I feel bad for doing it, but I find myself scanning their bodies for disabilities. I don't spot anything obvious, though."

    "Compared to Miki, the three look nervous, constantly keeping a watchful eye on the other students outside."

    mk "We're just heading out to the park in town. Wanna join?"

    hi "Right now? I thought you'd be busy with preparing for the festival tomorrow."

    "The guys look like they've been caught red handed. Ah, so that's what's going on…"

    mk "Yeah, it's funny how things work out. The four of us just had a sudden urge to go to the park, for no particular reason."

    hi "Is it alright for you to avoid helping with the preparations like this, though?"

    mk "Sure it is. Besides, I don't see you offering to lend a hand either."

    "She has a point there, but at least I have a valid excuse."

    hi "It's only my first week here, I can't be expected to dive into all this cultural festival stuff straight away."

    "I was being serious, but Miki just laughs it off as if I’ve told her a joke."

    mk "How convenient for you, Mister New Guy. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were just using that as an excuse to get out of work."

    hi "If I wanted to get out of work, I'd just have to say I'm not feeling well."

    "This only makes Miki laugh more, to the dismay of the other guys."

    mk "Less than a week in and you already know how to milk that heart thing of yours for everything it's worth. Face it, you're a slacker just like us."

    mk "Might as well be a slacker who enjoys a quiet afternoon in the company of friends, right?"

    "I give up. The only way I could prove her wrong is to run off and volunteer for some work, which I'm not planning on doing anytime soon."

    "And I wouldn't really consider spending a day at the park too much of a punishment, when it comes right down to it."

    hi "Fine, fine. Let's go before someone spots us."

    mk "That's the spirit!"

    "Together, the five of us discreetly make our way to Yamaku's exit."

    "Fortunately, everybody else seems too busy to notice as we quietly slip out and onto the main road."

#Town street view

    "It's not until we actually reach the town that the guys stop looking over their shoulders every other step."

    "I guess with someone like Shizune in charge of getting all the preparations done, it's not too surprising. I doubt any of them want to get caught up in one of her lectures, even if Misha's voice filters out the sting of her words."

    "I'm finally introduced to the three, who all turn out to be members of the track and field club."

    "The first is the guy from class, whose name turns out to be Haruhiko."

    "He didn't seem to expect me to know his name, but I still feel bad about it."

    "Miki shoots me a quick look, almost as if to say \"I told you so.\""

    "The other two quickly introduce themselves, but they say their names so quickly that I don't catch them. I'm too embarrassed to ask them to repeat themselves, so I just try to play along."

    "The three engage in a bit of smalltalk as we continue down the street. However, I instinctively begin to tune them out as I take in the lazy atmosphere of the town."

    "It's so unlike the frantic pace of the student body back at Yamaku, and for obvious reason. While the school is rushing to finish the last of their preparations, the town has nothing more to do than wait for the festival to arrive."

    "Before I can become completely lost in thought, I'm snapped back into reality when I hear my name called out."

    hi "Huh? Sorry, I kind of zoned out for a minute there."

    "Track Club Member" "You're the guy Miki went running with, right? You look in better shape than I'd expected."

    "Even though I should be more surprised at the fact that he already knew about me, my mind can't help but dwell on the second half of his statement."

    "Did Miki tell them about my heart condition? I feel myself getting defensive."

    hi "What do you mean?"

    "Track Club Member" "We heard you had pretty bad stamina, is all."

    "I instantly feel relieved, even if he's still making a little bit of a jab at me. There's no way I would have felt comfortable talking about my heart with these guys."

    hi "That's just because I spent so much time in the hospital. Nobody can expect to stay fit after that much time without exercise."

    "The guy nods in response, content with dropping the conversation. He seems to understand that it's still a bit of a sore subject for me, so I appreciate the gesture."

    "I guess I can't help but dwell on my condition sometimes, even if he was just commenting on my lack of endurance."

    "I look over at Miki, who is walking beside us. She seems to show no interest in our conversation, except for the occasional glance in our direction. When our eyes meet, she throws me a wink."

    "I feel a slight grin crawl across my face. She really deserves some credit, respecting my privacy enough to leave that little detail out."

    "We continue down the road for a while before Miki turns to us, simultaneously stretching her neck back and forth."

    mk "Since we've pretty much got all afternoon, where should we go first? There isn't exactly a lot to do in this town."

    "The three immediately declare in unison that they want to go to the Shanghai for drinks."

    "Miki and I exchange looks. Since we went there only yesterday, I don't really feel like going there again, and Miki seems to feel the same way."

    mk "Sorry guys, I think we'll just go to the park instead. Feel free to join us when ya' get bored though."

    "Haruhiko" "Ah, so you two are like that now? Well, we'll leave you two lovebirds to it, then."

    "I can feel the blood rushing to my face, so I try to stammer out a retort before Miki beats me to the punch."

    mk "Wait! It's nothing like that! We just went to the Shanghai yesterday, is all."

    "Her response only draws laughter from the three as they leave for the teahouse."

    mk "Really, it's like they're a bunch of kids!"

    hi "Is it okay to just split up like this?"

    "She sighs and turns to me."

    mk "Yeah, those idiots will be fine on their own. Let's go."

    "The three eventually disappear as they slip around the corner, prompting me to turn and follow Miki's lead once more."

    #Park view

    "It's not much longer of a walk before we arrive at the park."

    "It looks just like I'd expected it to, if not a little bigger. There's a fairly decent sized opening with a few benches scattered around, and plenty of trees to provide shade."

    "As we start on a path, it begins to dawn on me exactly how quiet it is. The only people we run into are a couple of senior citizens, going for a stroll at their own pace."

    "Before long, Miki has led me to a well shaded bench for us to sit on. It overlooks a small playground, though even that may be giving it too much credit."

    "There's a slide and some swings, but that's about it. With all the old people living in this town, I can't help but wonder who they built it for."

    "As we take a seat on the park bench, I begin to think back on today's somewhat eccentric events."

    "Miki's friends certainly managed to leave an impression. For a little while I felt like I was back at my old school, back when I was normal."

    "\"Normal\"…"

    extend " I know I shouldn't think that way, but the word slips through just as thoughtlessly as any other."

    "I can't let myself keep dwelling on this. I'm still normal, I just have a heart condition."

    "…"

    "It's no good. No matter how hard I try, I don't think I can make myself believe that quite yet."

    "I turn to Miki, who meets my stare with a smile."

    "I can't help but return her grin with one of my own, its contagiousness getting the better of me."

    "… what am I worrying about? Here I am, in the middle of a park on a relaxing Saturday afternoon, and all I can think about is my condition."

    "It's exactly what I did when I was talking with the track guys. I need to just put my mind off of it and enjoy Miki's company for the day."

    "At the very least, I shouldn't be obsessing over this in front of her."

    "My mind tries to grasp at anything to spark up some conversation, and before long I find myself back where this whole tangent started."

    hi "So, is everyone at the track and field club like those guys?"

    mk "They're all fun people to hang out with, if that's what you mean."

    "It isn't, but I nod anyway."

    hi "Does that mean the rest of your friends are runners too, then?"

    "Miki laughs and shakes her head."

    mk "No, but it's a good thing to have in common, don't ya think?"

    mk "Suzu's one of my best friends, and she's probably the furthest thing from a runner that you could find."

    hi "Suzu?"

    mk "C'mon, Suzu Suzuki? From our class? You have to have seen her with me before, we're even neighbors."

    "I try to picture Suzu for a moment. I'm pretty sure I've seen her in class, but I can't recall her face at all."

    "A sudden punch to my shoulder snaps me out of my train of thought."

    "Surprised, I stare at Miki, who flashes me a devilish grin."

    mk "Really? You don't get to use the whole 'I'm new' thing for much longer, ya know."

    mk "She sits next to me in class. Blue hair, cute face when she sleeps, ring any bells?"

    "Now that I try to picture the classroom, I do recall a girl fitting that description."

    "At first I thought it was weird that Mutou completely ignored her habit of falling asleep during class, but then again, that's probably what got her here."

    hi "I think I remember her now. She sleeps a lot, doesn't she?"

    mk "Narcoleptics tend to. She's a good friend when she's awake though."

    "I feel like an idiot for saying that. Fortunately, Miki doesn't seem to mind."

    hi "So… you became friends because you live next door to her?"

    mk "Yeah, it's only natural for that to happen, right?"

    "My thoughts drift off to my own neighbor. Of all the words I'd use to describe Kenji, I don't think 'friend' is one of them."

    hi "I guess so."

    mk "It helps that we're kind of paired up to help each other out."

    "That sounds familiar. It seems Yamaku has a tendency to divide the dorms in a way that has the neighbors complement each other."

    "I consider asking what kind of things they would need to help each other with, but the crunching sound of gravel alerts us to an elderly couple coming this way."

    "As they pass us, I see a look of recognition in their eyes when they see our uniforms."

    "It puts me on edge. I feel as if with one look, they've decided for themselves that we're just disabled students."

    "The elderly man smiles and gives us a little wave, which is promptly returned by Miki."

    "She nudges me and I hastily wave as well. I guess it would be rude not to."

    "He nods in return, and just like that the moment has passed."

    mk "You don't have to worry so much about the old folks here. I guess they've lived long enough not to be bothered by much."

    hi "Looks that way. It's easy to feel stared at if people know you go to a school like Yamaku, though."

    mk "I guess it's something you just get used to. Give it some time, you'll stop noticing eventually."

    "I can tell she's more bothered by that comment than she lets on. I should change the subject."

    hi "So… you're running in that track meet that's coming up, right?"

    "The question seems to surprise her, but she's quick to answer."

    mk "Yep! But I'm not just gonna run, I'm gonna win!"

    "Her grin somehow seems more genuine. I can tell she's already looking forward to crossing the finish line first."

    hi "How is the competition?"

    mk "Well, the only one I’m really concerned about is Emi, but I think I can beat her this time."

    hi "But didn't you say she's always been faster?"

    "Her smile falters a bit at the comment, but she's quick to recover."

    mk "Yeah, but all the training I've been doing should help even the odds."

    hi "If your training is that important, is it really okay for you to hang out with me like this?"

    "She laughs, staring off at the swings as she absentmindedly rubs her left wrist."

    #Miki fake pout
    mk "Thanks for the vote of confidence!"

    "Of course. The last thing she'd want to hear while preparing for a race is a beginner like me asking if she shouldn't be training harder."

    #Miki smirk
    mk "Don't look so down, I was just kidding. But it's important to rest as well as train. If I overdo it, I might end up with an injury that'll keep me from participating."

    #Miki wink
    mk "Besides, if you're really that worried, hurry up and get in better shape so you can keep up with me!"

    hi "Guess I had that one coming."

    mk "Sure did. Oh! You probably don't have any jobs for tomorrow, right?"

    hi "Jobs for tomorrow?"

    mk "At the festival, I mean. Pretty much all the students will have to work for a part of the day."

    hi "Now that you mention it, I wasn't given any tasks, so I guess I'll have the whole day off. What jobs did you get assigned?"

    mk "None!"

    "She beams with pride."

    hi "How did you manage that?"

    mk "Heh… like I said, Suzu is a good friend. She usually keeps me around whenever she goes out, so if she happens to have a sleep attack, she doesn't have to worry about getting hurt."

    mk "And because of how unpredictable her sleep attacks can be, it's no good trying to let her man one of the booths, so she's excused from doing any of the physical work."

    mk "Which means I'm excused too, since she relies on me {i}so{/i} much."

    "Suddenly she leans over a little, lowering her voice as if someone might otherwise overhear."

    mk "But here's the thing; Suzu's never been a fan of big crowds in the first place, so she isn't planning on going out to the festival at all."

    mk "So she can stay in her room and do whatever she feels like, and I get the day off! It's perfect!"

    "This girl is devious. It's funny how she can turn a disability into a tool, just like that."

    hi "Yeah, until Shizune sees you wandering around by yourself and puts you to work."

    mk "Good thinking, but I already considered that. How about tomorrow we stick together? She won't put me to work if I'm making the new guy feel at home here. You can be my Suzu for the day…"

    extend " except without me having to catch you, I hope."

    "Miki seems very eager to convince me to hang out with her tomorrow. I'm not sure if it's because she enjoys my company or because I'm a good excuse to have the day off."

    "Either way, it wouldn't have taken much convincing at all to get me to agree."

    hi "Sure, sounds like a plan. I'll even try not to fall."

    #Miki happy
    mk "Good boy."

    #short time skip

    "The next hour flies by as we talk about any little thing that crosses our mind."

    "After jumping from topic to topic, we manage to come full circle and talk about the grocery shopping from the day before."

    mk "So when's soup on the menu?"

    hi "You mean that can you made me buy? Never."

    mk "Aww, why? After all the trouble I went through of picking it out for ya, too."

    hi "Trouble? It looked to me like you just grabbed the first thing you saw."

    mk "That's just because I already knew what flavor you would like best!"

    hi "Oh really? Quick, what flavor did you pick?"

    "Miki's laugh is infectious, and before I know it I catch myself going out of my way just to hear it again."

    "Even just talking to her, I feel like we're in a race. She takes the lead the entire time, switching from one topic to the next as soon as she's heard enough."

    mk "So, whatcha' think of Mutou? As a teacher, I mean."

    hi "Well… So far he seems pretty interesting. He knows what he's talking about well enough, at least."

    hi "But I do get the feeling that he isn't exactly used to a normal teaching schedule. The bell always seems to come as a surprise to him."

    mk "Seriously? How can you pay attention to his droning?"

    hi "I guess I just like the subject."

    mk "Makes sense. I usually end up thinking about afternoon practice instead."

    "When the last of Miki's topics has been exhausted, she abruptly gets up off the bench."

    mk "C'mon, it's about time we headed back."

    hi "Huh?"

    "I check my watch, and to my surprise we've spent close to two hours just talking."

    #Town
    "As we leave the park, I spot the faces of the track and field club members coming our way."

    "They seem to have forgotten all about their earlier jokes at our expense, instead opting to spend the walk back to Yamaku talking about their plans for tomorrow."

    #Outside Yamaku
    "By the time we reach the familiar gate, we've agreed to all watch the fireworks together. Somehow Miki even talked them into reserving a good spot for us."

    "She is the first of our little group to go her separate way, heading for her dorm room, though not before reminding me to show up on time tomorrow."

    "With just the four of us remaining, we make our way to our own rooms."

    "When they ask me which room is mine, they're shocked to discover I'm Kenji's neighbor."

    "Haruhiko" "Listen, don't let that guy borrow any money from you, you'll never get it back."

    hi "I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

    "Haruhiko" "I'm serious. And if I were you I'd even look into finding a different room to move into."

    "That seems a bit harsh, but I let it slide. Since my room is on a different floor from theirs it doesn't take long before I'm on my own again."

    #Hisao's room, night
    "Since I have nothing better to do, I get Monday's homework out of the way. The trip into town wore me out, more than I wanted to let on."

    "Before long, I feel myself nod off."

    #shuteye

    return