The End of the World; or, Octopus ~ Rin Good End [WIP]

Peaceful slumber shattered by the screaming of some siren.
Fire? Air raid? Nuclear strike? Feminist invasion?
Morning. Alarm clock.
Just as terrifying.

Though my mind is slower than mud, my arm shoots out from under the covers and silences the clock's sharp wailing.

...

I should probably get up. Rin's still midway through her summer courses, and I've tasked myself with making sure she attends her classes.
It's not that I don't want to get up, it's just that my body doesn't. I have plenty of reason to leave: my bed's too warm, my neck's at a weird angle because of my pillow, my alarm will go off again in five minutes.  I just need to want it now.

Okay, on three.
One
Two
THREE

Sitting up now. From here, it's easy. I just twist my legs to the side of the bed, and I'm off.

And what better way to start the day than with a fistful of pills? A fistful of fingers to plug in the holes of my dyke of a heart. Well, whatever it takes to keep my village from flooding.

.......

Pills; swallowed. Clothes; changed. Zipper; ...up.

I step out into the hallway, locking the door behind me, and make the lonely journey across the dormitories.

That's Kenji's room. I still remember the day before he headed off to his mom's house. He kept going on about how he wasn't sure about boarding with "the most deceitful operator in the history of the war." I dared not ask him why he thought his mother was a feminist spy. I just played along a little, giving him a standard "Stay strong, my comrade" comment, and he left.

Down the hall, into the lounge area. I guess I didn't ever make use of this place. The seats were usually all filled with other boys from the dorms, so I couldn't have if I tried. I remember hearing some of the girls complaining about that; how all the guys did was sit around and watch TV or play video games.

Through the door, into the courtyard. The summer sun seems to beat down a little less harshly today. There's a cool, soothing breeze that works well to contrast the fiery, painful pressure our local celestial body. Today might be a good day to take a drive...

Ah, Rin's mural. It doesn't look as good in the early morning's light, but it still looks pretty decent. I think the setting sun makes this picture look the best, but maybe that's just me.

Out of the sun, into the girl's dormitories. The layout is just the same as in the male dorms, but something's entirely different about the lounge.

This lounge has an occupant.

It's Miki Miura, one of the track-and-field stars. She evidently skipped out on all her math homework, and is now paying for it in summer school. We've seen a lot of each other in passing over the last couple of weeks. She's usually up like she is now, watching TV, as I make my way to Rin's room.

Her legs are kicked up on the arm of the chair, completely sideways of where they're supposed to be. She turns to me as I walk in.
"'Sup."
"Nothin'. Just going to get Rin up."

She has the channel tuned to a sports channel, on which a women's volleyball game is playing. A tall girl breathes in, throws the ball into the air, and sends it clear across to the enemy... field? Zone? Whatever. A girl on the other team, who is unbelievably short, slides in a stops the ball from hitting the ground. A second, much taller, player pumps the ball into the air a second time, when a third girl runs up and smacks it into the first team's territory. Side. Whatever.

"What's with the really short girl? I thought all volleyball players were giants."
"Ha, no. That's the Libero. It's her job to run for all the balls nobody can else can get to."
"Oh, ok." I really know nothing about sports.
"Hey, speaking of short girls running around, chasing balls, where's Rin's other half?"
"Emi? She went to spend the summer with her mother, I think."
"Her mother? That huge-titted amazon who helped her move out? THAT was Emi's mom?"
"Yeah, it was... uh... Meiko? Yeah. Ibarazaki Meiko."
"Damn... You saw them, didn't you? They were huge!" She holds her hand and her... other arm a couple of inches away from her own chest to emphasize.
"Yeah, I uh, definitly noticed that. Looks like Emi got the short end of the gene pool."
"Ha. /Short./ Got that right. Anyways, you're headed to Rin's room?"
"Yep. Same as every morning. Why?"
"Well." She blurts that out quickly. That can't mean anything good is about to happen. "Today, when I was getting ready, I heard some rustling noises outside, down the direction Rin's room is. Then~, later, when I was walking over here, I heard two voices coming from behind Rin's door."
"What? But Emi wasn't supposed to be back until the end of break!"
"I know! You don't think she maybe has a /friend/ who she hasn't told you about, hm?"
"Wait, what? No! Stop making me think things like that!" I storm off in the direction of Rin's room.
I can hear her laughing at me from down the hall. "I'm just pulling your leg, Hisao! I'll catch you later!" She turns off the TV and walks out the door, still laughing to herself.

Miki may be a tomboy, but I guess she still is a girl. And, from what I can tell, all girls gossip. Must be a part of their DNA or something.

My continued (albeit faster) journey to Rin's room is otherwise uneventful. The empty halls echo my steps in the otherwise vacant air. It seems like all the other girls are off on vacation or at class by now. That probably means Rin is going to be late. Again. Neither her nor I mind walking into class late, but I think the professor is starting to get upset with us.

If only I could walk faster.


My steps slow as Rin's door comes into view. Was it another girl? Or is it some other guy? I don't think Miki mentioned either way...
Pressing my ear to the door, I can't hear any talking. There's only some vague motion going on. I guess I should take the plunge.

Knock knock knock
...
Some whispering back and forth takes place behind the door. Rin really knows how to make me worry.
"Hisao?"
"Rin." That came out too quick. I'm panicing. Calm yourself, Hisao, calm yourself.
"You can come in."

tbc