The train stopped. Shea walked out after Ceres. He stretched and yawned.
"How can you still be tired?" she said in a disgruntled voice.
"Mmm...shut it." he groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Let's just go." she scoffed and laughed a little. “You would never understand.” They walked out of the train station and towards the school. "This reminds me of when you were little." he started in a playful tone. "You would hide in my bag for school...what the hell happened to that?"
"Eh, d-don't bring up such pointless rubbish." she shot him an insulted look. "What's gotten into you lately?"
"Nothing..." he shrugged. There was an answer he just didn't want to say it. They arrived at the grand campus for their 3rd day of class. Ceres turned and stopped Shea.
"Huh?"
"I have to meet with my club officers today, so I won't be at lunch."
"Fine, whatever." she waved him off and began walking. Today was tryouts for the volleyball team so Shea had planned to spend lunch practicing. "Once I make the team, this everyday crap with Murasa will come to an end, Thank god!" Among the crowds of students there was one who didn't seem to belong. He wore mostly black clothing and his black hair covered his features. One solitary red streak ran down the right side of his bangs. He intently watched the siblings as they went their separate ways.
Class started as usual. Shea shared no classes with her brother. She pulled out her notes.
"Eh..." she sneered. "Murasa." It’s true that since he started tutoring her 4 months ago her grades also started to improve, which only fueled her disgust. "He's such a pompous ass." Their parents wanted to send them to a private school but due to Shea's grades, they were unable to afford sending both. Ceres had just been released from treatment and they worried that sending him back to public school would result in another incident. That's when she found the advertisement posted in the student lounge. At the time she thought it couldn't hurt. Later she would come to regret that.
The day had come. She had called and set up a date, the sooner the better. Noon came and went...nothing.
"Ugh, where is he?!" Shea growled as she sat at the table waiting, Ceres stood in the kitchen preparing to cook dinner.
"No use getting angry," he said coldly. "You're the one who gave such short notice."
"I don't want to he-" she was interrupted by a knock on the door. There he stood, the supposed prodigal child, Murasa Alexander. He wore baggy clothing and his hair sloppily pulled back into a haphazard ponytail, strands of hair had begun to fall from the band.
"Ahoy." he gave a cocky greeting, raising one hand in the air with a discontented smile.
"You're late!" she glowered.
"Excuse me for actually having responsibilities." he said, his voice seethed with contempt.
"It looks as if you just rolled out of bed!" she snapped back. At this point Ceres poked his head out of the kitchen. His eyes grew wide when he spotted Alex.
"If you have time for such trivial things then you could at least try harder, moron!" The faint sound of laughter came from the kitchen. Alex looked around Shea to see who was there. She moved in his way.
"Don't talk to him!" she shouted. "He has enough going on without your attitude." The mild curiosity on Alex's face contorted to displeasure.
"A little less shouting, a little more studying!" he shoved a large book into her abdomen forcefully.
Shea rolled her eyes. "I can't believe that twat had the gall to call me 'moron'!" For lunch she headed to the gym, apparently others had the same idea as there was a reasonably sized crowd gathering. She stretched and played a few practice matches before stopping to eat. On the way back to class a fellow classmate approached Shea.
"Hey Kaarlo!~" he said in a provocative tone
"Who are you again?"
"Oh come on, We're in class together." he pursed his lips together and brought a finger up to them.
"Oh right...you, how do you say your name again?" Shea rolled her eyes.
"Syvzanna." he gave a playful smile.
"Suuure." she gave him a dubious look. Shrugging, she walked off to class. He sighed feeling defeated then shuffled to his class. She made her way through the crowd on her way to her next class. A suspicious figure began to approach from a distance.
"Rabbit!" a dark sinister voice stood out from the crowd.
"What do you want?" she snapped and looked around. "I don't have time for this."
"How long do you intend on resisting?" he reached out and grabbed her arm pulling her into a nearby hallway. Startled, she tripped as she was dragged. She corrected herself then leered at the figure.
"I never had any 'intention' of following orders from a maniac with a god complex!" she yanked her arm back. "I'm only in this for my brother!" At this the obscured guy's eyes burned red with rage.
"So that's the way it’s going to be?" his tone was strangely calm. After that, he turned and started to walk then disappeared into the darkened hall. The rest of the day went by as usual.
Ceres entered a lounge in a different building some distance away. Four other people waited inside, sitting at a table with a monitor and gaming setup installed. A guy a couple years older with short black hair and glasses (Ryotaro Ueno) gestured the others to the door.
“Ey, your late President!” a cheeky blond guy (Rikuto Shimada) jeered playfully as he turned in his chair. Ceres rolled his eyes and shook his head, taking the seat next to him. He placed his bag on the table then leaned his elbows on either side of it as he looked to the group.
“I wouldn’t need to be here if you did your job.” Ceres snapped unenthusiastically with a yawn. “Faculty keeps getting on us about leaving shit on, and we haven’t even been here a week!” he glowered as he flicked a keychain on his backpack’s zipper. “It’s your responsibility to close up when you stay after hours!”
“Look, Chisato showed up and I…got distracted. Won’t happen again.” Rikuto gave a saucy salute and smirked.
“Gods, you two weren’t in the closet ‘doing inventory’ again, were you?” Ceres glared and scoffed in disgust. His eyes shifted to a closet on the opposite end of the room labeled ‘Equipment’.
“WHAT? Nooooo…maybe.” Rikuto chuckled and inched back in his wheeled chair. The other guys giggled to themselves as they watched.
“Bloody hell, you know that shit is against the rules! Are you trying to get us disbanded in the first week back?!” Ceres groaned. “Why do I even put up with you again, Riku?”
“Ah, you know you enjoy my company Rizzy!” Rikuto leaned in and grinned mischievously. Ceres huffed at him and threatened to punch him, until he surrendered by hiding under his hands.
“You two sure are familiar with each other to already have nicknames.” Ryotaro stated aloud. “Don’t usually see Kaarlo this talkative.”
“Not the word I'd use for ‘this’.” Ceres sneered and shook his head. “Riku’s just a twat.”
“Hey!” Rikuto gawked back, before leaning over to put his arm around Ceres. “Met this guy at his first tournament and he’s been stuck with me since!”
“‘Stuck’ is correct, can’t get rid of him even when I try!” Ceres pulled away from his grasp.
“You actually met before coming here?” the younger of the other boys (Koji Akabane) jumped up.
“We traveled to tournaments all the time together when we were in high school.” Rikuto grinned wide and patted Ceres on the back as he ducked away, annoyed.
“I thought you were a first year like me, Kaarlo?”
“Oh.” Ceres averted his gaze and frowned.
“He, uh…had a medical emergency and missed a year of school.” Rikuto scratched his head and looked at Ceres anxiously. “We’re the same age.” Ceres discreetly gestured in appreciation and looked back at the keychain on his bag.
“I see,” the last of the boys (Sho Minami) finally spoke up. “Sorry for the trouble, Pres.” Ceres nodded as he withdrew into himself.
“So uh, you must really like Chitose, huh?” Koji pointed to the character on the keychain. Rikuto looked at Ceres who’s eyes were wide. “You main him even though he’s impossible to play!”
“Mmm, I guess…” Ceres turned away with a wistful expression. “Just find the challenge rewarding…” Rikuto chuckled nervously and distracted the guys from continuing the conversation as he gave Ceres a troubled glance. Ceres ate his lunch without speaking another word.
Once her final class was dismissed, Shea started toward the gym. As she made her way there, she overheard chatter about various celebrities. She rolled her eyes and pushed open the large gym doors. “Ugh, why do people care about that crap?” She scanned the length of the gym. "For a bunch of rich kids, they are surprisingly skilled." She looked to the crowd of girls gathered for team tryouts. "This should be exciting." Shea had always been naturally gifted when it came to sports. It went by quickly. She gave it her all and it showed. The coaches seemed impressed by her performance and she was among the group called back on Monday the next week. Exhausted, she changed out of her gym clothes into her regular clothes and went home.
Before she walked in the front door, she heard sounds from inside. Ceres was already home. It was to be expected but why was he in the living room? She shot him a suspicious glance as she walked in. He'd already changed into more comfortable clothing and sat on the sofa playing video games.
"You know Murasa is going to be here?" was what she said when she really meant "What the hell do you think you're doing, twat?" Without looking away from the screen he raised one hand shooing her away. She huffed and stormed down the hall to her room. As Ceres turned off the TV there was a knock at the door. He smiled and ran to the door. He tried to calm himself and opened the door.
"H-hi." he said bashfully. Alex gave a friendly smile back, his face slightly flushed.
"Ahoy!" he greeted back enthusiastically. "She back yet?" Ceres straightened his posture.
"Y-yes, she's in the back." he paused, biting his lower lip nervously. "C-c-come in!" flustered, he stepped back, inviting Alex in.
"Thanks." he bowed slightly and walked in. Shea walked out, stopping at the hallway entrance and put her hands on her hips.
"Hurry it up already!"
"Good to see you too!" Alex mocked then laughed. Ceres put a hand to his mouth to hide himself grinning.
"Oh hush!" she snapped. "I hope I make the team, so I won't be forced to see your face every day!" she sneered at Alex.
"Oh? You're gonna miss me!" Alex teased playfully, swaying his body back and forth audaciously.
"Bloody hell I won't!" she retorted in disgust and stomped off. Alex burst out laughing while Ceres stared completely enraptured, his cheeks flushed.
"Uh." Ceres stuttered. Alex calmed his laughter. "W-w-would y-you l-l-like a-a d-d-drink?" his voice quivered. Alex looked up puzzled then quickly smiled.
"Yeah, that'd be nice!" he said sweetly. Ceres's face lit up with delight then he skipped to the kitchen to prepare it.
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