Đream ♪ [oo1]
"Junpei-kun," he approached the the teen who was currently slouched over his desk, with his cap on backward.
"...Huh? Oh, yo, Minato! What's up?" Junpei looked up, quickly chasing away his previous lack of enthusiasm and the uncertainty in his eyes.
Minato couldn't fault him - January was rather grim on Tatsumi Port Island, this year. At least they were in class - the worst of it was outside.
"Have you seen Yukari-san?" He asked, settling down to sit beside his friend. Class will start soon.
"Yuka-tan? Hmmm... nope. Why?" Junpei asked after a few seconds of thought, curious now despite himself.
...His friend didn't even have the heart to make a pass that Yukari and him may be an item, Minato dully noted. Yet he still did his best to be his usual cheery and goofy self... Junpei Iori really was trying hard.
"Let's get together after school and go to Hakagure." He continued, feeling inexplicably thankful, all of a sudden.
"H-huh? Really? What brought this up?" His friend stared back, surprised.
"Nothing in particular. ...Well, new year just passed, right? We haven't really done anything, so let's go for ramen together. We can crack some resolutions over a few eggs," he suggested with a light smile. "My treat."
"W-what? You serious, man? With all these freak cultists outside?!" For that moment, one would honestly expect Junpei's hat to jump off his head.
Minato calmly nodded in response.
For once, Junpei held his tongue. A few moments later, his eyes lit up as well.
"Haha! You've got balls, dude! At a time like this? But even more so, right? Sure, count me in! ...Man, the hell? You're offering me free food! FREE FOOD! Why was I hesitating in the first place, anyway?" He laughed, now completely energized.
"So if you see Yukari-san... I'd appreciate it if you can let her know, too."
"Sure thing, man! ... ...But wait a second, what about the others?" Junpei asked again after a few good moments. The guy was a great friend, but definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed.
That, however, quietened Minato himself for the first time since the conversation started.
"... Well, it started with us three, you know? Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai were always there to help us, but..." He hesitated.
They three were also classmates. He hated to pick favorites, and while he looked up to his senpais and treasured greatly the help of all his companions, there was just this... something with Yukari and Junpei that wasn't there with the others. It's with them that he started all of this - and he knew that it's also with them that he'll see through this, all the way until the end.
"... Oooooooooooooooh. I see it now. Minato, you sly fox!" Junpei grinned, and patted roughly his friend on the back.
"It has nothing to do with that," he frowned. "...I just... don't have enough money left to ask everyone, anyway," he muttered under his breath as he looked away. A poor excuse, but true nevertheless.
"Hehe, don't worry! Your secret's safe with me! Man, now I can't wait! These noodles are going to taste even sweeter now that I know, buddy!" Junpei chirped, oblivious to Minato's frustration.
"You should resolve to get higher marks this year, Junpei-kun," he coolly added as he began unpacking his bag.
"What? Low blow, dude, low blow, you're starting to sound like Yuka-tan!"
And with that, the bell rang...
[Minato blinks awake, and looks at his side.
The Dreamberry's alarm was going off. He set it himself, after all - morning already, huh.
Stifling a yawn, he crawls up and clicks off the device with a light smile.
...
Wait a second.
Crap. Hopefully senpai doesn't see this!
...
But he was still too lazy to filter it anyway, orz.]
"...Huh? Oh, yo, Minato! What's up?" Junpei looked up, quickly chasing away his previous lack of enthusiasm and the uncertainty in his eyes.
Minato couldn't fault him - January was rather grim on Tatsumi Port Island, this year. At least they were in class - the worst of it was outside.
"Have you seen Yukari-san?" He asked, settling down to sit beside his friend. Class will start soon.
"Yuka-tan? Hmmm... nope. Why?" Junpei asked after a few seconds of thought, curious now despite himself.
...His friend didn't even have the heart to make a pass that Yukari and him may be an item, Minato dully noted. Yet he still did his best to be his usual cheery and goofy self... Junpei Iori really was trying hard.
"Let's get together after school and go to Hakagure." He continued, feeling inexplicably thankful, all of a sudden.
"H-huh? Really? What brought this up?" His friend stared back, surprised.
"Nothing in particular. ...Well, new year just passed, right? We haven't really done anything, so let's go for ramen together. We can crack some resolutions over a few eggs," he suggested with a light smile. "My treat."
"W-what? You serious, man? With all these freak cultists outside?!" For that moment, one would honestly expect Junpei's hat to jump off his head.
Minato calmly nodded in response.
For once, Junpei held his tongue. A few moments later, his eyes lit up as well.
"Haha! You've got balls, dude! At a time like this? But even more so, right? Sure, count me in! ...Man, the hell? You're offering me free food! FREE FOOD! Why was I hesitating in the first place, anyway?" He laughed, now completely energized.
"So if you see Yukari-san... I'd appreciate it if you can let her know, too."
"Sure thing, man! ... ...But wait a second, what about the others?" Junpei asked again after a few good moments. The guy was a great friend, but definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed.
That, however, quietened Minato himself for the first time since the conversation started.
"... Well, it started with us three, you know? Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai were always there to help us, but..." He hesitated.
They three were also classmates. He hated to pick favorites, and while he looked up to his senpais and treasured greatly the help of all his companions, there was just this... something with Yukari and Junpei that wasn't there with the others. It's with them that he started all of this - and he knew that it's also with them that he'll see through this, all the way until the end.
"... Oooooooooooooooh. I see it now. Minato, you sly fox!" Junpei grinned, and patted roughly his friend on the back.
"It has nothing to do with that," he frowned. "...I just... don't have enough money left to ask everyone, anyway," he muttered under his breath as he looked away. A poor excuse, but true nevertheless.
"Hehe, don't worry! Your secret's safe with me! Man, now I can't wait! These noodles are going to taste even sweeter now that I know, buddy!" Junpei chirped, oblivious to Minato's frustration.
"You should resolve to get higher marks this year, Junpei-kun," he coolly added as he began unpacking his bag.
"What? Low blow, dude, low blow, you're starting to sound like Yuka-tan!"
And with that, the bell rang...
[Minato blinks awake, and looks at his side.
The Dreamberry's alarm was going off. He set it himself, after all - morning already, huh.
Stifling a yawn, he crawls up and clicks off the device with a light smile.
...
Wait a second.
Crap. Hopefully senpai doesn't see this!
...
But he was still too lazy to filter it anyway, orz.]