adsum | npc contact.1

[ It's a renewable resource, this is surely how it works. ]

Mmhm. Trace the lines all the way around, without lifting your finger from the surface, and when you give it away, your wish will surely come true.

( ... this is one of these "he's so stupid i can't not kiss him" moments )

Surely... huh? ( well, that'd be nice and convenient. ) How long have you looked for this stone, Senpai? ( because that's what he was looking for, right? )

[ STOP IF YOU BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT MAKES IT REAL ]

Hm... Since middle school, I guess? On the way home from school I have to cross a river, and if it isn't too cold, I'd walk along it until it's narrow and shallow enough to wade in and see what I could find.

( IF ONLY IT WERE THAT EASY!! )

And... have you found it only recently? That's a long time. ( she blinks, staring at the stone. he was pretty determined to find it, huh? ... well, guess that makes sense. you need all the help you can get around here. ) Hmm, okay! Then, here I go!

( she closes her eyes, imagining her wish coming true, then opens them back up, placing her finger on the line and tracing it carefully. what did she wish for? there's really nothing selfish she wants, right now; going back home is... not that big of a factor, when home doesn't feel like one at all, and it's not as if she can meet her father in this world. it's not as if she truly, honestly wants to find out the truth, either.

so she wishes for his safe graduation: for their safe graduation, him and everyone else, spared from bloodshed and cruelty of this place. it feels like a far-off dream, but... wishes are supposed to be a little bigger than life, right?

and, don't get her wrong, back in her own world, she wouldn't believe in any of this at all: it feels... too optimistic; too good to be true. but, well. spending some time here sure did impact her view on what's possible and what isn't, so... just maybe...

... anyway, she finishes and motions for him to extend his hand. she's being super lame and too kind for her own liking so she's ready to Hand This Over. )

Take it.

[ It's just a little stone, what's it supposed to do when imps are on the loose and you're better off cracking them over the heads with it.

He figures she'd wish for something personal— something trivial but practical, or something wholly impossible, there never seems to be a middle ground for wishes. Despite all the time he'd spent looking for this thing that weighs warm and heavy in the palm of his hand, his wish had been the former, in the end. Against the prospect of graduation, a more realistic wish was a single normal day in an abnormal world, something he can make happen with his own power instead of relying on hope. ]

Thanks, Rika. I'll keep it safe, until your wish comes true.

[ It goes into his back pocket. ]

( well, it granted him his first wish? so maybe there's something to it!! she thinks it's kinda cute, how resolutely he looked for it. super lame, too, but when you've got a crush on someone, that kinda takes the backseat. )

Weee ~ ll... I'm about to make my wish come true right now! ( she won't tell him what she wished for, cause that's also lame.

so she's just gonna reach up, drag him down by his collar and give him a smooch. totally valid for a stand-in wish, and she gets to kiss him, best of both worlds. )

[ asdflkhj This isn't what he expected at all, leaning in and returning the kiss, running the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip when he pulls back but then stopping because is that weird? like wanting to taste a kiss that's already done. ]

...You didn't need to use a wish to do that.

Hmmm... I did, cause that's only the start of it.

( and she smiles, coy and mischievous, because now he can wonder what deranged thing she wished for and never have her off his mind? it's a masterplan, thank you. )

[ It's a one wish per rock sort of thing but you know what? package deals exist and good on Rika for beating the system. ]

And when do we— [ ... ] When does it continue?

( look, it could've been something like, "i want to have a dramatic, steamy romance like in one of my dramas"? it still counts as one... and it's pretty open-ended, so she can make stuff up as she goes!! )

Hmm... ( she considers this for a moment. being stuck in school is so anti-climatic... none of the dramas in question involved that. ) Options are kinda limited, since I can't leave this place...

[ Both of them just "I saw this normal life event in a movie once and I too want to experience that" ]

Inside the school is no good?

( they're valid!!!! )

... ah... ( she brings both of her hands up to her face, as if scandalized, turning her head slightly. how embarrassing... well, not to her, but what is rika if not dramatic. ) Senpai... doesn't mind if we're seen... ?

( gasp... !! )

[ NOOOO IT'S EMBARRASSING TO HIM ]

We won't be seen!

[ Like that's the problem! He says it with the same confidence that he says he will not die, because the alternative is something he refuses to acknowledge. ]

( GOOD!!! )

... ( wow, THAT'S what he denies?!?!? she almost forgot how shameless he is... but well. )

Does Senpai know any good spots, then? Somewhere we will definitely not be seen?

[ Hmmm. He wants to say right here is good enough, but even if they block the entrance, the walls are still glass even if they're intermittently blocked by ticking clock hands. He's quiet as he stars out of the window, past the courtyard to the building way in the back with its boarded up windows. ]

The dorm would be too far, huh?

( wow, really? here? in this dusty-ass, uncomfortable-ass, tiny-ass room? he's lucky he didn't say it out loud smh...

she follows his gaze to the building in the back, and pauses. right, there's been some rumors of the dorms needing rework, and possible fundraisers... she looks at him. she looks at the dorms. she looks back at him. )

Weeeeell! I can't go there quite yet, but if, say, we did start a fundraiser to help them renovate the dorms and make them available... ( she places both hands on his chest, smiling up at him like the good, little kouhai that she is! ) Senpai would surely help us out, right? ( an easy way to rope him into doing host club duties...

anyway, she wants a normal bed! and a shower!! ) If he did, I'd reward him lots. ~ A dorm room seems like just the right place, after all.

[ ?? it's this or a corner of the library where they wouldn't have to worry about being quiet

He looks down at her, down further at her hands on his chest, back up. ]

I... sure. It's about season for fresh fruit, so you can sign me up for making stuffed cupcakes.

[ They're going to need to sell so many cupcakes to raise enough money but he won't say that out loud and dash Rika's hopes and dreams. ]

( AND TRAUMATIZE THE LITTLE GHOST??? ori... that's so cruel... )

... suuure, cupcakes. ( they are... Not doing that. that's so lame, and definitely won't be able to bring in enough money. not to mention the effort... she'd probably have to work on it, too...

eugh. )

By the way, Senpai, you're the soccer club captain, right? So you should have some abs... ( is she gonna shamelessly lift his shirt up to look at his stomach? yes. maybe they can make a fanservice calendar! if she ropes izumi in, chiaki would probably fund the whole thing by herself. )

[ She can close her eyes! They can wait until after midnight when she's busy hunting for fingernails. ]

Wha— hey!

[ Anyways... yeah... yeah. He has abs, an athlete's body, not flawless skin like Izumi's— which Chiaki would very likely fund the entire thing herself if she could buy out their entire stock of Izumi calendars— but one covered in old, healed scars here and there, that could be excused as soccer injuries if soccer players carried knives to their matches. Normal high school scars. ]

( NOT ROKKUN STAYING IN SCHOOL OVERNIGHT AGAIN )

... ( ah. nice.

she stares for a moment, taking it in, then nods. yeah, that'd sell. something for people with her tastes, and then izumi for chiaki to fund them, and she has a few more candidates in mind, to fill in the months nicely... ah. and she has komaeda's camera!! )

Waaaah, too bad we don't have instagram here... If I took selfies with Senpai shirtless, that'd boost my following... ( sigh... sigh!! anyway, now that she's done complaining about it, she moves her free hand to touch one of the scars, curious. ) ... soccer seems pointier than I remember it to be, judging by these...

[ The light touch on his skin makes him shiver, and he pulls his shirt down ]

Soccer cleats can hurt... Anyways, you're not going to take pictures of me shirtless.

[ He doesn't want to be perceived, thanks. Not like this. ]

Besides, it'd be better if it were you.

Aww.

( she pouts, withdrawing her hand. )

Well, obviously it'd be better if it was me. ( and she strikes a pose, smiling up at him. ) Buuuut... it'd be way easier for me to strongarm 12 boys into doing a calendar than girls, 'cause boys suck and can't say no to me.

( and also she doesn't want to disrespect girls... whereas dudes are like, whatever. )

Can you name 12 boys who would be calendar material?

[ All girls are cute, but boys? eh ]

Umm, let's see... Senpai, Izumi-senpai, Hajun... Ran-tan... Imp-kyun... maybe Noemoah... ? Oh, maybe Sai-kyun...

( and then the realization hits her... )

Oh my God... THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOT DUDES AROUND TO FILL OUT A CALENDAR!!!!!!

( screamed out, of course, very dramatically. she falls to her knees. it's over. )

[ He has no idea who half these people are but she was able to name more than half a dozen and that's impressive. With himself discounted, they'd be able to double up and fill the months. ]

Haha... Hot guys are out there. You should ask your friend, Chiaki. An artist has an eye for beautiful people, after all.

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