For me, waking up in the morning is utterly meaningless.

I want to die. I want to die a painless death. When I was younger, I thought I could pass in my sleep.

That obviously never happened.

I don't sleep. I take power naps. This sounds dumb or something, but sleep is for the weak.

Sleep is for people like Kotone, who don't have traumatic memories as their nightmares.

I stood, getting dressed - black slacks and a button up dress shirt and jacket.

I lazily rub my eyes.

I hear a knock on the door, I knew who it was.

"It's Yukari. Are you awake?"

I sigh. "Yeah." I walk over to the door - and let her in.

"Good morning. Did you sleep okay?" Yukari asked. I got a good look at her - she had short, mousy hair and amber eyes. She wore a light pink sweeter, with a red bow. Under it, was a white button up and a black skirt.

If I were an horny, average teenage boy I would've blurted 'Darn, you're pretty!'. But I'm not. I don't care anymore. "I guess."

"Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. Are you ready to go?" She asked, grabbing her bag. "Kotone-chan is already at school, don't worry."

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay. Then, let's go."

THE DORM -> MONORAIL

I stood next to Yukari, looking at my walkman.

"We have to take the monorail to get there. Bet your last school wasn't like that, huh?" Yukari told me.

I shrugged in response. Do I care? Not really, I guess.

"This is my favorite part..." She says romantically. "When it feels like you're gliding over the sea."

"I guess." I mumble to her.

"Our stop is Port Island Station at the end of the line. From there, we walk. Have you ever heard of Tatsumi Port Island?" She asked me.

"No."

"It's a man-made island. They built our school right in the middle. Oh, look, you can see it now!"

I look out the monorail's window, as saw a massive school. It looked... I guess it looked like a castle of sorts.

We got off and walked towards the school. I looked around - glancing at the trees.

Pink. Is it spring already? Damn.

"Mornin', Yukari!" I here a girl yell towards Yukari, I look towards the speaker.

She's a tall, lanky girl with long brown hair. She had chocolate eyes. She wore glasses.

Yukari waved back. "Mornin', Chihiro!" She paused and looked at me. "Well, here we are... Welcome to Gekkoukan High! You're gonna love it here!" She said excitedly.

"Sure." I mumbled sarcastically to her.

We entered, I shrugged off every attempted by her to be 'friends'.

Yukari frowned. "You're okay from here, right?"

"I'll be fine." I curtly told her.

"You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The Faculty Office is right there to the left." She told. "And that concludes the tour. Do you have any questions before I go?"

I frown. "Where's my classroom?"

"I think they're posted on the bulletin board, but I haven't checked yet either." She told me. "Hey..." She mutters.

"What?"

"About last night... don't tell anyone what you say, okay?" She frowns.

"Whatever." I frown. "I don't remember, I don't care, it doesn't matter."

Yukari gives me a hurt expression. Is she just realizing now that I don't wanna be her friend? "...See ya later."

I walk over to the board, I notice four other people looking for their class.

Despite being suicidal, I like listening to other people's conversations.

"Hey Kaz..." A tan girl asks her guy friend, who was in a track suit (Kaz?). "Why are you wearing your track uniform!?" She asked angrily. "School just started! You really oughtta find somewhere to change into some normal clothes!"

"Ehh, I guess..."

She glared at him.

"Okay, okay, fine. Quit glaring at me like that..." He mumbled. "Hey, where's the bulletin board with the homerooms posted...?"

"It's RIGHT THERE! You're in Class F, Kaz. I'm in a different homeroom, so I can't keep an eye on you..." She sighed. "I worry about you sometimes."

I look over to the other pair - a thin girl with black hair and tall boy with brownish hair.

The black haired girl looked at the bulletin board - and found her class. "Aww..." She looks at her friend. "Were in different classes."

The boy shrugs. "Eh, whatever."

I look for mine.

..............I can't find my name.

I look again.

There is a small note with my name on it!

"Shiro Dojima – Class F"

I look closer and notice that the name "Yukari Takeba" is also on the list.

Great.

HALL -> FACULTY OFFICE

I enter the faculty office to meet my teacher, because that's what a lot of kids did - I suppose.

The only person in there was a tall brunette woman in a pink suit. She held a clipboard as she studied me.

"Oh, are you the new student?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Shiro Dojima, 11th grade, correct?"

"Yes."

The teacher is flipping through pages on her clipboard.

"Wow, you've lived in a lot of different places... Let's see...in 1984... That was what, ten years ago? Your parents--" She gasped. "I'm sorry... I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this beforehand."

I shrug. "It's fine."

"I'm Ms. Toriumi." She introduced. "I teach Composition. Welcome to our school."

"Pleased to meet you, I guess."

"My, aren't you polite? Kids like you should be an example for others." She complimented. I didn't care.

"Have you seen the classroom assignments? You're in 2-F; that's my class." She smiled and paused. "But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon. Follow me."

FACULTY OFFICE -> AUDITORIUM

I sat next to Yukari. Which I hated.

Listen... I don't hate Yukari. But I'm put off about her. She acts sooooooo chipper despite pointing a gun at me.

I looked up at the principle - who was short and somewhat fat.

He held his mic. "As you begin the new school year, I'd like each of you to remember the proverb, 'If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.'. When applied to student life, this means..."

I tune him out. I don't care, I don't care about school, and I definitely don't care about this.

I instead overhear the students around me, whispering about something...

"I heard we got a transfer student."

"Yeah! I've seen him, too. He came to school with Yukari."

"Shhh! Be quiet!" Ms. Toriumi shushes us. "You're going to get me in trouble!"

It doesn't seem like the rumors will stop anytime soon... but I don't care. I've never cared. Until they start spreading rumors about my parents, I'm fine.

After that drag of a ceremony we headed to homeroom to deal with all that first day of school stuff.

AUDITORIUM -> HOMEROOM

I fiddle with my pen - I'm bored. I don't care for this class. Ms. Toriumi pities me - because of the accident. She doesn't make me stand or do problems.

I know it's because of my leg. I know it's forced than genuine.

But then again, no one faced what I faced.

"'Sup dude!" A fellow teenager introduces.

I'm startled for a moment.

"Haha, you look like a deer in headlights." Said a tall, teenage boy - he wore a blue button up and a dog tag. A blue baseball cap and had a goatee.

"Who are you?" I ask him curtly.

"Me?" He states. "I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in 8th grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid..."

"I didn't ask that."

"Sheesh. But I thought I'd check up on you, make sure you weren't freaking out on your first day."

Yukari walked over, sighing.

"At it again huh? So now you hit on guys? Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?"

I shrug. "He was just introducing himself to me."

"He's right, I was just bein' friendly."

She groaned. "If you say so." She looked at me. "Anyway, some coincidence that we'd be in the same homeroom, huh?"

"I guess."

"Yeah, I... I'm glad we ended up in the same class, too." Yukari agrees awkwardly.

"Um, hello? Did you forget I'm in this class, too? C'mon, lemme in on the fun!" Junpei whined. "By the way, do you guys know each other?" He asked, winking. "I heard you two came to school together this morning. A couple like you, walking side by side... The whole class was buzzing about you."

"She's not my type."

"Ugh..." Yukari groaned. "Could you just cut it out? I hate dealing with rumors like that."

I slightly laugh.

"I mean, I'm used to it, but he just got here, you know? Don't you feel bad, spreading rumors like that?" She shakes her head. "...Well, I've gotta go take care of some archery team stuff. Don't try anything funny, you got that, Junpei?" She says walking away.

"What is she, your mom...?" Junpei mumbles. "Well, just to clear something up, I seriously didn't come over here to annoy you or anything. If you ever have a problem, you can tell your ol' pal Junpei about it!"

"...Thanks."

"Heh, cool. Well, I'll be seeing you around, then."

>meanwhile

"Isn't this illegal?" Kotone asks, looking at her senpai. "Or at least... an invasion of his privacy?"

Mitsuru shook her head. "It's for his own good."

The meeting room was sparse, just her Mitsuru.

She looked at her brothers file again.

Name: Shiro Dojima
Sex: Male
Age: 16 (Born September 21st, 1974)
Height: 5'5
Info: -He was the sole survivor in an accident with his mother and father.
-Right leg was severed at the thigh in the accident.
-He uses a prosthetic.
-He shows potential.

Kotone shook her head. "But... could his disability limit him?"

"Of course not." Mitsuru answers. "If he can do it, he's fine. The only one of us who really cares about physical ability is Akihiko."

Kotone frowns. "I still don't want him in this." She lowers her face. "If he ever got hurt... god, what would I do?"

>back with Shiro

I entered the dorm, and stretched. Mitsuru and Kotone were talking, Yukari was fixing her bow.

Mitsuru look at me. "You really shouldn't be outside on your own at night." She warned. "It's too dangerous."

I shrugged. I don't hang out with people.

"Anyway, you must be tired. You should get a good night's rest."

I walk over to Kotone and Yukari.

"Oh, hey, brother."

Yukari smiles. "What're you doing?"

"Just looking around." I answer. I don't care.

"Well, there's not much to see..." Kotone joked.

"You're probably pretty tired, huh? Maybe you should go to bed early tonight." Yukari told me.

I don't like being told what to do.

I thusly went to my room and read all night. I had a cup of coffee, too.

I then laid awake in my bed.

Because sleeping is for the goddamn weaklings.

>meanwhile, with Mitsuru

A young man walked down the stairs as Mitsuru was reading a book.

"I'm going out for a bit."

"...Hm?" Mitsuru chirps to him.

"Have you seen the newspapers lately?"

"...I know. People who had no problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome..." She pauses. "I've seen it in the news quite often lately. They say it's due to stress, but..."

"Yeah, right. It has to be THEM." The teen confirmed. "Otherwise, it's not worth my time..."

"You have a one-track mind..." The redhead sighed. "Will you be okay on your own? Do you want me to wake Kotone?"

"Don't worry, I'm just getting a little practice." He assured her. "Plus, Kotone needs her sleep. She's a growing girl."

Mitsuru sighed. "This isn't a game, Akihiko..."

poetry of the day:
Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain tops that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did sing:
To his music plants and flowers
Ever sprung; as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring.
Every thing that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by.
In sweet music is such art,
Killing care and grief of heart
Fall asleep, or hearing, die.
-William Shakespeare