26/10/2018 [Rui & Yuri]

A worn leather object sits on the ground. It's contents are $80 and the student ID card of Yuri Ivanov, resident of Endymion. It must be a wallet! The owner is sitting half a block down the street, in a bench, aware of the location of his wallet, keeping his view on it, but only indirectly, through peripheral. Yes, it would be optimal to appear as inconspicuous as possible, or the results may be inaccurate. He waits and bides his time, aimlessly scrolling through various functions on his phone, wondering how best the time waiting could be spent. He has been here for three minutes. 'How much longer, I wonder?'

What was Rui dressed up today as? Every new day brought a new wildly inappropriate outfit that brought shame to the Cadet corps and horror to all of his superiors.

Today was gyaru day. Which meant flashy nail extensions, short-shorts, a rumpled sailor shirt, random fake gold chains, and loose socks. His hair was already dyed a pink-ish color, which was a solid match for gyaru day.

Oddly, Rui's shoes were oddly formal, so they made a click clack down the street as his heels hit the marbled, rocky road. And upon the road, he saw a wallet.

Picking up the wallet, he rifled through the contents to see if he could identify the owner. He played around with the four $20 bills, even trying to pantomine playing one of them like he saw on an anime about children's card games. However, he quickly shuffled the money back into the money compartment, before finally reading over the ID. Oh hey, it seemed like a student at the school he sort of attended!

He figured he could drop the entire wallet off at the school. Even though he was not supposed to be on campus, he could just falsely claim he had some Class Zero business to take care of. He figured it wouldn't be a problem if he was only there briefly. One of the teachers could call this Yuri Ivanov and tell him someone found his wallet.

Unfortunately, the school was in the opposite direction he had come from. So he made a 180-degree turn in a method that was way too flamboyant and obvious, even sweeping his hair in the middle of this, before starting to walk in the vague direction of the school.

Not too much later, someone had done it. From the corner of his eye he noticed someone's movement stopped, and he turned to see a gyaru holding his possession. Fortunate! It was hard to tell from the back side, but the notable length of the cease in movement indicated they were interacting with the contents. He looked back down and focused on his auditory senses. Click, clack click, that same sound was coming closer, despite previously headed the other direction. Stopping to interact with the contents, then turning around, opposite where they were headed? More often than not, when someone does this with a lost wallet, they are headed to a place to return it to! He stood up, grabbing a meter long stick that lay on the side of the road as he did. "Excuse me!" he shouted out while facing towards the approaching gyaru. "Have you seen a lost wallet somewhere?"

Rui was surprised to see the man of the hour in the flesh himself. Yuri Ivanov! Third year at Seven Stars Academy! He of course knew this all from reading the student ID rather closely. In fact, now he probably knew enough about the young man to be creepy, from his age, birthday, and even residence (somewhere in the dorms).

He clapped his hands together in surprise, before waving with both of them in the direction of Yuri, "Ohmigod, it's the real Yuri! I just like, found a wallet with your picture in it!"

Rui had already put the wallet away, so he reached down the top of his sailor shirt. He had no pockets except for the two on his undershirt, which is where he stored the wallet. Though someone without knowledge of Rui's undershirt...would imagine that he might have been storing the wallet in a very different way.

He moved towards Yuri to hand the wallet, while simultaneously yammering on, "Oh wow, so like, totally a coincidence! I go to Seven Stars too! Sorta. Anyways, except like, I'm a first-year, so like that makes you like the senpai of my senpai. Like a SenSenpai!"

He made a slightly reserved expression, "Oh, but like, I'm not a stalker. I just read all about SenSenpai from your ID card! Oh, so it's not like weirdo one-sided knowledge, I'm Rui Terui! First-year! Probably still Type O blood! My favorite color is pink! My three sizes are 33-24-34! I'm in Class...uh, on most weekdays." He seamlessly prevented himself from actually revealing any sensitive information that was actually not public knowledge. He has actually been pretty effective at keeping his Class status and Cadet affiliation under total wraps. He wanted attention, but not that kind of attention.

The individual obtained the wallet sought to return it from the start! Very good! He extended his arm and grabbed it. "Thank you, you are a good person." 'The world should have more people like this,' he thought. It always pleased Yuri to know there are individuals with good intentions in the world.

The gyaru went on to inform him that they attended the same school, and make the knowledge of each other's personal information mutual. "Very good, Rui Terui, my dear KouKouhai! It's interesting to hear you state your favouritism towards pink! It's said it is a rather nice colour, calm and loving, just like someone who would return lost property!" He didn't believe he had seen this Rui Terui before, despite attending the same school, but that was most likely due to various reasons, such as attending classes located far away from one another.

There was something he was curious about. "Do you mind if I ask: Where were you headed just now? Little Tokyo, why it's a good walk from the school. Do you live around here, perhaps?"

Rui was taken aback. Shocked. And it even showed on his face. A "good person"? Literally no human being had ever said that about Rui in his entire life.

It was even rarer for someone not to respond to his greetings with some degree of horror and/or contempt. And even rarer for him to get outright complaints, which is perhaps what really flustered Rui. Like he actually played along with the SenSenpai thing!  If anything, it flustered the normally calm, and mono-emotional Rui as he quickly stuttered, "Oh, t-t-thanks? ...you too? Erm, like...um..yes. Thanks! I mean, ergh, never mind?" And actual fluster, not the fake fluster he sometimes put up to screw with people. He nervously started playing around a bit with the sweater tied around his waist.

Rui gave another confused look as the young man calmly dismantled Rui's entire plan of returning the wallet, by explaining why it simply wouldn't work. Worst of all, Rui was still uncharacteristically flustered, so he was speaking far faster than he normally would, "Oh, um...like, um...yeah, going to the school. And uh, figured the school was in that general direction...so I was gonna like...walk in that general direction? Right?"

He then started to explain his actual game plan for what would have happened if Yuri hadn't stopped him, "So like, I'd get there eventually? Hopefully, right? And like I could maybe do stuff along the way? Stop by a store? Lick some ice cream? Pet a dog? Pick some fruit and eat it? Um you know, like that."

Koukouhai... It sounds similar to cocoa. Very well! It will be the new moniker for Rui Terui! Cocoa seemed shy, but simultaneously outgoing. Such people are the easiest to converse with. Cocoa's plans sounded that of a wonderful day! "Cocoa, please allow me to accompany you on your travel. Oh, there are many places to go with a classmate, this is so exciting." He fanned his face with his hands. "Do you like fashion? We can go to a mall and try new clothes and accessories, that would be fun." If anyone could help Yuri improve his appearance it would be a gyaru, of course: the hippest, coolest and most fashionably dressed kids on the block.

For some bizarre reason, Rui was under the impression that he was nicknamed Coco, like Coco Chanel. Possibly because he gave off the flashy aura right now. He completely missed why he was giving that name, but he accepted it entirely. He clapped his hands together, "Oh! Coco! That's a great nickname! I love it! Yay!" He was apparently openly delighted at getting a nickname.

Rui was shocked that Yuri actually wanted to accompany him, but very quickly recovered in a chipper tone, "Oh um... yes! Of course! Great idea! Yay!"

Somehow, Yuri managed to reach the same conclusion that Rui was hoping for, "Ohmigod! You just read my mind! That's a great idea! There's like one just a bit in the same direction I was going! Yay!"

Rui started literally skipping towards the direction, but was turned around towards Yuri the entire time, which meant he was doing that thing where he was skipping backwards. "Like whoa, you've got a good look, there's stuff we could try on, whoa, I need to calm down right away, don't I? Eer, yes. Calm thoughts. Yes." Rui continued backwards skipping towards the mall, albeit in a far more restrained manner, where they would shortly arrive if Yuri followed.

How excited Cocoa was to be nicknamed Cocoa! 'I have chosen well! I truly am the best at creating nicknames,' he thought. It was nice that Cocoa agreed to spend time with him. They had only just met, and that would usually hinder the success chances of such an offer, yet he accomplished his goal. After hearing Cocoa accuse him of being psychic, he laughed. "Ahahaha! I can always tell what anyone is thinking. I know more than anyone, after all." Yuri jogged along with Cocoa. 'To skip backwards like that... such wonderful motor skills. Cocoa must surely possess agility much higher than the average human.' "There's no need to hold back feelings of excitement. Yes, it's good to be happy."

Rui gave a nervous smile, largely because he didn't know if the man in front of him could actually read minds. I mean, people can't really read minds. Right? Rui kept on smiling. "Huh? Um...oh! I like get it now! Makes sense to me! That's pretty cool! Just as expected from a SenSenpai!" Rui kept on skipping backwards until the pair arrived at the local mall.

His face lit up when they waltzed right past the first clothing store they saw, at which point Rui made his best attempt at making a pouty face before trying to motion Yuri into the store.

Inside, this store quickly revealed itself as the kind of store for overly moneyed tweens. Rui bee-lined towards the clearance rack, realizing that that he specialized in wearing the clothes that teenagers bought and then immediately returned, realizing that they didn't actually fit.

He came out wearing a...what appeared to be sort of a nun-outfit. Except there wasn't anything on his head. And the bottom "skirt" was so heavily parted, that it more or less all of his legs exposed. And it was probably a lot more form-fitting than a normal nun outfit. Actually scratch it, this wasn't a nun outfit at all. The only thing that made it look like a nun-uniform was the collar, which was admittedly clerical.

"Rawr! I am Maria, hear me roar! I'm going to eat you. Rawr!" Rui brought up his hands like they were claws on a cat or something, before breaking out in a more serious expression. At no point did he explain who Maria was or why she would be eating people. "Well, like it fits, I guess? Why not like uh, try something you like out lol?" Rui actually said the word "lol" in spoken speech.

Yuri followed Cocoa to the store, still carrying the stick he found on the ground. Unfortunately, it broke in half as he tapped it on the sidewalk. Sad! That cannot be resolved now, so he forgot about it. He brushed his hand along all the hanging clothes. They did feel rather high quality. After being threatened by Cocoa, he promptly stated "Maria. Please refrain from unnecessarily consuming human flesh. Such is an act of cannibalism, a crime against nature." Cocoa then asked him to browse for clothing for himself. "Very well, I shall," and came back with a dark green scarf, and a tweed cap. "Cocoa! Those are earrings on that display over there, yes?" He pointed to a small jewelry display, then began touching everything, and pulled off a pair of silver stud earrings. "Would these look good on me? I've never owned earrings before." Perhaps he might purchase them, if Cocoa believed they looked nice.

Goosebumps crawled up Rui's back immediately upon being rebuked by Yuri. 'Maria was here!?!?' he thought. He quickly craned his head behind his shoulder, giving a sigh of relief when he realized Maria wasn't here. My God, this man could sort of read minds. At the very least, he was able to immediately deduce from Rui's body language and speech that Maria was a real person who held a terrifying degree of authority over Rui. Rui gave another nervous laugh, "Hah-hah, good one. Yes, that is something she would say. Though like, technically not cannibalism lol." Rui said "lol" out loud again.

Rui then gave a thumbs up at the newly acquired scarf and cap. He then seemed to be seriously evaluating the earrings, "Hmm...so like, I think it actually works. Like they could work super well with like I dunno, a gothic kinda look. Like emo Gothic, not sacking Rome Gothic! I think silver is great with black! Would look cool! Like a skunk!"

Rui quickly turned around to beckon over a staff member, "Oh, excuse me, Miss. Yes, could we like uh, get all of this. Like what I'm wearing, the scarf, the cap, and the earrings." The employee surprisingly didn't react oddly. If anything...she seemed kind of used to it, as she processed the order.

Rui gave a smile towards Yuri, "So like, my treat for now! How about you cover the next stop...like say...something...sweet?"

For Cocoa to gift all these goods... how kind. 'Cocoa is clearly someone I can trust.' After the transaction was complete, he held one of the earrings up to his right ear and was about to shove it in, when he remembered that blood causes iron to rust. 'I suppose I will have to go about piercing my ears later.' Cocoa hinted at the obtainment of a dessert. It was only natural, given the gifts just given to him. "Very well, we shall partake in the consumption of ice cream. The food court is to our left." As expected, he did spot an ice cream stand there. He motioned for Cocoa to follow him, and asked the employee for a bottle of orange juice. 'I shouldn't eat any ice cream, it would be bad for my health. Cocoa would find it peculiar if I ordered nothing, however.' He pulled a $20 bill out from his wallet. 'This should cover both orders.'

"Yay! Ice cream! Banzai! Yay!" Rui was clearly excited about ice cream. His actual ice cream order however...was actually surprisingly less sweet than expected. He ordered a coffee ice cream, covered in non-sugared cocoa powder, and topped with...wormwood/anise extract of some kind. He still didn't understand his nickname.

Rui liked this ice cream shop a lot because their wormwood topping option reminded him of the good old days of absinthe on the beach. Wormwood was a difficult flavor to describe. He supposed to a random passerby, it might taste a little like pencil shavings. But in a good way. In the end, it was a truly bittersweet dessert.

After taking a few bites while smiling, he turned quickly towards  Yuri. His mere orange juice order...honestly seemed a little lonely. "Oh! Sorry! Thanks so much for this! Yay! Do you want to try some? It tastes like pencils! In a good way!"

The orange juice had not worked. He had been offered ice cream regardless. He would be upfront. "I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse. I must remain vigilant towards preserving my good health." Still, Cocoa's kindness could not go unnoticed. "However, since you've once again offered me something, it's only natural I repay it. I'll tell you something about myself. I'm not blind." His vision was indeed fine. He figured Cocoa should know.

"Do you come here often? It seems like it would be an excellent after school hangout for the hip youth of today." Yes, Cocoa did seem the type to frequent shopping malls. Was there a gyaru gang lead by Cocoa who patrolled the area? Perhaps. Getting to the bottom of this question was priority number one.