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"Hai, I enjoy playing the paino. If Saionji wants me to stop, I'll stop."

Miki frowned, That isn't fair... Saionji shouldn't be allowed to dictate her life! "I.. I see."

"If Kozue-san disliked something, would Miki-san stop because it'll make Kozue-san happy?"

"I.. um.. well..." Miki thought about it for a moment. He never did agree with Kozue's profane habits, and never really understood why she does the things she does. Though even still, Miki has always deeply cared for his sister and would want to make her happy. Though it seems all Kozue ever did was cause him to worry over her, despite his efforts "I dont think there's anything left I can do for my sister to make her happy" his words were almost bitter. Just then the contents of Anshii's backpack spilled over. Miki immediately began to help her pick up her things. He noticed the sheet music that had scattered across the table. "Oh, this is the sunlight garden!" he smiled softly while picking up the pages. I think I've found what I've been looking for... "Anshii, you remind me of a girl I knew once. I really hope you'll be able to play piano with me sometime" I'll help protect your music Anshii... He said as he straightened out the sheets of paper and handed the pile of music back to her.

"Oh..gomen nasai...I forgot that this was to be given to Juri-san." she said taking the rose from Chu Chu. She still smiled, gently brushing her fingers over the worn petals. " From a close friend of hers. Shiori...?"

Shiori? Juri rarely spoke the name but Miki did remember her mentioning something about having a close friend who transfered from Ohtori several years ago. Could this be the same girl? Even though Juri was popular at school, she was never really close with anyone. Even Miki felt as though Juri was unreadable at times. As far as he knew, the only people Juri Arisugawa was ever friends with, excluding himself, were the other members of the student council... if you even want to call that a friendship. It would be nice to see Juri become reacquainted with this close friend of hers. "Oh thats okay, Juri's sitting just over there." he motioned toward her "You can come and give it to her, I'm sure she'll be thrilled!"

Juri was staring out the window. Her emerald green eyes casually scanning the beautiful landscape of the Academy. No matter how long she'd been here, the scenery was always breathtaking.

"Juri-sempai..."

Juri didn't look up, she couldn't be bothered.

"Shiori-koi, told me to give this to you."

She froze for what seemed hours, 'Shiori?' her mind started to race. Did she hear the name right? She quickly looked up, her eyes were wide as if she had been caught off guard - a look people rarely ever saw on Arisugawa's face. She glanced up toward Anshii, noticing the orange rose she held in her hands 'Shiori asked her to give this to me?...But why?' Juri felt a headache coming on. Her head and heart began to pound inwardly. Had Shiori returned to Ohtori? Juri quickly dawned on her ice cold mask, the last thing she was going to do was let herself be vulnerable to this emotional torture.

" Karei desu? Demo, it will die if it's not put in water soon. It's a miracle it's even radiating such beauty."

'No. There are no such things as miracles' "Beauty?" she spat coldly "It's wilted" she scoffed and knocked the rose out of Anshii's hand and onto the floor. She got up from the table "Excuse me Miki, I just realized I have something important to attend to." She said as she firmly placed her chopsticks down on the table and turned a heel, leaving her half eaten meal behind. Juri walked briskly toward the cafeteria exit, stepping on the dying rose on the way. Instinctively her right hand and reached up and gently touched the cold piece of jewelry that lay on her neck. 'Shiori...' All she could hear was the inward pounding of her heart beating - it was so loud, it was almost deafening. She pushed past the doors of the food court and walked onto Ohtori grounds, making her way toward her door.

Alexander-Christian smiled slightly and continued on. If she didn't want to talk about it then it was none of his business and he wasn't about to inquire. Eventually she would tell him or someone else simply because no one could keep everything inside to themselves. Hopefully it wasn't something too serious.

"Dinner's not made yet." the young fencer pointed out. "It will wait and it will be good, I promise you that. A bit simple, but good."

"Juri?" Miki stood there stunned in question. Juri had become totally unreadable again and as hard as he tried, he just couldn't see past Arisugawa's cold harsh eyes to figure out what was wrong with her. He just stood there as he watched his captain storm out of the cafeteria. "I.. I'm sorry Anshii, it isn't your fault. She just has a lot of things on her mind." He assured her. Though truthfully Miki had no idea why Juri suddenly erupted like that - she had been so calm a few minutes ago. Was it something to do with this Shiori girl? Miki made a note to do some research... maybe look through some old yearbooks in the library. If Shiori was a former student of Ohtori, she shouldn't be too hard to track down. Or maybe he could find her in person? Miki was curious, Juri never talked about her life and he hadn't heard much about this so-called close friend of hers. He would have liked to meet this girl.

Miki smiled sweetly, "Of course miss Himemiya!" he said and guided her out of the food court. Once the two were outside Miki watched the horizon of in the distance, he motioned toward it. "Isn't it a beautiful sunset?" he blushed lightly and sighed as he walked across the field along side Anshii. He tried to keep an eye out for Juri, I wonder where she really went? he wondered.

~

Miki held the door open for Anshii and walked in behind her. He released the door and allowed it to close behind them. Miki began to navigate down the halls, waving to several students that passed him by. Once he and Anshii reached the music room he turned to look at her. "Here we are" he announced and smiled at her.

"Hai. The sun is very beautiful. It's a shame the moon cant see it. They're both the same though, but very different." She said as she walked along side Miki. Smiling still, she walked the rest of the way insilence, seeing as there was no more need for words to be exchanged.

Pausing infront of the doors, she waited untill Miki had opened them for her. "Arigatou." was all she said as she walked by him. Instinctively, shw walked to the piano, and put her things aside. Sitting down at the bench, she struck a few cords, yes, the paino was tuned, to an extent. It was an octive lower than usual, but she decided to play upon it any way.

With Chu on her shoulder, covering his ears now, Anshii began to play a meloncholy version of The Sunlit Garden. The tune sounded beautiful, in it's own dark and mysterious way, yet, at the sametime, it was heart wretching, pulling memories that were best left alone.

'What a wonderful way to start off the first semester' Juri thought bitterly as she stormed toward her dorm room.
"Juri-senpai!" a student waved and called out to her as she approached.
She walked right by him. She was in her head now, enveloped by her thoughts. Her face was stern and her eyes detached. Had she even heard him? Probably not... the eternal pounding was too loud to hear anything else.
"About practi- Juri?" he stood there dumbfounded as she passed him. Juri headed straight for her dorm building without a word or passing glance in exchange.
-
Juri shut the door behind her and leaned her back against it. Letting out a long sigh she sunk to the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees. She didn't know what to think or how to feel, everything was happening so fast and she couldn't regain her composure. 'Why, Shiori!?' Had Shiori simply returned to Ohtori just to chase after another boy? Juri scowled bitterly. And what was the idea behind giving her a rose? A pathetic attempt at reconciling their friendship? A dying friendship - just like that rose had been. Maybe that was the reason Shiori had given it to her? Juri could feel her reminiscent past creep up on her and the sharp edges of her jaded heart cut deep into her chest. She envisioned Shiori just as she remembered her, holding out an orange rose and telling her to believe in miracles. Juri scoffed 'No...' She brought her locket forth and opened it, she stared at Shiori's picture "Why? Tell me!" Her eyes where tearing up now 'Damn you, Shiori...' Juri hung her head in silence as she sat on the floor of her dark dorm room.

With a slightly bemused expression on his face Gavin wanders the grounds. He's wearing his old silver trimmed maroon uniform and looking rather lost.
Of course this is perfectly normal, as he is searching for something, but he does not yet know what he is searching for. It may be a splash of color, an odd reflection, a unique silhouette, something, anything worth committing to paper...he stops suddenly, all of these elements crystalizing into a single image before his eyes.
A platform, seemingly suspended in mid-air, silouetted against the sunset, a crimson gleam reflecting from it's polished edge...perfect.
He quickly whips out notebook and pencil and starts drawing furiously, fearing he will lose the moment.