FIN Fading Blue PV

Japanese -English - Thoughts

Hikari's gaze flickered to the desk as the Headmaster placed his book on it.

For a moment, relief surged through him, blinding and warm. The book seemed fine, no damage done, no creases or broken spines. He had half expected the Headmaster to continue the conversation for a long time before even acknowledging it's existence.

Instead it had apparently been sitting in his drawer all this while.

That piece of information really did nothing to improve Hikari's opinion of the man.

Hikari had to stop himself from reaching out for his sketchbook, which lay barely an arm away from him. He kept his expression neutral as his eyes followed the movement of the pages as the Headmaster leafed through them.

Watching someone flip through his sketchbook felt strange. Intrusive. No-one was meant to see those pages. Least of all the new Headmaster who seemed to have a weird fascination with collecting his students' belongings like trophies and examining them at his leisure.

His eyes dropped to the page as the Headmaster lifted the sketchbook.

For a quick second the irritation that had been simmering in his chest dimmed slightly. He recognised the drawing at once.

Akari.

Hikari's shoulders loosened before he even realised it. He could remember drawing that page. It has been one of those quiet afternoons where the black haired boy had chosen the dorm instead of the gardens.

Akari lay sprawled across one of the beds, hair tussled, legs kicked up as he lay on his stomach. Papers had been scattered everywhere—across the mattress, the floor, and even half-crumpled beneath his elbows as he tried to read three different pages at once.

He'd been cramming for a test he'd forgotten existed.

Hikari had been sitting at his desk, his own preparations done, pretending to read while his pencil moved absentmindedly across the page, sketching the familiar chaos in Akari's posture— the carelessness, the concentrated crease between his eyebrows.

Akari hadn't found out until much later.

Hikari tore his gaze away from the book, from his memories and forced his face back into its mask.

"A friend." He agreed softly. "We're... close."

^{LOVELY LOVELY banned by Ara Villa}

Careful stares were locked onto Hikari. The student, Sako thought - was similar to the way this sketchbook was. Unassuming and bland on the surface, and it had to be pried open to see more bold strokes of colour. Bold was too strong of a word to use in this case, Sako thought. But considering how straight and quiet the other had been since he set foot in his office, the smallest detail could mean a lot more. It was Sako's job before this to notice the tiniest change in people's reaction and assume all sorts of possibilities that may or may not help his case. It was ridiculous to be using such a skill on a bunch of brats. And whether or not this was useful information to him remained unknown for now. But at least it was something. Somehow a picture of some other random brat was enough to get Hikari to share more than he had so far. Since they both had just been going back and forth repeating words they both already knew.

" I see… so it is someone important" he guessed, from the gentler way the kid had explained his answer. He placed the sketchbook on the table, still open - showing the students face. Kabukimono …. if he recalled correctly. That was the extent of what he knew about the other. " That's quite nice to have" he says, his tone noticeably gentler now, his fingers moving fast to rip the particular page from it's binds. Now in his hands, was the one sketch of Kabukimono. Still attached, though no longer connected to the sketchbook.

" It's a powerful thing really - " he says casually, " Important people in our lives can really push us to do things that would usually feel too daunting or impossible for us to do. They have that sort of magic, I suppose. They can push you to be better, do better, and all they really have to do is be close to you". He slides the sketch across the table towards Hikari, letting it go - indicating it was theirs to take.

" So if you have one person like that, things don't have to be so difficult anymore, no?" he ripped a sketch in half, the sound seemingly louder than nececsary in the small office room. " they could make you realise that perhaps what you need wasn't actually all that needed-" another rip, "- doesn't have to make things harder than they need to be" - and another "-Don't have to be careless… doesn't have to make excuses like needing hobbies to help you think… don't have to blame inanimate objects for your grades dropping.. don't have to excuse not being able to fulfill your responsibilities as a student of our great institution because it didn't 'feel good'"

With each few words, another rip of paper was clearly heard. Sako ensured his voice was soft enough so that it would be heard loud and clear. At this point, he had perhaps torn more than half of the sketchbook pages. It's unattached halves dropped carelessly alongside the sketchbook as he placed it in the middle of the desk - somewhere where Hikari could clearly see.

" Don't see this as some sort of unfair punishment, Fujimoto-kun" he smiles encouragingly, " It really is a bad habit to be so reliant on silly things like this to further your studies. Trust me, you may feel angry now but in the future perhaps you'll be grateful for this reality check. I believe wholeheartedly that you are a bright, capable student, still. And you have it in you to apply yourself once more with your own ability, without the reliance on something outside of you. This can be an opportunity of... releasing something not right for someone with potential as you. If you don't feel like you can do it for yourself -" his eyes landed on the one sketch of their friend briefly - still in one piece unlike the other drawings. " then do it for them"

He leaned back a little, giving room for Hikari to react.

@Hikari Fujimoto

Japanese -English - Thoughts

The sound cut straight through him.

No—

For a moment, Hikari couldn't tell what he was reacting to. The sound, the paper, the motion—

His sketchbook.

His eyes flickered to the Headmaster's hands, initially not comprehending what he was seeing. The movement was too calm, too measured, his voice a sharp contrast to his actions to make sense immediately. The paper tore sharply, separating cleanly from the binding. Then it split from the middle, a neat, straight tear.

Then a second one, a third.

He understood a fraction of a second late.

Hikari watched, frozen in his seat, blood thundering in his ears, as the Headmaster ruined everything-- his work, his time, his peace, the countless hours he'd spent filling those pages one after another as though they'd meant nothing at all.

The Headmaster continued to speak. His voice was low and deceptively soft, but it barely reached Hikari. His words washed over him, slipping away without meaning, drowned out by the sharp sound of paper being ripped and the thumping of his heart in his chest.

What was he doing? Why was he doing it?

Another tear. A fragment of a sketch lingered before his eyes as it fell, recognizable even in pieces, a line he'd redrawn thrice before it felt right. Gone.

His stomach twisted sickeningly, painfully.

His fingers slowly curled into his palm. He felt a slight tremor there, barely noticeable, but nevertheless present. He felt it then, the urge to move, to reach out, stop him, say something. It rose sharp and immediate, squeezing his chest almost painfully.

Sit with it first.

His father's voice, familiar and constant. Teaching, advising. Not to say or do something he'd regret.

So he sat, shrinking into the seat, unable to look away as his lifeline fell into pieces before his eyes. A corner of a sketch caught briefly before giving way—he recognised the black markings even in that split second. A half-finished corridor. Gone.

A thought arose his mind, sharp and incessant.

He had no right.

His eyes lifted to the Headmaster, icy and appraising. The man had leaned back, perhaps waiting for an answer. "Important people make you better, sir." He responded, the honorific the only trace of restraint left in his voice, voice sharp as a blade. "They do not destroy the things you care about and then call it a 'reality check' to justify it."

He stood up, chair scraping back with a sharp hiss, reaching over to the sketch with lay in front of him. His closest friend. The only page still intact. "Thank you for the lesson Headmaster. I understand my responsibilities perfectly." He was already halfway out as he said it, pausing at the door, "But do forgive me, I do not intend to take your advice. I will fix my grades, but it won't be by giving up the things I care about."

^{LOVELY LOVELY banned by Ara Villa}

Sako hardly looked nor did he felt guilty - really. He was well aware the student wouldn't like what he was doing. Even if he had continued to stay silent for majority of the paper ripping. Silence sometimes show more than we need, really. His eyes were glued on the skethbook on his lap to notice how clenched Hikari's fists were. Not that it would have changed anything if Sako did. This was still a relatively important lesson, that he hoped that a kis like Hikari Fujimoto would remember for a while.

When he was talking, he was aware how extreme it was. The younger generation just doesn't understand hard truths as much as they should. He may have said - and done - harsh things, but he didn't feel like he had said anything wrong. He had thought the boy to be a capable student. He only wished he had used better words. Perhaps there was still lingering frustration for the boy's predicament right now. Like him failing was on Sako for taking away his art supplies. But if he were to give it back just like that, they'd never learn would they? Comfort will only hold you back.

He didn't react to the others icy glare, letting him speak. How wonderul. Finally. Some fire. He didn't flinch when the other stood up so fast the chair scrapped against the floor. Not even asking permission to excuse himself, how bold. He couldn't quite tell yet if he was pleased by the blatant disrespect by the younger boy, or annoyed. So he kept his tone and gaze passive, letting the other be on their way out. " Fujimoto-kun" he calls out, and would continue, thinking the other had half the mind to get one foot out the door already.

" You may have already posessed the privileged to do both" he said honestly, his tone light. " I do not care how you do it. Whether it is for an important person, or not - I only see results. Be warned that if your robes get any lower, you will be called in the office again. Perhaps your parents will even receive a letter".

He closed the sketchbook, now just a husk of evidence from Hikari's time spent on it. Useless time, really. " Thats all. Close the door on your way out, if you feel we have discussed enough for today."

As expected, Hikari just left. Just as the door was closed once more, Sako's smile dispersed.

THE END

^{days taken to finish: 23 days
23 February - 18 March}

@Hikari Fujimoto