Japanese -English - Thoughts

The last two months had been the worst time of Hikari's life. His grades had plummeted, and with it the color of his robes, bleeding from the navy blue into a light lavender.

Since he'd started out at Mahoutokoro, the deep blue had clung to him like a firm belief, confident and unshakeable. Now the fabric had faded into a pale lavender.

Lavender.

It wasn't even a bad color.

It was just... nothing at all.

The corridors were full of lavender, not exceptional, not embarassing, not terrible. But average, safe.

It was good for people who had a life outside studies and school. People who played, were involved in music and dancing or anything else.

Not for someone like him, whose entire life revolved around his studies.

It wasn't a color he could get used to.

Unfortunately for him, why it had happened was no longer a mystery.

Admittedly, his sketchbook and art supplies being confiscated had been entirely his own doing. He'd not noticed the way he had become growingly attached to his stationary before it was gone. He'd started to spend a few classes sketching instead of actually listening and the consequences had dropped onto his shoulders silently.

It wasn't like he'd chosen his art over his academics. The irony lingered bitterly. The classes that cost him were the ones he had mastered long ago. He'd spent nights reading Transfiguration books, curiosity and his growing fascination with the subject leading him to study anything and everything he could get his hands on.

He knew the theory. He understood the structure. He had taught himself all of it.

But knowing something did not excuse disengagement.

So he'd deserved his punishment. He'd not thought too much about it at first. After all, it was just a distraction. Just paper, and charcoal. People survived without distractions. He could do it too.

Lavender wasn't permanent after all. It could be fixed.

Until it couldn't.

The Headmaster's office stood at one end of the corridor, the closed door shining faintly under the sun's rays. Hikari stopped in front of them, and raised his hand to knock.

This was, perhaps, the second impulsive decision he'd ever made in his life. The first one had been joining the Broom Racing team.

Maybe this one would turn out well too.

Inhale. Exhale.

The sound of his knock echoed loudly in his ears. He stepped in after he heard a "Come in."

"Good evening Headmaster. I wished to inquire about the materials that were taken from me."

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

23 APRIL 2026
^forwardaded

Sako liked to make his intentions with the school clear. No one should expect anything less from a lawyer turned headmasters. Rules were his lifeboat, his water in a dessert, his …. life. Or so it had been before he got tricked by some ungrateful b*tch and now if he were to leave, it would be embarrassing on his reputation. So he admitted, in the first few months of being in Mahoutokoro, he might've been a little more than … strict. Unnecessarily so, really. Seeking something to de stress from his life turning upside down. One that grated on his students nerves the most is his tendency to confiscate their items. Whatever it is that didn't help them study? Swipe. Looked fun and distracting? Swipe. And worst of all, he had been clear they weren't going to get it back.

He had mellowed out fairly well since then, but confiscated items did keep piling. Each one always written in a journal with the student for whom it belonged to. Hikari Fujimoto's name was on the list. Before, it was just another art supply confiscated. But considering his job before was remembering faces and information, he had keep an eye on Fujimoto. Specifically, about his robe colours. A proud navy colour now dulled with faint lavender, making Fujimoto eventually … one of the many. A terrible fate, Sako thought.

Still, he hadn't done anything. Awaiting the other to either drop to pastel pink, or come to his office. While he was partly delighted to see Fujimoto in his office, his smile hadn't really reached his eyes as he looked to the student.

" Oh is that so? Come in come in sit, help yourself to some candy. They're just some I got from a muggleborn client before. As far as I know they have no special effect" he gestured to sit on one of the 2 chairs in front of his desk. " Now, I don't recall you being in one of the more recent students that had their item confiscated, so why don't you remind me? When was it, and what was it? If you don't remember that's fine, I should have it here sooomewhere.. " he sat on his main chair, relaxed as he took out a journal - purposely taking his time with flipping through the pages as if he was looking for something.

@Hikari Fujimoto

Japanese -English - Thoughts

Hikari swallowed, collecting his nerves as he did what the Headmaster directed, lowering himself into the nearest chair. He pressed his hands together under the chair, attempting to prevent his nervousness from bleeding through. He glanced at the candy bowl kept on the table, polished glass and colorful wrappings, but did not reach for one.

His sweet tooth belonged to quieter, warmer days, when he wasn't plagued with a lack of art supplies and falling grades.

The Headmaster had already moved on, and Hikari forced himself to listen to his words rather than the desparation gradually rising in his chest.

But one of his words lingered unexpectedly. Not recent?

Hikari had known that the Headmaster had a fascination for confiscating random items from the students. Hikari had heard people complaining in corridors, hushed voices afraid of being overheard, and had assumed it stemmer from disinterest. Whatever the reason, Hikari had attempted to stear clear of him, keeping his head down and himself away from trouble or problems.

But eventually, it got better. Items would still occassionally disappear, and soon his did too. Over the last two months, Hikari had sometimes wondered whether others were affected by the loss of their possessions as badly as his had affected him.

He doubted it.

"Nearly two months ago." Hikari replied quietly, even as his mind echoed the exact time: One month and twenty three days.

He did not voice it. "It was a sketchbook, along with a set of pencils and paints."

^{LOVELY LOVELY banned by Ara Villa}

Sako had to do his best not to raise his eyebrow at the kid, with his politely curt answer to his question. Instead showing a lighthearted smile. " Ah! Yes, of course! Thank you for reminding me, Fujimoto-Kun" he flipped a page to where he had already bookmarked. There highlighted in blue, was Fujimoto's name, the date and their items. Not that Sako had ever forgot. He had only pretended to give the student a chance to spiral into explanations or show remorse and guilt.

Sako thought perhaps it had been too long in the past for Fujimoto to care enough, but he certainly cared enough to come back for it anyway right? Besides there was still the mystery of why such a bright student like he was fell to just.. plain robes. But no, Fujimoto gave a response as satisfying as a piece of chalk. So quiet that Sako felt it in him to lean closer just to hear them properly. Instead he still sat, his back relaxed against his chair. There didn't seem to be any guilt or remorse just… stillness. Like a glass he wasn't sure was filled to the brim, or empty. So many questions, so little response. Looks like he had to push a little more.

" Found it~" he says, " Art supplies, huh. Honestly… if you had waited a few more days I think I would've thrown it out. If a student makes me wait 2 months to hear why they want their supplies back I usually take it as a sign that a student is just…. not interested in claiming it anymore" he shrugged, setting his journal back on the table and refocusing on Fujimoto.

" Now… normally I'd make this quick, and have you write an very long essay or reflection, but there's more to discuss here, don't we? Let's just start with a simple question first, Fujimoto kun."

He clasped his hand and rested them on the table in front of him, his tone light as if asking a simple question. " Why should I give this back to you?"

@Hikari Fujimoto

Japanese -English - Thoughts

Hikari pondered on the question, weighing every possible answer before letting them anywhere near his tongue, wondering how he should answer it in a way that did not sound blunt or rude. A short crisp answer rose in his brain, honest and to the point.

"Because their absence is why I'm in this situation right now"

It was what he would've told if Akari had asked him the same question. True. Unfiltered. The answer he might've given his mother too. The people he was close with. Trusted.

Not his father though.

And there was no way he could say the same to the Headmaster.

He'd have to be his father's son in this room.

His mother had taught him to be honest and polite, say what he meant and mean what he said. His father had trained him for something different; that honesty often needed to be shaped properly to be accepted. He'd taught him to say what he wanted in a way that people would likely want to hear.

He knew the theory. He'd had very little practice.

Sugarcoating required instinct, timing, patience. None of which he naturally possessed.

His fingers tightened briefly where they rested on his lap as he chose his answer.

"I was careless." He admitted. Did he pick the correct answer? He wasn't sure. He had a feeling he was about to find out.

He pushed on. "I shouldn't have used it during classes even if I already knew the content."

A brief pause.

"It won't happen again."

^{LOVELY LOVELY banned by Ara Villa}

Wrong answer. It was implied as much with the way Sako smiled at the student. Like watching a kid ignoring a parent's word of advice and ended up with the consequences of their own action. Like it was adorable that they thought whatever they did was enough. It was followed by a mirthless laugh. The amusement just enough as if implying how bad the joke was, is the cause of it. " Even if you knew the content… " he repeated slowly.

Once he had calmed down, he looked back at Hikari. " If you had come here 2 months ago… I would've believed you. You wouldn't even have had to make an essay, maybe. But you come to me now … in those robe colours.. and you tell me all this. Not even answering my question directly. I asked for answers, Fujimoto-kun. Not excuses."

The amusement died on his face alongside the smile he had plastered. Fujimoto kun was no longer a student he could feel proud seeing. Not in those colours- no. So why did Sako need to use energy to hide his disdain? His disappointment? Lavender. What a shitty colour.

" Right- since you didn't answer my question, I will give you reasons why you shouldn't receive this back then, from the way I see it"

" One, yes, you were careless. Regardless if you knew the subject or not - it disrespected the professor using their knowledge to spend time in a classroom so students like you are more equiped with the world"

" Two, you took 2 months to come to face me. I may be strict but I tend to be fair if a student shows me they have been reflective and has the gutts to see me face to face"

" Three, I have been keeping track on your progress. 2 months from a navy to a lavender robe? That's not likely a record but it is something I take note off. If anything, it shows me you aren't ready to get your supplies back. If the absence of a mere hobby had anything to do with your robe.. which I hope is not.. then it gives one the impression that.. ….. frankly Fujimoto-kun… that you are throwing a tantrum.. an act of rebellion for something too simple"

" So?" he says back to the boy. " Your turn~. I ask again, why should I give this back to you?"

@Hikari Fujimoto

Japanese -English - Thoughts

Hikari kept his face carefully neutral as he waited for the Headmaster to finish talking, allowing none of his emotions to reach his face.

Anger burnt low in his chest. Anger at allowing himself to slip up so badly, so carelessly. And then a quieter, growing dislike for the man sitting across him who mocked him without knowing him and reduced him to the color of his robes.

Was it so easy to judge a person who you'd met five minutes ago?

The word tantrum settled unpleasantly in his stomach. Hikari dug his fingers into his palm. He did not flinch, did not allow even the tiniest change in his posture.

The Headmaster hadn't been wrong.

Hikari had been disrespectful, and that guilt had caught up to him first, even before his grades had started to drop. He had apologized to his teacher back then, swearing he'd never repeat the mistake. He had not.

What followed had been different.

The absence of his supplies had hollowed something out quietly, and he had underestimated the impact of that loss.

A tantrum? A mere hobby?

It was insulting, even for him.

It did not matter. He had come for his belongings. Not for understanding.

And at this moment, he had no desire for any form of mentorship, bonding, or moral instruction from the Headmaster.

Nevertheless, he was rather confused. Why kind of answer did he want? Would just honesty work with him? He truly had no idea how to respond to him.

"I took two months to come because I thought I didn't quite needed it until my grades started to drop. I underestimated how much it mattered to me."

He swallowed, the bitter taste of being called rebellious lingering on his tongue. How much information should he give him? "It helps me think. I can't focus without my stuff."

He hesitated, then added, a line which sounded rather dangerous in his mind, "So yes, I did lose my grades because of that."

^{LOVELY LOVELY banned by Ara Villa}

Sako sat casually at his desk still, cheek on his palm as he assessed the other boy's answer. Silent. Still - his eyes showed a sharp focus. Regardless of how much this child had disappointing him - he was still Sako's student. Anything that happened to him could reflect his grades- which means it reflected Sako and his teachings - which means it makes his own higher ups raise an eyebrow at the next time he gets to see them. Whatever Hikari said was already of importance, no matter how small. Even if it was frustrating to hear such short explanations - with barely any more information than what is seemed to be to him just 'necessary'.

Still. It seemed to please Sako just a bit. As shown by the smirk on his face, only shown after a short moment of silence that followed after Hikari's last words.

" You are saying…. that if I don't give this back to you now… you are implying that your grades would slip further. Because you 'can't focus' without your 'stuff'". He let out a low chuckle. " Fujimoto-kun, could you please help me understand something important here… hypothetically.. I decide to keep your supplies … and encourage you to come back when your robes are back to the colour of Navy.. perhaps even Purple.. then, I will give it to you... what is the possibility of that happening? What do you think about that? What does that make you feel?" He kept his tone casual, as if asking a simple question.

w/c: 252

@Hikari Fujimoto

Japanese -English - Thoughts

That answer seemed to please the Headmaster a bit, lips quirking up in what seemed to be some sort of amusement. Really hard to say what he found funny, but it's a start I suppose.

Hikari's patience was gradually slipping from his grasp, and he dug his nails into his hand, vaguely wondering if the headmaster had some sort of slow understanding issues from how he seemed to repeat everything Hikari told him.

He was either unusually sadistic, very fond of the sound of his own voice… or painfully slow.

Yet, Hikari had gotten a small idea of the type of reply that might work on the Headmaster. So much for being calm and unemotional. Lashing out might actually work best with him.

The thought lasted only briefly before he dismissed it. Lashing out was not something Hikari had ever been taught, by neither his mother nor his father, and so he refused to entertain the thought.

His thoughts drifted briefly to them.

His father had been silent, possibly waiting to see if he picked himself up without being prodded. His mother had no such reservations, and she'd written to him about a week since his robes had first changed color, asking him what had happened. Hikari had been touched by how she did not scold him at all. She had not assumed laziness or carelessness, and the thought of that quiet trust had warmed him.

So he wrote back, narrating the incident in details.

Hikari swallowed, pushing away his thoughts. If he asked his mother to send him a new sketchbook, she would do so, no questions asked. But the sketches in the old one mattered to him. Hence why he was in this situation in the first place.

Hikari decided to answer honestly, telling the headmaster what he thought. Hopefully, that would work. "I think that would be difficult." He replied. "If I could have maintained my grades without needing my art, they wouldn't have dropped in the first place."

His shoulders stiffened slightly. He was saying something that seemed obvious to him, though perhaps it was not so obvious to the Headmaster.

“I think it would make things harder for myself than it needs to be.” Then he added, "It doesn't feel too good."

^{LOVELY LOVELY banned by Ara Villa}

Difficult. Hard. Doesn't feel to good. It took a lot for Sako to maintain the smile on his face. Even while he rethought his whole current career as a headmaster of a school. He did in the end, took a long moment before answering. In the meantime, he leaned away from the desk and looked over the window - just like what his co-worker suggested for him to do when he was fighting within himself to strangle a prosecutor against him in court. The clouds outside gave little to focus on, but it was something at least. God, he hated privileged kids. The nerve of this kid. Imagine being a part of a respectable family like the Fujimoto, and talking about how difficult life is without his little hobbies. The younger student, in his fresh lavender robes - almost reminded Sako of a past peer during his time in Mahoutokoro. Making his fists tighten slightly before bringing his gaze back to the boy, his hands off the table now. Instead it reached under his desk. Opening a drawer.

With a polite smile - he took out what was in it and placed it on his desk. Revealing that Hikari's art supplies had already been taken out of the trunk. For how long, Sako didn't say. Not until the other asked. Which - based on their conversational skills - Sako doubted he would. Sako purposely placed the pencils and sketchbook on the side of the desk where Hikari would have to stand and lean a bit further to grab at them, and by the way Sako placed it as close to him as possible - he was not yet given permission to take.

Sako had a passive look on his face as he took the sketchbook and opened it, flipping through the pages one by one with delicate care. As if treating each page with respect, for the art and the brushes of ink on them. " I have to say I'm quite impressed" he said honestly, " You have been previously managing good grades while having such skill. Most usually have time for one or the other". He only lifted up the sketchbook to show Fujimoto the page he was on, revealing a drawn picture of what he recognised as one of the 2nd years in this school.

" Close friend of yours? Someone important to you? I would've thought you were only interested in buildings and trees if not for this one page in particular.". He asked, as if curious.

@Hikari Fujimoto