Finding Serenity

Campus Crew

A few months later, Rena decided it was time to take a tour of the nearby campus. It was springtime, a year after she moved, and the campus was alive with color. Flowers were in full bloom, the trees were a luscious green, and birds were chirping melodiously. The guide had just finished walking Rena through all the departments, concluding the tour in the green 'quad' outside the student union. After exchanging farewells, Rena decided to explore on her own for a bit. As she turned around, she accidentally bumped into someone.

"Lufian! Look out!" she heard someone yell just as they collided. Rena fell backward, landing on her rear. Slightly dazed from the fall, she took a moment before looking up. A hand was extended towards her, the sun blocking her view of the person's face. She reached out anyway, and they helped her up.

"I'm so sorry about that! Are you alright?" the voice asked.

As her vision adjusted, she saw a raven-haired guy with a bright smile. He had a straw hat hanging around his neck.

"Oh, that's alright. I'm okay, nothing is broken," Rena smiled.

"Hey, are you new here? I don't think I've seen you around. Do you want to join our crew?" he asked with extreme enthusiasm.

"Oh, I'm not a student yet. I was just taking a tour of the campus," Rena answered, dusting herself off.

Suddenly, the guy's friends came running up. A well-dressed blonde rushed over, grabbing Rena's hand and speaking politely, "I do apologize for his rudeness. You're not harmed, are you, m'lady?"

"No, I'm—" Rena tried to reply, but a fiery woman with bright orange hair came up and smacked the blonde on the head.

"Sandi, stop being such a flirt. Sorry about them. They can be a bit... overwhelming," she said with a smile.

"That's alright," Rena chuckled slightly.

Two more people walked up: a guy with strangely dyed green hair, holding what appeared to be a kendo sword, and a very tall, tanned-skinned woman with long, luscious black hair, her nose buried in a book.

"Let me guess, he asked you to join his crew?" the green-haired guy asked.

"If Luf had it his way, the entire campus would be on his crew," the woman said.

"Nuh-uh! I want a small crew, but she looks like fun! I feel like I've seen her somewhere before," Lufian said, giving Rena a strange look.

"Um, well, I'm not a student here yet," Rena said, holding her hands up in defense.

"Ah man. Well, when do you start!? Wait, no, you can just join us now! It's okay, you don't need to be a student," he said extremely cheerfully.

"Lu, don't be so pushy!" the orange-haired woman smacked him on the head.

"Ouch! Sorry, Naomi," he said, rubbing his head.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to!" she said, giving him a glare.

"Right," he turned back to Rena and bowed his head. "I'm sorry!"

"It's alright! Seriously! I'm okay," Rena said through a nervous chuckle.

The bookworm woman glanced up from her book, staring at Rena for a moment before snapping the book shut and pointing it at her.

"Obsidian Brew. You work at that coffee shop, that's why you look familiar," she said with a small smirk.

"Oh, um, yes, I work there," Rena confirmed.

"Sorry, cook, she's taken by a honey-blonde birdboy," she chuckled.