~~~ Melissa Walker's POV ~~~
Today Kimori Kimmy Kyoko and I will be going to "Same is Ocra" Academy's cultural festival! And to tell the truth I cannot wait because the Rei guy will be there.
My old friend was kind enough to forgive me my impertinence and ring me up the day before to invite me to actually spend time with her and Rei. I cannot believe this, but after all, Kimmy is my best friend.
The time's come and she and Rei come to pick me up as promised. Upon exiting the place I've rented I see the whole Iwatobi Swim Club waiting for me at the porch of the block of flats. My jaw hangs open in shock and I glance upon everyone before finally meeting my friend's eyes.
"Eh, Kimmy? I thought there was going to be the three of us?" I laugh weakly, elbowing her shoulder.
She shoots me an apologetic smile and motions to the short blond on the side. "This is Nagisa." She starts introducing them one by one. "Makoto, Gou, Haruka, and you already know Rei."
Gou? Go? Bless that girl for having an easy name to remember.
When what seems like an endless trip is over and we arrive at the aforementioned academy, I see huge gates with enormous Japanese scrolls hanging on both right and left sides. Wondering why Japanese people write like that, I step onto the sacred grounds of the real-life Japanese high school. Astonishment overflows me. I gasp, studying every corner of the crowded yard.
"Melissa! Keep close to us unless you want to get lost!" Kimmy calls. I spin on my heel to face my brunette friend and jog up to her. We enter the school and a fellow redhead approaches us while we're still in the lobby. He is dressed like a butler and looks damn fine. He blushes and exchanges several words in Japanese with the happy Gou lucky girl. Then he gives all of us a polite bow, like the real butler should, and runs off.
"I bet it's her boyfriend." I comment, raising my button nose.
Kimmy shakes her head. "They might be connected by the red string of fate, but her brother won't permit this." She laughs. So Gou has a brother. The more you know..
I try to exchange several words with Rei because I'm tired of only speaking to Kimmy. But he struggles to understand me, Australian accent must make it twice as difficult. I release a weary sigh and whine into my friend's back about how I wish I spoke Japanese.
"Alright, we're heading to the haunted house!" She states to me once she's done announcing the same to others in Japanese. I see cold sweat dripping down her forehead. She had never been a fan of horror and would always clamp to her elder brother when it came to ghosts and monsters. There was no way she'd be so persuasive about it unless...
"Are we trying really hard to avoid something?" I cock a brow.
She chuckles faintly and unconvincingly, waving me off. I shrug and follow her into the haunted house. While Makoto and Kimmy hesitate about going inside, I start to grow impatient. I glance at Rei, who is standing next to me, and with a gentle pull on his sleeve I ask, "Let's go ahead, shall we?" I point my index finger at the entrance so that he understands. He gives me a nod and we enter the praised haunted house.
Waiting on the other side of the booze, I feel an urgency to use the restroom. "Please wait for me a little." I say to Rei and give him a brief wave as well as point at the spot repeatedly so he doesn't go anywhere. Am I treating him like a dog..? I run off and start looking for a bathroom.
Once I finally find one, I realize that I've wandered off into unknown to me part of the huge school building. I look around at a loss and with a dumbfounded expression on my face, I weave my way through the flooded with people corridors. Everyone seems to be calling out for me, but I cannot understand a word except for this "kawaii shoujo" that keeps circulating in the air.
