eventide - a tsutome story

chapter one: the encounter

      It was a late, sunny, and blissful April afternoon. The slowly setting sun's gentle rays shone through the Telepathy Club's window, filling the room with soft, orange light. Students were walking home from school, crickets were chirping, and streetlights were just beginning to light up. It was a completely ordinary and peaceful evening for the citizens of Seasoning City—or at least, for all of them beyond two particular students of Salt Middle School.
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Pew, pew!
A girl sitting at a dusty table covered with strewn-about snacks, manga, and other commodities stared intently at her Gameboy, hastily mashing its buttons in a desperate attempt to beat an especially difficult level. The girl was Tome Kurata, a strange, somewhat nerdy girl obsessed with extraterrestrial beings and anything related to the occult. She sighed, and ran her fingers through her bristly, black hair as she dejectedly set down her Gameboy.

Tome leaned back in the cold metal chair she was sitting in and gazed out of the club room's window. The sunset was dazzlingly beautiful, and seeing such a sight would usually brighten her mood, but Tome couldn't help but feel a little lonely watching it all by herself in the small, empty club room.

"Ah... This sucks."

No sooner had Tome uttered those words than the door of the Telepathy Club banged open, startling her. She clumsily fell out of her chair and hit her head on the wooden floorboards below her.

Tome held her hand to her throbbing head. "Ugh, god, that hurts! What the fu—!"

She just stopped short of finishing her sentence when she looked up and realized who had come in.

Oh, god, Tome thought to herself. It's...

"Are you alright?!"

      Tome got to her knees, still clutching her head, and looked up at who was speaking to her. Long, sleek black hair... big blue eyes... a pink hair clip...

      There was no mistaking it.

     It was Tsubomi Takane.

Tome hesitated for a moment, but took Tsubomi's hand, all the while thinking, Tsubomi Takane? THE Tsubomi Takane?! Tsubomi Takane, as in, the school idol? As in, the prettiest, most popular girl in school?!

Tsubomi helped Tome to her her feet.

What the hell is she doing here?!