Second Chance

The Entrance Exam

Today was a beautiful day, the flowers were blooming, birds were singing, the sun was high in the sky and Zokujin was very much nervous as hell.

Getting an ID had been a little harder than he thought, but it was very much needed, luckily for him his foster mother wasn't the brightest bulb in the box and reluctantly handed it over to him, only so he'd stop pestering her.

With his mind in the clouds, he hadn't realised he was about to collide into someone before it was too late, accidentally clipping shoulders with...someone much bigger than him. The apology got lodged in the middle of his throat at the size of them and their muscles only adding to the intimidating aura. She could snap him like a toothpick, literally.

She turned to him, but the look on her face morphed into something he hadn't seen before, something odd "Hey? Are you alright?" She asked him rather gently, and he felt floored by the fact she had addressed him so kindly.

Zokujin could only nod numbly, making her frown softly at him. God he hoped he didn't have to fight against another person again, this...woman, she would effortlessly break him for sure.

"Hey, what's your name?" She asked, and he answered on reflex, without even thinking about it, all those years in class where he was expected to answer but no one cared that he said or did.

She grinned "Nice to meet you Shimura, I'm Komori!" Zokujin felt the tension leave him, one of the few people to call him by his name besides boy. It was almost odd hearing his name on someone else's lips.

Shin only watched him quietly for a moment before asking "Well Shimura, would you like to walk up to the registration together?"

Zokujin blinked in surprise before slowly nodding to her request. Walking with someone sounded wonderful, being alone with so many strangers was almost overwhelming, at least he knew someone's name.

Another girl rushed past the both of them, long strides and a determined expression on her face, white hair that glittered like freshly fallen snow flowing softly behind her. She didn't stay to chat as she hurried as fast as she could to the registration.

Shin spoke up "Hey, Shimura, maybe for this exam, you should tie up your hair? It's all in your face, might make the whole thing harder"

Zokujin flushed with embarrassment.

"I...don't have a hair band" He mumbled softly, only to jump when another soft hand touched his shoulder.

"Well I got a hairband if you need one!" Called a soft and bubbly friendly voice with an accent. Zokujin turned around and was surprised to see a bright smiling face directed at him, holding out a purple hair tie to him.

Zokujin blinked, trying to make sense of the kind gesture, they didn't even know each other?

She frowned a little and then looked sheepish "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Hitonoke, but you can call me Chava!"

Zokujin didn't mean to say it, he really didn't but the words slipped out without warning "Why are you being nice to me? Both of you?" He just couldn't get it, why were they being so nice to a stranger like him?

Chava let out a dramatic gasp and placed a hand against her chest, mockingly offended "Because, my friend, without kindness you cannot get through life! It is my duty to share kindness around!"

Zokujin blinked, unsure if she was joking or not, but he nodded numbly "O-..oh, okay....um, how do I put one of these hair ties in?"

"I'll put it in your hair! If that's okay with you, of course! Would that be okay?"