The Silver Spotlight *Me (Alex64) & That Guy*

[Alex64]

A spotlight shines over me on an empty stage... I look around, and it seems pretty clear I'm in a theater. Everything's some shade of blue, for some reason.
...
...?
...Someone else is here. He's sitting in front of me, in the front row of the other-empty audience. ...I can only see that he's in a dark blue tuxedo suit.
"Hello, young miss," he says to me. "You're probably wondering where you are right now... This is the Auroral Auditorium. My name is Wayne. Might I ask for yours?"
"Rozlyn, Rozlyn Glenwood," I tell him. "So would'ja mind tellin' me what th' fuck's goin' on here?"
Wayne chuckles. "My, such harsh language doesn't suit a young lady such as you."
Suddenly, he's gone, and now he's standing next to me on the stage. Now I see he's clean-shaven, with short white hair and yellow eyes.
"To be honest, I'm not sure myself," he admits. "But they say no one comes here without a reason... and the fact you appeared right up on the stage already says something to me. This is just a guess, but maybe you are about to be the star of a grand story..."
"Really? Me?" I scoff. "Please..."
"Think what you will," Wayne smiles. "In any case, I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Lyn-chan! We're here."
That was the voice Rozlyn woke up to. The plane she was on had landed, and the other passengers had begun to disembark.
"C'mon, Rozlyn," her father nudged her. "Let's go."

 

[That Guy]

"You must be full of energy-- you looked like you were having a very nice rest for most of the flight." Her mother smiled warmly. "Now, let's get going. Japan awaits!"

 

[Alex64]

"Yeah... okay..."
***
As they left the airport, Rozlyn happened to hear a passing conversation between two girls around her age.
"...they say if you look at the moon's reflection at midnight, you can see the future!"
"Really? I dunno, Saki-senpai, that sounds a little... strange."
"Maybe, but I'm gonna try it. I wanna see what my future boyfriend looks like!"
"Rozlyn!" her father called; her parents were waiting for her at a taxi. "C'mon, you can look around later!"
"S-sorry..." Rozlyn apologized, rushing into the taxi.

 

[That Guy]

Her mother waved her into the taxi, then sat down beside her, closing the door on her side.
"So, we've only just arrived, and you're already on the look-out for gossip," she grinned. "So, go on, do share-- what were those two young ladies talking about? Nothing too scandalous, I hope~"

 

[Alex64]

"Somethin' 'bout th' moon's reflection at midnight," Rozlyn shrugged. "C'mon, ma, y'know I don't try t' get dirt on ev'ryone."
"There's bound to be a bunch of rumors among the kids your age," her father smiled. "And you're only gonna be hearing more of them at the high school you're going to. Good job on passing the entrance exam, by the way. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks," Rozlyn nodded, thinking, I'm surprised I managed it...
***
"And this is where we'll be staying," Rozlyn's father said to them as they opened the door to their apartment. It was a modest arrangement; nothing too fancy, but nothing too cheap, either.

 

[That Guy]

"You'll probably be at least a little excited to see your new room, right?" Her mother nudged her a little, perhaps a little too enthused on Rozlyn's behalf.

 

[Alex64]

"You know it!" Rozlyn grinned, trying to hide her concerns with moving to a new country.

 

[That Guy]

Her mother nodded her approval, and led her straight to her room, in the middle of asking,
"So, what do you think? Do you like it?"
before she had even had much of a chance to take it in.

 

[Alex64]

It was a fairly nice room, by Rozlyn's standards, which meant it would be perfect for her.
"Looks pretty good!" she smiled. "I'm gonna start unpackin' now, 'kay?"

 

[That Guy]

"Okay." Her mother started to leave, resting one hand on the doorframe before she went completely, in that typical parent style. "Just call if you need anything!"

 

[Alex64]

Once she was certain her mother had left, Rozlyn checked the door to see if it could be locked from the inside.
It could.
An impish smile spread across her face. That's useful info to know...
***
On the day she was to start school, Rozlyn had just finished changing into her uniform when a knock came from her door.
"Roz?" Her father. "Is it okay to come in?"
"Yep!"
The door opened, and Rozlyn's father walked in, smiling when he saw his daughter.
"Ah, you've already changed, good. There were a few things I wanted to go over with you before you started school."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes." Her father sat down on the edge of her bed. "First, and most important of all, watch your language. You're not in America anymore; most people won't take kindly to someone like you swearing up a storm."
"Alright..."
"Second, remember your honorifics. 'San', 'sensei', 'senpai', that sort of thing. Not using an honorific's considered to be a sign of closeness; it's not really something that's done between mere acquaintances, you get me?"
"Yeah, I gotcha."
"And last, but definitely not least, try not to get into any trouble. The last thing I need is to get a call from the school or, heaven forbid, the police about something you did, okay?"
"C'mon, dad, y'know I don't get in trouble with th' cops on purpose..." Rozlyn sighed.
"I do know. And in a perfect world, I wouldn't have to ask you not to. Just..." Her father placed a hand on her shoulder. "Try not to cause me any unnecessary grief, okay?"
"Okay..."
"Now, c'mon." Standing up, her father started out of the room. "Your mother's made your lunch for you!"
"Sweet!" Rozlyn grinned, following after him.

 

[That Guy]

As promised, her mother was waiting for her, readily offering her school-bag, a dark blue affair with straps in a fashionably contrasting shade of grey, already filled and attended-to as she would require.
"Hope you have a nice first day," she added, smiling as blithely as ever.

 

[Alex64]

"Thanks," Rozlyn nodded, taking her bag and slinging it over her shoulder as she headed for the door. "See ya later!"
"Goodbye now," her father waved.
***
At the subway station, Rozlyn saw a group of students up ahead who apparently were waiting for the next train. And now she was torn: if she tried to stand with the other students, she had no way of knowing what would happen next. Sure, she could be nice if she tried, but the other students might not be so friendly. Plus, it wasn't every day you saw someone with white hair, so she'd be noticed pretty quickly. But, then again, if she stood by herself, people would think she was some kind of loner.

 

[That Guy]

As luck would have it, she wouldn't need to even think about this for too long, as a rather enthusiastic-looking girl, short of hair and tan of complexion, emerged from the crowd, babbling at the companion she was dragging with her-- a brown-haired young man behind a pair of glasses he was in the midst of adjusting, looking quite loudly like the quiet, less-than-social type who would really rather not be pulled around like this, thank you very much, not that the girl would have any of it. There was no doubt about it, though-- she (and he, by extension) were heading right for Rozlyn.

"Hey!~" Despite the interlingual nature of the interjection, there was no doubt she was accosting her in Japanese-- because why wouldn't she? "So, are you new around here?"

 

[Alex64]

"'Chyeah, guess ya could say that," Rozlyn nodded, replying in a crude, yet similar manner. "Th' name's Rozlyn-- and b'fore ya ask, I'm an American transfer student."

 

[That Guy]

"Yes, that was obvious." The young man let his hand rest on his glasses. "...No offence."
The girl laughed, jabbing him with her elbow.
"Hajime-kun~..." She didn't seem entirely disapproving of his inadvertently condescending tone, despite her reprimand. "...And I'm Makoto. Nice to meet you~"

 

[Alex64]

"Same here," Rozlyn grinned. "So, what year 're you two in? I get th' feelin' at least one of ya's my senpai."

 

[That Guy]

"We're second-years," Hajime confirmed. He shifted his stance ever so slightly. "...It's a surprisingly nice feeling, to be someone's senpai."

 

[Alex64]

"An' I guess I don't have ta worry 'bout not bein' noticed by senpai."

 

[That Guy]

Makoto smirked.
"Ohh, yes, I like this one..."
Hajime, meanwhile, looked about as unimpressed as one would expect.