(Dazai Crowley's POV)
The City of Cheshire, Present Day.
After one hour of waiting outside, our patience was rewarded and we were allowed to go inside.
"Ahh—....Much better~ Air conditioning sure is humanity's greatest invention~…"
"You two are so melodramatic…"
"Oh, don't act so cool, Roy. Even I can see that you're happy to be inside."
"Hmph."
What are you, a tsundere?
"Ugh...."
"What's wrong, Yamato?"
"....My legs are killing me."
"They're probably sore after all that standing around. Not going to lie, I'm feeling pretty stiff too."
"Dazai, massage them for me, will you?"
"What? No, not right now."
"Why not!?"
"It's embarrassing."
"But they hurt!"
Alice sighs.
"We still got time left before the next exam. If y'all want, you guys want to look around for awhile?"
"Yeah, that sound good."
I doubt this place has much to offer though...
Either way though, we began walking down a couple of different hallways to unwind.
While we did, I took the time to look around.
Yeah, it was just like I thought.
The school building itself, or rather the testing grounds to apply for it, was heavily modeled after your average looking school, just minus some details like lockers or changing rooms.
Then again though, it's not like there needed either way since we're only going to be here for an hour or so. Either way though, there was nothing special about it.
A couple minutes passed.
"Aah~"
"Felling better?"
"Yep!"
"Told you."
"I still want that massage though, Dazai."
"Yeah, yeah."
Suddenly, the nearby intercom blared to life.
"The next exams will take place in fifteen minutes. We highly recommend all Applicants to take the remaining time to study and prepare themselves. Thank you, and best of luck."
Just like that, the announcement ended.
"It's almost time, huh."
Alice sighs.
"Welp, might as well go then."
Saying that, Yamato got out of her seat.
"Where you going?"
"Nature calls."
"Hey, hold up. I need to go too."
As soon as she said that, Alice followed after.
"I guess girls really do go to the bathroom together." Roy said.
"Shut it."
"Wait, hold on a second, Yamato."
Before she left, I grabbed her arm.
"—What's up?"
I didn't answer.
Instead, I grab the back of her shirt.
"H—Hey, wait! What are you doing!?"
"It's this."
Ignoring her expression, I noticed a piece of paper clinging onto the inside of her shirt.
"Wait, what's that?"
Slowly, I unraveled the paper.
"...Hold on, are those—!?"
There was no doubt about it.
These were cheat sheets.
"So somebody tried framing you, huh." said Roy.
"They even taped it to your shirt so it wouldn't fall off. Impressive."
"Thats not something you should be impressed about! And how come I didn't even notice till now!?"
"You ever read those manga where the maids are capable of undressing you without you noticing it? It's sort of like that." I tried explaining.
"Oh god, don't put it like that..."
"Either way though, I been seeing a lot of people slip these things about. So you guys should pay close attention when your around other people."
"That's scary…" Alice munbled aloud.
Yamato sighs.
"Well, thanks for catching that."
"No problem."
As I advised them that, Alice and Yamato left.
When they was gone, I turned towards Roy.
"Why didn't you tell her?"
I asked.
"What are you taking about?"
"You was with her the whole time, so I'm sure you noticed earlier. So why didn't you tell her?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he simply leaned to the side and laid down on the bench for a nap.
"Roy."
"—What happens to her is none of my business."
Sigh.
"Whatever."
Putting Roy aside, I realize we still have time left before the exams begin, so I might as well make good use of it. With that said, I walk away.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm a little parched to be honest. I think I saw a vending machine on the way here earlier so I'm going to grab something while I still can."
"Okay."
"Do you want anything?"
He shook his head.
"No, not really."
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hmm, what to get…"
At one point, I eventually found the vending machine that I was talking about. The problem was I was unsure what exactly I wanted to buy.
I suppose that's the problem that comes with the freedom of choice. Of course, then again being without said freedom isn't any better either.
Now isn't that ironic?
Putting that aside though, I'm still parched...
Hmm, I don't mind having something sweet right now so maybe a soda? If I really wanted one, there were plenty of such drinks to choose from.
But then again, I shouldn't. The last thing I need during an exam is to be on a sugar rush.
Oh, maybe an energy drink might do.
Ah, but they all look so unhealthy...
Sigh, maybe I'll just go with water instead.
"—Need help deciding?"
A random person asked me.
Alerted by their presence, I look behind me.
A woman?
Wait, no, that's a guy.
Atleast I think so?
I raise my eyebrow.
Although his smile and forward appearance seemed friendly and honest, I could not disregard how I didn't even sense his presence at first.
Suddenly though, he walked a little forward to the vending machine for a better look before stroking his chin and getting lost in thought.
"Let's see..."
"You seemed pretty mindful of the sugar and calorie count so you clearly don't want anything sweet. Most of these brands aren't doing you any favors either. And, man, these energy drinks can straight up kill you if you aren't careful…"
Down from my sugar intolerance towards the excessiveness in the energy drinks, he saw right through my exact thoughts. I'm impressed.
"Oh, I know! Try this."
I raised my eyebrows.
"Coffee?"
"What, not a big fan of them?"
"No, it's not that, it's just—"
"Then it's fine, right? Here, I'll pay for it."
Clink.
Once the bottle of his choosing fell down, he handed it over to me.
I was reluctant at first, but I might as well seeing as how he already paid for it. Don't knock it till you try it, or something like that I guess.
So I peeled back the lid and took a sip.
"—Bleh."
It's was way too bitter…
"Terrible, isn't it?"
"You knew, huh."
He chuckled.
"At this point I should have just brewed my own…"
"Hey, don't knock it just yet. Read the back."
As he suggested, I turned the cup to the back to read the labels. And according to what I saw, this coffee was supposedly brewed with barely a hint of sugar, which explains the bitterness.
Appearantly, it was brewed with certain herbs that could counteract and dilute the effects of pure espresso, while also introducing a concentration enhancement element to it.
In other words—
"An energy drink, but as coffee, huh. Neat.
"I know right. It helped me through some tough times, so I thought I spread the joy, you know?"
"I appreciate it but this bitterness is quite overpowering…"
"Hah. I'm sure you'll get used to it. I promise."
Yeah, I doubt it. I'm only two sips in and I'm already ready to throw in the towel.
"Alright, now something for me…"
Clink!
"You're not getting the same one?"
"Nah, don't need it."
"You're that confident in your abilities, huh."
"No, it's not that. It's just I never intended on passing with top marks or anything."
"....You're not trying to come out on top?"
"Hell no."
Those words came straight from his heart.
"There's just way too many people who yearn for the spotlight nowadays. It's honestly sickening."
"So you'd rather just be at the bottom?"
"Well, yeah. It's a bit easier to deal with than trying to be some sort of big shot up there."
Heh, reminds me of a certain somebody I know.
"And what about you? Are you shooting for the top, or are you trying to slide on by like me?"
I glanced at him for a second.
"Well, what can I say? I'm just like everybody else."
"Heh, such a neutral-like response."
After saying that though, the boy looked around to check his surroundings.
Once he saw it was just us in here though, he leaned a little towards me.
"Of course, a man of your caliber wouldn't be so quick to reveal his true colors~" He whispered.
I glanced at him for a moment.
"Takes one to know one."
The boy chuckled.
Suddenly, another announcement was made.
"It is now ten minutes before the next Entrance Exams begins. We highly recommend all Applicants to walk to their corresponding classes and prepare themselves. If you are unsure where to go, please ask a nearby Practitioner for details."
"Looks like that's our cue."
"Seems like it."
"The name's Emmel by the way."
As he said that, he extended his hands.
"Dazai."
"Well met, Dazai, well met."
It was then we exchanged a firm handshake.
"In any case, best of luck to you."
"You too."
Once Emmel bid me his farewells, he later disappeared from sight.
"Emmel, huh."
To stay at the bottom and avoid the danger that exists above. Looking at it from a different perspective, I suppose I could understand it.
Personally though, I couldn't live a life like that.
It's because I know all too well about living a life at the bottom of the food chain.
—And frankly, I'm a little sick and tired of it all.