I Swear I've Always Been Here! [Open]

Miyako's feet dangled as she sat on the bench, kicking the air lightly. Her life had gotten beyond weird lately, just weird and worrisome. Was she hallucinating? Was she just wakeful dreaming? Was that even a real thing?

She woke up feeling like a Main Character almost in one of those shows, is what she was trying to get through her head.

Someone who had been normal and stuff before dramatic life changing events happened... And sure she'd seen some weird things lately but really was she just finally seeing the truth of things or just imagining it?

Well, Miya, you are just going to do relaxing things and practice. You can't fall behind! She lifted her sketch book, holding it up as she draw the scenery with careful lines. It wasn't helping, so she decided to focus on drawing something else, something more challenging than cars and trees.

Drawing from memory, she entered her trance like state and began quickly sketching out something...anything else... And when she looked at the full picture she sighed.

It was one of those things again, those miserable things she saw rarely. Why did her memory do this to her? She had an eye for detail and an ability to keep things in mind for long periods of time...

This sketch book would have to be burned, it was filled with them. Someone might see it and get worried over her health. Standing, she tucked the pencil in her pocket and moved to the trash can nearby. Miyako lifted the almost filled book and held it above it in indecision.

It...was a lot of work she put into these... but...

A frustrated sound occurred as she kicked the trash can lightly, tucking the sketchbook back under her arm.

She was just...seeing weird things. Maybe she could say she's been wanting to experiment with other styles? Fantasy type to learn so she'd have more experience. Yeah...that'd work.

Bowing to the trash can, she gave a sheepishly small smile as she held up her hand. She felt bad for kicking it even if it was an inanimate object, it just hadn't done anything to her... "Sorry, sorry."

This cat was spoiled as all hell.

She was refusing the toys she already had...acting like they didn't exist or sometimes just looking at them before she turned her nose up at it. She wanted more...This damn cat was spoiled as all hell.

She'd been spoiled the moment he'd gotten her almost...

Aito gave a huff, his hands shoved in his outer pockets as the kitten in question gave a mew while he made his way to the damn pet store. Damn cat...Was he an owner or a damn slave? He couldn't even tell anymore...

Miyako was considering heading back to the dorms, hopefully she could just take a nap or something and ignore the weird flashes she kept getting. It was giving her headaches and she was twitching so much lately! This was a pain...

Sighing, she was almost decided on going back to the school when she noticed something or someone familiar. There was...pushy man with that cute kitten! She'd seen him just the other day at the playground near the school. Pushing some young woman on top of a climbing thing.

He was even wearing the cute hoodie too! Opening her sketchbook, she decided now was a golden opportunity. Moving quickly, she ran up behind him though she did not touch him and called out. "Sir? Sir with the kitten?"

Sir with the kitten?

Assuming that meant him, Aito stopped, turning to look behind him towards the source of the voice. A girl? What, she wanna see the cat?

"Mn?"

Mn? No...question? Awkward face? Greeting?

Giving an internal shrug, Miyako went with it. Smiling sheepishly up at him, he was quite a bit taller than the guys her age and she had to look up more, she lifted her sketchbook. There was a picture of him pushing the circular jungle gym looking thing, a few more sketches scattered around the page in surprising detail. One of a young woman sitting on top of it with the kitten who was peeking out of his pocket on her lap, another of his angry face yelling something at the person up top...

She bowed as she held up the sketch book. "I'm sorry! I drew you without your permission the other day with your girlfriend."

"Grk-!?" Aito seemed shocked by the girl's words, not the drawing, but the other thing. "That...She is not my girlfriend..."

What did he care if someone decided to draw him or anyone else? What mattered was correcting her on...on that...Aoi was not his girlfriend! He'd throw himself off a cliff first before it came to that...He didn't hate her but...but damn...

The man was shocked and Miyako gave a startled, nervous laugh. Oh not his girlfriend. "O-Oh. Sorry, that...was weird of me to assume. I guess it was also weird of me to apologize for drawing you?"

She felt shy and a bit awkward from that response, he seemed really upset. Bowing, she spoke a bit more formally again. "Um, thank you for being a good subject then. I appreciate your...lack of anger for my work."

"W...Whatever. s'Fine..." He glanced off for a bit, not knowing what more to really say. He got his point across now about Aoi, and he didn't care about whether she drew him or not.

Regalia gave a mew, turning some in her little pocket hole to get more comfortable; they were supposed to be getting toys...Why were they not getting toys?

It seemed all was well! Miyako smiled easily and rose back up, her hands moving to flip the sketchbook closed. The young man was really nice it seemed, even if quiet.

Her eyes were quickly drawn back down to the kitten in the pocket, a happy expression on her features as she tried to figure out how to ask... "Um, would it be all right if I petted the kitten? If it would be a hassle or keep you from things I can go though."

Still though, the kitten was...in his pocket and being cute... She had to ask...

Regalia's eyes were on the girl, as if she could sense the fact that the girl wanted to pet her. Attention. Attention and toys today.

Aito blinked, giving a small shrug. "It's fine..."

Miyako knew she would pay for this, pay for this annoyingly... But she wanted so bad to touch the cute little fluffy thing. As the man gave his okay, she gave him a sweet smile before looking back down.

...The kitten stared at her, it seemed to know she wanted to touch it. She stared back, her eyes growing with love and adoration for wanting to touch the cat... But the man never moved to take it from his pocket. She glanced at it, back up at his face and back down. Did he want...her to... just stick her hand in?!

She gained a slight red tint to her face, and very slowly reached out one finger to touch the head sticking out of the pocket. The rest of Miyako's body did not move closer at all though. She just gently scratched the head with one finger and turned more and more red.

Aito blinked...

Why the hell did she seem so nervous? She was petting a cat; she was all red in the face like she was doing something weird or wrong.

Regalia leaned in to the girl's finger, though she wished for a whole hand...still, it was attention.

Moving her hand back after the embarrassment became too much, Miyako looked down and bowed a few times nervously. "Th-Thank you for letting me touch it. The kitten is cute a-and so is the hoodie the kitten rides in."

She was going to die, this was so embarrassing! How had she gotten up the nerve to ask this or in this situation!?

"A...Ah..." It was a sound, and while not a thank you exactly he could be taken that way due to the tone. His hand was itching to move to his hair, but he resisted the urge with some difficulty.

She'd just pet a cat...he didn't really see what there was to be so nervous about. It was just a cat...

Was that thanks? It seemed...thankful. Miyako straightened up and gave him a sheepish smile, brushing back some hair behind her ears. "I guess... welcome?"

What was she supposed to do now? She had no special classes or meetings to go to today and now she was standing here awkwardly with this young man. Uh should she... leave? She was rather obviously nervous, her hand wringing together as she looked to the side. "I am sorry for bothering you and stopping you as you went about your business. It was nice to meet you."

"M-Mn..." Aito gave a small nod as Regalia gave another mew, getting comfortable again in her pocket while Aito continued to resist the urge of bringing his hand to his hair.

Business? Well...cat toys...he guessed, if that could be considered business.

"Yeah..." He didn't really know what else to say; this was...a normal person, how the hell was he supposed to act around someone normal?

Miyako's hand twitched as she heard the mew, she wanted to pet more... Much more... Clenching it in her skirt ruffle, she smiled and brought her other hand up to her ear and tugged it lightly. Okaaaay this was really awkward.

What was she supposed to do now? Her sketch book was under her arm, she couldn't just... sketch something and ease things... and he was quiet...

She realized with a start that showed on her face that she had never introduced herself! Eyes wide, she gave a small laugh. "Ah sorry again! My name is Miyako Inoue. Ah, if that is okay."

"Aito." He replied, introducing himself with his own name, though; "Yoshioka."

He'd almost forgotten, he hadn't really done anything that required him to use his newly acquired last name, so he still wasn't quite used to using it yet. "s'Fine..." He added, referring to her apology she'd given just before.

"It was nice to meet you Yoshioka-san." Miyako gave him a smile, hoping to put the young man at ease maybe? But she felt like a burden on him and his time, they were just standing here awkwardly and barely talking.

She'd not keep him any longer! "Have a good day! I'm sorry for the bother!"

With a closed eye grin, she started walking away. It happened to be in the direction Yoshioka had been heading, but that was because her school was that way. She'd head back to the dorms... maybe go out and get some snacks from a nearby candy shop or bakery... There was a bit of this weeks allowance left, her good grades having gotten her bonuses as long as she kept them up from her parents!

"A...Ah...Yeah." Aito replied, turning to begin walking just after Miyako did only to realize...they were walking in the same direction...

This...This was weird...

Whatever, he could just say he was going to the damn pet store. It was the truth so it wasn't like it was bad or anything!

...Oh yeah he had been walking in this direction...

Well with that hoodie... Maybe he was someone who went to the university that was attached to the school?

They didn't have uniforms and she hadn't had to wear hers...

Slowing her pace, she walked level with Yoshioka and smiled over at him. "Do you go to Osamoto too? If so we can walk back together then. Its nice to have company sometimes, if you don't mind Yoshioka-san."

Osa...

...no.

Aito's eye unconsciously twitched at that, flashes of that damn dinner returning. The mothering, the...the little brother bullshit...the trash...the dumb table conversations...

...no...

"I don't..." And he was glad he didn't. Damn rich people... "I'm going to the pet store."

Was that upsetting? Miyako's smile faded a bit and she looked down. "O-Oh I see. For the kitten? Oh, sorry that was a stupid question of course for the kitten..."

Miyako's voice grew a bit soft as she gave another sheepish laugh. She should have kept walking! Now she was just bothering Yoshioka and making him upset. Oops.

"Ah..n-no...just remembered something stupid." He responded to at her apology, "yeah...going there for the cat though..."

Regalia demanded more toys, she would get herself new toys. She would be sure they were all worthy of her.

Aito blinked, keeping his eyes heading of him as they walked.

Miyako looked back up, grinning again as Yoshioka's words soothed her. So it wasn't her company! She liked talking with others so this was nice for her, meeting a new interesting person. Looking up at him again, she tried to memorize that profile. He'd make a nice subject for a few works so she wanted to make sure to get a decent look.

"I'm glad I'm not annoying you then. Does the kitty need something?" Pet store...maybe...he'd let her go with him? She really liked to but she was allergic to cats and dogs, not severely but it was annoying...