★12th Star☆ [Video|Action]

[starfishlovesyou]

[When Fuuko wakes up today, it's hard for her to ignore just how quiet the house is. Normally she would see Kotomi around when she got up so the two of them could eat breakfast together. When the minutes continue to pass and her housemate had still yet to make an appearance, Fuuko knocks on Kotomi's door and peers inside. She calls out Kotomi's name into the room, only to soon realise what was going on.

Fuuko spends the morning just walking around her large and now empty house. She has her journal in her arms and held close to her chest, with the intention of using it to tell everyone about Kotomi at some point. But for now Fuuko wants a little time to herself, so she can think about what to do next and what to do about the house.]

[Video]

[Around midday, Fuuko settles down in the living room on one of the couches and opens her journal.]

Kotomi Ichinose, Kotomi-chan, has gone home. Fuuko is sure she had plenty of friends who weren't bullies or weird guys, so Fuuko thought it would be better if everyone found out now rather than finding out at some other awful time.

[Though she starts her message looking at the journal, Fuuko soon starts looking away as though she's concentrating on something else.]

Fuuko thinks she didn't leave anything behind, in fact, Fuuko is positive of this.

[She was expecting to be more upset than this. For a moment she wonders if she's just getting used to making these sorts of messages, after having announced Nagisa, Tomoya and a few of her other friends and family went home in the past. With a sigh to herself, Fuuko turns her attention back to the journal .]

Kotomi-chan is a really kind, really intelligent person. She taught Fuuko a lot about the starfish you know. Fuuko is sure that Kotomi-chan will be very happy back home with Nagisa-san and Okazaki-san.

[Action]

[After making her message over the journals, Fuuko heads out to the tea shop to get some work done. As tempting as it was for her to just stay home and keep inside for the rest of the day, the tea shop seemed like a good way to get her mind off of things for a little while. Though she's work as well as she normally does it's easy to notice how distracted Fuuko seems. Whenever she's not carrying out cups or cleaning up she can be seen staring off into space and otherwise keeping to herself unless someone needs her.]

Comments

[Video]

[de_bel_survivor]

[He doesn't know who Kotomi is. But he does know whoever they are, they're Fuuko's friend.]

Kotomi sound like a smart person, Fuuko.

[Video]

[starfishlovesyou]

Mm, Kotomi-chan is very smart. Much smarter than Fuuko. If there was a competition where someone had to count how many starfish there are on the entire beach in ten minutes then Kotomi would win. Even if Fuuko took part.

[Though who knows if a competition like that really depends on how smart a person is that much.]

[Video]

[de_bel_survivor]

["Isn't that a competition based on speed...?"]

So not just smart, but quick as well! Did you two ever have that competition?

[Video]

[starfishlovesyou]

Considering Fuuko just thought up the idea for a starfish counting competition on the spot, Fuuko has never had the chance to take part in one.

[But now she's thinking about how a competition like that would work in the first place, which is certainly helping her take her mind off of her current situation.]

Perhaps Kotomi would win in one sense, but everyone would win in some way.

[When you're counting starfish and spending time with friends, who doesn't win?]

[Video]

[de_bel_survivor]

Huh...maybe you can try that the next time you go to the best with a friend?

[Does the beach beyond the mountains have starfish? An important question to ponder.]

Is it because of the starfish?

[risingwinds]

[The minute Ven saw Fuuko's message, he rushed out the door in search of her. When he failed to find her at home, he zipped over to the tea shop as fast as possible.

So here he is, slipping in the door and toddling over to her when she's spacing off on her own.]

Fuuko!

[He skids to a stop once he reaches her, panting like crazy. Seems he went a little overboard.]

[starfishlovesyou]

[Fuuko looks up when she hears her name, noticing Ven heading towards her and looking thoroughly out of breath. It's just as well they're in the tea shop right now, Fuuko knows just what to do.]

Ven, are you okay? Fuuko can get you something to drink right away!

[At least now she's worrying about Ven she doesn't look as distracted or as out of it as she did moments ago.]

[risingwinds]

Huh?

[Oh, wait. Maybe he does look kinda silly right now. Either way, he'll shake his head.]

I'm fine! I'm more worried about you, actually. I, uh... saw your message over the journals.

[starfishlovesyou]

[Ah yes, of course. That explains Ven rushing in here out of breath. She feels a little silly for not thinking that that would have been the reason he came looking for her in the first place.]

Fuuko is okay. Fuuko is used to people going home now, it's only natural here.

[Though being used to it doesn't help in making her feel much better about the only other person she knew from Hikarizaka going home.]

[Action]

[tailasoldastime]

[Kotomi... he knows the name. He thinks she talked to him once over the journals. He didn't realise she lived with Fuuko, or was even from her world. Or maybe it just slipped his mind. But if it's true that she was the last housemate... he can guess what Fuuko might be feeling right now. He would know better than most what it's like to live in a house with only yourself as (completely) human company.

He was going to go to the tea shop anyway, and if he remembers right she does work there. So by the middle of afternoon, Beast will be sitting at one of the tables waiting to see her.]

[Action]

[starfishlovesyou]

[When she notices who she has to serve next, Fuuko does her best to put on a smile. Though she looks a little happier it's clear by the tone of her voice that she's not feeling all that great.]

Good afternoon Beast-san, what can Fuuko get for you?

[She has a feeling that he might not be hear just to get something to drink.]

[Action] I'm sorry Henry for the extremely slow pace here. I'm trying to improve

[tailasoldastime]

[He pauses for a moment. He hadn't thought of what tea he would actually have once he came.] B... b-black, please. Any.

[That answer alone probably already confirms Fuuko's suspicions.]

[Action] No worries, I don't mind at all. I'm pretty slow myself right now.

[starfishlovesyou]

[And it does. As he asked for any black tea, Fuuko disappears and soon returns with tray. On the tray is a teapot filled with earl grey, a teacup, and some containers for milk and sugar so Beast can adjust his drink to his liking. Not that it particularly matters what she brings out, she knows he won't be drinking so much as he will, or they will, be talking.]

Here you are. Fuuko hopes this is enough, but if there's anything else you want then Fuuko will go and find it for you as quickly as possible so the tea doesn't cool off too much.

[action]

[corrinesbell]

[Maybe other people won't notice, but Sheena definitely does. During a lull in business she taps the younger girl on the shoulder.]

Hey. You okay today?

[action]

[starfishlovesyou]

[Fuuko jumps slightly when she feels someone tapping her shoulder, having been distracted by her own thoughts up until now. She turns to face Sheena and gives her a quick nod.]

Today is a rough day, much rougher than usual for Fuuko. But Fuuko is okay.

[action]

[corrinesbell]

Wanna take a break? [It's weird for Fuuko to have a day so rough that it shows.]

[action]

[starfishlovesyou]

No, that's okay. Fuuko can take a break later, there's still a lot of work that needs to be done.

[If she took a break than that would just mean she would have more time to mull over her thoughts. For now she wants to try and focus on her work, even if she ends up spacing out now and then all the same.]

But Fuuko wants to thank Sheena-san for offering! Fuuko will be sure to take a long break later so please don't worry, Fuuko will relax to Fuuko's fullest.

[Voice]

[rashness]

-What about Ikki? S'Ikki still around?

[Kotomi... he never even got to do that thing where he was trying to help her out. To prove a point. If Ikki's still around, he might be drunk or something now, given how he apparently handled his birthdays... ... He should check on that guy]

[Voice]

[starfishlovesyou]

Kotomi-chan's boyfriend, that Ikki? [As if he could be referring to the other Ikki right now.] Fuuko does not know, perhaps Fuuko should filter something to him and see. It would be slightly horrible if he was still here though, Fuuko would not know what to say or do.

[She can only imagine how she would feel if Ven went home and she was left here, with no friends from home or the person she loves. She can only assume she would feel twice as bad as she does now, if not more.]

[Voice]

[rashness]

Yeah... that guy. [A frown] I guess someone oughta do that.

[Maybe he should]. But that aside...] 'M gonna miss her too, though.

[Voice]

[starfishlovesyou]

Fuuko is sure that all of the friends Kotomi-chan made will miss her, she's a very memorable person. Fuuko hopes that even a year from now people will be able to remember and quote all sorts of memorable things Kotomi-chan said.

[Like all of the interesting facts she told her about the starfish.]

[Voice]

[endgames]

Just like that, huh?

[Man he'd just talked to her not too long ago too.]

[Voice]

[starfishlovesyou]

Mm, that's right. She didn't leave anything behind, so if you were expecting something from her then Fuuko has nothing to give you. [...] Are you one of Kotomi-chan's friends?

[Voice]

[endgames]

[He wasn't super close to her (which he felt bad for, more than once). If he was, he probably wouldn't have responded to this. But she called him her friend, and for that he didn't mind doing the same. Someone worth bothering over.]

Yeah. She was nice enough.

[Voice]

[starfishlovesyou]

Only 'enough'? Kotomi-chan was very nice, more than nice! Fuuko would think that Kotomi-chan would be nice enough to be classed as three friends.

[So that's a whole lot of nice.] But just because she was three times the friend doesn't mean she left three times the presents or letters behind or anything like that, not even to Fuuko.