Note: This scene marks the start of Sunday in Act 1.
NARRATOR: "The next day, I wake up feeling a little lightheaded. It's almost noon already. Sleeping late is fine, since it's a Sunday and there are no classes. Not just a Sunday, though, but the festival as well. From my window I can already see some people at the soba booth slinging noodles onto plates for people with a craving for low-quality food. I throw back a handful of my morning meds and ponder how to spend the day. There will be a few exams in the coming week, but I don't consider those as ominous as others, so I'm not as worried about them as I probably should be. With no urgent obligations regarding education, I should be free to spend the day at the festival as I like."
NARRATOR: "Finishing my morning routine, I exit into the hallway, intending to go out and find something to eat. Passing by his door, I decide to see what Kenji's up to today out of impulse. I'm curious if he has any plans, since everyone is doing something. Then again, I can picture him having built a soundproof shelter in his room. Or possibly something like a fort, complete with “No Girls Allowed” sign. ... and with the “Girls” crossed out and “body” crudely scrawled underneath it. Knocking on his door which is luckily devoid of any kind of sign, I hear again the unsettling clicking of at least ten locks being pulled back. The door opens up a crack."
KENJI: "Who is it?"
HISAO: "You're supposed to ask that before you open the door."
KENJI: "Oh, it's you. Damn, it's early."
HISAO: "It's not really that early."
KENJI: "What is it, man?"
HISAO: "Nothing, was just gonna ask what you're gonna do today. Half the school is out there already."
KENJI: "Out where? Why?" HISAO: "What?"
KENJI: "What what? Is today special? Why are they there? Who are? I can hear them. It's loud... don't tell me... Has the invasion begun?"
NARRATOR: "He suddenly looks more alarmed." KENJI: "What day is it, man?" HISAO: "Yeah I guess you can't see the big wooden booths outside, and people selling stuff..."
KENJI: "What the hell are you talking about? I have my curtains closed at all times to thwart the snipers."
HISAO: "Uhh, it's the festival. You know that... right?"
KENJI: "Oh shit, that's today? Ah, damn. Ah... damn. Dammit. I can't believe I forgot, I don't have my fort finished yet. This is bad. This is going to be a very bad day... It's good you told me this, man. This is going to be a bad day."
HISAO: "Why?"
KENJI: "Oh man, they're going to be everywhere. The people. Outside my window. Socializing!"
NARRATOR: "Kenji rubs his temples nervously, suddenly looking very ill."
KENJI: "It's going to be loud as hell. Damn, and I was going to go out today, but now it's ruined, everything is ruined. This is awful. This sucks. This sucks! What the hell, this really sucks. I can't go anywhere now. There's nowhere to run."
NARRATOR: "Kenji seems nervous. You could even say he's majorly freaking out."
KENJI: "I can't believe this. So that's what today was. Damn, and I couldn't even prepare for it. I couldn't even brace myself and now it's here and I can't do anything. You should have told me this earlier, dude. I mean, at least, I know, but... I could have known earlier! Imagine what I could have accomplished..."
HISAO: "Sorry. I thought you knew. So I guess you're not going to do anything today? The weather is even good. Yesterday was really windy, so I thought today would be cold. It's not, though, so there's no reason to just stay inside. Yeah, you should check the festival out."
NARRATOR: "Kenji groans and covers his face with his hands."
KENJI: "Agh, no, no! I can't do it. They'll eat me alive out there, I know it." NARRATOR: "That has to be a joke, but he said it with such a straight face. Relatively straight." KENJI: "What are you going to do? We should hang out in here, you can help me build my fort. We might still make it if we work together."
HISAO: "I'm going to have to hang out with the Student Council, since I lost a bet."
NARRATOR: "I realize that we didn't agree on when and where. I'll just wait for them rather than risk us missing each other in the chaos outside. They must be busy running around and organizing things, anyway. It's funny. I would've assumed the price for losing to Shizune in her stupid game to be a lot more severe. This is just a pretense for spending time with her. In that case, I guess she just wants me to have fun. Even though she can't just come out and make her intentions clear, they may be good intentions after all, and I think I'm starting to like her more."
HISAO: "I could skip going, but it'd be a waste. And I want to go, too. I mean, you know, today does seem pretty exciting. If anything, it'll be interesting."
KENJI: "The Student Council? What? That's still around? Isn't it like, two dudes?"
HISAO: "They're both girls."
KENJI: "Really? Are they cute? Damn, no, wait... are they cute? No! It doesn't matter! I heard the Student Council president is insane... that whoever it is never talks and only gives orders through flunkies. Shit, they're the same in every school... Sounds like a cold-hearted bitch. Bitches everywhere. If it's two girls, they outnumber you two-against-one. That is a dangerous situation, dude. Who knows what can happen. Damn, the Student Council is just two women, but they hold so much power. They must be stopped. I can see them, plotting ways to push their feminist agenda. I can't trust an administration like that. This is not cool. Not cool! Damn. Shit! Damn!"
HISAO: "I don't know. I'm pretty hungry so I thought I'd get some food first and then check out the attractions. Your class project seemed pretty cool, and I gave a hand with it so I want to see at least that one and chat with Lilly I guess. Speaking of that, don't you have any obligation for the project?"
KENJI: "Are you out of your mind? That blind broad is up to no good; I can feel it in my spleen, man. Her presence is like a dark shadow that's in the way of my great vision. As expected of blind people."
HISAO: "What. Besides, I thought that you were also..."
NARRATOR: "He holds up his hand to interrupt me."
KENJI: "Only legally. Metaphorically, I can see farther than any man before me has seen."
NARRATOR: "Kenji looks stoically into the metaphorical distance to emphasize his statement, thrusting his chin forward to look manlier. Actually it's just the corridor wall two meters away but it's all the same."
KENJI: "I can see the future of mankind, and it's a dark one unless the threat of women is stifled. They are everywhere."
HISAO: "Well, I joined the art club so I guess I'll go with them."
KENJI: "You did what?"
HISAO: "I joined the art club."
KENJI: "Man, that was a bad move. Really bad. You don't know what kind of girls there are in the art club. Troubled, angsty cuties who tear your heart out and eat it raw."
NARRATOR: "Well, I know one art club member, and I don't really see Rin suddenly becoming a psychotic murderer."
HISAO: "That seems unlikely."
KENJI: "Don't say that. Don't fool yourself. You have no idea what you are dealing with here, man. They are the worst kind. They drag you in with all this fancy-pantsy shit and when you least expect it, BAM!"
HISAO: "Bam what?"
NARRATOR: "Kenji seems slightly fazed at my skepticism, but not any less loony."
KENJI: "It doesn't matter. Tread carefully man, tread carefully."
HISAO: "I wonder... I'm kinda hungry, but I made this deal that I try to take better care of myself. Be healthier, you know. Dunno if I should steer clear of the takoyaki, or head straight in."
KENJI: "Deal? Sounds ominous. So what are you getting in return?"
HISAO: "Nothing, I guess? It's not that kind of a deal. You know Emi, from our year? We kinda agreed to watch each other's backs and..."
KENJI: "Aieeeeeeee!"
NARRATOR: "The shrill scream and the expression of abject terror in Kenji's face chill my blood. It's as if I told a Catholic priest I sold my soul to the devil."
KENJI: "Her! You sold your soul to the devil, and didn't get anything in return? What the hell is wrong with you, man? Do you know who you are dealing with? She's a public health danger. Do you know how many people she sends to the hospital monthly with her carefully placed flying tackles? She's one of them! A key player in the vast conspiracy that aims for the complete submission of everything that is manly. I can't believe what I'm hearing. I trusted in your judgment, man. I thought we were brothers. You have to call it off before it's too late. This festival too; it's just one of their ploys."NARRATOR: "He fingers his scarf nervously, faster and faster like he is trying to start a fire, then slowly begins to calm down once the panic attack finishes running its course."
KENJI: "I'm going to have to find some place to hide in, a safe haven. And then knock the lights out of myself so that I don't have to experience this horrible day. I have the perfect thing for that. I must prepare now. Don't go to the festival."
HISAO: "Okay."
KENJI: "Later, dude."
NARRATOR: "The door slowly closes with a low creak and I don't know how to feel about what Kenji just said."
Next Scene: Throwing Balls
Next Scene: Promise of Time
Next Scene: NC5XB3
Next Scene: Clouds in My Head
Next Scene: Is Carnival!
Next Scene: The Deep End