[video | canon bump]

[sunbloom]

[A little unusually, it's a very tired-looking Itsuki that waves at the screen. It's also fairly late, yet the schoolbag on the edge of her chair suggests she's just gotten home, and she's still wearing her uniform.]

Hi, ducks... it's been a very long day, and I just want to wind down a little, so do you mind if I ramble a bit? I'd ask one of my friends here, but it's fairly late for a social call, honestly.

In my world, it's getting pretty close to time for our cultural festival, and things are going into high gear. There are a lot of proposals for the student council to approve, money to dispense, forms to file, getting everything organized... it's been crazy for the last several days, and it's only going to get worse from here. I'm working hard to make sure everything gets done, but it's just so much... that, on top of my, ah, other business, has just made me so drained. I can barely find the energy to train, let alone much else.

And that, in itself, is a little bit of a problem. I'm a teenager. I'm supposed to have free time to do things, to goof off with my friends after school, to get into a little trouble now and then... that sort of thing. I'm really starting to miss it. And so... I've come to a decision. I don't think I'm going to run for the student council next year. I'm just... too tired. Too stressed. I'm not going to give up on it - it's something I said I'd do, so I can't really back out now - but I just can't keep going like this.

[The girl slumps forward, her head hitting her desk with a light thud.]

I've got too much else on my plate to be able to push myself like this. And that's a very scary feeling, with everyone that depends on me. I don't... want to let anyone down, but I just can't keep doing this.

Comments

[iwontforgivethis]

Great. You two should definitely spend more time together.

[ Especially since Itsuki and Tsubomi were, you know, together. ]

Maybe you'll also have some more time to be able to visit the rest of us too.

[sunbloom]

I'd like that. I kind of want to see everyone else's homes... everyone else seems to have grown up very differently, and it'd be exciting to get that look into their lives.

...That, and I really don't like the only times we see each other in person being either when the community kidnaps us, or when we've got to fight.

[iwontforgivethis]

Yeah... we definitely need to get together and meet sometime when there's nothing like that happening. We really should've done it earlier.

[sunbloom]

We should have... but we're always so busy. Even when we're not fighting for our lives, or dealing with the community playing tricks on us, there just isn't enough time in the day.

[iwontforgivethis]

Yeah...

[ Honoka pauses for a moment, before her lips curl into a smile. ]

But maybe we should try planning something anyway. Sure, we might not be able to find the time to just drop by, but if we plan something we can try to make sure that nothing conflicts.

[ Won't help with Dessertarian attacks, but they can't really plan for everything. ]

[sunbloom]

Yes... I would really enjoy something like that. Just pencil in a date to go for a visit.

It'd probably have to wait a few weeks, though. I can barely find the time to breathe for myself right now, what with everything that's happening.

[iwontforgivethis]

That's fine. I mean, I know you're really busy right now. Just let me and the others know once you know that you'll have some free time, and we'll go from there.