Smile For Me [Open]

There could be a lot said for cutting class...

For one, he did not need to go through interactions with others. It was more than a little nerve racking considering that the over friendliness and smiling was something Hikari was not used to. People hid a lot of things behind a smile, and Hikari knew that all too well. His own expression had been broken into a frown when he would leave home, trying to decipher what his mother was thinking. The last time he seen his father's expression? Same smile. Fruitless he could not understand what had gone on in their heads. His options became limited as he was starting to believe himself to be crazy when they would utter such things and end it with a smile.

So, he went to the only thing that did make sense: Books.

Kamino Ward had a small bookstore that was nestled between some commercial businesses. Nestled between the local beauty salon that was promoting a melon scented body cream and a candy store that paled in comparison to the one in Tokyo, there was sanctuary. When the little rabbit student felt nothing short distress from dealing with his mother, whether an argument or just a light depression, he would take the the metro train a bit further than he should have gone. The thought of visiting the book store was like a sanctuary away from it all. "It is not like I am not learning anything," his eyes would roll, "I spend more time reading than most do in school anyway." Arguments he would make in his head in order to ward off that feeling not having to explain the Truancy. His mother would eventually catch up to him, and he would need to give a hundred compelling reasons why he was not so attentive to class.

However-

"Cutting Class again, huh?!"

"Nyaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The horrid cry was almost like that of a modern harpy. He should have expected it, but his thoughts were a perfect diversion! Hikari would be cuffing his ears with his hand as he would look to the dark-skinned woman looming over him. "I-It is not like that!" Though he was saying that to buy time of how to explain this, "I-I was going, b-but the train had-" There was his voice trailing as he would try to pick up his tone. His blue eyes did that sweep in his head that the woman would look for. Because of that, he already knew he lost this psychological game she played with him that he knew he had no chance of winning.

"Forget it." She exhaled a breath while scratching at her cheek with her red colored nails. "It is not like I am your mother anyway." A statement that further pushed Hikari into his depression as his chest would rest hearing the woman. He was not sure why her opinion mattered about him cutting school or not, but the scolding hurt more than just his ears. "Just...don't cause too much trouble for me with this stuff. Business has been tough already. The last thing I need is some kind of advertisement that I promote kids not going to school." He hated to give the impression that he was hurting someone's business. She was a nice woman, and even seemed to expect this of him. He could tell because before he came, he did not find the slices of carrot loaf on the counter and coffee up for brew.

A delightful smile upon his face. It felt as if she was welcoming him after scolding him...but in her own way.

The rabbit would quickly run back to where he left off from whence he recalled. The comfort of not being in a uniform and grabbing one of the books to smell the crisp pages was better than being in that stuffy U.A. uniform. His kimono almost trailed behind him like a cape with how loose it was bound. His hands would grasp the last book he was reading, History and Criminology of Japan, and then would swiftly beat his feet across the old weathered floorboards. He would swiftly grab one of the loaf slices and place it on one of the dishes while pouring some of the coffee into the mug that was nearby. There was almond milk, a favorite of his, to splash into the drink before taking them both to one of the three small wooden tables nestled between the corner of the shop where two of the shelves failed to meet. As a result, a pristine stained glass allowed sunlight to cascade in with colors of white and yellow as an angelic form was portrayed in the window.

The rabbit would scoot one chair to the table, and the next by it as a second book would be opened. The obvious choice? The accursed tome he had from his family. The woman's eyes shifting for a moment with amusement before she would lean over the counter. A finger sweeping as she would flip one page in one of the books she was reading. Hikari would finally sit down, his eyes desperately searching the new textbook.

He was not sure what he was looking for, but when he found it, he would know.