Now that I think about it, that advisory notice that pops up when I open Shuffle could very easily be outright wrong. If Primula has any explicit scenes (don't tell me whether or not she does; I'd rather not think about that right now), then the bit where the advisory says that all characters depicted in explicit scenes are at least 18 is an outright lie. I suppose I'll find out eventually though.
Back to the story. WEDNESDAY 23RD
Kaede is taking her time to get ready to leave in the morning, but I don't mind. Despite the very blue sky, Kaede hands me an umbrella, predicting rain in the afternoon. Having plenty of room, I take the umbrella.
...And by third period it seemed Kaede may very well have been right; Rin noticed that the sky was covered with clouds. By the time school finished, it is indeed raining. While Itsuki complains about the rain and the unlikely forecast that morning, I am thankful for Kaede's judgement. After some more pointless chit-chat, Itsuki brings up the cliché - which he quite believes in - of the Together Umbrella. Obviously not in those words though.
The conversation moves on to my nonchalant attitude, "even during flag events". Isn't that this genre? No matter; Itsuki has now finally realized that I implied earlier that Kaede and I both have umbrellas, and has asked her to share. She turns him down, with it turning out that she doesn't have hers. My thoughts echo Rin's:
"...Huh?"
(Although being a troper, I can think of a few explanations. The main one of which being that she wants to share with me.) She claims that in her rush and making sure I had mine, she forgot hers. And this is apparently typical of her to forget about herself while thinking of others. Huh.
Choice time! So what should I do...
I realize that I'm aiming for Nerine and not Kaede, but being the gentleman I am, I'm not about to let her walk home wet (That, and the fact that Nerine already left :P). I ask if she could wait around half an hour for me to finish up so that we can go home together. She's a bit flustered, but accepts.
Itsuki is annoyed, but gets an offer from Mayumi, as she has an umbrella too. He accepts, but gives her a backhanded compliment (which they spell as complement. Heh.) in the process. Then, after I assume Itsuki gets kicked in the nads, she takes him away. Kaede notes how "well" those two get along. (Although, she says it without sarcasm. :/) After I finish cleaning, we go home.
THURSDAY 24TH
One period until lunch, Rin is exhausted. He leans on his desk, but is interrupted by someone who he at first thinks is Itsuki. Then Mayumi. Then Kaede.
Turns out it's... Primula? Huh. I guess I haven't seen her since a couple of mornings ago, so it being her turn to show up is fine by me. After a bunch of other students make a number of comments both friendly and not - including Itsuki, who makes a rather suspicious remark - she tells me that Nerine's father brought her here. Nerine asks why Primula was brought here, so her father tells her that it was to aid the girl's social skills. I suppose that's fair enough. She, however, says that Nerine's father is annoying. (which is true enough, I'd say)
Nerine, asking her father what she forgot that her father felt obligated to bring her, gets presented a five-tier bento (Which, mind, Shuffle calls a lunchbox. I only use that term when referring to the box itself; this specific instance appears to refer to both). As he leaves, I tell Primula to wait for us (me and Kaede, almost certainly) at home. Mayumi warns me to watch myself. I can see why, but Rin is not so observant.
After school, it is raining again and I have another choice. This time it is not so clear as any of the previous choices...
Seeing no difference and no point of waiting any longer, I leave. Although I wonder what would've happened with the other choice, the day ends here.
おわり
