Snow Day

Winter is approaching at Bullworth Academy. Everyone is now in their winter attire since the temperature has dropped. Johnny didn't really feel that cold and just wore black leather gloves and that was it. He is just about heading towards school until he sees those two people Kei was with the other day. They looked like they were waiting for something until that guy he remembered is named Sora spotted him. The doctor next to him turned and smiled approaching him,

"Ah, there you are. I was wondering where you would be." Johnny raised his eye brows and looked at the both of them then asked,

"What do you want with me?"

"I would like to talk to you for a bit. It has something to do with Kei-san." Johnny's eyes then widen with curiosity.

The three of them are sitting at a café. Ren suggested there since he wants to talk when they're sitting. The three of them ordered something and are waiting; Johnny looked at the two of them. Sora is looking out the window as Ren is just looking at his phone. Their order finally arrived,

"Here's your order. Please enjoy." The waitress told them then left. Sora already started digging in as Ren just quietly took a sip of his coffee, Johnny though, he didn't touch his order and continued to stare at them,

"Well?" He started. Ren looked back up to him; Sora stopped eating and turned to Johnny. Ren placed his coffee back down and started,

"You're right. Let us start, shall we?"

And so Ren took out his notes as Johnny crossed his arms,

"To start off, what are you to Kei-san?"

"What Am I to Kei...?" Johnny couldn't help but parrot what he said and started pondering,

"Yes. What are you to her?" Ren repeated. Johnny hesitated and answered,

"I'm a friend, I guess." Ren then wrote on his note book,

"And what is she to you?" He asked next, that then caused Johnny to choke on his food when he decided to take a bite of what he ordered,

"U-uh... Huh? What is she to me?" Johnny then could feel his face start to heat up and turned away. Ren didn't say anything then began to write on his note book. Sora narrowed his eyes at the Greaser, Ren put down his pen and spoke,

"Has she been acting strange?"

"Strange? Uh... I guess."

"Please specify." Johnny rubbed the back of his head trying to find on what to say,

"Well, uh... She's been kinda cold for a while... I guess. And I uh... can't really read her half the time… Like she gives me mix signals. If she wanted to be friends or not." Ren then wrote some more on his notebook then closed it. He lifted his head up towards Johnny and looks at him straight in the eyes. Sora watched the two of them quietly as Ren spoke,

"That's good then.." Johnny gave a confused look, the doctor answered him,

"Kei might have found a breakthrough from her dilemma." Johnny then questioned some more,

"Really? What do ya' mean, though?"

"Oi, Ren?" Sora spoke out to him wanting to finally know what they're saying,

[So, what did you say?]He asked Ren now curious as to what's going on and hearing Kei's name a few times. Sora crossed his arms as Ren tells him what's going on then turned back to the Greaser,

"What I'm saying is, you could help her in some way, but of course whatever choice she might make with you might drive her deeper into despair, so please. Help her in anyway you can." Johnny then looked at him confused.

So after their talk, the three of them left the shop. Johnny turns to them,

"Uh, thanks for tellin' me, I guess." Ren smiled to him,

"Of course. We're always going to be there for Kei-san, especially when she inherits her father's position." Sora stares at Johnny then slings his arm over his shoulders and speaks in broken English,

"Oi. Anata no… Iie. Eef… you hurt Kei-chan… Boku wa…" He then proceeds to trace his thumb across his own neck, telling him he'd kill him, then gave him the deadliest look that really could kill if it were possible. Johnny just looks at him unfazed as Sora took his arm from his shoulders and took his place besides Ren again. The two of them said their good byes to Johnny then left him.

Kei watch Miss Peters walk back and forth worriedly. Today is the day of the Christmas pageant, but something went wrong. A student couldn't make it and now she needed a Plum Fairy or else the play won't happen at all. The music teacher let out a troubled sigh,

"What do we do?" Miss Peters walked around some more then turned to her,

"Do you know anyone who can fill in the role of the Plum Fairy?" Kei didn't say anything for a bit, then answered,

"No, I don't." Miss Peters then let her shoulders drop,

"I can't believe this is the second time this happened! Last time was good because I found someone who could fill in a role! Oh I wish he was here right now to help." Just then, Kei sees a buzz cut boy over Miss Peters' shoulder stop into a halt then awkwardly walked backwards away from Miss Peters and ran. Kei was very confused by that when Johnny came by,

"Oh, Kei. I thought you're gettin' ready for the pageant." Kei just nodded to him,

"I am, but it looks like we've ran into some trouble. It seems the person who plays the Plum Fairy hasn't shown up and we have about thirty minutes before the play." She explained to him. Johnny thought for a bit and wondered who could be a good person to fill the role when Peanut came into the picture. He waved to them,

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Peanut stared blankly at the audience as he begrudgingly danced around in a purple tutu to music from the Nutcracker play on stage with little kids following suit making coherent movement that make the dance really pretty. Miss Peters watch happily as the pageant was saved once again. Johnny and Kei watch as well. He looked to Kei unknowingly as he watches her getting ready for her piece. When the dance was done, she took her sheets of music and headed out. Johnny stopped her for a bit,

"Hey, uh..." She turns to him questioningly. He felt his face heat up and coughed,

"G-good luck." Kei processed what he said and nodded,

"Thank you." She then head out to the stage with the choir and Miss Peters.

The pageant was a success. Miss Peters congratulated everyone as they pack everything up. Peanut let out a stressed out sigh glad to finally be out of that horrendous tutu. Miss Peters thanked him for his cooperation. He stiffly smile and nodded to whatever she said then let out another sigh when she left. He couldn't believe how scary that music teacher could be sometimes. Threatening to hold him back a grade if he didn't accept to take the role Johnny asked him to do.

Johnny walks beside Kei as they headed out the auditorium. The two of them were silent until he spoke,

"Kei?" Kei perked her ears when she heard her name,

"Uh… So there's this Festival thing goin' on in town and... I was wonderin'… would you…" he began to mutter. Kei strains her ear trying to catch what he's saying but couldn't hear anything he said. He turned away and cleared his throat calming himself down and stared directly into her eyes,

"You wanna go with me?" Kei didn't know what to say. She's speechless. Johnny awkwardly stares at her now feeling his face turning hot as she search for the right thing to say,

"…Okay." Johnny couldn't believe his ears. Did he hear her right? Did she actually agree to go with him? He wanted to dance or something right now!

Kei then started walking back to the girls' dorm without looking at him,

"Don't forget." He nodded and watches her leave all the while smiling like an idiot. Peanut looks at the two of them and shakes his head. He finally knows for sure that she could be the best thing that could ever happened to his best friend,

"Man, I'm beat." Peanut spoke as he stretched his spine,

"Well, see ya later, Johnny." It took a few minutes for Johnny to process what Peanut said and responded,

"Huh? Yeah. See ya." His friend Nodded to him with a knowing smile and left.

It's really cold now, snowflakes are falling from the sky as Kei stood under the roof of the dorm as she waits for a certain greaser for this 'date'. She stared up at the sky when she hears pacing footsteps and panting getting closer to her proximity. She looked towards the out of breath figure,

"You're late." She told him, crossing her arms,

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. My microwave started actin' up and almost set everything on fire." He explained himself and gave her a sheepish look. She didn't say anything and went down the stairs to him,

"Okay, let's go." She said to him, passively. When he finally got a better look at her, he could see that she's dressed in all white. A fluffy white coat over possibly a white dress, she's wearing white leggings with prints and white shoes. She even has white accessories. Her makeup is a little more noticeable than at the race. Her lips are colored blood red in contrast to the all white. It's even more complimentary to her long black hair and pale skin, her rosy cheeks even add more to her doll-like features. Now that he thought of it, she really has flawless skin. He could feel his ears heat up, now thinking of that all of the sudden,

'Come on, Johnny! Calm down!' he mentally scolded himself as he absentmindedly stared at her intently, he couldn't help but feel so entranced by her image until she started to feel awkward,

"What…?" She started, shyly. The Greaser snapped out of his trance and looked away from her rubbing his neck,

"Uh… You look really pretty." Kei's cheeks started turning red after hearing his compliment,

"Uh, it's just the makeup… Pinky wanted to do my make up for me, I don't usually wear bolder makeup, since it's too much for me and I actually prefer softer tones…" She rambled getting embarrassed. Johnny held a hand up to her to wordlessly tell her that it's okay,

"Come on, we gotta get to the festival." He then held out his hand for her to take it. She stared at his hand for a bit and hesitantly took his hand, he smiled fondly to her and wrapped his fingers around her smile hand and started walking.

Lola lit her cigarette as she sat on a hood of a car, staring blankly at nothing, bored out of her mind. Ever since catching Johnny and that girl in the music room, she has been seeing everything as dull. More dull than how she already sees everything. She isn't satisfied with anything anymore. No matter how many boys she's seduced, no matter how many gifts she's received and given, it isn't enough. Because no matter how many times she's in a relationship with the other boys, she isn't satisfied at all!

Thinking back about Johnny, when they first met, she is very attracted to him. He is the most attractive person out of all the boys in that school, he is even the leader of his own clique, and she was so infatuated. And of course she can tell that he was interested in her as well. The two of them had hit it off. For a while… She then started feeling unsatisfied by the lack of things he's been giving. She also isn't satisfied with just his attention. Just because he was good looking doesn't mean he's rich and Lola just wanted to have things, wants expensive things that Johnny can't buy at all! He doesn't satisfy her needs other than love and… love. And she wants more attention, she wants more boys fawning in her beauty, wants to be treated like a goddess! So, she decided to flirt with other boys that have the money. She's decided to seduce them into her web, to make them think that she 'loves' them so they would buy the things she wants. It went that way for so long, at first Johnny didn't catch on and she just kept doing it and doing it. He would even deny what she had been doing behind his back just because of his huge devotion to her. She was satisfied. Everything that she wanted; Love, attention, money, gifts… A cute boy at her side; She had it all.

But, of course that day came, when Johnny has decided to finally break it off, that he was finally fed up with her that she just now realize how valuable he was to her. She hated that he's gone, hated that she was kicked out of the Greaser Clique. And she hates it even more that a girl took her place! A girl that already has everything! The money, the expensive clothes, the expensive bags and accessories, the attention whether it is good or bad and most of all, Johnny's affection! She has it all!

Lola frowns and absentmindedly crushed her cigarette in her hand. She stared at the crushed cigarette and dropped it on the ground,

"I hate her." She muttered angrily. She was about to leave the place, when she was approached by a man,

"Excuse me; do you know a girl by the name of Kei Ito?" She turned to face the man and he's already taken out a picture to show her. Sure enough, it's a picture of that girl her Johnny is so infatuated in.

Johnny took a bite out of his barbeque as he and Kei walk around the festival. Everything is decorated everywhere with Christmas lights and snowflake shaped decorations, Santa Claus' workshop is in the middle of the town for everyone to take pictures with Santa Claus himself; stands are set up with games and food. Johnny turned to Kei if she's having a good time and well, he couldn't really tell by the look on her face, always frowning and no readable expressions at all. He looked away for a bit then rubs the back of his neck and awkwardly asked,

"So, uh… How'd you like the festival so far?" He then took a glance at her,

"It's okay." She said simply.

'It's okay.' He couldn't help but tense by that. He doesn't know if it's a good thing or bad thing. Does she like the festival? Does she hate it?! He doesn't know! Those thoughts in his head are making him sweat he didn't realize he's shaking from the nervousness he's feeling, Kei turned to him and notice him shaking,

"Johnny? Are you okay?" She asked him sounding a little worried; he stopped himself and turned to her.

'Crap!' He tensed and attempted to give her a cool grin,

"I'm fine! Nothin' to worry about!"

She cocked her head to the side giving him a curious look,

"…Okay, if you say so." She then, went ahead of him and headed to a game stand. The greaser followed her and could see that it's a target stand. Kei turned to him and spoke,

"Look!" She then pointed at a weird looking stuff toy. It's got a white triangle shaped head with a crescent shaped yellow moon on its forehead. Johnny looked at her questioningly,

"Uuhhh… Do you want that?" He asked her all while questioning her taste in toys. She nods to him,

"Yes. Please win it for me." He blinked at her and shrugged at her,

"Alright. I just have to put it out there; your taste is pretty weird." She pouted at him and turned away,

"Yeah so! Are you going to win it for me or not! This is a date… Right?" her cheeks turned pink after saying the last part. Johnny felt the world stop. Did he hear it right? Did she just admit this is a 'date?' Kei caught Johnny staring and snapped getting flustered,

"What?! Why are you staring at me like that?! If you're not going to get it, then, I will!" She was about to walk up to the stand (angrily) when Johnny held his hand out,

"Nah, it's okay, I got this." He then went up to the stand calmly; she didn't look at him at all feel it difficult the even look at him when she feels her heart go weird. She couldn't believe when she's doing at all.

The Greaser coolly picked up the BB gun and aimed at the targets,

"Watch my awesome aiming skills. 'Cause I'm gonna win it for you." Johnny said to her with a wide grin getting ready for the game to start.

Kei held the doll in her arm as the two of them walked around the festival. Johnny is in high spirits because she finally accepted their outing as a date. He turned his head to her and she was just looking to the side with a serious poker face like she always had. The festival was now at an end. Johnny is now walking Kei to the school,

"So, you had fun?" He asked her while holding two bags of food from the festival at his side,

"It's okay…" She said not looking at him as she held the toy Johnny won for her in her hand and other prizes in the other. He turned to her and stared at her face. She notice and turned away as her cheeks turned red,

"What?!" She snapped at him feeling embarrassed,

"You had a lot of fun, didn't you?" he said simply,

"Y-yeah, so?!" She said now getting defensive. He smiled and shook his head,

"Its fine, you know? You have to feel embarrassed over that. I mean, I had fun too." She stared at him and didn't say any more and look forward with her cheeks still red,

"…Thank you, Johnny." She told him. Her saying that got his heart beating fast. She really has no idea how much she's affected him at all.

They finally made it to the dorms when she turned to him,

"Thank you for today." He nodded to her now deep in thought. She looked at him thoughtfully and was about to get back to the dorm when he reached out and held her hand,

"Kei…" He muttered to her, she turned to him wondering why he stopped her, when she felt his lips on her cheek. She was stunned. Johnny let go and looked at her face. The both of them just stood there silently when Johnny spoke,

"…See ya." He then ran. She reached out her hand to him, but didn't call out to him. She just watched the greaser leave, leaving her in a confused state,

"…He kissed me." She muttered to herself. She stood in front of the dorm for a few minute then entered the dorm.

Naoto was walking around the neighborhood, taking in the cold night air as he thought of nothing in particular when suddenly; two thugs went in front of him. He eyed the two cautiously,

"Do you need anything?" He asked them, when a third man stood beside them,

[こんばんは, Naoto-kun.]

AN: Hey! I'm so terribly sorry for this I don't know how many years Hiatus! It was actually pretty hard to keep, I'm sorry, since the last time I updated this story, since I felt like my life was crashing down on me those last few years...

The first thing that happened, I actually lost the file of this chapter, so I had to make a new one because my computer broke down on me and I had to get rid of the old memory card for a new one. Then my phone gets stolen, which I had to work none stop to get a new one, which gave me zero time to work on this, then my cat died which put me into depression for a year, then I got my phone stolen a second time because people are shitty, Then my bird died which got me into a fight with a family member, so yeah. Life happened.

So, I'm extremely sorry that this took longer than it needed to be and I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

So, I'm really sorry that I took so long to finish this chapter. I'm also going to thank everyone who took the time to read this story. I'm really thankful! :) I just want to hug all of you. Thank you very much.