Hitoshi smiled and began to bite down on the apple that Umi had given him. All of the running around he’d been doing since Free Time began had made him work up quite an appetite. While he did still have the Dumplings that had been given to him by professor Moriko, an Apple would be something much quicker and something he could eat as he headed back towards the main building of campus. He wasn’t sure if he would go up and see the Principal yet or not, but he wanted to head inside, regardless.

On his way towards that building, he ended up passing by the boys’ dormitory. All while chewing up a chunk of the apple, a blonde-haired boy with an eye patch whirled past him, eyes on the ground. Hitoshi stopped and blinked for a moment, looking back at the man kept running and scanning the ground. A smile came to Hitoshi’s face and he slowly shook his head. He knew that student. From the day he’d come to school, he’d lost his backpack. It didn’t matter what day it was, either. At some point, the backpack would become lost and he’d end up running all over campus, trying to find it.

Coming around a few corners, Hitoshi finished up his apple as he passed by a small campfire, where the blue-haired class president, Tasuki, was seated, along with a young female student with pearl-white hair. These two was yet another case of problems and drama on campus. The poor girl really liked Tasuki, but was always too afraid to come forward about her feelings. “When all the other girls feel the same way…what would I matter?” is what she would always say. A sad case, that one. After tossing the apple to the side, Hitoshi opened up the door on the side of the main building and proceeded inside.

Inside the school building were two floors. On the first floor, Hitoshi looked forward at the hallway that extended all the way to the other end of the building, where a similar door to the one he just came in stood, leading to the track field. Next to Hitoshi was a staircase that led to the next floor. In front of him, the hallway opened up on each side, in five places, concealing 10 areas on this floor, mostly classrooms and Activity Areas.

On the left, held the Art Halls, which held the Model City, Piano, Sculptures, and other creations made by the Art Classes, The Entrance Lobby, where the Campus shop and Records Secretary Desks were located along with the front doors to the campus. Proceeding onward on the left was the Archery Training Room, the Warrior’s Sparring Area, and the Magician’s Room, where three different classes can learn about and practice on their skills.

On the right was the Equipment Storage and Main Sparring classroom. The professor would, no doubt, ask Hitoshi for a sparring match the moment he were to walk into the room. Beyond that was the Nurse’s Office, where students could go for a quick rest and fix-up, were they to get injured. Then, there was the cafeteria, where students all went to pick up their lunches and dinners on campus. Finally was the main “Training Course” of the campus, sort of like a gym, and the Mage’s Practice Room. Hitoshi ran through and decided to drop by the Gym, hoping to find a friend there, a girl by the name of Rui. After taking a peek inside, he realized that she wasn’t there at all. He frowned for a moment, and then turned when he saw the blue-haired professor looking his way. He didn’t want to get caught up in any exercise routines. He quickly made his way to the exit on the opposite side of the school.

Hitoshi took a deep breath, thinking about getting caught in exercise routines. He definitely didn’t want to be put into more work on campus, so he figured he’d step outside for a few more minutes. Besides, he wanted to visit everyone, and he figured that Rui wasn’t inside, at the moment. Upon getting outside, he realized that she wasn’t. Looking to the right, he saw the brown-haired, goggle-wearing girl standing right outside the track field, next to the platforms that made up the Mages’ Sparring Court. Pushing his hair back, he walked around the track and made his way up to her.

Before making it up to Rui, however, his eyes scanned ahead and saw another friend he had not yet visited. Far beyond the school, by the swimming pool, was his purple-haired friend, Sei. He saw the ladies-man talking to some girl by the pool and Hitoshi got a creepy smile on his face. Sei was, without a doubt, trying to 'work his magic' on the poor girl. Hitoshi just couldn't resist the urge to run up to him and say hello. Passing up Rui, for now, he ran up towards Sei, making his way around the pool until he'd reached them.

As soon as Hitoshi had come up to say hello, Sei nervously turned his head towards him, wincing and giving him a weird look. He was, obviously, up to something that he didn't want anyone else around for as he started speaking to his friend, whispering. “Hitoshi...good buddy of mine, can't you see that I'm a little bit busy right now?”

Hitoshi, being the smart one he was, tried to send a dagger-of-words straight through Sei's situation, guessing that he knew exactly what was going on here. He smiled and spoke to him, at a normal tone. “Sei, are your suave moves really so weak that me coming up and interrupting you for second will completely ruin your odds?” He smiled as Sei's expression promptly went into that surprised and embarrassed look. Hitoshi was right, though Sei would never admit to it.

“N-No! Of course not! Don't you start questioning my moves!” Hitoshi decided to push the topic further, questioning why Sei would be spending his free time, trying to win over the ladies of the campus. “I could have sworn that the personal free time we're all granted was supposed to be used for pursuing our own training. Or was I mistaken?”

Straightening up his face, Sei's confidence came rushing back as he tried to make what he was doing look like training, all in itself. “That is precisely what I am doing. There is more than one type of blade, which can lose its edge. As for me, I'm doing great. However, I don't think you could woo a wet mop, bro.” Hitoshi winced for a moment, questioning his statement. Who would come to a Combat Academy to woo wet mops, in the first place?

Seeing Hitoshi wincing, Sei tried to assert himself through the conversation and remind Hitoshi of what he was supposed to be doing. “Speaking of what we're SUPPOSED to be doing, I heard a little something through the grapevine. Something about you needing to meet with the big boss lady. Right now, no?”

Hitoshi's wincing did not stop as he slowly nodded, agreeing that he was supposed to be doing that. Sei continued on, prepping to get Hitoshi gone and start 'woo'-ing the black-haired girl he had been speaking with. “That's what I thought, Hitoshi. Now, if she doesn't drop the hammer on you, I wanna hear all about it back at the dorm tonight. Now...if you'll excuse me...

Hitoshi sighed and shook his head, as he headed away from Sei and back towards the main building. On his way, he saw that Rui was still by the track field. He decided to head abck towards her again.

Before Hitoshi even had a chance to say hello, Rui turned towards him and raised her arms into the air, suggesting that they do a bunch of stuff outside together. “Hey, Hitoshi-kun! Why don’t we get out there and race all these guys on the track! We can take ‘em, no problem! Or do ya wanna do some laps at the pool, or the beams, or beat some posts to a pulp at the dummy range, or-…”

Hitoshi was started to feel sweat coming on, just thinking about all of the ideas she was bombarding his brain with. He’d forgotten how hyperactive this girl was, and how much she always wanted to be doing things. He definitely didn’t want to work up a sweat with more work. The girl’s dedication and motivation was admirable, but he just didn’t have that much in him. Not for work, at least. He decided the best course of action was to politely decline, and give her an excuse.

“Can I, you know, get a rain-check on all of that, Rui? To be honest, I’m running a bit late for, uh…for an appointment with the principal! So maybe…” Hitoshi’s excuse had worked, but in a way he had not really imagined. The excited look on Rui’s face quickly turned to surprise and worry as she exclaimed about it. “The principal?! And you’re wandering about out here?!” Her worried look soon turned to a warm smile, however. Rui knew exactly how Hitoshi was. “Yep, that’s my Hitoshi, alright! Now get your butt out of here before she sticks you on dish duty for the rest of the night. I hate that! Ugh, don’t you just hate Dish du-..”

They continued to interrupt one another as Hitoshi spoke further about Dish Duty. “Yep, that is very bad, indeed! I’ll just take your advice and be heading off now, Rui. We’ll raise some ruckus later on, though, okay?” Rui’s expression changed yet again. She started to get a stern look on her face as she started acting like she knew what Hitoshi needed. “…and we will only get to do that if she decided not to pound on you for being late to seeing her. Ya promise you’ll behave?”

Hitoshi got a small smile on his face and chuckled, jokingly speaking about his fears for this situation. “Honestly, I’m more worried about what YOU’d do to me than she would, were I to back out on my word. Don’t worry about a thing, Rui-Chan. Just, you know, come up with some clever stunt that we can pull off when I come back.” Keeping the stern voice, she forcefully responded “All of my ideas are clever! Now, get your butt going!”

The girl paused for a moment, losing the stern look, and started to frown for a moment. She felt her emotions coming on as she began to thank Hitoshi for what he was doing. “…and Hitoshi-kun…Thanks a lot for being so nice to me. Everyone else just think I’m craze or somethin’…” The phrase brought a smile to Hitoshi’s face as he responded to her, trying to support her a bit as the conversation ended. “There’s no need to thank me, Rui. The others are the problem, not you. They’re just not crazy enough to handle it. As long as you live by your heart, what others think about you is secondary.”

Rui gave a soft smile towards Hitoshi as he turned himself around and headed back towards the main building, once again…