<div class="floatleft">(http://oi65.tinypic.com/b4cbwm.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Shizuma Nori (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=257738.msg12729551#msg12729551)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Track & Field<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Flashback - a few days before school starts, very early morning<br/><strong>With:</strong>Taro<br/><hr/><br/>Shizuma smiled a tad wistfully when Taro told her how close he is with his family.  There was a little bit of longing mixed with a little bit of pain in her eyes that faded fast behind the brightness she forced onto her lips. She'd been taught by her parents that her troubles were not a burden any one else needed to shoulder, and though absent in her life she'd honor their memory as best she could manage to. "They must be proud of their fine, dutiful son," she offered Taro in a sweet tone absent any teasing or sarcasm.<br/><br/>When Taro lay his hand atop Shizuma's lightly, her eyes went a little wide both from the realization of how forward she had been and the casual intimacy in his gesture. It didn't upset her, and as she heard his words of absolution and found herself savoring the warmth of his touch she looked down at her feet bashfully as her head slipped forward over her face, hiding the color rising on her cheeks from his view. "Yes, you're right, Taro. The past has passed, but thank you for opening my eyes to things. All of this," she said waving a hand down her body and then around in an expansive gesture, "has been difficult on everyone. To tell you the truth, there have been times when I've just wanted to ride the winds forever, never touching down ever again," she admits softly with a long sigh that whirls around a little breeze like they were partners in a ball.<br/><br/>Taro's silence was welcome, as was his gentle, steady strength. Shizuma found it easy to talk to him, something unusual for her, and was drawn to the caring, protective air about him. She looked up when he changed topics suddenly to something more casual. "I arrived yesterday afternoon and was processed into the school, given a meal and shown my room. So, no, I haven't really had a tour, but I did scout out the school's layout from the air," she reminded Taro what she'd been up to earlier. She looked at the clock on the scoreboard and frowned a little. "Oh, I don't want to make you late for anything, Taro. You've been great, but if you have to be somewhere..." she says, not wanting to be a burden or any trouble for him, so giving him an 'out' if he needs it.