<div class="floatleft">(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z69/Neji121/hoodedtrenchcoat5.jpg)</div><br/><strong><em><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">Hideo Saitou</span></em></strong><br/>Football Field<br/>TAG: Nikki Drake<br/><hr/><br/>Despite how quietly she'd spoken, Hideo was caught completely off guard by Nikki's words. He turned his head quickly in her direction and gave her a strange look, a look that practically screamed 'Who're you?' The look didn't last long, however, and reverted back into the unhappy look he'd been giving before he had been questioned. Despite how she may have thought she looked to him, he paid her sweatpants and hoodie no mind. It was a hot day no doubt, but who was he to judge? He himself was sporting his usual coat and beanie, and had no business judging her rather heavy choice of apparel.<br/><br/>At first glance, he might've described the girl as plain, though he would've immediately pushed the words aside as they didn't quite describe her. She wasn't plain, in fact she was pretty damn good looking actually. However, she was good looking in a different sort of way...it was hard to describe. Luckily he didn't have to. His expression softened a bit before he began to speak. Ms. Knight's words angered him, not the girl, and she didn't deserve to be glared at. Not to mention she had quite a knockout smile, and it was hard to keep looking so upset. "You're totally right. It isn't something to joke about.." He crossed his arms over his chest, sighing lightly as he turned in his seat to face the girl. "That said, I don't get why she thinks it's appropriate to joke like that. I mean c'mon...Monsters? Soulblades?" He reached to clear his dark hair from his eyes, glancing down for a moment. "It's all a bunch of children stories. 'Monsters-in-the-closet' type bits.."<br/><br/>After a short pause he returned his gaze to the hazel eyes of the girl he spoke to, holding his index fingers in front of his face as though he was going to explain something. "Alright..just..level with me here and try to visualize.." He asked in his usual tone. Despite being peeved by the teachers words, he remained clam and smooth sounding even then. "You're at home, getting dinner ready for your husband...or 'life partner' if you're into that. Whatever. ANYWAY. You're at home, getting dinner ready...you're happy, the weather's nice..then you get a phone call. You answer it.." He continued, pantomiming a phone with his fist near his cheek, pinky and thumb extended towards his mouth and ear respectively. "..'We're sorry to inform you that your child's been mauled by monsters. But it's okay, because all the other students have magical pointy sticks!'.." He said, attempting to mimic Ms. Knight's voice and failing horribly. "Or..'Hello, we'd just like to make you aware that your child's been abducted by aliens...eaten by the Boogieman...Possessed by ghosts...' ANYTHING like that really."<br/><br/>He lowered his hand and shrugged once more, looking towards Ms. Knight with a groan. "Do you see what I'm saying? It sounds ridiculous. I dunno if she's saying it to lighten the mood, or if she really believes monsters killed those kids. I saw the beach last night, and I can't explain it...but what I do know is that people are dead and if we don't know how they died, we shouldn't just default on 'Monsters.' It's like she's making a joke of their deaths.." He scanned Nikki's face to determine whether she understood him, but before she could speak he got one last word in. "I'll tell you what, though...if I ever see these things, or if anyone suddenly emerges with a SoulBlade, I will personally apologize to anyone and everyone who believes this stuff. Until then, this is nonsense..."<br/><em><br/>...Right?</em>