- TANAKA MASAKO, still being awesome -<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"> "But I have to say, I was never much one for headphones.  You and that other gal over there," she said, jerking a thumb towards Haya, "Just getting lost in your own little worlds.  They makes you unapproachable.  That's why I go out of my way to talk to anyone trying to hide away in their tunes!"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>I snorted. "If they make me so unapproachable, you wouldn't have talked to me. They're not for social situations anyway, Naoto-san, you know that. And utility? Don't give me that, you slacker. Semantics, nothing more." Glaring at the slacker-girl seemed to have some kind of affect though, as she slid her legs off my desk and leaned forwards instead. "Master of stress management though... I'll concede that," I drawled, leaning back again.  Other girls were entering, some of them as tired as Naoto, others more eager; I waved to one or two casually.<br/><br/>Naoto was right up in my space, taking advantage of the lazy mood, eh? There's a price to be paid, slacker-girl. "Never stressed, are we, Nao<em>chan</em>?" I said, emphasising the sudden shift in title. Two could play with pet nicknames, eh? "Drifting through life, slacker-chan sleeps forever, eyes closed, living the waking dream eternal? Sounds good, doesnt it?" The tin can flicked back into one pocket, returned with a comb in hand. This was the price! "At least comb your hair or something! I can live with the nicotine, the mess, even that travesty you call a uniform, but that wildpatch you call hair bugs me something fierce," I smiled, placing the comb delicately in the tangled mess of her hair. Instead of responding immediately, though, Naoto just slumped further onto my desk.<br/><br/>The death of the rumble of hithero-unregarded background noise and the clicking of boots on tile meant only one thing; the approach of Tanaka-sensei, who strode into the room with the reassurance of someone surrounded by people way younger and less knowledgable than oneself. Gods, she'd forgotten about Tanaka-sensei's first lesson habit of staying in her motorcycle bodysuit instead of changing to something more conservative. "Tanaka-sensei's always with the showing off her body; d'you think that's a PE teacher thing?" I whispered in Naoto's ear as I stood up, stretching a little. Urgh... the stupid morning ritual. "This thing is so dumb..."<br/><br/>Still, I was class rep, and this was part of my duties. Or something. Whatever. And it woke you up, so it was alright. "Come on, Naoto," - another mutter, a pointed nudge - "Get up! It's the first day. You can slack off every other time; this is<em>important</em>."