Shadows

Dream Mirror

The hair on the back of Sere's neck bristled as the man's arm came around her shoulders, pointing at her map. Her body tensed, her breathing hitched as her heart began to pound.

He spoke in her ear, and she felt as if her stomach was filled with flittering butterflies. Why was she feeling this way around him? Did he really have that much of an effect on her?

'No,' she told herself, 'he does not have an effect on me. He's just...helping me. Nothing to freak out about.'

She listened to his directions, nodding as she pictured the location he was describing. "T-thank you," she said, wondering if he even heard her, as he was already walking away. She watched his back as he retreated, wondering what he had done in the past to earn the reputation he had.

She suddenly remembered his warning and began to jog to the blue building he described, cursing aloud at letting herself be distracted for so long. "I hate math," she grumbled.

She entered the classroom, managing to slip in her seat mere seconds before the class started. The professor gave her a warning glare, but other than that she got off without a lecture. "And college," she grumbled again.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo had heard her thank him as he made his way to his shift at the grill. He put his stuff in the locker and washed his hand and put on his hair net and headed out to the grill. He was working the rice bowls today and it was one of those days where it was busy. He had spotted a couple girls glaring at him in line, no doubt they had been girls from the club this past weekend and they were here to ask why he hadn't called.

To his surprise the girls merely ordered their rice bowls, but they still kept their eyes on him. Endo was lucky to have a break. He snuck out to the back to have a smoke. He had been having a stressful day running into one of those girls, who somehow seemed to find him lost in thought, taking a long drag off his cigarette.

"Who do you think you are?" she asked.

He looked at her confused, "I have no idea what you are talking about doll, I am Endo, maybe you are looking for someone else." He spoke in a sour tone to the girl who for whatever reason had teared up. He rolled his eyes as he turned to look at her.

The brunette looked up at him, "i thought what we had was special....I thought we had fun the other night, she said."

Endo chuckled, "sure it was fun, but that was last weekend, you can't really expect me to remember that can you."
he was purposefully trying to hurt her so she would leave him alone, he watched as she ran off in tears. such a stranger girl, at least now I can have some peace, he thought as he put out his cigarette and went to sit under one of the big oak trees for the last 10 minutes of his break.

As he sat....his mind once again drifted to the blonde from before, he was trying to force the thoughts away, but his mind wondered about her, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

Dream Mirror

After an hour of headaches and confusion, Sere left her math class, almost in tears from how aggravated she was. She had never understood math, and now that she was in college without any of her real friends to help her, she was helpless. Getting a tutor would be humiliating, but given the way today's class had went, she might just have to look into getting one. Of course, that would also require her to pay for it, and she didn't have a job.

On that thought, she decided to spend the rest of her class-less evening looking for a job on campus. Thankfully, all of the campus shops and restaurants were all in one area, so it wouldn't be hard to ask all of them in one day. She started with the music store, and made her way down to make a list of every place with job openings.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo's shift ended soon enough and he was glad to go home for the day. Maybe he would call up Andrew and they could hit up the club, sure it was the middle of the week, but Endo just needed to do something after the day he had, and he was determined to get the blonde girl, who's name he still did not know out of his mind.

Endo got home and plopped on his couch, he turned on the TV and watched what was on, it was some documentary on stars, hmm theres a thought, maybe I should go look at the stars tonight he thought as he pulled out his phone and asked Andrew if he wanted to meet up for dinner later.

An hour later Andrew arrived and the two made their way into town discussing their day and where they planned to eat. The two settled for the sushi spot up the road, it wasn't well known, but it had some of the best sushi on this side of Tokyo, Endo thought as he and Andrew took their seats.

Dream Mirror

After about seven rejections from different stores and restaurants, Sere finally managed to score a job interview after filling out an application for the campus salon. It was a student-run business, mainly by the students studying cosmetics, but they had just recently lost an employee and were desperate for a new one. Hearing that Sere had actually been planning on majoring in beauty and cosmetics amped the manager's opinion of her, and she agreed to give the blonde an interview.

Tired and ready for bed, Sere went back to her apartment and got ready for bed. She realized she had forgotten to eat dinner, but at that moment, she was too tired to care. She laid in bed, staring at the spinning ceiling fan above her. For some odd reason, she couldn't stop picturing Endo's eyes in her head. That was his name, right? Endo? She would have to ask him the next time she saw him.

'Wait, no. I need to stay away from him. But...he seemed nice. A little strange, perhaps, but nice.' Sere hated when gossip affected the way she looked at others, and so she suddenly decided to try and get to know this guy better. Satisfied with her decision, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo and Andrew ate their dinner making small talk. He had know Andrew for almost his whole life and decided to tell him about this girl he couldn't stop thinking about. He watched as Andrews jaw dropped in shock. "Wait, you mean to tell me you can't stop thinking about a girl, now that is new." He said showing his shock.

Endo lightly punched his friend in the arm. "I don't know, I see her everywhere, which may be a part of it, or maybe I am losing my touch," he said as they paid for their meal and walked back towards their apartments. Endo listened as Andrew spoke, telling him to try talking to the girl. Endo cringed, he had never been one to approach a girl on his own, he let them come to him, he had his fun and he left them hanging, and to top it off had no regrets of his actions.

When Endo walked into his apartment he realized how tired he was. He went to his room and changed into his night clothes, which was just usually shorts, especially with this night time heat. he cracked his window open, hoping to escape the heat somehow.

He woke the next morning, got his usual cup of coffee and bagel for breakfast before heading to uni. He would be in his literature class again and knew he would see that girl, maybe he would say hello today, and maybe even introduce himself and if he was lucky he would learn her name. He chose a deep blue button down shirt today with a charcoal bow tie and black straight jeans. He paired it with some black loafers. He grabbed his messenger bag and headed to his literature class.

Dream Mirror

Her emotions and excitement wouldn't allow Sere to sleep in the next morning, and she was actually able to make it to her lit class on time. She felt pretty that morning, dressed in black and white aztec-print leggings, a blood-red top, a dark green jacket, and black ankle boots. A lavender scarf cradled her neck, protecting her from the cool fall air.

Walking into lit class, she immediately searched for Endo's tall, handsome figure. Dismayed, she realized that he hadn't yet arrived. Upon sitting down in her seat, Sere realized that she also forgot to grab her morning tea. With a groan, she put her head on her desk. Naru, the ever-noticing one, laughed and said, "No tea today?" Sere just groaned, not lifting her head from its defeated position. The auburn-haired girl shook her head and laughed. "It's a good thing you're pretty, Sere-chan."

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo made his way to the lecture hall. He walked through the double doors and sat at his table on the side of the room. He still had some time before class as to start, so he pulled out the book he was reading his book. He peeked over his book to get a glance at the blonde who had captivated him lately. He noticed she wasn't quite awake for class. He decided he would ask her if she would join him for coffee at the cafe after class. He continued reading his book until the professor began to lecture.

Another class over, Endo closed his notebook and packed up his things. He waitied until just the right moment before approaching the girl. He walked up to her and spoke casually, "If you're not busy, would you care to join me for coffee at the cafe?" He was completely shocked he was making this bold move, but hopeful she would not reject him, rejection was not something he was prepared for.

Dream Mirror

Sere sat with her chin resting in her palm, staring into space as the professor lectured about the importance of understanding themes and morals. Her brain was at a deadpan, unable to give a damn or even look up from the seemingly-interesting pattern of her wooden desk. She nodded off a few times, only to be nudged by Naru.

Thankfully, the class ended, and Sere slowly gathered her things. All thoughts of talking to Endo had drifted out of her mind, the lack of caffeine making it impossible to focus on really anything. She practically jumped out of her skin when he approached her. She looked up at blinked, wondering if he had said something that she hadn't heard.

"I'm sorry, what?" she said, her words low and slurred.

Naru, seeing that her best friend had just been asked out on a date, intervened. "Of course she would, the poor girl didn't get her daily intake this morning," Naru said, patting Sere on the shoulder. Previously confused, Sere finally caught on. 'He asked me on a date?' she thought, alarmed.

A million warning bells sounded in her head, but she silenced them and smiled up at the very tall, dark-haired man. "Yes, I would love to join you," she said, her voice more clear now. She gathered the rest of her things and walked with him out of the classroom and towards the cafe, butterflies whirling throughout her entire body.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo couldn't help but give a little chuckle at the girl's slight confusion. He had been there many a time before and remembered the sleepless nights he had. He walked with her out of the classroom across the way to the cafe. When the two walked in he walked up to the counter and ordered his coffee, black. He turned to the girl and asked "what would you like, my treat?" He waited for her to respond and then he ordered her drink as well.

Once the two had their drinks and made their way to a table, Endo had selected one that was in the back, a quieter part of the cafe, so he could get to know her and actually hear what she was saying.

He started the conversation off simple enough, with one question that had been burning inside his head from the moment he saw her. "So tell me, he asked in a suave tone, "what is your name?"

Dream Mirror

"Oh, thank you," Sere replied, blushing slightly. Why was she having so many emotions, when they had hardly spoken? Shaking her head slightly, Sere tried to snap herself out of this emotional state. Unfortunately for her, it didn't work.

They sat down with their drinks, and she immediately began to gulp her tea. She had been craving the sweet, caffeine-infused drink all morning, and finally it was in her hands again. She stopped drinking and looked at Endo, who was looking at her with inquisitive eyes. 'Your name, Sere. Tell him your name!' a voice inside her head prodded.

"Oh! My name's Serenity, but most people call me Sere," she said. "And yours?"

She knew his name already, but she didn't want him thinking she was a stalker or something. Besides, Endo had to be a nickname, right? Her mind whirling, Sere took another sip of her half-downed raspberry tea.

Golden Dream Mirror

While the girl was speaking Endo took off his glasses. He only really needed them to see the board and other things that were far away. He listened as she told him her name. He studied her features a bit as she spoke, taking in her blue eyes and warm smile. He thought for a moment if he had ever spoken this casually with a young lady before.

When she asked him his name he spoke with a slight growl (not an angry growl, more like a husky growl), "Sere, " her name dancing off his lips before he spoke again in a more cool and controlled tone. "My name is Endo....its short for Endymion, and the only people who ever called me that were my parents." His mind drifted off to his distant past, he pushed the memories of his parents aside not wanting to think about them and their life together.

"So tell me Sere, how are you liking Uni so far, is this your first semester here?" He asked as he leaned slightly back in his chair.

Dream Mirror

Sere's blue-eyes gaze watched Endo as he spoke, watching the shimmer of his irises change as he spoke. At the mention of his parents, Endo's mind seemed to wander. His lips set in a concentrated frown as his eyes took on a sorrowful glaze. The distracted look disappeared in almost an instant, and Sere found herself questioning whether or not it had even been there in the first place.

He spoke, and hearing him say her name caused goosebumps to rise on Sere's skin. The way he said it was so smooth, so soft, that she almost asked him to repeat it.

Snapping out of her daydreaming, she responded, "Yeah, this is my first semester here. It's alright I guess. It's a bit confusing, and I'm not fond of algebra, but I like the professors and the people are nice. Not to mention they make great tea." Sere took another sip of her tea. "I got a little tour of campus before the semester started, but as you've probably already discovered, it didn't help much." She scratched the back of her head, laughing. "What about you? Do you like it here?"

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo sat and thought for a moment about his first year of college. Most of it was a blur, he had passed all of his classes, but had spent way too much time at parties and while he only mildly regretted it, he wished he would have been more serious about his classes. He laughed off his thoughts, "well I liked the off campus scence...maybe a little too much, but I do like this campus. I find it has everything I need, my classes, I have a job, and my fitness classes are free. The only thing they don't provide is housing, which is okay with me, I hear dorm life is chaos."

When he heard her say she was having trouble with math, he knew of just the person to help her. "My good friend Andrew is a math tutor, he can tutor any math all the way to calculus, that boy has a math gene if I ever saw one." He wrote down Andrew's name and contact info on a clean napkin and slid it over to Sere, his fingertips lightly brushed hers as he placed the napkin in her reach. When his hand touched hers, he felt a small spark shoot up his arm and it was the weirdest yet most intriguing thing he had felt in a long time.

He glanced at his watch and saw he still had a long time before his next class. He wondered if Sere had a class anytime soon, if not he was contemplating on asking her if she would like to take a walk around campus. He spoke casually, "so, when is your next class?"

Dream Mirror

Sere cringed slightly when Endo began to tell her how he liked activities that happened off-campus. She had a feeling she knew what some of those "activities" included.

For some odd reason, she felt sick to her stomach all of a sudden. Thinking of Endo with other girls made her insides twist. Why was she feeling this way? She hardly knew the guy.

But then the subject changed, and her expression lit up immediately. "Really?!" she asked, leaning forward. "Thank you so-" she paused as Endo's fingers brushed against hers. She resisted the urge to jump when electricity traveled between their hands. She blinked a few times before finishing her sentence: "- much."

The feelings she was experiencing were unlike any she had ever experienced before. Her head was screaming at her to get away, so thank him, leave, and never return, but her heart was saying the exact opposite. These feelings...they weren't just a coincidence. Sere never believed in coincidences. She believed in fate.

His next question pulled her out of her thoughts. She shook her head slightly and answered, "Well, not until later. I have a fashion class at five," she responded. "Don't worry, I know how to get there, so you don't have to stick around." Sere winked and laughed. The embarrassment of getting lost still lingered, and she didn't want him thinking she was completely scatterbrained...even though it was sort of true.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo chuckled a bit to himself when he heard Sere say she could find her next class. He would have to find a way to get together with her again. "Well have fun with that," he said as he gathered his things. "Maybe next time I can show you the campus waterfall, unless the tour guide already showed you that" (OOC- i have a waterfall on my campus so boom waterfall on this campus Razz

...back to RP) He walked past her and toward the door, knowing the tour guide had not shown the waterfall, it was something he had discovered on his many hours roaming campus, sure there were small water features on campus, but the waterfall was a well hidden secret.

Endo decided to take the bus back to his apartment for a nap before his next class. He laid down and fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of his past, the memories coming to the forefront of his mind as his mental block had been lowered as he slept.

Dream Mirror

Sere was taken completely by surprise when Endo spoke and left. That was it? He just...left? Sere couldn't help but wonder if he did that a lot. With a huff, she leaned her elbow on the table and rest her head in her palm, stirring her tea with her other hand. This Endo...he was a mystery.

A part of her told her that he was damaged, broken, burned, even. There was a permanent hardness in his eyes that told her he had been hurt deeply in his past. Her inner curiosity and desire to make everyone happy got the best of her, and she decided to find out more about this man.

The piece of paper in her palm seemed to burn her skin. 'Of course,' she thought. She could find out more about Endo through Andrew!

With no further hesitation, she stood and grabbed her tea, carrying it out of the diner and walking towards her apartment. The wind was picking up, and she didn't feel like relaxing outside like she did the previous day. She had a lot of homework to catch up on, a lot of which was algebra. Her plan was to call Andrew and see if he could meet her the next day.

When she arrived at her apartment, she dropped her bag on the floor by the door and flopped onto her couch. After glancing at the napkin Endo had given her, she pulled out her phone and dialed Andrew's number.

"Hi! Is this Andrew? My name's Sere. Are you friends with Endo? He gave me your number, saying you could help me with algebra. Would you maybe be willing to? I completely understand if you don't have time to deal with a silly freshman, but I just thought I would ask, since algebra is reallyyy hard and I need all the help I can get."

After much more blabbering and useless digression, Andrew agreed to meet Sere at the coffee shop the next day. She didn't have any classes, and Andrew only had one. It all worked out perfectly.

By the time their conversation ended and Sere had gotten a snack to keep her energy up for the rest of the day, she headed to her fashion class to finish her evening.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo was deep in sleep, his memories of the past playing in his mind as he slept. It was as if he was a bystander in his own nightmare. He saw his dad coming after his mom, and his younger self stepping in the way to protect his mom from his dad. When he saw his dad shove his younger self out of the way, Endo jerked awake. His face was drenched with sweat. He sat up clutching his forehead. It had been years since he had one of his nightmares. He wondered why they had come back after all these years.

He went to his kitchen. He still had time before his next class. He got a glass down from his upper cabinet. He reached in his lower cabinet and pulled out a bottle of liquor and poured himself a cup, downing it almost as quickly as he poured it, feeling it warm his throat. It had helped block the memories all those years ago, numbed his mind to the years of pain and abuse from his father and to the fact that his mom walked away to save herself and left him behind. He wondered still why she had done it.

He pushed those thoughts back where he could forget them. He grabbed his bag and headed off to his next class. He hoped Alchemy would help clear his mind. If not he would get out his pented emotions in tae kwon do, and maybe a pre-workout.

Class passed soon enough and Endo decided to go workout for a bit before his training session. He changed into his gym clothes and went to the treadmill. He turned up the speed to as fast as he could stand. He ran, listening to his music as he ran, images continually flashing through his mind. He stepped off the treadmill gripping its edges, why are these memories returning to me now? he thought as he spotted one of his tae kwon do partners, he asked his friend if he could spot him while he bench pressed before practice.

After Endo had gotten out some more steam, he went and changed into his practice clothes. He was determined to get those memories out of his head by the end of practice. He sat outside of the studio waiting for the class to begin, on Wednesdays, the studio was used before his practice, a children's martial arts class that met and trained the local children in the skills of martial arts. Endo sat resting against the wall, closing his eyes, hoping the memories that had been haunting him all afternoon would fade away as fast as they had come.

Dream Mirror

After finishing her rough draft of their first pre-examination sketch, Sere turned it in to the professor and left the class. She was satisfied with her work, having drawn a fashionable dress sporting the university's mascot, while being stylish for fall at the same time.

The sun was beginning to fall below the horizon, casting marvelous orange, pink, and purple streaks across the darkening sky. Pulling her jacket tighter around her body, Sere walked to the salon she had scored a job interview at the previous night. She was greeted by the few ladies working that evening and escorted to the office of the owner, where the interview commenced immediately.

After about an hour of nerve-wracking questions and filling out an application, Sere was on her way home. The owner told her she would know about the job within the next day or two, which kept the smile on Sere's cheerful face. She was rather impatient, and so hearing she would have the news so soon was a relief.

It was completely dark now, and most restaurants were closed, so Sere went straight home and made a quick TV dinner to eat before bed. She sat and watched a cooking show while eating, which was rather ironic, since she couldn't cook to save her life. Instant Ramen and Easy Mac was the best she could do.

Despite the interesting topic of the movie, Sere found herself unable to focus on the moving screen. Instead, her mind had wandered to the dark, mysterious blue eyes she had been enchanted by earlier that day. The feeling she had when their fingers brushed together still lingered on her hand, and she felt herself shudder at the memory. It was a pleasant feeling, no doubt, but that didn't change the fact that it still scared her. Endo's reputation still preceded him, and after being hurt by so many guys in high school, Sere had put up many walls to protect herself.

So why was she letting him in so easily?

It was a question that couldn't be answered, even as the young blonde took a hot shower and crawled into bed.

Nonetheless, she was determined to find out the truth behind his mysterious gaze.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo got through his training soon enough. He had gone all out tonight, and had almost collapsed out of exhaustion when he arrived at home. He ate some dinner, well if you could call it that. He put together what he found in his fridge. He really needed to go grocery shopping. Maybe tomorrow after work and classes, he thought as he stepped into the shower.

After his shower, Endo stepped out onto his balcony to admire the night sky. He always felt calmer when he gazed at the moon and the stars. Soon enough he climbed in bed hoping his exhaustion would keep the memories away while he slept. He was lucky he did not have any nightmares that night but instead slept like a rock the whole night through.

The next morning he woke to his alarm. He really hated working the morning shift on Thursdays, it seemed to be the busiest day, which still amused him. Friday's were busy, but something about Thursday's brought in a rush. Endo got dressed, gathered his things and headed to campus and to his job. As he walked into the cafeteria he hoped he would get a glance at Sere, the girl who was slowly captivating his heart.

Dream Mirror

Knowing that she didn't have any classes that day, Sere got to sleep in and enjoy herself. She had a little extra cash to spare, so she decided to stop the the campus cafeteria to get some breakfast. She could stop and get her daily tea on the way, too.

She dressed quickly in loose black top, black, red, and blue aztec-print leggings, and brown leather boots. After fashioning her long, blonde locks into their typical buns at the top of her head, she headed outside for the cafeteria.

The crisp, fall air felt good on her skin as she walked, relishing the serenity of the calm weather. She knew it wouldn't last long, but it was nice while it was present.

Part of the reason Sere was late all the time was not because she overslept, but because she spent the time walking to school getting distracted by all of the beautiful things around her. When she walked, she took in absolutely everything: the birds, the flowers, the trees, the air, the sky. It was all permanently etched into her mind. Those leisurely walks to school and to other locations are what made Sere the cheerful, bubbly girl she was. Appreciating the beauty of the world around you is key to achieving a happy lifestyle, in Sere's mind.

She entered the cafeteria, looking around at all of the tired students trudging from point A to point B. With a small giggle, she surveyed the available places to get food. She walked around for a bit, looking at all of the different menus and options. She froze when her eyes landed on the familiar, rugged man she had spent the afternoon with the previous day.

"Endo..." she whispered, staring in his direction. He was working, it seemed. Despite her brain telling her not to eat there, to move away and not bother him, her feet seemed to carry her to his location, a smile playing at her lips.

"Endo!" she squealed, the smile bigger. She couldn't tell if her sudden burst of cheerfulness was real or fake, but she decided to just go along with it. "Good morning!" She bowed, coming up with the same bright smile. "You like you're having fun." Her little tease was finished with a wink before she looked up at the menu, searching for something delicious.

"I think I'll take a cinnamon roll, with a chocolate milkshake. Keep the change," she said, handing Endo a ten dollar bill. She could not stop smiling, and it was driving her nuts. Why was she so happy so early in the day?

'Because Endo is here, that's why.'

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo had been lost in his thoughts when he heard his name. He glanced up to see Sere who had greeted him with a smile. He returned her greeting "good morning Sere," when she told him he looked like he was having fun, he masked the laughter he was wanting to let out, "eh it may not be as fun as it looks, but it pays the bills." When she asked for a cinnamon roll, he went over and sliced the biggest one from the batch he had just pulled out of the oven, even though there was still some left in the pan next to it, he felt she deserved a fresh cinnamon roll. He blended the shake, put the whip cream, chocolate sprinkles, and cherry on top. He handed Sere her food and was surprised when she told him to keep the change, but let it slide for now. "Enjoy your breakfast," he said a smile curving up on his lips.

Soon enough Endo's shift was over, he grabbed what would have been Sere's change and put it in his pocket. He hoped he would see her again later, maybe he could show her the waterfall today if he bumped into her again, she had never answered him yesterday if she had seen it, he would ask again. Endo felt confused as he walked to his class, never in his life had he wanted to pursue a girl, well maybe in high school, but not in his adult life. He had never wanted to let anyone in, and here he was trying to find ways to bump into Sere on a daily basis.

what is it about her that makes me feel this way? he thought as he walked into his philosophy class and took his seat.

Dream Mirror

Sere felt her face heat up as Endo handed her her food and drink. He was so handsome and charming...it was impossible not to blush when he spoke. Despite her urge to continue talking to him, she thanked him for his service and headed to a table to eat her food. She ate alone, watching as people entered and exited the cafeteria. Soon enough, though, she finished and threw her trash away, gasping when she realized the time. She was scheduled to meet Andrew in five minutes, and their place of meeting was around a fifteen-minute walk. In a flourish, Sere bustled out of the cafeteria and jogged to the coffee shop to meet her new tutor.

She arrived ten minutes late, but was relieved to find that Andrew hadn't yet arrived. The jogging and panicking wore her out, so she ordered a small cup of peach tea. The order was out in seconds, and she took it to a table at the back of the room. While she waited, she proceeded to get out her algebra textbook, notes, and other supplies she would need. Andrew walked in as soon as she had settled everything, and he approached her table. "Excuse me, are you Sere?" he asked, his voice gentle and kind. Sere smiled and confirmed his question, causing him to smile and sit down across from her. The two shook hands, and Andrew said, "It's great to meet you, Sere. I'm sorry I was so late - my class ran over. So, what is it you're needing help with?"

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Andrew's intelligence and patience aided Sere in understanding her algebra assignments. She was beginning to get the hang of systems of equations, graphing inequalities, and the quadratic formula. Remembering everything was going to be a difficult task, but Andrew had taught her a few tricks to help her out along the way. To finish the session, the handsome young man gave Sere a small new assignment from her textbook to keep her memory refreshed.

With the assignment complete, Sere took the chance and decided to try and find out more about Endo.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "So, have you and Endo been friends for long?"

Andrew smiled and nodded, taking a sip of the coffee he ordered. "Yeah, since we were kids. He had a rough childhood, and I was always there for him. He's a good friend. Did the two of you recently meet?"

Sere nodded in response. "Yeah, we have a few classes together. He's a nice guy," she replied. Andrew's statement about Endo's childhood was replaying in Sere's mind, but she resisted the urge to ask what Andrew meant by a "rough childhood."

Andrew's gaze softened. He knew how Endo treated girls, and a small part of him was afraid that this innocent freshman was one of his new targets. "Yeah, he is. But make sure you be careful, alright? He's a great friend and all, but he has his flaws. Don't let him get to you, okay?"

Shocked, Sere could only nod in response. What? Were the rumors about Endo true? They must be, if even Endo's childhood friend was giving her an inconspicuous warning. Chills ran down Sere's spine as Andrew stood from his seat, grabbing his jacket and slipping his arms through it.

"Hey," he said, "it was great working with you and getting to know you. How about we meet again in two days to see how you're doing?"

Wiping the shocked expression from her face, Sere smiled and stood up as well. "Sounds great!" she quipped, almost a little too happily. Andrew just chuckled and waved goodbye as he exited the building, walking down the street and out of sight. Sere could only stand there and wonder what Endo had done in the past to make him who he was now.

Golden Dream Mirror

Endo left his Philosophy class feeling intrigued. Already the teacher handed out the rubric for the first major assignment which was to write a persuasive paper on a moral issue. He knew just what he was going to write about....domestic abuse, he thought as he went and grabbed his lunch to go. He went and found a tree to sit under. He ate his lunch and shortly after dozed off, only to be woken up shortly after by his phone going off. He answered it and it was some girl going off about how he didn't call her back. He hung up and chucked his phone far away. He would get a new phone, change his number and find a way to prevent these girls from calling him.

Endo saw he had some time before martial arts so he decided to take a light stroll across campus, the leaves were just beginning to change colors and for some reason the fall colors and weather made him feel calm. Endo's thoughts kept going back to Sere earlier at the cafeteria, why is she always in my thoughts, he asked himself as he wondered more about the shy blonde. He could sense her nerves but decided to let it ride, he just felt so drawn to her, she was so different from all the other girls.

Endo made his way to the locker rooms and went to change into his uniform. He would get in a swim after his lesson, he was hoping to pass his last tests to move up to the next belt. Again he arrived at practice early and sat outside the studio waiting until it was time to practice.

Dream Mirror

Realizing there was no further reason for her to be standing there, Sere gathered her things and left the coffee shop. As she walked back to her apartment, she had a strange feeling that she was forgetting something.

Frustrated at her absentminded personality, her forehead creased as she struggled to think of what she had forgotten. Her eyes scanned the area she walked in, searching for anything that could help her remember.

She passed the martial arts building and gasped. Endo was sitting outside, waiting for the class to start. Shocked, she suddenly remembered what she had forgotten.

With a squeal of surprise, she began to sprint to her apartment, running as fast as she could. 'I swear, if I'm late...' she thought, running up the stairs to her apartment door. Fumbling for her keys, she scrambled to unlock the door and grab her bag for martial arts. With the large, white object slung over her shoulder, she quickly left her apartment and sprinted all the way back to the dojo.

Luckily, she made it inside just in time. She was out of breath from her sprinting, but quickly changed into her uniform and went out into the practice room. Stretches started, and Sere used that time to catch her breath.

The main instructor began to show them the first real combat move they would be learning: the Front Snap Kick. Unfortunately for Sere, she was stuck in the back of the group, and her height prevented her from seeing the instructor perform the kick. The tried listening to his verbal instructions, but Sere had never been an auditory learner.

"Alright, everyone go to a different area of the room and practice," the instructor said. Biting her lip, Sere went into a corner and sort of stood there awkwardly. She eyed the closest person, watching them try and perform the move. Without much confidence, Sere tried to copy them. She knew as soon as her foot left the ground that she was doing it all wrong.

'Oh God, I hope Endo doesn't see this.'

OOC:

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