Cutscene: Expectations

IC: Monday, May 30th, 2011

A meeting had been called at Sevens High School with a counselor, Akari and her parents. While she knew for the past couple of weeks that this was coming, it didn't make it any easier. With her head down low, the girl walks slowly towards the office, looking like someone who is about to be faced with their own death. The closer she gets, the slower her steps become. Pausing outside the door, she can hear voices which means her parents are most likely here already.

This fact is confirmed as soon as the girl opens the door. The counselor, whom Akari wasn't familiar with, waves towards her, "Please come in Hoshi-san." Akari doesn't even raise her eyes to meet her parents. She was worried about what they were going to say. Would they be angry at her or even worse, would they try and send her away? Taking a seat as far away from them as possible, Akari sits in the chair and pulls her legs underneath her, staring down at the floor in front of the chair.

The counselor is the first to speak, "Hoshi-san, your parents and I are concerned about you." He picks up a folder which has her latest grade report on the front. "Your grades are abysmally low and your attendance is practically non-existent." He pauses, hoping that the girl would say something but Akari remains defiant and determined to say nothing. Sighing, he sits back. While he knew that school wasn't mandatory and he couldn't force her to go, to see someone so young just throwing away their future like this almost angered him.

Akari's parents both sit there looking at their daughter, waiting for her to say something. Her mother is the first to speak, "Akari-chan, it's important for you to go to school. Don't you realize that?" More silence. Her father moves over to her, bringing his hand under her chin and raising her head so that their eyes meet. She can see the anger behind his eyes and she is near her breaking point. Why wouldn't they just leave her alone? She wrinkles her forehead at him and turns her gaze away, breaking his gentle grasp.

Her father looks towards the counselor and then to his wife. "Maybe she's spending too much time with Miyamoto-san or perhaps Sudou-san." Her mother shrugs, "It's possible but what can we do?" He looks back over to Akari, "I think it's time that you stop working for Sudou and move back home, at least until you start going to school and your grades are brought up." The counselor nods with agreement and adds, "Additionally, you are going to have to attend cram school and summer school."

By now, Akari's anger is mounting. With fire in her eyes she looks up at her parents, "You can't do that! They're the only ones that really care about me! The only ones that I can really trust! They are my family!" Her voice shakes with emotion. "You never cared before so why do you care so much now?!" She couldn't understand why they would all of the sudden show interest in what she was doing. Even when she had run away, it had taken awhile for them to even notice it.

"All you care about is your image and what people think of you! You don't really care about me. You never cared about me!" Akari's eyes are moist with angry tears and she avoids looking at the counselor. Her parents seem surprised at this sudden outburst from their daughter. "Why would you say that Akari-chan? We love you and have always provided for you." Shaking her head, the young girl mutters under her breath, "No you haven't..."

The counselor stands up, "I think that you guys should talk this over alone." He looks back down at Akari, "You may not think that your parents care about you but I say that you're lucky to have them to begin with." Finally, he speaks towards her parents again, "I can't offer much more than this. It is not required for her to be here but I would hate to see her held back or drop out completely." He continues to talk like Akari isn't even there which just makes her even more frustrated. After they thank him her parents look to their daughter, "Come on Akari-chan. Let's go." Without looking at any of them, the girl slowly gets up and follows them out...