{Open} Taking a Step Forward

Never having been a real fan of yukatas Mizo had decided that it'd be best to wear his school uniform to the festival, with it being at the school and all. He'd pretty much had to super psych him self up and then forced him self out to the festival. He had a small box with him that he was carrying very carefully, inside was one of his shuttle models. The young girl he'd met in the park the other day, Ellie, had seemed so excited at the idea of "Seeing" one of his shuttle models. He'd remembered that she had said she'd be attending the festival. Knowing how impatient most young kids can be he figured this would be a good chance for her to see it. As he walked along scanning the festival goers and keeping an eye out for her, he was fighting that urge to turn and run back to his dorm.

As Mihoko walked along she noticed all of the people enjoying the festival, and it made her miss Izumo even more. This had been the first festival she'd been to with out her cousin, of course she could have invited him but he'd of never been able to make it with him studying over seas so the invite would have been pointless. Everyone seemed to be enjoying them selves though, and Mihoko was determined to enjoy her self too. Since she hadn't had any thing to eat yet she decided that she'd head over toward the food stands and see what looked good. As she headed over that way she saw a familiar face,
"Ah! it's...oh what was it? OH! that's right!" she thought to her self
"Hey there...Takameshi, right? Are you here by yourself?" she asked the nervous looking boy as she approached. She noticed he had a small box that he was holding on to as if his life depended on it.He also looked like he was gonna split and book it at any second.
"You alright? You look kind of tense there." she asked.
"That's right, he's that one with the shyness problem." she remembered "It must of taken a lot for him to come out to such a crowed place."

"Oh! I-Ikina-Sensei!" Ikina-Sensei had startled Mizo for a moment.
"I...uhh...sorry...y-yeah...I'm...umm...I'm here by my s-self, a-and to answer....your other q-question...quite a bit really...I-I was thinking of maybe...of maybe going back to the dorms."

"Just as I thought"
She figured he just needed someone to help him out and keep him calm, and she really didn't want to see the festival alone.

"Well there's no need to do that, how about you come see the festival with me? I was supposed to be here with someone else, but something else came up and they couldn't make it. So what do you say?" she asked him.

"Ummmm...w-well...uuhhhh..."
Mizo wasn't sure. She did seem to want to help him, and it would be easier for him with someone there with him. It's was that just with all of the people around he wasn't sure he could do it.
"NO! I need to do this, I HAVE to do this. I have to take this step forward!" He thought to himself.
"O-O-OK...S-sure Ikina-S-Sensei." he finally forced himself to answer.

"That's the spirit! Shal we?" she said as she gestured toward the rest of the festival.
As the two of them walked along Mihoko broke the silence, as she figured Takameshi most likely wouldn't.
"You know, this is kind of a first for me. this festival that is. It's the first one I've been to with out my cousin. Still...I love festivals, Sure there are a lot people but its still a lot of fun. My favorite thing is probably all the smells though. The sulfur smell after the fireworks, The summer air, but most of all it's gotta be all of the food stalls. Speaking of food, have you eaten yet? Because I'm starving! How about it? Dango, My treat?" she asked with a smile.

Mizo thought about it for a moment. He was kind of hungry, but he didn't really need one of his teachers to pay for his food. He did see however he did see that she was trying to be nice, but he'd feel bad if he let her just out right pay for his whole meal. Then He came up with an idea.
"Ummm...I have an idea...sensei...If you don't mind that is.S-Since you're...offering to pay for the Dango...how a-about I buy us both...some T-Takoyaki?" he asked.

"Hmmmm...alright Takameshi you got a deal, BUT only under one condition. You buy the tea and I'll also get us some Yakisoba. Sound good?" she suggested, then added
"Also, the other condition is...you can't say no."
With that slightly devious smile of hers.

Mizo thought about it for a second then said
"A-Alright... you have a d-deal sensei." he answered with a very slight hint of a smile.
"I-I'll go get the Takoyaki, and the...and the tea."

"Sounds good Takameshi, Meet you back here once I have the other food." Mihoko responded as she went to get in line at a booth that looked like it was selling both yakisoba and dango.

...

Once she had the yakisoba and dango she went back to wait at the spot where she'd told Takameshi to meet her.

Mizo finally returned with the food.
"S-sorry it...it t-took me so long sensei...the line was really long." Mizo said as he approached Ikina-Sensei.

Mihoko gave him a kind smile then said
"Hey don't worry about it. Come on let go sit over there" and motioned to an empty bench not far from where they were.
Once they were seated she turned to Takameshi and said
"So I've been wondering something. Whats in that box you've been carrying around?"

"Oh...that?" he replied "That's...one of the models I...I built. I met a young girl in the park the other day...and...and when I mentioned this one, well she seemed kind of excited. S-She had mentioned that...that she'd be here, s-so...so I thought that...I'd bring it with me...in case I ran into her." he said.

"Well that's really nice of you Takameshi. I didn't know you built models, can I see it?" she asked him.

Mizo was surprised at Ikina-Sensei's interest in his model building hobby.
"S-Sure." he simply replied as he set about carefully opening the box and removing the model from the protective packing he had placed into the box to ensure the models safety while he carried it around. Once it was removed and unwrapped he held up the model of one of the discontinued NASA shuttles.
"W-Well...what...what do you think?" he finally asked after holding it up for a moment.

She just stared in awe for a moment. The model was superb. The craftsman ship was amazing.
"Wow...you BUILT that?" she asked in amazement.
"It's...It's amazing! You have a real talent for this. How long have you been building models?" she asked.

"You...you actually think it's good? I just always thought they were....they were just OK, and...and I've been building them...since about 5th grade." Mizo answered.

"Wow, no wonder you're so good. So what got you interested in building models in the first place Takameshi?" she asked as she continued to admire the model.

"well...you see...it...it...it was because...I didn't really have...any friends." he answered with a tone in his voice that made it very clear that he was almost afraid to have answered the question.

"Ah, I think I hit a touchy subject, I better go about this carefully."
"You know...I bet there's some sort of club here that pertains to your interest in model building. If you were willing to join you might make some friends. What else are you into?" she asked

Mizo thought about that for a moment. He WAS trying to change himself and be less shy, and joining a club would certainly help with that plus they would have similar interests.
"W-well...I guess...I guess that...c-could be a g-good idea, but...I t-think it might....might be easier if I joined...a c-club that had something...something to do with my...love of books." Mizo said, still not entirely sure this was the best idea but still willing to give it a try at the same time.

She could see how hard it was for Takameshi to agree to something like that, and she did agree it would be easier for him to find a club relating to books.
"Books huh? I suppose that would be an easier one. The Literature club maybe? Hmmm...How about this, after the summer break is over I'll help you pick a club. Sound good Takameshi?"

"S-sounds...sounds good...t-to me s-sensei." he replied with some hesitation. He was glad that she was willing to help. Things had been so different since he'd came here. Before people were just content to let him be that shy kid that just kept to himself, but here it seemed like almost every one he met just wanted to help him. It made him kind of happy.

"Good, glad to her it." she said with a smile
"So, have any plans for the rest of the summer Takameshi? Mihoko asked.

"Ummm...well...my parents are kind of busy as usual...so I figured I'd just stay here...and I figured I'd j-just read and work on my models." Mizo answered, and then trying to make an attempt at keeping the conversation going he asked
"W-What about y-you...Ikina-Sensei?"