A house visit

[Kouyou Ichiki]

For Your Consideration
Pawns: Kouyou, Chu, Michael
Status: private, active
Setting: Micheals home.
Scene: Eating late at night in Michaels home.

Kouyou walked on one side of Chu with Michael on the other as they walked to Micheal's home. Chu seemed to handle the crutches rather well, which bothered Kou to a certain degree. The young man at his side shouldn't fall into the use of crutches so easily, a display that screamed he'd done it many times before. It was hard at times for him to not frown at that thought, and the many other irritating ones to follow. He really did hate bullies with a passion.

Michael seemed to have a knack for conversation and kept it light and easy. He rather liked the man and hoped to have him as a teacher in the near future. He looked back to Chu and smiled, a new question coming to mind as they walked. "So out of curiosity, that jerk called you Layton. Is that your middle name or something? Or is Chu your middle name?" Kouyou cocked his head to the side, his smile widening a bit more.

[Michael Ellis]

Michael nodded at Kou. "Yes, I was curious about the same thing. I didn't think too much of it, everyone's past is their own. But, if you wouldn't be against telling us, I would really like to know." He smiled and gave Chu a light pat on the back to reassure him. "I'd like to know anything about you you're willing to share. And I'd be happy to tell you both more about myself. If you're interested in knowing about an old history teacher."

He helped Chu over a pot hole and then continued to speak. "More than anything, I'd like to know more about the experiences the two of you have had in the Reverie." He looked down the street and pointed "That's my apartment there." He looked back to the two boys. "I'm very curious about it all, so I can't help but ask. But, again, it's all your life, you can choose whether or not to tell."

[Layton "Chu" Lewis]

"Oh," Chu sounded surprised, "No no, I don't mind telling you guys." He smiled at Michael as he helped him over the pothole, "Well umm, Layton is my first name. My real name. Layton Lewis." He shrugged a bit, unimpressed by the sound of his own name "But when I was 15 my sister told the entire school I was gay. Ever since that day everyone from high school referred to me as 'Gay-ton' instead of 'Lay-ton'. I just stopped liking my name after that. Then my boyfriend Melly started calling me "Chu"... and Chu just stuck with me where ever I went. My teachers even called me Chu."

Chu was relieved to see Micheal's apartment up ahead. He sighed in relief and braced himself for the stairway. As always, he didn't ask for help as he planted his crutches on the stairs and swung his legs up to the next step. He'd obviously done this before. He expertly climbed the stairs.

"Kou..." Chu asked, "... In Japan... I know that people usually reffer to people with suffixes like "san" and "kun" and stuff... sh-should we be addressing you like that? I... I don't want to be r-rude or anything to you....and l-like w-whats it like in Japan? My mom is from Japan... she... she never told me about life there..."

He nervously shuffled his working foot around, as he waited for Michael to locate the key to open his apartment door.

[Kouyou Ichiki]

Kouyou smile and nodded as Chu began telling them the story of his name. It made him glad that he was willing to indulge their curiosity about him. Kou frowned at the mention of his name being turned into a taunt, Chu didn't seem to ever get a break from bullies. He was such a nice person, why would anyone go to such lengths to hurt him for such a crude reason? As they reached the base of the stairs to Michaels' apartment, allowing Michael to go first to open the door he made sure to keep himself behind Chu in case the young man fell. He seemed to know what he was doing but it was better to be safe than sorry, and one trip to the hospital that night was enough.

At the mention of Japan Kou perked up a bit more. His smile returned in force as Chu asked his questions, eyes never leaving his hurt friends back. He was pleasantly surprised to find out Chu was, at least in part, Japanese on his mothers side. The shape of his eyes and nose was enough to tell Kou that Chu was of Asian decent, but hadn't been sure which country his family had come from. And making an assumption based off of looks alone was rude in his opinion.

"It is not rude for us to not use san or kun when speaking to each other in English, because they do not exist as a necessalry way to address each other. If we were speaking Japanese, that would be a bit different." A light chuckle escaped him. "And Japan? It is...a velry beautiful country. I am originally from Toukyou, and it is a velry fast paced city!. There is much to see and to. But when you leave the big cities, it is a very quiet and peaceful place." Hn. Michael had opened the door to his apartment and they began to file inside. "You do not speak Japanese then?

[Michael Ellis]

Michael listened to Chu's explanation and shook his head. He had such a strong intolerance for bullies. As a teacher it bothered him specifically, but as a person. He just didn't understand what pleasure came from making someone else unhappy. How could it possibly make someone feel better knowing they'd hurt another human being?

He pulled open the door and stepped inside, beckoning the two younger boys in. He motioned to the kitchen as Kou finished explaining Japan. "I went to Japan once. For a history assignment at the University. I was studying world religions at the time and found myself at the golden temple in Kyoto. It was a breathtaking sight. All of the temples are very interesting. And the floating gate... where was that again?" He tried to recall. "Well, the gate doesn't actually float, but it does lead to a temple on a sacred island where no death or birth is allowed to occur. Very very fascinating."

He closed the door and locked it out of habit. Then helped Chu to the table and leaned his crutches against a wall. Michael's apartment was small, seeing as there was only one person living there, but it was very well tended to. The walls were covered in artwork, statues, masks, and even weapons. It was an eclectic collection that seemed to fit right in with his personality. and his interest in history. Against a far wall in the living room was set a bookshelf filled with books, which seemed to spill out into other sections of the room. None of it could be described as "cluttered" since all the books were stacked neatly. But a second glance brought the notion that there wasn't a TV to be found. The only electronics where a high quality stereo system tucked into a glass cabinet and an old computer that looked as though it could do little more than word processing and maybe use the internet, but even that was questionable.

The dining room was set apart from the kitchen by a low bar where stools could be set but, in this case, were not. It was open on one side to form a door and the other end pressed against the wall. The dining room table was small, about big enough to fit 4 people around comfortably, but it was built sturdy and looked antique.