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Shichihou no Fluff
Dear Seven Gods of Luck… grant me luck at this new school.
Yet, Hirose Haru had no idea that instead of luck, he would fall in love...
Haru skipped along the school corridors not looking where he was going. He was a short prepubescent boy who was almost feminine except for the few hints of his oncoming adulthood. He had light blond hair that always seemed to poof out and a uniform that was too big for him which his mom had gotten hoping he would grow into it.
With an oof, he stumbled unto his bottom for his body had met with someone else’s body. He looked up to see a gentle looking boy with black hair and glasses smiling down on him. “Are you okay?” The older boy said kindly reaching down to Haru.
“Y-yes!” Haru squeaked taking his hand to be pulled up. Immediately, Haru was smitten by him. Who was this new love interest? Gensai Kenta, one of the staff members for the school newspaper.
Hirose Haru: A slightly hyper first year who joins the newspaper in order to be close to his love interest, Gensai. He is shy, cute, and optimistic. Plus, he is always praying to the Seven Gods of Luck to grant him… well… Luck!
The Shichihou High Newspaper staff:
Editor-in-chief: Ishibashi Yoshio
Copy Editor: Gensai Kenta
Photographer: Asai Kazuki
Journalists: Sakurai Naoko, Hanatani Chikao, and Takayama Tooru.
Gods of luck... I can’t tell him it’s because I want to be close to him! What do I say?
“Um… I um… just thought it would be interesting to work on the newspaper.” He said quickly.
A green haired boy who had been typing away on the computer in the middle of the room stopped typing then. He looked over at Haru and Haru stared back. Then the boy looked away and went back to typing again.
“Well it is interesting working here.” Gensai admitted witnessing the event with a sweat drop.
“Kenta.” A voice boomed from the door and a man with reddish messy hair walked through the door.
“Yoshio-kun!” Gensai greeted. Haru saw Gensai’s face light up when the man entered the room and his heart fell.
So sempai already has someone he likes…
“Who’s this here?” The man said smiling down upon him.
“Oh, this boy here wants to join the newspaper staff.”
“Excellent!” The bigger man boomed patting Haru on the back. He patted a little too hard making Haru wince.
Ishibashi Yoshio: A bulky third year with messy mud red hair. He is the editor-in-chief though he isn’t in charge of the newspaper’s actual layout. He is a nice guy but he can be a little rough with people. He must not know his own strength…
“So what position were you thinking of?” The bulky man asked.
“Position?” Haru repeated.
“Yes. Were you interested in journalism and if so what type of stories do you like to write? I myself like to write about sports.” He said nudging the small boy with his elbow. Haru rubbed his shoulder sure that the man’s nudge would leave a bruise.
“Um… writing?” Haru squeaked.
“Hmm? No good?” The man said upon seeing Haru’s discomfort.
“Editing perhaps? I’m the chief editor but Kenta here also does some editing. Kenta is also in charge of the newspaper’s layout. Are you good with graphics?” Haru didn’t answer. “Um… photography maybe?” The editor-in-chief offered. “We have an excellent photographer. He may be a little obsessed with Commando but his pictures are always top quality.”
“Um… I don’t know…” Haru said simply.
“You don’t know what you want to do?” The chief asked.
“Are you sure you want to work for the newspaper?” Gensai asked confused.
“Yes!” He answered a little too loudly. “I mean yes… I really want to work with the newspaper, I just haven’t thought of what I want to do…”
“That’s ok!” The chief patted him roughly on the back again. “We are a small newspaper and even though everyone has a specific job we all help each other out. How about you work under each of us and then from there decide where you want to work.”
“Ok!” Haru agreed excited.
“Good. You start tomorrow! You’ll be working under me.” The chief instructed.
“Yes!” Haru squeaked though he really wanted to work under Gensai but decided not to argue. At least he would be able to be in the same room with him.
“Did you read it over?” Ishibashi asked.
“Uh huh.” Haru nodded.
“Did you find any mistakes?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Very well… let’s see what Kenta has to say.”
They brought the article to Gensai who looked it over quickly. He took out a marker and wrote something on the paper. “Did you write this Yoshio?” He wondered.
“Yeah… for the sport’s section. I had little Haru read it over for me.” Gensai smiled down at Haru.
Oh Seven Gods of Luck surely this is my lucky day! Gensai-sempai is smiling at me!
Gensai gave it back to Ishibashi. “Please watch your grammar and I think you spelled this person’s name wrong.” He said pointing to the paper. Haru blushed realizing he had missed those mistakes.
“You’re right! Thank you Kenta!” Ishibashi said patting Gensai on the back. Gensai beamed but then turned to Haru.
“Keep up the good work, Hirose-kun.”
“Well being an editor requires a sharp eye and no one’s eye is sharper than Kenta’s.” Ishibashi admitted. “Maybe editing isn’t for you… But tomorrow you’ll work under Kenta-kun, okay?”
“Yes!” Haru exclaimed loudly.
“Well you’re certainly energetic! Good.” The editor said misinterpreting Haru’s excitement.
Dear Gods of Luck, I can’t believe I’m this close to Gensai-sempai!
“Hirose-kun?”
“Um… yes… uh, computer programs?”
“Yes.” Gensai nodded smiling down at him.
“Um… gigabytes?” He offered.
“Hmm?” Gensai smiled. “Perhaps you don’t know much about computers, Hirose-kun?” Haru looked down.
Gods of luck, I have disappointed sempai…
“Don’t worry, I can teach you.” He said smiling warmly turning to the computer.
Gensai Kenta: An editor for the Shichihou school newspaper in charge of the paper’s graphics and layout. He is a kind but sharp third year with glasses who is always willing to help someone out. He also has a crush on Ishibashi, the chief editor.
“Really?” Haru explained, his face lightening up. “You’ll teach me!?”
Gods of Luck, I am truly blessed with your favor!
He felt like a cherub flying through the clouds of heaven. But a few minutes later, Haru had managed to cause some sort of irreversible computer error that caused it to shut down… and not boot back up.
Haru fell to his knees. “I’m sorry… I killed it… Oh Seven Gods of Luck… grant me… well… luck!”
“Gods of… well… It’s okay.” Gensai smiled pleasantly. “Luckily…” He laughed at his pun. “Most of the writers know to keep an extra file saved for backup. I’ll just have them resend their stories.”
“I’m sorry.” Haru said feeling miserable.
“Don’t worry. It could have happened to any of us. Even me.” Gensai assured.
“You mean it?” Haru wondered.
“Yep. Computer errors can happen for no reason sometimes.”
“Gensai-sempai! You’re too kind!” He said throwing his arms around the sempai.
“Hirose?” Gensai wondered and only then did Haru realize he was hugging the sempai.
“Oh!” He quickly released him but then managed to fall backwards onto his butt. “Oops.” He murmured.
Dear Seven Gods of Luck… I hugged sempai!
Gensai just smiled down at him. “Careful.” He said helping him up.
“Thanks.” Haru said lowly.
“Perhaps tomorrow you can work with Asai-kun.”
“But!” He wanted to work with Gensai.
“I know what you’re thinking…”
“You do!?” Haru started to panic.
“He is strange but his pictures are always top quality. Do you own a camera?”
“Um… yes, I think so…”
“Bring that tomorrow.” He ordered.
“Ok…” He said trying to hide his disappointment.
“Oh and do you own any camo?”
“Camo?”
“Well… dress like you’re about to go to war.”
“War?”
((Bishamonten is one of the Seven Gods of Luck, notably the God of War.))
Haru sat next to a man in camouflage who hid in the bushes. He had smudges on his face and was currently holding his camera as if it were a weapon.
“Um… sempai?”
“Shh…” The camo man quieted not even looking at him. “You don’t want to alert them of our presence.”
“Alert who? Why are we watching the baseball game from the bushes?”
The Commando didn’t answer and instead took out what looked like a long camera lens and placed it carefully on the ground, while lying on the ground himself like a sharp shooter. “It’s best to take the shot from an area where no one can see you…” He whispered. He clicked the camera. After a few more shots, he grabbed his equipment and shouted.
“Move out! Move! Move! Before they discover our location! To the rendezvous point!”
“Ah!” Haru yelled being dragged along by the army man.
“There will be no casualties this mission!” The man was saying. “Come Private!”
Asai Kazuki: The newspaper’s photographer who is always decked out in camo. This straight faced second year treats photography like military or assassination missions. Even so, his pictures are always crisp and clean despite his tendency to take pictures while hidden in bushes or rooftops…
By the end of the day, Haru was rather worn. He met up with the others in the staff room.
“Howdy there.” The chief greeted. “I would have thought someone as energetic as you would be able to keep up with Kazuki’s war games.” He said as Asai Kazuki stood before him in a salute.
“Mission accomplished sir!” Asai said standing at attention. “We managed to take out the whole baseball team, an award’s ceremony, and some of the surrounding scenery sir!”
“And by take out you mean take pictures of…” Ishibashi corrected.
“It’s a battlefield out there.” The boy answered simply.
“How did it go, Hirose-kun?” Gensai wondered.
“We ran everywhere… we had to crawl through vents and bushes and up trees! We never even stayed in one place for too long!”
“That was to prevent discovery by the enemy. Our mission was a secret mission!”
“They always are…” Ishibashi joked.
“I never knew taking pictures was so dangerous!” Haru said with swirls in his eyes.
“War is always dangerous.” Asai explained simply.
“Well good job, Kazuki-kun. We’ll use these pictures in tomorrow’s edition.” Ishibashi said.
“Thank you sir!” He said saluting again.
“Dismissed.” Ishibashi said jokingly saluting back.
“Sir! Yes sir!”
“Well tomorrow, you’ll work with Hanatani-san.” Gensai noted and they looked over to the mysterious green haired kid hidden behind a computer. Slowly, he lifted his head from behind the monitor like a creature emerging from the black lagoon.
“Alas, the poor kid is mine for a day?” He said licking his lips. “Get ready young boy!” He said slamming his hand upon the table. “For tomorrow we write stories!” He boomed.
Dear Seven Gods of Luck… Today I met an interesting person. But surprisingly, he isn’t even the strangest one of the newspaper staff…
Next chapter: What sorts of other adventures will Haru go on when he meets the other newspaper staff? Will Haru lose heart when he realizes he might not be able to be a helpful member of the newspaper? Find out next time in Shichihou no Fluff! A Fluffy tale of a Fluffy newspaper staff.
