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Akira: Almost ready?
Yusuke was done packing an hour ago. He didn’t have much to bring to the dorm, and he doesn’t have much to take when he leaves it.
Yusuke: A couple more minutes
Akira: U sure u don’t need help?
Yusuke: Yes, I just need a moment.
A large duffle bag and a few boxes are all he needs before heading to the train station to his new dorms at Osaka University.
The others are going to drive him down to the train station and see him off, and childishly, Yusuke wants to hide in the closet so he doesn’t have to say goodbye. That’s what he did when Nakonahara left.
But he’s the one leaving now, after spending his senior year with half his friends outside of Tokyo.
Osaka University gave him a good scholarship. Room, board, a meal plan, and a stipend for the school store. It’s the most generous offer he’s received of any of the school’s he’s applied to, and his friends were so happy for him.
Now instead of seeing half his friends occasionally he’ll be all alone on the other side of the country.
Maybe he doesn’t have to go, maybe he can stay in Tokyo, work part-time jobs and make his art on the side. Get his own apartment and visit with his friends and not have to face truly living alone for the first time.
But, that wouldn’t make him happy, would it? He wants to make a name for himself, to finally overcome Madarame’s name being attached to him, and to prove his former Sensei hasn’t ruined the careers of everyone in his care.
And it’d be nice, wouldn’t it? To go back to Tokyo a successful artist, purchase and renovate the atelier, and turn it back into a place filled with pupils, but one that actually cared about its students. That stood behind them and advocated for them, everything Yusuke wanted but never got.
He can’t get there working part-time and living in a small apartment.
A BFA means connections, more people seeing his work, more resources to help those future pupils, and learning how to teach from people who aren’t frauds.
All it means is leaving his friends behind, at least for a little bit. Being truly alone.
“Hey, there you are!” Ryuji wraps his arm around Yuskue’s shoulder and pulls him into a side hug. “You’re gonna miss your train!”
“Yusuke?” Ann says. “You’re crying.”
Yusuke turns to see Akira, Morgana, Ann, and Ryuji facing him.
“What’s wrong?” Morgana asks. “You’re not gonna miss this place, are you.”
“I’m going to miss you all,” Yusuke says, wiping his sleeve.
“Awwww, come on, it’s not like we’ll never see each other,” Ryuji says. “We’ll have vacations.”
“Plus we’ll probably text every day,” Akira says. “If Ann can keep a conversation going from Italy, she can certainly keep one going from here.”
“Not that you’ll need it!” Ann says quickly. “Becuase you’ll make a bunch of art friends in Osaka and talk about stuff like Pluralism or whatever?”
“Pluralism isn’t an art movement,” Yusuke says. “And I’ve never made friends before.”
“Hey, what are we?” Morgana asks.
“You barged into my house and tried to badger me for information on Madarame while he was in the house, and then I threatened to call the cops on you so you would leave,” Yusuke points out. “That’s not the same as making friends by simply meeting people.” And before them, he was completely alone.
“Ok well, definitely don’t call the cops on them,” Ann says. “And don’t ask them to model nude.”
“There’s probably a nude drawing class I can attend.”
“There, and after that class you go up to someone and ask if they want to get lunch!” Ryuji says. “Food’s like the fastest way to make friends.”
“Or tell someone their art sucks,” Ann says. “That’s what Shiho did.”
Yusuke frowns. “I would never do that, I want to encourage people’s art.”
“Of course,” Akira says. “You’ll figure it out. Don’t worry. And if you’re really lonely you can head to Kyoto and bother Zenkichi all day.”
That makes Yusuke crack a smile. “I suppose.”
Morgana hops off Akira’s shoulder and onto Yusuke’s. “You’ll be finneeee,” he says. “You’re gonna kick ass and in four years you’ll probably have your own art show in Tokyo that Ryuji can’t afford to attend.”
“Hey!”
“I’ll reserve tickets for you,” Yusuke says.
“Yeah, yeah,” Ryuji says. “But come on, let’s get you on that train first.”