Why did the festival have to be at school? It meant no matter where Amajiki went, there were crowds. He couldn't even get back to the dorms after helping his class setup. He'd have to talk to too many people. It wasn't worth it.

He needed somewhere to hide.

The student-run food stall seemed the best choice. There were hundreds of students roaming outside, but nobody looked under the counter.

Luckily, the student working the stand let him stay since he wasn't hurting business.

Amajiki still felt his stomach churning when he imagined how many people were around but the thought that nobody perceived him eased the queasiness.

He could at least try to be polite. "Thanks. It's just.." He felt like he owed the other student an explanation. They probably think I'm a freak.

"Every time I try to step on the path, it feels like the ground sinks, and everyone's staring at me," His voice shook with every word as he ducked his head down. "I wanna go home."