[attr="class","optop"]

[attr="class,"oppost"]Adjusting to life on Tomodachi Island had proven challenging. While she was grateful that those first few terrible days of blind panic and self-pity were over, her day-to-day life was far from what she would call comfortable. Not bad, but still not comfortable. Her job - her first job ever - was something she was enjoying more than she thought she would, though she still struggled to communicate her ideas to her coworkers, and often worked off-site. Life in the dorms had largely prepared her for apartment life, though she was still getting used to cooking or buying her own meals. Really, though, the big change was that she was alone. Again.

The people running the Island seemed nice enough. They'd secured her an apartment and helped her find a job, even though she knew she was hysterical upon arrival. It was very easy to count all the positives. But it didn't change that big negative. That feeling of isolation. Of being disconnected. Of having no-one to turn to. It was frightening. Almost paralyzing. Too many times, she wanted to find Lily, to have her comfort and advise her. To simply be with her. Her thoughts turned Hisao, who had proven to be a kind and sincere friend; maybe something more. With whom she shared a love for reading. What were they doing now? Were they worried about her? Hanako forced a small, bittersweet smile as she wandered towards the fountain. Of course they would be. No matter what her nagging doubts said.

Still, they were in Japan, in the normal world, and she was here. On this island full of strange and wondrous people. Hopeful thoughts about them wouldn't salve her loneliness. Only making friends, finding people to rely on. She knew that, but, up until now, she had been fairly successfully avoiding a lot of human contact. She knew people noticed her. Long hair, sleeves, and a hat could only hide so much. But no-one had been that beacon of kindness and understanding like Lily. No-one had approached her with Hisao's determined but awkward first steps. Even now, she didn't try to meet their gazes, flash a smile, strike up a conversation. Instead, she clutched her books to her chest, and kept walking, head down, as she approached a bench. It was only the afternoon, but today had been tiring. She had managed to spend most of the day at the office before her nerves became too highly strung, and she had to leave.

Thinking about how to make new friends wasn't getting her anywhere but in circles. She sighed, pushing her desire to confide in Lily back. That momentary lapse in concentration, combined with an opportunistic gust of wind, snatched a loose note wedged into one of her books, sending it down the path.
"Ah...!" She reached out a scarred hand to grab it, though her reaction time was far from stellar. All Hanako could really do was watch, wide-eyed, as the loose paper inevitably drifted towards its target: the face of an unfortunate passerby.

MATTHEW HOLT
Notes: Hope this opening works for ya, Five. Still finding my style with Hanako, so forgive the introspection dump. Also, feel free to use a different character; I mostly picked one at random.