all in accordance

June recently spent most of his after classes with a job or doing advanced reading for his majors, but he'd never really pass off a day when his friends insisted he'd join them for after school outings. Naturally, what was he without some time with company? Dead tired, that's what.

His group made their way downtown to a newly opened ice cream parlor, lively chattering along the way. As soon as they entered the parlor, the girl that was clinging to June suddently broke off and ran to a specific girl in the other group. "Ari!" she called, almost bouncing on her toes as she tugged on the the blonde's sleeve, "Ari, Ari, he's here, he's here! I told you Ive been friends with June since first year right? I got him to go today!" she said, speaking in a hushed voice as if she didn't want anyone else to hear. Doubtful, given how June found it easy to listen into conversations but he chose not to say anything about it.

He gave two of them a smile as he approached them, "Someone you wanted me to meet, Jess?" he asked, a playful hum in his voice as he regarded the other girl.

June chuckled quietly, throwing a side glance towards Jess who looked like her cheeks were starting to burn. She also gave him a slight warning look but that didn't stop a smile from showing on his face. It was as if there was a silent exchange between the two before June turned his attention back to Mari.

She wasn't all that a stranger to him, for sure; he like hearing about people from his peers so there were awfully very few faces he couldn't match a name for. There wasn't ever any harm making acquaintances but some people had the certain charm on them that June found endearing and something he wouldn't want to miss out on.

June smiled warmly at her, "I found a lot of free time somehow, and I wouldn't pass off a good break. School and work has been taking out a lot of my time. And Jess here hadn't stopped talking about you too," his gaze flickered to Jess teasingly, "Though now I can't help but wonder what Jess has been saying about me all this time."

Poor Jess, June thought, the girl almost always ended up in this kind of spot round her friends, he almost felt sorry for the girl. Just almost; pity was one of the few emotions that had been foreign to him since he could recall. All he could do was stifle the chuckle that threatened to come out of him.

"Fun? Me?" he echoed, feigning disbelief, "Why I've no idea who you think you're meeting." He waved it off immediately, a soundless chuckle following after. "Well, if Jess says so then I wouldn't argue." Not that he had anything to say against it. He'd built himself up a reputation in the first two years he'd spent on the island before he slowly drifted off the spotlight. Maybe it had been the type of crowd he found -- never quite lively enough to make a difference whether he kept up with his studies or his social life. It was... disappointing to say the least.

"Well," he sighed, "Let's just say I got too ahead of myself thinking I could handle being in three clubs, a part-time with a steady schedule and having someone a bit to eager too monopolize my company." June grimaced slightly; at the corner of his eye Jess had an understanding look past her embarrassed face, as if she'd knew something about it. The look was gone from his face as soon as it appeared, replaced by a dismissive smile. "In any case, I've been working myself out of that rut and other than my major? I doubt I'd be missing anything for a while. What's this about the beach house?"

June let out a short breathless laugh, almost sheepish when he'd seen Ari's reaction. Actually saying it out loud in front of others actually made it sound even more ridiculous to him now. It was bad enough he was talking a pre-Med major, he even had the bright idea to join clubs when he was already trying to make it through with a part-time job. Gosh, what ever got into his head to think it was a humane thing to do?

"I signed up for the Host Club earlier on my first year and the Maid Cafe the following term. They're both time consuming honestly. Right after that, the previous president of the Cafe and I decided to make an offshoot club that I would manage myself which did not take up as much of my schedule but organizing takes up time so I had to multitask for the most part," he recounted with a sigh, shaking his head at the very memory of it. It seemed pretty easy when he was there since he was never really exhausted even at the end of the day. He wouldn't even add that Morgan told him once that when she graduates, she was passing the reins of the cafe to him. Both clubs were very time consuming and having to manage Rising Star was more than just taxing if it was any other person.

His gaze turned to the side thoughtfully, a hand to his cheek. "For some reason, it all sounded nice until I realized my time was almost full with club activities by the time I was in second year with barely much time to spare for other things that isn't school." And his ex-girlfriend from high school. Of all places to find her...

He didn't seem to linger any further on the topic, taking Ari's phone and punching his contact details in. He dialed the number from there and dropped the call before returning Ari's phone to her. "Well, I've quit from the Host Club and I'm only with the Cafe for the affiliation so I guess you'll be seeing more of me," he said with a smile, as he pulled out his own phone. "" Funny thing, June had a very cutesy taste: in contrast with Ari's, his phone had an orange-gold case, the top having triangular flaps that suspiciously looked like ears while the back was studded to look like a smiling cat. He tapped at the screen a few times, whatever he was doing hidden from Ari's sight, "And saved."

June made a noise that sounded more like half a chuckle and half a cough when Ari had clarified what she meant about the beach house. For a moment he had this sheepish blush on his face before speaking out. "Oh, that story?" he started, trying not to laugh from embarrassment. He was barely holding it in and Jess of all people wasn't helping his cause. "Okay, no, that was only half true. There was no actual pontoon but I said I would actually do it when was dared to do that kegstand. Oh gosh, I was already too drunk to say no I can't even believe I said that!" He didn't do too badly as far as he could remember but he considered one of his... least favorite feats in the past couple of years.

"I barely survived; a miracle saved me from my foolishness to even think I could do all that," June sighed. In all fairness, Everything Nice had a really promising pay and connections he could use for his advantage. The Host Club and Maid Cafe had members he could really erm... ask for favors of but in the end it wasn't all worth it. He could have gotten all the same benefits just doing whatever the fuck he wanted without having to be tied up with club responsibilities. Thank god he didn't decide trying to run for Student Council or he would have just signed himself up for some next level hell.

And he was honestly really glad he thought of taking a break -- he was probably close to breaking down without knowing it. "I think the stress was too much I couldn't even notice it anymore," June chuckled. He noticed the glance Ari was giving him when he had his phone out, waving it in front of him before putting it over his mouth just hiding a smile before he'd put it away to his pocket.

On the other hand, he was completely expecting this reaction from her. He wasn't all that embarrassed to hide his face and run off; instead he was laughing with the rest of the group, but anyone could have noticed the faint flush on his cheeks. His only excuse there was that he was drunk and he was sure everyone knew how drunkenness could make a person make dumb choices.

On another hand though... His embarrassment were subsiding by the time Ari was telling her own party misadventure. He wasn't that far behind with news and rumors and god forbid he hasn't seen any videos uploaded online. He'd seen everything that everyone talks about--even that one when the previous student council president snuck out of bathroom window. A flaming couch thrown out the window? Definitely.

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that one -- oh my god. Someone linked that to me and I almost laughed in the middle of a busy crowd. You were actually there?" His eyes didnt miss the way Ari's eyes drifted to the others so he followed her gaze, holding back his question until later.

"Mhm! Sure, let's go check what else they have," he sang. Jess was clinging to Ari when they all turned to the glass display. On the way, June continued, "So whatever did happen after that fiasco? Did you guys actually leave that couch where ever it fell?"