(You Make Me) Better
Kaname had a creed–it dwelled only in his mind and heart–to make up for the five years he had lost and to live for life. He had been given much to live for and so, he would give back in spades.
The sky was a tapestry of cotton clouds and burnished apples and oranges as a tawny-haired girl emerged from the shadow of the school building. Three straight hours spent in the library pouring on references meant a crick in her neck and stinging eyes. She exhaled a tired sigh, but the kind of tired that was happy, and bee-lined for the gates, bag jostling against her knee, when something caught her vision that caused her to halt midway and narrow her eyes in the parking lot's direction.
Two grade schoolers–fifth graders, maybe–were huddled close to a sleek, black Toyota, whispering audibly and shooting furtive glances over their shoulders while plotting some secret revenge.
"Quickly! Before Ogre-giri comes!"
"What are you kids doing?"
A voice intruded, to which the boys yelped in surprise, goading them to sprout straight as stalks from the ground up and drop their tools of destruction in a loud thud. Before them, the girl was poised with hands akimbo.
"Off you go before I report you to your homeroom teacher."
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
They took it as their cue to snatch up their backpacks lying next to the front wheel and scramble off, leaving evidence in their wake–a not-so-modest heap of chipped black paint and glaring car scratches.
"That's going to cost him a month's pay," quipped a voice beside her.
"Kaname," the girl accosted the sandy-haired boy who just arrived. "You took long enough."
Kaname looked apologetic. "Sorry, Sayu. I forgot something in the classroom." He stepped closer to the car to inspect the damage. "Is that a weasel?"
Sayu squinted and slanted her head at an angle to try making out a pattern, if there was any. "It looks more like a croc to me."
"You're not really planning to report those kids, are you?"
Sayu smiled and shook her head, pigtails swishing. "Nah."
They walked away from the 'scene of the crime' and made it past the gates when Sayu picked up the conversation again.
"I honestly think his favorite white track suit makes for a better target."
Kaname oh'd.
"You see, I also had Ogre-giri for gym class when I was in elementary school. He would make us run more laps if we run too slow and spiked volleyballs at those who can't catch them. And always, he barked orders in his impeccably white track suit."
And now, he hmm'd with an amused lilt. "So, he really is an ogre."
"The name fits him. I wonder why his students haven't tried to make him lose his job."
"Maybe they did, but nobody's succeeded so far."
Sayu bowed her head, thoughtful. "It could be."
She did not catch Kaname quirk his lips into a smile, only caught his words. "You used to do that too."
Sayu raised her head and creased her forehead, mystified.
Kaname took a few steps before he answered. "Plotting creative revenges." Comma. "Drawing on wooden figures." Comma. "Sticking gum on walls."
The creases on her forehead deepened, growing less mystified but more chagrined. Despite reading her mood, Kaname pursued the topic, ice-blue eyes dancing.
"Personally, I think the gum art was a unique touch."
Sayu glowered. "I don't need you to remind me."
Kaname could not help but laugh, while Sayu's gait stiffened–marching on with head held up high, chin jutting out, back arched, and hands curled like paws to the sides. That and her tawny mane reminded Kaname of a majestic feline.
"Cute," mused Kaname silently as his laughter escalated into more laughter.
Sayu whipped around, pigtails whipping too like lashing tails, her face on the edge of transformation. Any second now and Kaname expected her to hiss and growl. But he could just as easily soothe a flaring temper.
"I'm sorry," he repented and then, offered, "Can I buy you some crepe to make up for it?"
Sayu turned less feline and more human girl. "Is that a bribe?"
Kaname smiled. "It depends on how you think of it. Let's just say it's a thank you for helping me study. I wouldn't be able to catch up in class without your help. And," He paused. "Because of you, I can graduate. Thank you."
Sayu stopped to eye Kaname scrupulously. There was wonder merged with disbelief at his words. She did not have a proper, straightforward reply for such–should she pass it off as no big deal?–so she turned away, feigning a cough, and teased, "I only get a crepe for my hard work?"
Kaname blinked several times, but recovered soon enough with a healthy bout of laughter. "Did I disappoint you?" he managed to ask.
"Absolutely! I have a tutoring job that pays me well," meant Sayu in mock seriousness.
"Then, let me pay you in installments."
Sayu considered for a moment. "Hmmm...Deal!"
Kaname had a creed–it dwelled only in his mind and heart–to make up for the five years he had lost and to live for life. He had been given much to live for and so, he would give back in spades. Give her back.
"You should not stare rudely at a lady."
Kaname snapped to awareness. He was doing it, staring at Sayu, who was abundantly enjoying her vanilla and chocolate crepe right this moment, short of licking the vanilla cream she had gotten on her fingers. Oh, if she could see herself now.
"A lady should pay great attention to appearance too." Kaname tapped a finger lightly to his cheek to mirror the two streaks of black–cat whiskers–on her right cheek bone.
Instinct moved Sayu to swipe at the smudge with a hand but she checked herself in time. She patted both pockets of her school jacket, switching the crepe between hands.
"Here."
Sayu glanced up to find Kaname offering up a square of blue. She reached out a hand to receive the handkerchief, mumbled a shy, "Thank you," and dabbed a triangle of the handkerchief on her cheek.
"You missed some."
Sayu thrusted the handkerchief in his hand. "Well, then. You do it."
"Alright, alright," conceded Kaname, a smile playing on his lips. He treaded closer towards Sayu until it seemed like their breaths would mingle and Sayu employed all self-control not to budge an inch from her spot. Gently, Kaname wiped the chocolate off her cheek.
"There," Kaname concluded, hand coming away from her face.
"Better?"
"Better."
"Thank you," said Sayu, a slight quiver to her treble.
They resumed walking in silence until they reached Sayu's house.
"Well, here's my stop."
The gate creaked as Sayu crossed the threshold into their family's property and then, turned about to face Kaname on the other side of the gate. By this time, the sun was tequila spilled over the sky and Sayu's eyes were warm and molten in the dusk-light.
"Thank you for sending me home," she expressed.
Kaname nodded. "See you tomorrow."
"Mmm, see you!" Sayu waved goodbye on the doorstep, gaze tailing his back until he eventually disappeared at the bend in the road and then, there was nothing left to do but go inside. Sayu affected a helpless sigh. "You've got it bad, Sayu..." she faded out, turning the knob to enter the house, because tomorrow would be just another day. Tomorrow and the day after...
The result of their finals came and rankings were posted. Sayu was top of the whole ninth grade, while Kaname was a close second. Hikari, Manaka, and Miuna did not do so badly as well. The important thing was, they could all graduate. Sayu's parents took her to the city to stay with her cousins and so, for the rest of spring break, they did not see each other.
You'll find that I switch POVs during the course of the story, but I hope it doesn't confuse much. I didn't think I would write about KanamexSayu, but they grew on me. I believe they weren't (too) out of character, but I hope you like the idiosyncracies I give them. I have about five chapters (more or less) planned out and all I can say is, the last chapter's going to be about a wedding, hehe.