Iku POV.
"Kasahara!"
"Yes sir!"
"Posture! Strong shoulders! Back straight!"
"Yes sir!" why is it always me? thought Iku as she corrected her stance. So annoying.
She looked at instructor Doujou. He looked the same as ever, jaw set, muscles tensed, watching his team as they did fitness exercises. Komaki stood beside him, apparently talking to him. Doujou turned to face her and his eyes met hers.
"Kasahara! Stay focused. Don't look at me."
"Sorry sir."
Komaki burst out laughing.
What's up with him?
Komaki, still chuckling, whispered something into Doujou's ear, which made him—blush? nonono she must have imagined it—look rather annoyed and tell him to shut up. Komaki smiled and left him to his work.
Doujou POV.
God, Komaki can be so annoying sometimes. Just because Kasahara was looking at me he has to go and say that she likes me. And of course he has to add that since I like her (I do NOT) I should ask her out.
Shut up Komaki!
I have to admit she's doing well today. She's pretty concentrated. I hope she doesn't strain herself too much... But why do I care? God. Get a grip Atsushi.
"Ok, guys, lunch break!" Kasahara looks relieved. I suppose I should tell her she did well. I mean, she's my subordinate after all. That's the right thing to do, right?
"Kasahara?"
"Yes sir?"
"Good work today."
"Wha—um... Th-thank you, sir."
She looked confused.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"No, no." She smiled. It wasn't a fake smile. That's one thing I like about her smile. It's not fake. And it makes her eyes light up in a—wake up Atsushi!
"Everything's fine."
"Oh. Ok, good then."
Kasahara gave me a weird look.
"Are you okay, sir? You sort of spaced out."
"Fine, fine." I grumbled.
"Ok."
We headed off to the cafeteria.
Iku POV.
"Hey! Shibazaki! Tezuka!" I called. "Can I eat lunch with you guys?"
Tezuka flinched and Shibazaki smiled apologetically. "Um... Sorry, Kasahara. Tezuka just... Well, we're having lunch together."
"Oh." Wait what? They were going on a date? "Um, okay then, see you later!"
"Bye!"
Damn. I didn't really want to have lunch alone with Doujou. That guy was so confusing. One minute he's yelling at me, and the next, he tells me good job. He can actually be pretty nice, I thought. After all, he was my prin...
"Kasahara watch where—"
"WAA!" Lost in thought, I had tripped over someone's foot and plunged forward.
"God, be careful. I don't want to lose my subordinate officer through a cafeteria accident."
I blushed. I had fallen right into Doujou's arms. His face was inches from mine, and every time I had thought about him lately, I had worried about him boing my prince. All those things I had said in front of him about my prince... It had all been about him! Doujou's face was a little pink too. Abruptly he set me upright.
I spotted Komaki walking towards us. "A catch worthy of a prince." He said, winking. We both turned beet red.
"SHUT UP, KOMAKI." We both yelled over. Many people around us began chuckling, and everyone's attention turned back onto their food. I ran over to Komaki, determined to get away from embarrassment.
"Hey, Komaki, do you want to have lunch with us?"
"No, no." He chuckled. "I wouldn't want to intrude."
"What do you—"
"Besides, Marie's waiting for me, we're going to lunch together today." As if on cue, Marie appeared at his side. Komaki smiled down at her. They were so cute together. "Shall we, Marie?" She smiled and took his hand.
Well, shit.
Now she had to have lunch with Lieutenant Doujou. And that was going to be awkward.
"So are we going to get food or what?" Doujou's voice sounded from behind me.
"Oh!" I jumped. "Right." Ran ahead to hide my blush.
Doujou POV.
Damnit.
Now I had to spend lunch with this idiot after Komaki had made that stupid joke! After getting our food, we sat back down at the table.
"So..." Kasahara said, trying to break the silence.
"So what?" I said, annoyed and frustrated with our predicament.
"I'm just trying to start a conversation, geez." I laughed.
"What?" She looked annoyed.
"You're just..." I smiled "So honest."
"Is that a compliment?" Kasahara teased.
"Yes."
She blushed. "Oh."
I felt a little heat rising to my cheeks and shook my head. Now was not the time for lovey-dovey compliments. Especially not towards this idiot. Whom I have NO feelings for! I swear!
GEEZ, that Komaki is getting on my nerves, he keeps reminding me that I'm her prince. I don't even like her.
Yes. You do.
No. I don't.
How about all those times you've blushed, all those times you've been embarrassed because you know Komaki's right. All those time you've wanted to kiss her...
ENOUGH!
You care for her.
No.
You should tell her.
She's my subordinate!
So? Komaki is right. You really like her. You want to protect her.
No!
What would you do if she was about to die? 'Save her!'
That's not the point!
I cleared my throat, interrupting the two stupid voices in my head.
"Kasahara..."
"Yes sir?" I gritted my teeth. Don't call me sir. I'm more than just your superior. AHHH! I DIDN'T mean that! I struggled to think of something to say. suddenly I remembered that she had fallen and twisted her ankle the week before. Shit, I forgot. What if she hurt it more? WHY SHOULD I CARE? I said it anyway.
"How's your ankle?"
"Um, fine. Much better than last week, that's for sure." I sighed with relief. Then I tensed up. I had really cared, hadn't I. What if Komaki was right? What if I really did like her?
"Sir?"
"Yes, sorry." Why did I apologize?
"Um, I should probably be getting back to my dorm now, I'm going to get a little rest."
"Is it your ankle? Does it still hurt?" I felt a surge of worry. Kasahara smiled.
"No, no, don't worry."
"Good. Don't strain yourself. I can't have my subordinate in bad condition."
She did a little salute.
"Yes, sir!" Don't call me sir.
"I'll be heading back to the dorms too." I have some figuring out to do. I added in my head, which is mostly your fault.
"Um... See you later Kasahara."
Kasahara waved, a little nervously it seemed. "B-bye!"
And of course she went toppling over someone's foot again. This time, she caught herself, and apologized profusely to the stranger. I smiled.
ARGHHH. I really do, don't I Komaki.
Iku POV.
I have no idea what to think of that man. I have to think it over, right now. He can switch from cold and hostile to calm and caring and back again in like two seconds. And that worried face of his... It makes me blush.
Do I like him? Or is it just because he was my prince. Do I like him? Or is it just because he was my prince. Do I—
My thoughts were interrupted as I entered my dorm only to find Shibazaki and Tezuka on the bed. They seemed kind of... busy.
"Oh." I squeaked. They were both half naked. They stared and Tezuka blushed. "I'll be going..."
I quickly shut the door behind me. Not expecting that.
I guess I'll go down to the entrance to think things over.
As I walked down the stairs, I began to wonder.
I really do like him, don't I. I really, really, really like him.
"Do you want to kiss him?" asked a voice in my head. I imagined Doujou's lips pressed up against mine, and felt a few tingles course through me. I blushed at my inappropriate thoughts. Yes.
Doujou POV.
I really did not expect that. Shibazaki and Tezuka? Fine. But Marie and Komaki? Definitely not. I would never have believed it, had I not walked in on them kissing on the bed, in a tender embrace, clearly enjoying it beyond bliss. Marie had been unbuttoning Komaki's shirt while straddling him, and Komaki had had his hand up her blouse, fumbling with something.
I never thought they would get that far so quickly. I had quickly left the dorm before they could notice me standing in the doorway, and I headed down to the entrance to get a drink at the vending machine and think things over.
"Doujou?" I looked up from the machine. Kasahara was standing there. Great. Exactly what I needed.
"Kasahara? I thought you were going back to your dorm."
"Um..." She blushed. "I was but... The room's a little occupied..."
I glanced up. "Shibazaki and Tezuka?"
"Yeah..."
"Me too." I said.
"Oh. Wait, who—"
"Komaki and Marie."
"WHAAAAT?" Iku—Kasahara looked up in shock.
"You mean they were?..." She clearly didn't believe me.
"They were about to."
Her face was beet red. She was obviously not used to talking about this. I have to admit, mine must have been pretty pink too.
"Oh."
"Surprising, right?"
"Yeah. I mean, Shibazaki and Tezuka, fine, but Komaki and Marie... I mean, they're so sweet, it's hard to imagine them doing anything weird..." She made a weird face.
"Yep." I was eager to get off of the topic.
"So what brings you here."
"Same reason as you."
"Oh right." She could be so forgetful sometimes.
"Um, do you want something to drink?"
Kasahara looked surprised, then grateful. "Sure."
"What do you want?"
"Uh... Just some juice."
"Ok." I typed in her juice and gave it to her.
"Here." She handed me a couple coins.
"What? Oh, you don't have to pay me back." I said.
"Oh." She smiled. "Thanks."
"Welcome," I muttered.
We sipped our drinks for a while in silence, both lost in thought.
"Wow." Kasahara's voice was a little strange.
"Um. What?"
"This juice is really good." Her words were strung together. She were slurring, as if she were... Oh no. I grabbed her juice bottle. I hadn't really payed attention to the juice I had gotten her. So of course, it had to be alcohol.
"Kasahara you're drunk."
"What? NOOOOO."
"Yes. Come with me, I'll get you back to your dorm."
"But Shibazaki..."
"No, look, there they are, they're leaving the building."
Sure enough, she and Tezuka seemed to have finished what they had been doing.
"Ooookay." She slurred. She slumped into my chest. I blushed.
"C'mon, Kasahara." We made our way up to her dorm. Once we got there, she plopped down on the bed. And promptly fell asleep. I smiled at her face, and leaned down... WHAT WAS I DOING? I sat bolt upright. I had been about to kiss her. Her cheek, no doubt, but it was still a kiss. I looked down again. Well, some people do it just as friends. And she won't remember anything. It doesn't matter. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. I blushed at my action, but smiled uncontrollably.
"Kasahara, what am I going to do with you." Still smiling, I got up and walked out the door. Thank goodness Shibazaki hadn't been there.