Unfolding
Summary: A trick of fate, and the secrets inside Hiten High School start to be revealed. The overly written school plot with some drama and modernism to spice. Canon pairings plus some E+K.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Watsuki's.
What the hell am I going to do
, she thought, leaning on the wall hidden by the bathroom door. If a teacher finds me in here, I'm dead. Damn, Misao, weren't you supposed to be watching my back here? She looked at the reflection on the mirror; through the small gap of the door, she could see the images of Himura-sensei and Enishi. She let her breath go. Feh, it seems to be my lucky day today...- So? What is it that you want to talk about? - a calm voice, presumably the teacher's, asked.
- What kind of conversation were you and Kaoru having after class?
WHAT?!
She felt the urge to laugh-- no, to strangle Enishi. Is he JEALOUS of me and sensei?!- Sorry? - Himura-sensei chuckled.
- Don't give me that shit.
- Look, Enishi, your circumstances may be different from other trainees', but I'm still your tea--
- I don't give a fuck for the fact that you're my teacher! - Enishi burst. - What are you gonna do? Tell me off? Accuse me to the principal? I know you won't, because you're too afraid that I'll tell your little secrets, aren't you?
Suddenly, Kaoru felt a heartbeat go missing. Inside the mirror, her irises were twin blue washers floating on the white of her eyes. The interaction happening between the people in the room was taking a course far from civilised. There went the luck she thought she still had.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Of course you know. Or did you forget what happened the last time you seduced a girl her age?
There was silence for a few seconds, then Enishi continued. - Do you want me to enlighten you? Have you forgotten my sister so easily?
- Enishi, stop.
- It hurts, doesn't it? Now try to imagine the trauma I had. Do you realise I was barely ten when you took her away from me? She was the only person who ever cared for me in my entire life, and I lost her because of YOU!
- It was an accident! You know it! I would never do that on purpose to the person I loved!
She heard the sound of a fist connecting with a face, and someone falling over one edge of the sofa and then to the floor.
- Don't you DARE say you loved her! You KILLED her!! You are a fucking killer! You can't love anyone! And there's more, if you ever DREAM on getting close to Kaoru again, I swear I'll make you regret!!! - and then, angry steps crossing the room, and the door slamming shut.
They walked unceremoniously through the long corridor of the topmost floor of the school building, the afternoon sun yellowing the usually ice-white walls. The corridor was deliciously deserted and inviting, the sunrays seeming to point to that specific door - the last but two. There they arrived. The white letters over the small blue plaque said, "HSSD - Human and Social Sciences Department". They looked around once more, knocked, received no answer, tested the doorknob, opened it. T i p t o e d i n s i d e . Closed the door.
- We're in! - the shortest one giggled.
- Ugh, don't cheer just yet. Look at this place.
The two girls skimmed the small room, and saw: a sofa with no cushions; a round table with many sheets of paper scattered over it; a translucent can loaded with pens and mechanical pencils of all colours, shapes and destruction states; a tiny white side-table with an empty coffee machine, some plastic cups and a clean ashtray; a copy of a Dalí painting; a wall clock fifteen minutes late; the teacher's bathroom door; 5 or 6 rolled wall maps on a basket; and an almost crumbling bookshelf filled with a globe, 10 Geography, 7 World History and 5 local History books, 6 atlases from different publishing houses, two volumes of "A Guide to Sociology", about 20 Geography and History compilations for university applying tests, and an unbelievably immense amount of free white sheets piled over each and every shelf without any disposition criterion.
- Ouch... how are we gonna find it in the middle of that mess? I don't even know what the damn paper looks like!
- Misao, let's be practical, right? - Kaoru held her friend's shoulders down. - Guess I know what it looks like... I'll look for it, while you stay out there to signal me whenever anyone shows up, okay?
- I still don't understand how you always manage to get all the fun for yourself. - Misao mumbled, going back outside and leaving the door half open, in case of a quick escape.
Kenshin spent a few minutes there on the floor, back to the sofa, lost gaze. Things had been relatively easy on the first semester... but after that "conversation" with Enishi, he foresaw a long nightmare.
He felt his face throbbing in pain, and a warm liquid dripping from his nose. His hands went to it, and he got bloodied fingertips.
- Shit - he mumbled, not even thinking before dashing to the bathroom door, opening it with full force and bending down over the sink to wash his face.
The water, now running free from the tap, didn't touch his skin though. Noticing movement to his right, he turned quickly and found a wide-eyed Kaoru Kamiya, the answer's sheet of his exam trembling on her grasp.
- I still don't understand how you always manage to get all the fun for yourself. - Misao mumbled, going back outside and leaving the door half open, in case of a quick escape, and leaned on the corridor wall.
Boring
, Misao sighed deeply. She hummed the melody of a L'Arc~en~Ciel song which lyrics she couldn't quite recall. She checked her nails, and found a little dirt under the nail of the index finger of her right hand - it provided her entertainment for the next five or six seconds. Then, she decided to stand guard near the stairs, where it would be easier to hear anyone coming.Some minutes after, she confirmed her theory when faint steps were made audible some floors below. Misao promptly dashed to the HSSD door, lightly knocking on it. Looking inside, she found Kaoru completely lost in the middle of a paperstorm.
- Kaoru! - she hissed. - Kaoru, now's not the time to play deaf on me! C'mon! - the steps were becoming louder and louder; Misao's feet tapped impatiently on the floor; sweat started to drip from her forehead; she knocked again, but her friend was still too far away to listen; the steps were on the last stair to their corridor when Kaoru finally woke up, answer's sheets in hand; Misao only had the time to whisper "hide" and run inside the door in front of the HSSD, which was the fire exit and led her to the school roof.
She looked at him. He looked at her. Three minutes passed.
- A-- you're hurt - she moved closer just a bit, hiding the sheets behind her. Her free hand went to the blood mark right above his upper lip, but he pushed her arm aside.
- No, I'm fine - he said, not looking into her worried eyes. - It's just a scratch.
- Himura-sensei--
- Kaoru, - his desperate voice startled her, - don't tell anyone about it. Please. I'll... - he pointed to the "crime evidences" behind her back, - I'll postpone the test, if that's what you-- the students want.
- But--
- Go - and he was already shoving her out of the room - Run and catch Enishi-san. Ask him to walk you home. Go.
She spared a last glance at him. - Kenshin...
- Go! - he shouted, and slammed the door shut.
Misao was at least ten steps away from the door when she stopped, hand over her accelerated heart. I hope Kaoru-chan is alright. Now that her mind was closer to its regular state, the girl was feeling absurdly guilty. She had just left her best friend inside the lion's cage! The more she tried to reason, the heavier her conscience grew. She'd thought only on saving her own skin. What a terrible friend she was! And Kaoru-chan didn't even want to participate on such plan in the first place! Turning back to the fire-screen door, she whispered to herself, "I must go back and at least share the guilt--"
- Don't.
A masculine voice coming from the highest step warned her, and said no more. Turning, Misao met a silhouette on a long trench-coat, and immediately regretted having come up with that stupid plan.
- Hell, Himura-sensei's gonna fuck us all this time. - The gum in his mouth didn't stay in the way of Sano's words.
- Well, 'us' is quite generic - Kaoru corrected. - If we spared half an hour everyday to study History, we'd be surely able to have good grades... but I know you wouldn't lose so much time of your life on that.
- Of course not! I gotta play Counter Strike with the guys after class! If I stop half an hour to study, when am I going to sleep?
- Typical of you, rooster - Misao mumbled. - But I have to support him, Kaoru. Himura-sensei knows very well how much we've cheated on his last test, and we've cut some of his classes as well. He'll do something impossible for us to answer.
- I don't think Himura-san would try to have this kind of "revenge" against us... it's just not like him.
- Geez, jou-chan, guess you think too high of him.
- 't's because she thinks he's cute.
- Ow, c'mon! - Sano laughed. - That guy is absolutely gay!
- Stop that!
- Have you seen his pink shirt? Gosh, what was that!
- That wasn't pink! That was fuchsia!
- Yeah, and what about when he throws me those 'hello sweetie' smiles of him? I swear, if he ever tries something funny I'll damage his face for good.
- Shh! Shinomori-sensei is here! - Misao whispered.
- Gah, not Phisics... - Kaoru groaned.
Now she was between the devil and the deep blue sea. And no, she couldn't escape from either of them. Doomed. Yeah, she was definitely doomed.
- I... - she began; he didn't let her continue.
- You and your friend were on the HSSD. - he stated coldly. She turned her gaze to the cemented floor. - Doing something you weren't supposed to. - She swallowed a lump. He just shook his head. - You owe me one...
- Sensei? - wide blue-green eyes watched him intensely.
- I hear footsteps. - Misao silenced and heard them as well. Angry footsteps. - It seems that your friend is in trouble.
- Kaoru-chan... - the teacher's hand over her shoulder made her heart jump.
- I'll try to interfere.
The couple came out of the fire exit just in time to see the HSSD door being loudly shut and a very moved Kaoru fall on her knees in the middle of the corridor.
- So, it's settled. You two just keep watching while I go to the department and get the answers. - Sano was already climbing the steps when Kaoru held his sleeve. - What?
- You can't go.
- Wha-- don't tell me you decided to be the "good girl" in the last minute, jou-chan!
- No, that's not the reason... How many times have you been suspended from school this year, Sano?
- Twice - he answered without a single drop of regret.
- The total for expulsion is three. One more suspension, and it's bye-bye Hiten High School! You know that. We can't risk!
- C'mon... you've never done this kinda thing. And Misao's too klutz to succeed-- itai! - for the comment, Sano tasted Misao's Flying Bird Demon Kick. - Anyway, I'm the one who must do it.
- No way!!! - Kaoru's scream made the few people around turn to the trio. - Sorry.
- She's right, Sano. - Misao continued for her. - We know you would do the same for us. So what that it'll be our first time as "outlaws"? We'll do it just fine, you'll see. Now go and wait for us at the school entrance. Here it'll be too suspicious.
- I still think it won't work--
- Let us do the thinking! You just wait.
- Fine, fine...
And so he waited and was still waiting by the front gate of the main building, hands in pockets, ever-present gum rolling from left to right in his mouth. Waiting was so damn tedious. He'd rather risk his future as a student tenfold than stay out of the action scene. Had they already found the paper? If so, were they able to get out of there? He sighed. His personality was too restless for him to be waiting there.
Hearing steps, he turned, even though he knew it wasn't from either girl's feet. Instead of the tac-tac-tac of their school shoes, it was the characteristic tlack-tlack-tlack of a high-heel pair.
- Hey. Fox-Lady.
- Rooster-head. - the elegant, young woman was wearing a long white smock over her casual dress. Her hair was up in a bun, and two very thick books weighed on her arms. - Here so late?
- I'd ask you the same thing. - He cocked an eyebrow.
- Tidying the bio lab for Gensai-sensei. You?
- Waiting for the girls. - Seeing the attention the beautiful trainee was giving to his words, he continued. - Y'know. Gossiping in the bathroom. Girl thing.
She chuckled. - I used to do that when I was their age.
- No reason for gossips nowadays?
- Oh, no. There are plenty of reasons. - She gave a long, pensive breath. - Just don't have someone to share them with.
Sano gazed the woman's face for long. So long, his eyes made her blush.
- Anyway, must be going. I'll have tests on college this week.
- Oh yeah? We'll have tests here as well. Uh, good luck.
- Thanks. Bye! - She waved, tlack-tlack-tlacking to the parking lot, while the boy followed her with his gaze. Hell, Megumi, he though, you're making me like Biology.
He was so lost on the gracious curves of the trainee's hips that someone, running out of the school building, almost knocked him down.
- Oi, watch out! - He got a furious silver glare back in answer to his shout. Weirdo. His "attacker" had barely turned the school's outside wall when Sano was pushed once again. This time, though, the aggressor succeeded on taking him to the ground.
- SorrySanohaveyouseenEnishi-san?! - Kaoru panted heavily, helping her friend get up.
- Breathe - Sano laughed, holding her by the shoulders. - He left just now, and didn't look very friendly. Why do you ask?
- Long story, - she looked at him in the eyes, - one I can't tell you now.
Author's Notes: A confuse and maddening reverie I had just as classes started... I don't have any prevision about this fan fiction - actually, I don't know even how it will take from here. Since I'm tired of writing regular narratives, I just threw all my thoughts on the paper as they came. There are some ideas flowing in my brain right now, but they won't necessarily add any logic to the story. And as I won't have much time to update - to think, that is - till next year, I suggest you read "Unfolding" the same way I write it: no compromise, no appointment, no engagement.