When Mimuro was called to the office in the middle of his lunch period, he had no idea what it was for.
Standing up unsurely, he excused himself from his friends, interrupting their chatting for only a brief moment before they became distracted yet again with farfetched tales concerning their sister school. Yes, he liked his friends, but they could act like real idiots sometimes. Secretly, he was glad for an excuse, any excuse, to get a break from them.
The elderly woman at the main office's front desk, clad in lipstick and a broach that didn't suit her at all, redirected him to the principal's office. She didn't look happy at all. Well…she never looked happy, but at the moment she gave the distinct impression of having a toothache with how tight the line of her mouth was. Before he could comment on it, he was steered into the adjacent room with the heavy oak door closed behind him.
As expected, the stern looking headmaster was seated behind his desk, a knit in his brow and his chin rested on a tense fist. Though what Mimuro didn't expect was to see a familiar form lounging in one of the two guest chairs across from him.
"Please take a seat, Mimuro-kun." The headmaster rumbled, motioning to the empty chair with his chin. Mimuro faltered for a second, before doing as he was told, setting himself down in the straight-backed chair beside Nisei. The dark-haired boy didn't acknowledge him, didn't even spare him a glance, too preoccupied with calmly staring at the grown man in front of him. No smiling eyes or mouth to remind Mimuro of the friend he felt he was acquainted with. The whole atmosphere was uncomfortable and cold; heavy.
The principal cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to disrupt your lunch, but there's a serious matter I need your help in settling. One of our students…Matsumoto Ryu, was sent to the hospital earlier today. He says that he got into a fight with Akame-kun here and that the injuries he's sustained are from him. Akame-kun denies these claims."
Ryu. The name sounds familiar but all it conjures up is a fuzzy, half-forgotten face. Mimuro's eyes narrowed in apparent confusion, and he looked to Nisei for some clarification. He still didn't so much as turn to face him. Wait…what was going on? Why was he even here?
"However, Akame-kun says that you were there and saw the whole thing and can testify to his innocence, that Matsumoto merely tripped. Is that right?"
The man turned to Nisei, who nodded once. Mimuro looked over to him again, about to question him directly about what the hell was going on. About how he never was even there. About how he should be in the cafeteria right now, talking about stupid shit and eating awful bento made for him by Mei.
Then, for the first time since he entered the room, Nisei turns his head and levels a cold stare straight at him. His motives are clear now; Nisei wants him to lie for his sake. A hairline smile curves the Fighter's mouth as if he could read his thoughts.
"Mimuro-kun?" The headmaster inquires, snapping their fleeting moment in two. Mimuro starts and looks from the man to his friend only to find that Nisei is back to ignoring him.
"Uh, yeah. It wasn't Nisei's fault. Matsumoto must have been mistaken."
Headmaster eyes him seriously, and he could be imagining it but the man looks almost worried. "Are you absolutely sure?" Mimuro blinks, at the strangeness of the question. Then a pit settles in his stomach at the sudden suspicion that this wasn't the first time something has happened like this before.
It's just the first time he's personally been dragged into it. Either way, he still feels that he has to protect his friend.
"Y-yeah. Of course." And with that, the adult's face falls for the briefest moment and he stops looking at Mimuro altogether, finally motioning to dismiss him. He feels like he's just done something wrong.
"That will be all. Thank you. You too Akame-kun." The two boys exit the office together. Neither one of them says a word until they're in the hallway, and Mimuro finally looks behind him for Nisei, an accusation in his throat-
Nisei's smiling. Not just around his mouth now, in a show of sarcasm or malice, but in his entire face. Angelic. The frustrated words die on Mimuro's tongue.
"Thank you, senpai," the boy chirps, sounding entirely convincing in his gratitude. Before Mimuro can recover, Nisei's already made his way over to a staircase and disappears. Maybe…
Maybe he didn't do it.