Jealousy
Genre : Hurt/Romance
Disclaimer : Assassination Classroom/Ansatsu Kyoushitsu belongs to Matsui Yuusei (Author), Anime also belongs to those who have aired it.
Brief Summary : Hayami met Chiba accidentally who seems to be together with a certain girl, with Hayami starting to feel something about her partner's closeness with another girl.
Settings : February, before Valentine's day
The sun was shining bright, although the snow was falling. The winter season would soon be over and replaced by spring. Hayami and her family had been planning to go to the spring festival when the time comes. Nowadays, the day seemed slow, the orange-haired sniper's agenda is mostly studying for her highschool choice.
Highschool. Now that she thought about it, it's almost the time for saying goodbye to this weird but actually epic and spectacular year. Meeting their super teacher, the classmates, and..of course, meeting him.
Chiba Ryuunosuke.
Hayami wonders while she was laying on her bed. They had been gone through many things, huh? The Takaoka incident, the Grim Reaper thing, the final tests...It sure was fun, this year. She remembered that he was going for a different highschool than her. Chiba has a sharp mind, and one of the smartest people in the class, he even got to 9th rank last test, so he decided to fill in for a better highschool, well as expected, he got in.
But that means...they may be not be able to meet again, she wouldn't be able to go on 'appointments' with him again.
'Appointments'. The orange haired girl thought, they would never consider mushy words like 'dates' to describe their social meetings. They were not a couple—though many people mistakes them for one, they never consider moving their relationship to that...area. Nevertheless, Hayami somehow cherished her meetings with him, where she could be more open with herself. But we have to go separate ways sometimes.
"Friends may come and go, huh?" Thought Hayami. Just as she thought like this, she remembered she have a promise with Chiba again, today. They were supposed to go to watch movies. He recommended Big Hero 5 to watch.
"Maybe I should text him, ask where we should meet..." Hayami said while opening her LINE chat, which surprisingly, had Chiba's unread sent text there.
"Hayami? Sorry for the sudden news...but I have to cancel our promise today."
"I had a sudden appointment today...Sorry, we'll go next week, I promise. The movie is popular, so they will air it for a month or so, really sorry."
Hayami read the text message and sighed. She actually kind of relieved, she wasn't in the mood of going anywhere with people today. She quickly wrote an 'OK' and sat on her chair. Now Hayami wasn't sure what to do, she was bored, that's the truth. She has no mood for studying, since it's Saturday, a weekend.
"Since he cancelled it, I might as well went to the streets today, they might have a winter sale." Hayami thought.
At 11.00 AM, Hayami dressed in her street winter clothes, and she went to the streets in town. They always had the winter sale in there, and since winter is almost over, the sales had become more frequent. They also lower the price more in months like this, so Hayami figured she could grab some apparels before it ended.
Hayami went to the streets by herself. Honestly, it sometimes better for her to be like this. She was a heavy-introverts, so she needs some alone time more than others. Sometimes, being alone like this is better to pick the clothes she wanted. She once got hooked to the mall with Nakamura, Kayano, Kanzaki, Yada, and Kurahashi, and it didn't go well, since all the girls wanted to 'test' her in cute clothes, ones that is not really her style.
Hayami went to the stores to look for spring-themed clothes when she suddenly saw a familiar face nearby. But what makes Hayami shocked is this familiar individual is with a girl. Hayami winced at the sight.
Chiba Ryuunosuke was walking with a girl holding his arms. The normally stoic boy was smiling to the girl who was clinging to his arm, the stoic and mysterious Chiba, had gone out with girl that she didn't even know.
"Why is Chiba walking with another girl? Did he cancel our meetings today to take that girl for a walk?" Hayami thought, while hiding so he wouldn't noticed her. "Why did he—gone out with a girl? Wait a second, it's his business to go with anyone anywhere, it's not like we have a relationship or something." Thought Hayami.
Hayami saw Chiba and the girl leaving the clothing store, she heard for a bit that the girl asked him to go to the café. Meanwhile, Hayami is contemplating on what she should do next. Should she follow them? No way, she isn't some of freak stalkers, besides, they have nothing going on, so it's Chiba's business to go with the girl he likes...right?
The warring thoughts on her head finally over, with her curiousity taking over. She decided to (quietly) follow them to the café in that shopping street, coincidentally, it's the café they have been there before, usually talking about some shooting practice at the shooting range near the place.
The girl still held Chiba's hand, they appear to be talking heartedly, which is unusual for someone like Chiba could be like that. Hayami irked at the sight of Chiba smiling that much around other people—much less a woman. He had never smiled at her that much before...most of their meetings ended up awkward and he wasn't a type to get good at the conversation.
Hayami followed the pair to the café and sit behind them, while ordering some drinks, she listened to their conversations.
"So, how was your life, Ryuu?" The girl called Chiba by first name.
"Ryuu?" thought Hayami, her chest tightened. She had become more curious. "She said his given name...she must be his girlfriend..not that I care or anything." Thought Hayami loudly.
"Not much...just school and that, my grades went up though, how about you, Erika?" asked Chiba.
"Oh, it's same old, the last year is very fun, isn't it? I'm a part of a yearbook committee in school and i..." The girl explains to Chiba about her school organizations duties in the full year while Chiba just keep smiling at the girl, seemingly interested about what she was doing.
Chiba suddenly interrupted her school-work ramblings and reach for her phone.
"Hey, I need to text my friend for a second..." Chiba said as he reached for his phone and opens his LINE chat. The girl stopped her ramblings.
"Oh! Wait, let me take a look of your friends!" The girl quickly snatched the phone before the boy b noticing.
"Oh—hey!"
"Let's see..huh? Hayami Rinka.." The girl said out their stalker's name, which sat behind her directly.
Hayami winced and gave a cold sweat over hearing her name mentioned. It means Chiba wanted to text her now. She wonders what would Chiba text her for, but it seems she would hear an interesting conversation about her.
"Ryuu, who is this girl? Your girlfriend? You texted her frequently.." The girl asked the sniping expert before her.
"No. We are just friends...There's nothing going on between us." Chiba dryly explained, almost emotionless.
Hayami twitched. Friends.
"Did you really never consider we could be something more?" Somewhere deep inside, Hayami was hiding this secret thought. She would deny it as always, but for some reason, after hearing what Chiba said, her heart feels a little pain.
"Is this what we become despite what we have gone through?"
"Just friends? Really? You're the shy type, especially around girls, and you chat this much with her?" The girl asked again.
"We just have the same kind of...interest, so we frequently partnered. We never get anything beyond professional relationship, anyway." Chiba continued.
This time Hayami couldn't hold all of her emotions, in a rare instance, she actually sincerely feel a twinge of sadness. But she convinced herself that this is what she thought on their relationship. He was just a stupid partner in assassination nonsense they have gone through, no more. And he has someone already, so it's never going to happen.
Swallowing the thought, Hayami felt that it's bad for her to continue stalking them, so she left her desk and paid the bill quickly. Although what she does not know, Chiba actually noticed her, while looking at the cashier desk.
"Wasn't that Hayami?"
"Huh, what is it, Ryuu-nii?" The girl asked.
"That girl you talked about is right behind you all the time..." Chiba is confused now. So Hayami was stalking them the whole time. He wondered she might have misunderstand the situation. Of course, being with a girl, when you're normally a quiet person will make your friend curious about it.
"Oh? That Hayami Rinka? She was here? Where?" The girl stands and look for Chiba's sniping partner.
"She just left there, Erin." Chiba finally said the girl's name, which happens to be his relatives, a cousin, specifically.
"Oh! Ryuu, she was your classmate, right? You know, being with me and all, wouldn't that make her misunderstand us? I was grabbing your arm earlier...You'll be a hot gossip in class with this!" The girl panicked.
"Yeah, but Hayami isn't a sleazebag like that...i wonder why she looked so sad, though."
The girl, Erin, smirked.
"Mmhmm, hmm! You know what that meant, Ryuu-niichan!" Erin stared creepily at her cousin.
Chiba sighed, he knows what his extroverted (and sleazy) female cousin would say. To be fair, going out with Hayami had similar reaction from Nakamura and some others also.
"She likes you! She was jealous of us! I'm sure!"
"Not this thing again...i said we were just friends..." Chiba looked away, seemingly uninterested.
"Yeah, MAYBE you think that, but on her, tee hee! I think she fancies you, Ryuu! Oh, my big brother had grown from a mute hermit to a passionaite—"
"That's it. I'm leaving." Chiba stood up, not wanting to take this thing any longer, Erin panicked at hold his arm back down.
"Oh, come on, Ryuu-nii! I was just joking! Hey, let's go to the electronics after this! I just found this good MP3 player..."
"Fine, fine. Just spare me your banter, Erin."
In the street stores, Hayami walked aimlessly at the stands, her mood has turned sour after that conversation she overheard. She keep reminding that being partners is what she thought they were, but...it seems she had hoped they weren't just sparring partners and study groups.
Hayami decided to went back home. Who cares about that long-haired sniper moron anyway. No way she will grovel or cry over a boy. If that's what Chiba wanted, then she will be just like that. At least they will went on their separate ways, anyway. He told her that he would go to a school different than her. It'll just for a bit longer...When this year is over, she would never meet him again.
Just when she decided to go home, she saw Chiba and Erin again, walking out of the electronics shop. Hayami heard the girl saying goodbye, and to her shock, hugged him.
Now she felt like she couldn't take it anymore. She was just there, staring at them, while biting her lip to surpress her emotions. She wouldn't feel these negative thought for a stupid boy while denying a flare that almost let loose on her emotions. But, one way or another she found herself standing there, staring at them.
After the girl released the hug, she patted her cousin's shoulder.
"Ryuu-nii, thanks for today." Erin smiled brightly at Chiba. He smiled back and patted her head.
"Yes, good luck back in England, alright? I'll see you again." Erin turned and left Chiba, but not before teasing her big 'brother' the last time. "Oh, and good luck with Hayami Rinka, Ryuu! Invite me to your wedding, okay?" The girl screams enthusiastically. Chiba's mood suddenly turned ill thanks to her, what a sleazebag.
Chiba looked around, and much to his surprise, found Hayami, with a blank stare directed at him—or more likely the 'intimate' moment they shared together. Concerned, Chiba quickly went to his partner.
"Hayami, why are you here?" That question basically snapped Hayami out of her trance. Though she had to put a lot of effort to make her stalking tendencies hidden, so it wouldn't got awkward.
"...I'm just passing." Hayami said slowly.
Silence.
"Well, I just want to go back home, see you tomorrow." With that, Hayami quickly turn back to left her sniping partner alone. What she wanna do is to sleep out this bad day. Chiba quickly grabbed her arm. Hayami gasped.
"C-Chiba, what are you doing? L-let go!" commanded Hayami, though Chiba's face is firm, demanding her explanation.
"Wait a sec. Why are you staring at me like I'm some kind of ghost back there?"
In that sentence, Hayami knows running away would be futile.
"I'm just...shocked...so, that's your..lover, huh? Guess you're not the stoic Chiba I knew." Said Hayami, doing her best to not sound emotional and hide her true feelings.
"...So that's what." Chiba sighed. "No, Hayami, she is my cousin. We used to live at the same house before I move here, she had a scholarship in England."
"...You're hugging your cousin?"
"We are close, but no way I'm dating my own cousin, that's disgusting." Chiba said dryly.
Suddenly, Hayami felt a surge of relief. It was just a misunderstanding. "I-I see..." She stuttered. "I thought she was your girlfriend or something." Chiba fell into silence, the situation has become awkward for them until Chiba opens his mouth again.
"...You wanna go home right? Didn't we have to take a bus? Let's go." Chiba patted Hayami's shoulder and the two walked together. Chiba decided to ask Hayami about the things she done before.
"Hey, Hayami." Chiba called for the orange headed girl beside him.
Hayami looked at him, didn't answer, since she was drinking a canned juice at that moment.
"Are you jealous? With me and Erin back then?" Chiba boldly asked, which caused Hayami to spill her drink. Her face blushed a bit, since it hit the mark. Of course, the cool and calm Hayami will deny this thing as always.
"W-What are you saying, i-idiot?! W-why would I be jealous? I-It's not like we have something or like that?" Hayami stormed at her partner.
Chiba smiled. "I see...then, why would you sit behind Erin back at that café? Don't lie, I saw you."
With that comeback, Hayami suddenly got shocked again. She was caught red handed. Her face's blush has deepened considerably. She was thinking what excuse to use, no way she is going to say—She was spying on them out of jealousy!
"I-I..It's just a coincidence. I-I don't saw you back then." Hayami lied. "A-anyway." She said, changing the topic. "I-I'm not jealous! We don't have things going on like that, we're just friends, professional coworkers, nothing more." Answered Hayami, hiding her own thoughts.
"It's not like I had feelings for you or anything..." Finished Hayami, looking away to hide her blush.
"Friends and co-workers, huh? You sure, you never really thought we could be more than that?" Asked Chiba slowly, almost whispering.
"What?"
"No, nothing. By the way, did you get my chat?"
Hayami raised her eyebrow and opens her smartphone, she hadn't opened it—since she was full of thoughts back then. Hayami looked at her chat and found Chiba's message.
"...Cinema, just the two of us?" Hayami asked.
"What, you want others come? Or you want me to bring Erin?" Chiba said, half-teasing her.
"...No, it's alright. Just don't think i do this because I wanted it...it's just you already bought it, so it wouldn't be a waste."
Chiba smiled. He realized that his partner in assassination has her girly side after all. And she could be considered honest in her own way.
"Fine. Look, there's your bus. Go in."
"Oh, yeah..um.. see you tomorrow."
Chiba just nodded and smiled.
As she got in the bus and took a seat near the right window, she looked at her sniping partner waving lightly at her. With that, she smiled and mumbled something.
"Idiot..."
FIN
Well, there it goes. I hope Hayami is not too OOC here. Any Rate and Reviews are very appreciated. Cheerio!
