Chapter One: Walking Backwards

"Miyagi?…Miyagi-kun? Are you even listening to me?" Nabari spoke, his tone taking on the slightest bit of edge as he looked at the teenage student across from him.

Miyagi Yoh's dark eyes blinked a few times and he lifted his head back towards his teacher, his face as slate blank as always.

Seeing that he had at least some of the boy's attention again, for however briefly, the guidance counselor continued.

"Now Miyagi-kun, if we look at aptitude tests that you took three years ago in middle school, it shows that you are highly sensitive to academic content and also that you are more than capable of thinking logically and critically in terms of tests and school." Nabari drawled, flipping through the manila file. Even though the counselor knew he should be keeping eye contact with the student, he pretended to be looking at the papers as he talked. With any other student this had never been a problem, in fact, the stare treatment was usually an effective way of sizing them up. Seeing which ones looked away and which ones tried to visually fight back. It was a good method of judging temperament, as well as making sure they were paying him mind.

But with this one, it was different.

Miyagi Yoh.

It was a name that made his teachers' normally keen perceptions fade into the dull, as no one knew quite what to do with the name or the boy who bore it. Already he was in his last year of high school, and not one of his adult peers could figure him out, though many had theories.

Apathetic. Dull minded. Lazy. Just to name a few.

Even Nabari, having spent many an hour counseling (or trying to) the student had his own set of ideas about his inner tickings, but he was shrewd enough not to voice them in front of others. Mouthing off about students among your peers wasn't really a stellar idea when you were up for tenure.

But though Nabari would not have had the slightest bit of trouble staring and talking down his students to light a fire under their low scoring rears, he had found years ago that with Miyagi, he simply could not do it. And it was mostly because of the youth's dark eyes.

They were empty.

None of the normal emotions that swirled around in a senior's irises called home to this boy's sight. Not a twinge of determination, anger, fear, apprehension, or haughty pride could be seen. In fact, the counselor had privately wondered for years what he would find if a scalpel was taken to the boy's face. If his skin was slit open and his fleshy layers stripped away, what would he find? Would there be organs? Blood? A heart beating?

Or would he be stuffed with cotton and sawdust like a glass eyed doll? It would certainly explain why that unnerving, lifeless face of his never changed.

Shaking away the disturbing thought, Nabari continued, stealing brief glances at the youth's face as he spoke.

"The thing is Miyagi-kun, that since that test, your scores have not gotten better. In fact, they've gotten progressively worse in your three years here. They aren't horrible by any standard, you rank around the middle in your class, but they are so backward from the brilliance you showed that it worries me.

"Miyagi-kun, do you have any idea where you could end up in life with a high score like that? What kind of greatness you could achieve so naturally?" Nabari spoke, gesturing towards the window where fall leaves blew high in the wind.

But the dark marbles of Miyagi's eyes did not answer, and he replied one word in a monotone whisper.

"No."

Nabari sighed, folding the envelope shut and setting it on his desk. That plan had been a long shot anyways, and he wasn't surprised that it hadn't worked. In fact, if his theory was right, he really had an impossible amount of work cut out for him.

The thing was, Nabari knew for a fact that Miyagi was intelligent, and the fact that he never skipped class signified he wasn't lazy or defiant. No, this boy was different, a sort of diamond caked between layers of dirt and rough that would require monstrous amounts of unearthing.

Because if his hunch was right, Miyagi wasn't stupid.

He was just entirely and impossibly unmotivated.

And that was probably the most difficult problem the counselor and the boy's teachers could comprehend.

But still, even if the boy was a lost cause (he only had one year left after all), the determined nature that had made him a high school counselor made Nabari try one last thing. The studious man leaned forward against his desk, intertwining his fingers and giving Miyagi a slight smile.

"Miyagi-kun, let me ask you something."

The boy continued to stare in response.

"Miyagi-kun," Nabari murmured. "Do you enjoy school?"

Seeing the slightest furrow in the boy's prominent black brow, Nabari knew his thrown loop was starting to make the boy think. After all, considering the boy's demeanor and academic performance, it was a counterintuitive (stupid) question.

Nabari watched closely as Miyagi thought it over, then lifted his shoulders in a small shrug.

"…I don't know."

Seeing as how he hadn't given an affirmative "yes" or "no," Nabari gathered that his theory was more correct than he'd originally thought. And seeing as how this was an unusual case, he knew unusual advice would be in order.

The counselor gave a small sigh, leaning further towards the boy.

"Miyagi-kun," He said sincerely. "This is not something I usually tell the students, but in your case I find it appropriate. Have you ever considered the thought that…school should be fun?"

A few blinks served as a reply.

"You see Miyagi," He continued. "I know we teachers like to pound it into you that school is serious and that your futures are at stake, but it's also true that learning is a wonderful, enjoyable thing, and we can all traverse our daily paths with both respect and pleasure. Listen Miyagi-kun, is there anything that you enjoy? What do you like? What's the one thing that you get up for in the morning?"

Nabari watched hopefully as those dark eyes flickered briefly down to the floor in thought. But once they rose again, Miyagi only gave another noncommittal shrug and went back to blank.

Nabari gave a slight sigh, but he managed to smile at the boy.

"Well, I would encourage you to think about that as we start this new school year, all right? Now you better get over to your homeroom. Class will be starting shortly."

The youth reached down and picked up his school bag, giving a bow to the teacher as he walked out of the office.

But in spite of the hopeful air of their discussion, as Miyagi left both the student and counselor only felt like they were walking backwards yet again.


Hello readers, and here I am starting another fic :)

I know. Bad Flamingo. But hey, I just can't seem to resist those plot bunnies :)

This fic is going to be a bit different from my others since it's a tragedy and the ending is already known. But I hope to do a good job with this story, especially considering Miyagi is one of my most favorite characters in Junjou and I'm a huge Terrorist fan (though unfortunately dear Shinobu is not going to be in it. Sad face.)

Hope you are all enjoying! Drop me a line and let me know what you all like. I appreciate you all oh so much :)

Love,

TBF101