"You should really come over to the pool!"
The heir scoffed, half-closing "Homo Ludens" and sliding carefully the silver marker into the book.
"Give me one reason why I should get myself into the water all of you already have swam into…" He made a disgusted grimace, as if to stress his point. "Like I would want to get in contact with your ADN in any way…"
The general indulgence at his reply, peppered with some good-natured laughs, was something he still had to get used to. It didn't feel bad at all. He didn't have to spend excessive energy in defending himself anymore, but he still lashed back, 'just because'. The title of Super High School Level Heir wasn't only for show: he had a reputation to uphold.
But no one felt bad about his defensive attitude. They didn't try to convince him, nor insisted too much. Deep down, Naegi thought, he wasn't as scary or cold, he only had been alone a long time and didn't know how to relate or react to affection.
Or did he…?
Fukawa wasn't into the pool either. She was eyeing the water timidly, as if she wanted to enter but didn't dare to. She had nodded all through the speech Togami just gave, her hands clamped around a closed vase that contained liquid. Now she walked uneasily towards the blonde, the vase shaking in her unsteady hands.
"Is there an earthquake in the making, or is it just you ?"
"So-s-s-sorry…" she mouthed, putting the vase in his hands and stepping back after he got it. "A-and I remembered how Byakuya-sama likes it…"
Without a word, Togami took the vase, opened the lid, sniffed it, put the lid back in and sipped the liquid. Off-handedly, as usual, he picked the camera Yamada had left on his towel, swept the whole scene in with a quick zoom, and after calibrating a bit, created a snapshot.
He did it so casually. So different to the contemptuous young lion who easily bared his fangs left and right. Yes, Naegi thought. He had come a long way out of his fortress. To think he would trust the nervous Fukawa enough… to take her frappe coffee without complaints.
Little did the sapling boy know that it wasn't just a matter of frappe…
It took her long to gather her courage.
The pool was now void, except for a solitary figure, and herself… but she wasn't anyone, she thought. She had been entranced at his long legs quietly sinking in the water as he sat in the edge of the pool. How she wished she had a nice body he would notice when he passed by her side… but then, wouldn't she just be someone she wasn't…?
"You really are annoying, standing there idly just staring at my back"
"Huh?!"
Fukawa jolted in place. Automatically, she recoiled… but even then, she couldn't fail to notice that Togami's voice wasn't telling her off.
Could it be… it sounded… inviting?
"Well? You are already here. Come over here or just leave." He motioned the edge of the pool, his eyes still fixed to the book.
Her knees gave way. Slowly, trembling with fear and joy, she walked towards him, twiddling one braid in her hands.
"You better take off those granny shoes and filthy socks of yours. If you mind them getting wet, that is".
Wondering how did it come so natural to her to obey him, she complied. Her heart thumps were deafening. Sitting next to him… being close to him… she wasn't ready… but he wanted her to… She slouched her body so that she hugged her knees, bare feet grabbing the edge of the pool
"Tsk. Just get your feet in. I know you were dying to earlier. No one is looking now, though"
Except from you, Byakuya-sama…
"H-how is it? C-cold water just isn't… m-my thing. I might-catch a-cold"
"Tiepid" He huffed. "As if I would get my feet in cold water…"
Fukawa then stretched slightly, dipping her toes into the water. Togami was right. It was pleasantly warm.
His eyes had remained fixed in the book during that short exchange. But then, suddenly, he slid the silver bookmark into the page he was reading, left the book aside and turned his regal stare to the Super High School Level Writer.
Somewhat awkwardly, he placed his hand on top of hers and passed his fingertips from tip to wrist. Fukawa's throat constricted, no sound came from it. His other hand reached towards her neck, and the bespectacled girl thought it would be a wonderful way to die.
Yet he didn't throttle her. He merely ran his fingertips, collarbone to jawline, just the way he did with her hand. His touch was slow, polite, like the way a doctor examined a patient. There was nothing demanding in the gesture, yet the authority that seeped from him was as strong as usual. Nor was there anything like the electric feeling of someone experienced to have his way with women. He didn't look patronizing, kinky, lusty or mocking. He just looked curious.
In his world, women were prizes, executive assistants or part of the decor. They were raised to convey the glances, sound confident, act and move like supermodels on a catwalk. Nothing like the way Fukawa behaved herself. Accustomed to eye people through his personal microscope, in the past months he had been intrigued about that little exoplanet that whirled round his orbit just like a crazy comet.
She didn't behave as the many female exoplanets that dared enter his magnetic field. Her patron of movement was… different. He still remembered how hurt she had felt when he approached her and asked her what was the price of leaving him alone. Opening his checkbook, he hissed through clenched teeth:
"Don't just gawp at me like a dead fish. Name it. I will pay whatever the sum, the sooner the better… I just can't stand your sick antics"
" I'm… a nobody… I'm pathetic… disgraceful… but I'm not… a gold digger…"
He was astounded at the tears that welled into her eyes.
"D-do whatever you please. Kick me. Stab me. Tell me I'm rotten, filthy, stinky, unworthy of your eyes. Hung me from the wrists. I w-wont protest or fight back… J-just don't a-a-a-ask me t-t-to leave your side." She swallowed hard. "You-you are everything to m-me. Walking behind you… is my r-road home… Please d-d-don't leave me without a place to go… I'd rather kill myself."
For once, he was left speechless.
She rejected the money?
She was offering herself as a scapegoat to vent his frustrations, without asking anything in exchange?
"Tsk". He put the checkbook away. "Suit yourself, then. But why do you ever… react like that. There are lots of things you could use the money for…"
"It's Byakuya-sama's money. Of course I wouldn't expend it… I-it's not that I'm penniless… I have my own money from my books publisher… It's just – she bit her lip – following you gives meaning to my s-sorry existence. I don't ask for much. Just… let me walk behind you, and use me as you see fit..."
Well, if it wasn't a masochist to his sadist. Basically, he could do whatever he pleased with her… And he had decided to conduct a short test, for there was another side he wasn't feeling like he wanted around...
There were the results.
Fukawa was trembling of joy, blushing like a field of poppies, ecstasy all over her face. Her big eyes gleamed, incredulous and blissful, just like a stray puppy that received a pat on the head. Why he, of all people… had decided to give her so much happiness?
Yes, he concluded, she was dead serious. He had performed a move that could be interpreted as an attempt to strangle her, and she didn't even flinch. She would gladly give in to whatever he did to her.
Fukawa always looked so sheepish and self-pitiful, so different from any other female he had ever known, that a strange sensation started creeping through his guts. He didn't know that the will to protect someone felt like a knotted gut.
He couldn't help being mean to her in front of the others. That, to him, came natural. But only half of it was because he felt like saying something rude. The other half was him keeping his distance, sparing her the spotlight, putting a gap of safety between both and the deriding, judging, name-calling outer world.
But in private, he could stop being defensive. There was no danger of looking like an odd couple. Besides, he had no idea she could look appealing when she wasn't grimacing in fear, disgust or self-pity.
The braid-haired girl let out a soft, nervous giggle, as Togami held her jaw carefully, like an archeologist would treat a precious relic. Totally serious, but devoid of his naturally snappy attitude, he moved his face closer to hers…
And then, fate decided to step in.
In an attempt to move towards him, Fukawa forgot her feet were submerged in the pool. She put her wet plants on the ceramic edge of the pool to bring herself closer to him slipping as a result, her hand sliding past his surprised attempt to grip her. She lost her balance and with a panicked yelp, plunged into the water.
Togami leapt up, shocked. He stood for a couple of seconds in confusion, cursing at himself for making her so nervous. He was still in his gym clothes, while Fukawa was fully dressed. With water, the fuku would become heavier. No matter how good a swimmer she was – and certainly she was no Asahina – she would have it hard to swim up. She could - drown.
"Kuh… looks like I have no choice…"
He gritted his teeth, staring at the bottom of the pool, and jumped into the water.
Whirlwinds of water seemed to have held Touko Fukawa underwater. Her long, soaked braids and her wet fuku were holding her down. Where did her glasses disappear to?
No doubt. She was going to drown. Togami was not going to care either. Silly girl who can't even move properly…
Her chest constricted by panic and lack of air, she opened her eyes. And then she blinked.
Was it… was it not… was she close to death and daydreaming?
A face she knew very well was approaching her into the water, one hand holding his glasses from slipping, the other stretched towards her. His arm snatched her waist, his glasses safely in his mouth, Togami swam up with all his might, praying to his family gods to have enough strength to pull them both up.
When, after what seemed an eternity, their heads raised above the surface, they stared into each other's eyes. Fukawa was blushing, not meeting his eyes. Togami was panting, glasses still in his mouth. There was a faint dread in his eyes, as when someone just barely saved something precious. He tightened his grip on her waist. She felt so grateful, but couldn't help to notice he was exhausted.
"I-it's okay. Don't strain y-yourself anymore…"
In silence, he swam her – better, pushed her - towards the pool stairs, waited until she pulled herself gingerly up, and gave her his glasses. She sat, barricading herself behind her knees, near, but not by, the edge of the pool.
"Your… glasses…"
Fukawa gave a gasp of surprise. Togami was still breathing heavily, holding to the stairs, his hand outstretched towards her.
Oh no. No,no, no, no, no.
"You can't… are you serious? You – got that problem in your heart the other day…"
The reply came between gasps.
"My heart is fine – this is - nothing I haven't done before…It's not that I don't know- what being without-glasses- feels like…"
"I-it's okay… I'm fine… please… get out of the water…"
"Don't you dare – move from there – will be quick"
His voice had, again, become commanding. Fukawa wanted to stop him, but under his no-nonsense stare, she ended up giving him his wet glasses instead.
He inbreathed deep a couple of times, turning so that he stood with his heels on the stairs. Grasping the stairs with one hand, the other holding his glasses in place, he made a gracious short dive and plunged into the water once more.
Not too quick for him not to be able to hear Fukawa's cry.
"Byakuya… don't!"
That was why.
That was why he kept testing himself, defying his limits, pushing himself forward.
He had learned to model his own life in ways that others deemed obsessive.
Whenever there was something he felt he didn't excel at, he didn't voice it, but made silent calculations on whether he would try to get better or just deceive others to think he was great at it.
Although he was far above average in speed and swiftness, could dance, run, jump, play sports and the like, he was not entirely confident in his body strength. Lifting weight and carrying objects were not subjects of his heir-modeling training.
Carrying a body, though hers was similar in complexion to his, had left him slightly exhausted. Not to mention Fukawa's damp fuku and his own clothes.
He couldn't help but remember the heir exam and the coins at the bottom of the pool.
And the blonde heir, knowing he wasn't seen, found himself smiling, his hand holding his glasses to his face, as he dived and reached for the round glasses he was, now, so familiar with.
Coins… So petty.
He would have gone gladly to the bottom of that pool for a certain pair of glasses…
When he emerged, her glasses in his hands, he was still panting, but very lightly. He climbed the stairs quite nimbly, tilting his head back to brush away the excess water, while holding Fukawa's glasses out for her.
Just as the princes in her novels. Just as the chivalrous warriors in ivory armor.
Now that was someone she could entrust her heart to…
Not much more was spoken between the two. He went to the storeroom and picked two sweatshirts with two sets of towels. Wrapping her in a towel, he motioned her to the girls changing room. Both left fully changed towards the cafeteria, waited for the coffee pot to boil, took their mugs in a near silence. Just their eyes sometimes met, and they immediately lowered them, smiling like naughty children.
What a big, big ice break had just happened. Just in a silent pact, no one said a word to the outer world. She continued to play the lovesick unrequited, he the bashful loner.
And since that very day, whenever Togami passed by Fukawa, without giving her a second glance, she could be heard cooing softly in his direction: "Morning, my White Knight!"
His reply was a seemingly annoyed grunt. But deep in his chest, he was smug to no end.
Since that day, he didn't take his doubts about his physical endurance seriously anymore.
She believed him to be strong enough to be her knight.
And that's what mattered, in the end.
