It was a frightening thing… feeling as though you're being followed, and Hisoka sure wasn't enjoying it. For the next couple of days, he was on his guard. When he walked to school with his classmates, or around town, he felt uneasy. The others told him he was just being paranoid, but something in Hisoka told him differently. That man from before… the one who said knew him… was he telling the truth?
He looked like a crazy businessman or something. Could he be dangerous? Hisoka didn't know the answer for sure, but he couldn't deny a certain feeling he got whenever he felt he was being followed, like when the brunette first approached him. It must have been the same person stalking him.
About midday, Hisoka and his classmates, Tori and Sam were walking with him up the road to a café when the feeling came back. Hisoka stopped and hissed in pain, grabbing his head. The other boys noticed this, and ran to his side. Hisoka's head injury often caused a reaction like this, but this time it was different, for from the corner of his slimmed eyes, Hisoka saw him. Tsuzuki was standing a few meters away, just behind a corner. Hisoka weakly lifted his hand and pointed to him, alerting the other kids, but though he was standing right in plain sight, the boys didn't know what he was pointing at. In the end, they had to help him to his feet, back to his temporary home and straight to bed.
When he awoke the next morning, his head no longer hurt, but he was very confused, and felt so alone. He stayed lying there in bed staring at the unfamiliar ceiling for a long time, unsure of what to do, or how to tackle his predicament. Once he had realized he didn't know who he was, he was unusually calm… He searched all he could for a clue about himself, but he wasn't in any hurry to know. But now that he had a clue, even if it was strange, he was desperate. He wanted to know… he HAD to know! Who was he? Who was the other man? And… how did all of this come to pass?
The walk to school was quieter than normal. His classmates were their normal talkative selves, but Hisoka never said a word. Usually, he would add something to a conversation about school or food, but not that morning. Maybe it was the uneasiness… but this was not like before, as he did not feel like he was being followed. And yet, for some reason, his anxiety was even greater than ever. No… could it be…? Could his uneasiness have been coming, not from being followed, but from a fear that his follower would disappear? No! It was absolutely absurd, he thought! Why did he even care about that strange man!
Hisoka hadn't even noticed he's sped up his pace and left his classmates far behind him. He just wanted to get to school and back without any troubles. He made it to the building, past the security checkpoints, up the single flight of stairs to his homeroom, and he thought he was in the clear. But no… he was wrong. With a gasp, Hisoka dropped his books, and the teacher looked over at him, as did some of the early-arriving students.
"Mm? Oh… good morning, young man!"
"Y-you…?"
Tsuzuki blinked at his clueless partner. However, as expected, the boy's confusion turned to anger as he picked up his books and stomped over to him.
"What the hell are YOU doing here?! I thought I told you to go away! Do I have to call the cops!"
"W-what? I don't understand what you mean!" Tsuzuki replied, putting his hands up in his defense.
"You! You…you…. You stalker!"
"Stalker? ME?"
Some of the students suddenly gasped, and both boys looked at them, embarrassed. At that time, the class advisor, a boy named Nathan, rose from his seat.
"I think you've gotten mixed up again, kid… he's the new substitute teacher!"
"WHAT!" Hisoka's eyes just about popped out of his head.
"Yeah, didn't you hear about it? We sent out a newsletter the other day… remember?"
But Hisoka wasn't listening anymore. He just kept spacing out… his head was also starting to hurt. Before he knew it, he had started to tip over, but was quickly and lightly caught by the person he least expected.
"Oh my… you don't look so well. Have you been sleeping?"
"…W-wha..?"
Tsuzuki smiled.
"Let me take you to the infirmary… okay? Class, please review your notes from yesterday until I return! Nathan I'm putting you in charge!"
"Yes, sir!"
With that, Tsuzuki nearly drug Hisoka out into the hall. at first, Hisoka didn't resist, being too stunned to react at all, but eventually, what was happening began to register, and the panic set in. someone he didn't know, and didn't trust, had a firm hold of him, and he was being pulled along down an empty hallway. Almost desperately, Hisoka reached out and try to pry his hand free from his captor, clawing away at the offending appendage in the process. Despite his fear, he could not find his voice and thus could not yell for help. Quite embarrassingly, his voice cam out as a quiet whimper.
"L-let me go… please! Please, don't hurt me, whoever you are!"
"…"
"Please… please, please, PLEASE!!"
And just like that, a sudden bolt of energy, or something like it, struck the tiny, tiny space in-between their hands, and Tsuzuki let go in shock. Hisoka was then left feeling weaker, and helpless… He was confused by what had just happened, and as to why his hand was smoking. All he could do was walk back, but he hit a wall, and before he knew it, Tsuzuki was in front of him again. Again, Hisoka tried to beg for his safety, and Tsuzuki came up close to him, not saying a word. A large hand reached out, and Hisoka did the only thing he could… shut his eyes. He shut them so tightly, his head began to hurt, but for the longest time, the attack he expected to come never did. Just then, after an eternity and a half had passed, Hisoka felt a small bit of weight at the top of his head. Feeling nothing more, and sensing no malice, his eyes snapped open, and he looked into warm amethyst eyes.
"Hisoka… I could never hurt you. Never in a million years…! I swear it."
"You…. You're not going to hurt me…?
Tsuzuki shook his head. At that moment, Hisoka was filled with a rush of relief. He was no longer afraid… but for some reason, he felt something else… like a tiring frustration. But why would he feel that? It's not like he's had to deal with that idiot for very long! …Right?
It was finally time, he decided, to admit he had no idea what was what anymore. He didn't know his own identity, or who this strange man was, or what was going on. But, that was no place for questions and answers, as the other classes would be letting out soon.
"Hisoka?"
The sandy blonde looked up, a little startled by the sound of his name. It really rolled off the tongue, didn't it?
"Um… what is it?"
"Why… do you still wear a bandage on your head?"
"Eh?" What a stupid question, he thought.
"It's because I suffered a major head injury! Hence the amnesia, remember?"
"Well, yes, but…"
But…?
"That would have healed days ago…!"
That was a shocker. What kind of person did he think he was?! Humans couldn't heal that quickly… so then, what was the deal? Maybe he was joking… but that confused expression didn't make sense. What was going on? Before any of those questions could be answered, the class bell rang, and the hall would almost be filled. But, then, Tsuzuki put on a smile, and walked past him. Just as he reached him, Hisoka heard his voice.
"I'm sure you're very confused, and don't want to listen to someone like me… but I'm asking for your trust. Check your wounds when you get home, and if you still want to hear me out after that, meet me in the park after nightfall."
And then he was walking away. Before he could get too far, Hisoka also swung around and yelled through the crowd to him.
"W-wait! You're name…!"
"It's Tsuzuki…" He said, turning only slightly to smile even more brightly. And then he was gone, almost as if he had never been there to begin with. Like… some sort of ghost.
