Chapter 9
Tsukimori's Frustrations
"Yu-Yunoki-sama, would you like more tea?"
Azuma turned towards the blushing girl standing beside him. "No, I'm fine, thank you."
"Is there… is there anything else you want?" The girl asked, stuttering.
Azuma shook his head and smiled.
"O-okay, um, I'll be going now, Yunoki-sama." The girl bowed and went off somewhere.
Azuma relaxed back in the bench and saw Kazuki suddenly come running towards him.
"Yunoki!!"
"What's the matter, Hihara?" Azuma asked with a calm smile.
"Look at this!" Kazuki held out his cell phone for Azuma to see.
"Hmm?" Azuma leaned in to read the text message.
Hanami Raily, new participant of the concours, got expelled from her old school in an unknown province for improper conduct. Just yesterday, she threatened the life of one of the students in her class. How can we let her, a disgrace to the music department, participate in the school's musical concours?!
Azuma lost the usual smile in his face almost instantly as he looked up at Hihara in surprise.
"There are many more texts like these. All of them are bad stuff about Raily-chan!"
Kazuki showed him the other texts. One was about her not being able to read notes, the other one about bribing the principal to get into the concours, the other one about using Yunoki.
Azuma frowned. "Who sent these to you?"
"It's from an unknown sender. I think that the whole Music Department has received texts like these! Maybe you have them too,"
Azuma took out his phone and turned it on. Undeniably, he received the very same texts that Kazuki had.
"How could they say that about Raily-chan?" Kazuki cried out. "That's just too mean!"
Raily. She's taking too long to get her lunch. Azuma quickly got up from his chair and walked hastily towards the inside of the cafeteria.
"Hey, Yunoki, where are you going?" Kazuki hurried after him.
Azuma had just stepped inside the cafeteria when he was instantly surrounded by girls. Gritting his teeth in frustration and anxiety, he pushed the girls aside causing multitudes of gasps as he looked around for Raily. Where is she? She's not here!
"Yunoki-sama! Is there something wrong?" The girls whined in their high-pitched voices.
Warning bells started ringing in Azuma's head as he worried about where Raily could be right now. The irking noise coming from those girls didn't make the panic in his head get any better. "Everybody shut up!"
There was silence in the whole cafeteria as everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at an outraged Azuma. Even Kazuki was shocked by this.
"You." Azuma pointed to the blonde Mira-like senior girl who he knew was the supposed "president" of the Yunoki fan club/bodyguards/obsessed freaks. "Where is Hanami Raily?"
The girl swallowed deeply before shrugging her shoulders. "I do not know where she is, Yunoki-sama,"
Azuma's cool eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "I will ask again. Where did you bring her?"
The girl, more scared than ever, fought the urge to run and hide. "But- but Yunoki-sama! We did nothing wrong! We just… we just protected you from her evil schemes!" She cried out to her defense.
"Just tell us where Raily-chan is, Tatsuko." Kazuki said in a firm voice.
The helpless girl, Tatsuko, looked frantically at the girls behind her and then towards Azuma. "I don't know where she is. She just ran away."
Angrily, Azuma glared at all of them. "If something happens to Raily, I swear I'm going to wring each of your skinny little necks until I hear them snap, do you hear me?" He turned and walked brusquely out of the cafeteria doors.
Kazuki was about to follow him when someone called him from behind.
"K-kazuki-sempai!"
Turning around, Kazuki saw Shouko and noticed how her eyes were filled with concern.
"I... I saw Ha-hanami-san," Shouko stuttered.
Kazuki straightened up. "Where?"
Trying to stop her stuttering, she said quickly. "I- I was walking in the corridor whe-when she ran past me-"
"She did? Did you know where she went?" Kazuki interrupted, suddenly alert.
"I called her name but-but she just continued running…" Shouko said. "She was r-running towards the school gates."
"What?" Kazuki's eyes widen. "But she doesn't know her way around here! I have to tell Yunoki!" He had turned towards the doors when he looked back at Shouko and hollered his thanks.
"I hope Hanami-san will be alright," Shouko said softly. She too had also been a victim of the bullies in the music department and yesterday when she was walking towards her classroom she witnessed for the first time someone standing up against those mean girls. At that moment she felt encouraged and wanted to be more like Raily. She really didn't want Raily to lose now.
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As soon as Kazuki told Azuma about the news that Raily had already left the school premises, Azuma quickly took out his phone and called his father.
"What is it, Azuma? I'm busy right now." Takashi said in a gruff voice.
"Otou-sama," Azuma said urgently into the phone. "Raily has gone missing."
"What?" Came his father's reply.
"Someone saw her leave the school. We're worried she might get lost." Azuma said.
"Alright. I'll have my men around looking for her. You stay in school in case she comes back."
"Hai, Otou-sama." Azuma hang up the phone and held on to the railings, looking across the school gates. He and Kazuki were up the roof, trying to see if they could catch a glimpse of dark hair running below. There was no such luck.
Letting out a rugged sigh, Azuma tightened his grip on the railings.
"Don't worry, Yunoki. Your father's men will find her. She'll be okay." Kazuki said comfortingly.
Azuma nodded slightly but didn't say anything. He felt so bad right now. Partly because he knew it was his fault that she was suffering like this. If only his stupid fan girls weren't such irritating bitches. And though he tried to deny it, he was also worried sick. The city was big and Raily had not been properly guided around yet. And to add to that, Raily had just been hurt. Severely, it would seem. Who knows now what she would do at a time like this.
Those thoughts were running around Azuma's head when the door to the roof suddenly creaked open and Len emerged.
"Tsukimori?" Kazuki asked, incredulous. "What are you doing here?"
"She left, didn't she?" Len tossed two packs of bread towards Kazuki and Azuma, leaving one for himself in his hand.
Both of them were shocked that he knew about Raily, but probably even more shocked that Len even had the graciousness to bring them food to eat.
Azuma looked down at the piece of bread and cursed. Raily must not have eaten yet. Did she bring any money with her to buy food?
"She's not alone," Len muttered.
"Eh?" Azuma and Kazuki looked at him.
Len sighed. "I saw that camera girl run after her."
"Camera girl… you mean the photographer Nami Amou?" Kazuki filled in.
"Yes, Amou-san."
"She's with Raily?" Azuma asked again to make sure.
Len nodded.
"Thank God," Azuma sighed as he was filled with a sudden surge of relief that at least Raily wasn't alone out there.
"But how did you know, Tsukimori?" Kazuki asked. "Fuyuumi-chan also saw Raily running but she didn't mention seeing Amou."
Len shrugged. "Maybe she didn't see Amou-san."
"Well, whatever. At least in that way she's safer, right Yunoki?" Kazuki put his arm around Azuma jubilantly. "See, everything's gonna be fine!"
Azuma gave a small smile. "I hope so."
Sitting down at one of the benches, Len opened the plastic of his bun and took a bite. Kazuki sat down beside him and opened his lunch as well.
"You're not going back down?" He asked, nudging Len in the side.
Len glanced up and wrinkled his nose. "It's too noisy. After what Yunoki-senpai did, things got a little too wild for my taste."
Kazuki chuckled at that. "Is there even anything that has ever been at par with your taste?"
Len glared at him and Kazuki quickly tried to change course, remembering the food he brought for them.
"Actually I was blown away there too, Yunoki." Kazuki said instead.
"I admit I lost control," Azuma sighed and opened up his bread. "It's just that they went overboard this time. I couldn't stop myself anymore."
"Are you kidding? That was the most brilliant Yunoki I've ever seen!" Kazuki exclaimed as he bit into the soft bread.
"Really now?" Azuma chortled. "It did feel strange, but somehow… also a bit fulfilling."
Kazuki shivered, remembering the neck-snapping threat Azuma used earlier.
"You've been holding it in for too long," Len supplied. "Your step-sister on the other hand, she's been aggressive a little too much for her own good."
"Really, is that what you think?" Azuma asked, a bit amused.
Why did I just say that? Len grimaced. Damnit, he was Tsukimori Len. He wasn't supposed to care.
"I think that Hanami-chan was only defending herself," Kazuki commented. "I don't think she's so bad."
"No, she's not bad, she's just- I'm sorry to say this Yunoki-senpai- but she's stupid. She needs to learn to walk away," Len then instantly shut his mouth when he realized what he had just said out loud. Again, why am I saying this nonsense?!
"Is that so?" Azuma was definitely gaining a lot of insights from this.
"Yes. It's quite obvious that she wouldn't have gotten into all of that trouble if she had only just stayed quiet. If she had done that, she would not have been the new plaything of those distasteful, jealous, conceited girls- if that's what you even call them." Len realized that the tone in his voice was nothing but venomous and he found it weird why he just suddenly couldn't control his mouth anymore. Why won't I- why CAN'T I SHUT UP?
"And you are affected by this, yes?" Azuma asked, calmly.
Yes. "Of course not, I was merely stating the fact that talented people should just steer away from worthless, jealous, pretentious classmates."
"Oh, I suppose Raily is one of those 'talented people'?" Azuma nodded knowingly.
Yes. "I was speaking in terms of the whole population of the music department, Yunoki-senpai." Len tried to do a little chant to remind him what kind of person he's supposed to be. I am cold. I am Tsukimori Len. I am a child prodigy and I am cold. I am bitter. I am uncaring. I do not care. Shit. I have got to get out of here.
Before he had a chance to stand up and leave, Kazuki laid down a heavy question that made Len freeze in place.
"The seniors… they didn't start this, did they?" Kazuki asked.
Len glanced at him. "No," he said finally. "It started in class."
"I think you should tell the story from the start, Tsukimori-kun." Azuma sat in the bench across them and listened as Len somehow hesitantly narrated what had happened starting from yesterday.
Maybe after I tell Hanami's story I can finally stop caring. It's none of my business. Remember. I am cold, bitter, uncaring. Damn, this chant does not work at all.
End of Chapter 9
Heeey,
So how was it? I was afraid that I have made it too emo or something, so please Review and tell me what you think of this chapter.
I tried my best... lol Hoped you like it! :)
-Katelyn
