10 (Isshiki & Jun's POV)

I had no idea what was truly going on.

Suddenly I was outside laying on the grass staring at the sky.

I lost time somewhere.

Wasn't I just inside eating dinner with Isshiki and Hayama?

What I was seeing when my eyes came back into focus, yes, it was the stars through the clouds.

I was on my back. I felt kind of wet too.

Ah, that's right, it's rainy season, and it was showering earlier in the evening.

That means... I'm laying on wet grass.

'Great.' Grass stains were not easy to clean out of clothing.

Where the hell was I? And what time was it?

Suddenly I felt a swoop of anxiety come over me. No control over my limits, that was what caused this. That was a reason why I quit drinking so long ago now. But there was a reason why I had no control over my limits back then, and that was the reason the last third of my high school days at Totsuki were so awful.

I hide that crap.

For the sake of everyone.

"JUN SENPAI!"

Where'd that voice come from?

"SENPAI!" It yelled loud again.

"Isshiki-Kun?" I said mellow. My voice was messy and his voice sounded echoed.

Echoed?

I hazily sat up.

I was in the forest.

"Oh."

So, I was here after all.

I never come down here.

The last time was just before I left for India, it was a way of parting ways with my old life that I had been living and moving into something better.

I scooted my knees in and shakily I stood, I didn't have my glasses. I didn't have horrible eyesight without them, but it still made it harder, my palm was spread on a tree. I felt the wet bark.

"Isshiki-Kun!" I managed to blurt out a bit louder.

"Senpai?" He was getting closer. "I can hear you! Where are you!?"

"Ovr'ere!"

The bushes parted and the light-haired brunette arose with a flashlight. "Why'd you run off?!"

"I dunno." I swirled. I really didn't know. Maybe somewhere my subconscious wanted to come back here?

I had every idea why I tried to stay away as much as I could though.

"You're drunk, that's why." He should of known. He didn't roll his eyes at her, or think of her as crazy. He'd never seen her drink, so he had no idea what she'd do. Some people did do this, they'd suddenly feel the need to bolt places.

None of them at Polar Star did, as he made sure all his dormmates were safe if they decided to hold a party in Marui's Room.

Always in Marui's room.

"Come'on." He put a hand on her back. "Oh! There's a small lake here." It was a pretty sight.

"Yeh."

He started walking her back. She was stumbly. "Watch your step, okay?"

"K."

This was the perfect opportunity. How this came to be. And without Hayama, now was a good time. He didn't want to dig for information, but somehow, he wanted to know things. Maybe it was because he was nosy, that was kind of part of it, but it was because he was also a good person.

He had been so curious about the choices Akira had been making.

Then... seeing him sitting on the couch with her the way that he was?

Hayama was aware that she was older.

So why did it seem that he had no care in the world to that?

He wanted to pry.

Maybe playing an advocate on both sides?

He was a sap.

At least Senpai was easier to get to open up than the one who was waiting on the porch up at the facility for them to come back (Isshiki had told him that he was too drunk to go meandering off into the forest with him. He was flat out surprised he even listened, as Hayama did have an attitude sometimes.)

"So. Shiomi." Isshiki was walking behind her, making sure she wouldn't fall as they stepped over bush after bush in the dark, weaving slow as Christmas between thick sections of trees. "You feelin' alright?"

"I guess."

"Have you drank a lot before?" He wanted to test how deep in her state she was still.

"Mhm."

"OH?!" Isshiki got a bit excitable.

'Oops.' No no. She wouldn't let him know information like that. She followed it up with a bland statement. "Adults drink on'occasion."

Too late though. He was too keen. "Y'know Hayama is waitin' up there." He cleared his throat pushing her along a little, just like his words were. Just nudging, only nudging. "He's worried."

"Yeh. Thatz'him." I bumbled. Hayama was always so concerned about everything. Me falling off schedule. My appointments and going to them on time. Watering the plants to make sure they don't die. He would even make me breakfast on the weekends.

The senior tried a different approach. "Haha!" He laughed suddenly, trying to play it right. "He's gotten so fit! I'm jealous!"

I said nothing.

Flashes of imagery came to my head. 'Oh boy. No.' Can't. Not right now!

The way he leaned back on the couch with his wet hair earlier, a look on his face that somehow he was watching me for some reason with those mint green eyes.

It was Jun's silence that spoke more than any word could to him. The light-brunette was even more suspicious now. "I mean, do you know what workouts he does, because geez!" The upperclassman rambled on.

I had no idea what workouts he did! I didn't even know he was doing them myself until tonight! Until tonight. The night that I couldn't take my eyes off of my own ward, to move them from his torso, his jeans, his face.

Tonight I know for sure. Hayama-Kun was no longer a boy, or even a teen. Yes, still in age, but the way he acted combined now with the body he possessed?

Any girl would fall to her knees to that tan face. Probably would beg if it wasn't for the fact that he was the 9th Seat.

"I mean does he have a girl or what?" Isshiki was playing it off laughing, while poking the sensei through the bushes. He wanted to know. Was Akira available? Was he dating someone? Depending on how Jun answered him, might spell what he was doing exactly tonight with her on the couch.

It wasn't a lot to be concerned about as he gathered a while back that he was protective over her, but he seen. And oh did he see! He'd stepped out to ask Shiomi Senpai a question about the recipe, but when he did, he looked over and she was laying on the tan man's right breast, and he had his arm across the back of the couch, around her, brushing back bangs, whispering into her hair by her ear.

Something snapped in Isshiki's mind.

He fucking liked her.

It was a guy thing. Guys could tell when others guys were crushing on a specific girl!

He could already gather up this unspoken feeling in Akira. What about Jun?

"No Hayama-Kun seems to'busy." Jun sniffed. "I'wish'he would." I honestly did want him to have a normal student life. To have more friends, even to date. It was hard with the new director being a total tyrant, but still. I had said back in the greenhouse with the holy basil plant that I didn't want the last happy image I had of him in my mind was when he was watering the lavender.

Isshiki knew then. Jun had no idea that Akira liked her. It was her tone, her innocent way of putting others above herself.

He smiled at it. She really was such a doll. A caring, genuine one.

Caring and genuine. Who makes Hayama laugh. Who makes a smile come to his face.

'Shit.' He trailed behind her.

He had to get these two together somehow.

He really was playing an advocate.

A devil's advocate, as this type of relationship would be bad if looked at under the microscope by Japanese society. Hayama was technically still a minor, a very very adult looking, studious minor, who people mistook as being much older, but still.

He was a lover, and not a fighter. Isshiki knew that about himself, and he could recognize when feelings were 'there'. It was why he wanted to be a pastor for overseas weddings.

Jun was feeling something, he just wasn't sure what.

But it was something.

He knew her too well. Her mind probably wouldn't even go there knowing her, as she was so concerned with being proper, cordial, and kosher with society. But when did Jun Senpai actually do anything for herself? Make any choices where she put how she felt first?

But it was that he just didn't know how she felt. He could place it from her words.

He'd be leaving soon.

He wondered what was going to happen after that.

Speaking of weddings.

He was 'marrying' these two in less than a month for practice. Suddenly he was entirely too engaged on wanting to go back to Polar Star to research.

As always gears were moving in his mind and he wanted the answers to his own questions.