At the Edge of the World
Disclaimer: CCS is not mine.
Chapter Ten - Nadeshiko
"I have a piano recital on Friday."
Kinomoto Sensei is correcting homework in his usual fashion – staples out – making idle small talk between questions. I sit in a chair beside his desk, having been ousted from my usual role as assistant.
"You play? That's nice."
We have been meeting like this every week for the past three weeks - something I have begun to sincerely look forward to. It is quiet here on the third floor; nothing disturbs us. The calm sets my mind at ease, and wipes away all my worldly worries. I feel safe because this place somehow seems untouchable – a pocket existing outside the realm of reality. Nothing can reach us here, not even overdue assignments. It is the only secret I have ever kept from Sonomi and I don't know why.
"I'm a little nervous," I admit, embarrassed once again by this easy self-disclosure. "Supposing I make a mistake?"
Kinomoto Sensei looks up from his work and raises an eyebrow, his mouth twisting upwards a little sardonically. "Has that ever happened to you before?" he asks.
"Once," I reply, "when I was twelve - and once was enough. It was a bit of a disaster."
"I find that difficult to imagine."
"Oh, I'm terribly careless."
"Now that I have less trouble believing," he grins, pointing to a small pile of mangled staples with his pen. "It's a wonder these papers made it out in one piece."
"Sensei!" I exclaim, face as hot as a nikuman, "I did my best! Must you be so blunt? "
"It's more fun this way," he says, flashing a cheeky grin.
"Maybe for you!"
He chuckles good-humouredly. "Maybe."
Kinomoto Sensei stretches his arms above his head and forward over the desk with a soft groan of relief, working out the kinks in his neck and back. He removes his glasses, and I see that they have left imprints on the bridge of his nose. He pinches them between a thumb and forefinger, and runs the same hand over his head, ruffling his hair, which is soon disheveled. It looks like a crow's nest. The whole situation is simultaneously surreal and comical. Is this real life? I giggle.
"What's so funny, hm, Amamiya-san?"
He looks up, straight at me, and I can't draw my eyes away. The afternoon sunlight highlights his features and honey-brown hair, and his eyes are deep like a river and raging with -
"N-nothing," I say a little breathlessly. I have long-since forgotten what I was laughing about.
He frowns perplexedly, still smiling, and leans forward in his chair. He makes no move to replace his glasses, and does not look away. I forget to breathe as he stretches his fingers towards my face, brushing a strand of hair from the shallow dent beside my mouth. They linger a little longer than is necessary and they are soft and his eyes are full of questions and it's like time has stopped and then-
The bell rings and we jump back, startled.
I excuse myself and run like heck and don't look back.
Glossary
Nikuman - Steamed bun