Later this week, expect a long oneshot about Koro-sensei (requested by the lovely Shiranai Atsune), and this weekend expect another long oneshot about Nakamura's life in America (and yet another one about Nagisa and Gakushuu later this month). I was hoping to get the first one out this past weekend, but I had a really rough weekend and wasn't able to finish it. My cat died after over a month of serious illness (hence why an entire chapter of this fic derailed to be about cats) and that really left me without inspiration or energy. Nonetheless, I was able to get this done today.
True to Nagisa's prediction, Hiromi did not come back for the rest of the night. Nagisa's father stayed with Nagisa and Akari for a few hours, excited about his grandchild (at least it seemed like it), but then soon left to tend to his wife. The rest of the weekend went by in a mess of rain and thunder.
The next week arrived, and Nagisa had three missions: Talk to Principal Akino, talk to Narayama, and potentially figure out what the Banno house party incident was and how to resolve any issues it created. The moment he walked into class, he was ambushed by all twelve teenagers waving notebooks as weapons. He quickly ducked back outside the door, and his students did not pursue- they knew that the assassination was for the classroom only. They just stood outside the door like seagulls waiting for a beach-goer to drop their food. Nagisa went outside and climbed the tree to enter the window of the classroom. And with that, Class 3-5 just seemed to give up for the day.
The petite teacher made his way to the Principal's office at lunchtime, leaving the students to their own devices (against his better judgment). He knocked on the open to grab his boss's attention. "Principal Akino?"
He turned his brown eyes to Nagisa. It really did remind him of speaking to Principal Asano. "Yes? How is your class doing?"
"Um, well..." Nagisa felt intimidated for a minute, but then reminded himself he was part of a class who took down the world's most prolific assassin. "We were thinking, since we missed out on the opportunity you gave us, we considered doing a fundraiser to raise money for repairs."
Akino was clearly intrigued. "Doing what?"
"Selling art that they made in the past few years."
Akino narrowed his eyes. He placed his hand on a snow globe on his desk, and shook it. The 'snow' fluttered around. "Hmm... Well, the art made by students technically does not belong to the school, so as long as you can get them from Narayama, I'm powerless to say no. And for that matter, I'm okay with you using whatever money you and your students have to do what you want to the room."
Nagisa breathed a sigh of relief. His blue hair settled.
"That being said, you can only do fundraisers on school grounds with my express permission." He spun around 360 degrees on his swivel chair. "And I don't permit."
Nagisa almost gasped. He stood there, internally debating what to say. "Then, what-"
"I will not give you permission to collect money on school grounds for this purpose." The principal grinned a bit.
An idea came to the student teacher, unbidden. On school property. He can't stop me if I sell it down the street, or even five feet outside the property line... Nagisa felt a grin forming on his face as well.
The next step was to convince Narayama to give up the students' old paintings. Nagisa didn't know what to expect. He had never met the guy, even though he'd met pretty much all the staff in this high school. And when he asked his class for their opinions of him, the only answer he got was "weird". With a dramatic sigh, he walked to the art room after school. He managed to get there before Narayama locked it up, and was greeted with a middle-aged face that reflected almost anger that he was bothered at this time of day.
"Hello?" Nagisa bowed. "Nagisa Shiota. I'm new here. I teach Class 3-5-"
"You poor summer child." Narayama replied dryly.
"Er, thanks. Anyways, my class was wondering if they could have back all the paintings that they've done over the years. We want to put them in an exhibition of sorts. Since they're not allowed in the upcoming art show and all." Nagisa stretched the truth, since he wasn't sure how this guy would react. "And we already got the okay from Principal Akino."
Narayama thought for a moment. Nagisa noticed that he was limping a bit, and there was a scar on his left cheek and he walked with a slight limp. "Fine. They're all in the storage room. Back left corner. Here are the keys." He shoved them in Nagisa's hands, then walked off towards the front of the school.
As Nagisa walked towards the storage room, Narayama's voice caught his attention. He sounded like he was back in his room- and Nagisa knew that other voice. Nakagawa. Deciding once again to eavesdrop, he pressed his ear against the wall.
"After everything you've done, you have the nerve to show up here again?" Narayama's raspy voice sneered.
"Dude, nothing personal. You were collateral damage."
"I'm not accepting that as an excuse. Bastard."
"I've come to... Make amends, in a way." Of course, Nakagawa's voice was as smooth as honey.
"Wh-what?" Nagisa wished he could see what was happening in the art room. He looked around for a hole in the wall, but there seemed to be none.
"If you say nothing at all, all this can be yours. And I have connections. I can get you whatever you want."
There was dead silence for about thirty seconds, then the sound of shoes hitting the floor. Nagisa shifted to a place where he wouldn't be seen by either party.
The footsteps stopped abruptly. "Hey, it's weird that Haruna Mase hasn't been doing anything recently, am I right? She's 'on hiatus'." Nagisa felt his heart stop at the English teacher's words.
"S-something about medical leave."
"But for what? She's twenty-one. What could she possibly have..." Nakagawa's footsteps continued and echoed down the hall.
Nagisa panicked, stuck the key in his pocket, made a mental note to bring the students to the storage room tomorrow to get their art, and took the long route home.
Now it was time to initiate phase three of this week. Uncovering "the incident". Nagisa thought his best bet for an inside source would be either Kasegawa or Toshima, both of whom had opened up to him in the past. He assigned Kasegawa cleaning duty on Wednesday. He also started a countdown til finals. The board read June 21st. Thirty days til midterms.
"So, Kasegawa?" The short teacher turned toward the delinquent.
"Hmm?" She didn't turn from the desk she was cleaning.
He tried to tread lightly, but decided to abandon caution. "I heard about an incident at a party thrown by Banno."
"You're not getting it out of me." She brushed the two chalkboard erasers together, sending white dust floating everywhere in a cloud. "Go home to your knocked up girlfriend." She left without looking back, careful to take her key with her.
Nagisa was left coughing in the classroom. She has a point. Maybe this is really none of my business.
Nagisa arrived home earlier than usual that day. After stopping at the bakery to pick up half a dozen cinnamon rolls (Akari had texted him requesting that her cravings be satisfied), he entered the flat and slipped his shoes off. He took a glance at the altar, where incense was burning for Koro-sensei and Aguri. He had been praying to them a lot recently. It might be time to visit their resting place...
"Hey Akari?"
"Nagisa!" She ran to the door and hugged him. "What is it you need?"
"I just had an idea. What do you think about going up to the old 3-E building?"
The old 3-E building was not run down at all, like one might expect of a school that hasn't been occupied for seven years. Instead, it was quite well maintained thanks to the E Class alumni who frequently visited and did housekeeping. The summer heat had already built up in it. "Tadaima," Nagisa announced, entering the building. Akari followed, careful to watch her step. She pulled out a paper fan.
Nagisa got started sweeping the floor, but there was no dirt to be found. He tried dusting, but there was no dust either. It really did seem like their two teachers still lived here. Unsure of what else to do, he sat down in his old desk. He even still fit in it. Frown.
Nagisa shut his eyes and meditated. Knowing Koro-sensei was here, and that he knew the answer to the predicament with his students.