"You what."
"I went to outer space to infiltrate an international space research station, threatened the American team with a fake bomb, somehow developed a crush on my classmate, got the data needed to save Korosensei, placed one of Usagi's USB keys that'll allow him immediate access and control over the system of the entire station, before finally returning to Earth safe and sound. You're welcome, really."
Hana pinched the bridge of her nose, visibly struggling to refrain herself from strangling her protégé. "You are insane."
Uma swooped in, grabbing Ame and making her spin as tears comically streamed down his cheeks. "My little girl's all grown up! She has a crush!"
"Uma, that's clearly not the priority here," sighed Karasu, shaking his head.
"Aah!? Our little tsundere has openly admitted to having feelings for someone! I daresay it's a pretty big deal!" retorted the blond.
"Ugh, put me down, I'm gonna be sick…" groaned Ame, who was starting to run out of air.
"Oops! Sorry~."
Uma released her, and Usagi scratched his head. "Well… As reckless and completely crazy this operation was, it worked, and the Zodiac is now in control of one of the most well-protected researches facility in the world—or outside of it, as it is. Good job."
"There's no stopping you, is there?" asked Hana, who looked on the verge of a mental breakdown. "You're just going to keep doing crazier and crazier stuff, and you'll keep on pulling fricking miracles out of your ass, and we'll just have to roll with it and deal with the consequences as they come. Is that it?"
After a moment of silence, Ame beamed. "Yup, pretty much!"
"Damn it…"
"Okay, okay, Ame somehow went to space and displayed just how crazy and badass she actually was, yadda, yadda. Now can we please move on to the important part?" huffed impatiently Uma, practically bouncing in place. "Who's the lucky one? What happened? Did you kiss already!?"
"No, none of that! I just… I just had some time to think, is all," she replied, averting her eyes a bit. She crossed her arms defensively, scowling a bit. "And if you must know, it's the class rep. He was my partner for going into space—and nothing happened, so get your minds out of the gutter!"
"Wait, class rep? Isogai Yuma?" repeated Karasu, quirking an eyebrow. "The pretty boy who works in that café you like so much?"
"How do you even know—nope, stupid question," sighed Ame, deflating a bit. "But yeah. That guy. Alright, laugh it up and get it out of the way already!"
Before any of them could reply, none other than Devit poked his head out of his office. "Did I just hear Ame admitting to having a crush on a guy?" At everyone's nod of acknowledgment, his lips split into a wide grin, and he cackled. "Ah! Time to pay up, suckers! And you too, Feitan! I know you're here!"
Ondori's voice echoed from another room. "Ah, fuck."
"Aww, damn it," sighed Uma, also pulling out a few bills.
All of the members present started exchanging money, under Ame's flabbergasted and bemused gaze. After a few seconds, she finally caught up with what was happening.
"Wait… Are you telling me there was an actual betting pool on me having a crush?" she asked, her eye twitching a bit.
"Actually, it was a betting pool on whether you were into boys or into girls," admitted Karasu, smirking as he counted the money Uma had just handed him. "The entire organization was in on it, too. Buru, Usagi, Yagi, Devit, Hana, Isana, Red Eye, and I bet on you being into boys; Ryu, Buta, Uma, and Feitan bet on you being into girls; and Same, Saru, and Keigo bet on you being into both. Are you?"
"I- I don't think so, no…?" Ame then quickly shook her head, exasperated. "You're saying even Keigo was in on it!? He's been around for barely two months!"
The others simply shrugged, clearly unperturbed, and she heaved out a sigh. She didn't entirely mind the betting pool, to be frank, but she was a tad annoyed to realize that practically everyone in the organization had been keeping an eye on her love life without her knowing. The only reason she told them in the first place was that A) she knew they were going to figure it out eventually, and they'd definitely make her life a living hell for trying to hide it from them, and B) because she once made the stupid promise to Uma that she'd tell him as soon as she had a crush so that he'd stop bugging her about it and, against her better judgment, she was a woman of her word.
Though, I've got the feeling that they won't let it drop so easily, now…
Ugh, this is going to be a pain, isn't it?
.
.
"I knew it!"
"Rio—"
"I mean, it was painfully obvious, and there have been quite a few times when I just wanted to shove you two together so you'd kiss already, but still!"
"Rio—!"
"Actually, Maehara and I had even been planning on getting you two trapped together in a closet so you'd have to confess eventually—"
"RIO!"
The blonde stopped talking, at last, blinking a few times upon realizing that she had gotten a little carried away. As soon as Ame had taken her aside to explain the… situation, she had had to refrain herself from jumping in excitement, overjoyed to know that her ship had finally lifted the anchor.
"Look, I didn't tell you so you'd make a big deal out of it," sighed Ame, rubbing her temples. "I need your help—"
"Well, obviously—"
"—How do I make it go away?"
"… eh?"
The blonde and the black-haired girl stared at each other for a moment, the first dumbstruck and confused, and the second almost desperate. Ame reached out, grabbing Rio's shoulders.
"How do I make it go away?" she repeated, obviously hoping for an answer.
"Ame…" Rio frowned. "Why? Aren't you happy? This is—"
"I can't deal with this right now, Rio," replied Ame, letting her go. She leaned against a tree and slid down, dropping on the ground. "There's already so much going on… We have to save Korosensei, we've got to keep an eye out for any government attempt at assassinating him, the entrance exams are coming up, I'm about to start receiving special training in order to become the Leader of the Zodiac, and I still don't know what I want to do with my future title or the power that's being entrusted to me—I can't deal with a silly crush, not when I've already got so much to worry about!"
"Ame…" After a few seconds, Rio sighed and went to sit next to her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, she pulled her into a one-armed hug. "It's okay, Ame. You're the one making a big deal out of nothing, really. Having a crush isn't all that bad, is it? I mean, we're all working together when it comes to Korosensei, so stop putting so much pressure on yourself with that. As for your future… Well, Isogai-kun already knows all there is to know about your double-life, so I'm sure that he'd understand and that he'd be able to help you out, you know?"
"That's not the point…" murmured Ame, bringing her knees against her chest. "Everything's so unsure… How can I be sure that I won't just grow out of it after having acted on it? How can I be sure that it'll work out, and that we won't just end up hurting each other? My future's already blurry as it is, so how I can know for certain that adding yet another variable won't mess up my calculations even more?"
"Well, you've always been bad at math, so one variable more, or one variable less…"
Ame half-glared. "Again, not the point. I just don't think I'm ready for that kind of responsibility—I'm barely getting used to trusting other people, and I can barely take care of myself, or so you say. How can I be trusted to care for someone else properly?"
"Well, I daresay you're pretty good at that, if the track record of this class is anything to go by. You've protected us and cared for us more times than I can remember. And you're already doing better when it comes to trusting people and caring for yourself—and you can't say that Isogai hasn't been helping with that already," countered simply the blonde. She frowned again. "Ame… I get that you're worried, and that you're not used to that kind of stuff… but doesn't it feel like you're just looking for excuses?" Ame stiffened, and Rio sighed. "What is it that you're really worried about? I get that the part about your future plays a part in it, and that's fair, but anyone would be worried about starting a romantic relationship—there's nothing certain about that kind of thing. But there's obviously something else, because you're not the type to usually fish for half-hassed excuses."
"… material."
"What?" Rio blinked, not having heard anything because Ame kept on mumbling. "What was that?"
"… not… friend… material."
"I still can't hear you—"
"I said: I'm not girlfriend material." There was a moment of silence, and Ame burrowed her head into her arms, mortified at having finally admitted it out loud. "It's just like you and Maehara said that other time: finding myself a boyfriend is the equivalent of mission impossible."
::
"Maa, maa, it's fine!" replied Rio, slinging an arm around Ame's neck, mindful not to touch her shoulder. "It's not like an opportunity like that comes up often! I mean, Ame getting a love confession? That's like a live comedy show!"
Ame huffed at that. "Now you're just being mean. I'm not that bad, seriously."
"Not that bad? You're too strong, so no guy would be able to protect you! What guy wants a girlfriend who could beat him up with her little finger?" pointed out Maehara.
"And you're super secretive too!" added Rio, a tad dramatically. "Secrets are a no-go in romantic relationships, you know?"
"Plus, you keep getting all those injuries!" Ame flinched as Maehara roughly poked her bandaged arm. "You're a real trouble-maker!"
"And a trouble magnet!" laughed Rio. "Seriously, finding you a boyfriend is like, the equivalent of mission impossible."
::
Upon remembering that particular conversation, Rio cringed a bit. "Ah… I didn't think you'd actually take that to heart. We were just teasing you, you know?"
"But you were right. I'm reckless, headstrong, I do what I want without concerting anybody, I have trust issues, I keep on getting hurt or putting myself in life-threatening positions, I'm pretty sure that I've developed an unhealthy taste for danger-induced adrenaline, and Kayano was right, I'm emotionally twisted, and my moral compass isn't all that straight, and—"
"Ame, Ame, Ame!" Rio pulled away to take a better look at the now frantic girl, quickly stopping her rant. "What the hell? Aren't you supposed to be all aloof and confident? Where do all those doubts come from?" She then sighed, shaking her head. "Look, clearly, you're too blinded by your worries to see the bigger picture: you might be reckless, but you usually know what you're doing. You can be headstrong, but you're smart—you won't do something outright stupid unless there's no other way. Communicating isn't your forte, but you're the kind of person who learns from her mistakes, and you're getting better at it—just like with your trust issues, too. You keep on getting hurt but, to be fair, that's rarely outright your fault—you're often at the wrong place at the wrong time, but you're usually careful. Being an adrenaline junkie isn't too bad, so long as you're conscious of it and don't become an addict—and let's be honest, do you really think anyone in that organization of yours would let it go that far? Your mad doctor would probably set your screws straight if it ever got too far." That made Ame snort, and Rio finally allowed herself to smile a little. "Your emotions… Everyone feels differently, Ame, but it doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. You have a different upbringing that made you who you are today, and that's that. And, again, to be fair: you're an info-broker. I daresay that morals aren't exactly on the table in that kind of organization but, then again, I've met the people you work with—and I can assure you that none of them are bad people, and neither are you. Even if your morals and values are a tad different, they're still in the right place, and that's all that matters."
"… but it might put him in danger," finally admitted Ame, her shoulders slumping. "By becoming the Leader of the Zodiac, anyone associated with me will be in danger… It's already bad enough that I have my family to look out for, but if I find myself a romantic partner—"
"Ame, to be fair, that's not your decision to make," replied firmly Rio, patting her shoulder. "If Isogai-kun is willing to be with you while aware of the risks, that's on him, not you." She then grinned wryly, gesturing to the E-Class building further away. "Plus, we're a class of trained assassins. We've already dealt with danger before, and we can definitely do it again."
"… you're right. I guess- I guess I'm just worried about what might eventually happen," sighed Ame, finally relaxing a little. She then groaned. "This wasn't in my plans at all…"
Rio snorted at that. "This entire year wasn't in our plans, Ame. Or were you planning on becoming a member of a classroom meant to kill their genetically modified teacher?"
"Fair enough."
They stayed silent for a few seconds, before Rio sighed. "Look, it's not all that complicated: either you accept those feelings and move on, either you accept those feelings and act on them. If you keep on trying to deny them or ignore them… it'll just get worst. And, in the end, you'll surely regret not saying anything."
"Sa- saying anything?" Ame's eyes went wide with panic. "I can't just tell him! Can you imagine just how embarrassing that would be!?"
Surprised by the sudden outburst, Rio then laughed. "Aww, you sure can be cute when you want to, can't you?"
"Aah!? What's that supposed to mean!?"
"Nothing, nothing~."
"Rio!"
.
.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!"
All of the students popped the confetti, and Ame couldn't help but smile at the sight of all of those joyous faces. At the front, Korosensei mindfully avoided the Anti-BB bullets the students had hidden amongst the confetti, all the while chewing on a chicken leg.
"What a marvelous Christmas Eve! Yes, February means Christmas, all right!"
Before anyone could question what exactly he was trying to do, though, he used his Mach 20 speed to go around the classroom and change the clothes the students were wearing—everyone passed from red and white Christmas suits to traditional kimonos and yukatas.
"Happy New Year! A new year is upon us! Tackle your studies and your assassination with new emotion! Now, then… time to laze the day away."
On which Korosensei plopped down under a kotatsu table as he watched TV.
"Why are you watching One Piece?" wondered Fuwa, confused.
"More importantly: where are you going with this?" sweatdropped Nagisa.
"Well, from what I've gathered, you're trying to take all the fun year-end events you missed out on and cram them into February?" guessed Fuwa, always the bright detective.
"AH! Exactly right!" exclaimed Korosensei, suddenly tearful. "Our only winter break, and not a single one of you came to visit! And you were so earnestly worried and trying so hard on my behalf that it didn't feel right for me to invite you over…"
"Dumb thing to fret about when we were all so bummed out," huffed Yoshida.
"But with all that behind you, now's the perfect time!" exclaimed the octopus, suddenly back in high spirits. "We'll take back the winter break we lost—all at once!"
As amused as Ame was, though, she wasn't entirely present—in mind, that is. Not only was she troubled with how the situation with Isogai had developed (her? A crush? NOW!?), but she was also getting a little more worried each day about her future. After all, graduation day was only thirty-two days away, and she still had no idea of what she wanted to do. Of course, the thought of becoming a lawyer, like Isogai had suggested, was tempting… but she wanted to do something more, something better.
Ugh, when did things get this complicated, seriously?
.
.
"Future plans, uh…? What high schools are you guys going to?" asked curiously Maehara.
"Someplace a little lower-level to give us some breathing room," admitted Okajima.
"Korosensei taught us the fundamentals through senior year—high school can be all about honing our techniques," reasoned Sugaya.
"Must be nice," sighed Fuwa, shaking her head. "We're really pushing ourselves."
"If you're going into communications, you need a solid academic record! Or so he said," mimicked Mimura.
"You sound nothing like him!" snorted Maehara.
As the group walked away, Nagisa turned to Karma. "Karma, where are you headed?"
"Ah, I'll stay at Kunugigaoka," shrugged the red-haired boy.
"Ah? You mean you'll take the entrance all over again?" gaped Sugino.
"I figured you'd go for something better," mused Kayano. "I mean, you could get into the best high schools around!"
"Put yourself in the main-campus students' shoes. The guy they thought they'd chased away is back—and standing head and shoulders above them." Karma grinned from ear to ear. "What could be better than seeing those punks' humiliated mugs for three whole years?"
"Such a winning personality," sweatdropped Nagisa.
"Besides, there are better schools for average academic ability, but only Kunugigaoka has students who'd be fun to take on in one-on-one academic showdowns," then added Karma, now smirking. "I'll have no problem getting the job I'm after. I figure I can take this time to just enjoy a battle or three."
Such a Karma-like answer, mused internally Ame, walking past them without being noticed. She didn't feel like talking right at the moment. I suppose it would be best to talk with Saru first, see what the best option is. Should I go for the usual three years of high school right off the bat, or should I wait and see what Saru has in mind for my specialized training…?
"Something on your mind, Ame-san?"
She stiffened, snapping her eyes back. How in the hell had she not only failed to notice Isogai, but also: how the fuck had he noticed her? She had been trying her best to avoid her classmates on the way out in order to escape from the inevitable talks about the future, but she had also been putting some considerable effort into not crossing paths with Isogai, in particular.
Well, looks like that didn't work out.
"I- I'm fine. Just trying to… figure out some stuff, is all," she finally answered, a tad awkwardly.
"About your future?" he easily guessed, though he seemed a tad puzzled.
She tilted her head. "What it is?"
"Ah, well, I'm surprised, is all. After what you said in the capsule, I simply assumed you had figured out what you wanted to do," he then admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
"What I said…?"
::
"Aah, it's a bittersweet feeling, to know that our adventure in outer space is already almost over," mused Ame, leaning back into her seat.
"Well, as short as it was, I have to admit that I'm a little homesick," admitted Isogai, rubbing the back of his head. "I've never been so far away from home, before."
Ame snorted at that. "And I doubt you'll ever get that far again—unless you decided to come back up here, someday."
"As amazing as it was, I think I'll pass—there's too much I want to do down there."
She sighed wistfully at that. "Yeah, me too."
::
"Ah, I didn't really…" Ame trailed off. What did she mean when she said that? After a few seconds, she heaved out a sigh. "No, I'm still not sure. If anything, I quite like the idea of becoming a lawyer, like you suggested, but it's… I don't know. It doesn't feel like it's enough, you know? It feels like I really could do something more!"
"Enough for what, Ame-san?"
She paused. He was right.
Enough for what?
She didn't know. Hell, she wished she knew, but she didn't.
And yet, Isogai simply smiled, as if he knew something.
"I think you do," he finally said, his smile soft and gentle and—stop, bad brain, bad, bad, bad! "In fact, I think you already told everyone. I guess you forgot, though."
"Wait, what? When did that happen? What did I say!?"
He simply shook his head, though. "I'm sorry, Ame-san, but I really think you should figure this one out on your own. You're smart, but you often over-complicate things, you know?"
"Stingy," she huffed, a tad embarrassed as she averted her eyes.
He chuckled at that. "Sorry. If you want a clue, though… Well, think back to the one thing you've been doing ever since Korosensei arrived in our classroom—the one thing you'd never doubt, and that you'd never stop doing, no matter the consequences."
"… can't you just tell me?"
At that, he outright laughed, lightly patting her shoulder. "No can do, Ame-san. For once, I know something you don't—I might as well enjoy it while it lasts, right?"
After a few seconds, she allowed herself to smile. "Fair enough."
Rio was apparently entirely, utterly wrong. Ame could, and would, ignore her feelings for as long as she wanted. Even if having the boy so close to her was making butterflies flutter in her stomach—and wasn't that just sappy as hell—she could definitely endure it.
Only a month left. After that… after that, we'll all part ways, and the path I want to take isn't one where he, or anyone, can follow.
.
.
Later that night, after a rowdy dinner with her siblings, Itona, and her grandmother, Ame decided to head out and make her way to the Zodiac's headquarters in order to have a serious talk with Saru. After all, as much as she enjoyed procrastinating, this wasn't the kind of subject she could afford to avoid any longer. So, once Itona promised to cover for her if someone asked for her, she snuck outside and got going.
Still, what Isogai-kun told me earlier… What could he possibly mean by that? Something I've been doing ever since Korosensei arrived in the classroom, the one thing I'd never doubt, and the one thing I'd never stop doing no matter the consequences… Ugh, did he have to be so cryptic?
Assassination? No, I'm not planning on becoming an assassin.
Ever since Korosensei arrived, and other than assassination… Keeping secrets? I mean, I'm an info-broker, so that's already a given… Digging up backstories? Making up complicated assassination schemes? Going on top-secret missions? Working with the government? Getting in trouble? Or maybe—
"H- help—argh!"
"Shut up, bitch!"
Ame stopped, glancing at the other side of the street. There was an alley, and it was too dark to see anything beyond the first two meters, but she could hear scuffling and muffled shouts. She narrowed her eyes, instantly making a beeline for the suspicious noises as she drew out a real knife. Silently making her way through the shadows, she finally found what she was looking for—and she saw red.
"Release her—now," she hissed, pressing her knife against the man's throat.
The guy stiffened, and the woman he had been holding against the wall stopped struggling, shooting a wide-eyed, hopeful look at the teen. Upon realizing he wasn't letting go, Ame's thin self-control snapped and, without hesitation, she grabbed one of his arms, twisted it—
'SNAP'
He let out a howl of pain as he collapsed, holding his broken arm against his chest. Ame instantly lifted her knife, pointing it right between his watery eyes, and he gulped.
"Listen to me carefully: you will never—ever—lay hands on someone without their consent again. If you do, I will know, and I will find you, and I will…"
A pause.
The man gulped again. "K- kill me...?"
At that, Ame offered him an eerie smile. "Worst."
He let out a pitiful whimper as her bloodlust crashed upon him like a suffocating wave, and she scrunched up her nose upon noticing he had actually pissed himself.
"You're disgusting," she huffed. "Go home, take a shower, and think about not being a fucking waste of air and space in our society—though, before all that, you better apologize."
"I- I—"
"Apologize to her."
"I- I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I won't do it again, I swear!"
"Good. Now scram, before I change my mind."
He didn't have to be told twice. Despite his injury, he was gone in a matter of seconds, leaving Ame and the woman he had been assaulting alone in the alley. After a few seconds, Ame heaved out a sigh and put away her knife, before looking down at the woman, who was still kneeling on the ground.
"Are you hurt?" she asked, gently putting her hand on her shoulder. "Can you walk?"
"Y- yeah, I- I- I- can…"
"Good. I'll take you home, okay? Don't worry, you're safe, now."
The poor, shaken woman didn't say anything else—she simply rose to her feet with Ame's help, and the two of them then left the alley, heading to the woman's house. As they walked in silence, Ame had a hard time calming down. There were many things she was ready to do or ignore in her line of work, but rape was not one of them. Forcefully stripping someone of their dignity, humiliating them, traumatizing them, ruining their lives… all for the sake of "answering to someone's urges"?
No. No fucking way.
Not if she could help it.
Wait. Her eyes widened a bit. I can—
"It- it's here." She suddenly snapped back to reality, and realized they had stopped walking before an apartment complex. "Thank- thank you, for helping- helping me. Had- had you not been there, I- I—"
"Don't think about it. It didn't happen, and you're safe, now," simply replied Ame, gently nudging her toward the staircase.
"But- but it could…"
The woman trailed off, shaking her head as a shudder ran down her spine, but Ame easily finished the sentence she started: but it could have happened.
But it could happen again.
"Here." Without hesitation, Ame handed her the knife she had used earlier. "It's not exactly legal, mind you, so it might be best not to show it unless it's an emergency… but if something happens again, then defend yourself. Don't hesitate, don't falter—strike true."
The woman paled even more at that. "I- I couldn't possibly kill someone—"
"It's not about killing—it's about protecting yourself. Or someone else, if it just so happens that way." Not one to give in so easily, Ame shoved the knife into the woman's bag. "You don't have to use it. But, once you return outside on your own, it'll definitely make you feel safer."
"… okay. Thank- thank you. Again."
"No problem."
Ame stayed there until the woman was safely back into her apartment and, just to be sure, Ame even checked her lock. Once certain she was safe, the young girl returned to her initial route but, as she started heading for the headquarters, she couldn't help but think back about what had just happened, and what she had just discovered.
::
"I think you do. In fact, I think you already told everyone. I guess you forgot, though."
"Wait, what? When did that happen? What did I say!?"
"I'm sorry, Ame-san, but I really think you should figure this one out on your own. You're smart, but you often over-complicate things, you know?"
"Stingy."
"Sorry. If you want a clue, though… Well, think back to the one thing you've been doing ever since Korosensei arrived in our classroom—the one thing you'd never doubt, and that you'd never stop doing, no matter the consequences."
::
"It's not about killing—it's about protecting yourself. Or someone else, if it just so happens that way."
::
"Korosensei, you're the only teacher who ever gave a damn about me, and I consider you one of my precious people. As such, I don't want to lose you. I've learned to fight, to steal, to kill… For once in my life, though, I want to use my abilities to save someone, instead."
::
Ah. All at once, everything was a lot clearer, and Ame lifted her gaze to the crescent moon hanging in the night sky, a smile gracing her lips. Isogai-kun was right—I really do over-complicate things, sometimes.
.
.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Absolutely."
"It's not going to be easy."
"If it was, anyone would have done it before."
"Ah! I think you overestimate the good of humanity, Ame."
"Maybe it doesn't exist, or maybe it's simply suffocated by all of the bad out there. Good people still exist, Saru—and I think it's about time we did something for them, instead of for the highest bidder."
"Wow, never thought I'd see you become an idealist." After a few seconds, the man smiled—a proud, supportive smile. "I'm in, Ame. I can't wait to see the storm you're about to bring upon the world."
She laughed at that. "See? Saru, you'll be right in the eye of it. Just 'cause you won't be Leader anymore doesn't mean you get to retire early! I'll work you to the bone, ah, ah—ack!"
"Cheeky brat! Don't let the title get to your head when you're still in junior high school!"
.
.
"Isogai-kun, I figured it out!"
The following day, Ame returned to school in high spirits. Now that she had a plan, and now that the had Saru's support, she felt light on her feet—and all of the stress that had been accumulating in the past few weeks was gone so suddenly, it almost made her dizzy, hence why she acted on impulse and didn't think things through as she suddenly hugged the boy out of absolutely nowhere.
"A- Ame-san!?"
"Thank you! Thanks to you, I finally figured it out!" She was in too much of a good mood to get embarrassed at the sudden display of affection—in fact, she didn't even think about it, too caught up in her own little doubt-free world of relief and happiness. "I know what to do, now!"
"Is- is that so?" Isogai was definitely flustered, though. He didn't peg Ame as the type of person to show affection so… physically, but he doubted it happened very often. "W- well, I'm glad I could be of help… A- anyway, what will you do, then?"
She released him at that, still smiling. "Well, I'll be going to Kunugigaoka for the next two years, and then I'll go to America for a third year of self-study mixed with specialized training. And then, I'll become an independent lawyer and start my own office!"
"… in three years?"
"Yup!"
"But… doesn't it take at least seven years of studies in order to become a lawyer?"
"Yes, but I don't want to waste any more time than I need to, so I'll do it in three."
He let out a startled laugh, shaking his head lightly. "Only you, Ame-san, only you."
Her smile simply widened, if possible.
.
.
Kunugigaoka High School's entrance exam was laughably easy, especially since the Principal didn't have a hand in making it. Karma was surprised to see her there, but apparently glad he wasn't the only one who'd be sticking around, and Korosensei even dropped by briefly to cheer them on before they entered the building. All in all, it was a good day—even more so considering that, at the end of it, Saru contacted her to tell her that the others were on board with her plans.
Unfortunately, her good mood wasn't meant to last.
"What do you mean, Valentine's Day? Why should I do anything?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you have a crush on—"
Ame instantly slapped her hand over Rio's mouth, glaring. "Don't you fucking dare. It's one thing to talk about it outside of class—it's another entirely when he could show up any second."
Rio simply removed her hand, heaving out a sigh. "Fine, fine. All I'm saying is that you're going at it the wrong way. Look at it this way, then: you're making him chocolate to thank him for how he helped you out this year. Simple, no feelings involved—or at least, that he's aware of—and you still get to give him chocolate!"
"But why, Rio? I'm trying to get rid of that crush—not encourage it!"
The blonde simply shook her head, leaning back in her seat. "You can't just get rid of something like that, Ame. The sooner you realize that, the better. And, just for once, be honest with yourself: wouldn't you be happier if you just… let go of your worries, for once, and did what you want to do?"
"… I don't know, Rio. Now that I've figured out my future, I have to work on making it become a reality—and I don't know if I'll be able to fully focus on that if I have a relationship on the side."
"So you're afraid of commitment, is that it?"
"No! Yes? I don't know!" Groaning, Ame let her head hit the desk with a 'THUD'. "I like him, Rio—I really do—but what if something goes wrong? What if he gets hurt because of me? What if I do something wrong, or I can't balance my time properly, or- or just become a shitty girlfriend in overall because I have so much on my plate already? Hell, and there's still the matter of him accepting, too? Why would he? We're good friends, and he's really nice to me… But he's nice to everyone! I don't- I don't want him to just say yes out of pity or- or just to try and spare my feelings, you know?"
A bead of sweat started growing larger and larger on Rio's temple as Ame ranted. Her friend was a smart cookie, but she was obviously pretty dumb when it came to social matters. Hell, even a blind man would be able to see that Isogai wasn't entirely unaffected by Ame—for not saying totally whipped already, even if he wasn't entirely conscious of it just yet—and she was growing a tad exasperated by her friend's antics. Sure, seeing her struggle so openly with her emotions was entertaining, but now it was almost pitiful.
"Ame…" After a few seconds, Rio smirked, a light bulb going off in her head. "Why, you should have told me you were scared. It's okay to be a coward from time to time, really. Who knows? If you try hard enough, you might eventually be able to run away from your feelings."
"… I hate you right now and regret ever telling you about my weakness for reversed psychology."
Rio simply laughed at that, roughly slapping her back. "Maybe, but you've gotta do it now! Or maybe you want me to involve Karma—"
"No."
Rio snickered, and Ame groaned, well aware that there was no going back. Rio wasn't one for making empty threats, and she'd definitely spill the beans to Karma if Ame stalled too long for her liking.
Damn, this is going to be a pain, isn't it?
.
.
Ame tried to make chocolate. Really, she did! But, after the fifth batch of unsuccessful, burnt chunks of ash-tasting "sweets", her little sister and her grandmother gave up on her, and Ame eventually settled for heading back to school with a cheap chocolate box bought on the racks of the nearest grocery store. The defeat left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she tried her best not to linger on it.
You can do it, you can do it, you can do it…
She kept on stalling, though. Whenever she caught sight of Isogai, she froze, and she found herself unable to pull out the box from her bag. Throughout the entire day, she witnessed all sorts of chocolate exchanges.
Sugino started banging his head on a wooden pole, insanely overjoyed after Kanzaki gave him mandatory chocolates. Hayami promised a back of chocolate bits to Chiba if he could hit his mark while firing said chocolate bits—which he did with startling success. Hazama gave Terasaka, Yoshida, Muramatsu, and Itona… well, not chocolate, per se, but more like hand-made bucket-lists with all sorts of creepy stuff. Even Okuda somehow found the courage to give handmade chocolates to Karma, though Ame later on realized that said chocolates had been filled with cyanide, at his request.
And Rio and Karma have been helping Kayano out with her own confession, but I know that Rio's been keeping an eye on me since the beginning of the day… If I don't act soon, she'll definitely sick Karma on me, and then I'll never hear the end of it!
Heaving out a sigh, Ame decided to head out when she saw Isogai outside.
Come on, it's just a normal gift to thank him, it's just a formality, don't make a big deal out of it and he won't notice, just stay cool—you can do that, you always do that, just breathe!
Steeling her resolves, she made a beeline for the forest, which Isogai had just entered. Just as she stepped foot past the first trees, though, a joyful, awed exclamation reached her ears.
"Whoa!"
It was Isogai. Without thinking, she swiftly jumped behind the nearest tree, before carefully glancing down the dirt track, where the class representative and none other than Kataoka stood next to each other, and Ame's eyes widened upon noticing the gigantic plastic bag filled to the brim with all sorts of chocolates and candies that Isogai was now holding—it was so big, he struggled a bit to keep his balance.
"All- all this for me!? Are you sure?" he gasped, his eyes practically sparkling.
"Share them with your brother and sister," simply replied Kataoka, visibly pleased that he enjoyed her gift so much. "It's bulk commercial stuff from an ultra-cheap supermarket. Took me four hours by bike there and back."
"Uh? Before the entrance exams? Are you going to be okay?" asked worriedly Isogai.
Ame didn't really pay attention to the rest of the conversation, looking down at the sad, red-wrapped package she was holding in her hand. Compared to Kataoka's gift, it truly was a pitiful thing—both in size and in meaning. Hell, she had grabbed the first thing she could get her hands on, trying to get it over with because of Rio's stupid taunts…
Since when am I someone to do things so half-heartedly…?
The thought both sickened her and saddened her. Things didn't use to be this complicated, but they were now, and she needed to get over herself and deal with this properly. Either she played along, either she moved on, but she couldn't keep up the status quo any longer—if she did, someone would definitely end up hurt.
Mindful not to be seen, Ame spun on her heels and headed back for the classroom. Once there, she quickly gathered her stuff, fully intending on leaving early. Slinging her bag over her shoulders, she was about to leave through the window while Korosensei wasn't around to stop her, but a small whimper caught her attention. A tad confused, she glanced back… and sweatdropped upon noticing none other than Okajima, slumped over his desk with a dark cloud of misery floating around him.
After a moment of hesitation, she walked up to him and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.
"Ugh, what…"
"Okajima…?"
Upon hearing a feminine voice, the boy instantly perked up and lifted his head—and his jaw dropped when she offered him the small, red box.
"Don't take this the wrong way—it's not a confession or anything," she warned, sincerely hoping she hadn't just dug her own grave. "I bought it out for myself since the price was cut in half for Valentine's Day, but, erm… you look like you need it more than I do."
"Is- is this for real…?" He carefully, almost reverently grabbed the box… and then started crying. "This is the most wonderful day of my life! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"S- sure…"
Well, cheap and meaningless or not, Okajima apparently still appreciated the gesture, and she was glad that, even if they hadn't been given to the intended target, the off-the-rack chocolates still managed to make someone happy. She bid him goodbye, though she doubted he actually noticed, as busy as he was crying over the chocolate, before slipping through the window and making her escape.
Barely a minute or so later, the door of the classroom slid open, and Isogai and Kataoka entered.
"Wha—Okajima? Why are you crying?" blinked Isogai, confused.
"She's an angel—an angel!" cried out the boy, showing them the small box he was holding.
"Wait, you actually received chocolates?" gaped Kataoka.
"That's just mean!" snapped Okajima, before going back to his teary, awed self. "But yes, yes I did…! Gah, Ame-san really is the best!"
Isogai, who had been in the process of putting down the heavy bag of sweets and candies on his desk, stilled upon hearing the name of Okajima's mysterious benefactor.
Ame-san…
He quickly shook his head, nipping in the bud the small tinge of jealousy that had unexpectedly sprout up just a moment ago. Seeing Okajima's state, he could guess that Ame had done it more out of pity than anything else, so there was nothing to worry about—
Gah, stop thinking like that!
"Whoa, Isogai!" Maehara then entered the classroom, making a beeline for the bag. "Not that I'm surprised to find you so popular, but that's quite the haul!"
"Ah, actually, they're all from Kataoka-san," admitted the boy, quickly snapping back to reality.
Maehara spared a glance for the vice-class representative, who was currently arguing with Okajima about the chocolates the boy was now hoarding away like a dragon protecting his greatest treasure, before leaning over Isogai's desk, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"All of them?"
"All of them."
At that, Maehara's teasing smile dropped. "Wait, you're serious? What about—"
"We didn't even talk today. I think I saw her leaving just as we came in, too."
His friend cringed, patting his shoulder in sympathy. "Sorry, dude. That sucks."
Isogai offered a sheepish smile, shaking his head. "Ah, no, don't worry about it. I shouldn't be surprised, really—I doubt this is the kind of traditions Ame-san is into, anyway."
"Still, I really thought she was going to give you something…"
Isogai couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at that. "And why would you be so sure of that?"
"Ah, erm, instincts…?" After a few seconds of stare-down, Maehara gave in first and heaved out a sigh, lowering his head. "Fine: Nakamura told me she pressured Ame into buying chocolates for you."
Isogai couldn't help but scowl a little at that. "You shouldn't pressure Ame-san about things like that—even more so considering she clearly considers me as nothing more than a friend."
You're pretty much the only one who thinks that, sweatdropped internally Maehara, before shaking his head and replying: "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'll tell Nakamura to back off, too."
"Good. I understand you're quite fond of scheming and meddling, but I'd appreciate if you left the matters of Ame-san and I's relationship alone—as I told you before."
"Gah, don't use the disappointed older brother's voice on me," winced Maehara. "You know it always makes me feel bad."
At that, Isogai chuckled lightly. "Why do you think I keep using it?"
.
.
"Ooh, Isogai-kun! Just in time!"
"I'm sorry?" blinked the boy, confused. He had decided to briefly drop by the café to pick up his schedule for the next few weeks, but he hadn't expected to be greeted by practically all of the staff and about half of the usual customers. "In time for what, exactly?"
Kanako, one of the waitresses, grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Why, for receiving your gift. Your little girlfriend dropped by and had it made just for you~!"
"But- but I don't have… a…"
He trailed off as he noticed what was in the pristine plate his colleague was now handing him. In it was a fairly large chocolate éclair, with two simple words written on it in vanilla icing.
Thank you
At first startled, a soft smile then graced his lips as he accepted the present. There wasn't any name, but he knew exactly who it was from—because only two people in the class knew how much he loved éclair, and he doubted Maehara would pull that kind of stunt.
Ame was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling with unblinking eyes.
I am a fucking lovesick fool and I hate it.
Makes me do stupid things.
But what was done was done, and she couldn't exactly go back to the café and throw away the éclair—plus, at that time, Isogai had surely received it already.
Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot—
'TING'
She stiffened as the noise echoed in the room for a few seconds. Then, slowly, almost afraid to see, Ame picked up her phone and activated it. The message she just received was from Isogai, and dread churned in her guts as she read over the few lines of the message—
"Thank you for the wonderful gift, Ame-san! I'll be sure to return the favor once White Day comes around. Please, look forward to it!"
—Isogai Y.
Relief flooded her chest. So he hadn't figured it out, uh? Glad this was finally over with, Ame quickly typed back a reply.
"Glad you liked it. I'm not that good with this kind of stuff, so I'm just happy I didn't mess it up. Thank you for being there for me this entire year, and for helping me out so many times. If you want anything else, just tell me!"
—Naoki A.
He took an insanely long time to reply, to the point where Ame half-seriously wondered if he had somehow fallen asleep while typing. Just as she put down her own phone, a tad disappointed, it rang again, signaling a new message.
"How about you give it directly to me next year? That way, we'll be able to share it."
—Isogai Y.
Ame's brain fizzled, popped, and blanked out for a solid ten seconds as she slowly connected the dots. Then, her face started burning as she hastily wrote an aloof reply of "sure, why not" and "you can count on it", not really thinking straight.
Next year… Share it…
Even if they were parting ways, both in education and in life, he still saw her in his future—and, be it as his friend or as… something else, it made her incredibly happy. So, it was with a silly, goofy smile that Ame finally went to sleep, no longer dreading the next day and all of the complicated emotions it'd drag along.