"Nagisa, let's form a group!"
Such a call is the first thing Nagisa hears when their class takes a break after English.
"A group?" Nagisa asks curiously, watching Kayano as she happily leans onto her desk.
"Yes, for the class trip?" Kayano blinks her large hazel eyes at Nagisa.
"Kayano-chan!" Nakamura calls from across the classroom.
Kayano sighs, then gives Nagisa a stern, "save a space for me!" before heading towards Nakamura.
"Class trip?" Nagisa repeats, looking at Karma this time. The redhead just snorts, smirking at her before walking across the classroom.
Why do I feel like I've missed something? Nagisa wonders to herself as she watches her class. Their normally slightly subdued class is a whirl of activity as they chat to each other and yell across the class.
"Nagisa, you look rather relaxed; I take it that you've decided?" Kataoka chirps, calling to her from a few tables in front.
"I'm...not?" Nagisa blinks several times, once more trying to find out just what she didn't know.
"Oh. Well, when you're done, tell Isogai or me." Kataoka nods to her. Apparently she finally registers Nagisa's confused expression, because she laughs and says, "did you forget? We have a class trip next week, Nagisa."
"So early?" Nagisa asks in disbelief.
"It's probably 'cause of entrance exams," Sugino explains, approaching Nagisa's desk.
"Honestly, who arranges a class trip this early in the third year?" A familiar slippery voice declares. "I can't say I approve."
Decked out in a kimino, complete with a styled wig, a fan, makeup and accessories, Korosensei is visibly elated in spite of his indifferent words.
Maehara, that absolute blessing, yells what Nagisa is thinking as he always does, "you're totally into it!"
"Geisha clothes?" Mimura yelps.
"And they look good on him?" Okajima near screams, sounding strangely offended.
"Ehh? I'm sure it'll be passable on you if you want to try," Karma hums.
"That's not it!"
"It's okay Okajima, its natural that you've developed an interest in girl's clothing after lusting after so many girls," Nakamura says with false sympathy, patting Okajima's shoulder with a wide grin.
"I said that isn't it!"
"Looks like you're really into the kyoto trip, Korosensei," Yada says sweetly, ignoring Okajima being tormented by Karma and Nakamura.
"You saw right through me," Korosensei says with a blush as he changes from his geisha costume into his usual robes, "yes. In fact, I can hardly wait to go on this trip with you."
("Try this skirt!" Nakamura cackles.)
"Why am I group leader?" Nagisa asks Sugino quietly.
("Got any makeup?" Karma smirks, pulling Okajima's eyes open.
"Yep! Eyeliner? Eyeshadow?"
"Let's do both.")
"You...Nagisa seriously..." Sugino sighs. "Isogai and Kataoka were deciding group leaders by random and your name got picked."
Nagisa stares at him blankly.
"Did you sleep or something?"
("Ohoho...Akabane Karma is actually good at applying makeup?"
"Girlfriend."
"Simp."
"Fuck off."
"Please leave me alone!")
"When was this?" Nagisa asks instead of replying.
"Like, just?" Sugino laughs. "You've gotta pay attention Nagisa. Start choosing who to be in your group."
"Yes..."
"There's already Kayano, me and you. So that's three. Oh wait, it's four."
"Who's the fourth?" Nagisa frowns.
Instead of replying, Sugino just blushes.
"Sugino, who's the four—"
"Tada! New and improve Okajima!" Nakamura announces loudly. Naturally, Sugino jumps onto that change of topic, whirling around while laughing frantically.
"I wonder what they did to Okajima!" Sugino nearly yells.
Nagisa sighs, but allows him that little bit of diversion.
As she looks over curiously at the surprisingly pretty Okajima, she smiles to herself.
Their class has become more lively.
Chapter 7:
You can't know a city until you've been kidnapped
OR
School Trip time!
(First period)
Unexpectedly (or was it 'as expected'?), Nagisa's friends and classmates had not been playing an elaborate trip on her. Karasuma briefed them on the school trip during Physical Education, and either the class somehow got Karasuma into the joke, which seemed, well, highly unlikely.
"As you are all aware, there will be a three day two night trip to Kyoto next week," Karasuma intones. To say Nagisa is shocked is an understatement. "I don't want to hinder our full enjoyment, but your mission extends to this as well."
In comparison, Nagisa's classmates were disappointed while she was still recovering from the fact that there was actually a school trip she hadn't heard about.
"So we'll have to do assassination even there?" Okano asks, looking upset.
"Yes," for his part, Karasuma looks apologetic.
He goes on to explain about how Korosensei would accompany the different class groups along parts of their route, to facilitate assassination. Simultaneously, a sniper would choose an area overlooking portions of the route that were feasible for assassination. The class would then lure Korosensei into the sniper's range, where he would be promptly assassinated.
Or something. Nagisa only really recovered toward the tail end of Karasuma's explanation.
"Who's in our group, Nagisa?" Kayano chirps happily, perching on Nagisa's table.
"Hmm, Sugino, you, me, then Sugino's plus one," Nagisa mumbles. She pauses, "are there supposed to be six or seven people in the group?"
"Kataoka says either is fine," Kayano pauses, then claps her hands together. "I just thought of someone I want to invite! You don't mind, right Nagisa?"
"Go ahead," Nagisa laughs. Kayano skips off, then Nagisa is left with her list.
Shiota Nagisa
Kayano Kaede + 1
Sugino Tomohito + 1
One more person and she'd have enough people.
Therefore, Nagisa turns her head instinctively beginning to form a sentence.
"Hey, Karma, do you—" the words already halfway out of her mouth before she realises that Karma isn't sitting at his desk.
Her eyes rove the classroom until she finally sees him with Nakamura, Hayami, Sugaya and Mimura, leaning against the window.
Getting to her feet, Nagisa approaches the group, her paper in hand. As she nears them, she opens her mouth to call out, but hears Nakamura saying, "you know what, I've got four people already, do you want to join, Karma?"
Nagisa pauses. Her mouth shuts, her teeth clacking against one another.
"Ehhh?" Karma drawls. "Who's in your group?"
"Rinka, Fuwa, Mimura, Sugaya," Nakamura lists out, twirling her pen.
"Don't forget Chiba," Mimura adds, propping an elbow on Sugaya's shoulder.
"Oh, yeah," Nakamura writes something down, "six people, plus me. You want?"
"Nagisa, I invited Kanzaki-san into our group!"
Nagisa comes back to herself with a little jump.
"Kanzaki-san, is it?" Nagisa turns and observes Sugino. He looks overjoyed as he stands next to Kanzaki, who is as pretty as always. Her long hair is, as usual, beautiful.
"Thank you for having me, Nagisa-san," Kanzaki says with a sweet smile.
"I-It's my pleasure," Nagisa answers, trying to smile back with the same dignity and beauty as Kanzaki and also trying to pretend that her eyes aren't full of stars.
As Nagisa writes down Kanzaki's name (Sugino Tomohito + 1 [Kanzaki Yukiko]), she reflects on her feelings.
She's happy for Karma, getting along with their class, but that happiness comes with a little bit of bitterness as well. She and Karma have always been in the same group for school trips. It is a little lonely to not have a class trip with him.
Her hand pauses. She looks at Sugino, cheeks dusted with a faint red as he chats with Kanzaki.
When he catches Nagisa's eye, he grins, "didn't I do good, inviting our class madonna?"
Very good, Nagisa nods firmly.
"That's too much, Sugino-kun," Kanzaki laughs gently, "I'm not someone deserving of that title."
Sugino and Kanzaki aren't dating. In fact, they're just classmates, not even friends.
Even so, Sugino was brave enough to ask the super popular Kanzaki to join their group, and battle everyone else asking for her.
Nagisa too should be brave enough to ask her boyfriend to join her group for the class trip.
She takes a few deep breaths, then with a nonchalance she doesn't quite feel, turns and approaches the group by the window.
"Hey, Karma—" she calls out, accidentally interrupting Sugaya, "sorry—do you want to join my group?"
She stops next to him (and subconsciously arranging herself fairly close to him, a distance she's used to).
"I just need one more person to make up my group," Nagisa keeps her voice measured, surprised at the calm in her voice despite the turns her stomach is doing. When she lifts her head, she makes eye contact with Nakamura and pauses.
Nakamura looks concerned.
"Is everything alright, Nakamura-san?"
"Well, I've already invited Karma," Nakamura chases way her concerned expression with a careless grin, "but that's okay Nagisa, you can have him!"
"Why do you phrase it like that?" Nagisa frowns.
"Well, I thought it would be nice to have the class delinquent, but then again, I'll have to listen to him go on about his girlfriend—" Is it just Nagisa's imagination, or does Nakamura stress the word 'girlfriend'?— "Non-stop for three days, plus on the tram. Just now he was going on about his girlfriend already. Just 'my girlfriend' this and 'my girlfriend' that."
"Oh." Nagisa blinks when Nakamura stares at her pointedly, looking worried.
"Karma also seems like the kind of person to focus only on his girlfriend—" Nakamura is definitely emphashing that word— "and about buying gifts for her or taking picture of himself for his girlfriend."
"O-okay...?" Nagisa furrows her brows. "Uh..."
"Stop being so cryptic," Hayami sighs. "Rio's just trying to remind you that Karma has a girlfriend."
Once more, Nagisa resists the urge to say dryly, you mean me?
Karma has no scruples and laughs. "Ehhh? Doesn't everyone know? Right, Nagisa?"
Nagisa stares at him blankly. Karma takes a look at her face, and laughs.
The audacity.
Frowning at him, Nagisa nods. "I don't see why Nakamura-san is reminding me though..."
"My goodwill..." Nakamura sighs, then throws an arm around Hayami.
Hayami stares coldly at Nakamura in response, which does the opposite of removing the offending arm. Nakamura instead flings both arms around Hayami, groaning louder.
Nagisa leaves them to their own devices as she turns to her boyfriend. "So will you be joining my group?"
Karma is still smirking. Nagisa resists the urge to pull air into her cheeks and pout at him, chewing on her cheek instead.
Then Karma pinches her nose. "Of course I'll join. How can I say no to you, Nana?"
"Karma!" Nagisa protests, her voice made nasally and a pitch higher than normal.
"You sure you want Karma in your group, Nagisa?" Mimura asks doubtfully. "He can be a little..."
Karma turns to look at Mimura, eyes opened with exaggerated curiosity.
"...unpredictable." Mimura finishes weakly.
Sugaya turns his insipid grey eyes and regards Nagisa and Karma. After a moment, he cocks his head, "it'd be interesting to having Karma in my group. I feel like I might be able to try out a new rugged style."
"What the heck?" Mimura laughs. Then, he pauses.
"Everything okay, Mimura?" Nakamura calls.
"Sugaya might be onto something..." Mimura mutters.
"I'll leave first," Nagisa voices as Mimura and Sugaya fall into contemplative silence, "I'll let you guys work out where Karma goes, okay?"
"Yep!"
The moment Nagisa leaves, Nakamura grabs Karma's shoulders.
"Ehhh?" Karma arches a brow. Nakamura has been more familiar with him than some of their classmates, owing to both her personality and their previous connection as delinquents. "Are you asking for a fight?"
"No, I'm not," Nakamura lifts her head and smiles so widely, it looks painful, "I'm just reminding this Karma to not hurt our class's cute Nagisa-chan."
Amused, Karma weights the pros and cons of revealing exactly who his girlfriend is. On one hand, the timing now is impeccable, which would make for a fun thing to watch. Additionally, Karma has always wanted to flirt with Nagisa while on a school trip. On the other hand, if he reveals it now, Nagisa and him will likely be bombarded with questions from their classmates, which is a mood killer. Also, Nakamura and Fuwa's unfounded concern is frankly hilarious, as is Nagisa's obliviousness to its source.
So he drawls out an, "ehhhhh, I know what I'm doing, relax."
Nakamura doesn't release his shoulders, but stares at the ceiling as if wishing for a god to smite him
"Huh? Karma's joining our group?" Sugino blanches. "He won't be picking fights or anything right? I don't want to get into trouble on our trip!"
"Don't worry!" Nagisa says brightly, touching her fingertips together. "There's five of us, we can keep an eye on him."
"That's not comforting at all, Nagisa..." Kayano protests.
Nagisa pauses and reconsiders her words. Trying to reassure them, she adds, "even if he does, it probably won't get traced back to us!"
"That's even less comforting!" Sugino and Kayano yell in unison.
"Now, now," Kanzaki says in her gentle, soft tone. "I'm sure Nagisa-chan has thought about all this."
"I-If Kanzaki-san says so, then..." Blushing, Sugino turns toward Kanzaki and smiles sheepishly at her, a smile she returns.
"Then that's settled," Nagisa says in relief. Then she looks over at Kayano. "Who's your plus one, Kayano?"
Kayano stares at Nagisa, then draws herself up to her full height. Arms akimbo, she smirks widely and says, "well..."
Nagisa nods in an encouraging manner.
"I invited Okuda-san!" Kayano drags said girl to her side, grinning broadly.
"H-H-H-Hello..." Okuda stutters, her hands gripping each other tightly.
And Nagisa's cheeks flame.
"O-Oh!" She stammers out after a far too long moment. "Hello!"
Nagisa is going to faint, she swears. First of all, Kanzaki. Kanzaki doesn't stand out, not a lot, but she is popular among the E Class.
And for good reason! She's gentle, sweet, pretty and fashionable. The school uniform also looks super good on her! Nagisa still can't believe they're in the same group!
And then there's Okuda! Okuda is adorable, and so cute and she's awkward but that's also cute! Nagisa can't believe Okuda is in her group!
Overloaded, Nagisa freezes.
"Ohhh, is this the group?"
Karma's voice from over her shoulder is like rain falling down on a desert. Without looking, Nagisa reaches out and grasps his jacket sleeve, pulling it until it's stretched out.
"Yep," Sugino answers, seemingly too distracted by Kanzaki to notice Nagisa abusing Karma's jacket.
Smiling sweetly, Kanzaki takes the piece of paper, "I'll go tell Kataoka-san?"
"I'll come with you!" Sugino says immediately, and then the two are gone.
Slightly relieved, Nagisa loosens her hold on Karma's jacket.
"Now, where should we go?" Kayano exclaims, pumping a fist in the air.
As if waiting for that line, a sultry, low voice speaks up, "What children."
Nagisa looks over to see Irina leaning against the window, looking with a gaze full of meaning out into the field, "once you've been all over the world, a school trip is nothing."
She looks like a leading lady in her own film, Nagisa thinks to herself.
Unfortunately for Irina, her students had other ideas.
"Feel free to stay behind, Bitch-sensei," Maehara calls out as he pours over the map with his group.
"Eh?" Irina freezes.
"Keep the garden watered, 'kay?" Okano adds, also not bothering to look at Irina.
Kurahashi goes further, ignoring Irina entirely as she excitedly holds up the map, "hey, where should we go on day two?"
Gently, but firmly, prying the map from Kurahashi's fingers, Kataoka suggests, "maybe we can start in Higashiyama?"
"Don't forget to consider its viability for assassination," Isogai reminds them.
"But this way's more fun!" Kurahashi whines in reply.
Completely sidelined, Irina pulls out a pistol and points it at the group, shrieking, "What's that? Don't you dare leave me out of the fun!"
"Look, do you want to come or not?" Maehara snaps.
"Shut up! I'm going to have to!"
Before Irina can fire the gun (and she does look prepared to do so), the classroom door slides open.
Nagisa turns to see who came in and stares at the piles of thick books held by each of Korosensei's tentacles.
Korosensei, of course, had been the one who entered, not just his tentacles.
"Everyone, there's one for each of you!" Korosensei announces proudly.
The silence that falls over the class is telling enough of their feelings towards the thick, thick books.
Finally, Isogai asks, "uh, what are those?"
"School trip guidebooks," Korosensei answers in a matter of fact manner, promptly distributing the books.
Kayano and Okuda fall over when the books suddenly drop into their hands.
"It weighs a ton!" Kataoka exclaims.
Nagisa agrees...or she would. She is out of breath and can barely unload the book onto a nearby desk, winded. She can't even be bothered to see whose desk it is.
"These are practically dictionaries!" Maehara protests. Nagisa also agrees. She rests her aching arms against the table as well.
"Of course!" Korosensei says. Proudly.
The octopus nearly tears off everyone's arm and he's proud.
"Every sightseeing spot: illustrated. The top hundred souvenirs, all listed. And last but not least, travel self-defense how-to's from the theoretical to practical!" Korosensei announces, sounding like a commercial as he flips through the book at Mach speed. "I stayed up all night making them! The first print comes with a papercraft model of Kinkakuji!"
"Just how excited are you for this!" Okajima bellows, eyes bogged out as he stares at said paper model.
"Nagisa, help!" Kayano demands.
Nagisa will like to express that she is too tired and cannot help, but she is still catching her breath. She shoots Kayano an apologetic look, but she does lightly, lightly, kick Karma, indicating for him to help (since Sugino is helping Kanzaki with her book).
She also does kick him harder when he pretends not to see the pair of girls on the ground.
"Should we write an itnerary so that we don't have to carry the guidebooks around?" Sugino suggests when he and Kanzaki return from her desk.
"That's a great idea," Kayano moans from where she is draped over a chair.
"Then I'll do it," Kanzaki volunteers.
"Will you really?" Sugino asks excitedly. "Thank you very much!"
This boy. Nagisa sighs. Sugino just missed an opportunity to get close to Kanzaki.
"Simp," Kayano whispers.
"More like moron," Karma counters.
The simp slash moron in question, Sugino, glares at both of them.
The day of the class trip dawns bright with the usual bought of unfairness at the train station.
Nagisa stands with her classmates next to the coach carriage of the train. However, the A through D classes are not only gathered around the first class carriage, but are also boarding said first class carriage.
Sugaya whistles. "There's what my school fees are paying for."
"You mean this is what your school fees are paying for: Coach." Nakamura slaps the side of the train carriage. "And only us, like always."
Sugaya cheers weakly and Nagisa laughs with the same enthusiasm.
"Those are the rules at our school," a sneering voice berates them. Nagisa glances over to see Ono-sensei pausing just before he's about to board the train, speaking with a condescending tone. "we explained them to you when you first came here, remember?"
"Students with good grades get priority use of school funds," one of Nagisa's old classmates, sneers.
Another scoffs as he munches on a chocolate stick. "Oh dear, is that the stench of poverty I smell?"
"Do pardon me," A new voice joins their conversation, drawing all eyes on the platform. And everyone's jaw drops.
In a completely fashionable and ever so slightly (or rather, very) ostentatious, overboard outfit—thigh-high stockings paired with a micro-miniskirt, designer shades, a gold choker, platform heels and a carefully arranged beanie—Irina sashays toward her students. To top it off, she speaks to them with a carefully aloof tone, loftily saying, "greetings, students."
Nagisa averts her eyes respectfully. Irina does look good in that, but it isn't exactly traveling-with-junior-high-students appropriate.
"Bitch-sensei, what's with the Hollywood starlet look?" Maehara asks.
"Hohoho!" Nagisa cringes, imagining Irina laughing into the back of her hand. She has to look. Under Nagisa's embarrassed gaze, Irina pulls down her shades, her steely blue-green eyes boring into them as she answers, "these are standard practices for any assassin who uses her womanly wiles."
"You look very cool, Bitch-sensei," Yada compliments. Nagisa looks over and sees Yada's complicated gaze.
Apparently Irina doesn't, because she replaces her shades and spins around. "Thank you, Yada. A lady never neglects fashion just because she's travelling."
Nagisa sees Maehara and Karma visibly holding back their laughter. Lukily for Irina, before the two boys can burst, Karasuma appears.
And he looks miffed. "You stick out like a sore thumb. Go change."
Irina turns back around to stare down her colleage.
Karasuma doesn't back down. "As a teacher, you're their chaperone. Look the part."
Irina regards Karasuma for a singular moment, then flicks her wrist at him, as though dismissing a servant. "Don't be such a spoilsport, Karasuma! I'm showing these brats how a grown-up trip looks like!"
"Take it off." Karasuma's voice goes low and Nagisa grabs her arms reflexively, that cold tone bringing the Lady to mind. "Now."
Not even ten minutes later, Bitch-sensei ends up in her sleepwear, sulking, as Karasuma checks their class list insipidly.
"Who's chaperoning who?" Kataoka sighs as she watches their two teachers.
"Guess she's been rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous so long that she's lost touch with her normal side," Isogai agrees.
"Consider this: maybe she was never normal in the first place," Maehara suggests brightly.
"Maehara." Isogai sighs.
"Just a thought, Yu-u-ma." Maehara answers in a sing-song voice.
While on the train, the class splits into their little groups.
The first group comprises of Isogai, Maehara, Kimura, Kataoka, Yada, Okano and Kurahashi, making up a group of more headstrong and forward-thinking members. Group two is made of people who have more specialised interests, Okajima, Sugaya, Mimura, Chiba, Hayami, Nakamura and Fuwa. Nagisa eyes them, remembering that Karma had nearly been absorbed into their group. He would have fit in, she thinks to herself. Group three consists of the Terasaka gang, Terasaka, Yoshida, Muramatsu, Hazama, plus Takebayashi and Hara. The last group is Nagisa's.
Nagisa slides into her seat and passes a strawberry milk to Karma, grinning at his soft word of thanks.
She then glances out of the window, silently bouncing in her seat as she watches the train set off.
"Eh? The train's left the station..." Sugino says slowly, distracting Nagisa, "but where's Korosensei?"
Nagisa cranes her neck and peers around the train carriage. Their yellow octopus of a teacher is nowhere to be seen.
"Maybe he's in the other carriage," Nagisa answers.
She turns her head to look out of the window again but lets out a sharp gasp as a giant, vacant, yellow face stares back at her.
"What are you doing stuck to the window, Korosensei?" Nagisa calls out when she's calmed down.
"I got here a little late because I was buying snacks at the train station," Korosensei splutters, shouting loud enough for Nagisa to faintly hear him through the glass, "so I'll just tag along like this until the next stop. Oh, and do not worry. With my camouflage, it makes it seem like there will only be my clothes and bag stuck to the train car."
"That's just as suspicious!"
"Let's kill him while he's out there!" Karma whistles, immediately pulling out a knife.
The way Kayano's eyes light up is slightly concerning as she pulls out her gun and throws herself at the window.
"Ah, the window! Wait, we have to open the window first!" Sugino yells, panicked.
"It sure is tiring, trying not to stand out while travelling," Korosensei mops the empty section above his eyes with a handkerchief.
Nagisa is decidedly ignoring Karma and Kayano—who nearly broke a window and had to be talked down by a train attendant—as she, Kanzaki, Sugino and Okuda play bridge. She can just faintly hear the conversation around Korosensei as they place their bets.
"Then don't carry such a large bag," Okajima chides.
"And lay off the sweets," Fuwa scolds with laughter lacing her tone. Nagisa faintly wonders if Fuwa is calling Korosensei fat as she bids two clubs.
"You already stand out enough," Kurahashi agrees as Sugino bids two hearts.
Sugino wins the bid and calls out his partner over the sound of Nakamura mischievously asking, "Isn't it risky for a state secret to be out in public?"
"Korosensei, you have to be more responsible," Yada sighs, "don't miss your trains!"
"Man, I'm so bad at this game!" Sugino groans as he loses a round.
Nagisa, who won said round, laughs. "I'm really bad at it too, don't worry!"
"Here, Korosensei!" Nagisa places a card down and peeks over her shoulder to see Korosensei replacing his nose with a smaller, more snub one. Sugaya is keeping away a wood carving knife as he says, "I carved it so that it'll match the curvature and the other features of your face. I've been learning more about sculpting recently."
"That's amazing, Sugaya!" Isogai exclaims.
"Whoa, how can something so small make him look so much more...human?" Nakamura praises dramatically.
Catching her eye, Kayano excitedly strikes conversation with Nagisa, saying quickly, "isn't it cool how you always see knew sides of people when you travel together?"
With the memory of the embarrassment Kayano caused still in her mind, Nagisa makes a soft sound of assent, smiling calmly, before putting down a card. She makes a conscious decision to not trump Kanzaki, because as much as she wants Okuda to be her partner, well...Okuda is probably Sugino's partner for this game. She's looked rather panicked and has been careful not to burn Sugino. Kanzaki wins this set.
"That's the best part about travelling," Kanzaki says kindly as she gathers up the cards. She places down a new card delicately, the ten of clubs, then looks at Nagisa curiously. Hesitant, Nagisa places a two of clubs, her lowest clubs card, into the middle. She really hopes she and Kanzaki are bridge partners, because then they will only need three more sets to win.
"I wonder what we will find about each other," Sugino mutters, sneaking glances at Kanzaki.
"Who knows," Karma hums.
Nagisa ignores him.
In response, Karma sets his chin on Nagisa's shoulder, saying carelessly, "let me see your cards."
Nagisa shrugs her shoulders to displace him, shooting him a disapproving look.
Nagisa wins the next set and starts out with a moderately high card. When she wins the set again, she's in a good enough mood that she lets Karma put his arm around her waist.
And then Kanzaki wins the last set. "Nagisa, you're not Sugino's partner, right?" Kanzaki asks as she arranges the card.
Nagisa shakes her head.
"Me neither," Kanzaki smiles sweetly. "Looks like Nagisa and I win."
"Darn," Sugino says good naturedly, laughing as he sets down his cards. "I thought I had that round in the bag for sure."
"Good job, Kanzaki-san," Nagisa says with a smile.
"You too, Nagisa-san," Kanzaki laughs. "Shall we let Karma and Kayano play now?"
"Sure." Nagisa stretches, yawning. "I'm a little sleepy, so I might take a short nap.
"What if I don't want to play?" Karma hums.
Nagisa looks at him in surprise. "I thought you like bridge."
"Well, when you put it like that," Karma laughs.
He swaps seats with Nagisa, so that he's sitting next to Okuda (Nagisa only feels a little saddened), and likewise, Kayano swaps with Kanzaki.
"I don't really how how to play," Kayano says brightly, as Karma shuffles the cards in a practiced manner.
"Say that earlier," Sugino sighs, but begins explaining the rules to Kayano. While he does so, Karma distributes the cards and Kanzaki pulls out her itinerary to look through.
Listening to Sugino's instructions are making Nagisa feel more sleeping, and her eyelids begin to droop. She resists futilely for a moment, then lets her head drop against Karma's shoulder. Closing her eyes, Nagisa prepares to sleep.
An unknown amount of time later, perhaps only a minute, perhaps an hour, Nagisa hears, "hey, I'm going on a drink run."
Nagisa's eyelids fly open and she blinks several times rapidly. She stares blankly at Kanzaki.
"Does anyone want anything?" Kanzaki asks, looking at Nagisa with particular gentleness. Realising that she must look very stupid, Nagisa pinches her hand hard to wake up.
"I-I'll go with you," Nagisa smiles back at Kanzaki, hoping she had not drooled while dosing off.
"Get some ice lemon tea, Nana," Karma says, staring intently at his cards.
Still disoriented, Nagisa turns her head and realises that she is still leaning on his shoulder. She straightens and apologetically brushes loose strands of hair off his shoulder. Thankfully, it isn't damp.
"Some coffee for me," Sugino mutters.
Kayano asks for pudding milk (which Nagisa is pretty sure doesn't exist), while Okuda says that, "a-anything is fine!", while blushing aggressively.
Kanzaki very naturally leads Nagisa out of their little booth and allows Nagisa to hold onto her arm as they leave the compartment.
Unfortunately, for all Kanzaki's gentle consideration, she cannot avoid the aggressive looking boy who seems to be intentionally trying to run into them. Nagisa's arm slips from Kanzaki's due to the impact, and she regards the boys warily. They look a little older than them and all of them are taller than Nagisa by a marked amount.
Their gazes make Nagisa uncomfortable.
"Oh, pardon me," Kanzaki apologises promptly, and walks briskly past them. She looks over her shoulder at Nagisa, her eyes guarded. Hurry up, they seem to be saying.
The atmosphere is tense and uncomfortable. Nagisa mutters her own apology and hurries toward Kanzaki, looping her arm around hers to gain some flimsy reassurance.
Behind them, the boys watch them walk away.
"What school are they from?" The boy who bumped into Kanzaki asks. His arrogant manner and unbridled bossiness seem to indicate that he's the leader of the little group of delinquent looking boys.
"Probably Kunugigaoka," One of his lackeys respond, snickering nasally.
"Eh? So we got a whole bunch smart lads and ladies, huh?" Another one smirks, drawling out the words as though they have a secret, second meaning.
"That girl was pretty hot, don'tcha think?" The last one leers at the girls as well, particularly the one with long, dark hair and licks his lips.
"Say..." The leader begins to toss something up and down, something that seems to be a blue notebook. "How about we teach them a lesson in Kyoto?"
Catching the notebook, he smiles, a wide predator's grin.
The words on the notebook read: 'School Trip Itinerary: Kanzaki Yukiko'
In front of the students of Kunugigaoka Junior High is a towering, five star hotel. It is sleek and modern in design, and each time someone approaches the doors, two bellhops open it to let people in. Every time the doors open, a blast of the cool air inside the hotel washes over the students, who sigh in contentment.
All students except the ones of Class E, who stand in front of a traditional inn, one that can be found anywhere in the countryside.
Secretly, Nagisa is a little relieved. She heard that the students in other classes have a room to every two people, while their class has a grand total of two rooms: one for the boys and one for the girls. She prefers it this way.
However, her feeling of relief is short lived.
Korosensei has melted against a couch inside the traditional inn, looking green and extremely washed out. For a moment, Nagisa is legitimately concerned that he's going to die.
If the octopus does die from this, will their class still get the reward? Since Korosensei got on the train because of them. Or will the school get the award? Since they're the ones who arranged the school trip and therefore the transportation.
Somehow, Nagisa can see a legal blowout pending if the octopus did die from just taking the train once.
Obviously not as concerned, Mimura leans over the back of the couch and comments, "so...he gets all sick and groggy on trains and busses and stuff?"
Nagisa pinches the back of her hand. There's no way Korosensei is going to die from just this.
"Seems like it," she sighs, pulling out her notebook.
Korosensei weak point #9: He's prone to motion sickness
"Are you sure you're not going to die, Korosensei?" Okano asks doubtfully as she swings her knife at Korosensei.
"You do look very poorly, take your time to rest," Kataoka adds, also stabbing away at the exhausted Korosensei, who still manages to dodge.
"Yep, there's no rush," Isogai agrees...also slashing at Korosensei.
Why does it feel like there's a gap between their actions and their words? Nagisa coughs into her pen as she chases that thought away
"I'll have to pop back to Tokyo in a bit, anyway," Korosensei admits, "I forgot my pillow."
To say that Nagisa's jaw dropped and her eyes popped will be an understatement. She stares at the humungous bagpack at Korosensei's feet, that clearly contains enough for a year long trip, then lifts her gaze to look at the exhausted Korosensei, then looks back at the bag again.
All that stuff and he still forgot something!
Korosensei weak point #10: somehow brings too much but forgets the essentials
Nagisa pauses, then crosses that out. No point attacking Korosensei like that.
She corrects it to, Korosensei weak point #10: Can't sleep without his own pillow
Unbelievable. Nagisa sighs.
"Well? Kanzaki-san, did you find the itinerary?" Nagisa's attention is drawn back to her group by Kayano's question. She walks over to see Kanzaki frantically searching her bag.
"Can't find it," Kanzaki says desolately. She looks so disappointed and Nagisa wants to hug her.
"Ehhh?" Karma drawls out.
"Kanzaki-san, I commend you on your initiative in putting that itinerary together, all by yourself," Korosensei wheezes, "however, rest assured. As long as you have one of my handmade guidebooks, everything will be fine."
The whole point was to avoid having to carry one of those around, though...
"I know I put it in my bag," Kanzaki furrows her brows, "did I drop it somewhere?"
"Maybe while you were taking something out?" Sugino tilts her head and helps Kanzaki go through her things once more. "Man. It's really gone."
"I can remember some of the key points, but I'm afraid there's no way around it," Kanzaki sighs, "we'll have to carry one of...those around."
Their group turns to look at the giant guidebook, authored, edited, illustrated and published by Korosensei.
Kayano lets out a loud groan.
Fortunately, their groups dour mood is soon washed away by the allure of kyoto.
"We can't come to Kyoto and not have some green-tea warabimochi!" Kayano yanks on Sugino and Kanzaki's sleeves as the group moves around, searching for good assassination spots.
"Oi, stop pulling!" Sugino protests.
Nagisa can't help but laugh as she flips through Korosensei's guidebook, unabashedly making Karma hold on to it for her.
Her sweets loving boyfriend tries to appear aloof, but Nagisa knows he's itching to find out the best warabimochi place. "So? Where does Korosensei recommend?"
"Give me some time, he's got several pages worth of dessert places, complete with their menus, locations, ratings and best known products," Nagisa says absently as she briskly scans through another page of dessert shops.
"Then...why don't we put some poison in them?" Kanzaki suggests.
"What?!" Kayano leaps back from Kanzaki as though she has been burnt.
"Korosensei has a sweet tooth." Kanzaki reminds the offended looking shorter girl.
"Nice! Use the local speciality to send him to the local cemetery," Karma laughs.
"What a waste of perfectly good warabimochi!" Kayano exclaims.
"If only there were a poison that worked on him," Kanzaki sighs.
Okuda squirms as though she wants to suggest something, but ultimately says nothing.
"But I kinda wish we could just forget about the assassination this trip, y'know?" Sugino stretches. "I mean, look at all these sights!"
Nagisa looks up from the next desert shop, known for its souffle pancakes and smiles. She knows what he means.
He gestures at the large city around them, sighing. "What do any of these have to do with assassination?"
That gives Nagisa pause. Laughing, she flips to a different page. "You'll be surprised," she says mysteriously.
Dragging her group around Kyoto, Nagisa shows off all the famous sites of assassinations, ranging from Sakamoto Ryouma to Oda Nobunaga, reading aloud snippets from Korosensei's guidebook.
"Next up is the Yasaka shrine," Okuda mumbles.
"Oh, come on, let's take a break," Sugino whines, fanning himself.
"For a baseballer you sure have low stamina," Kayano sighs.
"Oi, this is a reasonable amount of stamina!"
"Not even Okuda-chan is tired!" Kayano protests.
Okuda, who had been abruptly singled our despite doing nothing, immediately colours. Her eyes swimming, she flails her hand about. "N-No! I'm very tired! I-I just, uh..."
"Okuda-chan probably has the most mental stamina out of all of us," Nagisa immediately comes to Okuda's defence, "after all, she likes science so much she probably stays late to do lab work very often, or spends hours at a time pouring over the most technical of books. It makes sense!"
"Excuse me?" Karma arches a brow.
"This is about physical stamina!" Kayano explodes before Nagisa can reassure Karma. She grabs his hand in a feeble attempt anyway. "Sugino's just weak!"
Sugino growls. "Oi, Kayano—"
"I think Sugino-kun is doing just fine," Kanzaki says in her sweet voice, calmly, "I think he might just being trying to be considerate. He doesn't look all that tired to me."
Sugino blushes.
"Well, Nana has been dragging us everywhere," Karma says carelessly as Sugino opens and closes his mouth mutely. "I want some sugary Kyoto coffee."
"Yeah! Karma's right! I agree with him! Let's follow Karma!" Kayano exclaims. "I just want sugar! Let's forget about assassination!"
"What the heck," Sugino sighs. The group continues forward, this time heading towards a sweets sho.
Behind them, Nagisa thinks she senses a bit of bloodlust, but when she turns, she doesn't see anyone.
"Huh, Gion is practically deserted this far in," Kayano comments as the group moves down a narrow alleyway, completely deserted save for a single bicycle.
"Ah—um, should we be here?" Okuda whispers, swallowing audibly.
"It's fine," Kanzaki reassures. "With all these places that turn away strangers, not many people come here just to wander around, and you don't need a nice, unobstructed view."
Kanzaki beams at them. "That's why this place was on the top of my list. It's perfect for an assassination."
Unfortunately, Okuda does not look reassured. If anything, she looks more panicked even as Kayano praises Kanzaki for her knowledge.
"I-Isn't it dangerous..." Okuda's voice gets smaller and smaller until Nagisa has to bend over to just hear what that last word was.
It's not as though Nagisa doesn't understand her concern. After all, if anything were to happen to them here, no one would hear them and no one would see them either. She's been a little on guard since sensing the bloodlust a while back.
"I understand where Okuda is coming from," Nagisa says softly, her eyes roving around the alleyway. "I'm a little scared, I uh, I think theres's a slight, little bit, uh...small chance that we're being followed."
Okuda, Kayano and Sugino immediately turn to stare at Nagisa with horror.
Nagisa blinks.
"Nagisa!" Kayano and Sugino roar in unison. "Say that earlier!"
"Hey now," Karma says in his usual careless tone, but his eyes are narrowed. "Don't yell at her."
"Nagisa, what makes you think this?" Kanzaki asks, looking calm despite everything.
"I got a feeling, a while back..." Nagisa mumbles, still trying to recover from hearing her name being shouted.
Nagisa! Nagisa what is this!
Nagisa!
What are you doing!
Kanzaki's delicate eyes narrow. "Then let's go, quickly."
"Too late..." An unfamiliar voice drawls.
Nagisa's back stiffens. Her nails curl into her palms.
In front of them, someone steps around the corner, into the alleyway. He's flanked by two other someones, three of them in their late teens with leering smiles as the stare at the junior high students in front of them.
"Ya should have brought it up earlier, girlie," The one in the middle drawls. "You can only blame yerself for walkin' around somewhere that's ripe for kidnapping."
"Something smells," Karma says
Nagisa immediately turns around, but there's another group of teenagers there, closing in on them. They look like high school students.
And most importantly, they're blocking off their exit route.
Nagisa's breath quickens. They're all tall. A lot taller than her, and bulky.
"Kayano, Okuda," Nagisa whispers, "go hide."
She and Kanzaki form a wall, blocking the two smaller girls.
"Something tells me that you fellows aren't here to sight see," Karma says in a slow drawl.
Nagisa whirls around and sees Karma taking a step towards the bullies, bloodlust leaking from him in droves.
"Well, we ain't here for you," The fattest one steps forward, drooling as he openly ogles Kanzaki. "Hand over the girls and get los—" He closes his eyes for a second—less than a second—but that's all the time it takes.
Karma grabs the guys face, slamming him onto the ground, even though he's easily twice his size.
"See, Nagisa-chan? Fighting's no problem at all when there's no witnesses," Karma turns to smirk at her and despite the situation, Nagisa feels some fond exasperation. Show off.
Behind Karma, however, Nagisa catches sight of light glinting off metal, and she freezes.
Unable to form words, Nagisa points behind Karma, incoherently yelling—yelling, "Karma!".
Karma makes a curious noise, and turns to see the teenager. Who is holding a knife.
"You wanna get shanked?" He snaps, diving for Karma.
Looking unperturbed, Karma clicks his tongue and snatches the sheet covering the bicycle. He tosses it in the teenager's face. Blinded, the teen can only freeze and flail, disoriented, which allows Karma to kick him over.
"Shanked?" Karma laughs. "You wish."
Then someone grabs Nagisa around the shoulders. And she freezes.
Doesn't this look good on you, little Nagisa.
Your mother has always wanted to wear this.
Where are you trying to go?
Oh my darling, my darling Nagisa.
Another hand covers her mouth.
The neighbours came by the other day Nagisa. How many times do I have to tell you to be reasonable?
What are you doing Nagisa.
You're being unreasonable. How are you my daughter.
Nagisa can't breathe. She can't breathe and that's stupid because everyone knows how to breathe and there's air and no one is covering her nose but she can't breathe and now her heart is pounding and it's going so, so fast and she doesn't know what's going on it's taking all her effort to just breathe but it's not working, it's not working—
(Kanzaki's scream alerts Karma and Sugino, who had been fighting a moment before, to the predicament of the girls. Whirling around, Karma lifts his fist and dives for the boys carrying away the girls when someone chops him at the back of his neck.
"Yeah, fightin's no problem," the teenager says, mocking Karma's previous words.
Karma coughs out a spray of saliva as he's knocked to the ground.
"Stop that!" Sugino yells, rushing forward, only for one of the teenagers to kick him hard in the stomach. He flies back and hits against the alley wall, his head ringing from the impact.
Okuda is nowhere to be seen.)
Nagisa can't hear anything there's just a ringing in her ear and she can't focus on anything she really can't, someone is shouting, someone else is swearing. The only thing filling her eyes is the disdainful look of her mother—no, not her mother, the lady. And are you stupid Nagisa, can't you breathe, it's literally the first thing everyone learns—
She's shaking and she feels light headed and god is she going to faint? What's going on? She can't, she can't, breathe—
And someone is shouting her name and she wants to respond, but she can't, she can't, and she just can't.
"What the hell is wrong with her?"
What is wrong with her? Nagisa wants to be normal. She hates this her she is. It's disgusting.
"Let her go, you dipshits!" Someone says and it sounds like Kayano. Nagisa then hears Kayano's cry of pain.
"She's hyperventilating, let me help her!" Kayano snaps. "We're in your car anyway, we can't do anything!"
The teenagers say something, then something cups around Nagisa's mouth.
"Breathe in time with me, Nagisa," Kayano whispers, "ready? In...out...in...out...in...out..."
"Sugino-kun, Karma-kun!" Karma's eyes snap open, taking in the grey sky. It only takes him a moment to come back to himself and recall the circumstances that had occurred.
Leaping to his feet, he almost falls down again immediately due to the throbbing pain in his side.
"Karma-kun, calm down," Karma narrows his eyes and sees Okuda leaning over Sugino. "Are you okay, Sugino-kun?"
Sugino groans.
"I'm so sorry..." Okuda mumbles. "I just ran and hid..."
Karma sits back down and takes a deep breath. He takes a moment to recalibrate, glancing around the alleyway. It's empty, save for Okuda, Sugino and a bike. Sugino looks in as bad shape as Karma feels, rubbing his stomach while he breathes heavily.
Okuda on the other hand, looks fine. A part of Karma resents her for being okay while Nagisa is not, while another part is relieved that at least one of them was okay, and that Nagisa's precious Okuda-chan was fine.
"It's OK, you did the right thing," he rubs the back of his neck, which is stinging. "Those guys are no stranger to crime. Even the police would have trouble with them."
Karma takes in a deep breath, thinking of Nagisa's wide, frantic eyes as that son of a bitch teenager had trapped her. She had looked...terrified. She had been shaking so much.
"Besides..." He balls his hands up into fists, feeling his bloodlust build up in him. "I'd like to handle their execution myself."
"But..." Sugino looks away, biting his lip. "How are we going to find them?"
"I, I don't know," Okuda mutters.
Karma resists the urge to yell at either of them. His gaze passes over them, then he starts off toward the road.
"Oi Karma," Sugino yells from behind. "Where are you going?"
Karma ignores him, looking for anyone in the nearby road. Unfortunately, they seemed to have chosen their location a little too well. There really is nobody.
"W-We should tell Korosensei!" Okuda cries out, louder than Karma has ever heard her.
"And how long would it take for him to get here?" Karma answers coldly. "We're in an isolated part of Gion with no landmarks and no one nearby."
The other two fall silent, and Karma frowns at the road. There are some tyre tracks, but they disappear a while after in one direction.
He gnashes his teeth together. Careless! Stupid!
"Karma-kun, I found something that could help!"
Nagisa rests her head against Kazanki's shoulder, taking her time to recover.
The teenagers haven't payed any attention to them thus far, merely gathering into a group and giggling in a frankly unnerving manner.
"Feeling better, Nagisa?" Kanzaki whispers when she feels the other girl shift.
Keeping on eye on the teens, Nagisa barely breathes out her affirmative response.
One of the teens breaks off from the group and looms over them, smirking. "I called out buddies up. Got everythin' ready for a commemorative photo shoot, too."
Good for you, commemorative is such a long word, congrats, Nagisa thinks to herself, her gaze flicking away.
"Make as muuuch noise as ya want," the teen drawls out, "no one'll hear ya."
Nagisa doesn't doubt this part. If the area of Gion they were in earlier was deserted, the place they are in now is derelict. An abandoned warehouse, one that you might find in any city that had previously undergone urban decay, with broken, leftover items that didn't make the cut to be moved out. The city's gangsters have clearly used it on and off over the years, judging from the cigarette butts grounded into the flooring.
Nagisa faintly amuses herself with the thought of what would happen if the gangsters who originally used this area came back and found with the tokyo teenagers.
Unfortunately, they (the girls) will probably have left the dragon's den to enter the tiger's lair.
Not that Nagisa wants to draw parallels between this gang of wannabes who take their resentment out on the world instead of reflecting on themselves and changing to become better and dragons. Dragons are better.
Obviously.
To Nagisa's surprise, the leader squats down next to them. He squints at Kanzaki, then gives a leering smile.
"I thought I seen ya somewhere before." He begins manipulating his phone, clearly searching for something. A moment later, he shows a picture to the girls. "This's you, right? In an arcade last summer in Tokyo."
Nagisa studies the photo. The girl on screen looks miles apart from the gentle and kind Madonna in their class. Her face is screwed up into a scowl, her eyes holding threats of death in them, resentful, hard, livid, her lips drawn into an angry line and her eyebrows arched together.
Though Nagisa can't blame her. Given how this teenager is the one taking the photograph, and he definitely doesn't have good intentions—easily being able to recognise the girl in it despite a year passing and her demeanor being different indicates that he had constantly checked the picture over that period of time—so its a small wonder that Kanzaki is looking at him like he's some kind of filth on the wall.
Nagisa can feel Kanzaki trembling, and leans more weight against her in feeble reassurance.
"I wanted to kidnap ya then, but ya slipped thru' my fingers," the leader continues, licking his lips.
Disgusting. Scum of the earth. Nagisa can't be bothered to look at him.
"Who knew that you'd be a student at a famous junior high?" He says slowly, mockingly.
Kanzaki shakes harder when he says that. Nagisa can't even imagine what she's thinking. What she's going through. After all, how does this guy know about her school? Or have such a clear photograph of her?
It's frightening.
"But hey, I get it." The guy is clearly trying to resonate with Kanzaki, with the change of his tone to be more friendly, but it's just. No. "The higher up you are, the lower you wanna fall."
The guy brings his disgusting face close to Kanzkai's, clearly enjoying the torment he's bringing her while she's powerless, tied up and with no way to defend herself. Disgusting. "From now until night, I'm gonna teach 'a just how much further you can fall."
Nagisa can't help it, she lifts her shoulder from Kanzaki's and gets into a crouch. The guy is too busy being a massive terrible person, and doesn't spare her a glance. At least not until she slams her head against his.
He screams and reels backwards. As the other teenagers are running over, Nagisa grabs the guy's phone between her shoes and flings it as hard as she can against the wall.
It shatters into smithereens to the symphony of teenagers yelling.
"'What do i do when a group member has been abducted'," Sugino reads out loud as the three remaining members of the group pour over it. "Thank goodness Kanzaki marked this page."
"Korosensei really thought of everything..." Okuda whispers. Karma feels her nervous gaze dart to him but makes no effort to temper his bloodlust.
"Where's the nearest?" Karma asks calmly, or as calmly as he can.
Okuda glances at him, then says quietly, "p-please write these down..."
In a matter of minutes, they've assembled a long list of addresses, arranged by proximity.
Rowdy laughter fills the shady warehouse.
Nagisa's head rests against Kanzaki's thigh, her cheek swollen. She hopes it won't bruise. She hopes the swelling will die down. If it's still there when she returns home...
Nagisa closes her eyes.
"So...that picture," above her, Kayano tentatively strikes up a conversation, "even a model student like you went through a phase, huh? I didn't expect that."
Nagisa opens her eyes.
Kanzaki smiles. Her smile is just as gentle and beautiful, but Nagisa can't help but notice a touch of melancholy and frustration in it.
"When you said different sides of people, Kayano, I don't think you meant this, huh?" She says, with an air of trying to joke things away.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Nagisa ventures, hoping she hasn't intruded.
Kanzaki tilts her head slightly, her eyes skittering away from Nagisa and Kayano.
After a moment, she exhales. "It's...my father. He was very strict."
Both Nagisa and Kayano make soft, knowing sounds.
"He was hellbent on my getting a good education and a prestigious position. I..." Kanzaki laughs bitterly. "I wantedd to get away from that. I wanted to throw my elite school's uniform behind, so I changed my look and hung out in places where nobody would find me, and nobody would know me."
"Pretty stupid, right?" Her eyes finally return to Nagisa and Kayano, meeting their eyes in turn. She smiles, and Nagisa's heart squeezes with sympathy. "The only position I landed in after all that playing around was a seat in the End Class. I don't even know what I want to do anymore. Or where I belong."
"Kanzaki-san..." Nagisa whispers. A moment later, she sits up. "I don't think anyone knows where they belong. And you, you fell into the E class only because you were playing around. So, if you start studying again under Korosensei, I'm sure you will be able to go wherever you want! Because you're Kanzaki-san."
Kanzaki gives Nagisa a strained smile. Nagisa understands that look. The helplessness inside, frustration at herself for (in her belief) not being able to live up to Nagisa's words and Nagisa not understanding her circumstances but also the appreciation for someone encouraging and being kind to her, while also marvelling at the futilit of it...it's how Nagisa feels when her friends try to tell her similar things.
Being in the E class isn't anything bad, Nana.
You're not less deserving just because you're in it. You're smart! And even if you weren't so what! Everyone has different strengths.
Your schoolmates and the school board are the ridiculous ones. It's really so unreasonable.
"I also...my mother is a little strict." She says slowly. "She expects a lot from me too, but I failed her. Unlike you I have no proper excuse for being here. Even though I tried my best, I still ended up in the E Class, Kanzaki-san. You have the ability to do whatever you want, Kanzaki-san. But me on the other hand..."
"Nagisa-san," Kanzaki looks at Nagisa and for the first time Nagisa realises that she has been putting Kanzaki up on a pedestal.
Yes, Kanzaki is beautiful, graceful, kind, mature, and clever, but that doesn't mean she is infallible or better. She is Kanzaki, a girl the same age as Nagisa, who struggles with the same things everyone else in their class struggles with, as well as her own familial circumstances.
Nagisa wishes she can hug her.
"You two..." Kayano sighs. "We change everyday. We get better and worse. It's not enough that we work hard, have you forgotten mid terms? Our school actively works against us. They push us to the bottem. We can't win using their methods."
Nagisa looks at Kayano with surprise.
"If you don't know what you want, make sure you have as many options as possible!" Kayano says in a very no-nonsense manner. "We'll fight our way back into the main campus, using our methods and not subscribing to their stupid 'oh the e class is inferior' bullshit and then we'll go anywhere we want!"
"So don't forcus on moping! It..." Kayano bit her lips. "I'm sad seeing you guys sad! I mean you should be allowed to feel sad, but if you get caught up in your sadness you can drown and then—"
"And then ya' can stay with us." A voice cuts into their conversation. "Yeah, that all sounds so nice and all but it's all bullshit. The systems unfair. Save your energy and jus' hang with us."
The leader of the group looms over them, smirking. "We don't give a shit 'bout prestige or whatever here. Those elitist bastards you're angry at? We drag them down to rock bottom. Or maybe we just put them back to where they used to be."
"Scum." Kayano spits on the ground.
The veins in the leader's head bulge. His hand snaps out and he grabs Kayano by the neck, lifting her.
"Kayano!" Nagisa shrieks.
"You some kind of elitist? Lookin' down on us like that? Huh?" The leader snarls. He flings Kayano onto the ratty couch. "I'll drag you down to our level, alright! When you go back to your rooms, you girls will be all cool, like 'oh, we just went out for karaoke an' stuff' do thtat and nobody gets hurt."
Kayano looks away.
The leader visibly takes a breath to calm down. Smirking, he says slowly, menacingly. "Let's get back together once we're all in Tokyo, OK? We can look over all the fond memories in the photos we're gonna take."
Nagisa is so mad she sees white, but she also don't know what to do. The worst part is that she can understand how this thing became how he is now.
It's natural that those who are smarter and who work harder will do better academically and its natural that those who do better academically get into related fields. It just makes sense. To call such a system 'elitist' and make a mockery of it just because he has failed in it, is just bitter.
There's a sound from the entrance.
The leader looks so smug Nagisa wants something terrible to happen to him. "Ah, our photographers have arri—"
Two people are flung into the room.
The photographers have indeed arrived—beaten up and almost unrecognisable.
From the shadows of the door, a nervous voice trails out. "'S-School trip guidebook, page 1,243: 'W-What do I do when a group member has been abducted?'"
Nagisa can just about see a person in the doorway, grey slacks, a white button up, a black jacket and an outstretched hand.
"'If you have no leads on the perpetrator, begin by using their accent and conversational topics to determine if they are from around the area. If not, and if they were wearing a school uniform, see page 1344'," another person approaches the doorway. Nagisa sees now a grey pleated skirt, a black band close to the hem, a grey blazer, neatly buttoned, a white button up shirt, and someone holding a book. Whoever it is (Nagisa couldn't guess who) begns flipping the pages. "'You may be up against another student on a school trip, who's been stirring up trouble.'"
And then the best trio steps into the room.
Okuda in the front, looking a little scared but also a little angry, which is to say (for Okuda) really angry.
Sugno on her right, cracking his knuckles menacingly.
And then finally, her Karma, on Okuda's left, looking like he just took a stroll on the beach, with his hands in his pockets.
Nagisa doesn't miss the look of relief when he sees her.
"You're here!" Kayano exclaims.
"How did you know we were here?!" The leader shouts angrily, prepared to fight.
"'Being unfamiliar with the area, the perpetrator won't travel far after the abduction. Rather, they will choose a secluded spot nearby. In such a situation, see page 134 of the appendix'." Okuda flips to the correct page, then glares (as much as Okuda can, and she looks adorable) at the delinquents.
"Show it to them," Nagisa whisper-yells.
"Right!" Okuda holds up the book, displaying a double spread map. And still glaring. "'My mach 20 bird's-eye-view map of common abductor hideouts may help.'"
"That guidebook's amazing! That's the perfect way to foil an abduction!" Sugino says cheerfully. Nagisa can't see it, but she is sure the deliquent's faces must be a delight.
"Well, I guess carrying one around actually paid off," Karma shrugs nonchalantly.
"What the hell kind of guidebook's that?!" They all shout in unison.
Nagisa laughs, causing Karma to glance at her.
"You alright, Nana?" Karma asks, arching one brow in false bravo. Nagisa nods, feeling faintly amused. Pretend all you like Karma. I can tell you're worried.
"So, what's your next move, my friends? I mean, you've done so much already. I'd love to take you on a guided tour..." Karma's smile turns murderous as his bloodlust oozes out. "Straight to the hospital..."
The sound of heavy footsteps fill the room.
"Heh," The leader chortles, regaining his confidence. "You junior high brats think you're so tough. Well, here come the buddies I called."
"When did he have time to call them?" Kayano wonders loudly, which helps remove the tension from Sugino and okuda's shoulders. Karma, that—ah—that nothing, looks disappointed.
"Shaddup!" The leader snaps, growling. "They're badasses the likes of which you do-gooder brats have never...have never...WHAT?!""
A yellow tentacle snakes around the door, holding four knocked out delinquents.
"No badasses here, I took care of them all," Korosensei's voice fills the room, the rest of the octopus teacher coming soon after. Nagisa is more relieved than she can say. The child in her is relieved when the authority figure comes to clean up the mess. Even if said authority figure is wearing a...a thick black veil, like a widow in the 1800s.
"Korosensei!" Sugino exclaims.
"Sorry I'm late," Korosensei tosses the delinquents away. "I had a detailed investigation of my own to take care of."
"Eh? Is Korosensei finally getting arrested?" Karma asks, his bright tone at odds with his words.
"Of course not. I simply cannot have you students associating my face with the violent acts that will follow," Korosensei explains, before flickering, dropping guidebooks into Karma and Sugino's arms.
Korosensei weak point #10: He worries about keeping up appearances
"This is your teacher?" The leader of the kidnappers is understandably pissed. "Bullshit! Who does he think he is, lookin' like that."
How rude. Korosensei is very proud of his...everything.
However, the leader reveals himself to be armed with a bottle of Jack Daniels, as are his other lackeys, and they yell and charge at Korosensei.
Although aware that something like that can't hurt Korosensei, her friends standing in front of him aren't born with the same amnesty to logic. Karma's eyes narrow, Sugino stiffens and Okuda closes the book, clearly prepared to defend herself with it.
Thankfully, Korosensei has things under control.
"'Bullshit' you say?" In one milisecond (or probably less), Korosensei has hit all the high school students across the faces with his tentacles. "That's my line."
The kidnappers all faint
"What...did he do?" The leader mumbles. "He's too fast to see..."
"You're too slow to swat a fly, let alone me," Korosensei's face is rapidly turning pitch black. "Keep your filthy hands off my students."
"So elite schools have elite teachers, huh?" The leader struggles to his feet. "You're lookin' down on us 'cause of ya rank, aren't ya? Making fun of me for going to some loser high school..."
The kidnappers all lift their hands and reveal...knives.
Nagisa gasps and if she had control of her hands she would have covered her mouth. But she doesn't. All she can think of is: what if one of the knives accidentally flies and hurts Karma? Hurts anyone?
And it doesnt help that Nagisa hears herself in the lead kidnappers buitter words. Replace 'loser high school' with 'e class' and Nagisa has probably had that exact thought, word for word. It's that's something Nagisa understands, so, so well. And she hates that she shares something so personal with someone so cruel and disgusting.
"We are not elite," Korosensei knocks two teenager away, sending them into the wall. "Their school is famous, that's true—" Korosensei grabs two teens by their necks, crashing their heads together— "but these students are seen as the school's pariahs; the mere name of their class is a subject for discrimination."
Korosensei leaps in the air and performs a spinning kick with his tentacles, knocking out not one, not two, but five teenagers at the same time. "However, they always keep a positive outlook in life."
Nagisa feels some tears stinging her eyes and marvels at herself. What is she doing?
"They'll never drag others down with them, unlike you," unknowing of Nagisa's—Nagisa's whatever it is,Korosensei continues completely wiping the field. The leader lets out a battle call, a helpless, last ditch effort, and charges Korosensei with his knife. Korosensei wraps a tentacle around his arm, easily stopping him. Using the same momentum provided by the leader's charge, Korosensei releases it all and launches him across the room. "In the end, school and prestige mean nothing; be they in a clear stream or muddy water; the fish who swim in the right direction come up top."
Nagisa is...is something. Overwhelmed probably, suddenly overwehlemd with emotion. Oh god.
"Now, students, let's take care of them!" Korosensei says happily, lifting a tentacle finger. "We'll teach them a lesson about the physical dangers on a school trip!"
The group of high school students are just recovering, and Nagisa blinks away her tears in time to see her three friends slamming the guidebooks on their heads.
"Man, for a while there, I thought it wasn't going to go well," Sugino groans, rubbing the back of his head.
"Hmmm," Karma sighs. "If it had just been him and me, I'm sure it would've worked out."
"'Him and I', Karma," Kayano grumbles.
"I think its 'him and me'," Nagisa supplies when Karma and Kayano lock into a staredown.
Both turn to her, wearing very contradictory expressions. Kayano, for one, flashes Nagisa a betrayed look, while in contrast, Karma probably is physcially unable to look more smug.
"That's good with me," Sugino laughs. "Duel it out on your own."
"At least I have Kanzaki," Kayano sighs. "You feeling okay? That was somethng scary just now."
"Yes, I'm fine," Kanzaki's voice is more self-assured and firm than Nagisa has ever heard it.
"What happened, Kanzaki-san?" Korosensei asks. It seems Nagisa isn't the only one who picked up on the change in tone.
Blinking her big gray eyes, Kanzaki's mouth forms a little 'o'. "Eh?"
"No one would blame you for being shaken after that incident," Korosensei observes, "however, the only thing that seems to be shaken is your hesitation."
Kanzaki smiles wide, her cheeks turning a light pink. "That's right, Korosensei. And thank you," Kanzaki bows, before turning to Kayano and bowing again. "And thank you Kayano. You've both taught me a lot. I have...a lot to think about. Although it's easy to just give up, I'm going to start fighting back. My own way."
"Not a problem," Korosensei smirks. "Nurufufufufu, now, shall we carry on with our school trip?"
"Aww, Kanzaki," Kayano says bashfully in answer. Blushing slightly, she grabs Kanzaki's arm. "Or can I say...Yukiko?"
Kkanzaki looks plesantly surprised, beaming. "Yes!"
"C-Can I call you that too?" Sugino asks immediately, blushing. Clever of him, Nagisa thinks, freeloading off Kayano to get closer to Kanzaki.
"Of course!" Apparently, Kazanki is so happy that she doesn't even stop to think, turning her beautiful sile onto Sugino, who turns a deeper shade of red.
Amused, Nagisa loops her arm through Kanzaki's, no, Yukiko's. "Shall we go, Yukiko?"
Yukiko looks happy enough to burst.
"That's not fair, Nagisa! You should call me 'Kaede' too!" Kayano protests.
"There, there, Kaede," Nagisa says easily. Then, because Nagisa, like Sugino, too isn't about to let the opportunity slip by, Nagisa looks over at Okuda. "Is it okay if we call you 'Manami' too? After all, we've all survived a near death experience."
Okuda nods quickly, and Nagisa holds out her arm to her. The bespectacled girl immediately takes it, her face brighter than Nagisa has ever seen it.
"We're blocking the road!" Kaede laughs.
"Oh, you can just call me 'Tomohito', Kanzaki...ah, Yukiko-san." Sugino says shyly.
Yukiko nods gently, "Tomohito-kun."
Sugino has probably ascended to heaven, but Kayano and Nagisa aren't about to let him off.
"Oh i see how it is." Kayano says in deadpan.
"Even though we've been friends with you longer..." Nagisa says pitifully.
"Argh! I got it, I got it!" Sugino throws his hands up in mock exasperation. Pointing at each of them in turn, he states, "Manami-san, Yukiko-san, Kaede."
"Why am I the only one without a '-san'?!" Kaede yelps.
"You're so annoying!" Tomohito complains.
Laughing, Nagisa gently disetangles herself from her friends because, yeah, they really are blocking the road. Kaede has long let go to pummel Tomohito, but Manami gently holds Yukiko's arm.
As much as Nagisa likes Manami, she has something else to hold, just for now.
Nagisa slips her hand into Karma's. "Hello."
"Hey." He laces their fingers together.
Nagisa still doesn't know what she wants to do. She doesn't know if she even can do it if she wants to, but she does have her friends by her side. Friends who have been through a kidnapping together, who are ready to fight against their less than kind school, who are prepared to forge a new path for themselves and her.
And maybe she can deserve it. Maybe Kaede is right.
Nagisa looks at Yukiko, who no longer looks as ephermeral as before. She seems more grounded now, prepared to fing her own way, like Kaede said.
Perhaps Nagisa can find it in herself to do so too.
But for now...
Nagisa rests her head against Karma's shoulder.
He is solid and firm under her cheek.
an author's aside:
If i do manage to finish this, I hope that i will be able to analyse some of the stuff about elitism because honestly I really dont know how to feel. Its like yeah if you score better you should be given more opportunities in that field and if you invest more time into studying and pursing that thing to get that job then maybe you should be paid accordingly? BUt then its not fair at the same time. It's also like sure everyone's good at different things so you should play to your strengths and pursue careers in things you're either strong at or interested in, and there is no shame in honest work. But just because your job may be valued differently, should you be payed less? For that matter, lower skilled jobs are generally perceived with very little respect and its so like hmmmmm. Its proper honest work and people should be respected for working. But they won't be same the same way.
Then don't get me started on how your inherent abilities are decided from birth. Or about the whole idea of people with talent being superior? I just don't understand anything about the world or how I feel about our society and the things inside of it.
I get stupider by the day now that I've graduated from my country's equivalent of high school and am waiting for uni and like i don't know anything. I turn things over in my head over and over and come up with frustration.
ANYWAY. Anyone know how to find charities to donate to? I've recently realised that I say a lot about how things should be better and put no effort into actually making things better so like I'm trying to actually be kind instead of just being nice.
sorry for that paragraph please review. I would really like to hear your thoughts.
Also should I make a tumblr? To connect better.
Mini extra:
Nagisa has only just closed her eyes when a loud yell cuts into her thoughts.
"AHHHHHHHHH—"
"Kaede, shhhhh," Yukiko says frantically. They're no longer in an empty street of Gion, navigating the winding alleys. Now they're in a more crowded street, navigating the alien roads. Unfortunately, this also means that Kaedes shriek attracts the confused, irritated and concerned looks from those on the street.
Nagisa opens her eyes and looks around in confusion, wondering what caused such an outbreak from Kaede.
Kaede is pointing somewhere behind Nagisa and Karma, her eyes buldging. Nagisa gently removes Karma's arm from her shoulders and turns behind her.
"Everything okay, Kaede?" Nagisa asks after she searches and finds nothing.
Apparently Kaede is even more shocked, because sound stops leaving her mouth. Nagisa turns again but sees nothing. She looks left and right too.
"It's been a long day, maybe we all need a break," Yukiko says finally when Kaede remains frozen in place. She seems just as confused as Nagisa about why Kaede had been shrieking.
Nagisa looks at Karma, confused.
Unfortunately, all the redhead does is laugh, giving her zero clues to Kaede's strange behaviour.