Chapter Twenty-two.
A rival always suddenly appears when things are starting to go well.
"… you guys were defeated," says Yuushi from the other line.
"It's not like you guys won, though!" Kenya grunts, "You also lost."
"Well, anyway…"
"Now, you're dropping the topic?!"
Yuushi ignores his cousin's small tantrums. "… so did you get to your 'friend'? Did anything happen?"
The coffee-haired boy sighs. "Uhm… Yuushi."
"Yes?"
"D-do you know how to kiss girls?"
"… I thought your 'friend' is a guy?" Yuushi blinks. "That's why I was making fun of you, remember?"
"I also thought the same."
Gin glances at his classmate. He closes his eyes and crosses his arms. Kazuyoshi seems once again to be in a pinch as he usually is. Classes have not started yet, but Yume seems to be feeling extraordinarily uneasy. "Is there anything that has been bothering you, Kazuyoshi-han? You seem troubled," he finally asks.
From her face buried onto the desk, Yume immediately sits up. An evident rosy blush can be seen on her cheeks. She holds back her breath. "N-nothing!"
"Oh, really?" Gin nods. He looks in front, away from his seatmate. "By the way, was Kenya-han able to reach your house yesterday? You left something and he insisted to return it to you immediately."
She chokes on her own saliva and coughs.
He glances again. "Are you alright?"
"Y-yes! I'm sorry..." Yume takes a deep breath. "Well, Oshi- er, Kenya-san was able to return my earphones last night." She is breathing heavily and her face is flushed.
"Your face is red. Are you sure that you're fine? Do you have a cold or anything of the sort?"
"Uhm... well, I'm fine." Her fingers start fidgeting. "Actually..." She scratches her head. "I really can't handle these kinds of situations well but..." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "…you know, I-I think I'm developing feelings for someone."
Gin looks straight to the chalkboard. "Is that what has been bothering you lately?"
"I know it's stupid, but..." She nods. "… it's just frustrating." Yume glances at Gin's stern look. "Please don't judge me! It's even harder for me."
He blinks. "I think I might have some idea who it is." She flushes red and Gin takes note of this. "But I probably shouldn't say anything."
"Please don't say it!"
Upon hearing the ringing of the lunch bell, Yume again feels her heart racing. Expectations of a string of events are starting to form inside her head. She imagines how Kenya would just arrive to their classroom like how he usually comes to fetch her for lunch at the rooftop. But she doesn't know how to react if that ever happens.
Gin worryingly glances at his troubled classmate. "Are you...?"
She turns to him. "I-I'm not waiting for Kenya-san to ask me out for lunch!"
He blinks, quite surprised. "Kenya-han?" He notices the mad blush on her face. "Kazuyoshi-han, I was actually referring to that." Gin points to the paper on top of her desk.
She looks down at her desk. "Oh?" She finally realizes that she has not yet passed her homework since she had been spacing out for the whole time.
"Are you not going to pass that to Sensei?"
"Oh right!" Yume immediately sits up and grabs the paper. "I need to get to the faculty room fast!"
"Would you need some company?" he politely offers.
"It's fine." She swiftly walks out the door. Since it is lunch time and there will be a lot of people along the hallway, Yume finds no merit in running. Rather, she walks as fast as she can while avoiding bumping against other students. Near the faculty room, a person places a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey! What're you up to?"
She turns around. "Chitose-san?" She shows the piece of paper. "I was just passing this to Sensei."
"Ohhh. I see." Chitose removes his hand from her shoulders, raising both arms in the air. "Ah! I'm sorry. You're probably crept out on how I just approached you so casually." He chuckles. "Even though we just met last weekend."
Yume shakes her head. "No, I don't mind." She smiles. "You're not the first one to do that anyway."
"I was also going to the faculty. I'm going to pass my homework to Shino-sensei. This is pretty late now."
"Ohhh. Same here." She chuckles. "I was spacing out for the whole period, so I forgot to pass my homework."
"So... you have a homework that you haven't passed due last week, too?"
Yume blinks. "Oh dear, no. This one's due today."
"Ooohh... so I'll be the only one who's gonna be terribly reprimanded."
She laughs. "Well, you are in trouble. But at least, Sensei is not that grumpy about these stuffs."
They walk towards the faculty room.
"This Friday is the 'Sweets Festival.' Do you have any plans so far?" he asks.
"Sweets Festival? Is that something like giving sweets to people or making sweets? Or eating sweets?"
Chitose grins. "That's part of it. But to be specific, it's an annual festival here in Shitenhouji for sweethearts. Another one of those useless events of this school."
She blinks. "So it's for people with girlfriends or boyfriends, huh?"
"Yup!" Chitose replies with obvious excitement. "And it's also for those who want to confess to people they like. And the offering must be sweets."
"Hmm... so are you one who has a girlfriend or..."
"I'm actually the one waiting for sweets." Chitose grins.
"I see." She opens the door as they have reached the faculty. They approach to the far end corner table where a middle-aged man is seated.
This teacher wears red-framed glasses and a dark blue shirt. He is talking to two female students at the moment. Shino-sensei is laughing while the student with long blonde hair blushes. The other female student who has bobbed hair is caressing the shy girl's head.
"Yo, Chiharu-chan and Miyoko-chan!" Chitose casually greets the two girls.
Chiharu, the one with bobbed hair, smiles back at Chitose. "Yo!"
Miyoko, on the other hand, simply bows shyly.
Mr. Shino greets them. "So, Chitose-san and Kazuyoshi-san, what help can I offer you two today?"
"Yes, Sensei." Yume gives her paper. "I was kinda spacing out a while ago that I forgot to pass my homework for today."
"Really?" He looks at the paper. "But you looked like you were really paying attention a while ago in class. You almost didn't blink; it kinda creeped me out, to be honest. Well, Kazuyoshi-san, I guess I should always call you for recitation in class."
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry!" She bows.
"That's alright. Next time, though, you will really be called in class for recitation." He turns to Chitose. "So, Chitose-san, do you have your late homework?"
Chitose nervously chuckles. "Yes." He hands the paper to Mr. Shino. "Sorry!"
"You are a real troublemaker." The teacher sighs. "You two should be a lot like Miyoko-san here."
Yume looks at her and notices the blonde girl blush. Miyoko has bright eyes and her skin seems really smooth and free from any discolorations and imperfections. She is not one anyone would call 'cute,' rather she is more on being elegant.
"She's got brains and beauty." Shino smiles warmly at the student. "I'm pretty sure your confession will be reciprocated, Miyoko-san."
Chitose is awed. "Ohhh... someone finally captured the heart of the 'Snow White of Shitenhouji.'"
"'Snow White of Shitenhouji?'" Yume mumbles to herself. There seems to have a 'title' system in the school, where anyone remarkable must be given a title.
"D-don't say it like that," Miyoko murmurs as her face turns redder.
"So... who's the guy again?" Mr. Shino teasingly asks.
"Miyoko-chan has a crush on Kenya-kun!" Chiharu announces boldly.
"Please don't say it out loud," Miyoko pleads.
Yume can't help but to frown for a split second. However, there is a need to keep her composure in times like these so she pretends as if she has not been affected by that. She keeps up a face that she is not jealous over Kenya because of the other girl.
"Really?" Chitose laughs. "But why that idiot speedstar?"
"Who knows what is going on inside Mimi's head," Chiharu teases before laughing.
"Oh? Oshitari-kun, what do you need here?" All of them suddenly avert their attention to the door, and there is Kenya. He is talking to Ms. Hinata.
"Kubo-sensei must have left this book in our room. I was just returning it."
Ms. Hinata replies, "Kubo-sensei went out to buy lunch. But you can just place his book on the desk beside Shino-sensei's."
Kenya bows. "Thank you!" He walks towards the far-end corner and sees the group. He waves a hand. "Hello, Shino-sensei! Yo, Chitose! Hello, Chiharu-san and Miyo-chan!" He looks at Yume and slightly blushes. "Hi, Yuki-kun!"
"Uhmmm... hi, Kenya-san!" Miyoko embarrassingly greets.
Shino asks boldly. "Any plans for the Sweets Festival, Kenya-kun?"
"Plans...?" He glances towards Yume's direction. "I think I have some."
Chitose gasps. "I see... I remember that you and Yuki-kun here are together, right? You guys will go on a date, right?"
"D-date?! Uhmm..."
"Kazuyoshi-kun?!" Mr. Shino asks in surprise.
Yume frowns. "Chitose-san, we don't have that kind of relationship. Kenya-san and I are just friends." She hides her hands on her back. "It's only you guys and the team who seem to think that way."
"Is that so?" The tall guy scratches his head. "I may be looking into your friendship a little too much."
She laughs. "Yes, you are."
Kenya frowns. "Why did you ask anyway, Sensei?"
The teacher smiles, glancing at the blonde student. "Because I was just wondering if you could be Miyoko-chan's date partner for the festival."
He glances at Miyoko. "Oh. I was really planning to… play a match… with Yuki-kun. But I guess, we can just reschedule?" He glances at Yume and disappointingly sees her nodding compliantly.
Chiharu squeals. "Mimi-chan is finally having a real date!"
Kenya warmly smiles at the girl. "Miyo-chan hasn't been in a date with anyone? That's gotta be a joke, right? Miyo-chan is smart and pretty. It's impossible if no one ever asked her out yet."
Miyoko simply blushes as she stares down to the ground.
"I know right," Chiharu says, "This is going to be our last year in middle school so at least she needs to experience some dates."
Chitose chuckles. "Well, that's pressure for you, Kenya."
Kenya laughs. "Right. I'll do my best to make this first date memorable for Miyo-chan!"
"Oh? Where did Kazuyoshi-kun go?" Mr. Shino notices. Everyone turns around and sees Yume silently walking away, about to exit the faculty room.
Yume stops upon noticing that she's being watched. She turns to them and sheepishly scratches the back of her head. "Uhm... I think you'll be having quite a long conversation and I have..." She points outside. "... some things to do. But I don't want to interrupt you guys or anything so I..." She chuckles. "Is that kind of rude?"
"I see." The teacher smiles. "It's fine, Kazuyoshi-kun. You may go."
~ End Chapter ~
