"..." Normal chat
ABC Thought
Chapter 11
Next morning
Shiomi's school - Friday
"Shiomi-chan!"
While walking into the school yard, I hear my two female classmates calling for me. "Hana-chan, Kasumi-chan. Good morning."
Hana rushes over and hugs me tightly. "We missed you so much! You have been gone for almost 2 weeks! How are you feeling?"
"Oh, I'm alright now. Sorry for worrying you guys."
Hearing so Kasumi huffs, crossing her arms up to her chest.
"Jeeze, your mom told us that you were in too much pain to give us a call. What kind of flu did you get anyway?"
Hana smiles brightly, happy to know that I'm still alive and well. "At least you're back to normal. So it's all good"
Soon we hear some random whispers from other students inside the school yard.
"Hey, isn't that Sogo-san?"
"I heard she has been away from school for being sick."
"Ah, it's so good to see her back."
"She's better be cured because I so am not going to get infected."
"I'm so glad that she's okay!"
"She doesn't look like someone who just got out of their beds after a whole week though."
Quickly Hana and Kasumi drag me straight into our shoes lockers spot to get away from their suspicious gazes. Once there, Kasumi shakes her head in defeat.
"Man, You just returns to school for like a day and they have already made a fuss."
"Hey, don't mind about them too much. We are still here with you!" Hana pats my shoulder to cheer me up.
Moved by their kindness, I embrace the girls tightly, almost burst into tears. "Thank you so much, you two.."
On the second period.
And for the first time in my life, I sit in class with a total blank mind.
I have been paying a lot of attention to sensei's speech from the beginning, but ...
Shifting my attention from the class board back to my book then back to it again. I'm getting panic as none of those formula make sense to me. The heck?! It's only been a week and everything has gone out of my reach!
"Sogo-san?"
Suddenly, a call from teacher causes me to flinch in terror and all of my thoughts instantly fly away out of the windows.
"Y-yes, sensei?!"
I jolt up from my seat and he points at the written question on the board.
"Can you come up here and answer this for me?"
Damn it! Why does it have to be the one that I don't know of?!
"Erm...I...Uh..."
Seeing me flutter here and there, he asks. "What's wrong? You can't do it?"
"I-I'm sorry, sensei…"
"Oh right, I forgot that you had been absent for a while. But please be more careful because these will be on the tests next week, alright?"
Fortunately being a sympathetic teacher, he comforts me instead of scolding.
"Yes, sir..."
The moment I sit down, almost everyone's staring at me, judgmental and some are mixed with pities.
It's those looks again...
My body turns uncomfortably stiff as I try hardest to maintain my eyes onto the notebook, praying for the mental torture to end quickly.
Just go away already! Don't you all have better things to do?!
Some female classmates at the other corner of the class start whispering at each other, loud enough for me to hear.
"You know, saying she caught a flu must be an excuse for her to slack of. I mean, she has never missed school for once and suddenly one day she completely disappear for nearly half of a month."
"Yeah, she isolated herself from everybody, even sensei and her friends were not allowed to visit her. Don't you think it's kinda weird?"
"I heard from my boyfriend that he saw her wandering alone on the street some nights before. Maybe it got something to do with her absent?"
"Alone at night? Now that sounds really fishy."
"So she's not that of a goody two-shoes like we all known of huh? I knew all along that she was only faking it, what a joke."
They all then giggle at their own conversations. And Hana, who sits next to me on the right, whispering to me.
"Shiomi-chan, you alright?"
I bite my lips and nod, trying to stay as calm as possible. "Y-yeah, I'm okay."
Kasumi, who is sitting at the desk right behind me let out a bored sigh.
"Just ignore them, you know they love gossiping about anybody, right?"
"I don't mind at all, Kasumi-chan... By the way, Hana-chan."
"Yeah?"
"Can I borrow some of your books and notebooks after class?"
In the evening.
Sogo's family mansion.
After dinner.
Megumi and Shiomi are sitting on the sofa in their living room, watching TV together. Noticing that her sister has been staying quiet ever since dinner, Megumi decides that it's time to break the ice.
"What's wrong, little sister? You don't look so good."
She moves her head to cover my view and I instantly snap out of my daydreaming. "Oh, I-It's nothing much."
"But your favorite gag show has ended half way already and you hasn't cracked a smile. Are you sure that it's really nothing?"
Seeing through my lies easily, she goes on. "Did something happen at school?"
"Yeah, kind of..."
Damn, she sure is a pro at hitting bull eyes.
"Uh huh? Tell me, I'm all ears!"
Getting more curious, Megumi leans closer to me.
"I couldn't answer sensei's question this morning, but that's not what I'm worrying about...It's just that I'm not used to being falling behind this much."
Somewhat has figured out my tantrum, Megumi snorts. "Yeah? And they judged you?"
"They have always been. I think that I do need some time to get my feet back on the ground."
"What about finding your original thingy? Are you going to give up on that?"
She slightly mentions about quitting the journey and I flinch, denying loudly. "O-Ofcourse not!"
Definitely not after what I have been through. Who knows, maybe I almost reach the goal without knowing it...
"Then how are you suppose to get back onto your feet If you keep being away from home like that."
Megumi asks me as I take a sip of hot chocolate from my cup. "I'll try to balance things out."
But then again, it's always been easier to say than done...
"Yeah, that's the spirit! But don't die on me, okay?"
Suddenly Megumi whacks my back. Almost makes me choke on my drink, but thanks to her my mind has somewhat calmed down from those chaotic thoughts.
"Of course! It's your sister you're talking about!"
I smile and return the hit, almost as strong as hers.
Hearing my positive answer, she giggles and gives me a thumb up.
After that I decode to stay up late to study as much as I can to catch up with the others. But the more I learn, the more complicating it gets and it feels really distressing. Even so I'm not going to give up that easily!
And to fasten things up, I work on the questions from both homework and extra books at once. I stop at 3 A.M despite having a lot to take care of, thinking that it's better to finish them the next day than tiring myself out like this.
The next day.
In the morning.
I drop by Higurashi shrine to see Kagome off and find her, along with Inuyasha, are standing in front of the Bone-Eaters house. All ready to go.
"Kagome-chan!"
Hearing my call, she turns back and greets me. "Senpai, Good morning!"
Once approach, I'm awed by the sight of giant backpack lying on the ground next to her.
"Wow, that sure is one big bag, Kagome. Are you intending to bring the whole house with you?"
"Haha senpai, you sure know how to joke!" And she laughs. Wholeheartedly.
Yeah, except that I'm not joking at all…
That night after Sesshomaru and Inuyasha left, I told to her about my decisions and what happened from before, everything. Kagome didn't like the idea that I tag along with Sesshomaru's group but she had to accept that I had (miraculously) gotten become a part of it and agreed to let me go my own path.
She also mentioned about my fake name and I explained that I had created it out of insecurity. Though about when to reveal my real name was still unknown to me.
"Are you sure that you don't want to come with us, senpai?"
Kagome asks me one last time to confirm and I nod. "I think I've gotten used to traveling around with Sesshomaru already. Quite bizarre but I think I can live with that."
"Oi, you two done talking? Hurry up, we gotta go."
Being impatient as he always is, Inuyasha drags Kagome's arm and leads her toward to the well.
Having no choice, she waves goodbye and quickly follows the guy. "I'll see you later then. Senpai."
After seeing them off, I step out of the shrine and make my way to my school like any other ordinary day.
Later on the same day.
Shiomi's room.
Around 1 A.M.
Time to refill coffee… I look inside the cup, which is long emptied cold, and sigh. Even if it's necessary to stay up late to study, I just can't get used to it no matter how many times I've tried.
And just as I'm about to stand up from my seat, a big white fluffy ball glides into my room through the opened window and reveals to be Sesshomaru.
"What are you doing here, Sesshomaru? And so late at night too."
My eyes widened when witnessing his sudden visit.
Not going to answer however, he just stares at me for a bit before replying a very unrelated topic.
"You look half-dead."
That's because I am. And I will be dead soon enough if there's no coffee to drink.
"So, is there any specific reason for you to be here?"
I ask him while making my way to the door.
"No."
Sesshomaru leans comfortably against the wall on the right of the window. Acting as if this place has become his house. (Shiomi's desk is on the left of it)
"Fine then. Just don't mess anything up when I'm gone okay?"
Too tired to care, I close the door behind me and walk straight to the kitchen to refill my cup. Maybe he's here to check up on me.
Once finish, I return to my room and turn the doorknob. I bet he has already left by now.
Different from my expectation, however, Sesshomaru is still standing there at the same spot. Looking outside of the window and enjoying the cool breeze. Weird, I wonder what he's planning this time.
Well whatever, as long as he doesn't disturb my learning time.
I shrug and walk back to my seat, yawning. After settling everything down, I return doing what was having left off while Sesshomaru keeps staring deeply into the night sky. Things turn quiet again as we don't exchange any more word.
Two hours passed and without her realizing, Shiomi has fallen into a deep sleep right on her seat.
Assumed that she has no longer aware of her surrounding, Sesshomaru approaches her desk. Staring at Shiomi for a moment before reaching out his hand to caress her head. Feeling the soft black hair flowing through his fingers as he watches the girl sleeps peacefully.
"Uhm…Sesshomaru…? …Close the window when you leave okay…"
He flinches when she slightly stirs, muttering under her breath. But soon realizes that Shiomi is only talking in her sleep.
Somewhat is relieved, Sesshomaru turns away and walks toward to the windows. Glancing at her spot one last time before jumping outside. Swiftly disappears into the darkness.
"Ah! I dozed off!"
Tired, I rub my eyes and turn to Sesshomaru's spot. Finding that he is no longer there.
Well, it's not like I would expect him to stay here all night or something.
Then I notice the windows are closed. Hmm...Guess that guy still knows something called being polite...
Unconsciously shifting my gaze back to the desk, the sight of opened notebook instantly snaps me out of my fantasy.
"The tests! Oh no! There's still so much left to learn!"
I jump back to my seat and start panicking, unsure where to begin.
The next morning.
After wasting more time pushing myself out of the well, I find everyone is only some feet away and seems to be waiting for my arrival. Sesshomaru is standing next to Jaken and Ah-Un while Rin rushes to my side to welcome me with a hug.
"Onee-chan, welcome back!"
"Hello Rin. Have you been a good girl?" I pat her head.
"Yup! Absolutely!"
Rin nods excitedly and I sneak out a small lollipop from my backpack to give it to her. "Good! Because I have something right here.. Just for you!"
Seeing sweet, she happily accepts it and eats it right away. "Yay! Thank you, Onee-chan!"
"Sesshomaru-sama, Jaken-san."
I approach the other two to greet them and Jaken, being annoying and grumpy as always, waving his staff around in the air rapidly. Almost hitting my head.
"What took you so long, huh?! The nerve! Making all of us wait just for a good-for-nothing wench!"
Quickly, I back away to avoid being hit. Trying to apologize for my late arrival.
"Sorry, sorry…It's because I had to settle something at home before coming here."
Ah-Un carefree glides to where I'm standing and offers the Naginata in one of its mouth. It has been decided that whenever I return to my world, he would be the one to keep it till I'm back.
Therefore, I accept the weapon and pat its head to show my appreciation. "Thank you Ah-Un."
After making sure that everyone is presence within the group, Sesshomaru walks off in to the deep forest. Having Jaken nags us to follow from behind.
"Let's get going already, we're not going to stay here all day!"