Chapter 23 – Middle School Memories (Part 1)
The next day, I showed up at school again. Still a little sore from the Shōrin-ji Kenpō lessons yesterday…but not so bad that I had to stay home.
Also, explaining to Rukia and Tsu how I got my full voice back wasn't that much of a challenge. Tsu didn't believe that cough medicine worked THAT much to fix my throat injury. But Rukia was so proud of herself for coming up with such an idea that the suspicion went nowhere. And I was pretty much off the hook.
…
For now.
In any case, Chinatsu-san and I were sitting in class waiting for 1st period to start. Chinatsu-san was complaining again that she had to be there. But it had become so normal to me that I didn't really interrupt her on it.
When she was finished, however…
"Hey, isn't that Elegy Syndrome thing sometime next month?" She asked me.
"Yeah. And next week's November, too."
"And we haven't even started on that doujin thing, either. Too much dramatic shit kept getting in the way."
"Y-Yeah…" I said with guilt. "…m-mainly problems with me and Shiranui-san. S-Sorry…"
"H-Hey, I didn't mean it like that. It's just…none of us thought your past would come back to torment you like this. It's complete bullshit when you think about it."
"Yeah…but…it's not all that bad. I'm starting to have good memories from so many new friends here. Ikumi-san, Sara-san, Momo-san, Rumi-san, Sugiura-san…Rukia, Tsu, Ohmuro-san, Chéry-senpai…Kinohata-senpai, Inose-senpai, Azuma-sensei…and mostly you."
"Mostly me?"
"Well, yeah…y-you're my best friend, aren't you?"
"Tch!" Chinatsu-san's face grew a very heavy blush as she tried not to yell for the whole class to hear. "Y…Y-Yeah…y-you're definitely my best friend, Kyouko." She then said with a small smile.
"*giggle* Thanks, Chinatsu-san." I replied with a smile of my own.
…
…
…
"But none of this solves the whole doujin problem we have."
"O-Oh, yeah…" I gained a sweatdrop. Then noticed something from the corner of my eye. "Well, let's ask Momo-san. "She knows about it more than we do."
"Momo?" Chinatsu-san looked to where Momo-san was sitting. "Oh, yeah…I keep forgetting that she's in our class. She's always so quiet."
"From what Sara-san said, it's completely normal of her."
"Huh…"
We both went over to Momo-san's desk to find her reading quietly to herself amongst all this noisy chatter. To see that she's able to do that without losing any focus on what she's reading is pretty impressive.
I wish I could do that…
"Hey. Momo. We need to ask you something." Chinatsu-san said.
…
"Momo…"
…
"Momo…!"
…
"She's really invested in that book." I said.
"Oh, Jesus Christ…" Chinatsu-san mumbled to herself before taking out her phone, pressing a few buttons on it, and then placing it near Momo-san's ear.
"Uh…Chinatsu-san…"
"Just watch, Kyouko…" Chinatsu-san said.
And then…
*REALLY LOUD ALARM SOUND*
"*shriek*" We then watched as Momo-san jumped up from her seat so high that she actually fell over. With the book she was reading falling on top of her head.
The alarm was so loud…it was hurting my ears and the rest of the class was either begging for it to stop or just straight up crying.
Wh-What kind of alarm is this?!
It wasn't until it had made a full loop that Chinatsu-san turned off the alarm. And looked at the still dizzy Momo-san with a cheeky grin on her face.
"Ohayō, Momo-chan~. Glad you've come back to us~."
"Geez…did you really had to blast that so close to my ear? I think it's swollen…"
"Ah, you'll be fine. That's not even the loudest alarm I have on here."
"I-I find that fact VERY concerning, Chinatsu-chan…" Momo-san gained a sweatdrop.
"What were you reading, Momo-san?" I asked. "You seemed really invested in it."
"Oh…" Momo-san then grabbed the book still resting on her head. "…it's a manga I've been reading recently. I'm using it as drawing material for our doujin."
"Drawing material? But didn't Sara-san say that you're already a good artist?"
"Y-Yes, but…compared to the artists in Comiket and even Elegy Syndrome, my drawings are mediocre at best."
"Mediocre, huh?" Chinatsu-san asked. "Who told you that? That demented hypocrite Kuuko?"
"N-No, it was from the other members of the Literature Club…wh-when they weren't afraid of Shiranui."
"*sigh* Figures."
"Whenever Sara and I are working on a doujin, I always read other manga to study their artistic styles. Their expressions, their body movements…it all goes into making that particular character stand out and likable to the readers. And it's a hurdle that I can't seem to get over."
Momo-san then let out a huge sigh.
"At this rate, I'll never be like him…"
"Him?" We both asked.
"Ah! N-Nothing! I-I didn't say anything! W-Well…m-more like it was mostly to myself…" Momo-san said with a slight blush of embarrassment.
*INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE*
"Alright, girls. Take your seats." The teacher said as he walked into the classroom.
"W-Well, we can talk more about it after school. For now, let's just get through our classes." Momo-san looked very eager to end the conversation. And with nothing left to say, Chinatsu-san and I went back to our seats for the upcoming class.
But I couldn't really focus on anything…not after what just happened.
Who did Momo-san meant by "him"? I wonder…
After school came by and, despite Chinatsu-san's complaining, we met in the clubroom. We were going to start working on the doujin today and doing it on the roof would be rather uncomfortable.
Plus…Rumi-san gained a huge interest for it after we told her what the room was previously used for. And considering that it was her, I'm not really sure if that's a good or bad thing.
"Fufufufu…so, this is where the lewd rituals of past mortals took place. I can just FEEL their lust-filled moans echo through the walls as every last one of them received endless blissful pleasure. *creepy giggle*"
"Okay, ew! TMI!" Sara-san yelled.
"Rumi-chan…you promised that you would tone it down with your chuunibyou personality." Ikumi-san said.
"Fine. I shall "tone it down"…for now."
"We freaking heard that, you know…" Sara-san said with a sweatdrop.
"Ugh! Do we really have to come down here?" Chinatsu-san asked. "I'm still grossed out by this place."
"We all are, Chinatsu. But if we don't at least start working on this doujin, we won't make the deadline for Elegy Syndrome. And we can't bring tables on the roof."
"Ugh. This is so fucking gross…"
"You know…there is a spell that lets you clean anything and anyone you wish." Rumi-san said. "Care to try it?"
"What? You're saying that your chuunibyou spells actually work? Quit screwing with me, Rumi."
"Th-They're not chuunibyou spells, you big stupid meanie~!" Rumi-san whined with her second personality.
…
…
…
"*clears throat* Wh-What I mean is…my spells do indeed work. Just last week, I assisted a poor soul with a spell that granted her bigger boobs."
"B-Bigger boobs?" Both Chinatsu-san and Ikumi-san asked.
"Fufufufu~…so, I've captured your interest~."
"Don't tell me you two actually believe that…" Sara-san said.
"W-Well, there's no proof that magic doesn't work." Chinatsu-san said.
"I-It is truly possible that magic is all around us…m-maybe." Ikumi-san added.
"You cannot be serious…"
They must be really self-hating of their lack of boobs. I easily felt it yesterday at the dojo…
"Look, can we just get started on this doujin already? You can worry about your flat chests later."
"Fl-Flat?!" Both girls went pale with mild anger.
"You didn't have to word it like that, Sara…" Momo-san said with a sweatdrop.
"In any case…I've made out some sample scenarios last night to use as the plot. And since you have the experience, I figured you can choose between them, Kyouko."
"M-Me?" I said in shock. "U-Um…okay." I then took a look at the scenarios that Sara-san wrote out.
Scenario #1 – A Class Rep starts skipping classes with the Class Delinquent after attempting to bring her back. After a week of meeting together, they've become really good friends. But when the Class Rep reveals that she'll be moving after summer break, secret feelings get revealed as one takes the blame for the duo's delinquency.
Scenario #2 – A third-year and a first-year begin eating lunch together. A week later, the third-year begins to wonder why the first-year always eats alone. And after a month, she starts to worry. About the first-year's feelings…and her own.
Scenario #3 – 2 girls who have been friends since their first year of high school are now in their third year. The black-haired girl has feelings for the blonde girl…but the blonde is too dense to notice it. So, when the black-haired girl confesses to the blonde, she starts rethinking her feelings hard.
"Wow…you came up with all of these just last night?" I asked Sara-san.
"I had a lot of free time yesterday. So, it was pretty easy."
"I see…"
"They all sound pretty romantic." Ikumi-san said.
"Do they all have to be girl-on-girl, though?" Chinatsu-san asked.
"Okay, for one…it's called yuri, Chinatsu." Sara-san said. "And second…if we intend to put Shiranui and her bigotry in their place, it has to be yuri-based. Otherwise, it'll look like we're just doing it for the hell of it and this school will never be safe for lesbians."
"*sigh* I still don't get it."
"It is rather odd that you believe that a doujin will shut Kuuko up." Rumi-san said. "Would it not be easier to just confront her face-to-face?"
"If it was that easy, Rumi, a lot of us would've done it a long time ago." Sara-san said.
"Well, I had heard that Chinatsu did it once."
"Tch. That's because that psycho-bitch was beating up on Kyouko." Chinatsu-san said. "Apparently, the two of them went to middle school together."
"Really now?"
"They were the worst 3 years of my life." I said. "Kuuko would bully and torment me every day and enjoy every moment of it. I would get ridiculed nonstop and get bruised so badly that I could barely walk…and it was all just to take out her anger for what happened to her cousin. Before that, we didn't even know each other."
"Her cousin?"
"From what Kyouko-chan's cousin told us, Shiranui-san's cousin was badly beaten in middle school." Ikumi-san said. "To the point where she almost died."
"And we found out later that day that the girl who beat her up was Chinatsu-chan." Momo-san added.
"L-Look, I said I was sorry. I had no intention to make Kyouko's life more of a living hell." Chinatsu-san said before going silent. "But at the same time…why I did that is…r-rather complicated."
The others didn't know what she meant by that…but I knew. And it perfectly made sense to me. Chinatsu-san was already damaged from her abuse. And seeing that girl…endlessly trying to become her friend…only made it worse.
"I see…" Rumi-san said. "…you two seem to have been connected by such a tragedy to a random stranger. Is that right?"
"Uh…yeah. You could say that." I said.
"Hmm…" Rumi-san didn't say anything and just kept moaning to herself. Looking away from all of us as her eyes were closed tight.
"Rumi-san?"
"What's with you?" Chinatsu-san asked.
"*thinking moan* Hey…what if I told you all…that I am acquainted with Kuuko's cousin."
…
…
…
"Y-You…YOU'RE WHAT?!" We all shouted in pure shock.
"You've gotta be kidding me! You know Shiranui's cousin?!" Sara-san asked.
"I was Kuuko's girlfriend. So, of course, I would know her. It would only make sense that I do."
"Y-Yeah, but…"
"Rumi-san." I spoke out. "I-If it's possible…c-can I meet Kuuko's cousin?"
"WHAT?!" The others yelled in shock.
"You wanna meet her?! For what?!" Chinatsu-san asked.
"I…I just want to. I've got reasons, but…I-I want to keep them a secret. A-At least for now."
"Kyouko…"
"If you truly wish to meet her, Kyouko…then I guess I can make arrangements for you two to meet." Rumi-san said. "Though, I cannot be certain that she will easily agree to it."
"Anything is fine, really. I just…really need to do this."
"Well…good luck with that, Kyouko." Sara-san said.
"Whatever it is that you need to do with her…I hope it goes well, Kyouko-chan." Ikumi-san said.
"Gook luck." Momo-san said.
As I looked at Chinatsu-san, she didn't say anything in return. In fact, she looked away from me as she got up and left the room. Probably with no intention to come back for the day.
I honestly felt bad for doing this, I really did. But if I could talk to this girl, not only could I get more details on Kuuko's past…
But maybe I could make Chinatsu-san relieve some of the guilt she's had inside of her…
Author's Note: Rumi reveals that she knows Kuuko's cousin. And agrees to help Kyouko meet with her face-to-face. With the intention to unearth even more traumatizing secrets.
So…it's been 2 months since the last chapter. Sorry about that. It's been really busy on my end as I'm currently trying to knock out 2 stories on here. I just need to actually find the time to do it, you know.
On an unrelated note, I actually have chapter 1 of Akari's Depression revised and edited of mistakes. I only did one so far. But I do intend to do the others at some point. Give it a read, if you haven't.
Thanks for reading. Later.