Quick note: To answer a question asked, some of the stuff of this story is borrowed from WA itself (Kubota having lived with his uncle, Kasai, for a short time), or EC (the fact that he and Matsumoto had been in the EC together in junior high) and then there's a lot made up specifically for here because Minekura hadn't divulged that much back-story in EC herself since for the most part, it was a light, episodic school comedy.
So that's why you might see some familiar elements and some new ones. I hope it works out. Thanks always if you're still reading up to this point, (my apologies for taking so long to get this part out. ^^;;) Comments and criticisms are *always* appreciated and welcomed. ^_^
Warnings: Language still. Also, I'm sorry for anyone who is bothered by the –kun endings. It just feels right to leave those in while switching –san to Mr. or Mrs. It feels too weird for a teacher to say "Mr. Kubota" in a normal conversation. Although it would be fun in a Bond parody… (Who's game for that?)
Disclaimer: Minekura Kazuya owns all that is EC/WA. Huzzah.
Stay Here With
Across Platform C – Chapter 6
The walk to the office was like a dream. Every step he made echoed in his mind. He felt separate from himself, like he was watching from somewhere else his body walk behind the principal, one step after another. Their footfalls resounded through the empty halls, and to him, there seemed to be no other sounds but those steps.
He'd had this dream before. The hallways blurred together in his mind. Narita's public junior high had blue walls. Akasaka's had a light grey. That school in Shinjuku…he had only been there for what? Three days? He smiled bitterly. Man, today…today must be a record.
One step after another. As they passed the classrooms, he would turn and glance through the small windows in the doors. Heads bent down over desks, the teacher at the board. Just another day at another school.
His eyes looked back to the hall and then rested upon the bald spot on the top of the Principal's head. The hair seemed to grow from the edges of the spot down to the back of his neck. It had this strange circle pattern. He wondered if it was combed that way. Or did it just grow like that?
Passed the gym, passed the water fountain, passed the cafeteria doors where he had been to get his lunch earlier. He closed his eyes and listened to their steps.
Today…today must be a record.
A part of him was surprised that he had lasted this long. Sitting in the office at the train station, he'd thought it was all over then. He hadn't even gotten to school, and it was already over. But then that Kubota kid came in, and then he was here.
He shook his head. That Kubota probably shouldn't have bothered at all. It ended anyway, didn't it? Just took longer, that's all. Just a few hours, and now it's over.
Another part of him felt relieved a little. He'd have to go to a new school, start all over again. But he was used to that. That's how it always was. That's how it always had been ever since…
He opened his eyes and looked down at his feet. One step after another.
What's the point in staying here?
He bit his lip. He wanted, more than anything, to just leave right then and there, but he felt his feet were locked in some path already made for them, and he couldn't get out of it. Like some never-ending dream, he just had to keep walking in that path, one step after another.
What's the point in staying someplace that doesn't want you, not even for a day?
The principal suddenly stopped, and Tokitoh looked up from his feet, surprised. He turned to see that they were at the main office. Takahata opened the door and motioned for Tokitoh to go inside. He took a step forward, but turned his head to look behind him. Out of everything he had noticed while walking there, he had forgotten one thing.
"Missing something?" Takahata asked.
"Nah…just checking." Tokitoh turned back, and stepped into the office.
As he heard Takahata close the door behind them, one new thought rested on the top of this dream he had repeated so many times.
The halls of Araiso, where he had been for one day, which broke his record of three days, were painted white.
-----
"Do you know why you are here, young man?"
Tokitoh looked back at him from where he was sitting. Takahata was behind his desk, eyeing his expectantly. Funny. This seemed familiar to him somehow. Tokitoh opened his mouth but Takahata raised his hand to stop him.
"No, no. I want you think about it before answering."
Think about what? What was he supposed to say? Tokitoh looked down at his hands. He couldn't figure this guy out at all. He knew why he was here. He got into a fight and into trouble. Wasn't that it? What else was there? He looked back up at the Principal only to see Takahata now staring off to something behind him. Tokitoh turned his head towards the door.
"No-no-no, don't look." Takahata hissed. Tokitoh slowly moved his head back. He knew there was no way he could hide the confusion on his face.
Takahata's eyes fell back onto him for a moment. "Do you hear anything?"
Tokitoh waited for a second. The office seemed completely quiet. The only sounds came from the leather seat squeaking beneath him, his own breathing, and that thumping sound that was most likely his heart. He slowly shook his head. "…No."
"Exactly." Takahata's voice was low. He stood up and walked around his desk to the door. He waited another beat before pulling it open suddenly. A yelp was heard, and turning his head back, Tokitoh saw that the secretary, the one that Kubota had called "Miffy", had jumped back a few feet from the door.
"Pardon me, Ms. Ichinose." Tokitoh could only see the back of Takahata's head from where he was sitting, but he caught the whole surprised, scrunched-face package that was now Ms. Ichinose.
"Principal-S-S-Sir, I was just- just…" She was flapping her arms around, as if trying to catch the words to say from somewhere in the air.
"Could you," Takahata let out a slow breath. "Get me something, Ms. Ichinose?"
"What?" That brought the arms down, quickly followed by a, "Yes, of course. Anything!"
"Could you…" The Principal tapped his fingers on the doorway for a moment before speaking. "Could you go get me a Mosburger? I missed lunch and am quite hungry. I can barely think."
The secretary hesitated. "But that's five blocks away."
Takahata only bobbed his head. "It's very important."
Ms. Ichinose nodded slowly, her face scrunching further into a look of determination. "Yes, sir!" Takahata bowed in response and closed the door. He waited for a moment and then opened it again. Tokitoh saw that the secretary's hand was only inches away from knocking.
"Yes, I want fries with it and no, I don't need a drink," was all he said before closing it again. He remained by the door for another minute. They both could hear the secretary's feet moving about the office until finally they heard the outside door open and close. Silence fell upon them and Takahata, with a look of satisfaction, turned back and sat down.
Tokitoh let out the breath he had suddenly realized he was holding. He shook his head. Out of all the schools he had been to, this by far, took the cake as the strangest.
Leaning back in his chair, Takahata's expectant gaze returned to him. "So, Tokitoh-kun? Have you figured it out yet why you are here?
Tokitoh just looked back at him with his mouth open. "…Because…I got into a fight?"
Takahata didn't say anything. The expectant look didn't change.
Tokitoh's eyes searched the office, Takahata's desk, his own hands. The sudden quiet of the room, and the Principal's eyes on him seemed louder than the train from that morning. He couldn't think. He just wanted to jump away, to jump back, to get away from the noise, but he couldn't. He just sat there, looking back, with his mouth open. "…I don't know what you want me to say," was what fell out of it.
Takahata closed his eyes, waited a moment, and opened them again. "Why are you here, Tokitoh-kun?"
"…because I'm in trouble?"
"No, before that."
"Because you called me down here?"
"No, before that."
"…I don't know then." Tokitoh shook his head.
"Exactly." Takahata nodded. "That's one of the problems here." He opened his arms wide and waved to the room. "Where are we right now?"
"Your office."
"Big picture, Tokitoh-kun. Where are we?"
"…Japan?"
Takahata waited another moment before putting his arms down. "We're in a SCHOOL. Araiso specifically. Here, students come to do?" He pointed to Tokitoh.
"…To learn?"
"Don't make it a question unless you are really not sure what students do here."
"To learn…sir."
"Yes, and what is it that I expect you, young student, to do here, at Araiso Private High School?" He slapped the desk with his palm on the word "school". Tokitoh jumped back a little at the sound.
"To learn, sir."
"And what do students not do here?"
Tokitoh didn't say anything. He just shook his head in response.
"They don't FIGHT here." Takahata stressed the word "fight", his teeth flashing for moment. "So, what do I expect you, Tokitoh-kun, not to do here?"
"…But they do," he answered.
"Yes, exactly," Takahata nodded, but then stopped and turned. "Wait, what did you just say?"
"They do fight…sir."
"What?" The Principal looked back at him like he had crabs crawling out of his ears.
"I said…" Tokitoh bit his lip for a second and shifted in his seat. A voice in the back of his mind was saying something like, "Shut up, dumbass and maybe you'll get away with this." But another voice, a familiar one that was unsurprisingly his own, spoke out louder. It always did. "I said they do fight."
"Who?" Takahata's eyes were intent on his own.
"The students here. They do fight. That's what happened today. Some kids were fighting." Once started, Tokitoh found the words slipping out of him without him even thinking. "I know leaving class is wrong and all, but, I just can't not do it, you know? I just can't watch kids beat up kids. And that's what they were doing. Kids do that here too. Yeah, maybe they learn, but that's not all. If you think that's it, then you don't know kids at all. You don't know anything." The small voice in the back of his head said "Shit! You're dead!" but he ignored it. "And those other kids, those kids who are in that club, that executive whatever. Don't they stop fights? Isn't that their job? If kids aren't having fights, then why is their club here?"
"The Executive Committee, I will have you know, is here to preserve the rules of Araiso," Takahata started.
"But that's just it," Tokitoh spoke back. "You wouldn't need some club to keep some rules if you didn't have kids going around breaking them."
"So what are you saying, young man? That we need those who break the rules?" Takahata asked. His eyebrows had reached a new high on his forehead.
"Yeah, I mean, no." Tokitoh stumbled for words. He was never good at this explaining thing. "I mean, you can't be all "Kids come here to learn" and not see that kids do other things. Kids beat the shi- I mean, mess with other kids." He felt his face get warm as he tried to pick his words a little more carefully. "Some kids steal. Some kids beat other kids on the way to class. I mean, why is it bad to jump in and say, "Don't do that." Why is everyone always…" He trailed off, realizing slowly his speech was unwinding in a different direction.
"Everyone is always what?" Takahata asked.
"Why is everyone always on my case…" Tokitoh answered back softly.
Takahata sighed. "Young man, you may be surprised by this, but I actually do know something about you "kids" as you say. I know about the stealing and the fights and even the cheating. It is not wrong to say, "Don't do that" to those students. What is wrong is joining them. By fighting with them, you," he pointed at Tokitoh, "Are one of them. THAT is not why you are here at Araiso."
"I'm not one of them!" Tokitoh had moved up to the edge of his seat. "I was just-"
Takahata held up his hand to stop him. "Just nothing. And I do not want to hear who started what. Those other boys will get their own punishment. But right now, I am addressing you and your problem of not listening, and frankly, not even trying to work with us here."
"What the-" Tokitoh held up his hands in exasperation. "I AM trying. I've been trying all day."
Takahata sighed again and pointed at him. Tokitoh closed his mouth and looked around. "…What?"
"Do you remember what I said to you this morning? Do you remember what I asked you to do for this to work?"
Tokitoh looked back at him lost. This morning…the office… "You gave me my folder and told me to go class."
"Yes, but after that?"
Tokitoh shook his head.
Takahata's eyes didn't leave his. "I told you good luck AND-" Without looking down, he pulled a drawer out from his desk and rummaged inside, finally pulling out a small disc. He held it up to Tokitoh. It was a mirror. "I told you to keep your nose clean. Now, young man, can you tell me if that's what you tried to do today?"
Tokitoh looked back at the mirror. His face was even more a mess than he had thought. The ice had brought the swelling down only a little. His nose was puffy and bruised, and dried blood still streaked his upper lip. He grimaced at his reflection. The small voice in his head told him not to bother anymore, but he ignored it again. "…I tried, but-"
"I'm sorry, Tokitoh-kun." Takahata shook his head, and his expression did appear to be regretful. "I told your uncle that we would surely be the right institution for you. But I'm afraid our methods will not meet your specific needs." His hand moved towards the phone. "I'm going to give your family a call today, and then you can go home. Maybe then you can think about why you want to come to school." His hand picked up the receiver. "Now, your home phone number is?"
Tokitoh didn't answer. He was looking at his hands. Takahata seemed to say something else, but it felt far away, further away than that small voice in the back of his mind that he always ended up ignoring.
No matter how many times he'd had this dream, he'd somehow forgotten how much he hated it. His eyes burned a little. He hoped staring down would make it stop. He kept them wide open, and kept looking right down at his hands, but it just seemed to make things more blurry. He finally closed them, but the edges still felt hot.
"Young man, your home phone number?" Takahata repeated louder, breaking into his thoughts. Tokitoh sighed, and brought his hand up to his face. Let's just get this over with. He started to answer when suddenly he heard the door open up. He didn't turn around though, not until a growingly familiar voice spoke up from behind him.
"I'm sorry. Should I have knocked first?"
------
From here, his dream started to get weirder, and began to move into a whole new direction. Even the small voice was left speechless as he watched Kubota slide into the office like it was just any other classroom, and pulled up the other chair that was by the wall. Sitting down, he placed both his hands on his knees and bent his head over in a slight bow to the Principal. "I'm sorry I'm late. I had to stop by the bathroom." He gave Tokitoh a crooked smile. "Hope you weren't waiting too long."
Tokitoh just stared at him, wide-eyed. Who did this guy think he was? "What are you doing?" he started, but Takahata broke in.
"Kubota-kun," The Principal's head was cocked to the side, but his eyes were narrowed. "As much as it is always a pleasure to have your company in my office, I don't recall making an appointment with you. Can you explain?"
"But, sir, aren't I supposed to be here?" Kubota asked, looking surprised. "I mean, you wanted to talk to Tokitoh here, right?" With that, his hand fell on Tokitoh's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "So, wouldn't you want me to be here too?"
"I am not following, Kubota-kun." Takahata shook his head.
Neither am I, thought Tokitoh. He was starting to think Kubota had completely lost it. Maybe what that doctor had was catching?
"I mean, about the initiation. Isn't that why you asked him down here?"
"What initiation?" Takahata asked. One eyebrow was up.
"Yeah, what-" Tokitoh started to ask, but Kubota's hand, which was still on his shoulder, squeezed again, this time a little more firmly. He closed his mouth and looked up at the other boy, but Kubota's gaze still remained on the Principal's.
"You know, the new initiation process for the Executive Committee. To test new recruits."
Takahata shook his head. "I have never heard of this before, Kubota-kun. Explain."
Kubota's face fell. "You mean to say…oooohhhh." His hand went to his forehead. "I can't believe it. You mean, you don't know? I thought the addendum to the constitution was dropped off this morning. It must still be in the office." He ran his hand through his hair and let out a loud sigh. "So that means you thought Tokitoh here just went and did-" He shook his head. "Oh, this is terrible. What a misunderstanding. And to think it could have been averted by just timely paperwork. This deserves another meeting, I'll tell you that for sure. We can't have-"
"Kubota-kun!" Takahata voice broke into the other's boy continuing stream of words.
Kubota gave him a questioning look. "Sir?"
The Principal took a breath and let it out slowly. "Can you explain in less than a minute what you are talking about?"
"Yes, sir." Kubota checked his watch. "We, the Executive Committee, had voted earlier on a new process of recruitment. What with this surprising surge of mono just taking down our numbers so rapidly we really needed to expand more. We were hoping that maybe a new way of testing possible candidates, since you know how respectable we want to remain, what with upholding the rules, the very foundation that Araiso is built on-"
"Thirty seconds, young man." Takahata tapped his own watch.
"So," Kubota's tone remained easy. "We voted on a new process to find a student that would really merit admittance. And so we staged a mock conflict, as you might say."
"A mock…conflict?" By his expression, Takahata didn't appear to believe him.
"Well, as we all know, the Executive Committee is not the easiest of clubs to participate in. We thought if someone could pass a good test of what we meet every day, than that would really tell us if the candidate would work. That's what happened today. We had our test, and our candidate." He patted Tokitoh's back. "And that's it. We're very regretful for any misunderstanding. I thought for sure we had your approval already."
"Well, you did not." Takahata puffed out his cheeks and leaned back in his chair. "And frankly, young man, I can't say that this is the easiest explanation to swallow. Late paperwork or not."
"But it's the truth, sir." Kubota's face was a mask of total innocence.
"If so, then why didn't he mention this before you came in here?" Takahata waved his hand towards Tokitoh.
"Ah," Kubota nodded. "That can be explained. You see, he didn't know he was being tested."
"What would be the point of not telling him? How do you know that they even wish to apply for the Executive Committee?"
"Well, that's the beauty of it." Kubota leaned forward, and spread his hands out in front of him. "You see? If they don't know about it, and pass, then that says real EC-material to us."
Takahata still looked confused. "But what if they refuse after you tell them that they had passed."
"Then we would be disappointed, obviously, but what can you do?" Kubota shrugged.
"That sounds like a very inefficient testing method."
Kubota smiled and shrugged again. "We're still working on it."
Tokitoh just looked back and forth during the exchange. He was barely following. Test? Initiation? Was that outside a test? What the hell was going on?
Takahata tapped his fingers on his desk, thinking. He turned and looked back at Kubota. "Can you have anyone corroborate with this right now?"
Kubota nodded, and still smiling, got up from his chair. "Of course, sir."
"Of course." Takahata rolled his eyes and muttered. "Why do I even ask with you?"
Kubota went to the door, and taking the knob, opened it. "I have someone right here who can confirm everything I told you." He waved his hand towards the outside office. "Right, Suzuki?"
There was no response from the other side. Kubota's hand remained still in the air. Takahata leaned over and peered through the door. "…There's no one there."
Kubota stuck his head out in the office and looked around. Tokitoh thought he heard a curse slip out from the other boy. Kubota then turned back to them. "It should be any moment now, sir."
Takahata sighed. "As much as I have enjoyed your little farce, I don't think I can wait any longer." He walked around the desk. Tokitoh then felt a hand fall on his shoulder and he looked up to see the Principal gazing down at him. "I am sorry to say that, testing or no testing, I have already made my decision and it still stands. I think it would be best, Kubota-kun, if you would return to class and-"
"Excuse me, sir," Kubota interjected. "May I ask one more thing?"
Takahata looked back at him. "All right. You may ask one more thing"
"What would satisfy you? I mean," Kubota looked around the office for a moment. "What would make you believe us?"
Us? Tokitoh stared up at Kubota. He couldn't figure this guy out. Why was he trying so hard, and for him, some kid he doesn't even know?
Takahata looked from him to Kubota and then finally spoke. "Well, you could come clean for one." Kubota only gazed back at him silently. Takahata sighed. "Or, two, you could have the council confirm your story. If they also verify your recruitment plan, then I will change my decision. Which would you prefer?"
Kubota stood quietly by the door, and seemed lost in thought for moment. Tokitoh looked from the Principal next to him to the other boy. He found Kubota staring back at him, and their eyes locked for a few seconds. Tokitoh swallowed. He felt like he should say something now. Just to get it over with. There's no way they could dig out of this. He wondered if his eyes said this at all, because Kubota just kept looking at them. Finally he shook his head, and mouthed silently, "I'll be okay." He didn't know if the other boy understood what he tried to say, but the next moment, Kubota spoke up.
"I'll take choice two."
Takahata nodded. "Very well then. Tomorrow, early, we will have a meeting and discuss this and then-" But Kubota had left the office before he could finish his statement. Both Tokitoh and the Principal just stared at the space where he had stood. Tokitoh got up from where he was sitting and went over to the door. He saw Kubota by the secretary's desk, holding her phone. The receiver was in one hand, and he was peering closely at the buttons.
"What are you doing?" Tokitoh asked, walking over.
Kubota just smiled back. "Do you want the honors?" He held the receiver out to him.
"Huh?" Tokitoh took the phone and looked down at it questioning. He brought it up his ear. "…Hello?"
"What on earth are you two doing? Put that down." Takahata was standing in the doorway looking at them.
"Just a moment, sir." Kubota turned back to the phone's touch pad on the desk. "So, I guess the one named "intercom" would be for us, right?" He reached down and pressed the button. Looking over to Tokitoh, he asked. "Do you remember what the B stands for in our class?"
"…Bananas." Tokitoh jumped back when he heard his own voice booming over the loudspeakers that were set up in the corners of the room.
Kubota flashed him another smile. "That says sound check to me." He took the phone from Tokitoh's hands and brought it up to his mouth. He let out a slow breath and it echoed through the room.
"Kubota-kun, put that down right now!" Takahata called out, but Kubota held out his hand and then started to speak.
"May I have your attention? Would the primary members of the student council please come down to the main office immediately. I repeat, would the primary members of the student council please come down to the main office." He put the receiver to his chest and turned to Tokitoh. "Is there anything else, you think?"
Tokitoh shook his head. "What the hell are you doing?" he hissed. "Have you lost it completely?"
"Not completely. I still have my boyish good looks, don't I?" Kubota smoothed his hair back. "Now there's something else, what was it…"
"Geez, why don't you ask everyone taking a piss right now to stop on by too? We'll have a fucking party." Tokitoh muttered, his head in his hands. "We're so dead."
"Oh, that's it. Thank you." Kubota patted his head and then brought the phone back up to his mouth. "And would Suzuki Kenji please remember to wash off the art book after he is finished pleasuring himself in the third floor bathroom, last stall on the right. Thank you and have a nice day."
He put the phone back on the holder and they all jumped a little as it made a loud THUNK over the speakers. "Woopsie," Kubota scratched his head. "Guess I should have pressed the button again before I put it down." He turned back to see Tokitoh staring at him, eyes wide.
"What? Too much?"
-----
It was a tense five minutes between Kubota's announcement over the loudspeaker and when the two other students arrived. Tokitoh had to keep pulling his fingers from his mouth. He always bit his nails when he was uncomfortable. And adding to everything else, Kubota kept kicking his chair for some reason. Three minutes into the wait, he started to gnaw on the thin white line at the end of the nail of his index finger when he felt another jolt from the side.
Takahata turned around from where he was standing by the window. "What keeps making that noise?"
"Don't know, sir?" Kubota shrugged. "Dr. Matsuda said there were squirrels in the building. Maybe there's one in the vents."
"Matsuda…" Takahata grimaced and turned his back to them.
"Cut it out already." Tokitoh whispered, shooting the other boy a glare, but Kubota only smiled back.
"That's a bad habit," he said softly, pointing to one of Tokitoh's hands. His nails were all chewed down so his fingertips poked out underneath of each.
"Like you should talk." Tokitoh hissed back. "I can smell your cigarettes from here."
"Ah…" Kubota looked wistfully outside. "…I could use a smoke right now."
Tokitoh only shook his head in disbelief. Another endless minute passed. The tip of his thumb was in his mouth when he felt another thump on the side of his chair. Fuckin' A! He turned in his seat towards Kubota, his hand in a fist, when there was a sudden knock on the door.
Kubota got up and patted Tokitoh's hand lightly. "It's showtime," he murmured.
Tokitoh looked up to find his once familiar dream suddenly become more crowded. To make more room, they all stood by the wall near the door. He glanced sideways at the two other boys who had come in. One he had seen before, back in the infirmary, the boy who had been arguing with Kubota. Matsu-something. The other boy he didn't know, some skinny kid with glasses, tall, but not as tall as- Tokitoh peered up at Kubota who was standing next to him. Kubota was probably one of the tallest kids that he'd met. The other boy caught him looking at him and smiled. "Something on my face?" he whispered.
Tokitoh quickly turned away. "…Idiot."
Takahata was sitting back down at his desk, eyeing them all. "May I ask why there is so few of you? I thought there was at least four in the council itself."
"I'm sorry, sir," the boy who Tokitoh had seen earlier spoke up. "Two of our officers are sick today. There is only Tachibana here who is the new secretary and me for right now."
"I see." Takahata breathed out slowly and turned to Kubota. "Do you wish to explain or shall I?"
Kubota only smiled back. "It would be my pleasure, sir."
The initiation story for the second time around still didn't make any sense to him, but Tokitoh was surprised how neither of the other boys' expressions changed while Kubota talked. He couldn't help but think that maybe…maybe it was really true. But why didn't Kubota tell him earlier?
When he was finished, Kubota turned back to the Principal. "Anything else, sir?"
"No, you covered it as well as I thought you would, Kubota-kun." Takahata looked at the other two boys. "Matsumoto-kun, Tachibana-kun. Can you confirm this with me? Was this in fact something that the council had approved earlier and due to some," he waved his hand lightly in the air, "misplaced paperwork, never made it to my office?"
Neither boy spoke at first. The taller boy, Tachibana, looked over to Matsumoto. "May I?" he asked softly. Matsumoto nodded and Tachibana began to speak.
"As you know, sir, I am new to the council," he said. "So I am really in no position to say whether or not this was arranged earlier."
"So, you in fact cannot confirm. Is that it?" Takahata asked.
"Yes." Tachibana nodded slowly, and then paused a moment. "…But I'm sure Matsumoto-kun here, who has been a part of the council for several months now will be able to." He turned and smiled down at the other boy who just pursed his lips in response.
"Well, young man, as the Treasurer, can you in fact, confirm what Kubota-kun has said?" Takahata gave the other boy the expectant look that Tokitoh was getting very used to. "Was this all 'a test'?"
Matsumoto didn't respond. He just looked back at Takahata and then glanced over first to Tokitoh and then to Kubota. Kubota returned his gaze, and a few seconds passed where the two of them just stood there, staring at each other. Tokitoh shivered for a second. The room felt suddenly strange, like the air was weighted down somehow. He shoved his hands in his pockets before they could make their way back to his mouth. Another moment passed and Matsumoto turned back to the Principal.
"No, it wasn't," he said.
Tokitoh felt his stomach drop. This was it. Show's over. He leaned his head back on the wall and closed his eyes. Goodbye, Araiso.
He heard Takahata sigh. "I see. Well, that means I will have to-"
"It was a mistake, sir. That's what it was." Matsumoto's voice broke in. Tokitoh opened his eyes and looked over at him. The other boy's gaze was on the Principal.
"What did you say?" Takahata asked.
"I said it was a mistake, sir." Matsumoto answered. "We had talked about setting up a special way of finding new members for the Executive Committee. This mock-fight was one of them. Although in the meeting it sounded like a plausible idea, I see now," and with that said, he waved his hand towards Tokitoh, "that it is not at all appropriate for us. We, of course, need to set a standard for the other students to look up to rather than add chaotic factors. On behalf of the council, I apologize for any misunderstandings up to this point and I can assure you that nothing like this will happen again."
"I see…" Takahata was quiet for a moment. "Well, that does clear up everything, doesn't it?"
"I want to repeat, sir," Matsumoto dropped his head in a slight bow. "This will not happen again."
Takahata nodded slowly. "I guess there is only one more matter to address then." They all looked back at him, silently. The Principal pointed to Tokitoh. "After all that has happened, did he pass your test?"
Tokitoh's eyes widened and he turned to see all three of the other boys gazing back at him. "…um…I…uh…" he stammered out. What was he supposed to say now?
Matsumoto turned back to the Principal. "This is something we'll have to of course discuss-"
"Of course, he passed." Kubota interrupted. "Flying colors by EC standards." Tokitoh saw Matsumoto's face darken, but the other boy didn't say anything else.
Takahata shook his head. "Very well then." He stood up from his desk and motioned his hand towards the door. "Thank you, boys, for coming down here. If you would be so kind, I would like a few more minutes with your newest member." Tokitoh watched as the others each bowed to the Principal and exited. He felt a light pat on his arm and he turned to see Kubota giving him a wave as he closed the door behind him. He turned back to the Principal who was once again sending him an expectant look.
"Sir?" he asked.
Takahata sighed and started to scratch the back of his head. "Young man, I'm not quite sure what just happened here, but maybe that's for the best." He looked back at Tokitoh. "Is this what you want? Do you want to stay here at Araiso?"
Tokitoh swallowed and looked down. It was strange. Out of all the times he'd had this dream, no one had ever asked him that. He looked back at the door. He couldn't make anything out through the fogged glass, but even if he couldn't see it clearly, he had the feeling somehow that there was someone standing outside, waiting, and waiting for him. That felt strange too. It was weird to have this dream with someone else, and have that someone else keep kicking his chair. He looked back at the Principal and nodded slowly. "…Yeah, I think I do."
"What about the Executive Committee? Do you want to be in that?"
Tokitoh nodded again. "…Yeah. I think that would be okay."
The Principal took a moment to think that over. "Well, why don't we both make a deal then?"
"…A deal, sir?"
"What I mean is," He pointed to Tokitoh. "How about for now on you try, and I emphasize, try, to keep to the rules. If you are going to be in the Executive Committee, your job will be to maintain the order expected for all Araiso students. If you can work hard, and not give up on that, then I," He pointed to himself. "will not give up on you. Together, we can both try a little harder to keep these goals." Takahata extended his hand out towards him. "Is it a deal, young man?"
Tokitoh looked at the hand for a moment before gingerly taking it. "…Deal."
The Principal smiled back at him. "Good. Now why don't you," He looked up at the clock on the wall. "Go and spend the last half hour of your first day here where you are supposed to be, in class."
"I will, sir." Tokitoh bobbed his head in a bow, and turned to leave. His hand was on the knob when the Principal called out for him to wait. Tokitoh turned his head to see Takahata rummaging again through a drawer in his desk. Finally he pulled out a small white slip and then walked over and handed it to him. Tokitoh looked down at it. It was a band-aid.
"For this." The Principal tapped his own nose. "But it won't do much but cover up the bruising. My suggestion is that it would probably be best for you to carry a little supply of these around." He turned and walked back to his desk. "At least until the 'squirrels' are out of the building."
Tokitoh couldn't help but smile. "Gotcha."
Closing the door behind him, he let out long breath and looked down at the band-aid.
This was by far the weirdest school…Ever.
He shrugged and headed for the door to the hall. After a few paces, the smile on his face grew even bigger. With each step he walked, he suddenly felt lighter and lighter. It was like his feet could go anywhere. He looked again at the band-aid in his hand.
…Maybe weird was what he really needed though to finally wake up from the dream that before seemed to never have an end.
-----
^^ -tbc