Chapter 7
Smiling slightly, Omi closed his second book triumphantly. Then he turned his gaze back on Ken. "That was cheating right?"
Ken shrugged and then nodded. "Yup, but only if we were planning to stay here, which we aren't. So I guess it's alright."
Omi leaned over to push his books back into his schoolbag, and as he stretched to his full reach, Ken caught the boy wincing slightly and saw Omi's hand move instinctively to his waist.
"Omi?"
The action was over as quickly as it had started. Omi blinked and looked up. "Hai?" [Yes?] He sat upright on the bed, fully suspecting what Ken had just seen. He was suddenly acutely aware of the bruise beneath his shirt, which had begun to throb painfully.
"You okay?"
Omi nodded. "Yeah. Fine."
"You just… before…" Ken trailed off, frowning at the guilt behind Omi's eyes. "Lift up your shirt."
"What?"
"Lift up your shirt please."
Sighing and caught out Omi obeyed, revealing the blackened patch of skin for Ken's observation.
Ken simply blinked broadly before clearing his throat. "I didn't do that Omi." He spoke the sentence as a question, not a statement.
Omi shook his head mutely, pulling his shirt securely down over his waist again.
"So who did?"
"A door…"
Ken glared. "I'm being serious Omi…"
"Me too!" protested the youth. "I walked into a door!"
"Am I supposed to believe that?"
Omi's reply was sarcastic. "I was kinda hoping so, since it's the truth."
Omi's insistence threw Ken as he weighed up the youth's words carefully. Given Omi's height it was fully possible. But walking into a door?
"Are you sure you're telling me the truth?"
Omi nodded.
"Then you're pretty clumsy. You lose your balance or what?"
Omi smirked slightly. "Shoved from behind. Teacher saw it and everything."
"Geez. That's not right." Ken frowned at Omi, who continued to put on a brave face.
"It's not a problem. I'm coping okay." He smiled reassuringly before continuing. "When are Yohji and Aya getting back?"
Ken, still frowning at Omi's claims, said slowly, "Soon, they weren't out for long."
Kicking out full-length on the bed and tucking his hands behind his head Omi sighed, his gaze focused on the light fixture in the centre of the ceiling. "Aya's attitude sucks."
Ken nodded, looking towards Omi and remembering the painful-looking bruise under the boy's shirt. "I'm not sure what's gotten into him. Maybe he's just looking out for you."
Omi snorted at Ken's suggestion. "I don't know how I've riled him, but I have somehow. I just wish he'd tell me."
"Like I said, he's probably just worried."
"Doushite?" [Why?] Omi's voice was almost challenging.
Ken picked up one of Omi's schoolbooks and held it up. "Kore wa." [This.] He returned it to Omi's bag and sighed slightly. "We all think you should quit school now and catch up back in Japan. It would be easier on your part."
"I'm not quitting," muttered Omi stubbornly. "Nobody can make me."
"I know Omi, we're not trying to. We just want to…"
"Make sure the trauma isn't too much for you," concluded Aya snidely, stepping in the door with Yohji behind him. "You're still only young after all."
Omi stiffened, but held his tongue. "Shut up Aya."
Looking over Omi's head to Ken, Aya said, "Still no information on the whereabouts of the target."
Omi narrowed his gaze at Aya. "Am I just supposed to ignore that?"
"Ignore what?"
"You guys are deliberately pushing me out of this mission, can you at least refrain from talking about it around me?!"
Aya narrowed his own gaze at the boy's raised tone. "I thought you were mature enough to understand that some things don't concern you."
"Make up your mind! Am I young or mature?!"
Aya shrugged his jacket off and hung it on a peg, water dripping off it and onto the floor. "Both I suppose."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Whatever you want it to."
Ken cast a worried glance at Yohji before glaring at Aya. He murmured a low warning. "Aya…"
Yohji looked just as worried, suddenly wondering what had happened between Ken and Omi in his absence.
"Aya, will you stop shrugging me off like this?! All I want is a straight answer from you! What's going on?!"
"Omi, will you STOP YELLING AT ME!?" Aya pinned the youngest in the room under a vicious glare, his voice having shaken Omi into temporary silence. "What I tell children about my affairs is my own business."
Omi paused, as though planning ahead before saying boldly, "I need some air." Before anyone could say anything to contradict him, Omi had snatched his jacket off the peg beside Aya's own jacket. He ripped the door open and said in a low and controlled voice without facing his audience, "Maybe I'll come home tonight. Don't wait up for me though."
Pulling the door behind him viciously with a crash, the young boy disappeared into the night.