Chapter 22
Kevin took a quiet sip of air before letting it out softly with a slight hint of exasperation. It had seemed like ages since he had been to juku last, perhaps because of all that had transpired since he had come.
The previous week's session seemed like a distant memory. Tanaka-sensei had assigned him some homework to grade, homework which he was now frantically trying to finish. He supposed that it was a little irresponsible of him. But, he reflected without emotion, his definition of responsibility was a bit more flexible than it used to be.
He smiled languidly. There was something uniquely liberating about that thought, one of the many ways he had changed since he had come to Japan.
Gone was the binding reverence of law and social mores, the restrictions which governed his thoughts and actions. Replacing it was an extraordinary freedom of morality accorded to those who dispensed vigilante justice.
Kevin understood completely that there was a distinct danger with his methods. Magical powers imparted a certain responsibility upon him, the necessity of restraint given his unfair advantage over the rest of the human race. But he agreed with Artemis's contention that he had the responsibility of protecting the human race from harm. Sometimes even from itself.
He was a warrior with a noble cause and the nightmare of petty criminals everywhere. He could lay claim to a number of broken bones in the darkest corners of Tokyo, remembering each one with a note of pride. Indeed, it was an almost perfect situation.
Yet all the good he had accomplished had been marred by a single factor that haunted his thoughts. The power he had at his disposal made him faster and stronger than any human alive. With a single whispered word, he could run faster, climb higher, and jump farther than even the greatest human athletes. Even his asthma, a problem that had vexed him from childhood, disappeared while he tapped into his powers.
It was the most addictive drug that man had ever tasted, the power to do what others could not. That it made him feel so good frightened him terribly.
Artemis had once noted that in the presence of even a single noble action, evil was vanquished. A single candle could banish the darkness around it. And it was for that he continued his perilous journey.
Kevin idly wondered if he might be able to handle the power long enough when he was interrupted by the soft coughing of someone in the room.
A blue-haired girl sat in the front row, quietly reading a book, barely able to keep a grin off her face.
Kevin shook his head and chuckled softly. "How long have you been there?"
"About ten minutes. You looked so pensive. I would have hated to disturb you, sensei."
The title was spoken with only the faintest hint of irony, but Kevin looked ill all the same. "Look, don't call me that. It's a little too weird for me. Just Kevin or Bin-kun or something else."
"Then how would I accord you the respect you so clearly deserve?" Ami's face lit up with the trace of a smile.
"With something other than sensei. Please."
"A compromise, then. Bin-kun-sensei."
Kevin made a sour expression, and Ami laughed cheerfully. "Fine, fine. You always take away my fun."
"Isn't that what teachers are for?"
"Not usually, no. I'm told that they occasionally teach."
Kevin shook his head and returned to grading papers. "News to me."
Ami laughed again. "And how are you doing today, Kevin?"
"Not bad. I could be better."
"And why is that?"
"Well." Kevin lifted the stack of papers. "Among other things."
"And what are those other things?"
Almost chidingly. "Ami-chan, I never thought you a nosy one."
She replied smoothly. "I never thought you the private one."
"Heh." He shook his head and tossed his papers onto the desk. "Where's your partner in crime?"
"Minako-chan? She'll be along some time or another. She's a bit too much for me to keep track of, I'm afraid. Were you looking for her?"
"Just a tutoring session afterwards. She said that she might have to write a report in English, and she had no idea how to do that."
"Yes, well, it's not really standard Japanese educational fare."
"One of the shortcomings of your system, I believe."
Ami shrugged. "We'll survive."
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If there was one thing to be said about Minako, it was that she never lacked theatricality. Her time as Sailor V had taught her the importance of creating an indelible image, burning into the mind of the viewer. It was an integral part of her allure and her sensuality. To others, she was both image and desired symbol, a fact that she exploited mercilessly.
Therefore, it would not have been proper to say that she entered the room that she made an entrance.
Minako rushed into the classroom, plopped her books on the ground, and collapsed onto her desk. Kevin and Ami chuckled before the American intoned softly. "And how are you doing this fine day, Minako-chan?"
"Terribly." The blonde looked up and smiled at him. "But the day is getting better."
"Always a good thing." Kevin returned to his papers. "We still on for after juku?"
"Yup. Although, could we do it at your apartment instead of my house? Mom's having the floor waxed again. Artemis tore it up pretty well with his claws a couple of days ago."
"That's fine. It's quite messy. I hope you don't mind too much."
Dryly, "As long as it doesn't interfere with the studying too much, I think I can deal with it."
Kevin replied in a deadpan voice. "Are you sure? It is pretty messy. I don't want to startle you or anything."
Minako laughed and threw a pencil at his head. Kevin ducked quickly, and it bounced off the chalkboard. She shook her head slowly. "You're so mean!"
"I'm just looking out for your well being!" Kevin harrumphed indignantly. "And this is the thanks I get?"
"Uh oh, Bin-kun's mad!" Minako stuck her tongue out at him.
The American sighed theatrically. "I try so hard. What more can I do?"
"Poor baby." The blonde let her head roll to the side. "Don't let your head inflate too much. You might not be able to lift it up."
Kevin responded with a goofy grin, and both subsided into easy giggles. There was only the slightest hint of strain in their laughter, the sort that would be forgotten in a moment as a tasteful irrelevancy. But both parties sensed that something was amiss, and neither was willing to point it out to the other.
Although Ami had intimated otherwise, Minako could not believe that Kevin was not aware of the situation at hand. If anything, he was treating her with a delicacy that he hadn't ever exhibited before. And that meant that he knew something was up.
She imagined that he was reasonably experienced in such matters. Kevin seemed to be the sort to pursue genuine relationships, ones based on intelligent conversation and true intersections of interest and demeanor. It implied a depth of personality and an enforced perceptiveness.
Minako would have liked to have spent a few more minutes analyzing, but Tanaka-sensei's meter stick rapped on the table, and there was no more time.
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Kevin undid the top button of his shirt and loosened his tie before letting out a deep sigh of relief. Tanaka-sensei had been in a particularly foul mood that afternoon, taking it out bitterly on his class and his teaching assistant.
Kevin noticed that a couple of the less thick skinned students had fled the classroom in tears. Were he a better person, he might have gone after them, but, as it was, Kevin was emotionally exhausted, not looking forward to the prospect of tutoring Minako for another two hours.
He glanced at his watch before letting out a deep sigh. At the very least, Tanaka-sensei had let them out rather early, meaning that he might have time to even go out to dinner after Minako had left. It was on that thought that he placed the hopes of his day.
Minako came up from behind him and poked him in the ribs. "Bin-kun, let's go!"
"Right, right." The American wearily picked up his book bag and rummaged through his pockets for his wallet, cell phone, and keys.
The blonde shook her head. "Now you know how I feel about Tanaka-sensei everyday."
He growled irritably. "Well, I'd prefer not to feel it again."
Smoothly. "As would we all. Come on, let's get going. I have a report to write!"
Kevin laughed tiredly and held the door open theatrically. "As you command, milady."
She beamed at him and trotted outside into the fading sunlight. The American followed quickly, catching up in two steps. "So, tell me what this paper is about?"
"Something, about Japanese society in the past ten years. Bleh...couldn't I just take a test or do homework?"
"Oh, come on. Papers are fun. Besides, modern Japanese society is something of a pet interest of mine."
"That's right! You're doing research at the university!"
Kevin smiled. "Well, it would be called research if I was actually doing research. But, I do know a few choice things about the subject, cell phones and otherwise.
Minako's bag trilled suddenly. "Speaking of cell phones." She flipped her phone open and read the text message. "Oh, cool! One of my friends is cooking dinner! We have to go!"
"Wait, what about our tutoring session?"
The cool voice of Ami Mizuno came from behind him. "Certainly you can miss a single session. Besides, you have to taste Mako-chan's soba. It is something certainly worth missing a little studying."
Minako laughed aloud. "My dearest Ami-chan, degrading studying? What is wrong with this picture?"
"Studying has its time and place. I've always said that."
"But Ami, you've always held studying on par with the kami themselves!"
Ami allowed herself a happy grin. "And it is. But the kami never tasted Mako-chan's cooking."