Same old yadda yadda... me own nothing, me no money so you no sue? okay? Hehehe. Dozo...
Literary Obsessions Chapter Two: Literally Hell?
Hell - as described by Mr. Webster on his dictionary, it is the realm of the devil; the place or state of torment or destruction. It is also referred to as nether world, the world after and the underworld. It was also used by Dante Alighieri in his famous Italian epic 'The Divine Comedy' as Inferno...
...any other definition associated with the word ran continuously through Mikagami's mind, carefully scrutinizing each and every definition he had known about the word. His temples creased in annoyance with the fact that these descriptions fitted where he was now.
School, although he tried his best not to associate it with the fallen angel's paradise, was one to him. It's not that he hated studying, he loved it... but the people were the ones getting on his nerves...
...especially today when a new revelation was opened up to him; and for the past hour and a half, his supposedly enjoyable class was now officially hell.
He tried his best to avoid any high school acquaintances, yet now, here he is seated next to one. Kirisawa Fuuko seemed really amused with that fact. Heck, she even had the nerve to pass a note to him. He immediately knew what was written on the blasted paper and refused to look at it. She looked oddly at him (yes, he knew. Duh, he was an ensui weilder for nothing) as he wrote on the piece of paper without even looking at it. He passed it back to her and carried on pretending that he was listening to Harukawa-sensei. She held a suppressed laughter, and paid attention to class, but the rest of the class didn't seem interested at the class but at the both of them.
Boy, hell did fall over him today.
Thirty minutes after eleven o'clock... the bell rang. Signaling the end of class for the morning period. Everyone started standing up and Harukawa-sensei made a few reminders regarding the lessons and started scurrying out of the room. Harukawa-sensei exited to the door at the front side of the room. Mikagami didn't stand up immediately though - and so did Fuuko.
The room was almost empty. A couple of their classmates looked at them before exiting the room. They even made a few whispers before completely going out of earshot.
He closed his eyes and was about to stand up when she grinned and beat him to it. She faced him with her hands on her hips. "Well, well, if it isn't my good old buddy! I didn't know you attended Tokyo University. Fancy to see you here." Fuuko started yapping at him. He pretended to listen but didn't look at her. She took a pause and looked closely at him.
"Oh, I know, what you are thinking... that was a stupid question, wasn't it? Hehehe, of course you'd be here!" She continued.
He still didn't nudge.
"Hmm... still the same, I see." She then bent over to her seat and picked up her books. He closed his eyes as an obvious sign of rebuff and was about to glare at her when he saw her bending down a little bit to get her books and her bag. His eyes grew a bit wide because of shock and gulped. 'She's wearing a dress? Since when?'
Fuuko stood back up straight. Her back was now flooded with flowing purple hair. She turned back at him and Mikagami tore his gaze at her.
"Well, it was nice seeing someone familiar, but I gotta run. You know how tight it is here in Tokyo U... so, ja!" Fuuko smiled at him one last time and started walking out to the door, her heels making slight noises when as she took a step.
Wait, heels?
He followed her retreating form to the door. She stopped and he fazed a bit. She turned around fast and smiled again at him. "See you, Mi-chan." She made a little wave then went out of the door.
He stared at the door even though she wasn't there anymore. He closed his eyes and inhaled. Even he, the great Mikagami Tokiya, was shocked by her obvious change. It took him another two minutes of contemplating before he fixed his things, stood up and left for lunch.
Fuuko almost ran to the newly opened Italian restaurant two blocks away from Tokyo University. It was almost twelve, and she promised Akira-sempai that she would have lunch with him today for helping her during her first few days in college life. Akira Yuu was the elder brother of a friend in high school. Aiko, Yuu's sister, was one of Fuuko's friends outside school and lived just around her block. They got together once when it was Yuu's vacation and he was the one who helped Fuuko with her Tokyo U and college dilemmas. Aiko, having decided that she was going to attend a local college, just let him help Fuuko. He was the one who sent all her requirements for applications, examinations and even the scholarship. He did deserve thanks for he helped her so much. In return, it was lunch at an Italian Restaurant for she could only afford pasta.
She glanced at her watch again - it was only five minutes before lunch time. She sped up some more and when she was almost at the restaurant, she saw Yuu standing there and waiting for her. She composed herself as much as she could and ran her fingers through her hair and dusted her skirt.
He glanced to his side and saw her. He gave her a wide smile. "Why, Fuuko, you're late." Yuu pretended to look at his watch to tease her. She simply smiled at her sempai and put one of her hands on her hip.
"No, I'm not late. I'm actually early." She defended.
Yuu shook his head no and started tapping his watch while showing it to her. "It's already one minute passed twelve." He then put down his hand and placed his own hands on his hips. "Tsk, tsk... you said exactly twelve. What if I had other appointments aside from this?" He mocked.
Fuuko stuck out her tongue at him and stepped towards the restaurant door. "You're overacting, Akira-kun." She opened the door and started to get inside the restaurant. "Now, if you don't want lunch, fine. I'll have lots of extra money to spend on playing arcade games on the mall then."
He raised his hand in surrender and laughed at her. "Heh, still sharp I see. Well, ok then." With that, he followed her inside the restaurant.
"Irasshaimaise!" The waitresses greeted and one of them approached them. "Akira-kun, so nice to see you again. Who's your friend?" The waitress asked, putting an arm around Fuuko's shoulders. Yuu had this sheepish smile on his face and Fuuko couldn't help but smile at them.
"Well, this is Kirisawa Fuuko. She's a friend of my sister's and I am her new official babysitter." Yuu said to the waitress while the latter guided the two students to their table. The waitress sat Fuuko down on the chair. She said an almost inaudible thanks and Yuu pulled out a chair opposite her. "Fuuko, this is Machida Reiko. She's a working student from Tokyo U, although she has a stash of cash flooding out of her pockets and only works here for fun."
"Hey!" Reiko retorted and jabbed him a little hard on the back of his head. "That's not true, Fuuko-san. You probably know how much of a joker Akira-kun is." She added and reached out her hand to shake Fuuko's.
"Nice to meet you, Machida-san." Fuuko said as she shook Reiko's hand. Reiko smiled at her. "Now, now, I hate too much formalities, Fuuko-san. You can call me Reiko-san. That would be fine. I already have too much people calling me Machida-san or Machida-sempai at school. It makes me feel I'm already that old." Reiko said as she withdrew her hand. She placed two menus on the table that she was holding and took out a small memo pad. "Well, what will you two be having?"
Fuuko picked up the menu and did a quick scan of the menu for the day. Yuu didn't even bother to pick up his. He immediately gave his order to Reiko. "I'll have bolognese and iced tea. Add one slice of garlic bread to that."
Reiko quickly wrote it down and looked at Fuuko. The latter was still making her choice when she felt Reiko looking at her already. She closed the menu and muttered a quick apology. "Uh, gomen. I'll have carbonara and Coke please."
Reiko also wrote that down and smiled at them before leaving to give their orders to the kitchen. Fuuko followed Reiko with her eyes. Yuu looked at Fuuko. "I see you already like Reiko-san."
Fuuko looked at him oddly, then smiled. "She's nice." She paused and sat up straight. "I see you're a local celebrity here, Akira-kun."
Yuu smirked and ran his fingers quickly through his brunette hair. "What can I say? Everyone just loves my charisma."
Fuuko snickered and made a boo sign while mock-laughing at him. "What a funny joke."
Yuu just laughed at her. "Well then, how do you suppose they get to know about good ol' me if I'm just a nobody?"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure go carry your own throne or something." Fuuko dismissed their teasing and picked up a piece of M&M's on the center of the table. She popped it in her mouth. Yuu followed her suite.
"You know, Reiko-san is the president of the Central Student Council." Yuu said before popping the chocolate into his mouth. She stopped chewing. "That's why she doesn't want to be called Machida-san or Machida-sempai. Almost everyone calls her that." She made a slight 'oh' in her mouth and ate another piece of M&M's. "This will be also her last year and she only had five subjects left. That's why she takes her free time to work here. Just for kicks." Yuu continued.
"That's nice." Was all Fuuko could say. Indeed, even if her mom dragged her ass out to make her work through her free time, she wouldn't do it... and she is amazed by those people who do it. Reiko was like Yanagi at some point. Fuuko wouldn't even dare to dream of working instead of having fun in playing in the arcades or doing her practice sessions for her athletic scholarship. Heck, even practice was a bore for her that she even sucessfully escaped thrice without anyone noticing that she was already gone.
Yuu smiled at her contemplating form. He leaned at the table and looked intently at her. "Still having college jitters?" He asked and she snapped her head up.
"Uh, iie. Betsuni." She defended. She paused a bit and looked outside the window. Then, back at him. A new waitress placed their drinks on the table and she took a drink from her own glass before speaking again. He continued staring at Fuuko.
"Well, you know how I was wishing that I would run into someone I knew back in high school and all that jazz a few weeks before school started?" Fuuko said a bit jittery. Yuu just nodded his head. "Yeah. What about it?"
"Well, I did run into someone, and he's the last person I'd expect to bump into... and now I'm wishing that I didn't make that wish." Fuuko said as she rubbed her thumb against the moist of the glass.
"Who was it? I mean, he wouldn't be that bad... would he? You did say it was a 'he', right?" Yuu said continuously as he continued popping M&M's into his mouth.
"Well, I do think you're quite familiar with him. You are, after all, taking up Civil Law, right? I think he's already popular at the College of Law even before the first hour of school started." Fuuko said and looked oddly at her wet thumb, as if it had grown something. "It was like that every year since I knew him."
"Don't tell me its that sophomore Mikagami Tokiya?" Yuu said as he was about to eat another piece of chocolate.
"Yeah, Mi-chan. So you do know him." Fuuko confirmed and smiled at Yuu. The latter, however, slowly placed the chocolate into his mouth and almost choked. He coughed.
"Ah yes, Law King. When we're around him, we feel like hell would soon freeze over with that ice cold demeanor of his. Brr..." Yuu stated rather frankly. He even pretended to shiver as he said 'brr'. It almost made Fuuko laugh.
"Get used to it. I did for three years and well, how unfortunate for the souls in the netherworld, hell still hasn't frozen over." They both laughed.
Yuu took a sip of his iced tea. "Well, maybe it wouldn't be that bad then. I mean, you can have two helpers then, ne?"
Now why didn't Fuuko think of that. Of course, two heads are better than one. Mi-chan could also help her out... after a couple of bugging and annoying at that... 'Write that down,' Fuuko added mentally and nodded at Yuu.
Their orders arrived and Reiko delivered it to them, but the waitress left immediately and said that her duty ended and she still had class in twenty minutes. They both said a quick goodbye to her and turned their attention to their food.
When the door opened and the waitresses' greeting changed tone in the last syllable. Fuuko and Yuu glanced at the waitresses - their faces were flushed, as if the room had suddenly got stuffy; then, at the door and at each other. Fuuko looked at the door once more and straightend herself up in her seat.
'Well, well...' she thought. 'If it isn't the devil himself.'
Yuu looked at her and snickered. Fuuko glared at him and he raised his arms in surrender. Fuuko picked up her fork and started mixing her pasta. Yuu did the same.
Mikagami was now contemplating on where he should eat. He was having a hard time deciding on whether he should eat inside the campus or outside. He chose outside because even before he reached one of the cafeterias, he knew bimbos were already on red alert and would start attacking him the moment he sat himself on one of the tables.
Luckily, there was a small restaurant a couple of blocks away from he university that served great Italian Cuisine. He has heard of it from some of the professors, and decided to give it a shot...
...only to find some more blushing girls and HER in there.
He had heard the obvious change in the intonation of the waitresses' greeting as they looked at him. Their eyes immediately got all dreamy and their blood rushed to their cheeks. He looked at his watch and sighed. He didn't want to look for another place to dine, he wanted to eat lunch NOW.
He decided to ignore the stares the women were giving him and chose a table near the door, just in case he needed to plead temporary insanity. He sat himself down and one of the waitresses almost tripped trying to get near to him. She handed Mikagami the menu.
He was about to choose from the menu when his eye caught a sight of purple. He lowered the menu slightly and saw her.
'Not again.' he thought. She was seated two tables away from him and was seated sideways, busy attending to her carbonara. He looked at her opposite side. She had someone with her, of whom he knew.
'That's Akira Yuu.' Mikagami thought and he raised the menu a little, but still in the level where he can still see the two of them. Train of thoughts ran into his mind again.
'Why is Kirisawa dining with Akira-sempai?' he asked then pretended to choose on the menu. Then, it dawned to him.
'Are they a couple? How'd he get to know Kirisawa? She's only a freshman and from a different department at that.'
Mikagami then gave the blushing waitress his order and placed the menu down. He took one last look at them and looked at the window. 'It's not any of my business, anyway.' He then took a small book from his bag and skimmed through it while waiting for his order and distract him from the current issues hanging around his head.
A/N: Is it too much about hell? It's because I heard a story from my sister about this guy from University of Washington getting a high grade explaining if hell was endothermic or exothermic and stuff like that. Is Fuuko too nice here? Well, what do you know, she's more matured and more feminine... I'd bet you guys love that. And Mikagami... don't you love fics where Mi-chan gets smacked in the head with realizations, hmmm? I sure do! Well... other notes will be done on the next chappies.
TRIVIA: OMG, what are those current issues hanging around Mi-chan's head?
Meanings:
irasshaimase - welcome
Betsuni - can mean Its nothing; or sort of. But as far as I know, the Japanese for nothing is really 'nandemonai'.
gomen - sorry
sensei - teacher; suffix added to the names of instructors.
sempai - suffix denoting seniority, especially in school.
san - suffix used when you refer to someone you're not really close to.
kun - this suffix can be confusing. This is used when you're close to a guy (like Yanagi to Recca. Yanagi calls Recca 'Recca-kun') but some people also used this suffix to girls to whom they are close to but is younger than them. Some even use the suffix when referring to someone who is their student, employee, etcetera, without regards to closeness in relationship. Ex.: Fuuko is two years younger than Yuu, so Yuu sometimes calls her 'Kirisawa-kun'. Harukawa-sensei also calls Fuuko 'Kirisawa-kun'.