chidori-san : Thanks. :D
TIMES: Everyone seems to be too lazy to sign in. Hehehe... thanks.
alex : Technically, Yuu hasn't lost YET because Mi-chan and Fuuko are not even a couple YET. Although he will... (laughs evilly).
bishie tezuka : Uh... I, myself, have absolutely no idea on how long this is going to be.
Dark Phoenix : Well, I'm trying to make Fuuko avoid it, but that's way the plot's going to be. Hehehe...
talika : Oo... Ok... now I'm really starting to wonder if all my reviewers are tofuu fans, because you're not alone in pitying Yuu. It seems that he's growing in on all of us. Hehe.
Yanagi-chyan : That's alright... and thanks. Ah, everyone pities Yuu-kun... poor Yuu-kun! I've been a total idiot lately that I didn't even notice that you wrote some of the fics that I loved to read over and over again. Hehehe. I was only a reader, then. Gomen:P Anyways... maybe I'll think about pairing him with someone. Err, how about Reiko? Hehe.
yvonne : :D Whee! Thanks! You make me so happy!
fan : Yeah... it's actually a product of listening to my dad's CD. I couldn't get the song out of my head so I decided to put it on the fic.
akire5e : Actually, I'm having a hard time in writing the previous chapter because it may overflow with fluffiness. But, it seems that it didn't and you loved it... and I thank you for it. :P
Oh well... here goes the next chapter. Gomen ne if it's becoming either too fluffy or confusing for you... can't help it!
Literary Obsessions Chapter Ten : Unfortunate Events
"Are you alright now?" Mikagami asked the now sniffling Fuuko who was still leaning on him. She made a small nod while they still continued moving on the dance floor. She didn't even lifted her head off his chest even if she already stopped crying and he just allowed her to stay there. The band finished singing one song and started singing another mellow song. Sighing, he looked at her and she still remained there in his arms, head still on his chest. It seems like she was either thinking or just lost at some thoughts. He allowed her to think.
Fuuko sniffled a little. She was very touched at what Mi-chan was doing. Not to mention this is the second time around that he was there when she needed help. But this time was different... it was more on the intimate level.
She kept her head nestled on the top of his chest. Her thoughts about Raiha before slowly disintegrated and was replaced by nothing. Her mind flew as she listened to the song as it neared its end. She knew Mikagami looked at her when the song approached its end. She felt him stiffen a little, but then relaxed again as the song immediately transposed to another song.
She closed her eyes as she swayed with him in a slow, little movement. Thoughts suddenly rushed to her mind and she abruptly opened her eyes. The event this afternoon, the one where he caught her staring at him and admiring him, flashed back into her mind as she listened to the song. Good thing that her head was hidden from his sight... because she started blushing big time. She was all flushed as she heard the last few lines of the chorus.
'I wanna live and take a chance; I'm not afraid to love again. I wanna fall, fall for you and I want you to fall for me, too.'
She mentally slapped herself. 'Woah, woah... slow down! This is Mi-chan.'
She was supposed to be happy, thinking that she might have been friends with Mi-chan... but thinking of it to be more than that? 'Where did that come from?'
There was a slight smile forming on her face before she remembered the events earlier, and now it was replaced by a frown. She couldn't believe she was thinking of wanting to fall for HIM and HIM falling for her. She shook her head. 'Oh god, this is so ridiculous!'
Mikagami felt Fuuko's head move. He slightly pushed her away so that he could see her face. But she refused to look. He raised his eyebrow. "What's wrong now?"
Fuuko couldn't look at him... not after what her stupid brain fed her feelings with. She put on a sheepish smile, hoping it would work on him. Either it did... or he just chose not to press the matter further. She sighed inwardly. 'Thank you. Being caught like that twice in one day by Mi-chan would be hell.' She remembered when she said she wasn't one of his fawning fans. She then peeled herself away from him and pulled on his arm.
"I need to go now. We still have that play to watch tomorrow and I've got some classes to attend to early on." She whispered at him. He nodded briefly, went to the counter to pay for their dinner. One of the servers there approached him and took the cash. Mikagami fixed himself briefly and took a glance sidewards...
...and there he saw the waitress who was talking to Fuuko when they ordered and his Akira-sempai. They seemed engrossed in a serious conversation because she held his hand and his head was bowed down. He chose not to interrupt. The cashier gave him his change and he went back to Fuuko. They stepped out of the restaurant and drove back to her hostel.
Five minutes later, they arrived at the hostel. Fuuko didn't immediately get off the car like she used to. He looked at her and she sighed before giving him a quick smile.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Thanks for the emotional support." Mikagami only nodded at her. She then took off her seatbelt and opened the door, smiling at him and alighted the car. "So, I'll see you tomorrow in class."
"I'll pick you up an hour before the scheduled time of the play."
Fuuko nodded and waved, then walked inside the building.
"So, was it just me or did Mikagami drove you back to the hostel again, hm?" Mina asked, with a grin that could match a cheshire cat's. Fuuko only rolled her eyes on her roommate.
"I saw you guys in the restaurant, you know." Mina added. "You sure you don't want to take him up the stacks?"
"I've got nothing to spill, Mina." Fuuko answered as she changed into her sleepwear.
"Hey, don't get mad at me. I'm just trying to find out if the rumors are still rumors."
She cocked her eyebrow upwards. "Which part?"
"Oh, so you are willing to clarify this?" Mina said excitingly as she turned in her seat. "Well? Do you think he IS hot?"
Fuuko rolled her eyes as she plopped down on her bed. "Ok, I'm done having this conversation."
Mina laughed at Fuuko. "Fine. It was just a question!"
Fuuko made a motion to throw a pillow at her roommate.
"And so, Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870, leaving The Mystery of Edwin Drood uncompleted." Their classmate concluded as she discussed about the life and works of Charles Dickens. She was soon followed by her partner, who discussed one of the English Author's work.
Fuuko sat beside Mikagami, keeping herself busy by listening to her classmates. Yet, she couldn't help but steal occasional glances at her partner. She's always smile first before tearing her gaze away from him. He was busy jotting down notes and listening to the presentors to notice that she was watching him.
...Or so she thought.
Mikagami was already getting a little scared of how Fuuko was acting. She kept stealing glances at him and would smile weirdly before going back to listen. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to what he was doing.
A couple of minutes later, their class ended with new assignments and reviewing to be done. A classmate of theirs was able to grab Fuuko out of Mikagami's sight before he could even say something to her.
"Here's the module I borrowed from you last week," the auburn-haired girl said as they were walking along the corridor. She then waved goodbye to the latter and went off to the Physics Laboratory for some make-up lab work. But before she can reach the Science Building, her phone went off the hook.
"Moshi moshi?" She answered, trying to walk faster while juggling her things at one arm.
"Fuu-chan! You won't believe what Ai-chan has been telling me. I thought that it was cute!" Yanagi squealed over at the other end. Fuuko almost dropped the phone. She rolled her eyes before stopping at one of the benches outside the building. "Spare me the details, please." Fuuko said as she dropped herself to sit down at the bench.
"I really thought you looked cute together. Who would've thought - you and Mikagami-sempai?"
Fuuko groaned loudly. She had no idea how'd Aiko knew about that issue, too. It wasn't even on national television... or not.
"Pray tell, Yanagi-chan. How did Aiko-chan know about this?"
"Yuu-san, of course. Although Ai-chan didn't seem very happy about it." Yanagi's voice mellowed down. "I thought she was going to slice one of Kagerou-san's finest plates when she told us about it."
It almost made Fuuko laugh. She was very well aware of Aiko's hatred towards Mikagami even if they haven't been properly introduced. "Well, tell Aiko-chan that none of those things are true. It's just some rumors that the students managed to spread around when they didn't have anything to do." She assured Yanagi. "And I think Yuu-kun is just trying to annoy Aiko-chan, knowing very well that she hates the ice man."
"Aw," Yanagi's voice cooed into disappointment and Fuuko could picture the healer pouting at the other end. "I really thought you two would be so cute together."
Fuuko groaned. "Not you too. I've had had enough handful of that here." Yanagi then laughed.
"Don't make me hurt you." Fuuko warned and Yanagi tried hard to stifle her laughter. Over the past couple of months of hanging around with Aiko and the rest of Hokage, Yanagi surely had become more of a teaser.
"Maa, maa. I was just kidding." Fuuko rolled her eyes. "Well, it's been nice talking to you, Fuu-chan. We really do miss you here. I have to go now. The meeting's about to start."
Fuuko smiled. "Yeah. Bye. Tell the others I miss them, too."
"Will do." And with that, the other end went dead. Fuuko then placed her phone back to her pocket and went to pick up her books from the bench. She almost jumped when she saw Mikagami standing behind her with her books in his arms.
"Need help?" He asked in a rather emotionless manner.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Fuuko yelled, trying to hold back an unladylike curse that is forcing to come out of her mouth.
Mikagami cocked a brow. "If you're blind, monkey, I am trying to help you." He replied monotonously. She continued glaring at him. He moved to put down her books. "I'd appreciate a little gratitude."
She raised her arms in surrender. His help was sure needed now since she didn't want to juggle those heavy books once more as she make her way towards lab. Thus, her books remained in his hold. "I meant, what the hell were you doing surprising me like that?" She tried asking in a little more mellow tone. "I almost had an attack."
"It's not my fault that you've managed to become jumpy." He reasoned. Her glare made an immediate comeback. He smirked.
"Don't you dare laugh... or I'll make you regret it." She warned.
"I don't laugh." He replied. She rolled her eyes.
"Well," he continued as he looked at the building. "Where to?"
"Uh, I don't think I need to tell you that, Mi-chan." Fuuko said as the faces from the previous days came back to her. She almost shuddered at the thought of her classmates attacking her.
"If I'm going to carry these, you'd have to tell me." He added. He didn't miss the look on her face. "You're worried about them?" He didn't need to elaborate further what he was referring to as them.
She nodded. He smirked again. She groaned. "You have no idea how worse this is going to be. Even the rest of the gang have heard the rumors!"
"Kirisawa, need I remind you that I-DO-NOT-CARE." Mikagami replied, stressing the last phrase.
"But, I do! I mean, have you seen the way they look at me! And that's just too bad that it's against the law to kill people and I don't intend to kill anyone because of you and those crazy rumors." Fuuko blurted out. "And that's not all..."
Mikagami kept his face devoid of any emotions, but he listened well with interest. He made his face looked as bored as possible. "In fact, I, myself is getting confused on why do you keep on helping me and stuff. As if, you're trying to make these rumors come true."
His ears perked. Was he trying to do that? He could've laughed if he haven't told her that he doesn't laugh. But, was he?
Seeing him standing there obviously not interested in whatever she was saying, she raised her arms in defeat. "Fine! I'm on my way to the Physics Lab for some make up lab experiments. It's the one on the third floor." She huffed at him before proceeding to walk towards the building. Mikagami trailed behind her. He soon caught up with her steps. She kept mumbling something inaudible before putting on a pout.
As they reached the second floor, Fuuko told Mikagami about Yanagi's phone call. "She was just checking up on US. She even thought there was an US."
He didn't comment. She continued her tirade as they reached the door of the Physics Lab on the third floor. "Well, here we are. Thanks for carrying those for me." Fuuko said as he placed her books on her arms.
"Mondaianai. I have to talk with Misanagi-sensei, anyways. I'll just wait for her here." He replied. She smiled at him as he opened the door for her. "Thanks again."
He merely nodded in reply. She then went into the room.
She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw all eyes were on her. Even though Misanagi-sensei wasn't there yet, the students were definitely there. She swallowed hard, then walked towards Mina, who was sitting beside her. Mina gave her a rather goofy smile and she placed her head in her hand as she felt new waves of headaches coming in at her.
Misanagi-sensei then came in. The students then took this as a cue to put on their lab gowns. "Well, gomen for the late appearance. We have someone to join us. His schedules have conflicted with his other subjects, so he's here to join us, to make to some of the other to be missed lab procedures to be done." Misanagi-sensei then waved at someone at the door. Everyone gasped then looked alternately at the person coming in and at Fuuko.
"This is definitely not my day." Fuuko said, her face filled with pure horror.
"You all know, Mikagami Tokiya." Misanagi-sensei said as she introduced the transferee to her class.
'Hell yeah.' Fuuko thought.
"And, whoever will be assigned to be his new lab partner will be able to skip a few meeting or so since I'll be giving him a couple of the lab work to be done in advance." Misanagi-sensei said proudly as she eyed the students randomly. Fuuko's face became more white when the middle-aged educator's eyes fell upon her.
"Kirisawa, you will be Mikagami's new partner." The sensei said nonchalantly and whispered something to Mikagami. Then he left. Everyone either stared or glared at Fuuko.
"Now, on with our work."
"I'm starting to regret the fact that I was actually happy to be reunited with one of the Hokages." Fuuko muttered as she saw Mikagami who was sitting on one of the benches outside the Science Department Building. Mikagami smirked a little. She chose to sit beside him.
"You are really getting on my nerves, Mi-chan." She stated the obvious fact.
"We should get going if you want to be done with your work early." Mikagami said as he stood up. Her brows met in confusion.
"What work? We didn't schedule any projects to be done today."
Mikagami then shoved the Physics Laboratory Experiments to be done to her face. "Remember what Misanagi-sensei said."
"WHAT? We're doing that today?" Fuuko asked in a rather loud voice. People were starting to look oddly at them.
"Lower your voice, Kirisawa. They could get the wrong idea." Mikagami warned.
"I think it's a bit too late to worry about that, you dolt." Fuuko said, not even caring at all. Mikagami cocked an eyebrow at her change of attitude towards the rumors that were flying around at school. "You should worry about you making my life hell, Mi-chan."
"Oh?" He asked as he started walking. She stood up and followed him. "And I should care because?"
"I might not be able to graduate." She then took a cautious look at one particular group of girls that were glaring at her. "I might die before I can go through this term."
Mikagami snorted and Fuuko pinched him a little a his side. Mikagami caught her wrist and pulled at it. "That hurt, you monkey." Fuuko only stuck her tongue out at him. He released his grip.
"We'd better hurry if you want to be done early. I might give you another free dinner if you're able to finish early." Mikagami said as he assured her. She pouted. "I'm not ten, Mi-chan, for you to use dinner as a bribe."
"So I noticed." He retorted sarcastically back at her.
"Ooooh, so you do notice me!" Fuuko yelled as she started her teasing. "C'mon, Mi-chan! Admit!"
Mikagami was growing slightly annoyed with her. He then chose to walk faster towards the car as she carried on yelling and teasing him.
"Get in the car, Kirisawa, or you'll have to run a mile." He warned when she wouldn't stop teasing him. She stuck her tongue out at him before actually getting in.
"Akira-kun!" Reiko called as Yuu came near her table under the sakura trees. Yuu waved and smiled at her.
"Hey. I thought you wouldn't make it." He said as he sat beside Reiko.
"I had to skip a class because you wouldn't stop calling until I say yes. And yet you're lecturing me..." She shook her head. "What a bad influence you are."
"Gomen." He apologized rather sheepishly, accented with a scratch on the head.
"So, what did you want anyway?" Reiko asked as she sat herself down on the bench.
"I had something to ask."
"And I had to be the perfect person to be asked about it, right?" Reiko continued as Yuu scratched his head once more.
"Well, sort of."
"Okay... so, shoot."
"It's complicated, you see." Yuu started meekly. Reiko looked like she was about to burst out in laughter.
"I knew it. That's why I was the one you asked to talk."
Yuu immediately shot his head up, red staining his cheeks. "E-eto..."
"You really are so predictable, Akira! I mean, honestly! This is about your love life," she said then stopped to point at the direction where Mikagami's car left. "and them."
"I don't really believe that I have a chance." He said while looking at the table.
Reiko pursed her lips while nodding. "Have you even tried your chances yet?"
He looked at her, wondering if she was listening or not. "Like I said, I don't think that I even have any."
"Oh? So you give up then?" She challenged.
"Feels like so."
Silence.
Reiko then straightened and slapped him behind the head... hard.
"Itai! What was that for!" Yuu screamed at her. She looked at him in a repremanding manner.
"You wanna be called a loser for the rest of your miserable life?" She asked in a high tone. Yuu hesistantly shook his head no.
"Then do what you have to do."
A/N: Yes! Whooopeee! It's a miracle! After a long time of absence due to a series of unfortunate events, I still managed to finish this part... and finally, put it up! Nyahaha! Pardon me for the long delay, guys. It's just that I'm having a lot of work to do, plus the technical problems here at home. I'm doing my best so that my readers would give me good reviews and make me happy. Hahaha! Muah! I love you guys!