1Title: Daze
They'd avoided each other all day. He'd only seen him head inside just as he'd stepped through the gate. He didn't show up for lunch. Himawari-chan asked if something had happened again. He couldn't answer her. He didn't answer anyone or anything all day. He was beginning to wonder why he'd gone to school.
He couldn't stop thinking about it.
He almost slapped himself for wondering why he wasn't waiting at the gate after school.
He tried to push it all back, aside, somewhere as he headed to work. He didn't want to spill it all to Yuko and have her give some long-winded vague answer that would only confuse him even more.
He'd stopped walking. Looking up, her realized why.
"His temple," he whispered.
Yesterday, he was angry...
Now... he didn't know.
A strange calm settled over him as he stood there, staring.
Maybe this is why he'd so quiet, so stoic.
So strong.
It is why he believes, even when he can't see it.
But why does he put up with it all, take it?
No... why did he?
Why did he?
The breeze picked up. The trees swayed. Leaves blew across the ground. The bells and chimes sounded softly. Petals brushed his cheek. Heaving a sigh, he turned to leave.
"Hey."
He didn't even turn.
"Did you need anything?"
"I just..." he stopped, suddenly at a loss for words.
Why was he there?
Sure, he'd stopped, but he could have left - should have - when he realized where he was. But he'd just stood there. Think about him. Wondering about him.
Now here he was.
And his mind wasn't.
"Hey."
"I have to get to work," he stated as he started to leave.
"Hmm."
The indifference in that sound made him stop, barely turn to him. "It's not a date."
He didn't expect a reply.
Finally looking at him, he wasn't sure how he felt at seeing that stoic gaze almost crack. "Himawari wants my help to find you a birthday present." Doumeki turned away at his explanation, "She told me at lunch since you weren't there. She thinks we're fighting again. She said I didn't have to."
He turned back up the road. "I've got to go."
He left him standing outside the gate.