She embraced him then, and felt him slide his strong arms protectively
around her muscled but feminine body. "They look so happy playing together,
don't you think?" she asked.
"Yeah..." he agreed, placing his chin on her head. He turned to look at
the three as well. "Hideo seems to like it here a lot." He adjusted his hold
so only one arm was around her waist. One of her arms still hugged around him,
against his back. That way, they could both watch the three children playing in
the courtyard.
"Ranma, seeing them at this age, do you... do you kind of understand why
our parents did what they did?" Akane turned her brown eyes up at him, full of
curiosity and wonder. It made him feel as if a lot depended on his answer.
Unfortunately, he didn't know how to respond. "I guess..." he finally
relented, then quickly added more. "But I wouldn't force it upon them the way
our parents did."
Akane shook her head, though in agreement. "No, I don't want to either,
but..." She sighed, trying to think of the best words to express her thoughts.
"I just wonder what they'll be like when they grow up, when Hideo is the age we
were when we met."
He hugged her tighter. "Anything could happen. That's a long way from
now. A long, long way from now..."
Descendants
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction
by Luna Hinomura
Chapter 3: Heir to the Dojo
Muffled shouting reached his ears, but he didn't pay attention to it.
There was plenty of time to make it to school without being late; his parents
just complained and worried too much. Besides, his dad probably spent more time
in that bathroom in the course of a day than Hideo could in a month. If he
added up the hours he'd spent heating up a kettle on the stove, or filling up a
bucket of water, it'd probably be more than half his life. How his father put
up with it, he'd never know. Yet Hideo's parents accepted his father's curse,
even built their lives around it in some ways.
"Hideo, get out of the tub, NOW!" a woman's voice shouted from the doorway
of the bathroom. He heard the door slide open, and footsteps of his father
stepping through. "If you don't get out this instant, I'm going to come in
there and drag you out!"
"Don't I even get any privacy?!" Hideo shouted back, while stepping out of
the tub, ignoring the splashes of water he left all around. He grabbed his
towel off a hook on the wall and wrapped it around his waist. "What the heck
are you doing being a woman this early in the morning?"
"You're mom's not feeling good, so I have to teach the all-females Taichi
morning class today. Breakfast has been sitting on the table for you for a long
time, hurry it up, okay?" Not waiting for a reply, he heard his dad leave.
"Jerk," Hideo muttered, moving into the second room to change into the
clean school uniform he'd set out for himself before his bath. According to his
parents, he attended the same high school they once had; and, according to the
teachers, Ranma and Akane had developed quite a reputation while there. His
classmates constantly pestered the teachers and other faculty members for juicy
stories of events that occurred before he was born.
In all his earliest memories of his father, they got along very well.
Little Hideo used to idolize his father for the curse, believing his father to
be someone incredibly special and admirable. At times, it felt like having an
extra person in the family to love and be loved by, though he was one and the
same man.
"Hideeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooo's gonna be laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate... and your
GIRLFRIEND's waiting~~~~~" another shouting voice added to his morning. The
owner of the voice giggled insatiably and dashed by the bathroom, her feet
pounding in rapid succession. Being only in primary school, she was young and
weighed very little, so their parents rarely yelled at her to stop stomping on
the second floor. On the other hand, if Hideo chased after her, he'd probably
receive a very long and boring lecture.
Hideo rolled his eyes. A little sister was something neither his father
nor his mother ever had, and try as he might, he could never explain to them how
aggravating it could be at times. His mother, on the other hand, almost always
sympathized with Tsukiko and wanted him to set an example for her. His father
always wanted him to put up with her to prove his tolerance. Hideo didn't
believe tolerance was a trait his father possessed. [Parents always want their
children to be better than they were,] he thought sarcastically.
Breakfast was indeed waiting for him when he slid open the door to the
dining room, but something didn't feel right. He didn't hear any sounds from
his family members around the house, and even the noisy cicadas seem to have
gone quiet from polite anticipation. Looking around, he scanned the area for
locations a hidden ambush might await him. He regulated his breathing, forcing
himself not to hyperventilate.
And then... a giggle...
"Hyah!!" his father, still in woman form, leapt out from behind a cabinet,
attacking Hideo with her fists. Hideo, tipped off by the brief childlike
giggle, was not as badly caught off-guard as he might have been, and defended
easily. He could almost see a smile on his father's face, as they hadn't
performed this "attack-at-breakfast" routine for a long time. Playing this game
with his father was one of his fondest memories as a child. Having the upper
hand, he was easily able to pin his father down with a submission hold that
utilized his father's arm.
"Good!" Ranma said, as they separated themselves and stood up. She dusted
herself off, and smiled lovingly at her son, proud of him. "If only Tsukiko had
been able to keep quiet, you might not have been able to win that time."
Hideo grinned, kneeling down at the breakfast table. "You complain about
me being late, but then sidetrack me with this? Now I'll have to eat fast if I
want to-- oof!" A giggling Tsukiko hugged him tightly from behind.
"Oniisan won! Oniisan won! Oniisan won!" She danced a bit behind him,
shaking him so badly that he couldn't even eat. His chopsticks reached for the
food, but dropped it before it came back to his bowl.
"Okay, okay, Tsukiko; stop bothering your brother. You've already eaten,
so why don't you come watch me teach Taichi today? Then, I'll take you to
school," Ranma suggested.
"YAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!" Tsukiko exclaimed in glee, dashing
off to the Dojo at high speed.
"Heh. Thanks."
"No problem, Hideo. Don't be late for school."
"Yeah..." He ate breakfast quickly, cleaned up a bit, then left.
On his way to school, Hideo couldn't help but muse about the strange
relationship he had with his father. It was probably the only thing a normal
kid could do with a father cursed to become a woman when doused with cold water.
His thoughts returned to that morning's events, remembering how as a youth, he
used to enjoy having a cursed father. He wouldn't be lying to himself if he
admitted that as he grew up, he began to resent his father.
* * * * *
"Well, my dad's the strongest man in the world!" Hideo's classmate Kenji
boasted. Five of them had been playing a game together when it erupted into an
argument. Being children, they didn't know how to really argue except to brag
about their own father's abilities.
"Yeah, but my dad's the smartest man in the world! He works for a
computer company!" It was Takashi who had retorted to Kenji.
"I bet my dad can beat up your dad!" someone said to Hideo.
"Nuh-uh! My dad's a martial artist! Haven't you heard of the Tendo
Dojo?" Hideo said, puffing out his little chest in pride. "And he can turn into
a GIRL!"
His four friends went silent.
"A girl??" Kenji asked in disbelief. "You mean you're dad's a FREAK?!"
"He's not a freak!" Hideo shouted back. "He's COOL!"
"How is it cool to turn into a giiiiirl?" Takashi said. "Girls are
stupid."
"Well..." Hideo had never expected this from his friends. "Well, my dad
can still beat yours up!"
"Yeah, but can he protect you now?" Kenji asked, punching Hideo squarely
in the face.
Takashi kicked him in the shin. "Your dad's a weirdo!" he stated.
Hideo caught Kenji's next punch in his hand, and forced him back. Kenji
forced his hand free and gaped blankly at his fist, then back at Hideo. "He
taught me martial arts too," Hideo beamed at Kenji's stupefied face.
"Let's get him!" they cried, all four of them attacking him at once.
* * * * *
"Hideo, you made it! Hurry, or we'll be late to class."
"What?" Caught up in his pained memories, Hideo hadn't even noticed when
he walked through the gates of Furinkan High School. He now found himself
staring dumbly at his girlfriend, Rie. "Uh?" he asked intelligently.
The high school had expanded quite a bit since his parents attended, and
some parts added on looked as if the principal of the school hadn't consulted an
architect. Supposedly, it was largely due to the fact that the former principal
Kuno had left the position to his heirs when he retired. The faculty hadn't
been too pleased about that, as it was technically not an action a principal
could legally perform, but they found it impossible to argue with the current
co-principals. Especially since their arguments were as strong as the weapons
they carried-- literally.
"Come on, I waited for you." Hideo's girlfriend grabbed his arm and
pulled him down the path, heading for their classroom. By luck, they happened
to share the same homeroom again this year. The people around them began to
crowd together, aware of the seconds ticking away before the class bell rang.
Hideo moved forward protectively, shielding Rie from the pushes and shoves. The
bell rang just as they were in their seats, and both breathed a sigh of relief.
The teacher raised her eyebrow, but kept silent. When she turned around
to begin lecturing, writing on the blackboard, quiet snickering could be heard.
Hideo felt like rolling his eyes, but ignored it. Some of the guys in his class
seemed excessively immature for their age. Most of them were probably jealous
of his happy relationship with Rie.
When homeroom break came around, Hideo was grateful. He was able to
obtain a decent grade in most of his classes, but did not enjoy them much. The
only subject that really interested him was Chinese language and culture,
something he'd been exposed to at an early age when his parents took him on a
trip to China. He'd met some interesting people, and seen China's beautiful
landscape; the experience left him with a significant impression.
"Do you want to catch a movie this afternoon?" Rie asked, pulling a chair
up next to him.
"Maybe," he said with a smile. Seeing more of Rie was something Hideo was
always up for, though lately he'd been too busy taking care of Tsukiko after
school to do much. "I haven't been to the theatres in a while; never in the
mood for a movie anymore, I guess."
"You haven't called me lately, either."
That completely threw him off. "What?"
"I'm... sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up like that. I just couldn't
help it," Rie said, her eyes gazing downwards rather than at Hideo's face. Her
voice lowered to a murmur, lest their classmates overhear their conversation.
"Are you never in the mood to call me anymore, either?"
No words came to Hideo's mind; he couldn't even begin to compose a decent
reply. Instead, he only sat in shocked silence, amazed that she would bring
something like this up at such a time. It was true that they saw more of each
other while school was in session, but he would have appreciated being able to
keep their relationship on a personal level. The idea of public affection
didn't interest him in all, and Hideo disliked letting everyone else know the
details of their relationship.
But, Rie was distraught. Because of that, he couldn't blame her for her
actions. "You... you really think that?"
"I don't know... You just seem very distant lately, yet you never tell
me what's bothering you. And then, people say... Well, there are rumors going
around, that's what it is. I don't want to believe them, but it's hard not to
hear them," she explained, leaning in close to Hideo, still keeping her voice
low to prevent curious ears from eavesdropping. "Especially when it involves
me."
Hearing these things, it was hard for Hideo not to become angry. As
cliché as it sounded, Hideo was always very protective of his girlfriend. Since
the beginning, it had always felt as if Rie needed him, and he needed her just
as much. Neither one of them had ever dated before meeting each other, so any
problems they'd had to face, they faced together. Now, it seemed, they were
being challenged again.
But this was an enemy Hideo knew. He recognized it, but he refused to
accept it. In an imperfect world, he was the idealist struggling to prove his
own truths.
"I think I have a pretty good idea of what these rumors are," Hideo
admitted, feeling defeated. As much as he'd tried to fight against this from
happening, the enemy had still somehow managed to secretly infiltrate his
relationship. "But don't believe them," he added vehemently.
"Hideo, tell me honestly-- are they true?" Rie persisted, grabbing hold
of his arm.
"...I couldn't tell you."
"Why?? Why can't you tell me? Didn't we always say there was that we
couldn't tell each other? And if there was, then it meant that something bad
has come between us?" Her voice was cracking, and she was losing control over
the volume. He wished there was something he could do for Rie, some way of
mollifying her with words of comfort. He wanted very desperately to just sit
down with her and pour out all his fears and struggles, but he couldn't do that
here. He couldn't bear the idea of his classmates overhearing.
"I can't tell you," Hideo began nervously, "because I don't know the
answer myself."
Rie's countenence became one of combined stun and confusion. "You... you
don't know? How can you not know?" She looked as if she was on the brink of
tears, which hurt Hideo deeply. He knew her to be this sort of person, someone
who trusted first in her emotions before relying on instinct or logic. Too
some, it may have seemed a bit strange, but Hideo felt it suited her well. "Do
you mean that you're not sure of what the rumors are about?"
"I told you, I'm almost completely certain." He tried to speak calmly,
hoping she'd be soothed by his tone, if nothing else.
"Then how can you *not* know the answer?! Are they true or not? Do you
even *know* what everyone says about you, that you're--"
Fear overtook him then, and Hideo reacted almost instinctively. His mind
filled with panic, instinct telling him that silencing Rie was most important,
above even Rie's feelings. He stood up so suddenly that his chair fell over
from the force, clattering against the desk behind him. At the same time, he
slammed both of his palms on his own desk, sending a resounding bang throughout
the classroom. He could sense the eyes of all his classmates; some watching him
while others gaped noiselessly.
However, Rie's expression was one he couldn't even endure a glance at. He
knew it would be too upsetting for him to see, so he just didn't look. It
wasn't as if he'd been purposefully meaning to hurt her, but it had happened
anyway; would she even forgive him? Hideo had never felt so utterly ashamed of
his behavior before.
"We'll talk about this later," he stated bluntly, gathering up his various
belongings. This school day hadn't gone well at all. Hideo wanted desperately
to leave, partially from the embarrassment, partially so he could avoid Rie.
"But school's not even--" she started.
"I don't care!" Hideo shouted from the doorway of the classroom, without
even turning around, before he left.
End of Chapter 3
around her muscled but feminine body. "They look so happy playing together,
don't you think?" she asked.
"Yeah..." he agreed, placing his chin on her head. He turned to look at
the three as well. "Hideo seems to like it here a lot." He adjusted his hold
so only one arm was around her waist. One of her arms still hugged around him,
against his back. That way, they could both watch the three children playing in
the courtyard.
"Ranma, seeing them at this age, do you... do you kind of understand why
our parents did what they did?" Akane turned her brown eyes up at him, full of
curiosity and wonder. It made him feel as if a lot depended on his answer.
Unfortunately, he didn't know how to respond. "I guess..." he finally
relented, then quickly added more. "But I wouldn't force it upon them the way
our parents did."
Akane shook her head, though in agreement. "No, I don't want to either,
but..." She sighed, trying to think of the best words to express her thoughts.
"I just wonder what they'll be like when they grow up, when Hideo is the age we
were when we met."
He hugged her tighter. "Anything could happen. That's a long way from
now. A long, long way from now..."
Descendants
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction
by Luna Hinomura
Chapter 3: Heir to the Dojo
Muffled shouting reached his ears, but he didn't pay attention to it.
There was plenty of time to make it to school without being late; his parents
just complained and worried too much. Besides, his dad probably spent more time
in that bathroom in the course of a day than Hideo could in a month. If he
added up the hours he'd spent heating up a kettle on the stove, or filling up a
bucket of water, it'd probably be more than half his life. How his father put
up with it, he'd never know. Yet Hideo's parents accepted his father's curse,
even built their lives around it in some ways.
"Hideo, get out of the tub, NOW!" a woman's voice shouted from the doorway
of the bathroom. He heard the door slide open, and footsteps of his father
stepping through. "If you don't get out this instant, I'm going to come in
there and drag you out!"
"Don't I even get any privacy?!" Hideo shouted back, while stepping out of
the tub, ignoring the splashes of water he left all around. He grabbed his
towel off a hook on the wall and wrapped it around his waist. "What the heck
are you doing being a woman this early in the morning?"
"You're mom's not feeling good, so I have to teach the all-females Taichi
morning class today. Breakfast has been sitting on the table for you for a long
time, hurry it up, okay?" Not waiting for a reply, he heard his dad leave.
"Jerk," Hideo muttered, moving into the second room to change into the
clean school uniform he'd set out for himself before his bath. According to his
parents, he attended the same high school they once had; and, according to the
teachers, Ranma and Akane had developed quite a reputation while there. His
classmates constantly pestered the teachers and other faculty members for juicy
stories of events that occurred before he was born.
In all his earliest memories of his father, they got along very well.
Little Hideo used to idolize his father for the curse, believing his father to
be someone incredibly special and admirable. At times, it felt like having an
extra person in the family to love and be loved by, though he was one and the
same man.
"Hideeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooo's gonna be laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate... and your
GIRLFRIEND's waiting~~~~~" another shouting voice added to his morning. The
owner of the voice giggled insatiably and dashed by the bathroom, her feet
pounding in rapid succession. Being only in primary school, she was young and
weighed very little, so their parents rarely yelled at her to stop stomping on
the second floor. On the other hand, if Hideo chased after her, he'd probably
receive a very long and boring lecture.
Hideo rolled his eyes. A little sister was something neither his father
nor his mother ever had, and try as he might, he could never explain to them how
aggravating it could be at times. His mother, on the other hand, almost always
sympathized with Tsukiko and wanted him to set an example for her. His father
always wanted him to put up with her to prove his tolerance. Hideo didn't
believe tolerance was a trait his father possessed. [Parents always want their
children to be better than they were,] he thought sarcastically.
Breakfast was indeed waiting for him when he slid open the door to the
dining room, but something didn't feel right. He didn't hear any sounds from
his family members around the house, and even the noisy cicadas seem to have
gone quiet from polite anticipation. Looking around, he scanned the area for
locations a hidden ambush might await him. He regulated his breathing, forcing
himself not to hyperventilate.
And then... a giggle...
"Hyah!!" his father, still in woman form, leapt out from behind a cabinet,
attacking Hideo with her fists. Hideo, tipped off by the brief childlike
giggle, was not as badly caught off-guard as he might have been, and defended
easily. He could almost see a smile on his father's face, as they hadn't
performed this "attack-at-breakfast" routine for a long time. Playing this game
with his father was one of his fondest memories as a child. Having the upper
hand, he was easily able to pin his father down with a submission hold that
utilized his father's arm.
"Good!" Ranma said, as they separated themselves and stood up. She dusted
herself off, and smiled lovingly at her son, proud of him. "If only Tsukiko had
been able to keep quiet, you might not have been able to win that time."
Hideo grinned, kneeling down at the breakfast table. "You complain about
me being late, but then sidetrack me with this? Now I'll have to eat fast if I
want to-- oof!" A giggling Tsukiko hugged him tightly from behind.
"Oniisan won! Oniisan won! Oniisan won!" She danced a bit behind him,
shaking him so badly that he couldn't even eat. His chopsticks reached for the
food, but dropped it before it came back to his bowl.
"Okay, okay, Tsukiko; stop bothering your brother. You've already eaten,
so why don't you come watch me teach Taichi today? Then, I'll take you to
school," Ranma suggested.
"YAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!" Tsukiko exclaimed in glee, dashing
off to the Dojo at high speed.
"Heh. Thanks."
"No problem, Hideo. Don't be late for school."
"Yeah..." He ate breakfast quickly, cleaned up a bit, then left.
On his way to school, Hideo couldn't help but muse about the strange
relationship he had with his father. It was probably the only thing a normal
kid could do with a father cursed to become a woman when doused with cold water.
His thoughts returned to that morning's events, remembering how as a youth, he
used to enjoy having a cursed father. He wouldn't be lying to himself if he
admitted that as he grew up, he began to resent his father.
* * * * *
"Well, my dad's the strongest man in the world!" Hideo's classmate Kenji
boasted. Five of them had been playing a game together when it erupted into an
argument. Being children, they didn't know how to really argue except to brag
about their own father's abilities.
"Yeah, but my dad's the smartest man in the world! He works for a
computer company!" It was Takashi who had retorted to Kenji.
"I bet my dad can beat up your dad!" someone said to Hideo.
"Nuh-uh! My dad's a martial artist! Haven't you heard of the Tendo
Dojo?" Hideo said, puffing out his little chest in pride. "And he can turn into
a GIRL!"
His four friends went silent.
"A girl??" Kenji asked in disbelief. "You mean you're dad's a FREAK?!"
"He's not a freak!" Hideo shouted back. "He's COOL!"
"How is it cool to turn into a giiiiirl?" Takashi said. "Girls are
stupid."
"Well..." Hideo had never expected this from his friends. "Well, my dad
can still beat yours up!"
"Yeah, but can he protect you now?" Kenji asked, punching Hideo squarely
in the face.
Takashi kicked him in the shin. "Your dad's a weirdo!" he stated.
Hideo caught Kenji's next punch in his hand, and forced him back. Kenji
forced his hand free and gaped blankly at his fist, then back at Hideo. "He
taught me martial arts too," Hideo beamed at Kenji's stupefied face.
"Let's get him!" they cried, all four of them attacking him at once.
* * * * *
"Hideo, you made it! Hurry, or we'll be late to class."
"What?" Caught up in his pained memories, Hideo hadn't even noticed when
he walked through the gates of Furinkan High School. He now found himself
staring dumbly at his girlfriend, Rie. "Uh?" he asked intelligently.
The high school had expanded quite a bit since his parents attended, and
some parts added on looked as if the principal of the school hadn't consulted an
architect. Supposedly, it was largely due to the fact that the former principal
Kuno had left the position to his heirs when he retired. The faculty hadn't
been too pleased about that, as it was technically not an action a principal
could legally perform, but they found it impossible to argue with the current
co-principals. Especially since their arguments were as strong as the weapons
they carried-- literally.
"Come on, I waited for you." Hideo's girlfriend grabbed his arm and
pulled him down the path, heading for their classroom. By luck, they happened
to share the same homeroom again this year. The people around them began to
crowd together, aware of the seconds ticking away before the class bell rang.
Hideo moved forward protectively, shielding Rie from the pushes and shoves. The
bell rang just as they were in their seats, and both breathed a sigh of relief.
The teacher raised her eyebrow, but kept silent. When she turned around
to begin lecturing, writing on the blackboard, quiet snickering could be heard.
Hideo felt like rolling his eyes, but ignored it. Some of the guys in his class
seemed excessively immature for their age. Most of them were probably jealous
of his happy relationship with Rie.
When homeroom break came around, Hideo was grateful. He was able to
obtain a decent grade in most of his classes, but did not enjoy them much. The
only subject that really interested him was Chinese language and culture,
something he'd been exposed to at an early age when his parents took him on a
trip to China. He'd met some interesting people, and seen China's beautiful
landscape; the experience left him with a significant impression.
"Do you want to catch a movie this afternoon?" Rie asked, pulling a chair
up next to him.
"Maybe," he said with a smile. Seeing more of Rie was something Hideo was
always up for, though lately he'd been too busy taking care of Tsukiko after
school to do much. "I haven't been to the theatres in a while; never in the
mood for a movie anymore, I guess."
"You haven't called me lately, either."
That completely threw him off. "What?"
"I'm... sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up like that. I just couldn't
help it," Rie said, her eyes gazing downwards rather than at Hideo's face. Her
voice lowered to a murmur, lest their classmates overhear their conversation.
"Are you never in the mood to call me anymore, either?"
No words came to Hideo's mind; he couldn't even begin to compose a decent
reply. Instead, he only sat in shocked silence, amazed that she would bring
something like this up at such a time. It was true that they saw more of each
other while school was in session, but he would have appreciated being able to
keep their relationship on a personal level. The idea of public affection
didn't interest him in all, and Hideo disliked letting everyone else know the
details of their relationship.
But, Rie was distraught. Because of that, he couldn't blame her for her
actions. "You... you really think that?"
"I don't know... You just seem very distant lately, yet you never tell
me what's bothering you. And then, people say... Well, there are rumors going
around, that's what it is. I don't want to believe them, but it's hard not to
hear them," she explained, leaning in close to Hideo, still keeping her voice
low to prevent curious ears from eavesdropping. "Especially when it involves
me."
Hearing these things, it was hard for Hideo not to become angry. As
cliché as it sounded, Hideo was always very protective of his girlfriend. Since
the beginning, it had always felt as if Rie needed him, and he needed her just
as much. Neither one of them had ever dated before meeting each other, so any
problems they'd had to face, they faced together. Now, it seemed, they were
being challenged again.
But this was an enemy Hideo knew. He recognized it, but he refused to
accept it. In an imperfect world, he was the idealist struggling to prove his
own truths.
"I think I have a pretty good idea of what these rumors are," Hideo
admitted, feeling defeated. As much as he'd tried to fight against this from
happening, the enemy had still somehow managed to secretly infiltrate his
relationship. "But don't believe them," he added vehemently.
"Hideo, tell me honestly-- are they true?" Rie persisted, grabbing hold
of his arm.
"...I couldn't tell you."
"Why?? Why can't you tell me? Didn't we always say there was that we
couldn't tell each other? And if there was, then it meant that something bad
has come between us?" Her voice was cracking, and she was losing control over
the volume. He wished there was something he could do for Rie, some way of
mollifying her with words of comfort. He wanted very desperately to just sit
down with her and pour out all his fears and struggles, but he couldn't do that
here. He couldn't bear the idea of his classmates overhearing.
"I can't tell you," Hideo began nervously, "because I don't know the
answer myself."
Rie's countenence became one of combined stun and confusion. "You... you
don't know? How can you not know?" She looked as if she was on the brink of
tears, which hurt Hideo deeply. He knew her to be this sort of person, someone
who trusted first in her emotions before relying on instinct or logic. Too
some, it may have seemed a bit strange, but Hideo felt it suited her well. "Do
you mean that you're not sure of what the rumors are about?"
"I told you, I'm almost completely certain." He tried to speak calmly,
hoping she'd be soothed by his tone, if nothing else.
"Then how can you *not* know the answer?! Are they true or not? Do you
even *know* what everyone says about you, that you're--"
Fear overtook him then, and Hideo reacted almost instinctively. His mind
filled with panic, instinct telling him that silencing Rie was most important,
above even Rie's feelings. He stood up so suddenly that his chair fell over
from the force, clattering against the desk behind him. At the same time, he
slammed both of his palms on his own desk, sending a resounding bang throughout
the classroom. He could sense the eyes of all his classmates; some watching him
while others gaped noiselessly.
However, Rie's expression was one he couldn't even endure a glance at. He
knew it would be too upsetting for him to see, so he just didn't look. It
wasn't as if he'd been purposefully meaning to hurt her, but it had happened
anyway; would she even forgive him? Hideo had never felt so utterly ashamed of
his behavior before.
"We'll talk about this later," he stated bluntly, gathering up his various
belongings. This school day hadn't gone well at all. Hideo wanted desperately
to leave, partially from the embarrassment, partially so he could avoid Rie.
"But school's not even--" she started.
"I don't care!" Hideo shouted from the doorway of the classroom, without
even turning around, before he left.
End of Chapter 3
