Part 2: I Just Want to Understand (so don't overthink it.)

We find ourselves in Leblanc, after a productive and tiring shift with the Sakuras where we mixed and matched our roles for each hour. It was currently a quiet chilly evening with soft rain falling outside. The small yet sturdy foundations of the remote restaurant seal away the menace of the cool air and bathe us in a loving warmth combined with the earnest heartiness that only a good brew with top quality coffee could bring. No customers in sight, for closing time had long since passed and the hard working Sakuras retreated back to their shared residence.

"Good evening."

"Evening." I'd had Kawakami come over this evening so that I could get the jump on the upcoming events in Shujin, begin to deal with her troublesome matter and just have a general conversation.

"How are you feeling?"

"...Plenty tired and happy you're my last client tonight." she responded, no airs or cutesy sounding voice.

"You'll get back safely, right?" Kawakami chose to shoot down my concern.

"Those are things you only say to your girlfriend."

"Well, aren't you irresponsible playing along?"

"Amamiya-san. I'm referring to Takamaki-san and how close you are with her. Don't go and lead her on while dating her closest friend." She scolded.

"Look…Ann and I are both 100% clear on that front. Nothing I've done with her would lead her or me to feel that way. Besides, if I was interested in her, I'd date her and not Shiho." I barked.

"Okay…forget I ever said anything. I'll go and clean your room so wait down here, master." Kawakami instructed. She had on a very nice perfume tonight and happened to be in good spirits. It wasn't a long wait for her to come back.

"I don't get why you even put the request for me to dress how I am." Instead of the frilly maid getup with twin tails and a beauty mark, I requested for her to dress casually. Kawakami's definition of casual was a pair of denim blue jeans, a cream jumper, a brown leather jacket and some blue skate shoes as well as wearing her hair out. Not a bad choice, I might add.

"It's nice to break away from the fantasy time to time. It gets dull otherwise."

"Fantasy?" She asked defensively. The face she shot was one our class knew too well: when we'd gotten on her last nerve, she would flub holding back before giving a painful scolding. I gave her a hasty answer to try and dodge that hidden anger.

"I-it's not what you think." I barely avoided stepping on a landmine just now. Inviting her to take a seat on the opposite side of the booth, Kawakami chose not to give me the benefit of the doubt.

"I hope not. If I find out that you've even begun thinking immorally of me, this deal is up. I'll quit both of my jobs and transfer to a different school. No, a different prefecture altogether. You're the type of persistent person where I'll need to change my name and identity just to keep you away. You'll never see me again. Understand?" So let's get this straight. She figured I caught some sort of feelings just because I see her outside of Shujin like this?

"Don't over-rate yourself." I fired. She seemed glad enough that I'd taken her ultimatum for what it was. However, she was still really peeved.

"Amamiya-kun. I'm not through with you just yet."

"…" I didn't reply, knowing just how much she wanted to rip into me. Let's see…she'd demanded me to stop gazing at her like she's my girlfriend first and foremost. My lecture then became an interrogation into my tastes and whether older women sparked my interest which was as unfunny and dreary as ever. She then condemned the ease I had in talking with women arguing I came across as a player. She strongly encouraged me to make some guy friends, advised me to report my illegal activities and ill gotten funds to the authorities...she went on and on demonstrating just how suited to teaching she was. If only she had this sort of energy all of the time in that classroom and didn't focus on me or the other problem children so often…

"Now what? Something you miss? Because I'm more than happy to go over it."

"You should get out there and date someone worth your time." I dodged, not realising the can of worms I opened with that response.

"WHA?! Amamiya-san! That's highly intrusive!" That was an admission and a half - I'd give her that much. Close that distance, Kawakami.

"Can we forget I ever said that?" She playfully asked.

"Sure."

"No, seriously, Amamiya-kun. I can get embarrassed too!" She pleaded, about to put up a very hasty case.

"On one condition."

"Namely?"

"Show me your techniques. I'll get a mannequin doll for when I want to practice them." I answered. A few seconds passed where Kawakami didn't register what I wanted but once she did:

"What?"

"Y'know, the special massage ones. Sooner or later, Shiho's gonna be doing a lot more and it'd be nice for me to relax her. You trained with a top specialist, right? It should be a breeze having you show me."

"ejijewhwidyaw?!" Great…gibberish is coming out of her mouth now. She couldn't even form a coherent response.I decided to make some coffee for the both of us while she remained a little broken. She'd kept her eyes to the table the whole time making the whole task that much harder.

"Kawakami? How do you take your brew?"

"What the hell's wrong with you? He seriously asked about your side hustle and you're contemplating it?!" She began muttering to herself. Fine. You're having it how I have it.

"Kawakami?"

"You let your guard down so much…letting him indulge you, you've even gone and taken silence money and not refunded it…"

"Maid-sensei?" I was highly annoyed at not getting a response and forgot the distance we needed to maintain, loudly clapping at her. I kicked myself for a great while over this one.

"Hey! How do you take your brew?"

"Oh…milk and one sugar. Thanks." she answered. Once I returned and handed her the coffee, she'd taken a sip and a warm smile flushed over her face.

"You're really good at making coffee too. Are you interested in the hospitality sector?" she complimented.

"I've not really thought about it. I just want to be able to cook when life eventually comes to drag me down." I answered honestly.

"That's respectable…and really bleak, Amamiya-san." We both laughed for a bit and debated over the positives and negatives life had in store. Kawakami then brought up the topic I really cared about.

"So…expulsion notices. I know you were fretting over it…you and a lot of other students. Just to let you know…they've now been taken off your record."

"I can't even say it's about time. Are you seriously telling me they weren't taken off on the day it was announced?" I asked. Over the past week, we'd seen nothing but delay after delay. We were first told after the board meeting with the reasoning that it needed to officially be passed by the higher-ups - apparently, a full blown public confession along with a written statement to the police wasn't enough to sate their pompous asses. Then we were told the day after and so on and so on. It honestly wasn't fun having to watch my girlfriend fret over her future as well as her friends' futures, nor was it any better trying to dissuade my team's dissent.

"I am. The administration behind it requires more time than you think. We can't have it be reflected incorrectly should a student wish to transfer elsewhere." She explained. I wasn't really convinced.

"Anyway, is there anything else you'd like to do this evening, Amamiya-kun?" I had yet to purchase anything to learn Kawakami's techniques and my room was already cleaned.

"Let's enjoy a meal. A Leblanc curry for two." I requested.

"Sure." She'd taken an apron out of her handbag, placed it on and washed her hands in the sink. This time, I happened to provide the ingredients for her to use so that wasted stuff was on me. I did my best not to focus on her efforts in the kitchen - if I'd started nitpicking everything she did, we'd go hungry 'til the break of dawn for sure.

"So…Amamiya-kun. You enjoying the new perspective everyone has of you?" Kawakami asked. I guess she must have wanted the rumours to stop but having them be positive things about me was welcoming.

"Kinda. It's nice not having to prejudge students for muttering criticism after criticism. At the same time, it's scary how the priorities of the students I see are so irrational."

"You say students despite being in the same walls…it's very distant." She commented glumly.

"I can't be certain that I'll get to stay so I don't want to attach myself to more people than I need to. Besides, I've probably made the distance I have from the normies all the more apparent."

"…Maybe think about it in their shoes. From a third year perspective, this final year will be a stand out of their time in Shujin and they'll face the worst of the follow ups when they make their next move in life. Those interviews will drag up Suguru again and again, no matter what place they may go. Second years who've invested a year of their time here and are in just a little too deep…the familiarity with their surroundings is all but thrown down the toilet. The first years who've only just gotten here will now stray away from any sort of path they had in mind regarding the usage of their time. It is such a misery to let the weight of this arrest which is brought up again and again, anywhere and everywhere they turn, anyone and everyone they turn to, rule over them. So maybe that's a reason as to why they want to celebrate you and escape to a fantasy of their own." Kawakami bummed the mood out so much with that response, I didn't respond to her next question.

"Have you still not gone to see Maruki-san?" She asked, rather softly. There was this hard to picture look on her face and I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Better yet, was it worth putting in the effort to tell her a lie or just come forward with it?

He's stuck in thought, isn't he…I had a feeling he didn't go to see Maruki. I couldn't pretend like I didn't have any sort of understanding why. There was so little trust he had during those first weeks in pretty much everything around the school and the infirmary wasn't an exception. Those injuries that the volleyball team went by unaddressed because Suguru would have stuck his nose in to stop them telling others about the abuse. Therefore, bringing up the incident with Nishihara and his cohorts wasn't possible either. Pipipipi…was that his or mine? From what I observe, he frequents the library and balcony while on occasion going to the rooftop finding those places the only safe areas. Finish this dish and you'll be closer to getting out of here. What in the hell did he do besides the scar? No, don't distract yourself…

"Kawakami?" I continued to stir the curry, looking over and seeing the uncertainty in his eyes. I figured he deserved an explanation as to what happened to the doctors.

"I get your reservations about the infirmary...it wasn't an option for you when he was around. It's no longer an option for many. Those doctors more than deserve to rot away in jail with him." The old nurses and doctors ended up fired for breaking their Hippocratic Oath on Suguru's coercion but instead of the public debacle that was his final tell all, they were removed silently.

"Maruki-san's different. He's clean - not a speck wrong with his history as a doctor and no ties to the sporting industry either. As far as things go, I can't help but think there's nothing to lose if you go and see him." I encouraged, turning off the stoves and finishing up the curry.

"...I know it in my mind but I guess my heart's not ready to accept it." Plating up for both of us, I threw his words right over to him.

"Were you not the one who claimed it would help convince your parents to let you stay?"

"That was all bravado." No…going off and cursing out everyone behind the guise of the so-called Reapers and storming the stage was bravado. You must've blackmailed him in private to confess afterwards…how did he just end up spilling his guts like that otherwise?

"Liar. I saw in your eyes just how much you believed bringing someone in would help. I felt it too as did Niijima-san, Okumura-san and Kobayakawa-san. What would your girlfriend have to say?"

"She'd respect my opinion." Would she really? He confidently answered for her…That angle didn't work at all.

"While I'll keep pushing in school, I'll respect if you don't want to go. Speaking of which, I hope you enjoy, Master." I smiled. The fruits of almost an hour's work finally at serving temperature, I brought it over with poise and balance, careful not to let a droplet of sauce or granule spill off the plate. This whole arrangement was a sordid affair as it was and his tastes were highly questionable. It didn't help matters that he was a pleasant client in comparison to others.

"I'm impressed with how you've laid it out. I could really do with working on my presentation…" he commented. I laughed.

"I could show you if you want. That way, you'll be able to win your girlfriend over a little more." Giving him that food for thought, there was still a bunch I wanted to talk about over this evening.

"Haha…maybe another time. I'm highly excited for the taste now. Have you taken what I've taught you seriously?"

"Err…I hope I have!" I clumsily replied. I won't make you waste more of your money and time on this if this dish isn't to your liking. As soon as he started eating, he was in a world of his own. At the very least, I knew I made significant leaps in the flavour. Checking my main phone to see the messages I received, I let out a sigh.

Sweet Fantasy: "Becky, congratulations! You've now had a pleasurably positive 100th review of giving lots of love to our masters! As a special reward, we will promote you to Head Matron status! Look forward to your new schedule attached!" So I'd now have slightly less hours going door to door but I'd now end up training someone greener in the evenings in its place. FUN. Let's see…who was next?

AshtarothGuru19: "Becky-sama, let's have a super fun night this Friday! We're still booked on, right? Pleaaaaaaaaaaaase?!" You're highly eager, Stan…not that Becky-chan gets to call you that.

You: "Let's have a wonderful night!" I'd rather take him, one of my more consistent customers who also happened to pay generous tips despite having an estranged wife and child, over the next sender.

Takase: "You've not forgotten we know where you work, have you? Now that we know you covered for that paedophile, it brings a lot more into question about how competent you really are." Do these people even think about their responsibility or put the payments to good use? Nonetheless, I turned to see Ren eating happily.

"Is it to your liking, Master?" He shot me a grin which I could only describe as the widest and most genuine bit of joy I'd ever seen him have.

"I don't know what voodoo you practice or just how many secret attempts you've made in your home but whatever you've gone and done to prepare this meal…you do it going forwards. You etch it into your memory and you make it a part of your existence. This is so WILDLY good and close to a Leblanc curry…you nailed it!" Is cooking really the way to get through to him? I'm not even that good at cooking so I'm sure he was just joking.

"...Are you being really enthusiastic just to tease me, Amamiya-kun?"

"No. I'm not joking at all - this is phenomenal. I'm really glad I got to try this. I think with time and more practice, you'll have my guardian on his toes. I do have to take into account that I'll need to continue buying the ingredients for you though…" Amamiya-kun…I think I'll spare him another lecture tonight.

"Well…I'm glad you really like it." I plated a dish for myself, sat down and tucked into it. Enjoying the meal together, we'd washed up what we used and took our seats in the second closest booth to the stairs.

"Who taught you to cook?" Eh?

"That's a rather random question." I shot back, but gave an answer.

"A friend in uni. My very first year, I had no care for budgeting or planning whatsoever and threw caution to the wind with my spending. I tried to cheat life and boy did it hurt. Takeout after takeout, frozen foods and microwaved crap was all I devoured purely because I didn't want to lose out on my studies. Come the end of my first term, I'm sunk in debt and having to miss out on hitting the clubs, going on holiday and enjoying my summer when the year was over. My second place was utterly squalid - the toilet left so badly blocked that the accommodation manager had to issue a stern warning to us to maintain the residence. This friend came around and decided to show me a few quick and easy recipes so that I wouldn't tank myself the second time around. It was thanks to them that I'd worked hard to get out of my overdraft and never relied on it again." I'd given him a taste of just how challenging life could become if he wished to continue onto further studies but once again, he had to be pessimistic about it.

"Must've been a really good friend." he replied.

"I have a life outside of teaching and maid service! While I don't get to see them face to face, I still talk regularly with a lot of my uni friends, that one included. Speaking of…there anyone from Kumagaya that you still speak with?" I asked this question just to extend this line of thinking but it seemed I'd upset him.

"..." That's too sensitive a topic…I understand. What's going to happen now that Suguru's behind bars? Clearly, the next few weeks were going to be utter hell - the Ministry of Education would come for our heads for one with the mother of all cases. They're currently the biggest worry to me…I'll need to research what they can and can't do for sure…

"What exactly should I expect going forwards?"

"It's not really something I want to delve in- oh. You meant for Shujin?"

"Yep. We won't delve into your past tonight, Amamiya-kun." His face really screwed up as I said that. Well, you've now brought it into my attention. He probably read through my thoughts but it was non-negotiable.

"Let's not delve into yours either. The most important thing is the police presence - we need to let them feel like they're going to get more useful information out of us than they will. They'll obviously have a look around the place and see what's what before they go and do the questioning. We'll need to rely on Makoto and her council to get the reports to us so we can prep the teachers." I see...we've already lied plenty of times to others but the students shouldn't.

"Okay. I'll bring it up in the next staff meeting on the 10th May."

"You don't need to update me on those anymore, Kawakami." He advised. Are you trying to keep me around for maid service only?

"I think I'll continue. You care about the other teachers' jobs so not letting you know what goes on, provided it doesn't give you a leg up amongst the others, contradicts that." I reasoned. I wasn't going to have an argument over this, mind you.

"How soon can we arrange a meet with Kobayakawa?"

"Hmph…just as I was going to tell you about it. You've been invited to sit in on a meeting with Kobayakawa and Niijima-san after the staff meeting. Come after your session if you actually do plan on attending or hang around until it's time. It'll be very useful for you, I promise." I provided this information and gave him the date.

"I'll be there. As for Shujin's stance, at some point, we need to get on the air and break our silence. This will need to be before the police sweep in." Hold on…won't we end up provoking the SIU into coming harder onto us? Not to mention, the general public, newspapers, bloggers, social media…has he really considered all of this?

"Isn't that highly risky? Won't they then have the power to twist our words?"

"True. But there's one thing you forget, Kawakami."

"...Enlighten me?" I just had to ask.

"We may not have the favour of the government or the courtrooms but we will have the favour of the public if done right. That'll outweigh any action the police might take against us and they know it." It cannot possibly be that easy...

"Sure." I stared absently at the door, trying not to look at Amamiya-kun as he continued.

"As for student life, it's probably going to need to be announced that excursions for clubs will need further restrictions - that could be done using just the club presidents who will take the brunt of their members' reactions. Culture festival limits and other organised trips for each year groups…hell, even graduation at this rate, will also be heavily affected. I suppose Kobayakawa and his replacement will need to think how to manage those implementations..." Amamiya-kun, you need to get a life. Get out there and see some stuff or something. It can't always be scheming, plotting and manipulating your way through things otherwise you'll have no one in your corner. You'll lose every last thing you value forgetting and neglecting them.

"...How far ahead are you thinking? Try not to neglect your rest over this - there's more to life besides staying put in Shujin. Put your trust in us to pull our weight. As long as you remain in our walls, you are my responsibility." I chastised.

"...I suppose so. Let's call it a night." he replied, hopefully acceptant of my viewpoint.

"...Sounds good." I answered.

"Heading forwards, it's best we don't meet up like this again until after the police are done at Shujin. It means we're also pushing this Takase guy again. Of course, if there's no choice but to do so, just text me and we'll arrange something."

"..." He spoke with a hint of sadness in his voice but this should've been relieving news. He wouldn't have to make excuses as to where his evenings went and could soak in Tokyo for the year.

"I promise you that this arrangement of ours will come to an end - I don't know when but it will."

"Please don't sound so depressed, master!" I joked. Accepting the ¥10,000 bill he provided to me, I came to the realisation I was no further in finding the truth of his earnings. The Takases really could wait until after we had buried Kamoshida once and for all. Leaving the restaurant, I happened to hail a taxi after walking some distance from the area to try and take more measures not to reveal our relationship - driving and parking there was no option not when those stalking tendencies were going to blossom. Someone whose heart is as decrepit and revolting as mine...how can you enjoy yourself so much with me?