Chapter Two - Surveillance

"Fuck!" I shout at the top of my lungs, ignoring the stares I get since I am thoroughly in need of a good venting. What the hell did I just do? Why did I do it? My mind is reeling and I'm not even too sure which way is up, let alone the reasons for my recent actions. Again I screech expletives at the sky, before flomping down onto the bench nearby. Digging into my pockets, I pull out my packet of cigarettes, and bring one up to my lips. Definitely need to get rid of the taste... I fumble around for a few seconds before I realise I left my lighter in my bag, and that's back in the clubroom.

"Fuck!"

Nothing seems to be going right today. I get back up from the bench and start walking; I've got some change in my pocket so I can buy a cheap disposable lighter or maybe a box of matches. I just really need to smoke right now, to burn off some of this stress and let it float away with the smoke. And quelling the nicotine cravings for a while would be good too.

Now I'm sat on another bench, puffing away, and doing my best to just concentrate on my cigarette. I really don't want to think about what just happened, about what I just did. I mean, I don't do that kind of thing, I don't kiss girls!

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

I hurl the cigarette to the ground and stamp it out furiously, screaming expletives the whole while. What the hell did I just do? Why? I sink back to the bench and hold my head in my hands. I can still feel the touch of her lips to mine, of her skin on my fingers, and her scent lingers around me. I can feel my shoulders shaking as I swallow down the wail that wants to come out. Sod this, I am NOT going to cry, no way in hell!

I rise to my feet once more, determined to just push it all away. I just lost my head for a moment, that was all. I'll go back, apologise to Ohno, grab my bag and then just leave. It's not like I'll be seeing her again, when I dump Kousaka, I'll have no reason to go back to... Shit. Kousaka. No, no regrets, that has to end, so what happened earlier is irrelevant to that. Yes, it doesn't matter, it was nothing at all, nothing to be concerned about.

I make my way back to the Genshiken club room, but I pause outside of the door. Trepidation claws its way up my chest but I swallow it back down, steeling myself inside. I reach out and open the door decisively to find not Ohno, but the President sat at the table. I catch myself feeling relief and it irks me, but I suppose it's natural to be happy to avoid confrontation. But that's not true, it's just delayed. I won't avoid Ohno, she deserves better than that.

"Uhm, hi."

"Ah, hello Saki-san," he says, looking up from the magazine he was reading.

I hesitate for a moment, before asking, "Did you catch Ohno before she left?"

"Hmm?" He looks at me with that weird expression of his. It annoys me, but then, most things related to the Genshiken annoy me. "Oh yes," he continues, "she was leaving just as I came in. Though... she was looking a bit red in the face. I wonder why?"

"I guess I'll see if she's alright when we meet up later," I lie quickly, when I remember that we were supposed to be going to a bakery together today. I quickly retrieve my bag, but as I turn to leave, I can see a weird expression on the President's face, and my blood turns cold at his lecherous smile. I stride out of the room quickly, slamming the door behind me.

The cameras. The bastard has cameras set up in the room, I just know it. He knows. He knows! Fuck fuck shit bastard fuck!


I barely pay any attention to the lecture I'm sitting through, my final one of the day, as my thoughts are racing through my head. Maybe he hasn't seen the tapes yet. If I get back to the clubroom as soon as I can, maybe I can find the damn cameras and snatch the tapes! Another horrible thought hits me. Do they broadcast the picture to somewhere else? Oh god oh god oh god oh holy god of shitfuck, I am so screwed. I swear I'm coming close to hyperventilating at the thought of that bastard watching me kiss Ohno. I just know he'll hold it over me, just like he did when he made me join Genshiken in the first place. But then... I searched the place for cameras back then and didn't find any, maybe there aren't any? Was he bluffing? Arg, I'm doing my head in like this.

As the interminably long class finally finishes, I hustle out of the room as fast as I can and make my way down the now-familiar corridors. My panic level is at an all time high and I'm praying nobody is in the room this time as I reach for the handle, and for once, luck seems to be going my way! Quickly closing the door behind me, I deposit my bag upon the table and begin my examination of the shelves, trying to ignore all the porn inches away from my face. It takes me ten minutes before I finally find what I'm looking for, cunningly poking out of a hole in a large folder-type thing. Retiring to the table, I flip open the screen and rewind the tape before hitting the play button. At first, a hand is block the screen but it quickly moves away, revealing the face of the President. I hold down the fast-forward button until I see Ohno enter the room. She quickly moves to the curtains, pulling them closed as I frown. She's wearing a dress, which certainly wasn't what she was wearing when I saw her earlier; it looks like one of her cosplay outfits, though why she has it on I have no idea. I check the date in the bottom-right corner of the screen and it's definitely today.

And then my breath catches as I see why Ohno drew the curtains closed. Quickly her fingers undo the clasps secreted away and I watch as it falls to the floor, revealing her body beneath, clad only in a pair of panties. I can hardly hear as the blood hammers its way around my head as I stare transfixed at her curves. I swallow, my mouth feeling dry as I lick my lips to give them some moisture. She bends over and opens the large bag she had brought with her and pulls out some clothes, the ones I remember her wearing, and she hurriedly puts them on. My fingers betray me, I swear I had no intention of doing it, but I find myself pressing the rewind button and watching her disrobe again and again.

Fuck.

I smack myself on the forehead and then hit the fast-forward button until I see myself entering the room. I watch myself brush and braid her hair, I watch myself drape my arms around her from behind and the blush that covers her face, I watch myself apply her lipstick, and... I watch myself kiss her. I pause the tape and put the camera down on the table. I try to push the two images out of my head, but to no avail. I realise I don't have time for this, I need to check and see if there are any more cameras in the room. I rise from my seat and throw myself into my quest, putting each camera I find onto the table. By the time the count reaches four, I think I've got them all. Looking about the room, the closet door catches my eye, and I figure I should check in there as well. As I open the door, a ton of crap comes falling out, nearly knocking me off my feet. I spit out a few curses, before I drop to my knees and start gathering the magazines and other rubbish up. I just jam it back in, swearing the whole time to myself as I do until I hear a choked cry from behind me. I whirl around and see Ohno standing there, one of the cameras in her hand.

Double fuck.

"You... you set me up!" She drops the camera to the floor and runs out of the room as I hear her starting to cry.