Written January 18 2022
Posted on Wattpad February 5 2022
Posted here August 8 2022
NEXT UPDATE is on August 29 2022
Much to Kaito's great dismay and embarrassment, Saguru had easily carried him up the stairs before carefully setting him down to go fetch his wheelchair. The guy had lifted him up like it was nothing! Sure Aoko could carry him quite easily... But it still made him feel embarrassed since his small stature was mainly to blame for how easy he was to carry.
"I should have pestered Keibu until he gave me back my crutches" Kaito lamented. His arm felt fine, only a bit sore when pressure was applied. Unfortunately the main sore spots were where his crutches were usually attached to his arms.
"I'm sure that the inspector was only thinking about your health" Saguru stated as he watched Kaito situate himself in his wheelchair. Lapin had informed him on how the other's arm had gotten injured. It had been an easily avoided injury where both parties were to blame for it.
"We're late, and we're going to attract too much attention" Kaito grimaced. He didn't want everyone's attention to be on them.
"Hakuba can go in ahead and we could slip in while everyone's attention is on the new student" Lapin suggested, new students often garnered a lot of attention. The blond was also good looking so he'd garner more attention than normal. The tiny sleuth eyed the carrying compartments on the other's wheelchair "I could be snuck in if I'm hidden. Then when we're in the back of the classroom, I could come out" He really didn't want to be smothered in attention either.
Saguru nodded at the idea "That would work"
"I hope it does" Kaito didn't like school. It was strange to think about how he'd once been upset that he'd probably never be able to go. The learning stuff was neat, but he'd already learned the curriculum and classmates were annoying to deal with.
So with plan in mind, Saguru strides towards the classroom door, movements wide and eye-catching without looking strange. He stepped inside and began to introduce himself with a high air of confidence that just made people pay attention to him.
Kaito's eyes widened, having not expected the sudden shift. With how everyone was paying attention to the newcomer, he quietly but swiftly wheeled himself inside. He was grateful that he took well enough care of the wheelchair that it didn't make any noise as it rolled. The motor was near silent, easily thought off as background noise. When he was in the back of the class, Lapin hopped out of the carrying compartment and settled himself down on a nearby stool.
It took around 10 minutes for class to restart. Saguru took a seat, Kaito remained in his wheelchair, not needing to take any notes, and Lapin was paying strict attention to the calculus lesson. The tiny sleuth was eager to catch up and not fall too behind of his peers. Sure Kaito could edit his records when everything was over, but it wouldn't be the same.
Class couldn't end quick enough for Kaito, but thankfully all of his classes before lunch were on the same floor so he could go to them with relative ease. He managed to not get cornered until he was stuck at the top of the stairs.
"It's been so long since I've seen you, Kaito" Momoi Keiko, Aoko's best friend, stated with a smile. She had medium length brown hair held up in pink bows on both sides of her head. Her pink framed glasses looked to be slightly newer than the last time he'd seen her.
"I want to go home" Kaito replied, glad that the girl at least remembered that he preferred to be called by his first name. That reminded him, he needed to inform Saguru about that.
Keiko's shoulders drooped, seeing the obvious dismissal as what it was "Well I hope you get home safely" She replied awkwardly before hurrying off.
"That was really rude of you" Lapin observed, somewhat surprised that the other had dismissed her so easily. He spotted Aoko and went off to join her. He would join her classes as planned.
Kaito just shrugged "I don't like this place. I refuse to socialize more than I have to" He crossed his arms "The whole point of me coming to school if for socialization, so I refuse to take part of it" He socialized well enough with other people, he didn't need to make friends with people his age unless he wanted to. He didn't want to befriend them, because then he'd be pushed to go to school more often which was just a gigantic waste of time for him.
"So my father wasn't lying when he said that it was difficult to get you to go to school" Saguru mused.
"I'm not being difficult" Kaito replied.
"The only way he's able to get you to go is with a deal and the knowledge that he's helped you so much" Saguru answered smoothly. His father actually wanted the other to attend school normally but knew that Kaito wouldn't tolerate it. His own invitation back to Japan was probably another way to entice the other to attend. While flattering, Saguru was glad that it wasn't just for that reason. There were other reasons too, but this one was the most silly of them all.
Kaito pouted, unable to deny the blond's words because they were correct. He was only going once in a while to appease Danashi because the guy was so generous and had helped them with so many things "I prefer to socialize on my own terms" He eventually stated.
"Very well" Saguru let the topic end. He eyed the stairs "I'll help you down and then you'll be free to go home" Maybe he should tell his father just how much Kaito disliked school, the other seemed to be eager to talk to him, just not his other classmates so not wanting to socialize couldn't be the main problem.
"Um" Kaito avoided eye contact "If you walk home with Aoko, we can all hang out and get to know each other when school is over" He's kinda hung out with Saguru before right? They'd sat together a few years ago.
