Part I

Chapter 6

"So, did you try it out yet?"

"Well, uh, it took me all day to set this crap up, but I'm about to."

Minamo laughed while she gazed out of a window in the faculty room, watching a few clouds lazily sail by as she sat at her desk. "I told you I'd help you out with it after school was over."

"I ain't waitin' for your ass to get here. I got butts to whoop."

"Oh come on, a few more hours wouldn't kill you, and you know how you are with instructions..."

"Shut up! It's your fault for going to work and not helpin' me, chump."

She sighed. "It's my job to be here, and yours too."

A bout of cackling suddenly crept out of Minamo's cellphone, Yukari's laughter always sounding to her like that of some old witch. "Maybe if you, ya'know, were more responsible with yer' days off, then you wouldn't be there."

"Please, I'm not going to use them to play some video games. Look, anyways, what did you want me to pick up on the way ove-"

"Beer!"

"Oh, sorry, I assumed that was a given..."

Yukari ignored her comment, her voice incessantly bursting from the phone now as she began to list off a plethora of other drinks and snacks, all of which that she wanted her coworker to bring to her house after work. Minamo could only respond by rolling her eyes, taking her phone from her ear and facing it away from herself as she let the woman converse with the empty air. I'm not going to buy any of this.

She took a quick glance around the workroom as Yukari prattled on. It was lunch time, so a good amount of the other teachers were present at their own desks, eating their meals and just passing the time away. Minamo had finished her own food already, deciding to give her friend a call afterwards since she hadn't come to school today. Yukari had decided to take most of the week off after she had finally purchased the game console that she had wanted for so long, using up a few of her vacation days so that she could properly inaugurate it into her home. Minamo had once again helped her out with the budgeting for it, even chipping in some of her own money this time to help speed up the process. It was the only thing she could afford to do for her, the only form of present that Yukari had allowed her to get in exchange for the incredible gift that she herself had given to Minamo.

She looked down at the watch upon her wrist, adoring its sleek design. I wish I could have gotten something more for you. Something half as good as this at least...

A chuckle escaped from her, Minamo's eyes returning to the pleasant afternoon sky outside as a memory began to roll around in her mind.

After all this time, I still can't believe that you did that...

She leaned back in her chair as a familiar feeling began to waft through her, a warmth that flickered to life whenever she thought about that eventful night at the bar from a few months ago, when Yukari had given her the expensive watch that she loved so much. The makeshift anniversary of their friendship had never been an entirely clear recollection for Minamo, the amount of drinking she had done afterwards causing some of the more awkward moments to become a smudge on her consciousness, but the joy that she had experienced when Yukari had referred to her as her "best friend", a title that no one had ever given to Minamo before, was something that had become impossible to erase from her memories.

There had been something about hearing Yukari's need of her companionship, the confirmation of it, that had left a lingering delight inside of Minamo, one that hadn't lost its zest over the summer and days thereafter. Every glance at her precious gift had always then reminded her of the happiness that she had felt when her coworker had spoken to her so reassuringly, Yukari's kind words and actions melting away all the despairs that had plagued her soul on that day. It had been so unlike her friend to shed her usual callousness, to reveal a part of herself that she normally felt so hesitant about letting other people see: her compassionate side. Even though Minamo was one of the privileged few who had bared witness to those rare bouts of thoughtfulness, that particular breach of the woman's character had been an entirely new experience for her. Yukari was usually a bit narcissistic in her relationships with others, acting as if she would be alright with or without their company, but on that night she had admitted that there was at least one person in her life that she required around her, someone whose simple smile was more than enough of a reason for that desire to exist inside of her.

Smile...

She shivered just slightly, a tickle lighting up inside of her.

You...

The sensation passed, leaving a relaxing calm in its wake. It was the strangest thing to Minamo, but whenever she thought about Yukari's need for her to be happy, she couldn't help but become just the slightest bit giddy over it. Ever since the woman had established the status of their friendship at the bar, Minamo had felt a sense of excitement whenever Yukari now showed even the slightest bit of consideration towards her. At first, she had just chocked up that thrill to the renewed affection that she had for Yukari, becoming naturally closer to her friend after she had put on such a show of kindness, but something about that answer had never seemed quite right. There was a peculiarity to it that Minamo couldn't figure out, of the way that she could sometimes feel about her coworker now. It was like the woman had become more than a friend, even a best friend, and on some level Minamo even believed that she had been waiting for Yukari to declare some official need of her, to allow the dynamics of their overall relationship to somehow evolve.

Whatever was going on though, all that Minamo understood was that she felt so good whenever she was in the presence of Yukari now, even when her friend's attitude was a little unbearable, and had acquired an urge to spend more time with her. Through the course of the summer she had found herself at Yukari's house almost every other day, going over to just hang around with her, adventure out at night together, and overall generally try to properly fit the "best friend" mold that she had been cast into. She had even gone so far as to accompany Yukari on a little beach trip with a few of their students, a trek out of town together being something that they hadn't done in quite awhile, due to Minamo's normally busy schedule.

Her free time, even while on vacation, was usually spent by managing her coaching activities and other hobbies, never leaving her too much opportunity to go out and socialize with friends. That, however, had all been slowly changing, Minamo now putting forth the effort to make time to see Yukari whenever she could, letting go of her usual solitary lifestyle in order to be in her friend's company more often. Even today, in the middle of a work week, she had planned to head over to Yukari's place after school so that she could enjoy the evening with her, something that Minamo would have never done before their little anniversary had taken place, given all her responsibilities.

There's not much club activity going on now, anyways. I mean, if it comes to it, I'll just take some work to her house and finish it up...

"Dammit', are you listening to me?"

Yukari's voice abruptly screeched through the phone, breaking Minamo's train of thought as she quickly returned the device to her ear. "I am! I am! Look, don't worry. I promise I'll pick up something on th-"

"Coach?"

Minamo turned around in her seat. A tanned girl, sporting short, messy brown hair to match her complexion, was looking down at her curiously.

"Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Minamo chuckled. "No, no you aren't, Kagura. Give me one second, ok?"

"Sure."

She spun herself to face her desk again. "Yukari, I have someone here. I'll catch you a little after work, alright?"

"Wait! I'm not done talkin' to ya' yet ya' stupid bimbo-"

Minamo flipped her phone closed, turning back to her visitor with a chagrined look on her face since Yukari's last words had been quite audible. "So, so...what's up?"

The girl tilted her head, as if she were deciding on whether or not to inquire about who the other person on the line was, but seemed to lose interest quickly. "Umm...sorry to bother you, but...I need to talk to you about something. I need some advice."

Minamo set her phone on the desk and fully brought her chair around to face the young student, noticing the somberness present in both her voice and her face. "Is something wrong?"

Kagura sighed, looking around the room as she eyed the other faculty members that were present. "Yeah, but, if it's ok, I'd like to talk to you about it alone somewhere."

Minamo stole a glance at her coworkers as well, understanding the girl's concern, and then noted the time on her watch. "Well, we have about thirty minutes until class starts. Want to go outside and talk, then? Walk around, maybe?"

"Oh, yeah, that would work."

"Alright, then. Just give me a few minutes to clean up quick and I'll come meet you out at the main entrance, ok?"

"Yeah, ok. Thanks, coach." Kagura gave her a little bow, waving her hand as she exited the workroom.

Minamo watched her as she left, her stare lingering at the open door after she was gone.

I wonder what's got her down? She's normally so upbeat.

She sighed, her mood falling just a touch as apprehension about her student's dilemma began to weigh down upon her. Since Minamo was a homeroom teacher, she not only had a duty to instruct her kids in the subject matter that she was in charge of, but also had to act as a sort of counselor to them whenever they required assistance of a more personal nature. In her career she had helped many kids overcome a wide variety of difficulties, even gaining a bit of a reputation around the campus for her successes, but all of that experience had never been able to numb down the pity that Minamo always felt when witnessing a young teen suffer from distress, just as Kagura appeared to have been.

She turned around, organizing her desk a bit as she pondered over her student. The girl was a part of Minamo's homeroom class, a spirited first year who had also joined the swim team that she coached and had fast become one of her best members, displaying a level of athletic talent that rivaled even the most experienced seniors on the squad. A passion for competition ran strongly through her, the enthusiasm that she always brought to their practices seeming to be just a natural aspect of her overall personality, Minamo herself even becoming impressed by the positive attitude that Kagura always had about her.

But the girl who she had just spoken to a few minutes ago possessed none of that usual cheerfulness, the optimism that Minamo had become so fond of all but absent. She tried to recall if her student had been out of sorts in the morning as well, when she had first seen her at homeroom, but couldn't really remember anything out of the ordinary in terms of behavior.

Maybe she was holding it in since her friends were around?

Minamo shrugged. Whatever was going on, she would just have to go address her student and help her out with whatever she could. Her desk was in order now, so she stood up and finally took her leave of the workroom as well, venturing into the hallway and gradually making her way out of the building.