I am incredibly sorry about this. I started this a long time ago with many plans and ideas and I ditched it. It may have been because I actually lost interest in School Rumble at the time. (It was the first actual anime that I watched and liked. I didn't understand Pokemon or Yugioh until I decided to dedicate myself to anime for a bit.) I hope with this update, the people that was waiting for this is still willing to give me another chance. The people that waited three and a half-long years for this. Hope this marks my return to School Rumble. (I still refuse the read the book though...long story, don't ask.)
XoXoX
Confession 3
Mikoto
Harima was in the other side of the booth with a broom, sweeping out the confetti from previous episode. Sarah had ran off to retrieve some resources, such as water and snacks, as she assured that they would be in there for a quite a while. As he picked up the last of the confetti, Sarah came running along.
"Harima, I'm back!" She announced as she carried a tray of food and a bag of bottled water.
Not knowing where to throw the confetti, he just dumped it behind the booth. "It felt like forever since we came back here." Harima muttered as he placed the broom at the side.
Sarah stopped in her place, "I know. The line and crowd was long and it was as if the universe stood still or something, because I stood behind Nishimoto the whole time without moving." Sarah explained. (AN: I would like to explain that this has nothing to do with the VERY long update. cough)
Harima's bang twitched and he looked up head, "Someone's coming." He announced.
At that, Sarah looked back and saw Mikoto and Akira coming along. "Quick, get in." She announced as she (forcibly) shoved Harima into the booth.
"No kicking!" Harima announced as he settled his position after being pushed onto the floor.
Sarah hopped in, "Quiet." She called out as she closed the door and locked it.
Back outside, Mikoto and Akira came walking along the hallway. "You know, for some reason, it feels like a lifetime has passed the past few hours." Mikoto pointed out, raising her arms and placing them behind her head.
Akira remained straight-faced, "I have a hunch for that." She muttered. (AN: ...)
Mikoto dropped her arms, "You and your hunches." She proclaimed and looked forward again. "Were we going to go to that booth that made Eri seem nicer than usual?" She asked as she had forgotten like as if three or so years have passed... (AN: Okay, I'm going to stop that.)
"You were. I have business to attend to elsewhere." Akira answered as she started to trail off.
Mikoto stopped in her place and scratched the back of her head, "Is it Hanai in your coffee shop again?" She guessed, but seeing as Akira ignored her, she assumed that she was right.
She then turned back to the booth and continued to scratch her head, "Now that I think of it, this seems a bit intimidating to enter." She muttered to herself quietly before turning around, "Guess I'll try another time." She stated as she started to walk away.
"ARE YOU COMING IN OR NOT?!" A loud booming voice called out.
This, of course surprised the brunette as she flinched at the call. She then turned and looked at the booth again, "Well..." She muttered quietly, "I might as well go in, if they know I'm already here." She changed her mind and stepped inside the booth.
On the other side, Harima held his hands to his ears before removing them as the ringing subsided, "Why do you have a megaphone?" He asked, sticking his finger in his ear.
"For dramatic effect." Sarah simply answered.
"Right." Harima muttered before turning to their new client within the next booth. "Let's see who we can torture, I mean..." Harima stuttered before clearing his throat, "I mean, let's see who our new client is." He corrected himself as he looked closer.
"It's Mikoto." Sarah registered as she walked in.
Back outside, as Mikoto walked in, across the area where the booth was sat a large man. This man was trying to blend in, trying to pass himself off as reading a newspaper. While people didn't pay attention to him, it wasn't because he wasn't blending in, it was because they knew better than to get within his mind. Plus, the newspaper was upside-down and had two holes cut out.
After being tipped from Nara some time ago, this large man became suspicious of this contraption. From what he heard next, the beautiful rich girl Eri Sawachika became 'nicer' from this contraption. When men and women get different feelings of one and the same thing, he always knew something was up with it. So watching Mikoto go in, his dirty mind started to turn its rusted cogs.
Sarah then did her phrase, "Welcome. This is a confession room. Here, you will be asked five questions concerning your life and this school. Being a confession room, we only ask that you be honest." She quickly pointed out.
Harima didn't think much; which was normal, but Mikoto wasn't up his bad side, so that thinking was mutual. In fact, he had his arms down instead of instinctively grabbing hold of one of the levers.
Mikoto sighed, "Well, let's get this over with." She replied with confidence.
Sarah cleared her throat, "Question 1: Is there anyone causing you problems in this school?" She asked.
Mikoto again, scratched the back of her head, "Well, I don't really have a grudge with anyone in this school." She pointed out until her head went towards a certain pervert and another obnoxious loudmouth. "But if I had to choose..."
"Please say Hanai." Harima quietly chanted to himself before Sarah jabbed him in the gut.
Mikoto then chose, "I would say Imadori." She concluded her sentence.
Harima was a bit disappointed, but like Sarah, he wasn't too surprised.
"Any particular reason why?" Sarah added.
Harima leaned back and crossed his arms, "Ten bucks say it'll be related to being a pervert and an annoying hormone ridden teenager." He placed a bet as well as saying a complicated series of words together that he didn't know he was capable of.
Sarah dismissed, "Nuns don't gamble." She simply said.
Harima just scoffed and listened to what Mikoto has to say. He started to think to himself; "Wait, this is one of Tenma's best friends. While they don't know that I'm actually in here, what will happen if they do find out it's me and Tenma gets angry with me if I punish any of her friends?" He continued to panic within his mind, but he still kept his cool posture. "Good thing we didn't punish rich girl." He added, but it was very tempting. He then took in all of his information, "Aw crap. I better not punish any of her friends." He let out a little with something compared to a dog's yelp.
"What was that?" Sarah asked, looking at him and noticing he stiffened his body a bit. "Are you okay?" She asked.
Harima sighed deeply, "Yeah, I'm fine." He muttered.
Sarah wasn't convinced, but shrugged, "Have some pudding. I brought some in the bag." She pointed out.
He then decided that eating something will help calm him, so he grabbed the bag and looked in before grabbing a vanilla pudding and a spoon.
Back to Mikoto; "...and that is why I have a huge dislike for him." She finished...apparently.
Sarah shook her head, "I'm sorry, but can you repeat that?" She asked, getting distracted over Harima's behavior.
Mikoto looked away, "I don't think so." She replied, crossing her arms.
Sarah smacked Harima's arm; "You made me miss a confession." She scolded.
Due to being smacked, Harima dropped his spoon, "You made me drop my spoon." He called out.
Sarah turned to Mikoto, "Question Number 2: Is there anyone your particularly fond of?" She asked.
Mikoto looked down to think, "I'd probably go with Hanai. I mean, not romantically, but he really is a great guy. He is honorable, kind, and dependable. I'm glad I'm his friend." She explained, "At least, until he met Yakumo. Now he's pretty much the opposite with her around." She added, crossing her arms.
Harima as still digging about, "Is there another spoon? I can't find the one you made me lose." He asked.
Sarah looked at him, "I only brought two, but you can use mine." She then turned to Mikoto, "Did you hear her confession of Hanai?" She asked.
Harima was still leaning, digging in the bag for the other spin, "I don't really care about Hanai." He muttered stubbornly.
Sarah ignored him and paid attention to their client, "Question Number 3: What do you think of Harima Kenji?" She asked.
Mikoto crossed his arms, "Mix feelings about him I'd say. I know he's a great guy, if not only for his constant secrecy. I mean, I seriously don't know if he's like Imadori, being a huge pervert as Eri claims..." She started explaining.
Hearing this, Harima jumped up, only to hit his head, "Don't compare me to that bastard!" He shouted while rubbing his head.
Back to Mikoto, "Or if his head is as hard as Hanai's. I honestly don't know how he gets in all these situations I hear of him..." She continued explaining.
Harima was tempted to end it here and now for comparing him to all these morons. However, his previous thought of 'punishing' Tenma's friends made him hold back.
"Or if he's a really great guy as Yakumo says. While she's secretive of him, everyone sees that there is something going on about those two. He has to be a nice guy if someone like her is attracted to someone like him. I don't really know if she's attracted to him romantically or just out of friendship and pity. I mean, it truly is pitiful on how he ends up with these situations." She finished explaining.
"So he's alright with you?" Sarah finished asking.
"Yeah, he's pretty alright with me." She answered.
Harima had a confused face, but he was otherwise content with the answer.
Sarah turned to Harima; "Are you friends with Yakumo because she saw you sulking in a corner or something?" She asked. Now that she thought of it, she didn't know how someone kind and caring like Yakumo managed to become friends with someone reckless and stubborn like Harima.
Harima thought back to his manga and the coffee shop Yakumo worked at. (AN: It is a coffee shop right?) He remembered that the person he was working for at that moment requested to have someone read it for him before submitting his work, like a friend or something. He then remembered that he was pretty much friendless and didn't know who to ask. Depressed at the time, he figured he would go sulk in the coffee shop and figure out what to do about it.
Coming out of his thoughts, he shook his head, "Uh, something like that." He muttered before going back to his pudding.
Sarah turned back to Mikoto, "Now than, Question Number 4: What do you think of Sarah Adiemus?" She continued asking questions.
Mikoto looked aside, "Isn't that Yakumo's best friend? That Nun at the local church?" She asked.
Sarah looked towards Harima, "What is it with people always referring me to as That Nun?" She asked exasperated.
Harima swallowed some more of his pudding, "Well, your pretty much the only religious figure in this school. To my knowing anyways. As such, people usually refer to you as That Nun." He explained. He didn't know if they were any other Nuns or Priests in training in the school, but he didn't care much. Tenma and her friends; (As well as those who are connected to her.) are all that he cared about. (Mostly Tenma.)
"Well then!" Sarah shouted, not really happy of the answer.
Back to Mikoto, "Well, for starters, I'm not really one for religion, but if I was to turn to it, I guess she would be a great figure to go to. I mean, any friend of Yakumo's is alright with me." She gave a simple answer.
This alone perked up the young blonde, "Well then!" She shouted in a different tone than earlier.
Harima smirked, "You sure are easy to brighten up." He pointed out as he noticed in the last two sessions. Then again, she was pretty easy to anger as well, judging by Nara and Eri's opinions of her.
Sarah gleefully hugged him, "I'm just glad someone finally thinks highly of me!" She replied.
When she hugged him, Harima again yelped like a dog and her hand knocked the pudding out of his hand and into a (random) slot. "You made me drop my pudding." He called out disappointed.
"Oh you can have mine, I'm feeling great." She offered as she looked back to Mikoto.
Harima didn't looked pleased, "On top of it, my spoon was still in there." He muttered as he placed his hand within the slot.
Sarah cleared her throat, "Alright, last question. Is there anything you want to do to improve yourself for those close to you?" She asked the last question.
Mikoto crossed her arms, "Well, if I wanted to, I guess I could try to be a better friend to others. Maybe have another friendly chat with Harima, haven't had one of those for a while, something awkward always happens that it cheers me up." She explained before thinking again, "If it's not directed towards me that is." She added. She again started thinking, "Now that I think of it, I don't think I ever spoke once with Sarah, she can help me brighten up more." She added a final statement.
"Alright. You will now have our judgement." Sarah concluded the Confession and looked towards Harima, "Pull the lever!" She shouted majestically.
She then waited for Mikoto's gratitude, only nothing came. "Harima, I said pull the lever." She repeated. (While having the filter closed.)
Harima looked at her, "My hand is stuck." He called out.
Sarah grabbed his arm and started to pull, "Wow, it really is stuck." She called out. She then placed her foot on the panel and started to yank hard. Unbeknowist to her, she accidentally turned off the filter.
Harima then called out in pain, "It's tight!" He cried out.
"Just relax and let me do it." Sarah continued to speak.
Mikoto looked at the screen, seeing the two silhouettes struggling with something, "Um, is something wrong?" She asked.
Sarah turned her head back, "Just one second, we're having uh...technical difficulties." She answered and turned back to the hand stuck in the hole. "I can't help if you keep pulling away from me." She called out.
Harima again started to groan as he tried his hardest to free his hand. In a vain attempt, he slammed his palm onto the panel, accidentally hitting Sarah's hand.
This caused Sarah to call out in pain, "Not so rough. Your going to break it." She pointed out to Harima. This box was actually taken from the church and as such, if it breaks then she's going to have a lot of explaining on the absence of the box.
Harima recoiled in pain, "At this point, I'm going to have to break it just to loosen it." He answered.
Mikoto was hearing all this, "Um, maybe I can come back later when you guys are done?" She asked and swiftly left the room.
"Hold on, almost got it." Sarah replied towards Mikoto, not knowing she left.
As Mikoto left the room, she looked back, "Well, that was weird." She then decided to looked for Tenma, Eri, or Akira.
"Got it!" Harima shouted as he finally freed his hand.
Sarah looked towards the other side, "You will finally be judged." She called out as she sat back down on her seat, only to realize that Mikoto is long gone. "She's gone!" She called out.
Harima looked at the empty room, "She left?" He called out. He then got up and poked his head out, "Wait! You forgot our blessing!" He called out as he pulled the lever and a little poof of confetti came flying out.
Sarah then pulled him in, "They cannot know we are in here." She pointed out as she closed and locked the door.
As the two got their bearings, "Well, that couldn't have gone anymore wrong." Sarah muttered a bit disappointed. She really wanted to bless Mikoto, but Harima made that impossible. "You had to get your fat hand stuck in there, did you?" She muttered as she crossed her arms and slumped back.
"Sorry." Harima muttered as he noticed that his pudding was no longer tangible.
Sarah sat up, "Well, she's going to get our blessing." She decided. "Gather the confetti in a bag, I'll look for her." She announced and left the room.
Harima looked at her leave, "Well, she's enthusiastic in blessing others. Wonder if she's like this all the time when she's at her church?" He muttered to herself as he seated himself and felt around. He then felt something besides him, picking it up, he saw it was another pudding. This alone perked up the young man as he gleefully opened it and looked around for a spoon.
Only there was no spoon.
Outside, the large man (Nishimoto) still sitting in the same spot still observed the box. Unaware that That Nun has just left; (perhaps he can't see well?) he continued to watch as the door opened. It was when a large crowd of people crossed by him that the man inhabiting within it left mysteriously. He then got up and slowly walked towards the box while observing around. Upon reaching it, he slowly creaked the door and entered it. Observing around, he was a bit disappointed that this wasn't what he thought it was. However, upon looking at the panel, he noticed something peculiar. A pudding, open but untouched. This sight alone perked up the young man as he started to dig around in his pocket and produced a spoon and began to eat it.
Back outside, using his agents intelligence, he timed it so he can walk out of the box unseen and blend into the crowds of people. Within the distance, Harima was just returning, holding a bag and a spoon. He was still intending to eat the pudding he so desired. As he entered it, he sat himself down and grabbed the pudding so he can finish it. So he dipped his spoon in, pulled it out and placed it within his mouth to savor the taste.
Only there was no pudding.
Across the campus, Sarah continued to stalk along, looking for Mikoto. Around the corner, she saw her target. Conversing with her friends; Tenma and Akira, she was waiting for the right opportunity to jump in. That and wait for Harima to show up with the confetti. However, before she could process any of that, something stopped her.
"Oh Sarah, there you are." A voice called out.
Distracted, Sarah looked towards the voice and saw the rich bit...girl (Nuns don't curse.) "Oh, Eri. What can I do for you?" She asked. She wasn't about to reveal that she was in charge of the Confession and based on hers, she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear her problems.
"Oh nothing. I just wanted to talk with you. It's always so busy around here, that we never have the chance to sit and chat." Eri gleefully replied.
"Well, I'm sure that we could have the time if you just so happened to be looking for me." Sarah pointed out. If it weren't for the Confession Room, she probably wouldn't even glance her way.
"Tut tut tut." Eri stopped her words, "Don't let little things block our attempts to become the best of friends." She replied.
Far off, "NOOOOOOOOO!"
Sarah looked down the hall; towards the Confession Room and noticed it was coming from Harima.
"Is that Harima?" Eri asked.
"I don't know." She muttered, "Wonder what is wrong with him?" She thought to herself.
"Speaking of, you wouldn't happen to know where he is?" Eri asked.
Sarah scoffed, "Why would you think I would know where he is?" She asked. Kind of sheepishly since no one knows they are working together with the Confession Room.
"Your Yakumo's friend. He's Yakumo's friend. I thought you two would speak to each other through Yakumo." She replied, holding her hands out as she added two and two.
Sarah began getting nervous, no one has to know about what they were doing, plus Eri would probably tear Harima apart if she knew that she was confessing (In a matter of speaking) to him, "That's ridiculous." She scoffed the idea.
"Come on, it's not like you two aren't dating." Eri stated. Then she widened her eyes and stared deeply at her, "You two aren't dating, right?" She added as she sharpened her eyes, trying to see through Sarah.
Sarah sweatdropped at this, "Why would you think that?" She asked. Being a nun, she never considered dating as it goes against her teachings.
Eri stepped down, "Well, he's the bad boy and your the rebellious church girl. Would make an interesting love story." She continued speaking 'nice' to her.
"That's not really..." Sarah continued to speak, only to realize that Mikoto has left. Then she remembered her mission, "I have to go." She interrupted her own words. Only to realize that Eri was still talking of the little love fantasy she just came up with. Using this to her advantage, she quickly moved into a crowd and blended in.
"...maybe I should speak to a writer about this. Have it credited to me." Eri continued to speak, only to realize that Sarah was gone, "Sarah?" She called out, looking around. "Huh, must have been swept away by the huge crowd." She concluded and continued to walk along.
Back to Harima; upon seeing his pudding gone, he fell down a dark hole of despair and sat in the corner.
XoXoX
And there we go. Finally an update to this fiction. On a standpoint, I don't think Sarah would even consider dating Harima because of her position as nun, but hey! I don't doubt that someone could write up a piece of the two. From what I understand, Nuns and Priests are allowed to marry if granted permission from a Pope. Then again, I don't really know about Catholics. (This is the correct religion, right?) That said, I respect all religions to my fullest, so I mean no offense in this.
I was considering putting in Akira next, but I think she would see through all of their questions. Instead, I may have her in another role within this series.
Truth be told, I had actually written this one up half-ways on my previous laptop before I stopped writing it. It's probably still sitting in the old files, but I decided to just rewrite it anew.
Fun fact: I actually mixed up the questions because I wrote this from memory and didn't remember the order of the questions.
Can I get a review for a comeback?