Aoki was weeping silently, he didn't mean to kill the squirrel it just ran under his shoe.
He didn't mean to 'cause Kokonoe pain. He would never want to hurt her.
He was afraid to look back, afraid of what Kokonoe would say to him.
A small hand was on his back then, was she comforting him?
The hand left and he felt his shoulders sulk, he liked it there.
He turned his head slightly to the right to look at her, but felt a sharp burn on his right cheek. His head snapped back and he cried out in pain.
"You asshole." she whispered, and she hugged him.
"Koko-" he stuttered, but she put a finger to his lips.
"Don't talk, you're making me angry."
"Mmpf." he managed to mumble quietly. He nodded.
They were like that for a while, with Rin hugging him with one of her fingers to his lips. With Aoki looking at the ground, regretting the tears he let fall. He could see the droplets on the ground and he felt pathetic.
"You should clean that up." Kokonoe suddenly said, standing up, pointing at the bloody mess.
"Ah," he cleared his throat, 'yeah, okay. Where's your bag, Kokonoe?" he stood up as well.
She looked at her shoulder, felt for her bag, and stopped. She was thinking. "Oh, that's right. I left it in the classroom. One sec." and with that, she flitted off. To the direction of the room.
He went to the boys washroom and grabbed two handfuls of toilet paper, pulling on the end of the thin paper and letting it roll and unravel into his palm.
He went to the taps and soaked one of the handfuls and glanced up at his reflection. He looked terrible, his glasses were crooked.
He looked down at his shoe and decided to clean that first. He wiped the dried blood off, and threw the newly soiled paper in the trash.
He lifted his hand and tweaked his glasses so they were straight.
He then washed his face with cold water, relishing the calm effect of the cool liquid.
He walked out of the washroom slowly, he felt like he was out of his own body. It felt like he was watching himself walk from a distance. Feeling sorry for him, or for the squirrel.
As he was nearing where the dead squirrel was, he noticed a mop strand on the ground.
Was Kokonoe already cleaning the mess?
Aoki felt himself come back, and he walked with purpose for the remaining steps.
He turned the corner, and there was Kokonoe, cleaning up the blood, and draining the mop and soaking it again.
"Kokonoe. Thank-you." He heard himself say, but he lost the meaning of thank-you.
She was silent as she worked, and he watched the grace she put into everything.
Every movement. Every lift of the mop, the peace on her face.
Or was it content?
After Rin cleaned up the mess, and threw the squirrels' dead corpse into a nearby trash bin, she grabbed her bag and walked. Aoki was there, she remembered. He didn't speak though, and neither did she.
Once they got outside, the sky was yellow, red and orange. It would soon be dark. She walked a bit farther and waved goodbye to Aoki. He stood still.
She waited for a slight movement, a recognition that she was there, but none. She turned to go but,
"Wait." Aoki said loudly.
"Mm?" she asked, curious.
"I'm sorry. Kokonoe."
She stood there, looked into his eyes to see if this sorry was true.
It was, he didn't seem at all scared, and he gazed straight back into hers.
She looked away, feeling her ears get hot, he never looked at her that intensely.
"It's ok. Well, ciao." She waved again, smiled. "It was just a squirrel."
He frowned, "But .. Rin, I am sorry. Would you like to come to my place, just for a bit?"
She felt her chest tighten, a small thrill filled her up inside.
"Why? So you can show me how sorry you are?" she asked with a sing-song voice. She crossed her legs and straightened her back, held a single finger to her mouth and pressed her tongue against the tip.
He flinched from the sudden sexual reference and he put a palm to his head.
"No. Not like that, Rin. Just for some tea. I want to talk to you." he sighed, and smiled. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and waited.
She felt a pang of embarrassment and stopped posing.
He still thinks I'm a child.
"Okay. Fine. The tea better be sweet." she said, and twirled around, like a brat. Perfect.
I'll play the little kid for just a bit longer.
Aoki regretted asking from the second it left is lips. What was he trying to do?
Get a little girl to come to his house for tea. But it just so happens this little girl wants to have him for tea.
But he liked the idea of it, of Rin Kokonoe drinking in his..
He clamped his eyes shut, blocking that last thought, locking it away.
"What does your house look like?" she inquired, tugging his shirt and making him get out of his frustrated state.
"Uh, um. You'll see." he stammered.
Does she know what I was thinking? No. That's impossible.
"Aoki-sensei? What were you thinking about just now?" she looked up at him, and seemed so oblivious, "were you thinking of me?"
Gghjds! She knew.
"No, of course not. You're right here, beside me, why would I be thinking of you if you're right here?" he said quickly, nervously laughing when silence ensued.
Kokonoe blinked twice, looked forward for a bit, thought about something it seemed.
"Liar, your face is red. What were you thinking about? Tell me, tell meeee!" she tugged harder on his shirt, bringing him down to her level.
She looked like a kitten, and he knew his face was bright pink. She was so close, so warm.
He leaned closer unconsciously, looking into her eyes, sinking into them.
Stop.
In a frenzy, he quickly straightened himself up and cleared his throat.
"We're almost there." he grabbed her hand and rushed her to his place.