POV: Junichi Tachibana
Ayatsuji-San seemed to be much later than usual today, in normal situations, she'd usually be the first one here. She had her black notebook tightly clutched in her hands, I could see her fingers straining with the tightest grip possible.
Umehara seems very on edge this morning as well. He seemed, tense. He ran straight to his desk earlier as if running for his life. He even tightened his tie, and buttoned his blazer, it was weird. No one ever got on his case for his seifuku, and now he suddenly had the propensity to fix himself up.
"Ohayo, Tachibana-kun," Ayatsuji-san said as she walked past my desk.
"Ohayo, Ayatsuji-san."
She glanced at me and smiled her normal, cheery act smile, the one that concealed her true self.
With the same cheery mood she continued to her desk passing, Umehara's desk.
"Ohayo, Umehara-kun," she greeted, pausing to place a hand on his shoulder.
Umehara suddenly tensed up, "O-Ohayo, Ayatsuji-san...heheheh..."
I was struck with a feeling of deja vu...
She smiled and took a seat at her desk.
Ayatsuji-san's false self was a part of her that I've grown to accept. It was rough at first, yes, but now it's a part of her that would make her seem incomplete without. She...wouldn't be Tsukasa Ayatsuji anymore without it. In a way, it was kind of an attracting feature.
"Taisho...psst," Umehara tried to grab my attention, quietly. "Taisho...!"
"Hmm? What is it Umehara?"
"What do you know about Ayatsuji-san?"
"Hmm? I didn't get that."
"What do you know about Ayatsuji-san?" he emphasized.
"Well...what do you-"
The bell chimed for class to begin and Takahashi-sensei walked into the room.
"Tell me later," I responded.
During a work activity shortly before class was to be dismissed for lunch later in the school day, Umehara came to me again, sitting at the seat in front of my desk and turning to me.
"Taisho, what do you know about Ayatsuji-san?"
"Well...what do you mean? I know a few things about her. I mean I work with her. I'm her vice president in the festival committee..."
"No no no, aside from that... Outside of her normal self..."
"What do you mean normal?" I questioned. I had a hunch about what he was trying hint at, but didn't want to be the one to say it just in case she was around.
"You must know what I mean Taisho...you work with her!"
I leaned in closer to him and really really quietly I said, "Did you stumble upon her book?"
"Huh? Yeah..."
"Did you happen to look inside?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"I see...so you know?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh her side?"
"Huh? Y-Yeah."
"Oh okay. Yeah, you'll get used to it, just don't tell anyone and you'll be fine. Huh-"
It was at the moment I finished that sentence that I noticed that Ayatsuji-san had been standing over her desk, straightening some papers...slowly. When did she get there?"
"Taisho...so you know what's written in there..right?"
"Huh? Oh yeah."
"Really? And what do you think? Feel?"
"Huh? Well... I think it's, remarkable? Wonderful? Nice?" Why was he asking me?
"Really? That's...interesting...and kinda wrong..unloyal."
"I'm not sure what you mean, but yeah! She has some nice handwriting."
"What? No! Not that! The other thing!"
"What thing? All I saw were schedules and agendas."
"No! Okay look...there's a page- No, pages, that basically say-"
The bell chimed really loudly, causing Umehara and I to tense up suddenly and look towards the courtyard out the window. When we returned to our conversation, we jumped to find Ayatsuji-san leaning on my desk, supporting her head with both arms resting elbows on the desk, cheerfully smiling. Umehara jumped.
"A-Ayatsuji-san!"
"Umehara-kun, may we talk, just you and I?"
"Ehhh...could I finish my talk with Taisho? We are almost done, it's about the work and stuff..."
"Ehhhh? But I want to compliment you on your uniform! It looks nice on you when it's tightened and closed up."
"B-But.,,Ayatsuji-saaaan-"
"I wish to compliment you on your uniform..and your discretion."
She grasped Umehara's arm hard and pulled him along, disappearing outside the door of the room.
Odd. What did he see?
I took the seat across from my girlfriend, Morishima-senpai at a small tree on the outer grounds of the school. It was a more neglected peaceful place, where no others went during lunch.
"Junichi!"
"Morishima-senpai!"
"Junichi...we're alone..."she pouted,"Call me Haruka when we're alone, remember?"
"H-Haruka...I'm sorry, I forgot. How are you?"
"I-I'm fine, Junichi-kun!"
This was the first time I've heard her add 'kun' to the end of my first name...
I took a seat beside her and took her hand.
"How about you? Junichi-kun?"
"I'm at a loss for words...today has been a little...weird..."
"I see," she responded,"I hope it'll get better."
"Yeah, it's all nice and sane while I'm with you, Haruka."
She chuckled. The last thing I saw was a somewhat devious smile appear on her face before she turned her head away from me and let go of my hand.
"Haruka? What's wrong?"
She stood up quickly. I stood up beside her, hugging her from behind.
"Something wrong?" I asked.
She quickly turned about, a fierce expression on her face, teeth clenched and fists curled.
The wind was knocked from me as a moderately strong punch was delivered to my stomach. Her hit wasn't bent with lethal intent like Ayatsuji-san's, but not exactly Hollywood fake either, like there was still some reasoning drive behind it. I was winded and crumpled in pain. She then grabbed hold of my neck tie, pulled me in close and pushed me up against the tree. She was stronger then she would appear.
Our faces were only mere inches from each other's. She wore a angered disappointed expression on her eyes and eyebrows, but carried a slightly satisfied upward curve and the end of her lip.
"H-Haruka? What's wrong?"
