Tap Tap Tap
Hitsugi stared at the wall, her pose perfectly expressing the laid back and unaffected attitude she was known for, and her eyes seemingly shining with amusement at the situation she found herself in.
Tap Tap Tap
Two seats away, Inori Sae had a small, absent smile on her face, and looked so comfortable in the room that one could not imagine that there was anywhere else she wanted to be.
Tap Tap Tap
Had there been anyone in the room capable of paying the two girls even the slightest bit of attention, they would have instantly noticed (with great curiosity) that both flinched ever so slightly with each "tap," lips twitching as their carefully constructed expressions threatened to falter.
Tap Tap Tap
Mikado Akira, across from Sae and rather unfortunately next to the source of the disturbance, had long moved from being lost in anger to imitating a statue in hopes of escaping notice.
Tap Tap Tap
Having been sitting there for thirty minutes now, anger was a more than reasonable reaction on their part. Thirty minutes of silence was sure to try anyone's nerves.
Tap Tap Tap
But even the normally outspoken and irritable Akira was intimidated into silence when faced, for the first time in her short life, with the anger of Miyamoto Shizuku.
Tap Tap Tap.
Hitsugi had spent the last ten minutes trying to convince herself that she most certainly was not avoiding breaking the silence and drawing Shizuku's attention. She even got as far as opening her mouth before she noticed an even more violent jerking of her partner's fingers and quickly shut it again. Softly. She pointedly ignored the small sideways glance from Inori, the accusation of cowardice not quite hidden in her eyes. Hitsugi's eyebrow twitched in indignation. It wasn't as if she had done anything better.
Tap Tap Tap
Sae looked back at the wall, her once solid view on the status of the school's most powerful partnership shattered. She was simultaneously disappointed that there did exist a creature that could so easily intimidate the great Amachi, and absolutely delighted that said creature was Miyamoto Shizuku.
Tap Tap Tap
Those feelings, however, were to be dissected at a later time. Assuming she was still in one piece later. While Sae was the sort of person who would easily admit that she enjoyed playing with situations like this, she was reduced to making a great effort to ensure that any look in her technical rival's direction was short enough as to be nearly nonexistent.
Tap Tap Tap
A loud noise echoed down the hallway with jarring abruptness, halting the tapping and raising the tension level in the room up to an unbearable level. The three girls unconsciously held their breath, freezing in dreadful anticipation while visions of death danced in their minds.
Tap Tap Tap
There they were. The elite of Tenchi. The strongest, fastest, most powerful beings in the school, trying not to breathe too loudly in relief at the resumption of the irritated tapping.
Tap Tap Tap
Unfortunately, the tapping was also faster now, which did nothing good for their nerves. Miyamoto's free hand clenched and unclenched rapidly in the overload of agitation.
Tap Tap Tap
Akira used all of her will to stay in her seat. She wasn't afraid, dammit. This was Miyamoto here. There was absolutely nothing intimidating about the quiet, easily flustered vice-principal.
Tap Tap Tap
She was just...surprised, is all. Because who knew that Miyamoto could ever be this angry?
Tap Tap Tap
She wasn't scared.
Tap Tap Tap
Shizuku growled under her breath.
Tap Tap Tap
Akira only just held back a reflexive squeak.
Tap Tap Tap
Hitsugi and Sae refused to let their eyes stray from the wall. They held no sympathy for the unfortunate Mikado. The girl was strong, after all. She'd probably make it through this.
Tap Tap Tap
And really, they were just glad it wasn't them.
Another commotion rose up in the hall, but this time it was the familiar yelling the loudest S-rank student to date. The door slammed open, Shidou Masaki, Tonami Shuu, and Tatewaki charging in. Or rather, Shidou and Tatewaki came charging in, debating loudly the amount of respect one was to give to Hitsugi-sama, and Tonami followed behind looking completely fed up with the conversation.
And just like that, it was as if a switch had flipped. Gone was the oppressing intensity. Gone was the anger.
Sae, taken aback by the sudden change, eyed Hitsugi for an answer. The girl in question sighed imperceptibly and tried not to look as annoyed as she felt with the answer.
Shizuku just had that much self control sometimes.
The aggrieved and oh so slightly longing look in her eyes do not go unnoticed. Inori Sae flicked her gaze between the school's reigning duo, blinked, and then let the tiniest smirk show.
Hitsugi tensed, narrowing her eyes in indignation. That impudent little earth star was laughing at her. Raising her eyebrow, she pointedly glanced at Akira before meeting Inori's eyes in a direct challenge.
You're hardly better than I am, now are you?
That took care of that smirk.
"Kaicho, if you would."
"Apologies, Shizuku. I was merely enjoying your take charge attitude. In fact, I would be more than happy to let you run the entire meeting."
"No."