Fallout Chapter 4
Naoto glances behind her at Kanji's empty seat. He hasn't shown up at school for two days. She thinks. I thought he was getting more serious toward his schooling.She has helped him with assignments at lunch or afterschool almost every day since they got back from Golden Week. The last bell of the day rings and students everywhere are packing up and headed out of the room. But not Naoto. She taps her chin in thought as she looks at Kanji's empty seat. After a moment she gathers up her books and heads straight for the teacher's lounge.
Naoto enters without a second thought, then heads toward where her homeroom teacher is sitting, grading papers. "Excuse me, Sensei. Could I get blank copies of the worksheets that you handed out for the last two days?"
The teacher looks over at Naoto with a confused look on his face. "Sure, but why?"
"I plan to drop them off for Kanji Tatsumi."
The teacher scoffs. "Ok, but I doubt he'd do them."
"He has been more serious about school. I've been helping him."
"While it is admirable that you are helping another student that is struggling, you may not want to waste your time with Tatsumi."
Naoto took the papers that her teacher was holding out, then looked over at him with disgust and shock. "How could you say that? He has potential. Maybe he doesn't believe in himself because no one around him does. He doesn't apply himself because he thinks that, no matter what he does or accomplishes people will still think less of him. Shame on you. You should believe in ALL of your student, not just the ones you think will be able to do something with their lives."
Naoto leaves the room in a huff, and storms over to her shoe locker. As she is pulling on her shoes she recalls that one of the other teacher's gave out worksheets as well, but with the book assignments from the other classes as well as the assigned reading, Kanji probably as enough homework for now.
Chie walks through the park with a bag containing two instant noodle bowls while looking around trying her best to find Yosuke. "What the hell is he up to?" She mutters under her breath.
As she rounds a small patch of trees she sees Yosuke sitting on a blanket waving her over. She sighs and rolls her eyes as she makes her way to the blanket. "What is this?" She asks as she sits down next to Yosuke.
"A picnic….you did buy those right… you didn't try to make them…." Yosuke says nodding toward the sack.
"Hey! What are you suggesting?!"
"Probably what it sounds like…. you can't cook."
"Hey that's-"
"But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy your company."
Chie swallows her argument and sits down on the blanket. She hands Yosuke the sack. He opens a thermos and pours boiling hot water into the bowls and sets them aside.
"So is this supposed to be our second date?" Chie says, watching him.
"I guess." Yosuke says with a shrug.
"So our next one is our third date."
"Yep!" Yosuke says with a grin. "After which you give me a kiss."
Chie groans. "Ya know I think things are getting better. No one has been obviously mean, or running away from me today."
"What's your point?" Yosuke asks, laying down and resting his chin in his palm.
"Well I don't think we need to do this anymore…"
"Hey we had an agreement." Yosuke says shaking his finger at Chie. "Three dates and I get a kiss. Besides I already have our next date all planned out."
"Really?" Chie asks, glaring over at Yosuke.
"Yeah, I figure Sunday we can ride our scooters to Okina, grab a bite to eat and see a movie."
"I suppose that doesn't sound too bad. Especially if you're the one paying."
"Then…." Yosuke says, continuing as if Chie hadn't spoken. "When I drop you off at your house I get a kiss goodnight."
Chie sighs and peeks at the noodle bowls. "I think they are done." She opens hers and starts to eat. Yosuke opens his bowl and starts to eat as well. In the silence the birds begin to chirp and a squirrel comes down a nearby tree to look for food.
"Yosuke." Chie whispers, and points to the squirrel.
"Just what I was hoping for." He whispers back.
Yosuke quietly rummages in his bag and pulls out a package of plain rice cakes. He breaks off a chunk and tosses it toward the squirrel. "This bag is expired." He whispered, leaning close to Chie. "They were going to throw it away. But it makes great food for animals."
Soon more squirrels and a few birds come down to investigate. The teens giggle quietly and watch the animals eat their food, as their noodles get cold.
A bell rings as Naoto walks into Tatsumi textiles, she glances around, surprised to find that Tatsumi-san isn't in the store.
"Just a moment please," a female voice says through the open doorway to the rest of the house. Naoto glances around at the displays when Tatsumi-san comes through the door. "How may I help you?" She says with a slight bow.
"I'm actually here to see Kanji-kun. I've brought over some school work that he has missed."
A smile spreads across Tatsumi-san's face. "Isn't that thoughtful of you. Come on in." She turns around and heads back into the house. Naoto slips off her shoes and follows. She hears the sounds of a tea kettle and heads into the kitchen where Kanji's mother is pouring a mug of tea. "I was just about to go up and take Kanji-chan some tea and rice to go with his medicine." She sets the mug on a tray next to a bowl of rice.
"Medicine? Is Kanji-kun ill?"
"Oh yes, my poor boy. Ear and sinus infections at the same time. All he has really done for the last two days is sleep and complain. This morning I finally dragged him to the doctor." Tatsumi-san says, as she pours a thick syrup out of a medicine bottle into a small cup then sets it down on the tray. "Now what would be good to wash that down with?" She mutters as she opens the fridge.
"I mostly came over to be sure that Kanji-kun wasn't ditching school. I've been helping him with his studies of late and wouldn't want to see him fall back into old habits."
Tatsumi-san nods as she sets down a glass of juice next to the cup of medicine. "yes, all you kids have been such a good example to him."
The shop bell rings and Tatsumi-san calls out, "Be right with you!"
"Would you be so kind as to take that up to Kanji-chan."
"I don't know the way?" Naoto says, her eyebrows rising in shock.
"Upstairs first door on the right." Tatsumi-san says, patting Naoto's arm as she walks past. "Welcome, what can I do for you?" She says as she enters the shop.
Naoto glances down at the tray then over to the stairs and back again. With a sigh she picks up the tray. "Well I did come to see him." She mutters as she carefully climbs the stairs.
She taps on the door, and hears a muffled replay. Considering that as an invitation Naoto pushes the door open and walks in.
"Go away ma! I don't want any of that piss tasting medicine crap." Kanji mumbles from under his blankets.
"I believe you will recover faster if you take it, no matter how bad it may taste." Naoto states as she sets down the tray on Kanji's side table.
Kanji kicks his blankets off and sits up in one swift motion. "Naoto!" Before Naoto can react Kanji presses the palms of his hands against his forehead and lays back down with a groan. "What the hell you doing here?"
Naoto moves her mouth, but nothing comes out, her eyes fixed to Kanji's shirtless chest, then down to his kitten print pajama bottoms. She can feel the heat rising to her face. "I uh…. Well I….." She turns around. "I… I uh… Well, I brought over some school work for you, S-s-s since you've missed the last few days." She says, at last finding her voice.
Kanji groans into his hands. "Doubt I can see straight enough to do it."
Naoto swallows the lump in her throat and glances around his room. "Once you are feeling better I could help you with it."
Kanji grunts, then carefully sits up. "Thanks." He says, as he glances over at Naoto. "Hey, why ya…?" A blush raises to his face as he realizes his shirtless state. "Oh shit, sorry." He leans over and pulls a T-shirt over his head, not noticing that it is inside out.
Naoto glances over her shoulder before turning back around. "It is quite alright, you weren't expecting a visitor."
Kanji nods and blows his nose, throwing the tissue in the overflowing wastebasket. "uh… yeah… I feel like shit, pro'ly look that way too."
"It would be advisable for you to take the medicine that your mother sent up."
Kanji looks over at the tray with disgust, yet he reaches over and picks up the small medicine cup. He lets out a sigh before gulping down the medicine, quickly followed by the orange juice. He makes a face and sticks out his tongue as he sets the empty glass down. "Disgusting, don't know why they hafta make it taste so bad."
"I suppose it insures that a person is really sick if they are willing to take it." Naoto says, clasping her hands behind her back.
Kanji grunts as he reaches for another tissue. "Well it doesn't seem to help my nose and ears feel much better."
Naoto tilts her head slightly and gets a thoughtful look upon her face as she watches Kanji blow his nose. "May I make a suggestion as to what might help?"
Kanji shrugs as he tosses the tissue. "Shoot."
"I notice that your skin around your nose piercing is red and inflamed, it might feel better if you were to remove it."
Kanji raises an eyebrow at Naoto. "Huh, never really thought about it. Had my piercings in so long I kinda forget I have them."
Kanji takes out his nose stud and drops it into a drawer of his side table. He starts to close it, then stops and removes his ear piercings as well and deposits them into the drawer before closing it. "I guess it helps a little," he mumbles as he lays back down.
"I should leave so you can get your rest." Naoto says, turning toward the door.
"Yeah, thanks for coming over."
"When you are feeling up to schoolwork call me and I will help you catch up on your missed assignments."
"Yeah, sure." Kanji says, with a vague wave.
Naoto smiles slightly as she closes the door as quietly as possible before heading down the stairs. She sets the worksheets on the table in the kitchen and writes down the reading and book assignments, before she heads back out to the shop. Tatsumi-san is just saying goodbye to a customer as Naoto walks in.
"I should be going." Naoto says, as she slips her shoes back on.
"Thank you so much for stopping by. Did Kanji take his medicine?"
"He took the medicine, but he didn't eat. I left some worksheets for him on your table. When he is feeling up to it I'm willing to help him catch up."
"Thank you again. Does Kanji have your phone number so that he can call you?"
Naoto stops and thinks for a moment. Whenever the group was going into the TV she usually got a call from Yu-sempai. If it was for social or fun she would often get a call from Rise. Naoto can't recall a single time when she has gotten a call from Kanji…
"I am unsure if he has my number." Naoto opens her wallet and pulls out one of her PI business cards and writes her private cell number on the back. "Just in case." She says, handing it over to Tatsumi-san.
She looks at the card. "I'll be sure to have him call you when he feels better."
Naoto nods and tips her hat before walking out of the shop.
Author's Notes: I am so sorry it has taken me so long to update. I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank each and every one of you for reading. I truly would also like to thank all of those who give me reviews. Even short two word reviews make me smile, just to know that you enjoyed it and took the time to tell me. I'll try to update sooner, but I can't promise anything.