Chapter 9: Misery loves Company

AN: VERY SHORT CHAPTER! Sorry! T.T I've been writing pieces that don't fit well together and decided I just had to get something out. So here it is…

~~~Shalalalala~~~

He doesn't leave his classroom all day.

I think he's taking it better then suspected. Well… I mean.. he didn't cry when Tokine turned him down. But he's incredibly sad. Still I thought… Well… not sure what I was thinking. But him just staying in that murky classroom not even feigning attention but also not sleeping.
It's just wrong.

I check the time to see how much time I still have to get to my next class, and I'm surprised… It's lunch break already. Good. Now I don't have to hurry back after checking on him. It's been quite a hassle, the 5 minute break between classes is hardly enough time for me to go find him, reassure myself that he is in fact fine and then find my next class. I hardly even know which classes he has as it is and I simply refuse to ask anyone for help.
Luckily I know how a couple of his friends look. The ghost girl, the fact collector guy and the one with glasses. As soon as I spot one of them I know I've got the right class.

It warms my heart to see his friends try and cheer him up, though it's obvious they have no idea what's going on. They seem a bit lost at how to handle the brooding Summimura. But they do put their effort into it. They are currently trying to get him to come with them to the cafeteria.

As I debate my next move, I feel a presence settling next to me and it has Tokine's smell.

"So, how is he doing?" She asks and she sounds as if she's expecting a full report.

"From what I can tell not so good, but he keeps up a brave front."

She nods and hums with a somber expression.

Behind her I see a guy running to catch up with her.

"Hey Tokine!" He darts past a couple of students and doesn't slow down until it's almost too late, resulting in him coming to a stop mere inches apart from Tokine. "Hey… …you left your bag." He pulls her bag up between them. "Here."

"Oh, thank you, Chad…" Tokine blushes.

The burly footballplayer (from what I can tell from his outfit) walks backwards a few paces with a small wave and then darts off again,

I can't help but stare at his retreating form… "He's… tall…"

Tokine smiles. "I know."

I guess she wasn't lying when she said she liked tall guys… Poor Sumimura…

"So why aren't you going on a date with him?" I flat-out ask here, clearly there was some chemistry between them.

"You know why Gen! We have our jobs. I can't just ditch it to invest in a romance that'll lead to nowhere."

I ponder her words. Yes. It would be hard to keep a relationship especially if it got serious, but didn't their parents find love as well? In fact, both Yoshi's mom and Tokine's Dad fell in love with non kekkaishi and married them.

"I don't see why not. Just as long as you don't ditch too much work, it shouldn't hurt."

Tokine suddenly turns at me with a fierce look in her eyes. "You mistake me for someone who's replaceable, Gen! Unlike you it's my job to present the Yukimura's in protecting the Karasumori grounds. I've been working with Yoshimori on our teamwork for my entire life! Don't act so casual on the subject."

"Whoo… Easy, I didn't mean to act casual. I'm just saying. It's not just you and Yoshimori anymore. I'm a part of the team too right? I've been working on my teamwork with you guys as well."

Tokine frowned, but averted her fierce gaze back on her fellow kekkaishi. "Whatever, I'm just not planning on leaving the protection of Karasumori to just the two of you. You two don't exactly get along all the time you know."

She had a point there.

Still… I was working on that.

I've finally had enough of the dynamic trio trying to coax Yoshi to do anything. So I say goodbye to Tokine and head into the classroom which is all but deserted besides the 4 of them.

"Oi." I address the raven haired boy.

He looks up slowly. "What?"

I've never seen anyone more disinterested in anything before… And it stings to think that I might look like that from time to time… But I have no time for this.

I just grab him by the arm and pull. His eyes widen a bit in surprise but he gets up.
"what?!" he's a bit more lively now that he's finally up. I bet his friends will approve. I glance at them but they seem more amazed by my appearance or involvement or whatever... I'm not sure but I'd rather just ignore them.

Instead of answering his question I simply pull again. Luckily somewhere in that pull Yoshimori could read a: "Please come with me." As he waves a quick goodbye to his classmates while he lets himself get dragged through school.

I avoid going into Tokine's direction (who's possibly caught up with Chad) and head the other way. There are more ways to the roof, which is my destination and I'm not sure how he would act when facing her. We'll he'd probably not react much beside the increase of gloom and doom.

Two stairs and a couple of hallways later we're on the roof. Yoshi is still reasonably neutral and the sun is just appearing from behind a cloud. Good, because it's getting nippy. I take a deep breath of fresh air and release loudly. It brings a tiny shadow of a smile to the kekkaishis face.

"I thought you could use a break. A real break!" I tell him and he nods as we sit down at our usual resting location. I lie down with another huge gesture. Yawning loudly. I'm not sure what it is... Nerves probably. I'm not really acting like myself. But I also feel desperate to change his mood. To help him cheer up and feel better. It seems to work to some extend but it feels like our personalities have swapped. Me attempting to be outgoing while he's the subdued one... It's all just very weird.

"Thanks for getting me out of there." He suddenly says. I'm happy he's a bit more talkative then I'd suspected. "Those three were driving me crazy. It's very nice that they were concerned and all but really I'm fine."

"well... You don't really look fine" I reply honestly. He doesn't… I bet he hasn't gotten a good night sleep ever since that night.

He glares at me. "Don't tell me you are siding with them "I shake my head vigorously. Of course not I would never! Although inside I'm nodding and saying: "Yes that is exactly what I'm doing." A little white lie won't hurt him though. "I just wanted to go out here." I tell him. "Thought it would me nice to invite ya with..." Read as: drag you with. Like some primitive neanderthale... Ooh... I hadn't caught up on that. That was a pretty primal/instinctive move of me. I wonder how that must've looked like for anyone else… Yoshimori doesn't seem to care at least.

"Tokine... You remember when I said that Tokine might not really be into me.. You know...short... Fued and stuff..." I nod slowly. Happy that he's talking about it... With me no less. "…well turns out that was correct. I've got no chance with her... She said I was like her little brother. Can you believe that? Little brother. Not just brother... LITTLE brother. I can't believe I was so blind."

He utters those words angry but defeated and I sense that I need to make a move… Awkwardly I grab his shoulder and squeeze. He looks up at me and I choose my words wisely… "If it makes you feel better I don't think she realized how she felt about you until very recent… …and I believed you had a chance."

…

"Thanks Gen."

And I can tell I said the right thing. He squeezes my hand a little to show his gratitude. And really it was no problem… I'm actually starting to enjoy these social bits… I smirk.

But as an afterthought I quickly take my hand away before it has a chance of becoming awkward…