Be My Girlfriend

Chapter Five

Credits for PurpleSkye for pointing out my mistakes. Edited and ran through grammar and spell check though still unbeta-ed but hopefully, no more mistakes. Ignore the fragments. I tend to make a lot of them.

-

If you'd ride the bus to school, it would take you at least four minutes until you arrive at the gates. Ten if the bus was late and the traffic was murder, which happens pretty often. If you'd use a bike, it would only take you less than seven minutes if you know the right route to take.

After getting lost a few times in the area before, Shiki helped me find a shortcut, which lead directly to the back gate of the school. It was the closest to the high school building, which cuts my effort to walk or run so I wouldn't be too late for class. Besides, the guard at the back gate was pretty nice. He'd welcome me with a lopsided smile (and a few missing teeth) in the morning before letting me in. I'd leave my bike there and he would take care of it until after dismissal and track practice. Sometimes, when I linger there long enough, he'd share a few stories about his daughter in primary school and his pregnant wife, and I'd be the willing listener. I never get tired of hearing from him.

My seat was the closest to the door. Ever since I've entered school, it has always been the closest to the door. I can't blame my surname but I'm not complaining either. I sat quietly on the front row and much to my relief; the attention of girls wasn't directed to me anymore. Suou-san was in the middle of the room charming them like he always did. The rumors must have quieted down since I skipped school yesterday.

On one hand, it was somewhat a good thing. At least I don't have to worry about getting uncomfortable under their gazes anymore.

The door opened and I looked up. Carefully, as if calculating his every move, Ootori slipped inside and closed it behind him. For a moment, our eyes met and he narrowed them almost instantly. I flinched, remembering the crime I did yesterday, and looked down at my lap to smoothen the wrinkles off my skirt. I tugged the collar of my uniform down to show my discomfort but out of the corner of my eye, I could tell he won't walk away unless he received an explanation. I cleared my throat to tell him I was uncomfortable. He didn't seem to understand.

"So," he started while tapping my desk with his finger. "Where is it?"

I blushed profusely, my eyes averting from my lap to the wall to my right. I cleared my throat again.

"Do you know how much that statue cost?" he asked, his voice firm but calm. It pierced my guilt. I knew he'd find out soon but I never figured he'd point a finger at me and declare me as the prime suspect. I thought about it last night and it could be anyone of the maids who cleaned that part of the house, for all he knew. I wonder what made him think it was me (although it was really me). Maybe because I looked to really guilty and my actions before I left his house were way too suspicious. I realized Kyouya was still talking. "That statue was even shipped from Greece and you have no idea, do you? It was sculpted by an artist named Masaharo Kenji, a great family friend, and it was a gift from him."

Who would give such expensive gift anyway?

I kept silent, waiting for him to go away. He was starting to intimidate me again. I wonder why he was so good at that.

"Do you know that keeping silent is a crime?" he asked. I looked up at him to wrinkle my eyebrows in disapproval but the dangerous glint on his glasses made me cringe and look away again.

"You don't suppose you'd get away with that easily, do you?"

I frowned and shook my head, almost unnoticeably.

"Well then, where is it?"

I swallowed audibly. If I told him it was inside my bag right now, he'd force me to take it out, possibly making me feel humiliated in front of everyone again. He'd probably use it as evidence to make me pay for the damage too. I didn't plan to bring it at school but I figured if I brought it and disposed of it afterward, I'd feel a little less guilty. Or at least that's what I thought. Sometimes, I doubt if my instincts and my way of perception could get me anywhere safe.

"Well?" he poked further and his voice rose to a higher note. I cleared my throat again to relieve my tension. I inhaled deeply and prepared to speak.

"Well, I—"

"Good morning class!" Our History teacher, Yashimoto-sensei, opened the door loudly and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Now, settle down. Settle down. Class is about to start."

I breathed out in respite and wiped the sweat off my forehead. More to my relief, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first period.

-

Lunch was always left-over dinner, which was microwave-ed convenient food. I've never been good at cooking since before and Len always teased me about it, saying I would never be able to attract a guy because the only thing I knew how to cook was instant noodles. But since Shiki got his paycheck on his gasoline station job yesterday and he saw me flag a bus at the station on my way back home, he decided to make sure I got there safe. On the way, he asked if I already ate and he invited me to join him for dinner at a fast-food chain near my apartment.

As such, I didn't get to prepare any lunch today.

I usually ate alone. Ruka typically bought lunch at the cafeteria and I ate in the classroom alone.

The period before lunch just finished and I gathered my books to stuff them inside my bag. Afternoon classes were cancelled for today because of a board meeting but I still have track practice later after lunch. I looked behind to find Ruka and instantly, our eyes met. I waved a hand at her and smiled. She looked away with a frown.

Eh?

Puzzled, I called out her name a little loudly. "Ruka!" The strawberry blonde girl last time snapped at me.

"Will you stop shouting?"

"Sorry," I apologized quickly, picked up mg bag and walked to where Ruka stood. She didn't seem to notice me so I tugged at her sleeve to catch her attention. She suddenly pulled her arm away.

"Don't touch me," she gave me another frown and I returned her a questioning look.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice laced with instant worry. "Did I do something?"

"No," she snapped. "You didn't."

Confused, I wrinkled my eyebrows again. I spoke her name. "Ruka."

She turned away and flipped her blonde curls, leaving me frozen behind. I watched as she disappeared behind the door.

-

The high school department had three large canteens. Because I couldn't find Ruka in any of the first two, I searched on the third one. By the time I did so, my insides were groaning in disapproval and I knew I needed food.

I looked around to search for a familiar blonde head but she was nowhere to be found. A male classmate walked past and I called his attention. "Excuse me."

He turned around to look at me with green eyes. "Oh, Ashina. What is it?"

"Have you seen Ruka?"

He paused for a while to ponder my question. "Sorry, but I haven't seen her anywhere."

I frowned and thanked him before walking away. My stomach complained aloud. A few heads turned to my direction and I instantly blushed a deep red. Maybe I should eat first before looking for her. No, wait. Ruka needs me right now so it's not the time to be thinking about food first.

My insides protested again.

I'll just have a few bites, I guess.

I glanced at the line of students queued at the counter and I slipped behind it. When it was my turn, I looked at the order list on the screens overhead and flinched at the amount of each meal.

500,000 yen for combo meal A.

200,000 for regular meal A.

50,000 for meal B. I can pay the rent of my apartment with 50,000 and spare a few change after that.

The attractive female behind the counter who was taking my order gave me a sweet smile. I leaned forward and whispered.

"Is there any meal here that doesn't cost more than 500 yen?"

Her smile turned apologetic. "I'm sorry but there's meal O. It's 700 yen."

Meal O? I glanced up at the screen again and squinted at the small characters under the picture of a large chocolate cake. It was barely noticeable.

"Then I'll have meal O," I told her. She gestured a nod and I waited for my order to arrive.

"You're also a scholarship student, right?" I turned my head to the direction of the voice and a tall guy towered over me. He wore rectangular, black-rimmed glasses, soft brown eyes and a matching neat hair combed to one side.

"Uhm—"

"I'm Hasunobe Misaki," he offered a hand and I shook it briefly. "I'm a junior scholarship student as well." He leaned in to whisper to my ear. "You can call me Nobe-senpai or Misaki-senpai. Whatever you like."

He had a gentle smile and I couldn't help but return it.

-

We ended up at one corner of the canteen, in a small, rounded table beside a large palm-potted plant. He spoke and smiled a lot. He only paused to nibble on his food and after he finished chewing, he'd fire another conversation.

I finished my meal soon and shifted uncomfortably on my seat when I noticed the time. I still need to find Ruka.

"Ano," I started awkwardly, speaking for the first time since he started. "I have to go."

"Hm?" he looked at me. "Go to where?"

"I have to find my friend," I told him. "She seemed a little down and I have to figure out what's bothering her."

"Can I help you?" he offered.

Come to think of it, I have poor direction skills and I'm yet to familiarize myself to the school buildings and passageways. It would be difficult to find Ruka alone if I don't have any idea where to look.

"Can you help me?"

"Of course."

-

When we reached the back gate, the guard told us he saw Ruka's car (as regards to my description) leave school just before lunch. I frowned worriedly, trying to think of what had happened that made her act like that. I've never seen Ruka snap at me before but perhaps something just came up that bothered her. I'll give her space for a while; let her ponder about things overnight. And since it'd be Saturday tomorrow, I'd get her address and ask what happened.

Misaki-senpai and I ended up, much to my surprise, inside a music room on the third floor while waiting for track practice to begin. I heard that the third music room was often used as a club room for the host club but it was surprisingly empty. He told me he often sneaked inside to borrow (through still without permission) the unused cello there and he'd play the instrument inside the empty hall, making each note reverberate against the walls. He said it was one of the things that calmed him down. And maybe he can calm me down with his music because he told me I looked a little stressed out.

He emerged from the cupboard with a large guitar-like instrument on one hand and a long bow on the other.

"It's a little old," he told me. He was talking about the cello. "And I had trouble tuning the strings when I was new to playing this fellow. Now, the strings and I get along pretty well."

He plucked each string gently with his fingers, the sound making me smile. He continued, "But since the wood is antique, the sound it produces is better. You want to hear it?"

With a smile seemingly permanent on my lips, I gave him an assuring nod. I sat back on the window pane as the music began. I closed my eyes to feel the rhythm and as it dragged on, suddenly I felt a little lighter. As if I was something was lifting me up and I felt more at ease. The music was beautiful on my ears and I couldn't help but to smile wider.

When it ended, I opened my eyes again and saw Misaki-senpai across me, looking far away.

"Misaki-senpai, you are surprisingly a good musician," I told him. Despite being a blabbermouth, he plays the cello very nicely.

His smile was a little less lively and contagious. "Thanks."

"What do you call that song?" I asked, trying to pull him out of the thoughts that looked as if they bothered him.

"It's nothing important."

He stood up and heaved the large instrument and returned it to the cupboard. "Misaki-senpai, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he told me. He waved a hand, gesturing me to come. "Let's go. The host club might be here at any moment."

I jumped off the window pane and glanced at my watch. Track practice was about to begin.

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A/N: Leave reviews guys. Thanks a lot for keeping up with me this far.