Chapter 22: Seeing Red
Anzu swore the day was going from strange to right up bad, when she got to her seat.
Instead of Mahad walking in, Ms. Chuono trailed into the class instead.
"Um… Excuse me? Where's Ishtar-sensei?" Jonouchi asked.
"Speaking out of turn is improper, Jonouchi-kun." She narrowed her eyes. "Learn your place."
He gritted his teeth.
She's not gonna get away with that forever… What is with her?
"Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, Ishtar-sensei will not be joining us for the morning classes. He'll be resuming his position later. However, until then, you will behave as if I am him. Understand?"
"Yes, Ms. Chuono." The class chorused.
Anzu frowned, looking over to Akane.
The girl's eyes were wide and she was trembling.
Of all the luck…
It just had to be her. Anyone else, but her..!
Yugi leaned over, stealing a glance at Jonouchi's desk. He could see the wrapping paper Akane had picked out, just barely.
Don't take it out. Do not…
No one was paying attention to what the teacher was saying.
Jonouchi was rifling through his desk for his work books - mentally cursing himself for forgetting it yet again… when his hand brushed against the box. He raised an eyebrow, pulling it out a little.
A shock of black wrapping paper and red ribbon caught his eye. His eyes widened, pulling out the box carefully. He looked up every now and then to be sure he wasn't being watched.
What is this…?
Anzu pinched the bridge of her nose.
Don't… Please, don't.
Jonouchi looked the box over with confusion before shaking his head and trying to slide it into his school bag discreetly…
Until a hand from the desk right behind him caught his arm.
"Oh?" A voice behind him chuckled. "What do we have here?"
Jonouchi swallowed hard as all eyes went to him.
Ms. Chuono stopped speaking, turning her head in his direction.
Leaning over him, a wicked grin on his face, was a boy with long white hair and brown eyes. He smirked, looking up at Ms. Chuono.
"I believe we have a rule in place about distractions in class. It appears Jonouchi-kun didn't get the memo."
Anzu growled low in her throat.
I'm gonna kill that guy!
Yugi swallowed hard.
Please don't do this…
"Jonouchi-kun, please show us what you have there." Ms. Chuono turned around, crossing her arms.
Jonouchi lowered his head, his heart racing.
If I get one more call at home, I'm SO in the dog house.
"Oh! Too slow!" The boy behind him laughed, swiping the box away from him.
"H-HEY!" Jonouchi jumped up, going to follow him, until he saw the look on the teacher's face.
He looked around.
His friends were mortified and everyone else was doing their best to ignore what was happening.
The boy grinned at him before turning to Ms. Chuono with a pleasant smile, offering it to her.
"Here you are."
"Thank you, Bakura-kun."
Anzu gripped at her skirt.
I'M GONNA MURDER THAT GUY!
Ms. Chuono shook the box, humming in mock thought.
"My oh my… A fancy present like this. Is this for a girl?"
Jonouchi turned bright red, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"I… I don't know. It was in my desk. I didn't put it there." He murmured. "Look, I won't open it, so just give it back-"
"Now, why would I do that?" She tsk'd. "What if you opened it in the middle of class?"
"I wouldn't-!"
Yugi stood up.
"Excuse me! It's technically not a personal item since it hasn't been opened yet! You can't punish him for getting a gift. And he was trying to put it away!"
"He shouldn't have even taken it out in the first place." She shook it again before tearing the wrapping paper off of it.
Akane let out a sharp gasp.
"No…" She whispered, her eyes stinging.
If he gets in trouble because of this, he'll hate me.
"Hm… Oh my… A puzzle." She dumped the pieces onto the table.
For Akane, it was as if Ms. Chuono had simply ripped out her heart and laid it out on her desk for all to see.
Even Set's not this cruel… Yugi bit his lip. We gotta stop this.
Mahad-Sensei, where are you!?
"Oh my… And this puzzle…" She started putting it together. "It is quite the distraction! A message, hm? Well, if you had opened it right there you might have started to solve it!"
"And that's so distracting for the rest of us." Bakura agreed, folding his arms behind his back. "You couldn't help but tune out everything. It's quite rude to you and disrespectful. Especially after all the hard work you do here."
Anzu growled.
"Snitch." She muttered.
It didn't take long for her to finish most of it. It wasn't a complex puzzle but as the words materialized, she sneered.
"Oh my… "To my dearest, Jonouchi…" is this a love confession!?" She laughed. "How childish!"
Akane lowered her head, covering her mouth with both hands.
Please stop…!
"I DID IT!"
All heads turned to the one who had spoken.
Anzu stood tall, pointing to the puzzle.
"I wrote that stupid message to mess with him! It was to get even with him for a stupid prank! The rest says "You're an idiot." there. Trouble saved." She marched up to Ms. Chuono's desk, fixing Bakura a glare. "Just give it back and I'll take the detention."
Ms. Chuono's gaze turned to her… for a moment, her eyes flickered gold.
What the…?
She eyed Anzu's hair, making the girl take a step back.
"My hair's not breaking any rules." She mumbled.
She's fixating on anything to get mad about…
"No… but it would be a shame if something happened." She whispered. "And no one would believe you."
What…!?
She cleared her throat.
"Very well, take this back and don't do it again. You'll serve your detention as well. Jonouchi, I'm afraid I'll have to call your home again."
Jonouchi's heart sank.
Goodbye train tickets… Sorry, Shizuka…
"Now, with that." Bakura clapped his hands. "Shall we take our seats again?"
Just who is this guy? What the heck did he get outta that!? Yugi growled a little.
"My, oh my, isn't she pleasant?" Yami murmured.
"Something isn't right here. She's super strict but this… it's not normal even for her."
Yami made note of how Ms. Chuono, after sending them away, began fixing her makeup at her desk.
"She that vain usually?"
"So much makeup I think the Queens of Egypt would be jealous."
"Hm… Noted."
oooooo
As soon as lunch let out, Akane rushed out of the classroom to the roof. Her heart was pounding, with each step.
"Wait! Akane!" Anzu called after her.
Yugi frowned.
Where do I go?
"Let Anzu handle her…" Yami materialized beside him. "You need to make sure Jonouchi's alright."
"Right."
He hurried to his side… the young man had his head down, looking at his phone with dread.
"Jonouchi…?"
"Ah… Sorry you had to see all that.." Jonouchi forced a smile. "That Anzu, right?"
"Bakura's eating lunch with Ms. Chuono."
He leaned his head back, with a heavy sigh.
"I'm not as dumb as everyone likes to think I am. That wasn't Anzu, was it?"
"No…" Yugi frowned. "I shouldn't tell you. That's not fair to that person either."
Jonouchi held up a hand.
"Don't even try. I…" He looked to where Akane had gone, his heart sinking. "I get the feeling I have a rough guess. I'm not gonna say anything…"
"What do you think…?"
He sighed.
"Thanks for trying to help but… I think she and I need to talk about this by ourselves. Something you gotta do one on one, right?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know if me going up there now will make her feel better or not…"
Yugi frowned.
"You should. Even if it's just letting her cry on your shoulder a little… Hear her out when she's ready."
Jonouchi nodded.
"I will, don't worry. Besides, I need to get even with a certain someone." He cracked his knuckles. "When I get my hands on that scrawny little…!"
"Not on school grounds."
Jonouchi gave him a bewildered look before grinning.
"Oh? Not gonna tell me not to?"
Yugi's eyes seemed to flash red for a moment.
"Let me just-"
"No!"
"If I could, I'd have set his bag on fire."
"I'll get two hits then."
He got up, letting out a shaky breath.
"Besides… I didn't wanna go home anyways."
"What…?"
"It's… stupid family drama. It's nothing important." He smiled, giving a thumbs up. "I'm fine, promise."
Yugi held an arm out in front of him.
"If you need a place to stay, we got room."
Jonouchi's eyes widened before he gave a nod.
"Yeah… Thanks, Yug."
As they were left to themselves, Yugi turned to Yami with an irritated look.
"Did you HAVE to go full emotion wave with that?"
"I was upset."
"Is this what it's like in your head!? Just the urge to BURN EVERYTHING?!"
Yami narrowed his eyes.
"No… Not usually."
"No lighter."
"Makeup is flammable-"
"No."
"Fiiiine, I'll concoct a different method."
Yugi sighed shakily.
"It's him isn't it? He got her."
Yami frowned, crossing his arms.
"Unfortunately, the description sounds about right. Vain and strict, but can usually be squashed by Mahad's influence. If even HIS wisdom can't silence her, then we'll ensure the shrew will learn her lesson."
Yugi nodded.
"When do we strike?"
"After school."