SOMEONE Has To Do The Paperwork

34 Conversation Got Heavy

Watch out, my outfit's ridiculous

In the club looking so conspicuous

Keiko had expected a lot from her homeroom teacher. She had expected Mic to be angry with them, to be extremely chill about it or to act really disappointed. But she hadn't expected him to be very apologetic and act like he had failed at his job and hadn't been able to keep them out of trouble.

It was kind of true, but Keiko still wouldn't have expected it. Plus, she was sure that Mic was incredibly busy with all his jobs already and it wasn't unreasonable to expect 15 year olds and 16 year olds to have an ounce of common sense. Which they never had in the first place.

That was the one thing that was clearer to Keiko now than ever before. They had been so, so fucking stupid. How did they ever think this was going to work out for them? It was ridiculous. Of course it wouldn't work. And of course they'd be found out at some point and they'd get into trouble.

But it was too late now, wasn't it? She really hoped that they wouldn't go to jail for any of this, because all that had happened was just them being stupid as hell. And getting someone killed in the process as well. And her mother getting abducted. Honestly, they should be going to jail.

"I know this is as much my fault as yours." was the first thing he had said to her, when he found her outside the dorm, as she was finishing up her cigarette. He offered her another one and even though Keiko really wanted to go back inside, because she was freezing, she took it.

"How is any of this your fault?" Keiko wanted to know, as she lit the cigarette and took a long drag from it.

"I didn't really care much about what you kids did. I mean, shit, I was out clubbing with all of you and didn't really think much about it. In hindsight I should have been furious and should have sent you back home, but... well, I guess when I'm going out I kinda get stuck in my teen years." he answered.

"Wait, so you're still not mad at us?"

"Oh, I am. I am very mad at you. What you did was stupid and ridiculous and incredibly dangerous and you can be glad that the four of you are still alive. I have no idea what the hell you were thinking. But the thing is, I should have realized something was off, but you know... the business course is the business course. No one ever thinks you guys are up to anything."

Keiko glanced over at him. Honestly, he looked like a million times cooler with his hair down and just a shirt and jeans. He looked like he was about to produce a skateboard from somewhere and skate off into the sunset or some shit like that. Keiko scoffed. Who would have thought.

"So people really only care about the hero course?" she wanted to know, as she leaned against the wall and stared up into the sky. Somehow it really sucked to officially hear that they were that insignificant.

"Yeah. No one cares about what's going on behind the scenes. That's just the way it is, unfortunately." Mic said.

"Sorry, but that just really sucks."

"It does."

"Why does no one complain about it?"

"Oh, people do, no one's listening. It's one of those hero society paradoxes no one likes to talk about."

Keiko just nodded and continued smoking in silence. She had never seen Mic so calm about something. Maybe this was his true form and all the rest was just some show or whatever. He did seem truly remorseful about everything that had happened. But so was Keiko and she had a good reason for that.