Mystery from Another World

Part 21: A Visit to Kamino Ward

Bakugo was still not happy about the new arrangement, and he told Shine that privately. Yet again, he didn't seem to see Wally as a threat--or else too much of one. Shine saw a fight was coming when he looked at her sourly, and she really wasn't in the mood for it. Then again, Bakugo had a way of getting anyone worked up.

"Don't think just because you're being given some pity role, I'm going to follow your orders," he growled. "I only do whatever I want. Don't even think about trying to boss me around."

"I won't think about it, then," Shine said. "It doesn't require that much brain power."

"What?" Bakugo snapped.

Shine snickered. "I'm just messing with you... Look, Bakugo, flip. Off. Okay? I don't care about your attitude, I really don't care if you threaten me, and I won't care if you get in trouble for sassing me. The last thing you want is for me to try to stop you myself." She leaned on the wall. "Let me put it to you this way: We'll be sharing the same roof for a while longer, and now I can enforce my idea of decorum. You can't get away from me. And I, for better or worse, cannot get away from you. So we can be friends, or you can keep up whatever this attempt at being enemies is, and I will continue not taking you seriously."

Bakugo stiffened. "The he--!"

"Oh, shut up," Shine interrupted. "Why should I listen to your blustering? Why don't you say something intelligent instead?"

Bakugo looked ready to murder her. "What do you think I've been saying? You think I'll be afraid of you now?! I'll kill you!"

"Do you ever get tired of saying that?" Shine said. "Furthermore, do you think it makes you sound impressive to me? I've heard kindergartners say worse than that."

Bakugo turned red with anger. "I--you--"

"What are you afraid of?" Shine said. "You keep confronting me and posturing like I'm scaring you. What is it? Did I offend you in some way? Did I scare you?"

"He-- no!" Bakugo cried.

"Then what is it?" Shine said.

"The frick should I tell you?!" Bakugo cried.

"So you don't know," Shine surmised. "I'm sure you would tell me if you knew... Well, I think I've figured it out myself. Under all that rage you pretend to have, you're just a little too observant for me to believe it. I scare you because you might just be the only one who's started to get an inkling of what I am. But why doesn't Wally bother you the same way? He could mess you up way more than I could."

That was actually a good question.

"He's an idiot," Bakugo said. "I ain't scared of you, but you're tricky, and I don't trust you. He's too stupid to cause any problems."

"He's not stupid," Shine said. "And he could cause you plenty. But I bet the real reason is, he doesn't really bother taking you on, and I do. Hey, you picked the wrong person, Bakugo. That attitude of yours is just waving a red flag at a bull for me. If you wanted to get off easy, you should never have tried to take me on."

"What?" Bakugo scowled. "What are you on about? You want to fight?"

"Oh, no, I think it's more interesting to keep not fighting. It's like a game to me. How long can I keep this going? I bet I can longer than you can. You don't have much patience."

"What? I have plenty of patience!"

"If you really believed that, you should act like it." Shine shrugged. "It seems to me you've always been able to get by by screaming at people and glaring. Well, I'm sorry, but I've seen too many bratty kids. I don't care about it. You need to try harder to get to me... Why are you so... you? Anyway, you're at the top of the class--what do you have to be angry about? Sheesh, if I had friends as loyal as yours with the kind of treatment they get, I'd thank God every day for that. You seem lucky to me. But you're not happy."