SENIORITIS (Ishimondo)

12. Black Paint (Office Interlude)

[TW- racism, hate crime]

"Taka? You need anything?"
"I am perfectly fine, thank you Makoto." Kiyotaka said, with a dangerously shaky voice threatening to betray his lie, and unzipped his backpack on a nearby bench.
"It's okay to be upset, you have every right to be after what just happened." He said with his hands up.
"I..." Taka sighed. "I just ....can't allow myself to think about it right now. Here is the attendance list for Hina..."
He pulled a folder from his backpack labeled 'Morals Committee' and slipped a paper out of it to hand to Makoto.
"That's fine. If you ever want someone to talk to though, don't hesitate ...okay? I'm on your side." Naegi took the paper and gave him a pitiful smile.
It made Taka feel even more sick to his stomach.
"Yes. Thank you. Detention is set in room 171 today. I appreciate your assistance."
As Makoto left, Taka slumped down onto the bench next to his backpack to succumb to his emotions.
He started to cry.
Even if he was physically and mentally able to go to PE today, he had forgotten a gym uniform at home after the impromptu sleepover at Mondo's. Taka wouldn't be able to participate in class today.
Tears were spilling out of his eyes and down his cheeks as he took in everything that had just happened.
That was a hate crime, like an actual, real, hate crime.
The bell rang, harsh and loud in Ishimaru's ears, sending him deeper into his panic attack. He was now officially late. Taka tugged his knees up to his chest.
Taka wiped his eyes on his sleeve, trying to clear his vision enough to see the floor in front of him, staining his white uniform with concealer.
A hand on his shoulder made him leap into the air with a yell.
"Kiyotaka?"
It was the gym teacher.
"Ah! S-sorry, Mrs. Meyer! I didn't .. I don't..." He stuttered, trying to form words to explain why he was late to class for the first time in years. He sniffled, desperately trying to calm himself.
"Oh, your eye...." She said and knelt down to his level next to the bench. "I already saw the locker. You're excused from class, and I let the office know. Do you want to go down there and phone a ride home?"
Ishimaru opened his mouth to protest, but quickly closed it.
He nodded, knowing full well he would have no one to call.

Taka trudged his way down the hallways, the concealer Chihiro had given him long worn off with his tears, revealing the black purple bruising beneath.
There was no point in trying to hide it anymore.
He felt defeated as he entered the office with his head hung low.
"Ishimaru, what happened?" Jenna, the main receptionist, said in surprise when she saw him. "I thought it was just your locker, did someone hit you?"
"There was two separate occurrences. This did not happen at school. P-please do not worry for my sake, I am quite alright now." Taka said, taking off his bag and sitting down in one of the waiting chairs across from the front desk.
They were quite good friends at this point, as she was the one that Kiyotaka turned in all of his write up copies to at the end of every week, and she did pretty much everything else around the office. Ishimaru admired her tenacity for work and her upbeat attitude.
"Hey, don't tell me what to worry about, I'll worry whenever I want!" She laughed. "And why are you sitting down? Aren't you going to come up here and use my phone?" She asked, extending the receiver towards him.
Taka held up his hand.
"My ride is still here at school, in class. I will wait, I do not want to interrupt his studies."
"Who's your ride?"
"....Mondo Owada." He said reluctantly.
"What?!" She exclaimed in surprise. "You've been hanging around Owada? Do you know how many of your write ups I've copied and filed for him alone? How many times you yourself have complained about him to me?"
"I know, Jenna, I know. But he's been making an effort to turn himself around and become a better student! I've been helping him to try to achieve that goal...."
"Huh, good for him, I guess. Let's hope he keeps it up."
"I have a feeling he will.... I think he has just been misunderstood. He really is intelligent, but just doesn't get things the way the teachers explain it. It's like he needs a homework translator, a middleman."
She turned to her computer for a moment, and tapped something out on the keyboard.
"If you really have that much faith in him, I believe you." Jenna said with a smile. "Looks like Mondo Owada is in woodshop right now.... I'm sure he wouldn't mind going home early."
She pushed her auburn curls out of the way of large teal earrings and put the reception phone up to her own ear.
Taking a student out of class early just for his sake?!
"You wouldn't dare...."