Purotekuta

CHAPTER ELEVEN

It's taking Akio a while to get back from the field. "I wonder what Mr. Kaze had to say that was so important," I wonder. Will Akio be able to tell me about it afterward?
          I'm standing outside of the boy's locker room waiting for Akio to return so we can head back to the classroom together. Since Mr. Kaze is talking with Akio, they will get back around the same time. I hear the door of the locker room that faces the field we were just in open and slam shut. A few minutes later, Akio emerges from the door I am standing in front of. He jumps a little as I move to walk next to him.
          "Sorry, haha. Didn't mean to scare you," I apologize.
          "It's alright, Hajime." Akio hoists his bag up onto his shoulder, and we start walking back toward the classroom. As we walk, I notice something different about the aura surrounding Akio; It's more confident somehow. Why did it change? What did Mr. Kaze say to Akio that would change his aura?
          "Hey, Hajime?" I look down at Akio walking next to me.
          "Yes, Akio? Is something wrong?" Akio shakes his head and adjusts his bag on his shoulder.
          "No, nothing's wrong." He looks down at the ground. "I was just wondering how you view me."
          I look down at Akio, curious about what he means by that.
          "What do you mean, Akio? I see you as an amazing person who, even though he had a rough past, is still an amazing person now. Is there something else you thought I was thinking?"
          "Well... I have been acting kind of baby-ish, like a child, and that isn't ideal for one to be a protector," he explains.
          I contemplate what Akio is saying. Akio is right. His personality is not ideal for a protector, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.
          "Akio, listen to me," I tell him. "You don't have to change who you are or how you act. A protector can have any personality, as long as they protect innocent people from being hurt. You believe that your personality isn't good for a protector, but I believe that it's something that will make you unique and likable as a protector. Don't forget, you earned the number three spot in the entrance exam with broken wings, a blind eye, and an uncountable amount of cuts, bruises, and scrapes all over your body. I don't know anybody else who could have pulled that off, do you?"
          Akio looks up at me, a spark in his eyes.
          "You say that's your personality, I just say that it's your defense mechanisms kicking in trying to protect you from being hurt again. It's hard to trust after it's been broken." I smile down at him, and he smiles back at me, the light in his eyes growing.
          "Thank you, Hajime. I think I needed that." He looks forward again, and we walk the rest of the way to the classroom in silence.

          Akio and I walk into the classroom, and we are greeted with Chaos.
          Kane and Akihiko are throwing paper airplanes, and Ikari is blowing them up in mid-air, leaving ashes all over the ground. Teinei is trying his best to correct them and get them to stop, but his attempts are futile. Himari, Kaede, Michi, and Rio are standing in the back left corner of the classroom chatting, probably the only calm ones here. I don't know where Shinju is. She's invisible right now, and I can't blame her.
          "Hey!" I yell at everyone in the classroom, and all attention turns to me. Shinju reappears, and everyone stops what they're doing.
          "What is it, loser?" Ikari is rude as always, so I don't bother to acknowledge him.
          "Mr. Kaze is on his way and will be here at any minute. You wouldn't want to make him mad with this foolish behavior, would you? Cause I can guarantee it won't end well for anyone here," I explain.
          Ikari snarls at me and returns to his seat. Teinei starts to clean up the ashes, and everyone else returns to their seats, silence falling over the room.
          I nudge Akio, signaling for him to go to his seat as well. I return to my seat, and just when Teinei returns to his, Mr. Kaze walks into the room. He looks over all of us suspiciously, pausing when his gaze reaches me. The hint of a smile appears on his face, but it's gone as quickly as it appears.
          "Alright, everyone, you will now be heading to your dorm. The dorm you all will be staying in is a separate building from this one. Now, I will need you all to come and touch my hand," he says.
          Everyone gets up out of their chairs and makes their way toward Mr. Kaze. Once everyone is touching his hand, the scenery starts to swirl and change.
          I close my eyes, trying not to throw up. When I open my eyes, we are in a different place. You can see the top of Mamoru High peeking over the trees, the sun starting to set. Ikari launches away from everyone, the veins along his arms glowing softly.
          "Where are we!? What have you done with us!?" He bellows.
          "Calm down, Ikari. I just teleported all of us to the dorm house. Now, everyone inside," Mr. Kaze says.
           Ikari's veins cool down and are no longer glowing. We all follow Mr. Kaze and walk through the front doors of the building.
          The building is made up of red bricks, and it has giant letters on the front of it, labeling this the dorm of class 3-A.
          "Girls are on the left, boys are on the right. Choose whichever room you want. Each room will hold two of y'all, so you better get along. There will be no physical fighting, and you make your own food. The front doors of the dorm house lock at ten at night, so if you're out at that time, you're sleeping outside, and please don't destroy the building." Mr. Kaze looks right at Ikari, who scoffs and looks away, crossing his arms. "Now go get settled. Decorate your rooms or whatever. Doors unlock at five, classes start at six. Goodbye." Mr. Kaze disappears into thin air, and silence falls over the room.
          "So, what are y'all waiting for? Let's choose our rooms!" Akihiko says excitedly before he races off towards the grand staircase that is right behind him and turns right towards the boy's side, the rest of us not far behind. I smile, and Akio and I walk up to the boys' rooms.