Kokoro no X (I) ~EDITING~

Five

The classroom was quiet. My seat was one row up from the back, next to the window. I had a perfect view of the road and all of the people who walked by. To Kigu's displeasure, I was watching them instead of doing my test.

I thought you wanted to do well in school.

Didn't we plan on dying before we turned 30?

...Maybe. But at least give yourself a chance at a career.

Why are you so worked up about this? It's just a dumb test. It's not even worth that m-

I don't want to be stuck working for Yasu until we die. I thought maybe you would feel the same.

What's wrong with Yasu?

He's an absolute madman, that's what. He actually likes you as a person. Who does that?

That's... a little rude?

Wait- No, I... That's... My point is, I-

The classroom door slammed open, and two almost identical boys walked in. I knew them both - Koichi and Takumi Hirano. They were twins, and they'd be impossible to tell apart if they didn't make a considerable effort to distinguish themselves from one another. Takumi had dyed black hair (though his blonde roots were growing back) that was swept unelegantly across his forehead. It was shaggy and fairly straight. He was almost as emo as his brother, who pulled off the "I want to die" look without even trying. I'd only interacted with them a couple of times throughout the few years I've gone to school, mostly for projects and such. Koichi was mostly an upbeat guy, always able to make everyone around him laugh. There always seemed to be something off about him, though. I never really found it necessary to dig into his mind - I never really cared about him or his story.

Though now I saw his eyes, and I thought of Sayuri's memory. His and Takumi's both were the same shade of blue. The four blue eyes must have belonged to them.

So who's eyes looked like mine?

I tried to see into his memories, but just like with Sayuri, I was rejected. I tried the same with Takumi, but again, I couldn't. Now that I thought about it, I had never heard a thought from either of them during the past three years I'd been going to school with them.

Something was up with those three, and although it clearly had nothing to do with me, something in me wanted to find out.

"You're late," Ms. Kawaguchi trilled, her voice sharp and low in tone.

Koichi's recovery was almost too perfect. "We were spending the week with family and we got home late, so we overslept. Sorry!" he laughed.

Ms. Kawaguchi turned to Takumi. "Is this true?" she demanded.

He nodded, staying silent.

Ms. Kawaguchi's eyes narrowed, and she kept her eyes trained on Takumi. "What were you doing visiting family on a test week? Especially over a Wednesday?"

Takumi met her gaze, unwavering. "We were in Yusetsu for a funeral. Sorry." Both of their abilities to stay calm when confronted with the damn scariest teacher in southern Sinata was amazing. Even I was unsettled by her.

"Very well. Take your seats, I'll be handing out your tests."

The twins took their seats. Takumi sat on the far side of the classroom, the side that shared a wall with the hallway. Koichi's seat was next to Sayuri's, who sat behind me.

I heard nothing, but I could feel Koichi's eyes burning into the back of my head. I knew he was close friends with Sayuri, but there's no way she would have told him about Tuesday night.. right?