A Little Twist

Forty-Nine

He hurries to the phone and picks it up.

'Reiji, you'll never guess what I saw and heard.' Laito has trouble believing it if he didn't see it for himself.

'What exactly? I was apologizing to Risa when you interrupted so keep it short.' Reiji heard a lot from her and is processing it to apologize.

'It's Shu, he went to class and stayed there. Not the music room or the broadcasting room to sleep. No, he surprised everyone and paid attention. Everyone is talking about it.' Laito is distracted for a moment. 'No, I saw it myself. He's still there and it looks like he's doing homework. Sorry, Ayato is here too. He's just as surprised as me.'

Shu apologized to her. 'Possibly, he wants to be done with school for once. If he's the father, he would want to leave and with no diploma, he'll never find a job to maintain Risa and Daiki. Do Ayato and Kanato realize the same or not?'

'Wait a sec. How fast do you want to finish the academy if the DNA test shows one of you to be the father? Reiji is asking, not me.' Laito sounds in the background.

'Only if I have to.' Kanato reacts by squeezing Teddy.

'Well, obviously, if Yours Truly is the father then...' Ayato stops.

'Other students, just...' Laito waited a moment. 'They're gone. But the answer is yes from both of them.'

Why would that deadbeat take it seriously? And why now? Riddled, Reiji speaks again. 'In order to leave with Risa and Daiki, you need to finish the academy first. It means you need your diploma, but those two need a year-and-a-half to finish.' What's with the sudden change that he's in class and doing homework? I'll ask Risa, she seems to have influence enough on all of us. 'I'll see you later.' He hangs up and returns to Risa's room.

***

Knowing it's break time, Laito goes to the homeroom and sees his older brother inside. Ayato and Kanato are right behind him. 'Now, what made you go to class and do homework?'

'That's what Yours Truly wants to know too.' Ayato noticed the readable handwriting.

'Is Risa responsible for your change in behavior? You otherwise never leave the music room. Always there listening to your music or sleeping,' adds Kanato. He is doing homework. What did Risa tell him? Or what did she do that he's doing this?

Ignoring them, Shu finishes homework for one class and switches to math.

'Answer me. I called Reiji about this too. You got the whole school talking.' Laito tried taking the book away but failed.

I'm doing this for you and Daiki. If I want to leave, I need a diploma. Risa was right about that. Holding his book, he continues with math. 'Leave, or I'll make you leave.'

Ayato looks at Laito and back. 'Is that what this is about? Do you want to graduate in case you come out as Daiki's father?'

Shu still doesn't answer their questions. 'You're disturbing me.' He gets up and, one by one, throws them out. 'This is not your homeroom. Now leave me alone.' Kanato is the last one, but he follows rapidly since he throws the teddy bear down the hall.

'No! Teddy!' Kanato catches him by teleporting.

'Kanato.' Laito warns him when two students come around the corner. 'Be careful.'

Sobbing, he cuddles with Teddy. 'Then he shouldn't throw Teddy away like trash.'

'Don't bring him here and no one can use it against you,' laughs Ayato while walking away with Laito.