Who Do You Remember?

Chapter 10: The Question Tossed Like a Life Ring

Keiji had returned to school immediately after the little intervention of sorts. Of course, he wasn't grandly welcomed back or anything. Most people were likely glad to be rid of him for a while. He was still somewhat burdened by the awareness that they'd one day get to watch him make himself look like a dimwit on television. But at the same time, things had finally started to slow down a bit. He'd somehow managed to convince his parents to attend the fair with him, noting that there might be interesting books on sale. They may have also been trying to make up for the fact that they'd be gone for a string of days afterward. As such, he got to witness Bisque's craft exhibit in person– feigning impartiality of course, but he snuck smirks at the ceramic artist, which made him beam from afar.

Speaking of... "Hey, Keiji! Keij!"

He rolled his eyes and groaned jokingly, but stopped in his path for Haruto to catch up. He dashed toward him wildly, somehow missing the "Caution, wet floor" sign. "Hey, fucking moron, be careful of the—"

As if on cue, he slipped onto his ass, jostling into a girl and making her drop her books. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeppity yep, I'm a-okay! What about y–?"

A look of utter horror crossed his face like Keiji had never seen before. Still on the floor, he hastened away from her and proceeded to hyperventilate. "SORRY!" he screamed, flinching at the volume of his own voice. "'Msorry, 'msorry, just make me—" The last part devolved into incomprehensible babbling, and Keiji was rendered frozen when he got a closer look at the girl. Tall and put-together with a dark, tidy bun. Though she was far from the impossibly imposing figure of Okemia Inoue, in Haruto's mind, she was close enough.

People started to whisper and giggle. A single "What a baby," could be heard softly.

"Leave him alone. Get the fuck away from him," Keiji growled.

"Damn, Sekiguchi. We know he's your pet project, but it's rich that you're calling us out when you tease him constantly," someone else pointed out.

"That's different."

"How, dude?" Everyone was now sneering at him, aside from the girl, who was just paralyzed in terrified silence.

Keiji considered trying to explain, but after a few seconds, realized it wasn't worth it and instead softly crouched to the ground. "Bisque. Hey. It's not her. She's gone. She's never gonna hurt you ever again."

He rocked on the floor, clutching his own arms. His gibberish transformed back into words, the words that Keiji knew were coming but feared badly. "Just make me write standards! I'll write so many standards! I'm sorry I'm such a bad kid!"

Keiji redirected his efforts. Speaking softly enough so that only the girl could hear, he addressed her. "You. Back up. And take your damn hair out of that bun. It's not your fault, but you're accidentally reminding him of a very bad person." She immediately complied, still incapable of speaking. Keiji grabbed all of her books and put them into her arms. She dashed away. "That make it any better?"

Haruto shivered, fresh tears coating his cheeks. "I'm scared." The look in his eyes was the same as when Keiji first found him, bruised arms hidden by long sleeves.

"Bisque. You're having a flashback. I'm— um, I'm massively unqualified for this."

"Kei...ji?"

"Yep, it's me."

"Why did you leave?!"

"You're the one who changed schoo— Agh, nevermind. Take deep breaths." Keiji coached Haruto on his breathing for several minutes. Once his body language relaxed and he seemed aware of where he was again, he nervously glanced at the gaggle of students who had been staring at him. He winced. Keiji turned back around to the bystanders with murder in his eyes. "I thought I told you to make like a tree, assholes."