Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
❀⋆˚｡ ╰┈➤ Ranpo has been through a total of three—three!—of Yosano's back massage sessions, and still, it wasn't enough to ease the tension in his shoulders.
He cursed at the old man in his head.
"And do you know where she is?" A male of stern demeanor but a compassionate heart, sat behind the mahogany desk. His gaze remained steady as he watched Ranpo frown slightly.
The young man couldn't hide his annoyance, even though he was in the audience of Principal Fukuzawa. Why did this old geezer insist on making him deal with the ongoing issue of the troublemaker—especially when there hadn't been any major incidents for the past few days?
The last thing he wanted was to be her babysitter.
"No," he half-lied, hoping it'd be enough to get him out of looking for you, "I haven't even seen her for the past few days." If Ranpo truly wanted, he'd be able to find you in a heartbeat, just by the pure gift of his mind.
The Prinicpal remained silent and, to the outsider, his face seemed emotionless. But the student council president knew his mannerisms all too well.
"She's been quiet lately," Ranpo began again with a whine, his irritation seeping into his words. "I don't see why I have to keep checking up on her!"
He heard an audible sigh from the old man, "Ranpo, you work well as the student council head because of your exceptional intelligence—but you lack the discipline to take responsibility. Your laziness is starting to jeopardize your position. I will not ask you again."
It was then, he realized, that his hands were tied.
— —
"A dollar fifty!" You exclaimed to the void. "What has the world come to. I can barely pay for a whole meal—and they're charging me a dollar fifty for a bag the size of my big toe?!" The bag crinkled as you snapped it open.
"A dollar fifty..." you repeated once more. A few of the chips inside disappeared, and the silence under the cherry tree was replaced with the sound of chewing.
At least your bruises didn't hurt as much anymore, and the open cuts had scabbed over. It was also quiet under the cherry tree, a moment of solace from all the troubles and rules of the school.
And, from the nagging of that uptight student council president.
The bundle of chips you took previously had vanished, so you reached for more. Without looking, your hand searched the bag a few minutes—and you felt it empty.
How could that be? You'd just opened the damned thing, has the school really gotten this cheap?
Yet when you looked to your left, it was as though death itself had come knocking at your door. Your body jolted upright, and you instinctively took a few steps back.
"Really? The cherry tree?" Ranpo's words were muffled as he stuffed his mouth with your food, but you could still discern the clear disapproval in his voice.
"Where the hell did you come from? I didn't even hear you—!" You eyed his face, now smeared with crumbs. "A dollar fifty down the drain..."
The president sat himself straighter on the tree, "Principal Fukuzawa forced me to come find you, though, it wasn't really hard."
You grumbled, "And here I thought I'd found a great spot to hide away—guess nothing gets past you, prez." Ranpo
Ranpo shrugged casually, clearly proud of his own abilities. "Well, I do have a knack for discovering secrets," he paused as his eyes narrowed, and a knowing smirk crossed his face. "So, have you been causing any trouble lately, or is this just your way of skipping class?"
You rolled your eyes, unable to resist a sarcastic comeback. "What does it look like? You think I'm waiting for a gang fight?"
The boy's cocky grin widened as he leaned back against the tree. "Always good to check."
"Shouldn't you be doing student council stuff?"
Ranpo yawned, adjusting his position again, "I don't feel like it. I think I'll lay here for a while longer."
Silence followed after his sentence. The soft rustling of the leaves and distant laughter from other students was the only thing that filled the stillness under the cherry tree.
But suddenly, Ranpo's stomach let out an audible growl—and the young man stole a glance to his right. "Mind if I eat these?"
Before you could answer, he reached over and grabbed the roll of candies, casually unwrapping it and shoving it all into his mouth.
Your frustration flared, and you almost let your foul mouth run—but you knew you were powerless to retaliate, considering his status as the student council president.
Your face twisted in anger, but Ranpo simply grinned, seemingly unfazed by your irritation, as he continued to enjoy your only source of happiness.
"Why don't you just take my soul too while you're at it."
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION 10.15.2023 ❀
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
