Specimen T-04

Part 13~Assembly

The air felt different after Nagisa's confession, though most of the class didn't realise it. Nagisa had returned to his normal, social outcast life, and Karma was trying his best to not punch Keiji as he taught him the difference between the different 'there's.

Keiji was one new word from crying, and everything was back to normal until the school assembly.

After the trudge down the mountain and into the hall, the class wasn't too happy, especially Nagisa.

The whole school was whispering and pointing at him.

"Hey Nagisa? What's going on?" Kayano raised her eyebrow as Nagisa shrugged his shoulders, avoiding the question.

Jerring, an old classmate Nagisa would have preferred to forget, snarled out his name. "It's been a long time Nagisa. Told everyone they were overreacting when they thought you died."

"Yeah, we knew you were only doing it for the attention," the other classmate joked as Nagisa sighed.

"Great observation. If only that got you a better grade so you wouldn't be in the line next to mine."

The boys were startled at Nagisa's comment, falling quiet as the vice principal walked up to the podium. "As vice principal, I honour you, the chosen few gathered from all around the country to study here. The elite! But you dare not become complacent. If you let your guard down, you'll end up like those hopeless you-know-whos! Oh, excuse me, did I say that out loud?"

The school laughed as class E lowered their heads. Sugaya tilted his head as he asked Nagisa where Karma was. The guy had ditched. He didn't care about getting in trouble and wasn't going to deal with the school. Who could blame him?

"Next, we have an announcement from the student council. Are the student council members prepared?" The principal's words fell on deaf ears as Karasuma walked in. He got the attention of the teachers, taken by his looks and then by the students as he tried to stop Rio and Hinano from showing off their newly decorated sheaths.

Almost as if she was walking a fashion show, Miss Vitch burst into the hall, sliding in with weird grace that only she had and getting everyone else's attention.

"Why are you here, Irina?" Karasuma wasn't that happy that she was here as she snarled in response.

"Oh, shut up. I'm just here to gather intel for my next plan." She turned, waving her hand. "Nagisa... Your notebook has all the octopus's weaknesses in it. I want to borrow it."

Nagisa gulped, stepping back. "What? Why? I've already told you everything."

"I know you're hiding the good stuff. Just hand it over, or I'll-" She grabbed Nagisa, about to pull him closer when Keiji stopped her.

"Lay one more hand on my Nagisa, and I will hang you from the ceiling and give your clothes to my dog."

Miss Vitch held up her hands, stepping back. "Don't have to get so jealous. I'm just doing my job."

Keiji threw his arm around Nagisa, glaring at her until she retreated and Nagisa pushed him away. "You need to line up before the school gets mad."

Keiji pouted, skimming across Nagisa's thoughts before sending in a message. "Don't worry, I'll always be here to protect you, even if the school bans me."

"I can protect myself, Keiji."

"Not without breaking your vow," Keiji sang as Nagisa scowled, lightly punching Keiji's back.

"Shut up."

The school fell silent once more as the student council president walked up to the mic. "Okay, the student council events are all printed on the handout you just received."

Class E did not have them. Isogai raised his hand, speaking up. "Excuse me, class E didn't get the handout yet."

"Oh, really? That's strange. I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten the ones for class E. You can borrow mine and memorise it. That is if you can read."

Keiji snarled, about to storm up to the jerk, when Nagisa grabbed him, stopping him. Nagisa wrapped his arms around Keiji, freezing him in place as the laughing continued. Keiji glanced over Nagisa's thoughts, about to speak to him when Nagisa beat him to it. "Their laughs remind me of why I left in the first place."

Keiji's heart lurched, and he resisted the urge to scream at Karma to get his ass down here. Instead, he pulled Nagisa forward, wrapping his arms around Nagisa's neck as Nagisa held onto his hand. Nagisa barely had time to grab the sheet of paper as Koro-sensei zipped down the line.

"Problem solved. Everyone seems to have a handwritten copy of the handout now." Koro-sensei laughed, spinning his pen between his poorly disguised glove.

Isogai smiled, nodding as he reported back to the student council president. "What? No way! How?! Hey! Who spoiled our prank-" The guy paused, clearing his throat. "Let's keep going."

No one could focus on that guy when Miss Vitch tried to stab Koro-sensei, and Karasuma had to drag her from the premises. The class laughed to themselves as they relaxed, growing used to the familiar tune.

~~~

Nagisa had to pry himself out of Keiji's arms, going to get himself a drink while Keiji huffed and retreated to his phone.

Nagisa grabbed the drinks, knowing Keiji was parched, even if he refused to say.

"Hey Nagisa, aren't you guys getting a bit too carried away?" Takada snarled as he and his equally dumb friend walked up to Nagisa.

"Laughing and having fun?"

"You're class E, the loser class. Accept it."

"Your life's crap, and it's going to stay that way. Isn't that why you ran away in the first place?" Tanaka growled as Nagisa refused to talk. He tried to walk past the brute, but Tanaka grabbed him, shoving him up to the wall. "Say something, class E! I'll kill you!"

Nagisa scoffed, glaring through his hair. "You wouldn't know how. But feel free to try. I like my target practice."

The boy dropped him, backing away faster than their confidence.

Nagisa strolled past, humming under his breath as he walked with his hands behind his back, acting as if nothing had happened.

He gave Keiji a drink before taking the boy's hand and pulling him away, missing the way Koro-sensei beamed in pride at his student and the way the principal scowled at him.