The Mastermind is a Middle School Student (KHR FF)

Crash

(13: crash and burn crash and burn)

[-1-]

"Yukimura."

"Hm?"

"Yukimura, you really need to stop this."

"Why?"

"You're running out of paper."

"... I can buy more."

"Yukimura."

"What."

"You're running out of time."

[-2-]

The sun shines a little bit brighter, perhaps happy, perhaps angry. The behemoth glares into the camera lens, a nice cool streak of light slashed across the screen.

Gokudera doesn't know why exactly he's carrying a camera to school, nor does he know why he's willingly taking pictures of stupid side-road flowers.

But what he does knows, is that—

"It's all that sissy's fault."

"You're oddly eager to let me know you hate me," the sissy irritatingly said from behind him. The lanky shadow of the unwelcomed visitor casts over the red poppy he planned to capture— and blocking the sun.

"Tch," Gokudera put down his camera, "I'm more than eager, I'm exhilarated."

"Really?" Yukimura had a soft smile on his face, the same irritating length, the same blinding degree. Gokudera bets all of his U.M.A collection that this guy practices weird faces in front of the mirror every morning.

Gokudera pulled the camera up once more, ignoring the pest beside him in slow controlled breathing, waiting patiently for something to happen.

"Wow, ignoring me?" The disturbance spoke. "Very unlike you, sir right-hand-man."

He waits.

The poppy swayed slightly in the wind.

"I suppose you're dedicated," Yukimura amusedly spoke to himself, "It is, after all, Reborn's idea."

The wind stills.

The shadow cast over the poppy swayed slightly to the right. Half of the red bleeds into the screen.

"A 'team bonding' activity?" The voice floated over, and then quieted down, "... When did I join your group again?"

Click!

"?" Yukimura looked down— and laughed into the sky.

"You're disturbing me, go away." Gokudera grumbled, looking down into the camera, checking what he had captured.

"Sure sure, but Reborn is watching," Yukimura pulled his hands up in surrender, "Sure about that?"

"Tch." Gokudera gloomily responded, and clicked the camera close. Stormy eyes stare back at the baggage, "Are you coming or not?"

"Go where?"

Impatient footsteps rustled through the bushes at the side of the road.

"Hey!" Yukimura exclaimed, jogging to catch up with the impatient bomber.

On the plane of grass, besides the grey road — the bright red poppy crookedly stands, its green stem snapped to the left. It might not live any longer, but at least to someone, it had served its purpose.

[-3-]

"It's raining."

"It is." Eitou responded.

"You're outside."