Stepping Beyond the Pixels: Loves Intricate Game

Chapter Thirteen: New Plan Aquired

Owlishly, you blinked back in response.

"A-ah, uhm, I'm fine, partner..." Internally, you were kicking yourself for being so awkward and forgetting her name. She had gone out of the way to reintroduce herself last Monday and now you've gone and forgotten it already, but in hindsight you had so much going on that week who could really blame you. Thankfully not her.

With a sweet, understanding giggle she kindly said, "You forgot my name again, didn't you?"

At her words you hung your head and walked the few steps to stand behind your station, all the while saying, "I'm so sorry about that. I know you already told me it but then so much happened last week, and I hadn't had the time to commit it to memory yet, and–well..." Even though the plain girl clearly didn't seem bothered by the fact, your own mortification about forgetting your lab partner's name caused you to bashfully ramble on.

"Hey, don't stress about it. I don't blame you at all, especially not after everything that you went through." She quickly waved away your concerns, her hair that was tied up in a ponytail wishing behind her head. "My name is Nakano Emi,–be sure to remember it this time." she playfully added, lightly teasing you.

"Right!" you exclaimed, showing your determination to remember her name, which in turn stifles another laugh from her.

"But, of course, you can just call me Emi-chan."

Before you know it the Home Econ teacher, Saito-sensei, enters the classroom and almost immediately starts talking about the switch in partners. The good mood you developed from talking with Nakano quickly washed away and was instead replaced with the same sense of dread that you felt earlier.

"Alright class, as I'm sure many of you already know, Makino-san is no longer with us,"

'What a crude way to put it, teach.'

"With her absences, I will need to rearrange a few of you so that things are even again, which shouldn't be too difficult. Suzuki-san," aforementioned boy looked up at the sound of his name, "You will be partnering up with Kobayashi-san from now on."

"Yes, sensei," he obediently replied, not that he had much of a choice anyways. He seemed to already know who she was as his gaze immediately turned to look over at her, sending a friendly smile in her direction.

You couldn't help the furrow of your brows or the slight grimace that graced your face as you watched Suzuki move from his old station over to Yuki's. Of course they seemed to get along just fine, an observation you made as you couldn't help but to watch them as the teacher went through the class. But it seems you weren't the only one interested in watching their interactions.

When you finally decided that you should probably be paying attention to class, you turned to inquire about something with Emi but stopped when you noticed her eyes trained on the two people who have been giving you the most grief as of late.

'Huh? Why is she staring at them so intently?' Looking between her and the two across the room, you did a few double takes trying to figure out what it was that caught and kept her attention. 'No, wait. It's not the two of them that she's staring at but rather–'

"You like Suzuki-kun?" you question out loud without even meaning to.

"Eh?" she quickly snapped her head to face you. "EHHh!" she loudly exclaimed, face flushing a bright red.

"Settle down over there! Do not interrupt my class!"

"Y-yes, Saito-sensei!" Emi bashfully said, bowing and apologizing profusely. When the moment passed, and everyone went back to what they were doing, Emi turned back to you still with a flushed face. "Are you crazy, L/n-san!" she stiffly whispered. "Me? Like Suzuki-kun? T-that's absolutely absurd! Sure, he and I have been friends for a few years now, and, sure, I can't help but admire that sparkle in his eyes whenever he talks about something he's passionate about. That doesn't mean I like-like him or anything! We're just friends after all. Haha, aha, haaa..." There was a moment of brief silence before Emi gently slapped her hands over her face and murmured saying, "Is it that obvious?"