Tide Between Two Worlds

Sugar, Spikes, and Everything Nice

       Keeping up with the competitive vibe, Meiou Academy was feeling good after yesterday's swim meet. Now, it was the girls volleyball team's turn to put on a show. But first, classes.

       "Alright class..." the history teacher announced, "if you open your textbooks to page 92, we're going to get into the Heian period."

       Heian period. Yippee, Kiyoni sarcastically thought.

Meanwhile, Shuichi balanced his attention in between class and Kiyoni. It was something about her that he liked but couldn't put his finger on it. She was no different from the other girls in school other than her genetic makeup. Was it the way she wore her uniform? No. Depending on the weather, Kiyoni wore either a white, short-sleeved dress shirt, black, pink, and white, candy cane striped necktie, and a cranberry red sweater vest with golden trimming and optional blazer jacket or a longer-sleeved version of the shirt and sweater combo with a business gray, knee-length, pleated skirt. Everything was always clean and prepped for the day. Wasn't the socks she wore either. No one could really tell but Kiyoni managed to find a pair of calf-high socks that were black in color but displayed cranberry and gold lining near the top to show her loyalty to the team and school. Thing is those socks were turned outside-in just to blend in with everyone else. During the colder days, Kiyoni even managed to get away with a pair of insulated leggings that gave the appearance of insulated tights. Shoes weren't an issue either. Just as standard as every other schoolgirl. Maybe it was her hair. Shuichi could remember last year when a couple of students wore box braids to school with seemingly little to no trouble. The only difference was that when Kiyoni had them, she had to be sent to the faculty office only to come back the next day with notes from a dermatologist declaring the authenticity of her hair and from mom explaining the culture behind the style with a subsequent request demanding an apology from the school and suspected students for the trouble both mother and daughter went through. How embarrassing. Just what was making Kiyoni so appealing?

       "Minamino," the teacher called, "Mister Minamino?"

       So much for those analytic thoughts. "Eh, yes?"

       "Welcome back. Congratulations on your victory yesterday but we could use you out of the water now. Okay?"

Those in class giggled while Kiyoni secretly looked back. Even Kuronue shook his head.

       Shuichi understood, "Yes, sir. Apologies."

       During the lunch period, Shuichi stepped outside for some air, feeling a bit hot under the collar from getting called out in class. In the school hallway, he overlooked the courtyard that neighbored a city street bordering a couple of homes and an empty plot of land reserved for construction. It was to be another normal day in Mushiyori City as shown by the partly cloudy skies.

       "Yo..." Kuronue beckoned, "are you okay?"

       "Fine."

       "You sure? How did you sleep last night?"

       "Actually...it was the best sleep I've had in a while. Now I have another week to catch up."

       "True. So, eh...what was that bruise about?"

       "What bruise?"

       "The one on your leg from yesterday?"

Kuronue would find it strange because Shuichi found it to be just as unusual. That bruise did look ugly. However, it disappeared by the time Shuichi woke up this morning. Like it never happened. What Shuichi noticed afterwards was a bit shocking. Unsure of where it came from, Shuichi discovered what looked like two, small puncture marks in the same area. Where did those come from?