Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 42

_Chapter 42~ Curiosity Killed the Cat_

Accusing Iwasaki of being that fearsome delinquent from the rumours I'd heard was not one of the best solutions my mind had ever come up with.

Mainly because the idea only allowed for my unease about all the events that had transpired until now to melt away. Although I kept telling myself no, it had made perfect sense.

Daichi had heard rumours about him in middle school; Ryu was a delinquent in middle school.

Ryu originally had black hair—the same colour Miyabi mentioned 'Satoru's' hair was in the past.

It'd explain his connection with Raidon Tsuki, and why Mr. Matsuda had to cross out his real name on the attendance sheet on the first day of school.

But his real name... It wasn't exactly Ryu Iwasaki, was it? I kind of just started calling him that when I'd heard from others what his name was; I didn't actually see any proof. Did he go by Satoru in middle school? And was he familiar with Raidon and Keisuke then too? I hadn't heard much rumours about Raidon back in middle school, but he was still infamous by the time my third year in middle school rolled around.

Still, the idea was utterly incredulous.

I desperately wanted to ask him all this, but how could I? Aki was always an option, but the last time I'd asked about their past he'd said he didn't want me to go to him about it. That one time he even told me to get to know Ryu myself without going to him for answers...

To be honest, I didn't understand why I cared so much, but for some reason I did. So much so, that I'd even taken the opportunity of fibbing about needing to grab my clubroom's spare key from the staffroom with extreme enthusiasm.

"Don't worry, Mr. Matsuda!" I had told him, my heart hammering like a drill in my ears. "You deal with the soccer team's practice! When you get back to the staffroom, I'll be long gone! A-at my clubroom; I have to get to my after school club, y'know!"

"Well," he started, looking utterly startled by my behaviour as I ushered him out the staffroom door, "I can stay a for extra minutes for you to find it—"

"No, no, I don't want you to waste anymore time on me! You're already late!" I said, grinning wide. "I'll be sure to swipe it faster than you can blink, you'll see. You don't need to worry about a thing! Take your sweet time and leave it to me!"

"U-um," he stammered. "O-okay?"

With one final smile, I waved a dazed Mr. Matsuda off and after taking off his glasses and scrutinizing me as if he wasn't seeing straight, he shook his head and—not so subtly—ran off. Once his figure was gone from the vicinity of the vacant staff room, I exhaled a heavy breath of relief.

Placing my hands to my hips, I shakily released a breath, peering behind me and scouring for the location of Mr. Matsuda's desk. I glanced at the name tags interspersed around the room and when I finally settled upon his, my nervousness only seemed to heighten.

I couldn't believe I was doing this; going so far as to stick around after school hours and lie to Ryu by telling him I'd be busy with Erika so to leave without me... All of this, to purge my never-ending curiosity.

Staring down at the unorganized clutter of paperwork sprawled out on top of the desk, a tiny part of me was yelling at me to not do this. If a teacher walked in now, I'd be berated big time; the principal could even get involved. I was committing a crime. I couldn't deal with the consequences if they were to come.