Transferred into Hakuou!? (Hakuouki Fanfiction)

Replay 12: Girl On A Hot Tin Roof

I come to school after two days of relaxation to notice students of Hakuou High staring at me in a weird way. At first I shrug it off until I hear someone whispering the name 'Kashitarou Itou'. Stopping in my tracks, I turn to ask what the guy mean when Chizuru runs up to me with Heisuke right behind her.

"Morning Chizuru." I look at the panting Heisuke, wondering if I should greet him.

"Good morning, Jun-chan." Chizuru's bright smile turns uncertain. "Did you see...the school website's forum?" Noticing my confused expression, she takes out her cell phone and taps on it. Then she shows the article to me.

"'Scream Queen of Hakuou High confesses to the school bully!?'" It takes me a second for my mind to realise that the article is about Itou and I. I glance at Chizuru in shock and shakes my head. "I...I didn't confess to him or anything!"

By now Heisuke has caught his breath and pats me on the back hard. "Don't needa be shy, Akamine!" What is this guy talking about? I shoot him an annoyed look, and his grin drops. "I'll be going now, Chizuru..." He murmurs and runs into the school.

I turn my attention back to the ridiculous article. "But...this isn't true! And how do they know that I was with Itou on the weekend?"

Chizuru moves to my side, scrolling down the page. "There is a video that comes along with it..." Before she finishes I snatch her phone out of her hands and click play on the video. Immediately the video shows my confrontation with Itou. The background noise was somehow static, and I can make out the sentence "because I cannot stand the idea of just watching you sin".

How is this confession? As I continue to watch, Itou grabs my collar and pulls me closer. The perspective of the camera has made it look like Itou kissed me, and I almost throw Chizuru's phone onto the floor.

"What is this...bullshit!?" I squeak in frustration. My mind races, trying to think of who would record this scenario--until Souji's smiling face flashes before my eyes. That idiot...what is he planning? I pass the cell phone back to Chizuru and charge towards the school. Souji should be in his class now--and there is still some time left before lessons start.

I run up to the thrid floor of the building and pause to take a few deep breaths. Souji didn't tell me his class, but I can always ask the seniors around. I stop a boy who has his earphones on. He takes them off exasperatedly, and listens to my request before pointing to the classroom next to us. I thank him and burst into the room.

Everyone stops to look up who it is, and when they see me they look at one another, mumbling about scream queens and confessions. I hesitate before meeting my eyes with Souji. My face red, I walk up to him and grab his hand.

"Come with me," is all I say as I drag him up to the rooftop. Behind us, I hear the boys hooting like owls in heat. They're crazy, I think to myself as we head up the stairs. When we are on the rooftop, I turn to Souji and shoot him my fiercest scowl, but he doesn't even flinch. "Did you record the video?"

Souji's look is the one of confusion. "What video?"

In exasperation, I stomp my foot. "The one on the school forum! You posted that didn't you!?" His expression doesn't change, and instead his green eyes shift down to our still-holding hands. My face goes red and I quickly let him go. I then remove my phone from my pocket and go online to find that ridiculous article. "What is this then?"

I practically shove my phone into his face. Souji's eyes skim through the words and chuckles. "This is not my doing."

"It have to be you!" I almost shout. "If it's not you who else can it be?"

"I feel honoured that you think I will do something like this," he says. "But it's not me."

I collapse onto the ground. I don't want to be paired up with a snakehead like Kashitarou Itou. I don't know if the person who posted that video has a grudge against Itou or me, but I really want to tear down that recording.

It is then the school bell rings and Souji leaves me for his class. I sit there dazed before going back to my classroom, my head still in clouds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is not happening.

I stand right in front of Kashitarou Itou, who looks nervous. It almost creeps me out (a snake being nervous is not a good omen) and I stare at the grass at my feet, aware of the number of students crowding around us. Itou doesn't seem to notice it at all.

"What do you want?" I start reluctantly. The suspense is killing me slowly.

"Well..." Itou blushes like a girl in a shoujo manga and I wince. This cannot be good. "Actually, I..."

Enough is enough. "I don't think I want to continue this conversation," I say and hastily turn to run away. The next thing out of his mouth cannot be good, and I am right.

Except that I am too late.

"I like you, Akamine Jun!"

Oh shit.

Maybe I didn't dig my ears this morning. That's the reason why I'm mishearing things.

"I like you!"

I shut my eyes tightly and take a shaky breath. All I have to do is to walk away and pretend nothing happened. And also avoid Kashitarou Itou from now on. Then everything will be fine...

I feel a hand tightening around my wrist and gasp. Itou makes me turn to him and he pulls me closer. This cannot be happening. How did a confrontation turn into a confession?

"Did you hear me?" Itou asks the stunned me. "I've fallen in love with you, Akamine Jun. Please do go out with me."

My soul has left my body, I just know it. Recovering from my shock, I push him away with all my strength and glare at him.

"You bastard!" I yell in anger. "Do not touch me, snakehead! Stay away from me!" I am so fuming I gesture at him rudely, before stomping off. I hear the students watching us gasp dramatically, and begin to discuss among themselves as I rush up to the rooftop to get some cool air.