Changed (KNB Fan Fiction : Haizaki Shogo)

:Chapter Twelve:

The day started off with the gust of the wind blowing through the brown, orange, and red leaves, making them fall and land on the ground.

Satrudays are one of the days when I can sleep soundly at home and cuddle with my pillows until afternoon but it seems that has to be postponed especially since this day is a different day because today is the day Ai-chan, Tsuko-chan and I will get to spend it together!

I stopped right in front of a store and waited there patiently with a wide grin plastered on my face. I checked my wrist watch and it seems I was too early. Maybe excitement took over today.

As I waited for them to arrive, my peripheral vision caught sight of a very familiar man with his hands around an unfamiliar girl. They looked... close. I mean really close. With their bodies.

The urge to follow him overflowed within me but I suddenly remembered what he said on the gym. Should I or should I not? I asked myself.

If I followed him, I could see what he's doing but Ai-chan and onee-chan will get mad. But if I don't follow him... nothing will happen. Maybe I shouldn't. But I...

It took a moment for me to decide as his figure was slowly disappearing. So in the end, I broke the promise I made with my friends and instead followed him to where he would go.

But as I followed him throughout the day, nothing interesting happened. He just went to places with his 'girlfriend' and flirted; to some boutiques where the girl tried out some nice clothes, to some snack shops to grab something to eat then they headed to the arcade but did not play anything.

It was nearing lunch when he finally parted with the girl he was with. They both smiled at each other with a flirtatious look and went on their seprate ways. Haizaki-kun then walked alone with both his hands on his pockets.

I followed him still and led me to nowhere. Like seriously, following him led me to an unfamiliar place. But I have a clear guess where I am.

The basketball court? Haizaki-kun's going to play basketball? What about lunch?

Suddenly, I heard someone dribbling behind me and it somehow made me nervous. A sweat dropped from my forehead and chills suddenly went up my spine. I did not plan on turning around for fear of seeing deadly glares from the guy I've been following. But I still turned around and was greeted with deadly glares.

"You're following me. Again." Haizaki-kun emphasized the word again as he stared at me with his scary eyes.

I just gulped, trying to calm down. "I wasn't following you. I also had―"

"I already felt your presence right from the start." He said with every word dripping with venom. "What is it with you and stalking? Huh?"

"I―I wasn't stalking you. I was just―"

"Then what do you call this?"

I remained frozen; my feet and hands can't move. My breathing started to fasten with my heartbeat accelerating with much speed. I can't say anything or do anything. I'm just scared.

"Hey!"

Suddenly I heard a very familiar voice shout out. The tears that were meaning to fall of disappeared once I blinked and saw Ai-chan and Tsuko-chan ran towards me.

I started to calm down when Tsuko-chan enveloped me into a comforting hug and Ai-chan stood in front of me for defense.

"What do you think you're doing frightening the hell out of her?" Ai-chan asked. Her eyes looked dull with venom also dripping from her tone; her voice so cold as ice.

"What?" Haizaki-kun asked in more of a mocking tone. "We're just about to have fun when you appeared."

"Well sorry to ruin your little fun, Haizaki."

The man in front of us chuckled. But suddenly his mocking grin was immediately replaced with a killing look that sent Tsuko-chan and I to shiver in fear. But it seems it did not have the same effect with Ai-chan as she stood there with the same killing intent as Haizaki-kun. She's head strong and enough to be a delinquent. I said inside my mind.

"Now get away from her." Haizaki-kun glared at Ai-chan but it seems she wasn't fazed by his threatening stares. She even stared at him with the same stare. She tried to stand up for me and I'm really happy she's a friend I can count on.

"No. You get away from here."

"I didn't know that Fukuda Sogo has someone like you." Haizaki-kun mocked. "This could be interesting."

"You're really making my blood boil." Ai-chan rolled her hands into a tight fist as she growled. It may sound like she's saying it to Haizaki-kun, but she wasn't directing to him but it somehow felt like she's directing it to me.

The two got ready to rumble; staring deeply at each other with Ai-chan's fist turning pale white from being too tight. Haizaki-kun cracked his knuckles as he had a very amused smile etched on his face. This was starting to make me nervous as Ai-chan really looked ready to punch him.

"Ai-chan," I called out to her. "Please end this. Let's go home."

She ignored me. She didn't say anything―do anything. But stood there and just glared at Haizaki-kun.

I knew I had do something. I knew I had to. But I don't know what.

Until Haizaki-kun's phone suddenly rang and the tensed air finally faded as he answered his phone with a 'hello'.

We were glued to where we were standing as we waited for Haizaki-kun to finish. When he ended the call, he glanced back at Ai-chan and sneered. "Be thankful I have to go somewhere." He said, turning his back on us while dribbling the ball. "See you at school, girly."

Ai-chan spat while Tsuko-chan and I watched Haizaki-kun walk away, fear finally disappearing.

***

"What was that suppose to be?" Ai-chan asked, he fist meeting the table.

We're currently having lunch at a fastfood restaurant, eating burger and fries with two regular-sized cola and one large-sized cola.

I looked at my unwrapped burger and said nothing. I felt like a child being lectured by her mother after breaking a vase at home. She's really a mother right now. This always happens since we were a kid.

I sighed and kept silent. I know I don't have to talk right now. I'll let Ai-chan talk her anger out.

"I can't believe you ditched us just to 'follow' that guy again!" It was a good thing the fastfood restaurant was noisy; they can't hear Ai-chan. "What's up with you and stalking? Huh?"

I chuckled. She just said what Haizaki-kun said.

"What's funny?" I immediately shut up and stared at my unwrapped burger again while Ai-chan continued. "What's up with you and Haizaki anyway? You've been hooked up on him since―I don't know―since you transfered?"

I know answering now can make her angrier but I just have to clear things up. I have to tell her that―

"Do you like him?"

I froze. Partly because she asked that kind of question. And partly because it wasn't Ai-chan who asked but Tsuko-chan. I felt like this is the second time they asked me that.

"No." I denied more like a mumble. "But I promise I'm just curious of him."

"From the looks of it," Tsuko-chan closely observed me from top to bottom then hummed. "You like him."

"As I said earlier: I don't."

They looked unsure at first and even looked intently at me, waiting for me to bluff at any moment. But I stared straight into their eyes, telling them I don't.