The Strange Life Of Mikoto Ishida (Yutaro Kindaichi)

Break

It wasn't like me to get angry at Kindaichi. He was my best friend, so why would I ever be upset with him? Especially when he'd only been concerned about me. Entering the locker room, I changed quickly and was on my way out of the school. The sooner I got away from her, the better off I would be... even if I would have to return in only a day or so...

My mind was elsewhere, so I never heard the footsteps that were coming up behind me. Too busy thinking about the match... the way that I acted towards my best friend... the cowardly way I'd been even when it came to Oikawa who never failed to pick a fight with me... the thought that anyone might even be following after me... Not until heard the voice. His voice.

"Going so soon, Miko-chan?"

Suddenly my blood feels like ice. Turning around, I find myself face-to-face with my worst nightmare. What's worse was that a few members of my little fan club were nearby. That meant no running and I had to be especially careful of anything I said.

When I didn't give him any response, he grabbed me by the chin and forced me to face him. Instantly I averted my gaze, though that didn't help the fact that I was trembling in fear. Nothing terrified me more than the man right in front of me. I couldn't even bring myself to make even the tiniest sound... but luckily I didn't have to.

"Don't touch Miko," an all too familiar voice said. Kindaichi grabbed the older man's hand and ripped it away from me. The air around us was quite tense as my best friend glared at the man who was threatening me. "Leave him alone."

My stalker's eyes scanned Kindaichi's body, assessing how much of a threat he could be... which despite his pretty tall height was quite a low level... If the two were to fight, I honestly doubt that Kindaichi could win... but there was no way that either one would pick a fight right here and now... not when there were other eyes watching and waiting to see what they would do.

"I'll see you again soon, my Miko-chan..." His cold eyes shifted from Kindaichi to me and then turned away. He might have been retreating for now, but I knew that it was only a matter of time... It was terrifying to think of what he might do to Kindaichi if he interfered again...

Once my stalker was out of sight, Kindaichi's full attention was on me. It was only natural of course, considering what had just happened and the way I'd snapped at him only moments ago... It wouldn't be a surprise if I had a scolding coming... but nothing like that happened... "You're staying with me tonight."

If anyone knew that I was a girl besides Kindaichi, there would be no way in hell that I would be allowed to stay at his house. Admittedly, his mother wasn't exactly fond of me, but she couldn't exactly refuse when her "precious baby" wanted to have his friend stay over.

I stared up at the ceiling of Kindaichi's bedroom as I waited. He was busy explaining to his mother why I needed to be here... something about having really screwed up during the match and then taking it really hard... While my screw-up with the practice match was true enough, that wasn't exactly why...

The two of us spent most of our time together, being good friends and being in the same class and club, so it was quite obvious to Kindaichi when something was seriously wrong. I was playful, flirty, and constantly picking fights with Oikawa... that was the Miko that he knew as normal... Today, I'd been none of those, meaning that something wasn't right.

My gaze shifted to the floor as he came in at last, taking a seat on the floor near me. After the way I'd treated him earlier, I felt ashamed and couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

He didn't say anything at first, waiting to see if I would say anything. When I didn't, it left us in rather awkward silence. Sighing, I then heard him speak up. "What's with you?" His voice is a mix of calm and angry, making it kind of scary. "You're constantly talking back to Oikawa and going on about how you're so much better than he is, yet you completely screw up the one time you get to play in a match? Not to mention the fact that you were actually begging to be taken out of the match..."

I stayed quiet, feeling too ashamed to speak up. It was like being a child again and being scolded by my mother... "And then with that guy, you didn't even act like yourself. You didn't tell him to leave you alone or to stop touching you... Who the hell was that guy anyway, huh? How do you even know him?"

Once more, I don't speak... I'm too afraid to say it... Now that I think about it, just how much had I even told Kindaichi? Almost nothing, really... How can I even call him a friend when I've never told him about something really important like this? Sure, it was to protect him, but that wasn't a reason to keep him completely in the dark.

Kindaichi's mouth opened to speak, but before he could continue his scolding, something inside me snapped. "Just call me a coward and be done with it already!" I clenched my eyes shut, fearing that if I dared to keep them open, I'd break down completely not be able to stop crying... Even if he knew that I was a girl, it didn't mean that I wanted him to see me actually acting like one... Must have become a habit after acting like a guy for so long.

"I'm a coward, okay?" My voice shook as I spoke, struggling to keep myself calm. "He's the reason I had to leave Fukurodani... He stalked me and beat my best friend nearly to death just because he tried to protect me... it's why I've been to more schools than I can even remember since the start of the year..." After keeping Kindaichi in the dark for so long, I most definitely owed him some answers now... but for the moment, that was all I could say.

An arm slipped around my shoulders in a comforting gesture and what little grip I had on myself slipped... I broke down and clung to him, no longer able to keep it all in. It had been too long since I'd been able to be this vulnerable with anyone one and all I could do was cry on his shoulder as Kindaichi hugged me comfortingly.