Spring Upon the Solstice

II - Big Brother is Watching

{ Jhiro Fukiyama }

"Yoooo," the boy next to me whispers inaudibly across the aisle to me, as I sit hunched over with my chin resting on my elbow. "Kaiju nerrrd."

I snap my head over at the source of the noise, "Did you just call me a kaiju nerd?"

"Well," Tetsuya yawns, "you are, aren't you?"

"I swear—"

"—Forget it," he slips his fingers through the rows of ebony blades along his head, combing the spikes upwards at an angle. "Tokihara's gonna call on you soon, you know. I can see it in her eyes. Just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Well, aren't you awfully philanthropic today? What made you change?"

"I had a heart-to-heart with the clouds last night." He adds on, "And my sister told me to stop acting like an idiot, so that's also a thing."

"I don't see a correlation, but this doesn't feel right. Where's the troublemaker Tetsuya gone? Into hiding?"

"You are seriously trying to tempt the devil, aren't you?"

"I never took the devil to be so orderly," I grin.

"Allow me to assure you that I am the opposite of orderly, thank you very much."

"And Kaede?"

"Kaede is the epitome of sadism in this world. I wouldn't call her chaotic, but I'd certainly call her ruinous to anybody seeking comfort," he admits.

"Aren't you quite the same?"

"Well, she's my older sister and my only role model. I personally find peace in her strife."

What a trainwreck. Tetsuya, in a single word, is a mess. He wears different personalities on his sleeve as easily as he might put on a different jacket, the only constant in all of that being the witty remarks to back up his swagger. But he's family, and that's why we love him for it. He fills the void of honesty that Kyoji leaves. Not to say that Kyoji's presence isn't a welcome one, either; he simply just isn't as entertaining.

"Anyways, how are you so energetic this early? I'm exhausted."

"I can survive off any amount of sleep, however little. It's a talent."

"—Ahem!"

Both of our heads swing to the front of the room, in unison, as it dawns on me that philosophy class hasn't ended yet. Our teacher, in all of her brimstone fury, has the projector remote in her hand pointed straight at my chest. Oh, shit.

In my daze, my pencil falls out of my hands, and strikes against the dusty linoleum with a hollow clatter.

"Mr. Fukiyama, and Mr. Hirosano. Whatever will I do with you?" she sighs, disappointed by our lack of focus. "Since whatever discussion you two are having is clearly more important than what we're going over, would you like to share whatever sins and secrets you may have so lovingly indulged in behind our backs?"

Laughter circulates through the air; even among the hardworking students of Kyoto-1 High School, you can't escape sexual innuendos. Can't blame them, either. I suppose that's just how the cookies crumble for a bunch of oppressed teenagers all in the same crappy boat, and all sinking under the tensions sweeping the city. The riots are getting worse; there's two more absent seats in our class today.

"I think I'll pass," Tetsuya replies first, unfolding his spine against the plastic back of his desk.

"And you, Mr. Fukiyama? Any defense?"