Blue Spring Tragedy | Kou Mabuchi x Reader

35: Thrumming Heartstrings

It was yet another dreary day, but at least it was more tolerable. Once again, Yoichi asked his little brother to help him bring some papers over to the staff office during Kou's break.

As they walked, Yoichi worriedly glanced at Kou. "I won't drop these papers, I promise." Kou scoffed.

"Your arms are getting thin... Have you been eating properly?"

The younger brother insisted that it was because of the upcoming exams, even though they were weeks away. Still, Yoichi wouldn't press it: Kou would come about in his own time.

Soon, they reached the designated room. Plopping the stack of papers onto the table, Kou read over the red marks on the top of one particular exam. "Ouch," Kou muttered. "must've hurt."

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"This student only needed one more mark to pass," Kou replied. "She didn't make it."

"Hey — don't look at my test!" Suddenly, a red-faces girl appeared, swiped the test paper, and slammed it onto the table. With a scowl, she turned to Kou. Then her eyes widened. "You!"

"Me?"

"You're the person who helped (l/n)-senpai, right?" The younger year answered, pointing at him. "I'm sorry, I don't remember your name... And from your face, I'm assuming that you don't remember mine, which is okay! I'm Umeko, girl from the Big Bad Three Incident."

Kou blanked: it didn't ring a bell.

"It's another name for the bullying incident that happened not too long ago," Yoichi explained, "Now, what did you come here for?"

Umeko gave Yoichi an absence note that had to be registered. Yoichi questioned its odd colour but proceeded to validate her absence on the system while the students left the room.

"You look happier than when I first saw you." Kou prodded.

"Yeah," Umeko replied, a swing in her step, "I'm much happier than I was before. I've joined the track team and — not to brag — but I'm one of the best runners they have! Thanks to (l/n)-senpai, I've been able to make friends and enjoy school."

"...Ah, the bliss of naïve youth."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing," Kou answered, "Congratulations."

"Thanks. But now my track teammates are pestering me to spend lunch with them. I guess I've been hanging out with (l/n)-senpai a bit too much lately..." The younger year blushed, but her eyes glistened with admiration the more she talked. "Can't help it though. She's been there for me, so I'm there for her. I like her anyway."

Hanging out with (f/n)? "Where has she been?"

"Uh... in school?"

"Not like that. Where has she been eating lunch?"

"On the roof. It's a really nice place!" Umeko answered cheerfully, gesturing outside the window. She popped her head outside. "The wind is a lot cooler up there, even though the floor burns a little if you touch it with your skin."

Maybe (f/n) was hanging out there now... Kou peeped out the window as well, trying to spot the figure of the girl. He couldn't see her. He craned his neck upwards... maybe she was above them?

"Ah, (l/n)-senpai!"

Kou bashed his head against the hilt of the window. Rubbing it furiously, he cursed under his breath as he fell back from it.

"Ouch," Kou turned around to see Umeko smiling smugly, arms wrapped around her senpai. She reiterated Kou's words from earlier, "Must hurt, huh?"

"Nice to see you too, Umeko-chan," (F/n) patted Umeko's head softly. Umeko grinned with glee, further embracing her senpai like a koala. "What were you doing with Mabuchi-kun? Did you hurt him?"