Unreadable [Ritsu x Reader]

Chapter 14: A Confession

"Where's Mob this afternoon?" I ask Ritsu on our way home from school.

"Oh, he's busy," Ritsu replies. "He's sticking around today to help with the body building club. He's been helping out with the new younger recruits."

"That's nice of him," I respond.

"Yeah, my brother is a pretty cool guy. He works hard." Ritsu watches a jet stream passing overhead and smiles.

Not much is said after that; Ritsu seems pretty quiet this afternoon. After a few more blocks he stops walking. I halt my pace and look back at him. He's staring at the ground, hand gripping his bag strap.

"Hey Nami?" He asks, shuffling his foot a little.

"Yes?"

"Remember that day you got hit with a baseball, the one where I took you to the nurse's office."

"Yeah, I remember" I respond.

He swallows before speaking. "...that was me"

"Huh?"

"I was the one who hit you with the baseball. I, um, wanted to meet you as soon as I saw you, but it was obvious you wanted nothing to do with anyone else. During PE, I saw the other class practicing baseball and planned on bonking you with the ball. That way I could volunteer to take you to the nurse and talk to you. The problem is I'm still not the best about controlling my new powers, and I accidentally hit you harder than I meant to. I still feel really guilty about it, and I guess you deserved to know. I'm really sorry."

Ritsu keeps his head down and doesn't look up. I quietly think about his story. Normally I would expect myself to be annoyed and get mad at someone for pulling a stunt like that, but for some reason I don't feel any anger towards Ritsu. I can tell he sincerely feels bad, even without reading his thoughts. I feel this slight warm feeling in my chest towards him, maybe just because he's being so honest. I chuckle a little and wrap my arms around him in a hug. He tenses up in surprise.

"It's ok, I'm not mad." I reassure him.

I feel him relax and and breathe a sigh of relief. I step back and give him a genuine smile. He sheepishly smiles back at me, his cheeks a slight rosy color.

*Yelp*

"Huh?" I turn around at the sound of a whimper. Next to a nearby alley is a black puppy with a limping leg. My heart nearly breaks as it continues to whine out in pain.

"Come here, little guy!" I call and start to slowly walk towards it.

The pup is spooked by my actions and limps into the alleyway.

"Wait, no! Come back! You'll hurt yourself even more"

Ritsu's hand glows as he tries to float it over towards us, but the puppy is already behind the corner and away from Ritsu's aim. I walk even faster and turn the corner, which is strangely darker than most mornings.

"Nami," Ritsu warns. "Something's wrong," but I'm too focused on finding the black puppy to hear his suspicion.

"There you are!" I bend down and reach to gently pick it up, but as soon as my hands reach it's fur the puppy dissipates into a cloud of black smoke. Shocked, I stagger to my feet. Ritsu shifts his stance, ready to face whatever kind of trap this is.

"What a shame, you were too busy helping that pup to help yourself!" A teasing voice echoes out from the shadows. I focus with my mind to figure out where this spirit is hiding. When I find him I throw a sharp headache his way.

"Ouch!" The dark figure steps out from the wall, holding his head. "You've learned a new trick, haven't you." The spirit appears as a tall, black shadow with a terrifyingly mischievous face. He grins at us menacingly.

Not waiting for this spirit to make the first move, Ritsu unleashes a wave of psychic energy, knocking the shadow backwards a little. I scan the spirits mind and find jigsaw pieces of mischievous and immoral thoughts. This spirit feels no remorse for any of his "playful tricks".

"You're Anri, aren't you?!" I accuse.

"Indeed I am," Anri laughs. "But who is he?"

A blond man in a suit suddenly appears in the space right next to us; bandages cover his face and hide his identity.

"Come with me, little girl."

"Wha..."

I feel the man place his hand on my shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ritsu leap towards me, then everything disappears.

[Drafted by Anna]