The Mask Slips

Senpai

Link: https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/70149230

I'm leaning on a wall next to Kiyotaka's door as I wait for him to come outside. I check the time and it reads 8:30 AM. Class was going to start in 15 minutes so I would like to get there early. Just as I was about to knock on the door, the door opens and Kiyotaka walks out. I raise my hand and wave to him.

"Yo." He waves back to me and we walk to school. We were both pretty tired so we didn't really talk much as we walked to school.

We arrived ten minutes early before the class meeting began. There weren't many students but something was off. Horikita wasn't in the classroom. We both take our seats and I look to the front of the classroom to see Kushida walking in.

"Good morning everyone." The gloomy classroom suddenly became cheerful and bright.

Before I knew it, the class bell rang and the class meeting had started. There were no signs of Horikita yet.

I wasn't sure if Chabashira-sensei noticed or not that Horikita wasn't here but she didn't touch on the subject since she left the classroom after she finished roll call. I was starting to get a little concerned, maybe she's enduring the particular day of the month.

"It's strange. I don't think Horikita has ever been late to class." It seems like Kiyotaka is concerned also.

"Yeah, I'm a little worried-"

"Good morning you guys!"

"Waah!?"

While I was talking to Kiyotaka, Kushida stealthily walked up to me and practically screamed into my ear.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you two?"

"Not at all. Anyway, did you need something?" I regain my composure and look at Kushida. I didn't want Kushida to think that I was a skittish person.

"Yeah. Actually, I'm concerned about Horikita, she hasn't come to school yet right?"

She looked towards the chair beside me.

"Looks like it. If she was here, she would probably be telling us to leave her alone."

Kushida had a worried expression on her face. It seems like she knows something that I don't.

"Kushida did you see her earlier this morning?"

"Yeah, I actually did see Horikita-san leaving her room this morning. I'm a little worried so I was wondering, could you maybe contact her and see if she's alright?"

Oh, so that's why you wanted to talk to me.

"I mean I guess I can."

"Great thank you!"

I call Horikita three times but she didn't pick up any of those times.

"Hmm. She won't pick up."

I was starting to get a little worried. Horikita is a model student that never arrives late nor is absent. She's the type of person that would come to class even if she had a cold or even a fever. Something serious must have happened.

"I'm very worried about Horikita-san, what should we do?"

"I'll go check on her. She might have overslept or something like that. What's her room number?"

"I think its room 1201."

She thanked me with a smile. Since I was thanked, hopefully, I scored some points in her heart.

There were approximately 8 minutes until the first class started so I ran like the wind back to the dorms. I soon arrived back at the dorms and I immediately hopped into one of the elevators. I couldn't help but feel nervous so I kept pressing the 12th-floor button.