The Kaijou Affairs

Encounter VII: Misunderstandings

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Encounter VII: Misunderstandings

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"Hamasaki!" I felt shivers crawl all over my skin as Takeuchi-sensei's voice booms across the hallway.

I turned around slowly only to see that he was only a few paces behind me. I couldn't run away.

"What is it?" I ask hesitantly when he's finally within talking distance. I already know what he is going to say though. I see a marked test paper in his left-hand. I'm sure that it is mine.

He imitates me, "What is it?" He holds up my test paper for me to see. "What is THIS?"

"A-A... Piece of paper?" I say, trying to look away and feign innocence.

"Wrong."

It technically is a piece of paper... But I doubt that Takeuchi-sensei would have appreciated my being a wise ass.

"A test paper?"

"Whose test paper?" Takeuchi-sensei begins to wave the sheet of paper around in front of my face. I had tried my very hardest not to look at it.

"My test paper..." I say.

"What's the score written on it?"

"11..." I take a quick glance at my paper before looking away again.

"11 out of what?"

"100..."

"11 out of 100," Takeuchi-sensei says, "not 11 out of 20---and even if it was out of 20, you'd still have failed."

I cringe at Takeuchi-sensei's words. He didn't have to say it like that. Sheesh. I already know that I suck at Japanese history... Stop reminding me already...

"Sorry?" I ask.

I didn't know what he wanted me to say...

"You told me that you were going to improve your grades."

"I did..." I say, "I scored an 11 this time---last time I scored 3 points only. I improved by a total of 8 points. You should be celebrating with me, sensei."

Takeuchi-sensei did not appreciate my humor at all. I was excused from club activity and instead ordered to do independent study in the library. Not that I minded.

I didn't want to see Kasamatsu.

"In the year 1896, Japan was struck with the Sanriku Earthquake..." I read with a monotone voice. My eyelids felt heavy and it did not help that the sound of the rain pattering against the windows outside was lulling me to sleep.

I must have dozed off and closed my eyes for a while because in the next instance I could feel someone tapping my shoulder, trying to wake me up. I didn't pay it any heed though and continued in my slumber.

When I reopen my eyes, I see Kise sitting in the seat across from me with his head resting on his arm as if it is a pillow. He's fast asleep. I chuckle silently. I look around to notice that the lights are already off.

What the heck? Did the librarians forget that there were still people in here or something?

I look back over to Kise who is mumbling in his sleep---he was saying something about a Kuroko-cchi being cruel to him. Without putting too much thought into it, I bring my phone out and quickly snap a photo of him in his slumber.

Blackmail material... Eheheh...

Unfortunately the shutter sound effect goes off and he wakes up. I quickly stash my phone away.

"Mm..." Kise's eyes flutter open. He yawns. "Mi-cchi?" He rubs his eyes.

"Morning," I say. "Why are you here?"

"Huh? I thought that we should walk home together."

"You really didn't have to wait..."

"No way! It's pouring outside! What if Mi-cchi gets sick?"

"It's not like you being there could stop me from getting sick from the rain," I tell him.

"Ehhh? That's so mean, Mi-cchi and after I waited for you for so long?" Kise cries.

It wasn't really that mean... It was the truth and it wasn't like I couldn't go home by myself... But in the end, I gave in anyway.

"T-There..." I say, "Don't cry now..."

I realized that I had become weak to Kise’s crying face---even though I was sure that he was only crying crocodile tears. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn’t notice Kasamatsu’s presence at all. When I turned around, it was already too late. I saw him walking away. He must have saw everything that happened from outside of the library.

Could he have misunderstood? Or… Perhaps it’s better if he does misunderstand my relationship with Kise. Maybe then things between him and I will finally come to an end...