Accidental Reverse

Chapter 37

As promised, a chapter and on my birthday too! This is my present to y'all XD

(So you better enjoy. Sorry for the angst.)

~'0'~

Wednesday morning finds Tenma leaving for school earlier than is usual.

He's left his orders to Soar and gave Minamisawa a full report of everything that could be of consequence during his absence, hoping to avoid a direct call from HQ in the coming few days.

Raimon is prepared for today's events, having been told of it the day before. Tenma wished they had more time, but alas, this will have to do. At least they're not going into this unaware anymore.

When the brunet reaches the school, the rest of the team is also arriving, as was planned. They're quiet as they gather at the parking lot, their object of interest being the bus bearing the Fifth Sector logo. Kidou and Haruna arrive not long after, both of their faces lined with grim determination, courtesy of Kogure – the Resistance received some 'random' information from him that lead to the reveal of Fifth's plans for Raimon.

Truly, no one that morning is surprised by the news of the training camp.

Still, they put up an admirable fight.

Unfortunately, when the principal shows up, together with Endou's name suddenly popping up in conversation, they really don't have a choice but to go. Kurama, Hamano and Hayami are asked to stay behind, which they do without complaint since it had been planned from the start.

(Tenma tried to get the managers to stay behind. Needless to say, they protested vehemently. Even his arguments that they could be used against the rest of the team weren't enough to change their minds.)

The brunet grimaces and banishes those thoughts as he slips to the front of the group. Being one of the first to enter the vehicle, he finds a seat somewhere in the back of the bus and next to the window. Shinsuke joins him there and soon enough, they're on their way.

Most of the first half of the ride is spent in silence, no one up to their usual light chatter. Tenma, too, merely sits quietly, but not for the same reason.

You don't have much time.

From his position, he cannot see the driver at all. 'I know,' responds the time traveler and, as if given a sign, he reaches into his bag. Shinsuke frowns in confusion at his friend's sudden actions, and it only grows when he sees the rag and the water bottle Tenma is holding in his hands. ''What are you...?''

The brunet shushes him quickly and the small boy takes the hint. Now alarmed, however, the time traveler glances at the other teens in his line of vision.

Out of the few who could potentially notice his actions, only Kirino and Shindou seem to have caught sight of it.

Tenma locks eyes with the captain and a silent message passes between them when said captain raises an eyebrow. What are you doing?

In answer, the younger midfielder gestures to the ceiling of the bus. Shindou glances up and then sharply looks back again, alarm clear in his face. After seeing the attention on himself again, Tenma presses his hands together and places them against his cheek, closing his eyes in the universal sign for sleep.

When he gazes at the strategist again, the alarm in the elder's face has been replaced with grim understanding. Suddenly turning away from the brunet, Shindou's voice cuts through the air out of nowhere. ''Sangoku-san,'' he says, unnecessarily loudly, and the whole bus gives a start when the prolonged silence is finally broken, ''you're good at biology, aren't you?''