The Tale of Fiery Fox

Ch. 5: Getting to know You Pt. 1

A month had passed by since Tamaki Kotatsu moved into my home, something that alarmed me from the start. Obi-Sensei, after taking guardianship over Tamaki and I, had signed our permission slips to go on the school trip; saying that it'd be a good opportunity to get along. As soon as we arrived at Shinjuku Station however, Tamaki disappeared to find Arthur and Iris. Remembering that she had friends and I didn't I made my way off on my own; only for Tamaki to come back in order to properly introduce me to them,

Tamaki: "Huh? Where'd he go?" Tamaki asked, looking around nervously, 

Arthur: "You mean Kusakabe?" Arthur spoke, as Iris also sighed, "You two seem to be joined at the hip lately, any particular reason?" Arthur then remarked, which made Tamaki blush a little,

Tamaki: "N-No reason...it's none of your concern, Arthur." Tamaki replied, glaring at him again; which made him gulp in fear,

Iris: "But, it is mine." Iris jeered, as Tamaki sighed, 

Tamaki: "Jeez...I thought he would be here..." she quietly murmured to herself, as they began to board the train, "It's like he doesn't even want anyone to know that we're friends..." She then sighed, staring out of the window in boredom,

Iris: "You have to think about how he is, why he does these things." Iris explained, thinking for a moment, "You didn't tell him not to tell anyone did you?" Iris then asked, as their first shopping trip came to mind, "Guys are pretty deliberate like that, you tell them to not do something; they won't do it." Iris added, as Tamaki buried her face in her hands,

Tamaki: "I messed up...!" Tamaki then exclaimed, as Arthur averted his eyes and Iris sighed, 

Both Iris and Arthur still didn't know that Tamaki was living with Shinra, something which Tamaki was trying her utmost to keep secret. Keeping her mouth shut while boarding the bullet train, Shinra appeared and then breezed past her,

Tamaki: "Kusa..." Tamaki began, but to no avail, Is it going to be like this whenever we go out? She then thought as the train pulled out of the station, 

They were heading to a mountain retreat, up north, and it was something that Arthur was seemingly excited for. After pulling into the station near the mountain town, Tamaki looked around for Shinra; but couldn't find him at all,

Obi: "Looking for him?" Obi-Sensei asked, to which Iris and Arthur looked at Tamaki suspiciously,

Tamaki: "F-For Kusakabe? What? No!" She began, as Obi-Sensei pointed to the train map,

Obi: "He got off the train a while ago. Three stops back actually." Obi-Sensei revealed, which brought out Tamaki's more irritated side,

Tamaki: "That!" She began, her voice disappearing into curses and other foul sounds as the others walked into the inn, "Ugh...why does he always disappear on his own!" She then exclaimed, as she sat outside alone while dinner was being eaten, "It's like he doesn't even want to act the tiniest bit nice to me!" She vented, as the same piercing red eyes appeared in front of her,

Shinra: "What're you so worked up about?" I asked, looking down a the angry amber-eyed girl sitting before me, "Hopefully not something stupid." I added, sitting down next to her, 

Tamaki: "Why did you leave the train earlier...?" Tamaki then asked, a pout replacing her angry expression,

Shinra: "It's none of your business." I replied, which made her figuratively snap,

Tamaki: "So it's none of my business, even when I live with you? Make your food? Make sure you survive?" Tamaki growled, which made me more irate by the second,

Shinra: "Yeah, so why do you care so damn much?" I replied, my voice getting louder as hers did, "You waltzed into my house, without my permission, you moved in, without my permission, and now you're prying into my personal life; without my permission." I listed, as Arthur, Iris and Obi-Sensei appeared outside, 

Tamaki: "How were you supposed to survive?! You don't eat, sleep, and you skip school! What else am I supposed to do? Not care about you?!" Tamaki yelled, breathing heavily afterwards, "You always disappear on me, like I don't even matter to you..." She murmured, as I stood up to leave, "Hey! Where are you going?!" She then yelled, as I continued walking, 

Shinra: "Just leave me alone." I coldly ordered, disappearing into the darkness again, 

Obi: "You two sure are getting along." Obi-Sensei then spoke, as Iris and Arthur looked at Tamaki in curiosity, "For a girl who just moved into his house, you sure are prying into a lot of his life." He added, which made both Iris and Arthur turn to him in shock, 

Tamaki: "It's not like I wanted this to happen." Tamaki sighed, curling up into a ball while she sat, "I'm just trying to help..." She explained, as Iris sat down next to her,

Obi: "I think you're forgetting one thing about Shinra." Obi-Sensei sighed, as I picked something off of the ground, "He's not used to be cared after." He explained, handing her a small panda bear charm, "He's confused, and he doesn't know how to repay you." He chuckled, while Tamaki gazed at the small gift, 

Arthur: "He really is confusing." Arthur exclaimed, as he sat down next to Iris, "So he got off to get you a gift then, so what?" Arthur sighed, to which he received a punch in the side from both Iris and Tamaki, 

Iris: "Getting a gift like this, it's got more meaning than you boys think Arthur!" Iris explained, as he massaged his sides in pain, "He's odd, sure, but I think his heart's in the right place..." Iris smiled, as Obi-Sensei stood up again, 

Obi: "Just remember, Shinra is extremely distrustful of everyone; even me." Obi-Sensei warned, turning away to go back inside, "You're the only one he's allowed to come close to him." He added, sliding the door closed behind him,

The night then wore on without another incident. Everyone returned to their rooms, and Shinra wasn't seen for the rest of the night. Tamaki, unable to sleep, soon found herself walking alone in the darkness; under the hot summer moonlight. Looking at the panda charm that Shinra had bought for her, she sighed as she quietly got a drink from a nearby vending machine,

Shinra: "What're you doing out this late?" Shinra's voice spoke, sending shivers up Tamaki's spine, "You know it's dangerous." He added, appearing from the darkness again, 

Tamaki: "O-Oh, m-me? Nothing! I was just thirsty is all." Tamaki nervously explained, looking at the hooded figure before her, "A-Anyway, what're you doing out here?" She asked, as he pulled down his disguise,

Shinra: "I was walking." He coolly replied, "And...sorry, for shouting." He added, averting his eyes from the light as Tamaki looked at him in shock,

Tamaki: Now I...realize...