The Demon [A JSHK Fanfiction]

Chapter 10

"You're acting weird," she snapped out of her trance as she heard his voice. She sighed, resting her head on her arms.

"It's just... Nene's words have been bothering me," Izumi replied with her brows furrowed.

"What's bothering you?" Tsuchigomori asked. Izumi turned to him, seeing him worried over her. It was a rare sight.

"Do you like me?" Izumi asked straightforwardly. The teacher was taken aback by her question, his eyes wide in shock. "Well, do you?"

"Of course— but as a close friend," he answered, earning a relieved sigh from the demon. She smiled up at him.

"Oh, thank goodness," she muttered. Tsuchigomori noticed this and asked.

"Why?" Izumi grinned at his question.

"Well, we've been friends for seventy one years! And I've been wondering what you think of me," Izumi beamed at him. "And also because of Nene's assumption. She said, maybe you like me."

Tsuchigomori smiled at the girl, patting her head gently. He found it adorable that she was bothered about what he thinks of her.

"Why didn't you ask?" He asked. Izumi looked up at him in confusion.

"Huh?" She mumbled. Tsuchigomori's smile widen as he repeated his question.

"Why didn't you ask all those years ago?" He repeated. Izumi nodded in understanding, looking away.

"Well, I mean, it's embarrassing," Izumi mumbled her answer. "Besides, I've been busy with her."

"Why didn't you leave her?" The two toned teacher asked, resting his chin on his hand. Izumi tensed at his question. She was hesitant to answer, but she knew he knows just as much.

"I... don't want her to hurt him," Izumi slowly spoke, a frown decorating her face.

"What was she doing to him?" The teacher asked again. Izumi bit her lip, thinking about the past angered her.

"She was..." Izumi trailed off, hesitant to continue. Her fists clenched tightly above the wooden table. "Faking everything."

"I never understood why she would do it to him. It was just a stupid dare, and she took it seriously," Izumi stared ranting, venting her pent up frustrations to Tsuchigomori. The teacher listened, not interrupting her. "The poor boy did nothing wrong to her!"

"I hated that I can't do anything about it. No one would believe me anyway. She had them wrapped up in her fingers, along with me," Izumi mumbled. "She's a godawful human being, that I feel very embarrassed to even admit that she used to be my friend!"

"Especially that one time, that time when she forced me to go to be her. I was very happy, but when I reached the school, the teachers kept giving me work," Izumi started. "And when I returned to her apartment, I found out that she was faking her sickness so I could deal with her problems!"

"Those were the days where I rarely get to see you, Tsuchigomori-san. Whenever I do, she wouldn't allow me to. I just can't understand that girl!" Izumi sighed, feeling the weight in her chest lighten a bit. The teacher was surprised at her outburst.

Knowing that he can't do anything, he pulled her into a hug. He understood where she was coming from. After all, a person that she thought she could trust was only using her.

Izumi clutched the teacher's coat tightly, afraid that once he let go, she'll return to the awful girl. She was happy that even in his hug, she felt him comforting her. It was one very special moment in Izumi's life. She felt secure in his arms.

Slowly, Izumi's eyes closed as she drifted off to a deep slumber.

———

"Shush, you're going to wake her!" She heard hushed voices around her. All saying different things, unfortunately, she can't distinguish most of them.

"Don't do anything to her, Hanako-kun!" Her eyes fluttered open, immediately meeting a pair of golden eyes.

"Where's the spider-freak?" Izumi tiredly asked, yawning as she sat up. She ignored the dark haired ghost following her every movement.

"A-Ah, he said that he had some errands to run. So, he left you to us," a smiling daikon answered, helping Izumi up.

"Yeah! He didn't do anything to you, did he?" An energetic blonde asked, suspicious about the spider-like supernatural.

"Did he hurt you?" A childish ghost poked her, worried about her well-being.

Izumi laughed at the three's comments, shaking her head in amusement. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just... had a slight meltdown."

"W-What? Why?" Nene inquired, worriedly looking at her friend. Izumi sighed.

"We just had a wonderful talk about the past," Izumi paused, smiling at the three of them. She knew they would be able to catch up with what she was saying. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Is it about your... friend?" Kou hesitantly asked, making Izumi freeze on her spot. Of course she was right, after all, they do know a bit about her after telling her tale of how she was bounded to someone in the past. She nervously chuckled.

"Y-Yeah... but it wasn't that serious, don't worry," Izumi replied, hoping that they'd believe her. But obviously, the two teens won't.

"What about her friend?" A clueless Hanako asked, confused about their conversation.

"Oh! Izumi's friend is..." Nene trailed off, looking at Kou and Izumi for help.

"She's just unforgettable," Izumi finished for Nene, giving Hanako a halfhearted smile.

"Really? Can you tell me about her?" Hanako asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. A nervous chuckle escaped Izumi's lips.

"A-Actually, about that..." she looked away from his eyes, not wanting to give in.

"Hanako! She literally just had a meltdown about her!" Kou butted in, standing in front of Izumi protectively. "And you might make it worse!"

"I don't wanna feel left out. After all, you two know about her friend. That's no fair," Hanako pouted.

"Yeah, but, she might have another meltdown!" Nene defended Izumi, standing beside Kou.

"I'm going to be there for her when she does, you don't have to worry," he insisted, but the two humans won't back down.

"No, it's fine," they all turned to Izumi who spoke. She looked at Hanako and smiled, a hidden nostalgia behind them. "I'll tell you soon enough, Honorable No. 7."