KNB: Strong (Himuro Tatsuya)

3 - Compromise

THREE – Compromise

After Murasakibara is done with his duties for extra credit, Himuro personally approaches their Chemistry teacher to ask if the two are able to be partners. At first, the teacher raises his eyebrow, wondering why on earth was this student that he has never seen before asking such a thing from him. But after listening to Himuro’s reasoning, he approves. He had no idea how to teach Murasakibara the subject, and as a pathetic way out, he instructs his best student to do the job for him. It was a win for Murasakibara, the teacher, and Himuro (who didn’t have to be late for practices waiting for Murasakibara).

Ayano, on the other hand, seemed to accept another heavy load. She is paired with Murasakibara on his worst subject. Despite it being her best subject, she didn’t know how to teach the purple-haired male. He was so difficult to deal with during the interview, and without Himuro’s help, she would have been a goner.

She felt a little pissed towards Himuro. If he wasn’t attractive or sweet, she would have not taken the job, and would have hated him until hell froze over. Instead, she picks up her phone and tries to contact the male.

“Hello?” a sweet-toned voice came from the other end.

“You owe me,” she immediately says, shocking the person at the other end. “You got me into the mess of being Murasakibara’s Chemistry lab partner and now you have to help me…”

A laugh coming from Himuro melted her heart instantly. If she wasn’t so pissed, she might have squealed for the other line to hear. “Okay, I’m sorry,” he starts to say. “But Atsushi’s failing the subject. He might not even join the Interhigh because of it.”

“Why don’t you teach him then, smartass?” she hollers, diving back into her bed.

“I myself am not good with the subject,” he says. “It’s better to learn from the best.”

Ayano smacks her lips together before continuing. “Okay. Since you’re attractive, I will do it.”

“Wait, wha─?”

“But, you’ll have to teach me your magic,” she commands. “How in the world do you even control Murasakibara?”

“C-control? That’s a bit harsh, Ayano…” he replies nervously.

“Okay… is tolerate a better term?” she asks.

“I’d like to call it ‘getting along with’,” he comments. This statement made Ayano roll her eyes playfully.

“Oh Master Himuro from the land that is free, teach me your ways of how to get along with the purple giant.” She talked in a lofty manner, making the male in the other line snicker a bit.

“Why me, though?”

She shrugs, and a smirk forms upon her face. “It’s better to learn from the best.”

---

Himuro and Ayano talked for hours talking about ways on how to deal with Murasakibara. At first, Ayano thought that it was easy – for food was the best way on getting to him. Afterwards, he will comply with you, only if you were patient enough. It was like dealing with a kid. But, that was only at the beginning.

She thought that simply giving him food and some soothing talk would help him calm down, listen, or make him do something. Apparently, there was more to that. There was a specific type of food that you needed to give whenever Murasakibara gets into one of his moods, or when you want him to do something for you. Ayano had to keep a mental track of every single type of food until she figured that she needed to take them down. And then, he suddenly gives a note that there is a specific time period for this, and he gives other details which made her head actually hurt.