I did not meet them.
Let me rephrase that.
I did not even see them.
In the morning, me, Ken and Aki would always meet when going to school. But today, I waited for Ken at the junction for about 10 minutes. He did not come.
I thought that he was late so I went to Aki's house. At the time she would always come out, but the door of her house did not open.
This was strange but I kind of have had a concrete hypothesis on why their behaviour was weird.
It was because of me.
They must have expected it. My emotions when I would meet with them. So they went to school earlier than usual. When I waited for Ken, I could not contain the restless anger that was ready to pounce on him.
But he avoided it and so did Aki.
They were smart but our meeting is inevitable. They have to face my wrath. I entered the school and walked to the classroom.
I slid open the backdoor of class 1-3.
Ken's seat would be right next to the backdoor, so I instinctively look to my right as soon as I entered.
He was fiddling with his phone with a photo. The photo, as I expected, had Aki, Ken and me in it. The dirty graffiti shrouding my entire face stood out like a sore thumb in this entire photo.
I quickly snatched his phone while he was too focused on the photo.
"What?!"
Instantly, I rapidly deleted the photo on his gallery. I even checked if there were other photos that included my stupid face on it.
There was no other.
I returned Ken's phone with a triumphant gaze at him. He took it slowly while staring at me.
"Don't ever do that shit again."
He did not reply to me but instead, he gave a small glance at the other side of the class. That little action did not escape from my sight.
Immediately, I knew where he sneaked a peek at.
I walked to my usual seat and stop at a certain spot.
"Give me your phone."
I gave Aki the cold look as she stared right back at me so calmly.
"Why should I?"
"You know why you should."
"Apparently I don't."
Her smug face further enhanced the coldness of my stare.
She did not have her phone on her hands and so far, I believe that she does not keep her mobile device in her bag.
That means the only place she could hold onto it is in her school blazer's pocket, in her shirt's or in her skirt's.
"Give me your phone. This is the last time I'm asking politely."
"You call that polite? You need to go to a mental asylum Tenma."
My one eyebrow twitched upon her reply that contained such an unserious tone.
I had enough.
Now, it was time to complete my objective forcefully. Since Aki has made me pass beyond the limit of patience, I am not to be blamed for the consequences.
"Do you want me to molest you right in front of everyone?"
I had a subtle grin which tried to perturb Aki into surrendering.
But Aki, fearlessly, simply responded,
"Try me."
She confirmed her defiance so I had to take action. I was thinking about reaching to her shirt's breast pocket. It was because her hands were kind of protecting it.
I just had to take the risk and get it in the first try.
My hand moved rapidly straight into her breast pocket. But it's stopped right in its track. I felt a strong grip on my wrist as Aki mockingly stared at me.
I was prepared to launch another attack with my other hand.
"Everyone sit down! I'm going to take attendance."
Unfortunately, the voice of Mr Kimura, our homeroom teacher, interrupted me.
"What are you doing Kaburagi? It's homeroom. Go sit down on your seat."
I glared at Aki as she released her grip from my wrist. I glanced at Mr Kimura before going to my seat, which was directly next to Aki.
"Stand! Bow!"
As usual, the class representative, Ryuzaki Aiza beckoned the class to respect our teacher. I went with it but I still sneaked an angry peak at Aki.
"Alright, class. Time for attendance."
All of the students sat down for the attendance.
"Adachi!"
"Present sir!"
The attendance went by quickly as I was busy glowering Aki with menacing eyes. I even saw Ken in my view who was peaking at my direction.
"Okay then, everyone is present. As you guys already know, tomorrow is Sports Day. I expect EVERY ONE to be on their best behaviour since parents also will be also in the audience."
As he stressed out the word 'everyone', he looked into the direction of me and Aki. She shrugged it off with a light shoulder gesture, while I uninterestingly glanced at him.
The teacher continued talking as he regained his sight over the whole classroom.
"For those who are participating, I'm just going to simply say this. Enjoy yourselves."
Oh, here he goes again with his shitty charismatic speech.
"If you lose, do not fret over it. Sports Day is an eventful day where we compete against each other, but mostly, it is about the fun you have. So, do your best not only in the competitions, but also in having fun."
"""Yes Sir!"""
"And of course for those who are not participating, I am basically asking the same thing. Support all the participants and have fun."
He sold all of the students with his 'encouraging' speech. Well except for me that is. They all looked at him with a good expression.
"Oh, I almost forgot about it. Miyake and Ryuzaki, confirm all of your classmates' activities that they will be participating. Write it in a piece of paper and send it to me later on lunch break."
""Yes Sir.""
The two class representatives stood and responded positively to Mr Kimura.
"Everyone, see you all later."
All of the students greeted him off politely and respectfully. The class began to make noise now because Mr Kimura just got out. A little time is given before another teacher comes in.
I was also taking this small opportunity to confront Aki about the photo.
"Aki, delete that photo, right now."
"Hmm? What photo?"
I let out a tired sigh as I received an uncaring tone response.
"The photo where I look like I dived into a garbage can and was smiling grandly like a fucking idiot."
"Oh, that one?"
"...Yea."
"Okay sure."
"...Huh?"
What? So easily?
No, wait...
Aki was not making any more excuses and just gave up so easily? Is there something that I am not catching here or is it that I am just overthinking here?
No. There definitely is something that is bothering me. But I don't know what exactly could that be.
Anyway, Aki was reaching to her blazer's breast pocket and pulled out her cellphone.
My predictions were not wrong!
To that thought, I smirked unintentionally towards her. I did not actually know that I was showing her my grin.
"The heck are you smirking at?"
"...It's nothing. Just a thought that flashed my mind."
"If you are thinking that you are triumphant over me, then don't get ahead of yourself."
"I'm not! It's definitely just a thought that flashed my mind."
"It better be."
She handed me her cellphone and I search for the photos. As I did with Ken's, I deleted those nightmarish photos of myself and made sure that there were no others left.
After being satisfied with the result, I returned her phone, but I was still feeling uncomfortable about her behaviour.
"What? Are you not done?"
".....It's alright."
The next teacher slid the door open and all the classmates returned to their respective seats to start the class. It was English period and I did not care what the subject was so that I can sleep my ass off here.
The morning routine class went by till lunch break without any significant event popping up.
As always, Ken, Aki and I went to the cafeteria to our personal seats. Since I got my payment to satiate my hunger daily, I 'politely' went through the waiting line and took third place. No one objected my action and I went with it peacefully.
I bought a Yakisoba Bread, which deducted 165¥ from the 300¥ I received from Miyamoto. I already met Miyamoto in the morning before I entered my classroom.
That guy was blatantly happy as he paid me the money. I asked why he was so glad and he replied that he tested his authority to the second years and first years delinquents.
He was extremely happy with the results and thanked me awkwardly before he walked to the first floor of the school building.
Nonetheless, the delinquents are not totally submissive to him so I asked him to be careful to the orders he would throw at them. Depending on the content of Miyamoto's 'requests', the tolerance of these delinquents would surely surpass their limits.
Only Aki is keeping their patience in check. They could reverse the situation if they would seriously consider a betrayal to Miyamoto.
I don't know what the guy's name is, who was toe to toe with Aki in a duel, but if he gets involve and take the majorities's side, then we would definitely lose.
I hope that time does not come and to be honest, it all depends on Miyamoto and the mindset of his followers.
My thoughts got put away as I approached Ken and Aki who were already in their seats.
But I noticed that Ken was eating food from a different lunchbox. It much resembles to that of the one which Aki gave me to eat her food.
I sat down and tore the plastic wrapping of the Yakisoba Bread. As Ken was eating the rice part, I questioned him.
"Did you buy a new lunchbox?"
"...Wow, you noticed that?"
"Hmm? Am I not supposed to?"
Ken had a subtle smile as he shrugged the matter gently.
"No, it is not that. I was just impressed by how observant you are."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"It is Aki who made this for me."
I took a bite from the bread I held in my hand. I veered my attention towards Aki as she was chewing her food.
"It was Ken who asked me to prepare one for him. So I just did."
"I also wanted to try her food," Ken added while looking at me.
I wanted to make him feel flustered by pressing him for more information on his little action.
"Were you jealous that only I was able to savour Aki's homemade food?"
"Huh? Why would I be jealous?"
A straight face emitting a vibe of an innocent and naïve kid, his eyes met mine with a confused look. Seriously though, what the hell is with them?
"Do you have any problem Tenma? Is it perhaps that you are the one being jealous here?"
"How am I the jealous one, since I am the who stopped you from making food for me."
"Maybe seeing Ken here eating it so deliciously made you regret doing so."
Aki's sneering made me sigh lightly as I pulled back the conversation that I initiated. I continued eating my Yakisoba Bread and those two resumed feasting on the savoury lunch.
Now that I think about it, I may have an idea about Ken's action.
I think about that time when I refused Aki to make more food for me. It was in her benefit and I did not want to bother her more, that's why I did it.
At that time, her displeased expression which surfaced her face in an instant did not escape from my sight. I felt bad but it was for her own good.
If hypothetically Ken did also catch a glimpse of her displeased expression, then asking her to make him food was a way to re-elevate her mood.
I can understand if that was the case. His worry made him do that.
Now that I watch them like this, Ken sure cares about her and vice versa. I wonder, should I really break this relation and reconstruct it into a new and restrained one.
I have thought of doing it but.....
"This egg roll is really good," Ken said as he put a whole one in his mouth.
"That is actually my speciality and I can say that this is not the only speciality I have."
Aki smirked at Ken as she carried some rice with her chopsticks and brought it to her mouth.
"I am really looking forward to it!"
Time went by the small chats us three had, but it majorly consisted of Ken's praise for the food and Aki's appreciation.
...Hmmmm.....
Destroying this bond would be reeeeeeaaaaaaallly stupid of me to do, now that I think about it.....
The bell rang and I got up from my seat.
Ken returned Aki's lunchbox and he thanked her for the food. Aki was in a good mood so I guess that it is alright.
Really, I think I should cherish this time more than I expect to.