Mikane suddenly hugged Kurou.
Kurou:
[What are you doing?]
Kurou suddenly felt something wet and warm on his chest. He then noticed that Mikane was crying.
Kurou:
[Huh? Why are you crying?]
Mikane shakes her head
Kurou:
[I see... don't worry. I'm already used to it]
Mikane:
[...]
(Is this what you meant when it got worse!? Is this what you had to go through every single day until middle school!? Always getting mocked even when you did absolutely nothing wrong!)
Mikane started caressing Kurou's head.
Kurou:
[...!]
Kurou knew what Mikane was doing. He suddenly felt a heavy feeling.
Kurou smiled.
Kurou:
[Hey, let's go back. Class is about to start]
Mikane looked down for a bit then she nodded. She looked at Kurou with a worried expression.
Kurou:
[Haha, don't look at me like that. I'm fine, truly]
Mikane worriedly smiles. After that they went back.
Later
Teacher:
[Mikane and Yukitou, care to explain why you are late?]
Mikane looks down.
Yukitou:
[It was because of me]
Mikane:
(Eh?)
Teacher:
[Hoh? What exactly did you do?]
Mikane looked at Kurou as she tries to make him stop speaking.
Kurou:
[I was about to run away from school but Mikane stopped me]
Teacher:
[Is that so?]
Mikane shook her head, trying to deny Kurou's reason.
Teacher:
[Hm...in any case. I'll let you off this time so don't ever do this again, understood?]
Kurou:
[Yes, teacher]
Teacher:
[Now go back to your seats, you're already late so try to keep up on the lecture.]
Mikane suddenly pinched Kurou's arm
Kurou:
[Ouch, M-mikane? (Whispered)]
Mikane pouts as she went straight to her chair.
Mikane:
(Dummy! Why do you do this?)
Later
Morning break. At Ena's Classroom, Class A.
Ena:
[Sigh...]
(I failed again. No worries, I'll just try to talk to him again later)
At the hallway.
???:
[Hey, why did Hana do that to Yukitou?]
???:
[I really don't know. I mean I was shocked when Hana suddenly left her seat just to slap Yukitou]
Ena:
[Hana...did what?]
???:
[And after that, Mikane chan dragged him out of the room...]
???:
[I'm really curious to know what their relationship is. I mean, Mikane chan only talks to Yukitou.]
Ena suddenly got up on her seat.
Ena:
[Excuse me, but can I ask you something? Did Hana san really did that to Yukitou kun?]
The girl looked away for a second. Then she nodded.
Ena:
[...]
Later.
At the school gym.
Kurou:
(My face still hurts from that slap earlier. I mean Akazawa san plays volleyball so that's a given.)
Hana walks by in front of Kurou. She then looked at Kurou with a menacing expression.
Yuzu:
[Just what did you do to make her that angry?]
Kurou shrugged
Mikane:
[...]
Suddenly Mikane went in front of Hana as she held her notebook up.
"Please, apologize to Yukitou"
Mikane looked at Hana in the eyes.
Hana:
[...I refuse]
Hana tried to walk away but then Mikane held her hand.
Hana:
(This b*tch!)
[Let go of me!]
Hana pushed her off making her fall on the ground.
Hana:
[Wait! I...I didn't mean to...]
Kurou:
[Mikane!]
Yuzu:
[Mikane san!]
Hana:
[...]
The students started talking among themselves.
Teacher:
[What's going on there!?]
Yuzu held Mikane up but then Mikane headed straight to Hana.
"Please, apologize to Yukitou"
Yuzu:
[...]
Hana:
[...no, get away from me]
Teacher:
[What's all the commotion about!?]
Kurou:
[N-nothing sensei. Mikane san just slipped on the ground]
Hana:
[...]
Mikane:
[...]
Teacher:
[... we're still in the middle of class so please stop doing any unnecessary things. Everyone stop gathering here like someone just died and start focusing on the game!]
After they dispersed, Kurou held Mikane's hand.
Kurou:
[What are you doing!?(whispered)]
Mikane:
[...]
Yuzu:
[M-mikane san, are you hurt!?]
Mikane smiled at Yuzu as she shook her head.
After school
Kurou, Yuzu and Mikane walked together.
Yuzu:
[Are you really okay? I mean she pushed you really hard]
Mikane started writing.
"I'm fine, really"
Mikane smiled at Yuzu.
Yuzu blushed intensely
Yuzu:
[I-is that so?]
Kurou looked at Yuzu with a doubtful expression.
Yuzu:
[W-what?]
Kurou:
[Nothing]
(I never knew that a hot guy like him could get this flustered over a smile. He's always the one making girls flustered over his smile. I mean I knew what it felt like. Thinking about it now, how did I look whenever I smiled in front of Harumi san back then? It must've been really eye damaging.)
Yuzu:
[A-anyways, this is where we part. See you tomorrow, Harumi san.]
Harumi bowed to Yuzu.
Yuzu:
[Oh yeah, by the way...uhm, I...I uhh..I wanna ask your permission if you are willing to... share contacts with each other?]
Kurou:
[...!]
(This dude)
Mikane smiled
Yuzu:
[I-is that a yes?]
(Finally!)
Mikane then waved her hand as she turns her back and drags Kurou away.
Yuzu:
(Eh!?)
[W-wait! I...]
Mikane looked back with a smile.
Yuzu:
[...]
Kurou:
[...was that necessary? He was just asking for your phone number. You didn't have to coldly ignore him like that]
Mikane pouts at Kurou
Mikane:
(Dummy...)
Few minutes later
Kurou:
[Uhm, you can stop holding my arm now. A fellow student might see us and I don't want them to start rumors.]
Mikane:
[...]
Mikane slowly let's go of his hand
Kurou:
[... Anyways, I hate to bring this up but what you did earlier is too risky. Anything can go wrong.]
Mikane started writing
"She needs to apologize. What she did to you was wrong!"
Kurou:
(This girl...)
[Sigh... please stop doing this! I'm fine, really!]
"No you're not!"
Mikane looked at Kurou with a worried expression.
Kurou:
[...then do me a favor and stop this. Look I'm worried about you. I don't care if things like those happens to me but I can't bear to watch a friend get hurt like that... I'm still... I'm still traumatized at what happened before... I don't want that...]
"But I'm also worried about you! Why do you look down so much on yourself!? It's true that you don't care at what others do to you but what about me!? I don't like you getting hurt! I hate it!"
Kurou:
[... please stop.]
"No, and I'm going to do it again even if I get the same treatment as you"
Kurou:
[I SAID STOP!!!]
Mikane shivered for a bit.
Kurou:
[Why!? I mean why do you care so much!? It's not like we're close or anything!? I mean we're just friends!]
"It's because I-"
Mikane:
[...]
Mikane stopped writing then she drops her notebook as she pointed at at him. She started moving her hands.
Mikane:
(It's because you're special to me)
Kurou:
[... I ]