That night, it was the first time that Obā-san spoke to me after many days. When I returned home, she inquired about my injuries. I lied to her, telling her that I had a small accident at work, in order, not to worry her. Even if, it was the only thing that she asked me, and didn't address me another word after that, my heart was elated that she has finally broken her silence.
However, despite of this, sleep was difficult to come. I couldn't stop thinking about Gōjun. I felt responsible. He got hurt because of me. And the worse was that I had been so lame in attending to his injuries, that he had to take up relief. On top of that, he had to take care of my injuries as well. I had been completely useless and felt quite ashamed of myself.
It was only in the early hours of the morning that I finally fell asleep. When I woke up some two hours later, it was to discover with alarm that I was running late to school.
When I reached the premises, all the students had already arrived and I guessed that it was equally the case for Shunsui and Gōjun.
Everyone was converging towards the gymnasium- apparently, we had all been summoned there- and I followed the crowd of students.
As I entered the building, I instantly caught sight of Shunsui, who was standing on the stage. And by his sides, were the three young men of last night: Satori Hasegawa, Shuji Toriyama and Aruto Hidaka.
Gōjun arrived by my side, at that moment, and putting his hand up, he greeted me, 'Yo!'
My heart thumped as I took in his appearance. Both his arms were in a bandage, just like his forehead. He was wearing a wound-plaster over his left cheek bone and another one at his right lower jaw. Through his half-opened shirt, I could see that his abdomen was equally bandaged. Contrarily to him, I had only one arm in a bandage and a wound-plaster at the chin.
Natsui ran to meet up with us by the same instant, and she covered her mouth with both her hands, crying out dreadfully that "it's not possible", as she looked at us.
'Is your rib broken?' she asked Gōjun, and he replied that it was only a fracture.
'I'm really, sorry,' she said to both of us, tears coming to her eyes.
Hanging her head then, she told me, 'It's my fault if Hiyori took on you. Hime... I think that... maybe...'
My heart picked up speed.
Natsui, no!
I feared I knew what she wanted to say.
'Don't do this!' Gōjun told her, abruptly, and we both looked at him, astounded. 'Don't enter Miyatsu's game! She wants you to be left completely alone. Don't give her what she wants!'
Oh, Gōjun...
At this, the ginger-haired girl cried out my name and sending her arms around my neck, she hugged me, apologizing to me for having thought about putting an end our friendship.
'Natsui...' I whispered, caressing the back of her head, reassuringly, while I gave Gōjun a small, timid smile as an expression of my gratitude for his intervention.
The Director appeared at that moment, and coming directly towards Gōjun, he exclaimed at him, fussily, 'Young man, may I know what you are doing at school when you should be resting at home?!'
At this, Gōjun's face scrunched up, and his hands went out to grip the man by his collar, shaking him, as he demanded at his face, 'Oi, you old geezer! What's your problem if I come to school?'
Natsui and I cringed away. A delinquent!
The old man's eyes bulged. 'What is this?! What is this, young man?! Is this how you treat a member of the school personnel?! Let go of my collar immediately! Let go of me, I tell you!'
He broke free of Gōjun's grip, and straightening his tie, he flounced away, shaking his head in indignation, growling loudly, 'Today's youngsters really have no education! And I, who was worrying about his health!' He paused down at a distance away to call at Gōjun, peevishly, 'I'm going to complain to Tsubasa-sama!', after which, he was gone completely out of sight.
The ginger-haired girl and I looked at each other, smiling awkwardly.
Yare! Yare!
A few seconds later, Shunsui called everyone's attention, and we shifted to the front.
'Everyone must be aware by now about what happened last night,' he declared, his tone serious. 'I have just come out of a meeting with our respected teachers and loving director. It has been decided that Satori Hasegawa, Aruto Hidaka and Shuji Toriyama will be suspended from school for a week!'
Everyone who was present looked at each other's face dreadfully.
'I had been extremely clear the other day. I will not tolerate Ijime towards any student of our school, let alone, a scholarship student. This time, it is only a temporary suspension, but I wish to warn you that, if such an incident was to happen again, it'll be a definite expulsion!'
His eyes zeroed onto Hiyori Miyatsu as he said that last part, and everyone glanced at her, whispering to one another.
'Oi, and what about Miyatsu?' the three young men protested together when Shunsui concluded that that was all.
'What about me?' the dark-haired girl demanded at them, defensively.
'Enough!' the reddish-brown-haired young men stated at the boys, putting his hand up at them. 'Be grateful that your suspension will not appear in your school record!'
And on these words, he came down the stage to meet up with Gōjun, Natsui and I.
Smiling mockingly, Hiyori turned around to leave with her two friends. The other students had already started to disperse too.
'Are you really going to let her off that easily?' Gōjun asked Shunsui, sending a look in direction of the dark-haired girl.
The reddish-brown-haired young man didn't answer him and simply smiled maliciously at her retreating figure.
He's up to something! I'm sure about it.
***
During lunchtime…
'Shunsui is not stupid! He didn't mention my name because he knows perfectly well that those three duffers of Toriyama, Hidaka and Hasegawa have no proof that I was involved in any way!'
The dark-haired girl smiled, gloatingly. Her two friends and her were standing in one of the corridors of the school, with Shunsui standing close-by and secretly listening to their conversation.
'Hiyori, listen...' said Sakuya Morimoto, hesitantly, 'You shouldn't count on us anymore to take on Mizoroge or that other girl, Hime Kirigakure.'
Hiyori's expression changed instantly, her smile disappearing.
The two girls jumped at the look on her face.
'Don't take us wrongly!' the other girl- Itsuko Shibata- told her rapidly, speaking for the two of them, 'But you've heard Shunsui just like everyone! If we try anything, we're sure to get expelled! Why do you hate your cousin so much anyway? She never did anything wrong to you. And you're taking on that other girl, Kirigakure, just because she's friends with her!'
'I can't believe it!' Hiyori exclaimed, aggravated. 'Are you sympathizing with them now?!'
'No! Certainly, not! But it's just that...' The two girls looked at each other, before they said, together, 'We can't put our future in jeopardy! We're sorry!'
And, on these words, the two walked away.
Hiyori Miyatsu stared after them, filled with indignation.
'I really can't believe this!'
Her cellphone rang at that moment, and taking it out, she saw the name of her father flashing on the screen. She climbed onto the roof to pick up his call.
'Hello, dad?'
'Hiyori,' her father said, in a tone that was both urgent and cutting, 'I want you stop whatever you're going immediately! Stop taking on your cousin Natsui!'
Her heart skipped a beat. Her worst nightmare seemed to be materializing itself.
'Shunsui Shigeizumi had given me a phone call last night, and another one this morning to inform me of all that you've been up to. I don't recognize my daughter anymore. And did you ever think of our family's financial well-being? The Shigeizumi are powerful. They could ruin us! I'll come back home earlier tonight to have a talk with you!'
The dark-haired girl opened her mouth to try to defend herself, but her father had already hung up the phone.
'Dad? Dad?!'
Her hand tightened around her phone, her heart pounding, her brain working at a million miles per second, as she stared at the ground, with her teeth clenched.
Shunsui, who had secretly followed her to the roof, decided to reveal his presence to her, by that instant.
'Let me guess! It was daddy?!' he called out to her, and the girl flung around to look at him on the spot.
The reddish-brown-haired was leaning against the side wall, with his arms crossed over his chest, a malicious smile on his lips.
She stared at him with outrage.
'Oh! Poor daddy! He, now, knows that his loving daughter is not as innocent as she seems! Well, it had to happen some day or another!' His expression becoming serious then, he unfolded his arms and stood straight, stating, 'I had warned you the other day! If you take on Hime and Mizoroge, you'll find me in your way! I'd advise you to leave it to that! You won't get the support of your friends- or anyone else, by the way- anymore. If you persist, I promise you that I'll have you expelled!'
On this warning, he turned around to leave, but paused down, to add, with a shrewd smile, 'And it is also possible that your father ends up discovering that his dear daughter has a boyfriend and that they often meet at Hosoi Hotel!'
Her breath caught. How does he know about the hotel?!
The reddish-brown-haired young man walked away, while the girl remained standing there, glaring at his retreating figure, her eyes bulging with anger.
The moment he was completely out of sight, she exploded in a fury.
'Shunsui!' she roared, flinging back around to clutch the balustrade with both of her hands, panting with rage.
You're going to pay me for this! If you think that I'm going to be scared of you!
Natsui! It's not over!
***
After school…
'Say, Shunsui...' I said, hesitantly, as he plumped himself down on the sofa of the living room, grabbing a magazine. We had just arrived at his house, after having skipped extracurriculars.
'Yes,' he responded, without looking at me, putting his reading spectacles on.
'Do you think...'
I hesitated again.
'Hm?'
Taking a deep breath, and pressing my eyes shut, I went for it. 'Do you think I could take a day off today?'
I didn't open my eyes immediately. I expected to hear a "no". But when it didn't come, I risked an eye open and saw that the reddish-brown-haired young man had taken his spectacles off to look around at me where I was standing behind of the sofa.
'What for?' he inquired.
I squirmed a little.
It had been three days since I had not visited my mother at the hospital. Obā-san had another big order for tomorrow and, therefore, I might not be able to visit my mother tomorrow morning either. I was becoming desperate to see her.
'I want to visit someone.'
He studied my expression, carefully, before he turned his face back to the front, put his spectacles on again, and opened his magazine, saying "Okay".
I was so surprised that my mind took a whole minute to register his answer.
'Thank you!' I told him, gratefully, when it finally sank in.
Just as I was turning around to make for the door, abruptly, Gōjun– who was standing next to me- gripped me by my forearm, stopping me.
'Oi! Where do you think you're going?'
I looked up at him, a bit startled.
'Are you really going to allow her to leave?' he asked Shunsui.
He was evidently against it.
'Let her go away, Gōjun!' the reddish-brown-haired young man told him, without lifting his eyes off his magazine.
Even if, Gōjun looked unhappy by his friend's decision, he still released my arm.
'Oh, by the way,' Shunsui added, at that moment, 'I believe that it goes without saying that I'll add that to your debt.'
At this, my expression turned awkward; my mouth hanging slightly open.
He's a demon! Cruel and unbending!
I could already see where it was going. I could envision him continuing to make me work as his slave, even after I had trespassed to the thereafter.
My poor soul!
As I walked to the door, I dragged my feet under me, my face as white as a sheet.
***
Gōjun Shoran followed the dark-haired girl with the eyes until she was out of the door.
'Where do you think she's going?' he asked, almost to himself, taking a glance at Shunsui.
'I don't know,' the latter replied, still not looking up. 'Just follow her, and you'll know!'
Gōjun flinched. 'Why would I do that?!'
'Hurry up! You're going to lose track of her!'
Upon these words, as Shunsui expected, Gōjun didn't lose another second to hurry after the dark-haired girl.
The reddish-brown-haired young man giggled to himself.
On his side, Gōjun was sure that Shunsui has a good idea about where the dark-haired girl could be headed, but that he wouldn't tell him; he wanted for him to find it out by himself.
He exhaled, more exasperated with his own person, than with Shunsui, for he couldn't really understand why he was this interested to know where the girl was going.
Thank you for reading!
Glossary
Yare! Yare! - "well, well"