So, as some of you (*cough*Meal*cough*) have pointed out, the last chapter wasn't my best. I happen to agree.
Hopefully this chapter will be a good return to form
Anyway, comments and critiques are GREATLY appreciated
My jimmies won't be rustled, it's cool.
Chapter 4: She Said She Said
I awake to the sound of rapping on wood and muffled sunlight in my face. With a grunt, I pull myself up from the carpet into a standing position. My muscles are thoroughly sore from a night on the hard floor, and my arm has a telltale streak of carpet burn on it. I take a look around Suzu’s room, and it appears even dirtier than last night, if that’s even possible. I suppose I was more tired than I thought last night. That may explain the whole Literature club thing...
The noise seems to have awakened Suzu as well. She jolts up, a small gasp escaping her lips.
Our eyes lock for a few seconds, and it looks as though she's forgotten that I was even here last night. I half-expect her to run out screaming, though thankfully she settles for just looking confused.
Another series of knocks breaks us from our stupor, this time accompanied by a voice.
“Suzu, get your butt up, class is gonna start in twenty minutes!”
Molly sure seems to get grumpy in the morning.
Suzu looks frantically between the door and me; she looks at me once again and nods toward the bed. Taking the hint, I not-so-gracefully crawl underneath; it’s a tight fit, but I manage to squeeze through.
If anything, the area underneath her bed is even worse than her room. Wrappers and various crumpled articles of clothing dot the area around me, including, to my discomfort, a bra.
I hear the click of a door lock as Suzu allows Molly inside, a metallic gleam shining off of her prosthetics as the sun hits.
“I’ve been knocking on your door for the last hour and you never answered! I swear, you’re a handful sometimes,” Molly chides. Suzu shifts her feet in embarrassment.
“S-sorry, I had another... episode.”
She says the last word quietly. I’m no expert on narcolepsy, so I can’t decipher whether she’s telling the truth or just trying to cover her ass.
There’s a short pause, and it’s Molly’s turn to shift uncomfortably.
“Erm, right, sorry...” she says regretfully. A few seconds later, she visibly perks up and begins leading Suzu outside.
“Well, it’s good you slept in your clothes, I suppose. Now you’ll just need to do your hair and straighten your outfit a bit.”
She says something else, but by that time they’re already in the hallway. Molly closes the door behind her, and I crawl out from my hiding place.
Now comes the hard part.
Accessing my inner Solid Snake, I silently make my way towards the halls.
The dorms are luckily largely devoid of people; they must have gotten out to class earlier.
Thank God for Japanese studiousness.
Not wanting to try my luck by heading out of the main entrance, I head towards a nearby staircase and find a back exit. It’s a much longer walk towards the main building, however, and I practically have to jog to get to the main building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, not even my olympic sprinting is enough to beat the clock, and I walk into class a few minutes late.
I flash an apologetic smile towards Mutou, who luckily only punishes me with a disapproving glance. It looks like they’re pretty lenient about tardiness here, though when a good amount of your student body is wheeling themselves around, I guess that makes sense. I lock eyes with Lelouch and Akio on my way to the desk. They say nothing, but their looks speak volumes.
“Don’t talk about last night.”
Fine by me.
I take my seat and the lesson continues.
Science was always my worst subject, and here at Yamaku it’s no different. Most of it goes in through one ear and shoots out of the other in one glorious and presumably messy shot. No offense to Mutou, of course, he seems like a nice enough guy. Maybe I’ll catch him someday at the pub and we could share a round; or not, he really looks like the type to drink alone.
I glance over at Suzu, whose making a (pretty poor) attempt at feigning listening, and is instead scribbling lazily in her notebook. At first glance it appears to be a random series of thick, random zig-zags strewn haphazardly around the page. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be a forest, the trees leafless and jutting out at violent angles. In the center, surrounded by a small sphere of white light, is a small, Charlie Brown-esque girl, smiling and holding a flower.
Suzu catches me staring and hurriedly switches to another page.
I mutter an apology and turn back to the board, where Mutou is in the process of explaining electron diffractions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The day goes on without much incident, bar Miki’s usual matchmaker antics, including goading Suzu and I to put our straws into one milk carton and drink while Molly takes a picture.
After lunch ended, however, Suzu was nowhere to be found in the afternoon classes. I chalk it up to her just being tired after a long night with me.
Wait, that came out wrong...
I can’t say I really blame her for wanting some alone time, last night was pretty awkward for both of us. I can’t help but wonder where are we headed with this. Maybe Suzu is just taking pity on the newest schmuck to get carted off here. Maybe this whole thing is just a big elaborate prank that’ll go horribly wrong and end up with a field trip to the hospital.
I shake off these cynical thoughts and decide to go for a walk around campus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The school is relatively free of people around this time. A few of the sports clubs and various study groups linger around the grounds, enjoying the beautiful spring weather. At first glance, it’d be easy to mistake Yamaku for a park, what with the abundance of fauna and forest life nearby.
It’s a great place to kick back, chat with friends, read a book, all sorts of things.
Book...
It occurs to me that I haven’t been to the library once in my time at Yamaku. My textbooks were dropped off to my room while I was in class (apparently as a part of my ‘isolationist’ program), and I do all my studying on my laptop in my room. Reading a manga out in the spring breeze definitely sounds like a relaxing time.
Off to the library it is then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The library has a certain air of refinement to it, and I can tell it’s probably one of the older areas here at Yamaku. Despite that, a few modern elements exist, including a line of computers among the walls, a few of which are already occupied. Still, I expect there to be the classic old librarian, glaring at you if your voice rises above a whisper.
I hear a shuffling behind the wooden counter nearby. Thinking it’s most likely a library worker, I decide to ask for help.
“Excuse me, do you ha-”
BONK
A solid something hits underneath the counter, hard enough to shake the computer and a mug of coffee on top.
“Ow, ow, ow!”
Contrary to my expectations, it’s not an old lady, but a young, bespectacled redhead. She’s pretty cute too, though she looks a tad too old to be a student.
“C-can I help you?” she asks politely, rubbing the top of her now bruised cranium.
“Sorry about that, didn't mean to disturb you,” I begin.
“No, no, it’s fine, honestly, really! It was my fault for neglecting my duties, I should have been more attentive! “ she stammers, seemingly horrified at the thought of me being inconvenienced.
“Uhm, right, you wouldn't happen to have a manga or comics section here, would you?”
Her expression falls again once again. It’s like she’s in a perpetual state of depression.
“We don’t I’m afraid, sorry...”
She says it as though she’s telling me my puppy got run over by an eighteen wheeler.
“Well, thanks anyway for the help, Ms....?”
Yuuko begins to bow her head at a pace that that would put most heavy metal bands to shame.
“I-I’m so sorry, that was incredibly rude of me! I’m Yuuko, I’m the librarian here. I take care of the books,” she announces.
“Well, that’s generally what a librarian does,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood a bit. “I’m Aaron Fukui, I transferred here a few weeks ago.”
It seems to work a bit, thankfully, as she produces a nervous smile.
A loud thud from nearby causes us both to jump. A woman with medium length hair and half-moon glasses is bent over a cardboard box stuffed with a multitude of old books.
“Dammit, sorry about that, Yuuko, these things weigh a ton,” calls a female voice.
“Keiko, please, watch your language...” Yuuko announces trepidly, now aware of the students looking back at us from their computers. The woman rubs the back of her head and laughs nervously, ruffling her auburn hair. Wait, that hair looks familiar...
“Ms. Tanaka?” I ask.
Sure, enough, the familiar face from my first day of school looks in my direction and looks me over for a second. Her face then breaks into a smile.
“Oh, I remember you! The wrestler guy, right? It’s been a while.”
“It’s only been a few weeks, but it’s good to see you too,” I say with a coy smile. I don’t know where she gets the idea that I’m a wrestler, though.
She laughs and brings the cardboard box she dropped to the counter. Seeing she’s struggling a bit, I go over to help her.
“Thank you, guess my old back’s not what it used to be, hah!”
I wink at her. “You can’t be that old, I’m sure you get love letters from all the boys here.”
She chuckles, and we set the box down on the counter top.
Yuuko looks somewhat flustered by Ms. Tanaka’s rather frank manner of speech, especially with a student.
“So what are you doing down here in the library?” I ask.
Ms. Tanaka loosens her arms and back out before answering.
“It was my day off, Yuuko needed help to restock the shelves, so I figured I’d come down to lend a hand. Considering my deadbeat boyfriend ditched our dinner date to go to an ‘office party’, I needed something to do today...” she answers.
I’m not entirely sure that last comment was needed, but it was certainly humorous.
“Have you two known each other long?” I inquire.
“We both arrived here around the same time. We were around the same age, we started to chat after school, and I guess we just clicked,” Yuuko says.
Ms. Tanaka smiles mirthfully before turning her attention back to me.
“So, is a big guy like you going to sit back and make us girls do all the work?” she teases.
I move from my slumping position and assist Yuuko and Tanaka with the remaining boxes. I can’t blame Tanaka for cursing, these boxes are much heavier than they let on. The process of lifting the boxes from the lounge in the back to a nearby moving cart takes about ten minutes. The last box is let down with a grunt, and a layer of sweat begins to form on us. Tanaka wipes perspiration
from her brow and leans her body against the counter.
“How’s about joining us in the lounge for a drink or two?” she asks me, a friendly smile on her face .
I raise an eyebrow at her suggestion, and Yuuko looks like she’s ready to keel over.
“K-Keiko, you can’t ask a student that, are you insane?!” she asks indignantly.
Her yelling seems to be attracting more attention to us, ironically.
“Yuuko, come on, I’m talking about a couple sodas. I’m not gonna throw this kid down and shove
Kissui down his throat.”
I recognize the name of that particular sake drink, thanks to a few "office parties" held by my family, similar to the one Ms. Tanaka's boyfriend's attending.
The librarian thinks this over for a second before giving a very reluctant “fine.”
Well, it’s not like I was planning on doing much today. A couple drinks should be fine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now on my fourth bottle of Ramune, my inhibitions have largely dissipated. I’m convinced the drinks spiked with something, but I’m not complaining.
Ms.Tanaka, or as she likes to be called, “Ms.T” (leading to a very humorous mental image of her with a mohawk and gold chains), is happily sipping away at her flask, which she assures me isn’t filled with what I think it is. Even Yuuko appears to have let her hair down a bit, metaphorically speaking.
“Having fun?” Tanaka asks.
I shrug a bit and chuckle.
“Yeah, but I guess I’m kinda curious why you invited me back here. This seems like the start to some weird doujin or something.”
I just made a sex joke to a couple of faculty members didn't I?
Predictably, Yuuko goes molten red, while Ms. Tanaka laughs uproariously.
“Sorry, son, you’re a bit too young for my tastes!”
My mortification lessens a bit and I laugh along with her.
After cooling down a bit, she answers my previous question.
“You just have this look about you, I suppose. Like you’re an easy guy to get along with, to talk to.”
This sounds about right. My whole life I've listened to people I know tell me their life problems. They never expect an answer in return; they just talk, and I just sit there. I've never quite understood it. Maybe it’s a special gift, or a mutant power.
Maybe it’s just my lot in life. To be an ear. Or a wall for people to shout their problems at.
Either way, I’m born to be a listener it seems. It’s not too bad, really. Everyone needs someone to listen, after all.
“Something on your mind?” Yuuko asks.
I look up from my lap and towards the two women. I think back to a certain green-eyed, blue-haired problem swimming around in my head. It seems a bit silly to bring up girl troubles to the librarian and a school counselor; on the other hand, they are girls, and no doubt Ms.Tanaka will give me an honest answer.
Hail Mary time.
“There’s this girl...”
“You knocked her up?”
“KEIKO!”
“Just kidding, Yuuko...”
“No, it’s not that thankfully, it’s just...I don’t really know what to think of her.”
Ms. Tanaka and Yuuko lean forward. It’s pretty nice having someone else listen to me for a change. I probably shouldn’t get used to it though.
“I mean, she’s pretty friendly...I think. She’s upfront, except she...isn’t. Hell, she’s just sending out mixed signals at this point. I’m no expert on the female mind, I was hoping you two could help me out?”
My thoughts have not only managed to confuse me, but the two women listening.
“So, you like her, right?” Yuuko questions.
“Well, I suppose...”
No. No more doubts, no more introspection. It’s about time I be honest with myself.
“Yeah...yeah, I do.”
“You could, maybe, tell her then?”
“I don’t know if it’ll be that easy. Besides, I haven’t known her for that long, wouldn’t it be a bit strange to admit how I feel?” I rebuke.
Tanaka takes one last swig from her flask and sighs.
“A love hidden is a love that never blossoms.”
Yuuko and I are unable to hold back a groan at this cheesy line.
“Give me a break here, I’m a counselor, not a romance writer!” Tanaka defends.
Yuuko ignores her pouts and continues the stream of advice.
“Maybe she’ll understand your feelings, maybe she... won’t. To be honest, there’s really no way to tell how these things will go. But, better to have tried and failed than never tried at all and all that, right?”
“Thank you, Yuuko dear, for repeating what I just said.” Tanaka interrupts, a hint of playful bitterness in her voice. Yuuko returns with a sheepish grin before both start giggling.
Ms.T adjusts her spectacles on her nose and stands up in her seat.
“Well, it’s been fun, but it’s about time for me to be off.”
We share quick goodbyes as she makes for the door. She suddenly stop at the threshold and
turns to me.
“One more piece of advice. You should cut the Holden Caufield stuff.”
Seeing my look of confusion, she gives me a warm smile.
“You think too much,” she answers. With that, she exits, leaving me and Yuuko alone in the lounge.
Without warning, I laugh, catching Yuuko off guard. It’s not polite, subdued laughter, but a genuine, from the gut laughter.
“Y-you shouldn't laugh at Ms.Tanaka, it’ll encourage her,” she says.
I finally cease my chuckling and smile apologetically.
“Sorry, Yuuko, it’s just... she’s right,” I say.
Yuuko gives a knowing smile, despite her obvious puzzlement.
“Kei-I mean, Ms.Tanaka is a very smart lady, if a bit... unorthodox. She knows what she’s talking about.”
I nod. “She’s definitely smart, and definitely unorthodox.”
“It’s nice to have someone you care about, you know. Even if things don’t go how you plan, well, you always have your friends, right?” she continues. There’s a hint of melancholy in her voice. Perhaps she’s had some personal experience in all this?
She seems to catch on to her change in mood, and perks up in an instant.
“Well, good luck with Suzu!”
I feel my throat go dry, and Yuuko clamps her hands over her mouth so tight I fear she may crush her jaw.
“U-uh-” is all I can manage to spit out. I’m sure my face looks downright comical about now.
Yuuko laughs sheepishly and explains.
“I always see you two at lunch, so I just figured... was it a lucky guess?”
I regain my composure and confirm her suspicions. Her face takes on an uncharacteristically vivacious smile, almost like a schoolgirl gossiping with friends.
Her grin falters as she catches sight of a nearby clock on the wall.
“Wah! Has it been that long already?! You better head back before curfew!”
Not wanting to get my new favorite librarian in trouble, I give a quick bow before rushing off through the double doors and back towards the dorms. A few faculty members are already outside patrolling, and I give them a polite nod as I pass by, which they return in kind.
By the time I get back to my room, students are shuffling in like hermit crabs.
I get inside and plop down almost immediately on the comforter. I still have clothes I need to fold from the washer, but screw it, my arms are still sore from all that box lifting.
I may have let off some good bravado back there, but in reality I’m scared shitless. For a 5’4 narcoleptic, Suzu’s pretty damn intimidating. For all I know, there’s a silent rage built up that’ll unleash itself upon the nads of the next sap who tries to hit on her. My hands move to cover my nether regions at the thought.
I lay my head down on the pillow and let sleep drift over me. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day.