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"Uhm, Kuro. Let me go now."
"No." Kuro replied, his chummy howl voice was unusually serious. Inoue was confused at this, craning her neck to look at Rikkun, pleading for help.
Rikkun was frowning as well.
"Kuro, if you're going to keep dragging her, it'll be considered sexual harassment."
"I'm gay, I'm an exception."
They're walking through the hallways, and as though Kuro haven't noticed, they're passing by their classroom already. Rikkun told them of this, but Kuro didn't stop on dragging Inoue and Rikkun from following. Inoue continued to inspect Kuro.
Until they're nearer to the locker area, close to the entrance and exit of the building that Kuro do slowed down. By then, Inoue had noticed something odd about Kuro's facial features, not just about his expression being oddly serious, but also there's a dull purplish spot on the side of his mouth.
It turned a little visible now that the light cast on his face. But the make-up did its magic, Inoue thought.
Inoue chose this moment to speak up again and pull her hand free. Anger rekindling inside her, but reasons unknown. "Did you have a fight with someone before school?? Who did that to you??"
"Yes. Someone did noticed." Rikkun commented, nodding to himself.
Kuro didn't plan on snatching her hand again, much to her relief. But his words rasped with harsh intent. He didn't turn to look at Inoue nor Rikkun, his back towards them. "That doesn't matter right now. What matters—"
"Is someone bullying you outside or something? How come you're not complaining about it, it's your oh-so-gorgeous face, isn't? What's with you today??"
"I should be asking you that."
"Uhm... which one??"
To this, Kuro turned, glaring down at Inoue, his hands in his pant-pockets. For some reason, there's disappointment on Kuro's angry face from how he looked at Inoue.
"What's with you today? I've been teasing and bullying and making funny faces at you the whole time but you weren't not paying attention to me. I even went so far to drink that strawberry milk of yours—"
"-You drank my strawberry milk!?" Inoue was shocked.
"—I puked, but still you weren't paying attention to me at all. So I thought, 'Okei, maybe she's sick or something, or some yokai take over your soul or something..." but no! I realized, with my clever brain—"
"You're kind of an idiot actually." Rikkun commented.
"—that you're not okei right now because of that Leviathan sensei—"
"Levi-sensei!" Inoue and Rikkun corrected him.
"-who looked so sassy in his cleaning gear and so gutsy to let you sleep in his freakin' office—alone— all by yourself— with him!"
Panting, Kuro give himself a moment to let out a deep breath. Inoue and Rikkun traded confused glances at each other.
"Uhm... what's got that anything to do with anything? More importantly, your bruise—"
"I said that's not important right now! This happens all the time, okei! Let me continue!—"
"What?! All the time!"
"I'm not yet finished!"
"You've been bullied and you haven't told it to the teachers? To me!?"
"Shut up and answer me! Do you really like Rikkun?"
Inoue backpedaled, blinking, nonplussed. "What—"
"Yes or no?!"
Inoue was taken aback at Kuro's outburst but she complied. "Of course I do. I—"
"—But not anymore when that sensei showed up, isn't?!" Kuro interjected, now his hands at the side of his hips, with clenched fists.
"Oh..."Rikkun muttered. "so this is what it was..."
Inoue still remained nonplussed at the Kuro's rantings. "Kuro... why do you sound so angry with that?"
"That's because you're using Rikkun as your rebound for that—"
"No! What are you talking about, Kuro?!"
"I'm talking about your feelings for sensei, dimwit shorty spoiled brat!"
Inoue was stammering. Offended, she glared at Kuro. "My feelings for sensei does not concern you!"
"So you still have feelings for that sensei! You only think you're serious about Rikkun but it's only because he reminded you of him!"
"I don't really mind though." Rikkun interposed. "Just saying."
"That's not it, Kuro! It's a misconception!"
"Okei, fine! Then tell me why you like Rikkun!"
"Uh, I feel uncomfortable being talked about so I'm—"
"You stay here!" Kuro and Inoue stopped Rikkun, making him flinched.
"...'Kay."
They faced each other again.
Inoue pointed up a finger at him. "Look," she began explaining, composing herself. "my feelings for Rikkun and Levi-seishou is my own private affairs. It's not in your business."
"You're avoiding the question..!" Kuro was gritting his teeth.
"I have a right not to answer!" Inoue retorted.
"But I deserved that answer from you!" Kuro fired back.
"Why?!"
"Because you're my rival!"
Their booming voice stilled, making the room come into deafening silence and all they could hear were their breathing for air after shouting at one another.
Rikkun looked at Inoue then to Kuro and vice versa, uncertain of what to do. "Uh... do you guys need some water—"
"We're fine!"
"...'Kay."
"Do you..." Kuro started to speak up again. "remember when you said I should not act all flirty and be serious? What are you doing right now? I'm a little pissed that you're not devoted when I think you are. If you really liked Rikkun you should've move—"
"Moved on? Is that what you're saying, Kuro??" Shadows creeped down on her face. "You don't know what it's like for me, Kuro."
"Meeting him that time... I was saved." She lowered her head. "And now, after two years, seeing him again as my teacher.... You don't know how it feels..."
Silence.
Eleven seconds of silence.
Eleven seconds of awkward silence.
Because Rikkun precisely counted it. "Um, I think you guys aren't really communicating well..."
The two didn't make any response. They stood there, struggling for something to say. Or, simply, struggling of what not to be said. Rikkun continued. "For now, take a breather for the day and give each other some space. Have a proper talk tomorrow."
The sun was down and the moon was up that Inoue walked back home, Rikkun being insistent on accompanying her since it's already dark.
"I'm sorry... you had to see that..." Inoue said, after the long walk and long silence. They were standing in front of Inoue's home.
Rikkun thought about this for a moment, looking like he was offended. "....Didn't you guys just told me not to-"
"I was caught up in the moment!"
"Okei..." Rikkun slowly replied. "I'll get going now."
"Rikkun,"
About two steps he paused on his tracks, turning to look at Inoue's odd expression. "Yeah?"
Inoue wasn't looking back at Rikkun. "I'm really serious about you. Please, don't doubt that."
Rikkun opened his mouth to say something but sighed first instead. "...I would be lying if I say I don't doubt that."
Inoue looked up, and her eyes sparkles in the dark. Not the good way. "But..."
"Really, I do think you're tangling your feelings a bit. But for now, let's leave that issue and rest up. You guys both need it... after that tedious cleaning and arguing..."
Inoue simply nodded at the his response.
"Speaking of arguing though.."
"Hm... Um, huh? What did you say?"
"I said, what if I also have bruises on my face that came from fighting after school?"
Forgetting the sadness temporarily, Inoue was flabbergasted. "What? Really?!"
"Can you see it on my face?" Taking a step forward, he closed in some gaps between them and hunched his back, letting Inoue inspect his face.
On the other hand, Inoue was blinking, unsure of giving herself space or not moving at all. "U-um... well... uhhh...." Inoue was getting uncomfortable. "I don't... really.. see.. anything... yeah... I don't... yeah.."
To Inoue's relief, Rikkun leaned back, giving her more space and the possible risk of coronary. "Yeah. Well, I'm just kidding."
"....Huh?"
"I've bothered you long enough." Rikkun made a short wave of a hand. "See you at school."
"Yes, see you." Inoue curt a bow. "Um, thanks for taking me home!"
And with that, she hurriedly went inside. Rikkun stood there for a moment, looking at the after-image of where Inoue just left off. Closing his eyes, he began recalling the moment Inoue and Kuro arguing for serious reasons this time.
He tried remembering what was Inoue's expression back then when Kuro revealed that he'd gotten to a fight before school recently, thus the bruises. And then, he recalled Inoue's expression few moments ago, when he made an excuse to inspect Inoue's face a bit more closer.
Opening his eyes, he started walking himself back home, muttering in a thoughtful perception. "That's strange. Unlike her reactions toward me... her eyes looks different when it comes toward Kuro."
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