Another day… Morning comes and Haru stirs in his bed trying to shake off the grasp of his sleepy cage. He sits up and his blurry view can only see the grey blanket that was keeping warm at night. He raises his arms into the air and stretches. It didn't help much, but it helped wake himself up even more. "It's time to get ready." Haru starts his preparation for the day by making his lunch and his morning exercise. After his preparation, Haru takes a quick shower and gets dressed.
"Yosh! I think that's all of it. Let's get going." Haru leaves his apartment and heads towards the elevator. "Ohayou! Ena-kun!"
"Uwa! Oh, it's you Hiyori-san."
"Oops! Did I scare you?"
"Yes you did. I didn't hear you come up behind me."
"It's because I wanted to surprise you! You seem kinda sleepy, that's why I decided to surprise you!"
"Well it surely woke me up." Shina smiles and stands by Haru's side.
The elevator arrives and both of them step inside. Haru pushes the button to reach the ground floor and waits with Shina. "Ne, Ena-kun, can I ask something?" Haru glances towards her and then says, "What is it?"
"Why do you hide your face when you have such a charming one?"
"Huh?" Haru was taken aback from her question. Shina moves to the front of him and steps closer causing Haru to step back. "When I saw your face for the first time, I was captivated by the sight. Especially those green eyes of yours. I couldn't stop staring! So why do you hide your face?"
"Ah! Well… It's-it's because my face causes lots of trouble. That's why I hid it!"
"Huh? How can your face cause trouble?" Shina takes another step forward, invading his personal space causing Haru to back up from her. "Well… that's another story for another day. Please, Hiyori-san, you're getting too close!"
"Hihi, you don't like it when I am this close to you huh Ena-kun? Hihi~"
"P-please stop!" Shina has managed to get Haru up against the elevator wall. "Haha, unexpectedly, you're quite cute when you're this embarrassed. On a serious note, Ena-kun, are you being threatened or hiding from any shady organizations?"
"It's not that either. Let's just say it's to protect my job. I'll tell you when the time is right."
"So it's one of those things huh. Alright, I'll trust in you Ena-kun so don't do anything dangerous ok?"
"I got it. I got it. Now, please step back, we're about to arrive on the ground floor." Shina takes a step back and turns towards the entrance. Haru takes a deep breath and calms down his nerves. Jeez, Hiyori-san is going to give me a heart attack.
Haru puts on his earphones as the elevator opens up and waiting for them was Shina's friends. "Ah! I'll go on ahead! See you in class Ena-kun!" Haru smiles and waves goodbye to her without saying a word.
After leaving the elevator, Haru takes his time walking to school to enjoy his long awaited peace and quiet. The weather was pleasant. The morning sun wasn't too hot and the breeze was cool. It's the perfect weather to go take a nap under a tree.
Haru takes a different route from Shina as to not freak out her friends for his deplorable appearance. On his walk to school, a friendly night time face appears. "Yo Haru!"
Dressed in a black hoodie and sweatpants, Shou was jogging towards Haru. "Ah! Shou-senpai! Good morning!" Haru bows his head. Shou stops by Haru and begins a conversation with him.
"Heading to school huh?"
"Yeah! Another boring day at school really."
"I can tell. You're walking alone and listening to music. Here, let's walk to your school together."
"Are you sure? Aren't you a model, Shou-senpai? I'm sure my classmates will recognize you."
"It's fine. It's only up to the entrance. After that I'll continue my morning run."
"If you say so." Shou and Haru begin to walk side-by-side enjoying their talk. Most of the time, Haru doesn't get to talk with Shou in the morning so it was a new experience for him.
"By the way Haru, remember that flame art you did last night?"
"Ah, the one I did for Lady Arisu?"
"Right! That one! I was thinking that we should add some basic flame art training to the bartenders."
"Oh really! I have some ideas I can tell you later tonight."
"Sweet. Good job my little pupil!" Shou ruffles Haru's hair. The two laughed light-heartedly and were not aware of stares coming from the others around them.
"Hey hey, isn't that Tsubaki Shou?"
"No way no way! You mean that fashion model Tsubaki Shou?"
"Yeah! What is he doing here! …And with that nobody…?"
"Yeah… but why does it seem like they're both having fun together? Ah! They're laughing together!"
" "Huh?" " Haru and Shou notice the atmosphere and look around them and see that there were a bunch of people looking at them. A lot of students and people notice Shou casually hanging out with Haru who was known to be unknown and a loser.
"Haru. Are you picking up what I'm throwing down?"
"Yeah."
"Heh, great minds think alike."
"Yeah. And our great minds tell us-!
" "To run away!!!" "
Haru and Shou bolted out of there, trying to get away from everyone. "Ah! They're running away! After them!"
"Haru, do you think you'll be able to free run to get away?"
"It's your decision Shou-senpai! You know I'll keep up with you!"
"Haha what a dependable kouhai I have. Alright let's do it!"
"Yes sir!"
Haru and Shou make the next right turn into an alleyway. "They ran into that alleyway!"
"That alleyway leads to a dead end!"
"Perfect, we have them where we want them!!" When the leading individuals of the mob turn into the alleyway, they can see Haru and Shou run up to the dead end. "You two have no escape! Give up!"
" " That's what you think!!" "
Shou runs up the wall and vaults over. Haru throws his bag over the wall and then kicks the side wall to boost himself up and just as he was about to get over-.
"Oh no you don't!" One of the girls from their mob managed to catch up to Haru and swipe at him and one of her fingers was able to tug on to the hem of his school uniform which was enough to startle him.
"Wh-whoa!" Instead of landing safely, Haru crashed. "Are you ok Haru!?"
"Yeah! Let's get out of here before they can regroup."
"Right!" Haru and Shou leave the area and hurry to Haru's school.
"Damn! We were so close to getting him! Especially that nobody!"
"Yeah! How does that loser know such a famous model who can laugh with him?"
"Anyway, let's hurry back! We're going to be late for school." Just as the mob was going back, one of them noticed something on the ground. "Hm? A pair of glasses? …fufu~"
After a while, Haru and Shou got to the entrance of Haru's school. The two stop to catch their breath.
"Gah! When I told myself I should go running today, I didn't mean this!" Shou says as he was gasping for air. "Same… Girls are terrifying!"
"You said it… Phew! What a morning!" Shou stands up and gives his body a good stretch. "Come on Haru, just a little more and we'll be there." He held out his hand towards Haru. Haru smiles and takes his hand. Shou pulls him up to his feet, but when Haru stood up, pain shot up from his ankle causing to lean on Shou for support.
"Agh! My ankle!"
"You must've sprained it when you came crashing down."
"It seems so… Agh!"
"Whoa! Stay put. I'll carry you to your school's infirmary."
"But-!"
"No buts! It's your senpai's job to take care of his kouhai after all, so stop creating a fuss about it."
"Okay then, I'll take up your offer." Shou smiles and picks up Haru, but Haru didn't expect to be carried like a princess.
"Why are you carrying me like this?!"
"I said stop making a fuss about it! And stop moving around, you're heavy as is."
"Sorry for not being a girl."
"Haha, let's get you to the infirmary." Shou begins to walk towards the entrance of the school and sees a pair of girls who are just entering.
"Excuse me." Shou said to the girls. The two turned around and were stunned to see him.
" "Ts-Tsubaki Shou?!" " The girls scream in unison. Their surprised scream alerted everyone nearby. "Sorry to be in a rush, but can you point me in the direction of your school's infirmary? My little brother over here sprained his ankle and I would like to patch him up."
"Oh! Uhm!... If you like, we can guide you over there."
"Ah! Would you please do that?"
"Gladly!"
"Thank you so much!" Shou bows his head and the girls begin to guide them to the infirmary. All the other girls who were alerted to Shou's existence follow behind them.
They reach the infirmary and Shou sets Haru down on the bed. From the entrance of the infirmary, the girls were watching Shou bandage Haru's ankle.
"You know I can do this myself."
"No can do. It's natural for your big brother to take care of his little brother." After a while, Shou finished securing Haru's ankle with bandages.
"Now rest here for a while before heading to class ok?"
"Ok." Shou smiles and ruffles Haru's head. Shou whispers, "It's ok if you don't come into work tonight. Try to take it easy for now."
"Understood. Thanks for helping me again, Shou-senpai."
"Any time!" Shou was about to exit the infirmary, but saw all the girls blocking the entrance. Luckily for him the bell rang signaling everyone that homeroom was about to start. Everyone hurries to their classes and that leaves Shou a free pathway out of the building.
Since I'm still planning on going to work tonight. I guess I should rest up for now. I'll take these painkillers and take a nap.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
