Rumour Has It

He should really just forget about the whole incident and move on, but Ren couldn't get the look which Shinobu gave him out of his mind. A fierce, dark warning. Almost protective.

Shinobu certainly didn't bother to look him up. He cut classes like crazy and it seemed that his attendance was just enough to prevent him from getting expelled. Ren tried to find out more about him, dropping his name casually when his friends or acquaintances gossiped about the school's less desirable residents, which were few, since their school was one of the best in the district.

The nuggets of information were speculative and not at all reliable.

"He's a monster!"

"Heard he is in a gang."

"Beat up a guy so bad he got hospitalised."

"Wonder how he's still in school. Thought they would've kicked him out ages ago."

Ren was frustrated. If he walked up to Shinobu's class, the bottom of the pile, the kids there would hang him out to dry. He tried looking for the guy during breaks but Shinobu was not easily found.

Two weeks later, after many hours of fretting, Ren had enough. During a free period, he told his friends that he was going to the student council room to pick something up.

He walked down the hall (Shinobu's class was two corridors and a floor away from his, the school liked to segregate its students) and was determined to get hold of Shinobu.

The sounds of cursing, yelling, something breaking and general rowdiness nearly made him stopped dead at the door. After a moment of hesitation, Ren pulled the door open.

It was almost comical if it was not so terrifying as thirty pairs of eyes stared at him and the classroom fell into silence.

Then a mean looking guy broke out in a laugh. "I'll be damned. Is it the prince visiting us?"

Someone whistled. "Hey, pretty. Can we help?"

"Fujiwara, I didn't know your taste runs this way," a girl purred.

"Shut up, bitch."

"Hey!"

Ren cleared his throat even as three or four guys advanced towards him. Surely they wouldn't beat him up here during school hours?

"I was looking for," he began.

A hand grabbed his collar. "Look elsewhere. Why don't you and I go have a chat?"

"Goto, don't hurt him too much," someone snickered.

"Hey, leave some for us!"

Ren glared at the guy with dead, vacant eyes. Cuts across his arm. Probably drugs.

"Let go of me," he said in a steely voice, looking straight at him.

"Or what, pretty boy?" Goto grinned, crooked.

Ren was going to shove him when another familiar voice stopped him.

"Quit it, Goto. He's looking for me."

The class fell into another dead silence. Goto widened his eyes and let go of Ren immediately.

"Sorry, Kurosawa. He's yours," he muttered and backed away.

Ren realised that Shinobu was standing behind him. He turned around and found himself almost face to face with those dark grey eyes.

"What do you want?" Shinobu asked coolly.

"Ah, can we talk somewhere else?" Ren managed.

He got a measured look before Shinobu nodded. "Fine."

They went out of the classroom and the moment they closed the door, the entire class erupted again. This time it seemed like pure, excited chatter.

Shinobu didn't say another word and started striding away. Ren followed him and before he knew it, he was watching in strange fascination as Shinobu picked a locked door. After a few flights of stairs, they were at the rooftop of the annex to the main school building.

Shinobu turned around and assessed him. "Well, talk."

"So…I wanted to look you up after what happened that day," Ren began not quite smoothly. "How are your injuries?"

Shinobu looked at him as if he was some madman. "Fine."

This was starting in a spectacular fashion but at least Shinobu didn't pulp him yet. Ren continued. "I thought I should buy you a meal. To say thanks."

"Don't need one. Now get lost."

Ren's sensible side was shouting for him to make a run for it but somehow the words that popped out of his mouth didn't listen.

"Come on, you're going to turn down free food?"

He wanted to shoot himself as those icy eyes landed on him.

"You're either nuts or stupid," Shinobu concluded.

"Actually, I'm neither," Ren returned. "But you're just being difficult."

After a moment, Shinobu smirked. "That's what I do, you idiot."

Sensing that the tide was turning in his favour, Ren grinned. "Well, being sociable is what I do."

Shinobu laughed out loud after a dead beat of silence.

Ren was astonished. It was a nice sound, low and almost husky.

Why in the name of god did he think that?

Then Shinobu asked. "Anywhere I pick?"

"Yeah, promise," Ren agreed.

"Let you know tomorrow."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"We're eating here?"

"Problem?"

"No! Not at all. Whatever you want."

Ren followed Shinobu hesitantly down the aisle of instant noodles.

He had found it weird when Shinobu asked to meet in front of a discount supermarket. When he arrived, Shinobu was waiting at the entrance and just nodded for him to go in.

"Are we really going to finish all of these?" Ren asked incredulously as Shinobu dumped a bunch of instant noodle packages into the basket.

"Shut up and just pay for them," Shinobu returned sullenly.

"Right, sure," Ren muttered and to his amazement, Shinobu led them to the ice-cream section and picked up two tubs. Chocolate and matcha.

He wondered if they were going to have some odd picnic. As Shinobu was in no mood to explain, he just kept quiet and swiped his card at the cashier.

"So, which one are we going to start with?" Ren looked at the selection at the packing station.

Shinobu ignored him. He bagged everything and headed straight out.

Ren shrugged to himself. Maybe a park nearby?

Once outside, Shinobu stood at a corner and scanned the area. Ren was about to ask what they were doing when something caught Shinobu's eyes.

"Wait here."

"Huh? Wh-"

Before Ren could continue, Shinobu had walked off. Curious and bewildered, Ren watched as Shinobu approached two kids who had appeared around the block. Early middle school and still in their uniforms.

He widened his eyes when the kids cheered upon seeing Shinobu. They stared in disbelief and excitement when he handed over the bags to them. Ren couldn't see Shinobu's expression or what he said since he had his back to him, but it was clear that the boys looked up to him. One of them even hugged Shinobu, who pushed him away and just ruffled his hair.

Ren's mind was blown.

Shinobu stood there until the kids left and was out of sight. Then he came back to where Ren was still standing, shocked into immobility.

"Thanks. The kids are damn happy," Shinobu said, a little awkwardly.

"No- no problem. Your brothers?" Ren managed.

"No," Shinobu didn't explain further.

Probably not the right time to pry, Ren thought. "So, let's grab something around here? I'm hungry."

"I've got to get to work," Shinobu replied. "See you."

"You got a part-time job! Where?" Ren exclaimed. The day just kept ceding surprises.

Shinobu gave him a look that screamed that he thought Ren was an idiot. "Ramen joint."

Ren ignored the look and grinned.

"Fuck, you're going to follow me," Shinobu swore under his breath.

"Let's go! Ramen sounds awesome," Ren said cheerfully.

Shinobu just turned around and started walking. Ren followed behind and tried to digest what he had just witnessed. He felt a strange compulsion to find out more about this contradictory person. Whether Shinobu knew it or not, Ren decided right then that they were going to be friends.