When The Truce Ends

The more I duck away, the more I avoid you, it's like the more I see you... -- Ying Bpadtiset Ying Ruk Tur (The More I Resist, The More I Love You), Mook Worranit

xxxxxx

[Rinako]

URGH! Another hell week! Projects, exams, club activities...

Seriously, our lives as students of Uminaribara had been such a hassle. Well, it was the last school week for that year and we would proceed to another year. So there, the struggle for the minds of students, even teachers, and professors, was something.

But for me, I was just here. I was only enduring since I needed to do that. I had to. I still had the scholarship to maintain even though my head hurt, so I should put more effort into this one. I didn't like to fail this one, you know.

To be honest, even if it was a hell week, I was surprised by the students of the university who liked juicy gossip. If you asked me, that was crazy. Until now, they couldn't get over the events that happened in the auditorium where the dance practicum of the dance club members happened. It wasn't even a week had passed and yet, the events that happened there soon spread to the entire university.

Just like at that moment.

Wherever I go, I could see people who were vocal in expressing their opinions about the performance. Everywhere I go, I could see people who couldn't seem to stop getting worked up and giddy just because of my performance with that Setsuji jerk. I could even see girls who would glare at me to the point where I could compare the way they gaze at me as if their eyes would shoot out laser beams. If I knew, they were just jealous. Eeww!

That thought was what made me crazy at the moment!

Do you know what I think? This was just some bad air that I needed to let out of my body system. So here I go!

Inhale...

Exhale...

There. Now I would be alright.

I just walked on straight ahead going to the classroom where my first class for that day would be. If it truly happened that my professor was boring when it comes to teaching, I would've thrown a fit. That meant I also needed to say good luck to my grades because of that.

I frowned when I saw Mayu waving in my direction. And the little witch of my cousin was grinning for some reason. I wonder what was that about...

"Hey! Maybe you should take it slow with your grinning. You'll tear your face apart sometime soon," I started as soon as I reached her who only chuckled. It was a good thing she didn't throw a fit on that.

"Well, I would smile since my day started well."

"Yeah, I noticed," I only muttered and shook my head with the giddy attitude that she was showing to me at the moment.

But then, it was just weird. "You don't have any plans of letting me inside the classroom, huh?" My cousin was standing right in front of the room's door. I could push her away from there like this, seriously speaking.

"Aren't you going to the Christmas Ball next week?"

That was the question that Mayu asked me as soon as she finally "allowed" me to enter the classroom. I could only frown when I faced her.

"Christmas Ball? Seriously? Do they have that here?"

"Well, Valentine's Day isn't the only one wherein there would be a dance ball meant for couples, right?"

"As if I would know that! You know I wasn't exactly updated when it comes to the school affairs here." I just headed straight to my assigned seat. "And besides, I don't even have any plans of going if that ball was a gathering of couples from our school."

Mayu just shook her head. "Seriously... You're being bitter again. Was it because you couldn't accept that you and Setsuji are now back to the way you were before?"

I couldn't help stiffening at that. The name that my cousin mentioned had stirred something in me... which was something I completely hated for real. But there was no truth about what my cousin said. I was glad that everything was back to normal.

But something still felt weird. There was something wrong.

"Well, that's kind of weird, if you ask me. I initiated the truce between us. And he agreed to it. So there's no reason and there's also no proof that I couldn't accept it."

"Oh? Why are you so defensive all of a sudden?" the witch asked a little teasingly.

"Me? Defensive?" Then I pointed to myself. "There's no reason for me to be defensive. Seriously, you're thinking about this as a game way too much. I think you shouldn't have any imagination at all. That way, you wouldn't be able to implement whatever crazy ideas that you have in your mind right now."

But Mayu just laughed. Even though I was already pissed and was about to strangle her, I still restrained myself. I needed to calm down. Having high blood pressure because of senseless things was quite bad for the heart.

"Well, look at this! The two beautiful ladies in the lives of the Mitsuta twins are together."

I could've rolled my eyes on that. But I couldn't. Besides, Seiho would always greet me and Mayu like that, especially if he would see us together in one place. I would've greeted those words with a wide smile and bright expression.

But it soon disappeared when I caught sight of something inside the classroom.

Of all people I had to see and would greet my sight that one fine morning in any place, why does it have to be Setsuji with a girl clinging to him like a leech? Of all emotions I wanted to feel toward that scene, why did it have to be something as if a hand gripped my heart tight -- so hard that I felt like I couldn't breathe? There was nothing new and wrong about what I just saw, right? Things went back to normal. I should already train my mind about seeing Setsuji with another girl by his side.

And that girl wasn't even me.

But there was something wrong here. Really wrong.

"Nako-chan, are you okay?" Mayu's question snapped me out of my reverie which, thankfully, shifted my focus on other more sensible things.

"H-huh? Y-yeah, I'm okay." Oh, how I hated myself for sounding so pathetic at the moment. But at least I had the talent to hide it... I guess.

"I think I know what made my cousin space out like this."

"Yeah. So do I."

I faced Mayu and Seiho who was wearing mischievous expression on their faces. I looked at the two with narrowed eyes. If you would ask me, perhaps these two shouldn't be together. It was obvious that they won't let an opportunity pass when it comes plotting mischievous things.

"Hey, you two! If you don't want me to push both of you by the stairs later, maybe you should stop plotting unnecessary things." After that, I sighed and took my notebook.

I needed to review and study. Just making sure I'd be able to answer the questions for the exam later.

"Well, that's because you're starting to become obvious. So if I were you, better stop denying any further."

"And what am I suppose to deny, pray tell?" I retorted to Mayu's words with an eyebrow raised.

"That you're affected to see my twin brother with some other girl."

What?

I could've hit the hardbound book that I was holding towards my cousin's object of affection. But because I didn't have any plans of rampaging inside the classroom, I did my best to restrain myself. Besides, if I did that, I'd only make them think that what Seiho said was true even though I had nothing to prove to these two crackheads.

I decided to bring the hardbound book I'd been carrying for a while now, along with my notes when I went out of the room. I'd take advantage of the fact that class hadn't even started yet.

"I better go out for a while," I said to them.

"Hmm... She's already starting to think about the things I said to her," Mayu teased.

I faced Mayu. "Mayu, it's for the best if you shut up. I'd push you down the stairs if you keep that up." After saying that, I stormed off.

Those two who kept teasing me just laughed rather crisply as I went out of the room. But before I could fully leave the place, I had no idea what kind of weird air entered my mind when I found myself inconspicuously looking back towards that Setsuji jerk and the leech girl who was with him at the moment. But to my surprise, I noticed that he was looking in my direction.

No... wait.

I would never make a mistake on this one. He wasn't just looking in my direction. He was looking intently at only one person. Though before my mind could fully process the event, I decided to finally leave the place.

Without even paying attention to my crazily thumping heart.

Was Setsuji looking at me?