Hidden in Plain Sight
Youta ran down the hall with the mob after him. Of all times to have them chasing him, why was it now?
Well, there wasn't anything in particular about now that made this turn of events any more inconvenient. Though no one would ever say there was a good time to have a mob of people chasing you for a misunderstanding.
"I wonder what they're going to do if they catch me?" He asked himself as he rounded the corner. At worst, they'd beat him up. However if they truly believed him to be guilty of a crime, they could also call the authorities on him and that would just be awkward all around.
Just as he turned the corner, Youta found himself grabbed tightly by a large figure. For a moment, he believed himself caught by someone who actually had the foresight to cut him off rather than chase him around with all the others. To his fortunate surprise, it was none other than Takame who he ran into to. "Ah, I'm-"
His attempt to apologize was cut off as she covered his mouth, then threw her body into him, forcing the boy's back against the wall. She put up a finger over her mouth to order him to be silent, which he obliged.
Just then, the mob rounded the corner to continue their chase only to be surprised they had lost him.
"Huh? Where did he go?" It was a long stretch of hallway, so they knew he couldn't have gotten away so easily. His classmates stood around, surrounding him and Takame as his heart raced from the anxiety of being caught.
This wasn't the only reason for his heart to race. Due to the circumstances, she used her body to cover his from sight. Which meant she also pressed her well developed body up against his. Where given the height differences meant his face got a good direct look of her well endowed chest that certainly didn't disappoint.
"We need to get a teacher." One of the students said after the group had been standing idly for a minute. "We can't let him get away with this!" Thanks to that suggestion, all of the students quickly left down the hall, allowing the pair to breath a sigh of relief.
"Whew, thanks." He said once the coast was clear. "You really saved my life there."
"Why were they chasing you, Mr. Morikawa?" She asked him in response. "You're a kind person, so why are they mad at you?"
"You don't need to flatter me that much." It was odd to him to hear someone, even if they were a year younger, to speak so formal to him. He had only been a sports manager for her, not a coach or teacher. "And it's all a misunderstanding, that's what's got them all fussy. I don't know if I should tell you though because I think at this point even you might get angry at me." His confidence had been shattered after seeing Mitora's and Fuwaka's response. If those who knew him best struggled with the idea, then how could he expect anything else?
"I trust you, Mr. Morikawa." She said, continuing to treat him as if he wasn't just another student who happened to be a year older than her. "What is it they think you did?"
"Someone saw me coming out of a closet with Chinemi Mifune and misunderstood everything." He told her.
"Ah, so they believe you were having… Relations during school?" Her cheeks grew red upon having to tiptoe around the part she didn't want to think about. "I know you'd never do that because you're the most responsible person I know."
"Huh, um, thanks." She truly did hold him in high regard where even though she didn't get an explanation from him. Takame already didn't jump to assuming the worst.
"The sad part is I don't know how to help you." She sighed, looking down at her feet with a sad expression on her face. "It's not like they'll believe someone as lowly as me. And you don't have a lot of time before lunch ends. So soon you'll have to face your classmates again." The odds were indeed stacked against him, but Youta knew he needed to figure something out.
"I know." He snapped his fingers upon getting an idea after some thought. "I'll just get Chinemi to clear things up. Everyone's gonna believe her." Youta didn't know where that girl went, but considering her grade he had some inkling of an idea. "If it's not too much to ask, can you come with me to find her?"
"Sure, but I don't know how someone as useless as me is gonna help. It's already hard enough for people to find me."
"Actually that's going to be helpful." While he still couldn't explain that aspect of hers. It did save him that using her inconspicuous presence allowed him to remain hidden in an open hallway without any real places to hide. "Thanks for all your help." He said as they walked up the stairs to where the third years had their classrooms. "It's lucky I ran into you."
"I wouldn't call it just plain luck." She replied. "I heard a bunch of yelling and the sounds of running. So I couldn't help but check it out. It's a good thing I did, I guess this time."
"I know you already told me about it, but it's crazy how they didn't notice you standing there." Youta would've figured people who were on the hunt for a specific person would've noticed something strange about a random girl standing, facing the wall. "Wish I could do something like that."
"It's not great when I want people to see me." She sighed. "But when I was younger, I always thought it was nice because there were a lot of times I was too nervous to talk to anyone. At least no one ever saw me standing there awkwardly like a complete loser."
"You don't seem that nervous to talk to me." He commented. "Not to sound rude, but it's not like we're friends or anything."
"I don't know how to describe it, but you make me feel at ease." She explained. "When I see you, it's like I'm just in a bubble away from all the scary parts of the world."
"You certainly sound like a first year…" He murmured to himself. With her size, it was easy for him to forget that Takame was younger than him. While size wasn't everything, she lacked that maturity one would expect from her body. Then again, Chinemi wasn't particularly mature either and she was a third year. So perhaps age wasn't how one should determine this sort of thing.
As he managed to talk to someone who wasn't against him in this moment, Youta couldn't help but be a bit disappointed only Takame had taken his side. While Fuwaka was only someone he had recently met, Mitora was someone he had known nearly his whole life. Of all things, she was the one who got him into this mess.
"You looks disappointed." She noted his appearance. "I'm not bothering you, am I? Because I can just leave if you don't want me anymore."
"It's not you. I already told you I wanted you here." He replied. "I guess there's just some problems for me to deal with in the future that isn't this right now."
"You having problems? Oh dear, that is a problem." She viewed him as the problem solver, but who solves his problems? "I wish I was wiser, then maybe I could give you some advice."
"It's the thought that counts." They reached the top and went about, looking into each classroom to see if they could find the girl. Unfortunately their attempts bare no fruit as he went room from room to not see her. "That's weird, was our timing bad?" For a moment, Youta thought they might've just missed her going to the bathroom and therefore checked her classroom already when she wasn't there.
"There's a lot of students staring at you." Takame told him as they continued their search. While she had also been looking around specifically for Chinemi, she couldn't help but notice the looks he got. Only for him, as if she wasn't walking besides him. "Are third years this standoffish?"
"Not that I'm aware of." He answered, though only Chinemi was his reference and she certainly fit that bill.
Suddenly they heard the murmurs of the crowd as they began to chatter. He looked towards the source of the sounds, which was down the hall. Finally the boy managed to find Chinemi, who stood there glaring right at him. "Oh, I've been looking all over for-"
As he greeted her, she quickly walked over to him, closing the distance. Her footsteps stomped hard onto the floor, creating an echo along the hallway. Until finally she reached him, grabbed the boy's shirt tightly with both hands, and shoved him up against the wall.