Chapter 2 - 3

Rays of sunlight entered through the windows and warmed up the classroom. Since I repel sun like a vampire I would usually sit on the opposite side of the classroom where no heat reached. However, today I could feel the left side of my body warming up, it was like a hunter had caught me and decided to roast me, except he forgot to keep me turning instead leaving the fire to burn only one side of me.

"It seems you really do find it amusing to be abused. You really are a creep." Akane said in her usual ice covered tone but her glare made it clear that she is annoyed that my plan from yesterday didn't work.

Usually I would respond back with some witty remarks but today I had no words to stop Akane from verbally abusing me and destroying my non-existent image. Even after destroying my image in front of everyone yesterday I had failed in stopping Kitagawa-sensei to give up on noticing me. That means even after all the embarrassment I went through yesterday, it wasn't enough for three dear friends of mine to talk to Sensei to not force me to sit next to Akane. How much do they really care about me? Are they sadists?

"What are you going to do now?" Akane asks without letting her eyes wander from the book she's reading, I can only see her profile looking down. She has long eyelashes, something I hadn't noticed before now.

"I'll figure something out. Can you tolerate me until lunch?"

Akane takes a deep breath and sighs, closing her eyes, "I guess I have to. There is no other choice." there's no repulsion in her voice, it's her usual tone but somehow it sounds calmer.

In truth I was running out of ideas. I can try and ask Kitagawa-sensei directly but that is something I don't want to do. If I ask and she denies having any reason that would make me draw more attention and I don't know if yesterday's incident had reached her or not. If she really is involved in Haruma's plan then it's more than possible she knows about yesterday which is a big negative if it came down to negotiating with Kitagawa-sensei.

Assuming she knows about yesterday, the question is who chose to keep me next to Akane. If Haruma and company suggested to keep me tied to this seat then I would really have to question their morals. It is true that doesn't seem like something they would do, even if I don't consider them friends they should think of me as one. They wouldn't do something like that to a friend. They are nice people, at least that's how they wanna be seen.

Does that mean even after hearing about yesterday Kitagawa-sensei chose to not give up? It does fit her sadist personality, still I wouldn't have thought she would go this far. Could it be that she figured out that it was only an act? She does have a good sense when it comes to that. If she knows it was only an act it would make it much worse if I try something like that again. My image will plummet in vain, she wouldn't leave me be.

Wait, I shouldn't dismiss the other possibilities. I mean we are talking about Haruma and company, it's completely possible they didn't even talk to Kitagawa-sensei after yesterday so it would make sense for her to not know about yesterday. Which means she's just acting like the last two days. In that case, Kitagawa-sensei is the same as the last two days even if the situation has changed. I have to find out how much she's involved with the plan. The easiest way to do that would be to just ask Haruma or Erica. Once I know how much Kitagawa-sensei knows about yesterday I might be able to come up with some plan to negotiate with her.

Is there anything I missed? Something? Anything? Those are the only possible scenarios. The only one left that I could think of would be Kitagawa-sensei not being involved with any plans that Haruma and company came up with, but that would mean she's doing this on her own. But there's no motive and the timing was too convenient. It also means there would be nothing I would be able to do to change her mind. The worst scenario is the least possible.

To uncover the true scenario the first step is to find how Haruma and Kitagawa-sensei are involved. And the best way to do that would be to ask them.

With my objective clear I have to wait till the bell for lunch rings. I rested my face on my arm which was supported by the table and started to write in my notebook what was being taught in the class at the time. No one expects it from me but I am somewhat good when it comes to studies. Sure I am nowhere close to the grades that the best student of our class get but I can definitely be counted within the top highest scoring 15 students, which does fit my forgettable way of living quite well. My usual routine in class allows me to understand the subjects well enough that I don't have the need to work on them as much when exams are close.

Time was moving but I was still there and so was she, sitting next me, we both waiting for the sound of the bell to resonate through the building. During the long wait I would sometimes catch glimpses of the girl who was sitting next to me. Her ice cold personality clashes with the rays of sunlight coming through the window, making her skin shine, like how light reflects through ice. She always moves gracefully.

There's no doubt about it - She is really beautiful.

Time passed and soon enough the bell we both waited for chimed.

"I hope you figured something out while you were staring at me." said Akane in her cold, dismissive tone as she turned towards me.

"I wasn't staring at you." I said, shaking my head. I'm honestly surprised she noticed me looking at her, "Anyway, there's something I have to confirm. I'll choose my next steps according to that."

Akane stands up with her lunch in her hand, "It is best for you to leave this seat, for your own good." She left the classroom before I could say something. If it was supposed to be a threat it didn't sound like one, her voice was quieter than usual, it sounded sad rather than threatening.

I don't have the time to think about it right now. I have to gather information.

With that set in my mind I got up from my seat and walked to the spot the three of them were having their lunch.

"Hey you okay, Youhei?" Kenshi was the first to respond.

"Yeah I'm okay. What about you guys?" I have to find a way to divert the conversation toward yesterday's incident and what happened after I left.

"Oh man, don't worry about us. We didn't have to go through yesterday and then sit in your position." Haruma said with his mouth full of the sandwiches he was eating.

Seems it was easy to have that situation pop up in the conversation. They might want to know how it's going after yesterday. If that is the only reason they didn't talk to Kitagawa-sensei then I would be disappointed, they didn't have to fall that low.

"Yeah, I don't know why Kitagawa-sensei is doing this to me. Like what did I do to her?" Now tell me what's going on between you and her.

"She really has been acting weirdly for the last three days. I mean the way she's been after you, she never done that before." Erica tilted her head sideways but didn't avert her eyes.

Looking at their faces I could tell they too didn't understand Kitagawa-sensei's change in behavior. Does that mean none of them talked to her? But then it doesn't make sense why she's after me. Could they have practiced this conversation so I don't find out their involvement?

At this point the only thing I can do is to just ask them. "You really don't know anything about this change? I thought you talked to her to make me sit next to Sawatari-san?"

"What are you talking about? Our plan was to fill all the seats except the one next to Sawatari-san so you'll be forced to sit there. That's it."

"Then why was Kitagawa-sensei so forceful about me sitting next to Sawatari-san?"

"That's what we don't understand. I mean it was great the first day since you were ready to skip class." Erica jumped in with a frown on her forehead.

Before I knew it, I was looking at my own shoes. The worst was true. She did everything herself. But why? There should be no motive. My lip was between my teeth.

"Youhei? Are you okay?" I noticed Haruma's hand squeezing my shoulder,

"Yeah, sorry, I have to go."

My next step comes down to talking to Kitagawa-sensei directly, but what would I say to her? How do I convince her? There's no motive that I can think of. The sudden change in behavior doesn't just happen for no reason. There has to be something that made her notice me but what? I hadn't changed anything about my presence in class. Coincidence? It's possible that she just wanted to have fun with someone and I happen to be the one who was unlucky that day, it's a theory but still that doesn't explain the sudden urge to mess with her students. Everything seems too convenient to be coincidence.

I was walking around with no destination in mind, lost in my thoughts. As I looked around to take notice of my surroundings, I found a familiar figure walking in front of me. The long black hair swayed as she walked. Putting down one foot after the other with some force behind them and her left arm moving unnaturally like she's making sure there's not much movement. In her right hand she's holding a few books which are getting crushed between her arm and chest. Her movements are opposite of Akane, if Akane was as graceful and methodical as a ballerina then this person is the same as a teenager trying tap dancing for the first time, and failing.

There's no point in waiting around. I have to talk to her. I have to talk to Kitagawa-sensei.

I called out to her. She turned around and tilted her head with confusion. Who is she looking for? I'm standing in front of her.

"Kitagawa-sensei." I called her again. This time she notices me.

"Oh you, I didn't notice you there." the corners of her mouth stretched into an evil grin.

You noticed me then pretended not to see me. Or do I really do a good job of blending in with the background, I should be proud of that. It's not the time for that, I have something more important to do. "Kitagawa-sensei, I need to talk to you."

"Uh, sure, we are talking right now. What mess did you make?"

"Can you stop assuming that I can only make a mess?"

"I would do that when you stop messing things up."

I feel like this woman has already made her mind about me, not that I mind. That's what people do, they observe people and subconsciously make a version of a person in their head. For them the version in their head is far more real than the real person. Even I am not safe from that kind of subconscious processing, I just made it so that image doesn't affect my interaction with people.

"Well clearly you didn't like what I said. That expression fits your face more than it should." Kitagawa-sensei starts to laugh pointing to my face. Having fun with my face she wipes a tear from her eye with her index finger. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Right now it would be best to just ask her straight. I don't have enough information to go about this in a roundabout way.

"Why did you make me sit next to Sawatari-san?"

"Oh that, wasn't it because no other seats were available that day?"

"What about the day after that? I was sitting on my seat and there were plenty more seats available, why did you make me change my seat?" I knew she would try to get out of my question but I have to keep the conversation in control.

She looks at me in silence for what feels like a minute. Her face turns into a smile, she looks down for a second then straightens her head up and puts her left index finger between us. "I'll admit that was for fun. I saw the look on your face when you first sat next to Sawatari-san and I just wanted to see that look again. Honestly you were just so fun I couldn't let it go by that easily. You should be proud I found you interesting."

Proud? Interesting? Fun? This has to be a joke. She did all this as a way to amuse herself? That's too shallow of a reason.

"But then I heard what happened between you too. And it would be a lie to say I didn't feel somewhat bad for you." she continued with the hand that was between us now touching my shoulder. "Hey don't look down. It's true I only heard what happened from a third person and I'm sure there was a reason for it. All you have to do is talk to her and she'll definitely forgive you."

She heard about yesterday. And she thinks it's my fault, yet she made me sit next to Akane. Why? This can't be real. No, I refuse such a shallow reason for so much attention toward me. The timing is too convenient. There has to be something more.

"So why did you make me sit there today?" I asked quietly.

"What? You said you wanted to talk now you are not even listening. I did it for you."

"For me?"

"And it worked out right? I saw you two today. There didn't seem to be any animosity. You should be thanking me instead." Kitagawa-sensei boasted with her chest seeming even more puffed than usual. She really seems to be proud of herself.

"Wait, you made us sit together today because of what happened yesterday?"

"Of course, I didn't want there to be any hard feelings between my students." her boastful tone continued, but there was some trembling in her voice. After a pause she continued quietly, "Also I felt like what happened yesterday would have been avoided if I hadn't chosen to have fun."

"Is that it? That's all the reason you had?" I said, still unable to look up.

I felt the air that left her mouth as she sighed on my hair. "Don't say it like I did a bad thing. You should find things that help you enjoy life, right?"

There's no point in continuing this conversation. I wouldn't get any more information. She stated her reasons clearly leaving me with no counter except my gut, but gut is not evidential. I can't do anything to her defense right now. There's just one thing I have to clear up.

"Now you should have no reason to make me sit next to Sawatari-san." I finally lift my head up. Kitagawa-sensei was closer than I had expected. Her left hand firmly placed on my right shoulder. Keeping my voice in control I say, "Now I don't have to sit on that seat now."

Kitagawa-sensei lets go of my shoulder. Her arm lumps down. Her eyes widen for a moment as her body backs up. She quickly gathers her composure and a warm kind smile takes over her face. "As I remember, I said you have to sit there until I say so."

"Yeah, and now you have no reason to make me sit there."

"Well I wouldn't say that." the smile turns back into a grin.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I still haven't said you are free." she turns back and starts walking away from me. "Now if you don't mind I have somewhere to be."

I chase after her, walking beside her. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why? That's a good question." She stops and starts looking through the books that were held tightly between her right arm and her chest. She pulls out a familiar looking notebook. Holding the notebook in her left hand so that I can see the front cover of the notebook. It takes a moment but I finally recognize this notebook. Kitagawa-sensei could tell I recognized the notebook from my expressions. She puts the notebook back with a smile on her face and continues to walk away, this time, however, I do not follow.

"My reason is to see how you are gonna change the ecosystem."