[35] Off to The Trip

Chapter 35: Off to The Trip

—

I gently patted and she pushed herself to sit up when she realized someone was there. Her eyes met with Rias' blue ones as the two of them had a moment of silent stare.

"Does she know she has a Longnius?" Rias suddenly asked after turning to me.

"Longni- what?"

"She doesn't," I replied as I ruffled her hair, pulling her head on my shoulder. "She's new to all this, Rias. I don't know if you have heard about her, you might have since she is kind of a special case, but she's the deaf girl of our school."

"Ahh- is it that Nishimiya girl? Sona told me about her before. But is she really her?!" Rias' head turned to look at Shoko. "I don't know, she seems healthy though…?"

"I… might have done a little something to cure her," I cleared my throat. Both of the girls were looking at me. "Err. It was related to her Sacred Gear being faulty. I just fixed that little part."

"Is a Sacred Gear also called a Longnius?" Shoko asked in a cute confused tone. She knew what Sacred Gears were from the new information she had, but she didn't know what a Longnius was. Rias looked at her with a much softer expression now. "Um… I am fine now, you know. You don't have to look at me with pity."

"Oh, er, I wasn't-? Hah, never mind. Sorry, My bad." Rias apologized with a small blush. It appeared that she wasn't expecting the recently deaf girl to be so observant. 

This ability to perceive her surroundings didn't come from her Gear, Shoko's other senses were naturally better than normal people because they had to be developed that way for her survival. While her eyes couldn't understand all emotion, she was too used to pity-filled looks to not notice.

"Anyway, let's change the topic," I said as Rias looked at me, about to open her mouth. "Nope, don't say anything. Otherwise, I'll be hurt knowing you came here after sensing her Longnius and not because you wanted to talk to me. I thought you'd come meet me yesterday, you know? You even texted me right before school."

  Rias gave a nervous laugh. "I was caught in a bit of a situation, actually. I didn't even get to attend school yesterday."

"Oh? What happened?"

"...I'll tell you later," Rias looked at Shoko, suggesting she wanted this to be private. "Just know that it's a family issue, with my marriage at its center."

Shoko blinked. "Marriage? You're just 18 though, right?"

"Yeah, haha." Rias sighed. "Let's not talk about it. You two should return later. Seeing you two like that earlier, I almost thought my Aqua-kun had started dating, but this seems a little more special than that. He is so protective of you, how lovely."

I gave her a dry stare as she took it with an amused smile. Shoko was blushing a little now, even when she showed no such thing when we were hugging and cuddling.

"I'll get going too, then," Rias said and added one last line. "Before I go, Aqua-kun, make sure to enjoy your trip to Fuji."

"...?" 

How did she know?

Blud, explain yourself before you go.

What kind of stalker behavior is this? What a crazy bat-girl.

* * *

Shoko and I returned to class after that. The teacher didn't say anything or even ask where we were, as it was Shoko's first day after returning healthy. I was glad for that.

Shoko and I spent the rest of the school hour talking in sign language, paying no attention to classes without ever getting caught as our hands made formations under our desks. It was a fun thing to do.

She asked me about what Rias said about me going to Mount Fuji, and I filled her in on the details.

[–So… I won't see you for three days?] She wore a devastated expression, far more dramatic than normal.

[–Shoko, you're a free person now.] I didn't want her to be dependent on me. I might do things to make someone obsessed with me for my personal benefit, but Shoko was too precious to be a target of that side of mine. [Enjoy your three days without me. Make new friends, be independent… Did I tell you I like strong girls?]

Shoko's hands trembled when I formulated the last line, and she only managed to nod with a [–I see]. I could tell she would have stuttered if she was talking.

What I did just now could be considered manipulation, but it's fine since it's for her own good. She needs to be strong on her own, both personality and emotionally wise, and in the future as a mage too. Besides, it's not as if I lied. In the past, I did have phases where I'd go after an average female, but by default, I liked special and talented women more. Well, as long as they're not full of themselves for being "special".

Classes ended soon, and the bell rang.

….

I and Shoko made our way to the school gate and waited. Shoko waited for her little sister, and I waited for mine.

Ruby came in the form of an annoying bird who yelled my name from afar. Tsubasa was with her, waving her hands at me, and even Kana was with them. 

"Onii-chan, where were you during lunch break? I looked for you all over the place." Ruby complained as she reached near me, pouting. "You can't bother to spend some time with your little sis even though you're going on a trip? Tsk, enjoy your time. Can I use your bike when you won't be here?"

"No," I replied as I pinched her right cheek, making her close her eyes with a hiss. "And sorry, I was with Shoko during the lunch break."

"Ah?" Ruby turned to look at Shoko. "Are the rumors true? Can you hear me? People are saying you learned Japanese in just a week thanks to some neuro-whatever."

"I…" Shoko was a little nervous as she looked at me. "Does she know?"

"She's aware of the world, as is Tsubasa. I didn't tell them about you though. I want to explain but," I looked at Kana, who looked away from my eyes. "Loli-senpai will think I'm crazy. Hi Kana."

"Why are you calling me that too?! Omg, you two siblings are so…" Kana nearly cried as she glared at me, making me laugh, followed by Ruby.

"So," Tsubasa chirped. "Are you saying it was you who helped her, then, Aqua?"

I nodded, and Tsubasa nodded. She must have understood the situation by now, though my dumb little sister still looked confused as she tilted her head. Not as confused as Kana though, who demanded what was going on but was ignored.

"Anyway, guys," I looked at the three girls. "Take care of Shoko in my absence."

I turned to Shoko, pointing at Kana. "This Senpai may be short, but she is reliable. She was kind of annoying in the past, but she's cute these days. If you need any help, ask Ruby or Tsubasa, and even Kana."

"C-cute?!" Kana muttered something and gasped, her face going slightly red, as she tried to say something to me, but I ignored her.

"A-anyway, are you going somewhere?" Kana composed herself and changed the subject.

"Yeah, ask Ruby about it, she'll tell you." I said, watching Kana frown.

"Can't you just tell me?"

"Too many ears around us, girl."

"Oh." Kana blinked in realization as she looked around. Many were looking at us. We were an interesting gathering after all, we drew eyes. 

"By the way, when will you leave?" Ruby asked, and I pointed to the street. "What?"

"Now," I said, just as a bus entered the road from a turn section. "It's here to pick me up."

"Hey, how did you do that?! How did you know?" Kana began to ask, while Ruby gawked.

"Bro, you didn't tell mom you'll be leaving this quickly! She'll get mad at me if you just leave like this! Call her right now!" Ruby demanded.

"Nuh uh, suffer. She'd have gotten too clingy if I told her I'd be gone for three days." I flicked a finger at her nose as she cried for me.

"You idiot Onii-Chan, she'll get mad and clingier when you return if you go like this! Come on, call her please!"

"No. Enjoy your three days of peacefulness without me." I said and walked away, the bus stopped and the door opened, and I hopped in right away. I turned back to look at Shoko and then at Tsubasa. "Tsubasa, I'll need some help catching up with my classes when I return. Remember to make some time to tutor me."

"Ohh…" Tsubasa blushed. "Yes, I'll keep that in mind."

"Um, bye, Aqua…" Shoko waved at me.

"Ugh, be safe. And enjoy." Kana sighed and waved at me too, while only Ruby kept yelling at the top of her lungs, pointing fingers at me and cursing that I responded with a wink. 

The door of the bus remained open for a bit more, and suddenly a girl stepped inside. The bystanders blinked in confusion as if they hadn't seen Mai Sakurajima, as the door closed and my trip began.

* * *

I was apparently the second person to get on the bus, with Mai being third. 

"Why do I never see you in school? Your presence is so bare minimum there." I said as I looked at her, she just shrugged.

"You won't understand. Let's talk later, I want to rest." She said and walked away, taking a seat.

Before, she wouldn't even have bothered to shrug, let alone say the two lines she did. So yes, this was an improvement.

When the bus began to move again, I took a look around the interior. It was classy and lavish, and the middle-aged driver looked quite professional. 

Other than me, Mai, the driver, only Sumi Yuki was present on the bus. She was sitting not far from me, near the front seats. When our eyes met, she casually looked away, busy with her phone. She was avoiding me since the kissing scene with Mem-Cho and even did some crazy shit in the last episode to try to garner the show's attention towards her. Not that I minded either of those.

She pulled the "I think I'm going to quit" scene that she did in the canon timeline. She did that at the end of the last episode — then, one of the guys, Kumano Nobuyuki, used that opportunity to gain some highlights for himself by proposing that if she left, he would leave too. So I suppose Yuki must be planning to expand her screen time with the help of Nobuyuki. Hey, part of their name matches; shipped.

I, of course, didn't mind her doing this. It's been part of my plan to make her lose interest in me anyway as I myself wasn't interested in her, and that plan succeeded.

The bus moved for ten minutes and then stopped to pick up the next person. It was my lovely Mem-Cho. Gosh, why does she look so hot today?

"Memmy!"

The door opened as Mem-Cho walked in and I jumped at her, pulling her into a side hug while she was recording with her phone held on the tip of a selfie stick.

"Did you just call me 'Memmy'? Nah…" She gave me a weird look while I shrugged, smiling at the camera. She shook her head and spoke to it. "Hey guys, I just entered the bus, and I found a weirdo."

"Are you going to post this?"

"We are on Live."

"Fuck."

I realized my blunder too late as she broke out laughing. She removed the phone from the end of the stick and held it in her hands, showing me the chat.

[--I thought the two of them weren't talking for some reason???]

[--Did bro just say 'Memmy'? Whoa…]

[--It should have been me, not her…! Gah, I'll be your mommy A-kun!"]

"Unreal," I muttered as I saw the chat. No, there is nothing to worry about, this is good, in fact.

Mem-Cho laughed again and turned the camera to face us, I waved at it with a straight face while Mem-Cho cleared her throat.

"That's it for the live, guys. Wait for the whole episode tomorrow~ To Mt. Fuji!" She said and then turned off the live.

Then, she looked at my face and laughed again. "Are you serious?! Memmy?! Ahah-"

I put a hand around her waist and pulled, using her already parted lips to invade her mouth. Her eyes went wide and she blushed as the kiss intensified. I felt the eyes of the driver flicker on the mirror for a moment, the eyes of Yuki trembling, while Mai just shook her head from the back seat.

"Mmhm! Mhm!" She struggled for only a minute before I pressed her down on a seat, kissing her deeper as she shivered and then gave in, kissing me back. "Bas…tard…"

After the kiss ended, I rose from over her as she did the same. She wiped her lips, and I cleaned mine too, it was full of lipstick.

"You… ruined my lipstick," Mem-Cho was annoyed. "You ruined my lipstick! It took me fifteen minutes to do this! Scum!"

"I can fix it for you."

"No, fuck off!"

Guys, she liked it. Look how defensive she is about it.

[Image Here]

….

Later I heard, Mem-Cho was supposed to act as the camera-woman inside the bus. She had experience with the camera, and it felt more natural if an actor/actress recorded the departure. 

We finished picking up everybody soon, and the bus left for Fujinomiya City.

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