The Perfect Revenge

[Densetsu Karu]

He held his breath as he waited for her response. What was she thinking? The seconds slowed to a crawl; was that a minute already? Two minutes? No, couldn't be past fifteen seconds. Then she laughed, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Laughter was... good, right?

"I see. For a while there I honestly thought it was meant for me..." she said, face morphing back into a frown. "I won't tell her... wouldn't want her getting mad at you. You don't deserve that."

"You're wrong. I deserve everything," he replied. He wasn't a very good person. He deserved all the little things Fate could bring up. Yet, he was quite lucky. Too lucky. That's the only reason he gets good things. Luck. What if his luck runs out? What then?

They didn't speak at all afterwards. Karu resigned himself to his thoughts, until Anzu returned; it wasn't very long of a wait. In her arms was the spare uniform, and her tone was business-like. "All right, would you please step outside for a minute? I think you know the reason. Don't try anything funny until I call you, okay?"

How offensive. She would imply... ugh, this girl. "I'm not a shark. I'm a person," he said, not bothering to clarify what he meant. He winked at Masumi, and then without another word, the freshman walked away and left the two women alone in the room. Carefully he leaned against the door, trying to listen to the going-ons inside.

That made him a hypocrite, probably. Whatever. He couldn't make his life any better, or any worse, so might as well go with the flow.

Words that were so easily spoken should not have been; words that seemed so cruel to say to oneself in other's eyes seemed filled with such strong emotion from him. The strands of her hair bent and twisted as she shifted. Curiosity tugged at her conscious as to why those words seemed so...

'Lonely...'

The word left a lingering echo; a disturbing one. Kazue believed that there was always a little bit of good inside of everyone; whether that person was young, old, big, or even small there was always good in that person somewhere. There's always the challenge of finding that goodness - that light - and channeling it through in a positive manner.

Despite those that treat others the way they do, she still believed that.

She felt that she could relate to Karu in a way. There was something there that he resonated; a soft tinge of loneliness and pain that she could relate to. Life and Fate can be cruel in the very wake of day and night. No matter where one could go there is always a sign of them around somewhere. Whether it be following a specific individual, or blending over the town, it never left.

Kazue was a certain victim to it lately.

Anzu's voice pricked at her ears signaling the fellow classmate's return. A slightly crumpled up winter uniform was in her grip. A mental note was made quickly to return said outfit whenever Kazue got the chance to. It was the least she could do after all that has happened. Soon Karu was ushered to exit the premises.

For a small moment the freshman forgot why before feeling the slight touch of a damp skirt. With a slight tint of pink from embarrassment the girl intertwined her arms and simply hunched her shoulders. It was embarrassing to admit that she forgot she was even wet. Daring to gaze up the blonde had caught notice of Karu's wink with his comment: "I'm not a shark. I'm a person," With a slight breath of a laugh the door was shut, and with Anzu turning to her the clothes were being offered.

Slowly Masumi released the embarrassed hold from before, and stretched her arms out to grab the clothing.

"Once you done drying yourself up completely, give me the towel, alright? I'll see if I can make you some tea."

Anzu's instructions were clear. With a nod of her head she placed the dry clothing on a bed, carefully tugged at the pure white curtains, and paced around the bed until Kazue was separated from view. It was to be a quick process; at least that's what she had hoped for.

"Say, you and that guy, do you know each other?"

Just as Kazue had started the girl couldn't help but feel her light blue irises shift to the back of the curtains at the question. It was sudden yet keeping her calm demeanor the freshman replied slowly returning to her usual self. "You could say that. We've crossed paths once or twice." she replied as she slipped off her shoes.

"Why do you ask, Kirishima-san?"

[Kirishima Anzu]

After shuffling around the room while the "patient" is changing, I manage to find a water boiler in a corner, and a box of tea bags in a cabinet, which I only half-expected to find. It was my instinct to have a hot drink immediately after being exposed to something very cold, such as torrential rain or snowy weather. Looks like I get lucky... again.

When waiting for the water to boil completely, Kazue tells me that they did cross paths, and comes up with a question of her own.

"Oh, I'm just curious." That answer to Kazue's question is kind of like a knee-jerk reaction, slipping out of my tongue in only about half a second. It's not untrue, though. I really want to know why she treats that guy like a person she trusts, unlike me. "From the way you two interact, I guessed you've met each other before."

I wonder how she will feel if she finds out the one who set up that childish prank was the guy just outside the door. Will she get upset? Or will she forgive him? Judging from her tone when talking to him, she may do the latter. She seems to be kindhearted enough not to reprimand him. Even so, I think she met him in a totally different circumstance than mine. In addition, from the way I met her some days before, she seems to be a loner, and that boy may be one of her few friends.

That guy, who looks like a troublemaker, really needs help. To change that attitude of his and be more considerate of others. Kazue may see some good in him, but that attitude of his cannot be left unchecked. Especially after his scheme of petty revenge claims an unintended victim. I still think there is some good in him, as the forefathers said every human being has his/her own inherent goodness, but there's no way he can be "good" with that kind of behavior. Maybe I should keep an eye on him. It... it is not for his sake alone, of course. It's also for a better learning environment and healthier relationship among the students of our class.

So, finding out more about his relationship with Kazue may give me more clues about him.

And, almost forgot, I have to make sure that my clothes fit her, especially since my frame is on the petite side.

"Oh, do you have any problems with that uniform?" I casually call out. "Are you sure you can walk around for the rest of the day with it?"

The answer to that question came sooner than expected. Just when the girl had just slipped off her shirt, the answer the fellow classmate had given her had come and gone. It was rather surprising at the speed such an answer came. Suspicions began to rise causing the blonde to tread caution with her words; the usual instinctive reaction had come into play. Grabbing the top of the school's winter uniform Kazue began putting on the necessary clothing piece. Whispering under her breath she felt a word slip out of her mouth as if it was second nature.

"Curious... I see..."

Slipping the last button through the cloth Kazue then fixed the uniform top taking care of any creases and wrinkles that may have been there. The top was small and a bit tight but the girl decided to make due with what she had. She was just grateful enough to even have a spare set of clothes in the first place; especially since this set was given to her. A reminder was then set in place to return the set to Kirishima when Masumi encountered her next time.

The skirt seemed to fit on perfectly along with the socks provided with the uniform. Despite how it appeared to not fit her size, Kazue grabbed the edge of the white curtain and pulled it back fully revealing her form as the girl asked her question. Gazing to Anzu the girl tugged slightly at the hem of the skirt before performing quick glances directed at Kirishima.

"I-It's a bit small but I'll make due... Thank you, Kirishima-san."

Ignoring the stutter in her sentence Kazue provided a bow of her head towards Kirishima before straightening. Despite her predicament (and her slightly wet hair) she still kept her calm demeanor. With an internal sigh, and the shifting of blue irises, Kazue looked towards different assortments decorated around the Nurse's office. Her feet were bare of the shoes that completed the uniform, for her pair needed to dry before she could place them upon her feet. Still the girl wanted to keep herself preoccupied, or to keep attention away from her to say the least.

"So... S-Should I go and get Karu?"

[Densetsu Karu]

He had been planning to listen to their conversation. He decided against it, however, from a familiar, and yet rare feeling: guilt. It had been so long since the last time he felt guilt that it was like a new experience. He was unable to resist -- thus, he backed away from the door and sat quietly. Yes, Karu, the boy numb to all emotion, had felt something. Things like this seemed to be happening a lot more lately. It was a little worrisome, because with emotion came sentiment, and that made every thing harder. It was only because of the numbness that he had been able to act so boldly in the past.

As for the source of that guilt... Masumi. He had already wronged her once this day; to eavesdrop would be, for lack of a better term, "overkill."

It wasn't very long before the girls emerged from the room, Masumi's hair still a little wet. He rose to his feet, having been leaning against the wall. "Everything went well, I assume?" he said, a hollow smile spreading his lips. "If we hurry we can get back to class without being too late."

They returned to the 1-B classroom. Karu felt immensely tired-- as usual-- but this was also a tiredness in public relations. It was all so confusing, the way the events had played out. Masumi's accidental triggering of his trap, and then she forgave him, and that was it? It didn't feel right for him to get off so well. Fate never spared him any mercy, and yet he was walking away from this free. Masumi saved him. Masumi spared him from punishment of his own doing. Why?

Was this... friendship?

My friends... What kind of... people are they? I wonder... Do these people... think of me... as a friend?

[End]