Chapter 21: A Special Someone

Tenno Academy: Class 2-A

Keiko was sitting in her seat in the classroom with her arms crossed, eyes closed, and brow furrowed. Arisa and Aku were staring at her intense focus from Arisa’s seat, both chewing slowly on green tea bread and sipping on milk. The food they had brought for Keiko remained untouched in front of her.

Neither of them dared to say anything to her. They recognized this face as the “I’m-holding-back-my-temper-with-all-my-might” face. Keiko had not slept last night but had stayed at MRPA training until 3 in the morning. When she finally came back home to the apartment she showered, ate, and sat in the living room with the pale lamp on. Aku had woken up at 5 and saw her just sitting there. Keiko didn’t say a word, she hardly made a sound. At 6 she stood, changed into her uniform, and left for school with Aku and Arisa.

They both knew of course why she was silent and angry. Keiko was practically the leader of all the agents. It wasn’t official but she was in charge of training the new recruits, testing them, and teaching them how to control their abilities. All the current and new agents look up to her as their boss. And yesterday Keiko had failed them. Even though it wasn’t Keiko’s fault, Aku and Arisa knew that Keiko was shouldering the blame.

To make matters worse she had to swallow those feelings and face her enemies: STAM.

Seiji sat down at his seat beside Keiko, “Good morning~”

Aku and Arisa looked at him with wide panicked eyes. Their gazes going from Keiko to Seiji and back.

Seiji tilted his head in confusion and looked over at Keiko, back at Arisa and Aku, and then to Keiko, “AHHHH!!” he clapped his hands together and grabbed the bread packet in front of Keiko.

Arisa and Aku gasped silently as the scene unfolded.

Seiji grinned and ripped open the bread, “Are you dieting Keiko? Are they teasing you with this bread?” he took a large bite from the bread.

Keiko’s brow twitched and Arisa and Aku swallowed hard in fear.

Seiji slapped his hand on the desk, “I have a story that will cheer you up Keiko!” he stood and rested his left foot on his chair as he began, “Yesterday, Shou and I were aboard the Eastbound train-” as if summoned the room quickly filled with Seiji’s fans, all crowding the walkways and squealing at his every word. Aku and Arisa were watching Keiko closely.

“...that’s when Shou assured all the passengers they were safe by holding his gun to his head!” Seiji held his hand to head mimicking a gun, “BAM!” he shouted and the frenzy of girls shrieked.

Arisa and Aku’s gaze was locked on Keiko, the furrow in her brow growing deeper and deeper as his story continued.

“....and then he ran! That’s why I leapt and tackled the mutant trying to flee!!” he grinned widely and looked over his shoulder to Keiko as the peanut gallery of school girls clapped.

“Seiji why are you always so loud so early?” Shou pushed through crowded walkway to Seiji, “Go on, head to your own classes. Show’s over ladies off you go!” Shou waved the crowd of fans out of the classroom.

Aku and Arisa relaxed slightly as the deep crease of Keiko’s brow softened slightly.

Shou smacked Seiji lightly on the back of his head, “What is wrong with you?” he motioned to the bread half eaten, “Why would she be on a diet? She’s clearly just in a bad mood you idiot.”

Speechless Seiji looked from Shou, to Keiko, to Aku and Arisa who nodded in agreement, “I-”

“Here, for your headache.” Shou set down a steaming cup of tea and a fresh packet of bread in front of Keiko. He glared at Seiji, “Don’t touch it!”

Arisa’s mouth hung open and she covered her cheeks with her hands, she had seen such an average scene play out on dramas before. Could this be-

Aku smacked Arisa’s hand lightly and shook her head disapprovingly.

The morning bell rang. Aku waved goodbye, Arisa turned around in her desk, the class found their seats, and Keiko opened her eyes to see the tea and bread.

She sighed and took a sip from the tea; she did have a headache after all.

Lunch

With half the day gone so too was Keiko’s anger. She had slept through the first several lessons and most of her anger and been swept away with it. That was how Keiko handled her anger: training, sleep deprivation, silent meditation, sleep, and recovery. And who knows, maybe the tea softened her.

“Nooooo, Arisa how could you forget?!?!” Keiko pouted, “You always make lunch for us!”

Arisa sighed, “Say’s the person who forgets the lunch I make her all the time,”

Keiko mumbled before standing up, “To the cafeteria!” she slinked her arm through Arisa’s as they turned to walk out.

“Ohhh the cafeteria, how rare for you two,” Shou stood in front of them, “You can eat with me for once,” he smirked playfully.

“Oi, are you guys coming or not?” Aku poked her head into the classroom.

“Coming!!” Arisa slinked around Shou and ran out, “Hurry up Nee-chan!”

Keiko looked up at Shou, “Heh...heh….see ya there!” she jumped over a chair and quickly left.

Shou chuckled and patted Seiji on the back, “You coming?”

The Cafeteria

Aku grabbed a packet of bread as usual, “I’m going to get us some seats,”

Arisa picked up a tray and nodded, “Is that all you are going to eat?” Aku waved and walked away, “You should eat more!!” she sighed as she went through the line asking for food. She tried to stretch out her neck and her legs casually- they were sore. She hadn’t trained in combat in such a long time, and after just one training session her body was feeling it.

She picked up her now full try and turned to leave the line but bumped into someone and dropped her tray as she too fell to the floor.

“Ooh, I’m sorry about that are you ok?” Kenji bent down to his knees.

“I’m ok- I’m sorry I should have looked-” she looked up to Kenji’s face and froze. She had become accustomed to having the other STAM agents around- but he made her nervous. His eyes seemed to always be looking for something, “I-”

“Oh no!” he grabbed her hand, “You must have cut your hand on the tray,”

Arisa looked and saw the small cut: she was so worried she didn’t even feel it. Her throat felt like sand as she pushed the words out, “Oh I did...” his grip was tight around her wrist, she didn’t dare even try to pull away.

“It’s times like this that it pays to be prepared, that’s what my old man always said...” with his other hand he pulled out a small bandage and began opening it, “Besides I can’t have you go back with an injury, you have quite the scary bodyguards around you,” he rubbed the band aid edges on her skin- his eyes glued to her hand.

“What-” she felt her heart beat faster.

“You are a special person after. A very,” he eyes locked onto hers, “special person,”

Arisa couldn’t feel her legs. She felt trapped into a corner. Could he know? There is no way he could know!!! What-

His harsh gaze softened as she smiled with his eyes closed, “Here, take my tray. It’s look like we had similar tastes in the meal. I’ll clean this up for you. Go ahead,”

Arisa didn’t dare argue. She wanted to get away from him. She didn’t want to have to be so close to him...he was dangerous, “Thanks-” she grabbed his tray and quickly turned to go to Aku. I’ve got to tell Aku, if someone knows- if he actually knows then I have to tell- she hesitated and stood still in the busy cafeteria. Kyoushirou had just walked in, if someone knows...then we will leave. I’d have to leave….her gaze followed Kyoushirou as he walked through the cafeteria, I don’t want to leave.

“Arisa!”

She jolted her head to see Aku waving at her from a table and smiled as she went to sit across from her.

“Are you ok? You look pale,” Aku fumbled with her bread package.

Arisa smiled as best as she could, “I’m just a little sore from our training is all,”

Keiko set down her tray beside Aku and sat down as she took the chopsticks from her mouth, “That Kenji guy is quite the klutz. He must have dropped his tray back there in line,” she grinned as she dug into her food.

Arisa sighed quietly to herself as she pushed around the food on her tray, there is no way he knows...I’m just being paranoid…..