Chapter 21: Anticipation

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Anticipation

Shion’s monologue, POV

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In silence, i was about to start swapping out my indoor slippers for my outdoor shoes, the mundane routine acting as a natural buffer between our thoughts.

I swapped my indoor slippers for my shoes before pressing my thumb against the locker scanner. The lock clicked open. Security had become stricter this semester. Every student carried an ID card linked to their fingerprint. Not only that but the hidden camera’s consistently runs a identification scan the moment you try to unlock.

Mataguchi stood there waiting, his eyes was fixed outside, watching the rain come down heavily nonstop.

Different coloured ID cards are assigned to students with different rankings, position and influence. Mine was silver. High enough that people noticed it, low enough that they usually ignored me. Which is kinda nice for me. I mean I do still get noticed by those around me, and leaving the big shots for themselves is actually the best idea to live peacefully in this school.

I haven’t seen Mataguchi’s card since we started this school. He must be hiding it, security purposes? Well even one in school is curious in one way or another.

My eyes followed his gaze towards the rain.

The rain really isn’t stopping or showing any sign of.

Usually, security drones drifted above the campus after school. Today, the storm had swallowed them whole. Not to mention the news I got from a discord group that some where spotted outside school grounds

Is that allowed?

Wait, his not with any umbrella.

​"Well, this is my exit," i said, grabbing my umbrella from the shared rack. I opened the heavy glass door just an inch, a blast of wind instantly catching my hair. I turned back to him, my expression a perfect blend of classmate friendliness, though if i was the other perspective viewing, i would say i had a bit of subtle mischief.

"Don’t run too fast in the rain, Prez. It’d be a shame if you tripped and scrambled that hard drive of yours before I get to use my favor."

"Still on that topic?" He replied, seeming tired that I’ve brought it up.

Mataguchi adjusted the strap of his backpack, his face a perfectly neutral slate in the dim lobby light.

"Well not actually" he added.

"The probability of a physical accident is mitigated by a lowered velocity. I intend to walk."

The rain continued to pour heavily outside, the cold air blew while the smell of dust lingered on the air.

Yeah, in other words you will be careful not to fall. This boy just have to say it like some robot.

Leave it to Mataguchi to turn "I’ll be careful" into a scientific paper.

"Hmm?" Mataguchi muttered noticing my silence.

"So what I mean is that I’ll make sure-"

"Yeah i know, Mister know it all"

He tried to explain in simple terms but it was kinda getting on my nerves so I just interrupted him.

Both me and Mataguchi stood on the entrance of the school building ready to leave. I opened my umbrella, my eyes gazing to Mataguchi who stood next to me.

"You forgot to bring along an umbrella uh.." i said stepping forward, my umbrella over my head.

"You are not going to ask me to join you?" Mataguchi replied his eyes looking directly at me.

"Ack.."

"You are not going to even beg for it, aren’t you?"

Right his parent will chew me out for leaving alone like this.

"Well I don’t want to get into trouble with your parents for you been late passed your curfew.." i stopped talking to takes a breath in then sighs before adding "I guess you can walk with me"

Mataguchi immediately walks closer, entering under my umbrella canopy. "Apreciated"

I directed my eyes away immediately from him "you are welcome.." i murmured, my voice low as if whispering to myself.

What now? I feel a bit self conscious that he didn’t hesitate.

I already know I was a bit concerned of boys been too close or approaching me like this.

We walked in silence on the rain, the constant sound of the thunder sound that flows from he lighting discharge on the dark clouds. While the rain remained unending, the ground were wet, drops bouncing from direct impact on the floor.

Mataguchi watches the rain drops that fell from the umbrella edges in silence, his voided eyes reflecting the drops that fell.

The beats of rain drops against the umbrella canopy made a soothing rhythm that could make any one fall sleepy if too reflex but then came another thunder sound, this time it felt closer than the rest.

I shaked a bit from the shock, my hands holding the handle tightly. I felt like Mataguchi had noticed all this but kept quiet.

I didn’t like this vulnerable side of me, it’s a bit embarrassing seeing as I was totally overconfident when facing him back then.

"You should be more honest.....with yourself Shiwogata-san." Mataguchi uttered his eyes facing ahead.

The road wasn’t completely empty as vehicles roam passed at some point occasionally.

I turned to Mataguchi upon hearing his statement. "Huhh? What do you mean honest?"

He totally noticed.

"Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not overthinking the situation or anything.....I...I just-"

"I just felt suddenly cold that’s all"

The sidewalk light-pole light flickers as we both passed by, up ahead were a lone of same light-poles.

"Right" Mataguchi responded not protesting at all but distracted and focused on the rain drops that poured from the sky.

My eyes scanned his expression, noticing he wasn’t paying any attention what so ever to me.

All this aside, the Oota problem was still on my mind. I don’t like the idea that I don’t know the truth, since I myself had to lie to Oota.

My eyes shifted to the sky a bit.

I don’t see the drones anywhere, it must be true that the drones are invisible from the public or the weather had some interference. Well it can’t be confirmed.

If the drones are active then Matauchi can’t lie or it will be problem for him at school.

"Besides, you are the one not been honest" I inserted.

"Hmm" Mataguchi muttered, his attention caught but his expression still lifeless as aways.

"The reconciliations between me and Oota you have a hand in it..."

"Even if it wasn’t all your doing, I can still find your doings within those events" i said, my eyes remaining pointed at Mataguchi.

Mataguchi eyes remained forced ahead, but then turned to me "I guess you already figured me out, you are smarter than you look Shiwogata-san"

Wait he admitted it?

"It’s true, I did made some plans but i guess it all got down to letting things work out over time." He returned his gaze, continued to stare at the rain drip while we walked into the light range of another light-pole.

"You know the note-books I asked you to copy right?"

"Yeah.." i replied though i was expecting the conversation to turn to that direction.

It was what made me more convinced not to believe everything that had happened.

"It wasn’t mine, but Oota’s" Mataguchi eyes turned to me before adding "and it seems to me that you don’t at all look surprise about the reveal"

The roaming sound of the cars engine approaching from behind while it passes them, the air becomes more cold as they blew passed.

"Well, I have already knew of your part in this event...." I replied

"It didn’t take me long after seeing how it played out, I went ahead to investigate it and noticed the book covering...."

" When i heard part of the story i was like, if Oota is honest, and he says I did it, then somehow it must be true, because why would he lie about being helped?"

My eyes turns to him "you sly, those are the kinda of stunt you like pulling."

"I did it cause-" Mataguchi tries to insert a reason but I stopped him half way in.

"I don’t need your excuses"

"Anyways...." i went quite not uttering a word

"I’m grateful" i added, a voice extremely low.

I truly honestly don’t have anything against him, infact I’m happy he did it even though I’m sure it was partly for fun.

He kept his promise to me.

"Hmm.." Mataguchi muttered but then i screamed to cover up the moment. It was one of those moments he would tease me, it’s a bit embarrassing now.

"Anyways, I have plans this weekend you wanna tag along?" I added, my voice loud and energetic.

I should invite to the weekend hangout, I’m sure Oota would love to see him in person. They are that close.

"You mean the amusement park.." Mataguchi questioned, while he reaches for his pocket.

"Wait you already know?" I turned to him in shock, halting him from moving. We were near a zebra cross, with the traffic light showing green.

"I got an invite from Oota this afternoon" Mataguchi replied while he brought out his phone showing me his last text with Oota, a map location was also sent to him.

"Come on Oota..." I muttered from frustration.

It was hard for him to ask me over but only took him like a few text to get Mataguchi over the weekend hangout? Why?

I’m jealous of his connection to Oota, Oota seems to give him all the attention even when I knew him first.

"Now I can’t tease like I planned I would" i added while i continued walking forward the moment the traffic light hit red and the zebra crossing sign was light up. Mataguchi walks along.

"...." Mataguchi remained silence as i finished making my statement. It was as if we weren’t having a conversation to begin with.

Awkward.

Say something. Why isn’t he saying anything?

"Come on, say something.....don’t go blank on me Prez" i tapped Mataguchi on the side with my elbow.

"Wait do you want me to say?..." Mataguchi replied sound tried.

For real?

"Gezz, Well say something, don’t go quite"

"Yeah. Indeed...this is truly a bother" Mataguchi muttered to himself out loud.

"Where did that came from?" I protested while the rushed the end of the zebra crossing line, we both continued walking together forward.

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"Who had deceived thee so often as thyself?"

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