Brooding Guy, Quiet Girl

Chapter 31

Chapter 31: "THE SWIRLING INTENSIFIES."

Ah, chemistry! Why, after receiving private tutelage from experts in this field, am I still incapable of understanding a word you say? I should try climbing to the top of Mount Everest with my bare hands, my chances of succeeding there is higher than this.

I lean back against my chair, hanging my head over it. Staring out the window, I realize what a good weather it is today. The cloudless blue sky and streaking beams of sunlight... The heat assists to calm my nerves. It's so relaxing that I shut my eyes without realizing, ready to head off into the dream world.

Whilst sleeping on the job may be a disgraceful act of irresponsibility, no one ever drops by here, besides Kousaka-san last Friday. This task of mine relegates me to merely sitting on a chair, awaiting the arrival of a troubled student. However, people simply aren't comfortable with sharing their problems, case in point, resident tsundere Reiji-san.

Say a deity were to elect a person to represent mankind, I would pass the notion that he be the last to be chosen. He may not be an exemplary... mentally stable human being, but he does share things in common with other people. His evasive nature in regards to his troubles is what makes him humane.

Is it wrong for him to act this way? Certainly not. There are things people would be best off not expressing. And that is precisely the reason the Counseling Club's modus operandi is defective. Many people are tight-lipped when talking about things troubling them.

I, being the president of this club, can make changes to fix that. However, when given thought, the more important question is what. Taking a direct approach and asking everyone if they have a problem would be inane.

Goodness gracious. My teeth are jittering again. My ears are twitching... Perhaps it truly was a futile effort in the end. I should have just agreed with that proposition my mother made. Arr—

"You're doing it wrong. That's not the formula for magnesium nitrate."

Kyah!

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Crash!

And so kids, that is why you don't put all your weight on your back when you lean on a chair. You'll fall. And it'll hurt.

Looking over the table at the Alice who has just fallen on the floor, all I see is a tearful blonde clutching her head. I reach out my hand to help her up—

Wait, what the hell are you doing?! No! Bad Reiji! But she did do the same when I hit my head against the steps! But touching her again... She's got cooties! What are you, four?!

Why the hell am I arguing against myself?! Damn, now I'm wondering if I'm crazy.

You have a debt that must be repaid. Remember that. Echoing those words in my head, I reach out my (twitching, shaking, quaking) hand toward her. Taking a deep breath, I force out the words that seem to have taken residence in my throat.

"Last night, I dreamt of you n—" WRONG BLOODY WORDS. "Are you okay?" BUSTAH WOLF.

Alice merely smiles at me, shaking her head with an open palm telling me to leave her be. So, is she okay or not? Dammit, did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed again? I don't feel on the top of my game... She probably thinks I'm a creep. Well, uh, she already probably thinks I'm a creep, but now she thinks I'm an even bigger creep!

Pull it together...!

She covers her mouth as she puts the chair upright, and I can just tell she's laughing at me from the way her eyebrows arch. I hate this so much... She just, completely dismisses everything I say and laughs it off. At least with Yukino, I can blitz retorts ad nauseum, other girls, I just scare them away.