Outsider Syndrome | ✓

Chapter 22 - "Demon Troll Akagi"

"Yeah!" Upperclassman Issei pouted. "Let us be there, too!"

"Never," Banri spat, hitching his chin. "It makes sense beautiful people stick with the beautiful. That's what I'm doing now."

"Are you calling us ugly?"

"Jerk!"

Crossing eyes with Naru cowering a safe space in the background, he recoiled then further hid his face from mine.

Servants, huh, I mused onward. It wasn't ringing any bells.

"More importantly, Kisa," Banri said, after warding off Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber. "Were you able to find what you're looking for?"

Sighing, I craned my neck back to meet his eyes. "Not at all. You'd think it'd be a lot easier finding my way around a library, but I'm completely lost."

Right then, the school bells pealed, loud enough to cease all chatter stuttering around the room.

"Oh no, it's already this late?" Upperclassman Issei yelled, lurching to his feet. He snuck a glimpse at the watch he wore. "We promised Miyake to meet him before class starts."

"Are you guys busy with something?" I asked.

"We have another show coming up so we're stuck preparing for it," Banri answered.

Oh, yeah. They did those pretty frequently. I'd found it normal for them to be around me lately so I assumed they had a lot of free time.

"We're meeting with celebrities, too," Hachi added via grin. "I hope they're all nice!"

Banri expelled a saddened breath. "Who cares about those arrogant rich kids. If it was up to me, I'd style Kisa and Kisa alone, forever."

"That goes against everything our group stands for," Upperclassman Issei replied. "Oh, but if Kisaragi ever wants, she should stop by my dad's hair salon. I'll gladly provide whatever hairstyle she wants any time."

"I-In that case," Hachi stammered, poking his face to mine, "Shiina is always welcome at my family's shop! In fact, you can come by today. I'll be waiting after school—"

Banri shoved his cheek. "You guys don't get it. You don't have the right to stand let alone breathe next to someone like her. Learn your place."

"Saysh you," Hachi muffled. Considering his face was being smushed by Banri, his voice was hard to decipher. "Shiina ish for everyone! Shtop being shelfish."

"You're the selfish one! And you're damn cheeky toward your upperclassman."

My mouth met in a purse as this cat and mouse fight only escalated. Upon the swarms of students who piled outside to head to their respected classes, most watched this all unfold in disbelief. Mrs. Uetsugi, the librarian, was also staring them down hard, which I pinned was due to their noise level.

"Aren't we supposed to be in a hurry?" Naru muttered. Least to my knowledge, he'd appeared amidst the fray. Arms crossed, he met their eyes haughtily. "I only came here because Hachiko said he wanted to greet Upperclassman Enatsu. . . but at this rate, Upperclassman Miyake will chew us out for missing the meeting."

The trio stalled their argument long enough to address the addition of Naru.

"What are you talking about, Rumi?" Hachi mumbled, blinking, face half-flattened by Banri's palms. "I caught you staring at Shiina sooo intently from afar so I dragged you here because I thought you wanted to see her."

The heaviest blush seized Naru's complexion. "I-I w-wasn't. . . !"

"You were, though! Why're you denying it?"