Outsider Syndrome | ✓

Chapter 37 - "My Heart Calls For Love"

Was he rehearsing lines?

Rapunzel, huh. That fairytale was indeed a classic. Maybe it was a retelling.

Upperclassman Issei was too invested in reciting the lines on his script I didn't want to interrupt. I constantly thought he was amazing but he'd certainly improved tons since we met. He rarely fumbled his lines nowadays, too. It wouldn't be long before he took the acting world by storm.

Before I'd realized it, Upperclassman Issei smiled contentedly at his script, safely having recited all the lines. My legs ached slightly, proving I'd been standing here for quite the duration. A quick peek at my cell stunned me. I hadn't even realized how much time had passed.

He cocked his head in that instant. Our eyes met.

"Kisaragi? How long have you been here?"

Meekly, I stepped out into the open. "Ten minutes or so? Sorry. I was watching you and time slipped away from me."

"If I knew you were watching, I would've put on a better performance."

"It was dazzling enough," I assured him. "I'll never get bored watching you. I don't think I could."

"You're too kind, Kisaragi. That's the biggest compliment I could receive, thank you."

I timidly shifted my weight, momentarily flickering my gaze to my shoes. Sometimes, he displayed such a tenderhearted smile I didn't know how to react.

One thing led to another and I found myself seated next to him on one of the stairs, cradling warm drinks we'd purchased from a vending machine close by.

"Miyake told me what happened with Banri."

It was the first thing he uttered after taking the first sip of his canned drink.

Me, with my gulp still in my mouth, just about performed a spit take.

"H-he did?" I spluttered. "Th-that was. . . It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. My brain powered off. It was going to happen but didn't. I don't even know if I wanted it to—"

"We're talking about how he defended you, right?"

!!!

"Yep. Totally. Without a doubt was talking about that!"

Upperclassman Issei's scrutiny assailed my composure. Considering how hard I was most likely blushing, he put two and two together.

Was I an idiot? An imbecile? A whole joke?

Yes, yes, and yes, my conscience fired.

"Now that you mention it, Banri's been acting strangely all today."

Stricken, I nearly squeezed the can flat.

Upperclassman Issei's tone was calm, but his demeanour gave off a starkly contrasting vibe. "Usually he can't stop talking about you and will use whatever chance he gets to run to your side. Yet today for some reason, he's been completely silent; hasn't taken his eyes off the board all morning. Then, when lunch started, he disappeared, excusing he had something to do. I assumed he was reflecting after Miyake reprimanded him for his actions over the weekend, but. . . something happened, didn't it?"