OUTSiDER (Assassination Classroom Fanfic)

49. Kill

Nao hummed. He can't drop by everyone like the octopus can, so no sense in trying to catch him. "I'm meeting Isogai and Kataoka after this, to catch them after their paper today. We're going to a family restaurant with Isogai's siblings."

"What, that's so nice! I'm jealous!"

"If I do well here, can I have a Kuma-sensei privilege tooooo?"

"Don't push your luck," Nao sighed. "But okay, maybe tomorrow. I still need to give you back the novel you were writing, with comments. Same to you for that script you wanted me to proof, Mimura."

"Yay!" Mimura and Fuwa clapped their hands together victoriously. "Kuma-sensei, you really know how to give good celebratory gifts!"

Nao smiled. "Well, what can I do? I have students that love giving me homework."

"And you finish them so fast!"

"Agh, now I can't wait to hear what you think about it!" Fuwa said, miffed, "can't you give it to me now? The plot hole in Chapter 11's been bugging me the whole week!"

"Oh, it just came to mind—" Mimura spoke up too, "I didn't really think about it at the time, but were my lines too elaborate for a movie script? I tried to keep them casual, but then I realized movie and anime have differences for target audiences and—"

"Enough, enough," Nao reached out to lightly tap on the top of their heads, "head in the entrance exam, otaku duo! Ace the exam first, then I'll give you the prize, alright?"

"Nooo, I'm too curious now!" Fuwa whined, "pretty please, Kuma-sensei?!"

"Please, this will bug me so much!" Mimura added, "I might lose sleep thinking about it!"

"Nuh-uh, puppy eyes don't work on me," Nao said. "Go on, godspeed."

Though whining, they were grinning excitedly as they made their way in.

They entered the building side by side, backs pulle straight and heads held high with confidence. They waved at Nao one last time, and then they never looked back again.

(They've all grown up, haven't they?)

Nao stepped back, winding around the corner wall and sitting down at the first ledge that seemed reasonably comfortable. There were other guardians and parents around, too, waiting out until the kids finished their tests.

His eyes closed, not by his own will, and he tried to wrest away the spinning in his vision. The weight of his shoulders made his fingers numb, and there's a dull ringing in his ears that just didn't quite want to leave. There's a floaty, tight ache in his head, not quite as painful as it is uncomfortable.

He's so tired.

Maybe he should have driven instead of walked, but the idea of needing to pay attention on the road felt like a safety hazard right now.

It's fine.

He managed a laugh out of his throat. He's so winded, just from a twenty minute walk. He really was laughably weak, with nonexistent stamina to speak of, horribly physically unfit. His students would make fun of him if they could see him.

"Oh, what do I do," he sighed, "now that I got comfortable, I can't stand up again."

Well, he's sure Isogai and Kataoka wouldn't mind if he were a little late.

"It's fine," he sighed. "They can go on ahead, I'll catch up."

-