The rain had barely stopped before Morinozuka snuck out of the pavilion. He hadn't seemed anxious to get out before this point, but now that there was a chance to go find Honey, he was like a wild horse.
The other Hosts didn't even see him leave. They were talking about something inane as usual– harassing Fujioka, as they did– allowing Morinozuka to slip out the front without even trying. The only one who noticed his disappearance besides Masae was Ootori, who didn't particularly seem to care.
Masae was irritated by their carelessness– all of them. Even Morinozuka. While it was nice of him to clean her injuries, what was he thinking going off into the jungle alone? Again.
She found it just as easy to escape the pavilion, carrying her sandals in her hands and gingerly walking on the muddy ground.
"Morinozuka!" She called from a good distance away. He was slipping into some bushes and Masae knew that she would never reach him in time at the rate she was going. "Morinozuka, please stop! Where are you going?"
Though his dark eyes didn't betray much as they roved over her, Masae got the distinct impression he thought that was a dumb question.
She scowled a little, embarrassed. "I mean, that's not the right direction. Ootori said he would end up in the west, and that's... east." She hoped it wasn't too obvious that she was guessing on the cardinal directions– Masae couldn't distinguish them. But she did know Morinozuka was going the wrong way.
He pulled himself out of the brush and up to his full height. "This is west." Morinozuka gestured in the general direction of the sky, as if Masae would garner anything from it.
Her scowl deepened. "I... yes. But Ootori said he would end up through here." She pointed in the direction she meant, the exact opposite way that Morinozuka was trying to travel. "Past the pavilion. So I'm sorry, but you're not going the right way. You should really join up with the others, since Ootori is the only one with knowledge of this place's map."
If Morinozuka was a little more expressive, he might have pretended to acknowledge what she'd said before he started working his way into the brush again.
"Wait!" Masae cried. "If you insist on going in the wrong direction, then please at least take me with you. Two pairs of eyes are better than one, and if you go missing as well then this resort will never be insurable. So I insist that you let me go along." She set her jaw, hoping to look intimidating but feeling very small next to Morinozuka.
Wordlessly, Morinozuka brought himself out of the brush for a second time and started walking towards her. For a moment Masae thought she might have won, but before she could make heads or tails of the situation, she was being picked up onto Morinozuka's broad back with an embarrassing squeal.
"M-Morinozuka," she squeaked, unable to form any stronger words. She wanted to bury her hot face in her hands, but she couldn't manage to let go of his shoulders for fear of falling off. He still wasn't wearing a shirt. "No offense, but when I asked to come along, this isn't really what I had in mind. I know I'm hurt, but I am capable of walking."
"You'll slow us down if you're worried about getting mud on your shoes," he replied simply, taking her sandals into his own hands. "This is easier."
That was the most she'd ever heard him speak. It was a bit insulting that he was using his limited words to call her a burden, but at the same time he had a point. She didn't want to get her designer shoes dirty again.
She let out an embarrassing squeak as he ventured into uneven terrain.
"Why do you think it's this way, again?" Masae ventured to answer. She was trying not to hang onto Morinozuka's neck too hard, but there wasn't much else she could do in such a situation.
YOU ARE READING
Comes up Roses
Fanfiction[OC x various OHSHC] || Seventeen year-old Masae Aoki doesn't believe in love; and why should she? Her mother ran away, leaving her to be raised by her father and his much-younger second wife, and she works as the secretary to a club false adverti...
