Blossom Among Flowers (Published)

Chapter 2. Truth

***

"No. No. Nononononononono."

There were many things in life that were too awful to be true. Like the Holocaust and terrorist acts. Or idols that still danced to pop beats in their forties. Takuya Kimura excluded, of course.

Like the giant red F written on the sheet of paper on the desk, the name Hikaru Saito in an untidy scrawl next to it.

"Nononononono..." Maybe if Hikaru repeated the word enough times, it would make the truth go away.

"Miss Saito?"

Hikaru peeked out from the shelter of her thin, folded arms. Her English teacher Miss Matsuda crouched low beside her, her friend Hina Isayama on her other side mimicking the pose.

"Teacher." Hikaru sniffed once then forced a wan smile. "Hina. Aren't you going to miss your bus? It's getting late."

"I couldn't leave you like this, could I?" Hina's usually chipper voice was low, her plump cheeks sagging with concern.

"Miss Saito." Miss Matsuda tried again. "Your grade..."

"An F!" Hikaru exclaimed, her voice bright and shrill. "You wrote it down here next to my name. A very big F. With a bright red marker."

"It's fine!" Hina said strongly. "Isn't it, teacher? It's one failing exam, big deal."

"Twice in elementary, now twice in high school." Hikaru groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Yes, of course it's fine!" Miss Matsuda nodded, her pretty face grim.

Hikaru always thought Miss Matsuda was very smart and had beautiful straight hair, unlike Hikaru's, which always folded in awkward angles from her shoulder down. Apparently though, her teacher wasn't a talented liar.

Hikaru looked up, surveying the empty classroom. The only other people left stooped low in front of her desk. The three of them must have looked funny in their tense bubble, but her throat felt too tight for laughing.

"Well, it is an exam after all, and your grades in your senior year are reflective of your performance in the university entrance exams," Miss Matsuda continued in a rush.

Hina looked like she wanted to elbow their teacher.

"But you could make up for it, surely!" the teacher finished.

Shintaro's voice echoed in Hikaru's head again. She shook her head, rebelling against it. "What do I have to do?"

"Ace the next exam, of course!" Hina answered. Hikaru gazed at her with wide panicked eyes. Hina turned to their teacher, backtracking. "A C will do, right, teacher?"

Miss Matsuda was frowning, a thin finger scratching her chin. "I don't know. I was thinking maybe an A, just to be sure of your graduation."

Hikaru wasn't crying, but she knew her face crumpled. A strangled hiss escaped her throat. Without a hint of warning, she started pounding her head against the hard surface of her desk. Each sickening pound drove her twin's words further from her mind.

"Miss Saito!!"

"HIKARU! What do you think you're doing? Stop that!"

"I meant a C! A C! Miss Saito! Nurse! NURSE!"

***

"Ow."

Fact to remember: when you turn flesh and bone against wood, pain follows. Hikaru tapped the bandage on her forehead. Then bruising. Ugly, dark red bruising.