The Bonded: Lost And Gained

~ Chapter 20 ~

The daily life of school was particularly normal, the only difference being that three familiar students stood in the corner of the classroom. All three of them awaiting the arrival of two certain people they had not seen for a few days and concerned them greatly. The other students dismissed them completely, only worrying about themselves and talking amongst others about their worries of assignments and exams.

However, that changed with one movement. The door had slid open, which immediately caught everyone's attention and caused them to turned their heads in mere curiosity. All their eyes landed on a black-haired female, who remained unfazed by the attention and behind her, stood the redheaded boy whose head peeked through. 

His heterochromia eyes glanced around the room nervously, quickly searching for his friends and eventually found them. They stared back at him, and he quickly diverted his eyes from them and hid behind Noriko.

She only sighed as a response, walking into the room and turning to walk to her desk. While she did so, she also did the prince a favour by pushing the male towards his friends that curiously waited for him without being noticed.

She mumbled, "Talk to them. You can't be a prince if you can't even do something as simple as that."

"B-But..."

"Go," she said sternly.

He trembled, not liking the tone she was giving him. No one really did, and if she said it like that, it was more or less likely to do as she said.

He stuttered, "Y-Yes, ma'am!"

She shook her head, pulling out her seat and sitting down. Her hues watching the redhead from the corner of her eyes, glued to every movement he made. An awkward silence hung in the air as the four stood there, all of them not really having an idea of what to do. Keith was the first to break it, fake-coughing to get everyone's attention.

"So..." he began.

He laughed nervously, hoping that he could start with a normal conversation and slowly get to the matter at hand.

"How was your weekend?"

Arata mumbled, "It was great... Yours?"

"Well," Keiichi replied.

He scratched the nape of his neck, a nervous smile on his face and letting his eyes drift away from their figures.

"It could've been better."

Miyako sighs, deciding that the situation was becoming way too awkward for her liking.

"Man, you guys are so awkward! What are you? A couple?"

Yoko stuttered, "Well, Miyako, I don't see you doing anything either..."

"Hmm, that's true," Miyako blandly agreed, "but they could be a little less awkward, it's not like anything has changed. So anyway, how is everyone feeling?"

The redhead murmured, "Great..."

"Perfectly fine," Keiichi stated.

"Ok... I guess..." Yoko said hesitantly. "My parents weren't happy about it, but they were ok that I was ok... So everything's fine... I suppose."

The orange-haired female sighs.

"I'm fine too. What I'm curious about is Noriko."

She turned towards Arata, expecting answers from the redhead and if he didn't provide them, she had her ways. Well, she hoped she would be able to without getting her head chopped off by the 'inhuman' beast.

"You know something about her, don't you? How was she able to fight like that? It was nothing like I've ever seen."

"I'm curious too," Keiichi chimed in. "I've never seen anyone fight like that and I get into fights a lot - not on purpose of course."