【Jimi-Kare】

An Unusual Problem

Beep.

Beep.

Beep!

I wake up in a daze. I don't know why, but my head is spinning, with my alarm clock beeping like yapping voices in the background. 

I had overworked myself yesterday, would be a guess. Staying up late must have been another factor; I'm not doing that again.

After I get to dress, I walk my way to school the same as everyday. Tugging a sports bag containing a Nao-sized yukata within, I dash triple the pace I usually would to school, albeit still maintaining a sense of respect to others along my path. Thus, I reach the gates of the school three times as fast and it enables me to set my items down before running off to meet some friends before class starts.

Nao is already in class, in his 'conservative' form. Sorry for making wrong assumptions, but I needed a way of classification of his different personas that I know of. His bangs cover up almost his entire face and his eyes are masked behind foggy glasses so any attempts to trace his expressions are near impossible. I can say that his default impression emits an unnerving, gloomy vibe.

He was always in that form whenever we two were not in the secret classroom after school; he only trusts me to see his new and different self. However, as much as I was used to see him being like that everyday, he seemed to be particularly depressed about something today.

I check my phone. Nao still hadn't replied to any of my messages.

Whatever it was, I would be able to talk to him personally when school comes to a close. Right now, he would just shy away from me and avoid eye contact. I should not worry that much, Nao easily gets upset or frightened, so this might be a small issue...

Ding.

Ding..

Ding...

The second-last school bell rings, sounding rather distant and echoey for me, executing a command to grant all the students freedom from the shackles of their classrooms so they could go prepare for the greatest event of the year. I wait for everyone else to leave the block so I could progress to the meeting place unnoticed.

Tap.

Tap.

I nimbly work my way up the flights of stairs until I see the familiar class sign in one of the corridors.

Prurth.

I open up the sliding door and jumped in like I had intention of surprising a birthday boy.

"Nao, look what I brought! Uh, you can't really see it now. Let me show you!"

An invisible audience greets me.

Huh?

Nao is missing. He would always come here everyday without fail, it is quite unusual of him to not make it for today.

Fwoosh.

I get the feeling of a swooping shadow surfacing behind me. When I turn around, I find out that it is actually Nao standing there. 

Strange, he would not be outside of the classroom after school like this...

"Jaou. I have something to ask you..."

"Hm? What?" 

That tone of his sounds rather stern. Only confusion accompanies me.

"... Are you making me cross-dress... just for fun...?"

"!"

H-He saw through me, is there no way of hiding it now? Nao might be losing trust in me...!

I reflect back on the previous days where I brought Nao clothes on a daily-delivery basis. I've only been concentrating on making him look cute recently, though...

Nao's past words replay in the back of my head, 

"H-Has your purpose changed...?!"

I,

I...

... Just couldn't bring myself to formulate huge lie to my childhood friend...

So, I close my eyes and apologise to him, 

"... I'm sorry. I might have overdone it."

Then, I take some time to breathe.

"It was just a curiosity at first, but I saw that you were very pretty just like a girl... So, I started thinking that I wanted to make you look prettier."

"..."

"But you didn't like it... Sorry."

"..."

Nao isn't saying anything... Did I... Make him angry...?

He voices, 

"Jaou."

That suddenness had freaked me out that I shout aloud, 

"Y-Yes! Oh-?!"

Grip.

Nao grabs my forearm and pulls it high so I was virtually stuck in front of his face, like a mice caught in a cat's trap.

"O-Ouch...!"

He looks at me straight in the eye.

"I don't want to be called pretty..." 

His words are grave and suffused a creepy air to it. 

"I'm a guy... I'm not a girl."

He then seems to press on for more, 

"... Do you think of me as..."

As...?

"... Eh?"

Nao had let go of my wrist and shook his head as of incredulity.

"... Sorry. I'm going home."

"... Nao..."

In spite of my words, he disappears out from the classroom.

My wrist hurt... I didn't know he was that strong...?

But this isn't about my wrist...

I think I've hurt Nao... I'm such an idiot...

_-_-_-_-_-_

It is the following day; I am in class. 

Yesterday seemed to pass by in a flash, and the next moment, I am in today. The worry in me must have made time fly by incredibly fast.

...

Nao didn't come to school today, and he hasn't sent me a text back either...

I curl my head in my arms on the table, and whisper, 

"He must be very angry..."

At this rate, nothing will be achieved. I have to apologise. So, I'm planning of going to visit his place and tell him I'm sorry.

... I just hope he'll listen to me...

To Be Continued