Reality's Blade

Chapter 17: Feelings in Turmoil

The bell rang, cutting clear through my thoughts and making me jump. I hadn't managed to come up with a plan of attack. How could I casually drop into a conversation that Kazehiro's mum should flee her home and take up a job at the shop. It was an impossible task.

I picked up my pencil case and books from the desk, my mind was racing as I automatically made my way to my locker. I had work this evening with Kazehiro, he had come to school today, someone had subtly put make-up on his bruises so they were less conspicuous, I was only able to tell because I had seen him yesterday.

As I roughly shoved my things into my bag a piece of paper appeared before me. The paper was being held by a hand, I followed the arm up to it's owner to find myself face to face with Kazehiro. I stared in shock at him then the paper in turn, my mind not able to make sense of how this situation had arisen.

"The homework sheet. You didn't grab one did you?"

I wasn't even sure what lesson I'd just been sat in.

"Oh thanks. You saved me there!" I tucked the sheet away. That could have been a real problem if he hadn't noticed.

Kazehiro lingered still, I looked up, wondering if there was something else I'd forgotten. He was looking around, his cheeks blossoming pink.

"Do you want to walk to work together, seeing as we're both headed that way anyway?" He asked in a surprisingly nervous sounding voice. Did he think I'd be too embarrassed to walk with him?

"Sure."

I wasn't about to turn down extra time with Kazehiro! Perhaps my feelings weren't as obvious to him as they were to everyone else.

Kazehiro had already retrieved his bag so waited patiently to one side. Without being overly attentive to anyone he managed to instinctively move out of people's way as if he could anticipate where each person was heading. I wondered what signals he could see in the world around him that us normal people couldn't.

We headed off, the afternoon had been veiled with dark clouds that hung heavy in the sky, casting the world into a premature darkness. The wind had been getting stronger and was bitingly cold, I made a note to self that I would probably need my gloves soon, so I shoved my hands deep into my pockets before I lost the feeling in my fingers. Kazehiro had his scarf wrapped up high around his face and his jacket pulled in tight.

"What were you thinking about in class?" Kazehiro murmured quietly, his words almost being completely snatched away by the wind, pulling his scarf down away from his mouth, wincing slightly as his exposed skin met the icy breeze.

You in another body. I wished I could reply. I couldn't tell him the truth though. Although, it was a good opportunity to raise the subject that was consuming my mind, I wasn't sure I'd get another chance like this again.

"What it'd be like in the shop if we got a manager, having someone new telling us what to do even though we were there first. Makes me wish I knew someone who needed a job so I wouldn't have to deal with a stranger. I don't think any of my family need one though, and I don't really know any other adults." I mused, it came out smoother than I could have ever scripted, and it was mostly true.

"You spent all lesson worrying about that?" Kazehiro looked at me in slight disbelief.

I laughed nervously, he wasn't that stupid. I had to remember who I was dealing with, he had Hikage's all-seeing gaze, somehow he could always see my true feelings. I had forgotten Kazehiro could probably do the same to some extent as well.

"And what's for dinner, and ... stuff." I ran out of ideas. I hadn't been watching tv so couldn't reference anything that would have been airing recently to pretend I was hooked on. My life had been wholly taken by Legerdemain.