[Chater 13: I caught you.]
"Sigh. He's not coming..."
Senpai sighs as she realizes there's no point in waiting any further, as the suspected(weirdo) she was trying to catch showed no signs of coming to the rooftop any time sooner. [Already came.]
"I better be heading back now. It would be pointless waiting around any longer." she said to herself, realizing how late the time was already. 'Ugh, my legs hurts...'
After standing there for almost an hour, having a firm stance in the same spot all this time, President Shiori-senpai found herself with her legs hurting for standing too long.
Her legs were hurting from standing still for too long, guarding the door of the rooftop. Actually, even before I found her there, she was already standing at the same spot without moving an inch, so her legs must have went numb after standing for too long.
I didn't know the reason why she didn't just sit down though, but it was because,
'I didn't want to ruin my strong senpai image to that freshman earlier, so I stood with a firm stance all those time showing no signs of weakness. But now, I can feel my legs going numb for standing too long...'
After standing there for a few more minutes, after a certain freshman left, just like she promised, Student Council President Shiori-senpai finally decided to leave.
Walking in an unstable manner, using the walls as support as she makes her descend from the staircase.
Half way through, when she was about to take her next step, she accidentally missed placed he footing and twisted her ankle that made her loosen balance.
In a state of panic, she accidentally pushed herself with her other foot as she tried to regain balance, but accidentally jumped horizontally from the ground that made her fall much further at a dangerous hight.
Her eyes widened, as her life flashed before her eyes the moment she realized she was already free falling, and looking back on her self and what she had been doing until now.
And then, a memory from the past triggered and began resurfacing.
"My name is Shiori Hikaruno, and I just so happens to be the president of the student council of Hokkyokusei High School."
'Back in elementary, I had a dream.'
"I want a prince to come and save me! That way, I can be a princess and live in a huge castle. And then we'll live happily ever after!"
The boys my age teased me, saying I don't need saving because I was the tallest of my age group. However, I don't give a care about those bums because they are not my fated prince that would swift me off my feet, carrying me in his arms and treating me as a real princess.
'However, my prince never came in my time of need, when I needed him the most in that moment...'
It was back when I was about seven or so years old. I climbed up a tall tree tying to my balloon that slipped away from my hands that got stuck on one the tree's branches.
So I climbed up there ...about when the balloon was now within my reach ...I accidentally lost grip and ultimately fell on the ground.
The fall was so hard that it broke my left arm and was rushed to the hospital.
'Why did my prince not come and swoop me in his arms?' Is what I wonder at that time.
On that unfaithful moment, I realized that princes aren't real. And even if they do, they won't come to save me.
After getting my arm treated. I asked my mother, as I sat on the bed in one of the hospital rooms.
"Why didn't my prince save me..? Am I not worth saving enough to be a princess?" Little Shiori wondered as she asked her mother with teary eyes.
"Shiori... Maybe he was caught in traffic?"
Her mother replied with pity on her eyes. She doesn't want to say that a prince wouldn't appear even how hard she waited so she lied.
Little Shiori's expression turned saddened but...
"Alright. If my prince won't be coming to my rescue, then I'll be stronger. Strong enough so I no longer needed to wait for a prince to come and save me!"
Little Shiori said with determination in her eyes while still being a little teary.
So I studied hard to be above the others, I exercise to excel in sports, so that no one will think of me as someone who's weak and below them.
When I reached high school, I aimed for the student council president position all so I could stand at the top. As if to prove something as I held the most respected student title in school campus. So no one has to think that I am weak enough to be needing saving anymore.
So when the next time the so called prince arrives, I can tell him loud and clear straight to his face "I no longer need your help. You were already too late!"
I wanted to tell him I already saved my self.
The little girl became more and more popular as she becomes the school's model student, and soon she eventually became the student council president just like she said she will do.
She was popular and respected enough to gather everyone's favor. She worked hard so that everyone admires her.
All the guys who confessed to her got brutally rejected... Because in her mind, to be a person who's worthy of her, she still had hoped for a prince that will someday, come out of nowhere to save her in her time of need.
'How ironic isn't it? ...Everything I did so I won't look vulnerable... But yet, this time as well. I was falling with no one to catch me.'
As she was falling down the flight of stairs, a guy came rushing and made an appearance in front of her eyes.
He spread out his arms wide open, preparing on catch her.
"Senpai!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Going back in time just a few minutes earlier.
I left to go back to the classroom while senpai stayed behind to wait a little longer to wait for the suspected weird person to come.
I did go back to my classroom. However, in reality, I just drop off my lunchbox at my desk and will come back soon after to catch the spy and pretend to be allied with them as the misunderstood shadow hero.
I'm now on my way back to the secret base(rooftop) to catch the spy/weirdo.
Students who were scattered in the halls earlier are now almost gone, as lunch break was almost over in just a few more minutes.
As I was about to reach the stairs leading to the rooftop, there was a person walking down that said staircase.
When I took a closer look, it was Shiori-senpai.
'Isn't she walking a little slow?' Is what I thought, seeing her walk slowly slightly leaning on the wall supporting her balance.
"Sen-"
When I was about to call out to her, the next thing that happened suddenly. It looks like she went off balance and about to fall off.
But why is she falling that far? Did someone push her?
'Could it be, the spy?!'
At that moment different thoughts come into mind(Chuunibyou situations). But before I can process all that, my body has already moved independently on its own and came rushing to senpai's aid.
I rushed forward and got to the spot where President Shiori senpai was falling, spread out my arms preparing to catch her.
"Senpai!" I yelled to her.
Senpai who had her eyes closed opened. The first thing she saw was me having my arms wide open preparing to catch her.
I looked at her with a serious and determined expression to my face that was set on to catching her.
Gulp. Senpai who was hesitant for a moment decided to place her trust in me as it was the only thing she could do at this given moment.
She spread her arms open, ready to get caught.
As we collide with each other, she gets a hold of me, while I embrace her tightly, wrapping my arm around her waist, and the other set on protecting her head from any potential head injury.
Thankfully, I caught her, however, catching her wouldn't be enough to make the momentum to a complete stop. So I skillfully fell on my back alongside Shiori-senpai.
"S, senpai? ..are you okay?"
I asked as Student Council President Shiori-senpai laid on top of my chest, with her eyes closed, and body still shaking from shock.
Luckily it didn't hurt as much because my body isn't necessarily weak by any means. But if senpai were to take that fall on her own, she could probably break a bone or two, or at worst, a serious head injury. Thankfully, none of that happened on my watch.
"Sen...pai?"
Shiori-senpai opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was my face.
Her head is leveled to my chest so our face is relatively close to each other at the moment.
"Are you alright?" I inquired again because she still hasn't given me any verbal response from my first question.
When she finally came to. She grabbed the collar of my blazer as she sat down on top of me.
She stared at me with hearts on her eyes. And said.
"I caught you(my prince)."
She said as she intensely stared down at me while I was pinned on the floor from her weight, as she laid on top of me, holding me by the collar of my blazer.
"You caught me(Phantom)...?" I repeat while looking puzzle.
'She caught me...?' wondering what she meant, I concluded and sighed.
'Sigh, and just when I thought I played the role of a perfect student so well.
'As expected from the leader of the student council. I guess there's still room for improvement on me disguising as the perfect side character.'
*Bell Rings*
The bell for the next period rang which means classes for the first period in the afternoon will now be resuming.