Such Frustration
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Nagisa's POV
I realized that I was spacing out in about a half an hour sitting on my chair in the teacher's faculty, so I scratched my head to get a grip. When I looked around, it seems that everyone has already gone home. How long was I out?
No matter. I quickly picked up my things and went outside in a hurry now that I noticed the sky was getting darker.
While walking across the hallways, I realized that I didn't went to the club after school today, but I think it's already late to head there now, so I continue on my way and head outside the building.
Eventually, when I got to the school gates, I found Aoba and Stella standing by the side way waiting for the traffic light to turn red for them to cross the road. I wanted to greet them and apologize to them that I couldn't visit their club today, but somehow, a certain force prevented me to move and ended up standing there like a statue while I watched over them.
The light had already turned red and they both started walking across the street. I felt like an idiot for not taking any action while the two of them reached the other side and continue to leave.
I clenched my teeth and bent my head in dismay as a single drop of sweat ran down across my face, showing that I was really disappointed in myself; why I couldn't do anything for Korosensei's E class. I feel, frustrated.
"Oh! Nagisa!" But somehow, in the midst of things, a feminine voice spoke out of nowhere calling my name.
I look up and gaze to my left, and there I saw Kayano in an outdoor outfit wearing a relieved expression on her face.
"K-Kayano? What are you doing here?" I was surprised to her sudden appearance which made me blurt out that question.
"I'm done with my work today, so I thought that I'd come see you." Kayano smiled fortunately ignoring my stupid question.
Honestly, I'm feeling a little cheered up seeing Kayano's smile in my time of frustration. But if I tell her the truth, will she forgive me though?
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Kayano brought me again to her usual restaurant-of-choice and we're actually having another date. Well it's only for dinner, but I feel like telling her the news about our classroom, so I agreed to her proposition without any hesitance.
However, after we chose a table and waited for our orders to arrive, I suddenly spaced out in front of her but I couldn't take off my mind about the problem.
"What wrong, Nagisa? Did something happen today?" Kayano's hand fortunately brought me back to my senses which she placed on top of mine across the table.
When I looked at her after retrieving my senses, I saw Kayano's face full of worry and confusion as her eyes deliberately stared at me.
I took this moment as a chance to tell her the truth, so I took a small sigh and start telling her with my own words.
"To be honest, there is something, but it happened yesterday." I started to explain. Although it's hard, I've got no other choice.
"Kayano, there's something that I need to tell you, but I don't want you to go mad at me." After I said this, Kayano went even more confused, but I must continue.
"Korosensei's...our E class...was taken over...and I feel so stupid...that I couldn't even protect the place that everyone loved..." I was starting to tremble at my words while I tighten my grip on Kayano's hand. But I have to bear all this feeling and continue... I have to apologize.
"That's why...I'M SORRY! I'm really sorry, Kayano!" I let go of Kayano's hand and bent my head in front of Kayano asking for forgiveness.
However, deep inside me, I don't really care if she won't forgive me. I deserve it if she starts hating me for failing the task on protecting our old classroom. It's my fault for being weak. It's my fault...It's my—
"—not your fault."
Huh?
Wait. Did I heard her right? Though I only heard the last part, but does this mean...?
I opened my eyes in an instant when I heard her saying something. I slowly lift up my head to look back at her as my eyes wonder with confusion.
In that moment, I felt the noises in the restaurant were gradually becoming blurred and silent as if all my ears and mind were lent to Kayano, waiting for what she has to say next.
Her face looked calm as if she wasn't mad or anything. Though I didn't feel her expression was fake, giving me a strange feeling of relief to my heart and poisoning my frustration.
"It's not your fault Nagisa, so you shouldn't apologize for that." She said.
"B-But, I was given the responsibility to look after E class since I'm a teacher." Though I still blurted out this negativity, Kayano's reactions really surprised me.
Kayano closed her eyes and swayed her head with a denying hum as if she was saying 'you're wrong'.
"Nagisa, do you remember what we talked about after we graduated junior high school?" Kayano continued.
However I was confused. I'm trying my best to catch up to her subject and remember what she meant, but it seems like this little frustration is blocking my ability to remember, so I accidentally wore a face saying 'I don't know what you're talking about'.
"Maybe you've forgotten it already." Kayano said when she noticed the words written on my face.
"I'm sorry." I apologized to her.
"It's okay. I guess I'll just have to tell you then..." I start preparing myself as Kayano wanted to bring back the past and make me remember it.
"Right after we graduated junior high school, you took me to this place."
. . .
what?
After she said this, I quickly looked around the great view of the inside of the restaurant, and suddenly, I felt nostalgic for some reason. It's like a forgotten memory was about to float up in my mind.
Though, those memories did came back to me but slowly. I saw, in my mind that the young me wearing the usual pig-haired style on my head brought a green pig-haired girl in this restaurant holding her hands as if he was taking her somewhere. The memory was vague but I could clearly understand the details.
"After you took me here, we had a very serious talk, you and I. We were talking about our plans for E class in the future, but we both knew that it won't stand forever."
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"One day, class 3E would disappear, and there's no telling that we'll be able to protect it until then. But even so! Kayano, I want you to be with me! Let's protect everyone's E class together! I don't care if we win or lose. What matters is, that we won't give up without a fight!"
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I imagined my old self saying something like that, but it turns out it was true. I did say something like that over the past few years, and it seems that I've remembered it completely.
My senses were brought back to the present and I stared at Kayano's face filled with a reassuring impression. Her cheerful smile was the most purest, and I could feel my heart getting warmed up just by looking at her cute face.
"You see? We both promised to each other that the two of us will protect class 3E no matter what. So that's why, there's no reason for you to apologize yet. The fight's not yet over, Nagisa. So don't you dare give up! Not unless I will though." Kayano showed a slight chuckle on her last statement.
But she's right. I mustn't give up. I mustn't let this frustration take over me, and decide that the fight's already over! Although I do feel guilty though–. . . no... More than guilty that I ended up forgetting about our promise, and about this place.
"Yeah, you're right. Although, I do feel sorry for forgetting about this place and about what we promised to each other." I placed my hand behind the back of my head and wore an awkward face as I said this.
"Yeah, you better be! Honestly, I tried to make you notice it the first time we got here after we met, but I found out that you were hopeless from the start! How could you, Nagisa?!" Kayano was suddenly angry at me because of that, and it seems that I was right that she'll get angry at me tonight.
"I-I already told you that I'm sorry!" But I guess that won't work, huh?
"Okay fine! What do you want me to do to make it up to you??"
"I want you to pay for today's dinner!"
"EHH?!? W-Wait a minute, Kayano! I don't have that much money with me after you picked that expensive-looking meal on the menu!" Truth be told, I didn't really brought that much money. I only have a dozen that can cover up what I wanted for dinner, but if she insists on me paying for her dinner as well, what am I gonna do?
"Okay then, tomorrow! Take me out on a date again and you'll have to pay for dinner. Will that be okay for you?"
"O-Okay, if that's what I have to do for you to accept my apology, then so be it!" I realized I didn't have any other choice, so I gladly accepted her request and see if will I have the money for tomorrow.
"Yayy~!" Kayano, all of a sudden, quickly changed her reaction like a flip of a hand. What happened?
But nah, nevermind. I just hope that I will be able to get my hands on extra money. I don't want her having a bad mood because of me, so I guess I don't have a choice.
Am I gonna be okay?
Switch to Normal POV
However, somewhere at the same time...
"Okuda, are you ready for this?" Said a familiar male voice.
"Y-Yes! Although, I'm very nervous. It's still my first time, you know?" Followed by another familiar female voice that was expressed with embarrassment and such heavy breathing.
"Don't worry, I know you'll like it!"
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End of Chapter 25