Chapter 5: Chapter 5 part 1: A Lie I have to tell myself
POV Katsura
Walking without a crutch really feels good. The X-rays showed that the bone had healed completely. I was blessed that my altercation with those guys hadn't jacked it even worse. My other injuries were a bit healed up too. I couldn't even fathom how fast 4 days had passed.
"How was your test?" Hori san asks me "Not too bad I hope. I wrote everything from the notes I prepared." I reply.
"Yours?" I ask . "It was decent, although it would have helped if Toru and Yuki didn't pester me for the answers" She groans. "Well…. I would have been happy to help" I say "But I can't seem to get close to them like you" I sigh
"Don't worry about it, slowly you will get along with them" Hori san assures me. We were talking quite casually, and I tried to put away the worry in my mind. TODAY WAS PE!! I hadn't made a friend who could help cover for me at the changing rooms. I cant just walk around, displaying my scars. Sure a few scars would be reasonable, but the fresh and live wounds I have plus the bandages, would probably bring child services here. It would make too much noise for even the president.
"Hori san, what am I going to do about "THE THING"' I ask, sacred. I like Hori san as a friend very much, she is always ready to help, but this was one of the times, she couldn't, even if she wanted to. "Uhh.. well… you gotta ask Toru, otherwise, just cut school, go home, say you are sick" she says, clearly amusement in her voice. She was enjoying this wasn't she, she was definitely enjoying it.
I didn't have to approach Ishikawa kun. He approached me of his own accord. We still had 15 minutes of break left, and Hori san and I were out on the corridor, chatting, Ishikawa kun, walked to us. "Zura , can I borrow you for a moment" he asks.
After Hori san had abridged my name, Yoshikawa and Ishikawa both have taken it up pretty fast. Although we had not that many interactions.
"Sure" I reply, a little surprised. It was a bit weird for him to want to talk to me alone.
We walked up to the terrace, as it was the only place free of people. "I actually wanted to talk to you myself" I say, trying to start the conversation, "Oh.." he said
"Well you go first I say". It was difficult trying to read his mood. Harry Freeman would have called it a 'trying very hard to bring up a hard subject'. I could see him fidget, he scratched the back of his head, and look away, not making eye contact. Without any doubt, he was uncomfortable with me. "Um.. well… Its not polite for me to ask, but I want you to be clear with me…" he trails off I nod at him, silently signing him to go on.
"Are.. are you and Hori san dating ? " he says it finally. I was wrong. He was not uncomfortable with me. He just felt embarrassed. I was taken aback for a moment. Were we? I seemed to spend a lot of time with her these past few days. But, did she like me. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time, sure Souta adores me and she, is a friend, but would she like me.
The ghost of Harry Freeman whispers to me "Do you really think, anyone could. It would be abnormal, one look beneath your shirt, one look at me, most would turn tails and run, who do you think we are?" I agree with him. It was too assuming of me that she liked me. After I tell her my story, I think, it would be a miracle, if she allowed me near her brother. I had not fault, yet, I was a problem. A problem I was taught that "Normal" people were unwilling to handle.
POV Ishikawa
I see Zura think for a moment, his eyes, look into mine, they were dark and steadfast, but also contemplating. Then he relaxes a bit and smiles. "Why would you think that?" he smiles. "Well, you guys have been hanging around a lot lately so…" I trail off, wishing that he would catch my drift.
"Do you have a crush on Hori san?" He asks me, his tone was friendly, not teasing.
I am startled for a second, I feel my cheeks redden, damn, he is so forthright. "Yes" I say
"Well, you don't need my permission to ask her out. We are not dating" he says. "She probably hangs out with me, because she feels pity on me" His face was normal, but was that sorrow in his voice. I feel my mood lighten up, as if a huge burden was off my chest. If Hori wasn't dating this guy, I still had a chance. I manage a smile.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" I ask him.
"Well, I am sorry to bother you with this, but you are the only friend in this class I have who is a 'boy' so.." Zura begins.
"Hey, come on now, you are making it weird" I say. "Am I? Sorry" Zura says apologetically.
"Well the thing I am trying to say is that, what I am going to tell you, you cant tell anybody, only Hori san knows about this" He says, his tone clearly a bit more hushed, as if he was having second thoughts about this.
"Sure man, I am not gonna tell anybody" I assure him.
"Well then here goes nothing" Zura mutters, he starts unbuttoning his shirt.
"What are you…." I cant complete what I am saying, as he is halfway done, I see the bandages, wrapped around him, I see a huge scar on his stomach, various places in between the bandages covered with burnt marks, what is this? Can a teenager really have this sort of injuries. Just who is this guy.
My surprise must have been very visible, I could feel my mouth hang open. Zura allows me a glimpse and quickly buttons his shirt back up. "Well you see, I need your help, covering this up in the changing room before PE" he says.
"Man, what happened !?" I ask horrified. "Shhh. Please keep your voice down, people are gonna hear" Zura begs me.
"What happened?" I ask lowering my voice.
"Sorry, I cant tell you that. Not right now. I don't want to lie to you, can you give me some time ?" Zura asks. There was something solemn in his voice, something serious, he really meant it.
"Okay, but you owe me an explanation" I say stubbornly. "So, will you help me now?" Zura asks a bit apprehensively.
"Sure man, as if you needed to ask again, what are friends for ?" I say
His face lights up "So, does that mean we are friends ?" he asks, a bit hesitant, but a small smile leaking onto his lips.
"What are you talking about, any friend of Hori's is a friend of mine" I assure him.
"By the way, what did you mean, when you say, Hori saw you like this, what were you doing shirtless, near her ?" I ask, wanting to tease him a bit.
"Well, I …" Zura stammers, I see him get flustered. His cheeks were red like mine before.
"I don't care, just kidding" I add smiling. We both burst out smiling.
I cant point to what it was, but there is something about this guy, he was different somehow but not in a bad way.
"So, shall we go back then, class is about to start" He asks
I nod, and we both make our way back.
POV Katsura
"Hey Hori, can I talk to you privately, after school ?" Ishikawa san asks Hori san as we meet her in the corridor, where I left her. Hori san looks at me confused
"I will pick up Souta from kindergarten" I tell her. For some reason, I cant stay here any longer. I run. I don't want to face her right now. Damn, what is this feeling, why does my heart feel heavy, I meant it when I thought that Ishikawa kun was a better partner for Hori san, but why does it hurt so much.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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