บท 71: [Laura] The art of distraction

"Yes, I know this is the ladies' room." Outside, I can hear C sighing deeply. "But I need to see with my own ey... Never mind that. I need to see that they are safe."

[It is not the bookworm's fault. No way can she guess what the school bully can do with the help of the system. On top of that, Rachel and Laura are the same as her. If not shown directly, there is no way in a millennium that they can understand the gravity of this current situation. In case of the bully still tries to cause them any harm, I can at least stall him for a while for the girls to run. Thankfully, there has been no cry for help or yelling from anyone makes me feel a bit more at ease. Everything looks like it is still within boundaries.]

"Please, Kurokawa, let me come in with you."

[I know I am not giving Kurokawa any room for negotiation right now. Even her face looks a bit perplexed. Who would not be, honestly? She will never reply with "Sure, go ahead!" and let me in without thinking anything extra. Our relationship is not nearly enough for the bookworm to allow my ridiculousness. Rachel, though, may behave differently. Laura, too.]

"How about this? I will look for them on the inside for you. After all, what do you think people will say if they found out you ventured into this place?" Kurokawa struggles to convince that faceless boy.

"I appreciate your thoughts, Kurokawa, but I must make sure they are safe! Besides, there is no one here except for us. So if you don't say anything, everything will be fine! I promise!"

God! C is dead set on finding us no matter what! We can not dispose of the body that fast! Rachel is hardly done with the limbs, and I still have a small mountain of minced organs to flush down the toilets. The moment he sees this mess we created, the best outcome would be a massive trust issue, and the worst would be him running away from this place and killing himself!

"Hold on? Why did you say safe twice?" Unexpectedly, the bookworm asks him with his own words. "Um...sorry if I am overthinking this, C, but you are adamant that something bad is happening to Rachel and Laura? It almost feels as if you know?"

"Eh?" C is immediately stunned.

Outstanding! I would have thought Kurokawa was naive if we did not know what she could come up with.

By now, it is undoubtedly clear that C wants to hide his knowledge and experience as much as he can to protect our relationship. Using that to her advantage, Kurokawa is able to stand on the same ground as he is in this conversation.

"I-uh..."

[Crap! What am I going to do?! How am I going to answer that? The truth? Yeah, right!]

"We need to think of something fast?" I whisper into Rachel's ear, trying to keep the volume as small as possible. Thankfully, the falling water is helping us cover our voices. "He's not going to give up like this."

A flash of panic appears on Rachel's face as she gently puts the kitchen knife down, making almost no sound. "But I thought you sent Kurokawa to delay him!?"

I never thought such a sight would be possible. That thieving woman always appeared to have everything planned.

"She could have if someone did not leave the lunch box behind!" Bluntly, I say.

"Ack!" Rachel's face turns sour quickly.

Of course, she can not say anything to defend herself. She made a huge blunder in our plan. Because of it, there is a situation we have to deal with.

"This is bad," I mutter, looking around. "Kurokawa can not hold him for long until C starts questioning her."

"We need to distract him with something. It has to be big. In addition, it has to prove that we have nothing to do with the bully." With her eyes wandering inside the shower, Rachel fixates on the gel bottle mounted on the wall. "My darling needs to have the dark thoughts in his mind erased by something...magical and pure."

However, the last half of her sentence instantly makes my blood boil. "Your darling?!"

"Sh! Class rep! We have no time for that!" She does not even try to hide the rising corners of her mouth. "We need to focus on the thing at hand."

"...It looks like you have it sorted out already." I glare at her. "To think you were panicking a few seconds ago."

"Well, no one is perfect. Except for that guy." She puts on the most gentle smile I have ever seen. "No matter how flawed he is, C is still the most perfect being in all existence."

"Agree." I nod. No need to dwell on this matter so much. It is factual already. "So what's the plan?"

"This." She pushes the shower gel, and soap comes out from the bottom. "C's inner voice is clearly hinting he is afraid of us being harmed by that dead thing. What we need to do next is to wash away those dark thoughts."

"That's what I'm thinking, too. The best way to deal with this current event is by walking straight into it."

"Exactly!" Rachel then promptly rubs her hands and starts putting the foamy soap on the top of her head. Not stopping there, she puts a little foam on her breasts and nether region, barely covering any of her beautiful body. "Just follow my lead."

"Okay. Wait!? What do you mean by that? Why are you walking out in that state?!!"

I have a bad feeling about this... Unlike her, I am not that shameless...

She pokes her head out of the shower room: "Let him in, Kurokawa. My darling is just in time for a little treat."

Although the sound of water running is loud, blondy's cheerful tone is still unmistakable. She is experienced in putting up a face for him to see. Yet, it is by no means fake. "Laura is in here with me. Say hello, class rep!"

Trying to sound unsuspicious, I mimic Rachel's tone. "Hi!"

"What are you two doing in here? Morning class has already started."

[That makes my heart relax a little bit. If Rachel and Laura were in grave danger, blondy sure would not have behaved in such a way. After all, she does not really show that side of her to anyone.

However, at the same time, Rachel's mischievous tone also feels like an alarm bell has gone off somewhere deep down within me. Why does she sound so upbeat like that? Judging by how she has been acting around me, I am both worried and interested in what she has in store.]

"I have been telling you all this time, C! They were cleaning themselves up only. You know us girls." Kurokawa explains. "So, do you still want to come in?"

[I should not...but...]

"Yeah!"

He is really walking in! I am still butt-naked!

"Well? Laura? Hurry up. We'll meet him halfway so C won't see the body. By doing this, all of his worries will be gone." That shameless woman looks at me with a snicker. "This is the best plan I can come up with! It is your choice to follow it through, though."

"..."

Damn it! There is no time to think of anything else! I must act now, or Rachel will be in front of the curve for the second time! She already took his first kiss. If I dally this any further, she will be the one to have his first time, too!

We just started dating yesterday! I have no problem with kissing C and hugging him, but still,... showing him my naked body right on the second day is... Will my boyfriend think of me as a loose person?

"I see that you are still not determined. Very well. I can't wait for C to look at me anymore. See ya, class rep!" After leaving that sentence, Rachel walks out of the shower room, chuckling as if she has won.

Vile woman! Disgusting! ARGGGGGGH!!!!! There is no way she has been like this since the beginning. Absolutely. No. Freaking. Way.

It must have been because of the kiss! I would have had the same mentality if I had seen what she saw! Why did I not kiss him when I had the chance? Damn it!

COME ON! LAURA! You can do this! You are the one and only straightforward and serious class representative! You love him with all your heart! What is wrong with showing a little skin if you have already decided to be with him for the rest of your life? Just get it over with already!

Crap! I can feel my body temperature rising exponentially despite the cold water. Even without a mirror, my face is definitely beet red, no doubt about that. The thought of him glancing over my entire naked body is both embarrassing and exciting at the same time. So much so that it makes my heart runs completely wild! Yes, I know how much C suffered because of me in the past. Even if I had to take the sky down to make it up to him, I would still do it. However, I have no experience in dating, let alone doing...something this drastic.

*Suuuu* *Haaaaaa*

I do not want to lose to that woman who has lost all sense of shame, not in a million years.

And yet...my heart is pounding madly as I open the door.

As I run to catch up with Rachel, I purposefully leave no trace of soap on me.

If she wants to play, I will give her the game.

"WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK!!!!"