“Hawa,” Lilian mumbled, her shoulders drooping.
***
Since Lindsay had passed out, the trio had to take the girl to the nurse’s office before heading to class. They ended up running a bit late because of this. Kevin could only hope that their homeroom teacher, Ms. Vis, didn’t flip out on them.
Entering the classroom as sneakily as they could, the trio noticed that class was well underway. Ms. Vis stood by the whiteboard in all of her pale-skinned, vampire-esque glory. That day she had chosen to wear a brown business suit with a skirt, black stockings, and heeled shoes. She appeared every bit the consummate professional as she lectured the class.
Kevin found this thought funny. He would never call this woman “professional.” She was more like “obsessive compulsive.” Several people near the door noticed them, but a glare from Kevin made their mouths snap shut before they could speak.
“... This statement can be tested by comparing the price of each jar of salsa,” Ms. Vis was saying as she wrote on the board. “If nine dollars over three jars of red salsa equals three dollars per jar versus eight dollars over four jars of green salsa equals two dollars per jar…”
As Ms. Vis continued her lecture, Kevin, Lilian, and Iris tried to sneak over to their seats.
“Hey, teach, those three are late!”
They were, most unfortunately, not successful in this endeavor, as one of their peers decided to be a jerk and rat them out. Iris and Lilian made a silent promise to prank the fool for his indiscretion while Kevin just glared at the boy.
Ms. Vis whirled around, her eyes drawn in a furious expression. Her mouth was halfway open, no doubt to verbally ream them for daring to show up late to class.
Then her eyes landed on Lilian. All the emotional hardness on her face evaporated like a cold wind in June. What remained was only warmth. The trio shuddered.
“Lilian!” Like a prepubescent girl who’d bumped into her crush, Ms. Vis squealed as she rushed forward, arms spread wide to engulf the redhead in her fierce embrace.
Kevin and Iris wisely chose to move out of the way. Lilian, having been walking between them, was not so fortunate.
“W-wait! Ms. Vis! Don’t—mfffed!”
Mutely staring at the scene with unwarranted solemnity, Kevin stood in place as Ms. Vis proceeded to shove Lilian’s head into the valley of her modest chest. If the teacher was a little more attractive and less vampirish, this scene might have actually been pretty hot, like something out of an extremely perverse eroge that featured a yuri teacher and her female student.
“Oh, Lilian,” Ms. Vis gushed. “You have no idea how pleased I am to see you again. Not being able to glimpse your lovely face over spring break was pure torture!”
“Mff mrff mff!”
“Get off me,” was what Kevin presumed she had said.
“I heard you were in California when that earthquake hit, you poor dear. But don’t worry. You’re here now, and I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you ever again.”
That was what the news had reported happened during the comic convention. Kuroneko had people inside of the news department, and they had reported that an earthquake had broken several water lines.
Kevin was surprised that the people had just accepted the report at face value. That said, he also understood that humans would more readily accept a logical lie than an extraordinary truth.
“Mrffle mrgg! Mmmffff!”
Kevin could not even begin to guess what she was saying that time. It sounded like she was merely stringing monosyllables together.
“Yes, from now on, you shall stay here. Where it’s safe.”
“MMMRRFFF!”
Lilian’s muffled scream echoed throughout the classroom.
***
Lunch had come.
After gym class, Kevin, Lilian, and Iris met up with a recently awakened and extraordinarily mortified Lindsay, and a somewhat amused Christine. Then they proceeded to grab a table for lunch. While Lindsay and Christine had gone to the cafeteria to grab some grub, the trio had pulled out their traditional Japanese bento boxes, which contained their… traditional Japanese lunches.
“I can’t believe you two,” Lilian grumbled a complaint to her mate and sister respectively. “You two didn’t help me at all.”
“I really am a fan of Japanese pop culture,” Kevin said as he stared at his bento box, his right eyebrow twitching and a vein throbbing prominently on his forehead. “Truly, I am, but this is going a little overboard. Who the heck makes people traditional Japanese lunches in America?”
“Kotohime, obviously,” Iris said, idly picking at some of the vegetables with her complimentary chopsticks. “You should know by now that she’s a very traditional Japanese woman, a Yamato Nadeshiko in every sense of the word. Of course she’s going to make us a Japanese lunch.”
Kevin sighed. “I’m beginning to think I should start making my own lunches again.”
“Mou.” Crossing her arms, Lilian gave the two her most adorable pout, which was cute enough that if there was a cuteness scale, the redhead would have just broken it. “You two aren’t even listening to me.”
“Aw, I’m sorry Lily-pad.” Iris pulled her sister close and rubbed her nose into Lilian’s hair, inhaling her scent. “Did I make you jealous by speaking with the stud instead of you? Would you like me to make it up to you? Perhaps with a kiss?”
“Uh, no,” Lilian deadpanned. “However, if Kevin wants to make up for ignoring me, then a kiss would certainly be the best way to do it… at least until we get home.”
While Iris pouted at Lilian, who pulled out of her grasp and scooted closer to her mate, Kevin let out a mild chuckle.
“A kiss, huh?” Kevin scooted closer to Lilian and turned until he was straddling the bench. “I suppose I could give you a kiss…” Lilian’s eyes lit up. Kevin sighed dramatically. “However, I’m not sure if I should. I mean, kissing in a public setting isn’t very appropriate, and our school does have a ‘no public displays of affection’ rule. I’d be loathe to break it.”
Lilian groaned, causing her mate’s lips to twitch. The groan ceased when he laid a hand on her cheek and turned her head toward him. Their faces were so close that their noses were almost touching.
“Still, I do owe you an apology for not helping you with Ms. Vis,” Kevin murmured, though Lilian was no longer paying attention. Her eyes had become drawn toward his lips as he spoke. She could think of several things she’d like those lips to be doing. Talking was not one of them.
“So, how would you like to go on a date?” he asked.
“Eh?” The words snapped Lilian out of her stupor. “A date?”
“A date,” Kevin repeated. “We haven’t been on one for a while now, not since Christmas.”
Lilian actually needed a moment to realize something. “Now that you mention it, you’re right. It’s been a really long time since we’ve gone on a date.”
As one, Kevin and Lilian turned their heads to look at the reason that they hadn’t gone on many dates. Iris stared at them, leaning against the bench, elbows propped up on the table. Her dark eyes were glimmering in amusement.
“I don’t know why you’re looking at me,” she said, her wide grin showing off her pearly whites. “I’ve never stopped you two from going on dates together.”
The twitch of Lilian’s left eye was the physical sign of her irritation. “No,” she said sarcastically. “You’ve just gone with us every single time, ensuring that we’d never be alone together.”
“I had to make sure you two weren’t getting up to anything that would bring this story past an M-rating,” Iris replied.
“It all happened off screen!” Lilian snapped.
“And if anything was going to go past an M-rating, it would have been something that you did,” Kevin added.
“Hmm… true enough,” Iris said, pondering his point. “All right, I guess I can let you two have one date to yourselves.”
Like you ever had any choice in the m
atter, Lilian and Kevin thought at the exact same time.
Joining up with them after getting their meals was Alex, Andrew, Lindsay, and Christine. They sat down in their designated places. Alex and Andrew sat beside Lilian and Kevin, while Lindsay and Christine sat on the other side next to Iris. Upon seeing the lunches that had been prepared for Kevin, Lilian, and Iris, Lindsay just had to speak up.
“Okay, I know you’re really into that anime stuff and everything, but do you really need to have Japanese lunches, Kevin? Isn’t that taking your obsession a little too far?”
Kevin didn’t like being called out on his love for anime. He disliked even more that Lindsay seemed to think this was somehow his fault.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he tossed his friend a mild glare. “I’ll have you know that these lunches were not made to my specifications. I might love anime and manga, but I’m not so obsessed with Japanese culture that I would have someone make me traditional Japanese bento.” He paused, and then reluctantly added. “No matter how cool it seemed at first.”
Lindsay rolled her eyes. “Right, and that’s why you’ve been having those bento-thingies for the past six months.”
Kevin’s cheeks inflated like a hot air balloon. “The reason we’ve been having bento lunches for the past six months is because Kotohime insists on making them. It’s not like I ask her to make them for us.”
“But you never ask her to not make them, do you?”
“...”
“Heh, she’s got you there, Stud.”
Kevin pointed at Iris. “Not another word out of you!”
“It is kind of odd, though, right?” Alex said after swallowing a bite of his sandwich, roast beef it looked like. Yum. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s totally cool that you’re going full otaku and everything, but seeing you eating a Japanese lunch every day is weird.”
“I’m not an otaku,” Kevin grumbled.
“You’re totally otaku,” Alex returned fire.
“Your otakuness knows no bounds,” Andrew added with a nod.
“Kevin, you’re so otaku that the otakus in Japan are envious of how otaku you are,” Christine said, and then blushed when everyone turned and stared at her. “W-w-w-what the hell are you people looking at?”
“Heh.” Iris grinned. “I never thought I’d hear you say something like that. It sounds like you know an awful lot about otakus. Is there something that you would like to tell us?”
“W-w-wha—of course not!” Christine shouted. “D-d-don’t look too into this or anything! I just don’t want to be around Kev—I mean everyone else and not understand what you people are talking about. It’s because you guys keep using all these weird terms like otaku and shōnen and desu. You guys are at fault for this! Y-you should take responsibility!”
“Responsibility for what?” Iris fired back, her eyes glowing with delight. “The way you say that makes it sound like one of us fucked you six ways to Sunday.” She paused, blinked, and then grinned. It was quite the devious grin. “Or maybe that’s what you want? Would you like to have the stud screw you six ways to Sunday?”
Christine’s face turned a deep shade of winter blue. Lindsay suspiciously held a hand to her nose. Kevin and Lilian looked at the tomboy as blood leaked between her fingers.
“Wh—that’s not—SHUT UP!”
While Iris mercilessly teased Christine until the poor girl looked ready to start flinging icicles, Alex and Andrew continued their merciless assault on Kevin.
“You put the ‘k’ in otaku.”
“When people look up otaku in the dictionary, they see your face.”
“You’ve even got an otaku meme on Twitter.”
“Shut up! I am not an otaku!” Kevin stood up and slammed his hands on the stone table. He glared at his friends. “I’m not! Just because I like anime that doesn’t mean I’m an otaku. And you two have no right to say anything!” He pointed an accusing finger at Alex and Andrew. “You watch and read just as much anime and manga as I do!”
“You make a good point,” Alex admitted. “It doesn’t change the fact that you are, indeed, an otaku.”
Andrew nodded at his brother’s words. “Only a true otaku would deny being otaku.”
“No, they wouldn’t! Otaku are people who proudly proclaim their status even though they know others will look down on them for it. That’s half the reason they get such a bad rep in Japan, and even then, Japanese society has begun to accept otaku culture more readily in the last few years. I once read an article on Rocket News 24 that some people are beginning to think that being otaku isn’t something to be ashamed of.”
“And how could you possibly know that unless you were an otaku?” Iris teased.
Kevin grabbed his hair and threw his head back. “Arggghhh!”
“Poor Kevin.” Lilian giggled. “Getting ganged up on by everyone.”
“Ha…” Kevin sat down and pouted at his mate. “You’re not really helping me out, you know. You should be backing me up.”
“I can only back you up when something isn’t true.”
“Now you’re just being mean.”
“I’m sorry,” Lilian said in mock contrite, her eyes glittering with mirth. “Would a hug make it better?”
Kevin sniffled. “Maybe.”
Lilian spread her arms wide. “Okay. Come here, Kevin.”
“Lilian.”
“Kevin!”
“Lilian!”
“Would you two knock it off already!” Christine snapped out of her state of perpetual humiliation long enough to shout at the hugging couple.
Conversation continued to flow, changing topics over the course of lunch. Kevin talked and laughed along with his friends. However, despite acting just like he always did, a part of him felt separated from everyone else, isolated. Alone. He no longer felt like he belonged with these people. He didn’t deserve to be with them.
That’s right. How could I continue spending time with everyone after what I’ve done?
Kevin had blood on his hands now. He saw it every time he took a shower, carnelian covering his hands that didn’t wash off no matter how hard he scrubbed.
Someone capable of killing another so easily doesn’t deserve to have friends like this.
His right hand clenched into a fist. What right did he have to be friends with anyone? He was a monster. Only a monster could possibly kill like he had. Only a monster would…
Kevin’s thoughts were halted as a warm, soft, and gentle hand moved over his own. He looked down, recognizing the fair skin and long, graceful fingers. He knew who they belonged to. He had held that hand hundreds of times already. He’d also sucked on those fingers, but that was a story for another time.
He followed the hand, up the arm, past the shoulder, and onto the enchanting face of Lilian, whose lips were set in an expression of compassion. She didn’t say anything, but her desire to help him, to offer comfort, was so palpable that it felt like a physical thing.
Unconsciously, against his will, Kevin found his body relaxing. He couldn’t afford to let these thoughts get to him. He needed to be strong, for Lilian if no one else.
His hand turned in hers and he gripped back. He offered her a soft smile, which was returned, though her eyes still revealed her inner thoughts. They also offered an invitation, one that Kevin saw clear as day within her startlingly beautiful irises.
“Whenever you want to talk, I’ll be here,” her eyes seemed to say.
“Thank you,” Kevin said back.
“Hey, aren’t we missing someone?” Lindsay suddenly asked. Kevin and Lilian stopped focusing on each other and turned to look at her. Even Iris had stopped teasing Christine to look at the blonde girl.
“Huh? We are missing someone,” Lilian said. “Where’s the butt monkey?”
“Who cares?” said Christine, her tone disgusted, as if she was repulsed by the very idea of talking about Eric.
“I’m with the snow woman.” Iris ignored the looks that she received for her comment. �
��Who cares? It’s Eric. He’s probably peeking on some poor, innocent freshmen girls in the locker room or something.”
No one disagreed.
***
“So I, like, totally found this gorgeous dress at the mall the other day. I was going to buy it, but my dad was all, like, no way, we don’t have enough money, and I was, like, for realz? You’re such a cheapo, Dad.”
“Must be hard having a father who doesn’t buy you everything you want.”
“Was that sarcasm?”
“Of course not.”
“How do you make your eye stand out so much?”
“It’s just the way I put my eye shadow on. The trick is to…”
“Have you heard about how Justin Beiber was deported to Canada recently?”
“What?! No way!”
“Way.”
He was standing within one of the lockers. His back was resting against the metal, and his leering eyes peered out from between the slits. Brimming with lust, Eric was given prime viewing seats to a show that every lecherous male would have given an arm, a leg, and their left testicle for.
They stood just outside of his locker, chatting amicably amongst themselves as they undressed. It was the freshmen girls who’d just gotten out of class and were now changing back into their regular clothes.
Once again, Eric had to bemoan the fact that anime and real life didn’t coincide with each other. For if they did, then surely all of these girls would have been getting naked by now. Ah, well. At least he was still getting to see some budding teenage bodies. That was enough to send his perv-o-meter rocketing sky high.
Hee hee hee! This is perfect! None of them even suspect that I’m here!
He didn’t say anything out loud, of course, nor did he let out the perverted old man giggles that he was tempted to release. His master had told him that he needed to be stealthy, which meant no giggling, laughing, or mumbling to himself. It felt kind of wrong, not mumbling and giggling and making commentary on the girls as he peeped, but, well, he had to listen to his master. That woman knew what she was talking about.
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