Art class
The silence in this particular class made Killa feel peaceful; it was quiet. There was no sound of whispering, the sound of people stomping their feet in the hallway, or screams when they overreacted. There was no sound from her own thoughts, not a word.
"Your hand is very steady..." the art teacher said lightly beside her, "Yes, drag it down...softer, yes," she instructed Killa in soft-spoken words, no physical touch. "That's right.. impressive, Miss Lysander."
"Thank you," Killa said lightly,
'Why is she good at everything?' Maki tried to look at Killa's work. "Oh, " Maki's voice raised up,' Her eyes sparkling again...like when she looked at Daiki Senpai' Mika looked at Killa's face while she was sketching the picture in front of her.
"Your assignment is to draw or paint anything that you like...it can be a place, a person, an object...anything, due next week. Understand?" the art teacher said,
"Yes!"
"Good, class is missed, everyone."
Killa's classmates were ready to leave school; they didn't waste their time getting their stuff to go. Leave only Killa and Maki in the classroom.
"You like drawing?" Maki asked,
"I don't know. It's my first time trying to draw." She said while putting her stuff in her bag.
"Your first time!?" Maki was surprised, 'She's quite good, though…actually, she's good at every subject.' Maki thought. "You haven't tried anything much, have you?"
"I have tried—things that normal teenagers don't do. I guess," Killa tried to avoid the crucial words.
"Hmm...like what?"
'Threatening, Killing, Dealing business with Mafias...I can't say that.' Killa thought.
"Ahh..." Killa a little sweat and tried hard to think another word to say
"Can you help?" A boy's voice at the door interrupted or helped Killaby a second. Both Killa and Maki turned their faces to the voice. "Can you guys help move the files to the student council room?"
"Do I have to?" Maki asked with an irritated face,
"There's only two packs left. I gotta go to the Teacher's office now, please," that boy begged,
"Okay," Killa said,
"Thank you!!!" And then that boy left immediately, and then Maki stared at Killa.
"What?"
They both carried the pack of files to the student's council room.
"It's his plan, trust me," Maki said,
"Plan?"
"This! He doesn't want to do it, so he just found a reason..." Maki was upset, and then she opened the door for her.
"You're here." There was a sound of someone in the room, but Killa knew who it was just from looking at his back. He turned around. 'What is she doing here?' Senpai Daiki thought after seeing Killa.
"Senpai," Maki said to him and bowed a little. She looked up and saw his eyes looking at Killa. "Ahh---Where should we put these files, Senpai?" Maki asked,
"There on the table. I'll arrange them later." He said, and he pointed to the medium table before them.
"Yes, Senpai," Maki walked and put down the files, and so did Killa.
'She doesn't even look at me...' Daiki Senpai glanced at her a little,
"If there's nothing else, we'll go," Maki said,
"Yes, thank you," Daiki said,
Maki bowed to him.
'I should bow,' Killa thought, then she bowed her body, 'Not too much,' she reminded herself and got yourself up.
'Why is she so stiff?' Maki looked at Killa and glanced at Senpai. 'They are so awkward...I've never seen Daiki senpai act like this before,' Maki thought. Killa turned to get out of the room, but Maki noticed Senpai acting strange as if he wanted to talk to her. "Killa, you should help Senpai arrange the files," Maki suggested.
"Ha?" Daiki was stunned a bit.
Killa tilted her neck.
"I forgot that I have something to do after school," Maki said,
"About ice cream?" Killa looked at Maki with cat eyes,
'Oh god...don't do that...but...but I'm helping you with him!!! Go, clear things out!' Maki touched her heart. "Later, I promise!" Then Maki quickly ran out of the door.
Silence.
Daiki didn't say anything, but he thought that Killa might not want to be here, helping him or not wanting to be with him. He turned his face to tell her, but he saw Killa had already put the files out.
"Here...you can see the red corner of the paper and that it's blue...just separate them." He said,
She nodded.
'She doesn't even speak to me,' Daiki thought.
"Thank you, Senpai," Killa said softly,
Daiki flinched, "...hmm, for what?"
"At the cafeteria." She said,
"No problems," he said, and the silence was creeping in again, "And how did you bring the files with your friend?" he asked,
"Some guy asked us for help." She said,
"Kim?" Daiki asked surprisingly,
"I don't know his name."
"And you just do as he said," Daiki asked upsettingly,
Killa was confused, "he looked desperate."
'Kim! I will scold you later, ' Daiki thought.
"I shouldn't?" Killa chinned up and looked at his face,
Daiki paused his own reaction. "I didn't mean it that way." he softened his voice.
"I don't want any troubles like you said to me..." Killa explained with a sweet smile. "And little help, it's okay."
He looked at her, wondering, "Are you...afraid of me?" Killa was surprised and looked at him instantly, "You seemed not afraid of anyone...but when you see me...you acted differently. Avoid eye contact and not speak a single word after that day...your first day." he said,
"I just don't want to upset you," she said,
'Upset me?' Daiki thought.
"I spoke to you without your consent and you seemed upset," she said
"No! I mean, yes...your words made me a little upset, not because of you—because of myself. We just met, and you know right through me, and you're very honest, not faking like anyone else here." he said while Killa listened carefully to his words. "So I'm sorry that my actions made you think I don't like you."
"Hee—" Killa chuckled a little and smiled big, and her face turned pink.
Daiki was surprised to see her expression like this. 'She's so pretty...' Daiki thought. "So don't be scared of me," he said,
"I'm not scared of you. I just like you," she said bluntly,
And Daiki's heart was halted for a bit, 'She likes me?! And she said just like that!!?' Daiki thought.
"I like you, so I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I try to behave myself like you suggest," she said,
"You like me, why?" Daiki asked,
"You're beautiful," she said frankly, without a second thought.
'What the hell?' Daiki thought. "You like me because of my looks?"
"Yes," she said,
'She does not hesitate at all.' Daiki thought.
Killa paused her hands on the files, "And something in you...very interesting." she said,
"Huh?" Daiki was confused and surprised again and again.
"I don't know what it is...I often see pretty things, but you especially attract me," Killa explained while arranging the files.
'Oh my god, I've never been confessed like this before...Why did she tell me like it's normal,' Daiki thought. "You...you're very straightforward," Daiki said with his face in deep red.
"Are you okay? Your face is so red?" Killa was a bit shocked.
"It's just—no one tells me this honest," Daiki said,
"Have the girls in school told you?" Killa asked, "I know that many girls in school like you. Senpai must have heard their confessions so many times."
He struggled, "Ye...yeah," he looked at the paper before him. 'But not like this, and you're different from them,' Daiki thought.
"Finished." Killa arranged all the files. "Is there anything else I can help?" Killa asked,
"Ah, no, thank you," he said,
"Then I'll go, Senpai," Killa said, bowed and was about to leave the room,
"Killa..." He called her name,
"Yes?" she turned around,
"I'll come with you," he said,
On the way out of the school property, they were walking together, and some people were still in school. They saw them together; some were ignoring, and some were gossiping.
"Sorry that you couldn't go to have ice cream with your friend," Daiki said,
"It's okay," Killa said,
'I've just seen her sad face...cute...like a lonely cat face,' Daiki thought and imagined her face when she did to Maki back then. "Where do you live?" he asked,
"South...land," she slipped.
'Southland...Is it the place that no one is allowed to go to, only for a lander or very VIP ones?' Daiki thought.
'Is he going to know? He knows my last name if he knows he already knows.' Killa thought.
"Is it far? You always walk back home?" he asked,
"Yes,"
"Wait," Daiki said to Killa. He went inside the convenience store, and not for long. He was out with ice creams. "Here," he offered her one. "Just compensation for helping me."
"Thank you, senpai." Killa smiled happily and grabbed it.
Daiki blushed. "About what you said...thank you for telling me,"
She tilted her head while eating ice cream.
"I can only accept your feelings, but I," he felt uneasy a bit.
'Why is he looking uncomfortable again?' Killa thought. "You don't have to think too hard about my feelings, Senpai," she said, then he looked at her, "it's my feelings towards you. It's nothing that you need to worry about. I can't un-say what I said. If you feel uncomfortable around me, I can..."
"No, it's not what I meant."
"What is it then?" she asked,
'Why is it hard to speak what I'm feeling...I wish I could do like you, Killa,' Daiki thought while struggling with himself. "Are you okay that I don't give the feeling back to you?" Daiki asked.
"Yes," she said, noticing his face, and seemed not to understand her. "I told you that is how I feel towards you. I don't expect anything; it's just my feelings…"
"Huh..." Daiki was surprised and glanced at her,
'If you want to follow me, just do it better. I see you since school, dumbass, ' Killa thought while looking back at Daiki, but she noticed a man following her since she left the school.
"I'll go that way. Thank you for ice cream." Killa was going to bow, but Daiki touched her shoulder.
"You don't have to bow to me," he said,
She was confused, "Are you mad at me again?"
"No!" Daiki hurried to deny it. "You bow to other seniors but don't have to do it with me."
'Why?' Killa was curious. "If you don't want me to," Killa said and decided not to ask any more questions.
'God...this girl,' Daiki raised his hand to cover his mouth to cover his embarrassment.
"And don't avoid me anymore. Say hi to me. If you want...Don't act like we are strangers." he said,
"Okay,"
"Then see you tomorrow."
"Yes, see you tomorrow, Senpai." Killa smiled and left him at the convenience store