My stupidity would be the death of me.

I was convinced of that whilst standing front and centre before the doors leading to Kamakiri's hideaway.

There was no reason to visit. Yet, here I was, two days later, dressed for war.

Primming my mouth, I steeled my resolve.

Considering lunch was in session, few students loitered within the library. Mrs. Uetsugi was also out for a staff meeting the principal had initiated for all employees come the bell.

I'd shaken off Tsumugi and Kiharu's persistent questions also, excusing I'd be back to join them after I handled something. Surely, if Igarashi saw me now, he'd give me an earful. . .

I whipped my head left and right. There was no use getting cold feet. Clutching the lunchbox in my fingers, I evened my awkward breathing. I'd already made up my mind about this.

Gulping back the nerves threatening to abolish my bravery, I rapped my knuckles thrice against the hardwood. No immediate response arrived.

My shoulders squared. Was he not in? Well, there was no guarantee he would be. I'd just assumed. . .

Right as the thoughts roamed to mind, a click resounded. The door reeled inwards, revealing an impassive Kamakiri.

I brightened. "U-um—"

He slammed the door.

The sound echoed in my ears, the wind from the gesture fanning through my hair and skirt.

My eyelids fluttered slowly, shock etched onto my face.

Ignoring passersby stares to the best of my ability, my mind spun to comprehend what had occurred.

He wanted nothing to do with me. I should've known that. It was painfully clear, even, from the beginning. However, I didn't shy away from coming all the way here despite that. And I wasn't losing heart now.

Lips curling downwards, I knocked again. And again. And again.

Before I could pound the door in for a fourth time, it swung open in record speed.

"What the hell do you want? Screw off—"

I thrust the lunchbox at his chest. His voice caught in his throat, eyebrows rising a fraction.

Brazen, I stared him squarely in the face. "I made you this."

Clearly at a loss for words, Kamakiri's attention darted between it and me. "Huh?" he eventually huffed. "When did I ask you to?"

"You didn't," I replied. "But I wanted to repay you."

He grounded his teeth. Then shoved it back at me. "Don't need it. Leave."

"I won't leave until you take it."

My adamant refusal and gaze ebbed at his composure.

His fingers wrapped firmly around the container, frown broadening. "In what world would I eat your cooking? Do I look like I want an upset stomach?"

My jaw plummeted in disbelief. "I-I'm not that bad! For your information, I worked hard these last few days practicing to make that. I even asked my little sister to help me."

"That's even more concerning," he grumbled.

Fuming, I glared daggers at him.

With a dramatic exhale, Kamakiri pivoted on his foot. He was halfway through the door when he glanced over his shoulder.

"Come inside. When I lose consciousness after eating this, I need somebody to phone an ambulance."

"Y-you will not!"

He disappeared out of sight without bothering to address my shrill cry. I bit my lower lip, burying my vexation. It was in that same moment, the corner of my mouth quirked up. Sauntering through the entrance, I shut the door behind me, and hopped inside. Identical to the last time I was here, the coziness of the room allowed relief to drench me from head to toe. Gripping my bag strap on my shoulders, I dropped onto my knees directly across from Kamakiri who eyeballed the container with disgusted eyes.

I was probably smiling a bit too much because he chucked a nearby pillow at my face.

I crashed onto my side from the brutal impact. "You—" I growled.

"Are you sure you have the leisure to be feeding someone else?" he said, freezing my reflexive need to throw it right back at him.

The question stalled my heartbeat for a moment. Was he. . . worried about me?

More pillows were hurled at me, followed by a scowl that bristled goosebumps up my arms.

"Damn, your face irritates me. Don't look at me."

Instead of feeling insulted, giddiness flourished through me. I lowered all the pillows beside me, and confessed, "I cooked one for myself too. So, I'm fine. Oh, and I booked an appointment with my doctor. I think I was both exhausted and undernourished that day, but it doesn't hurt to make sure."

His distaste expanded, most likely because I wasn't giving in to his pace. He averted his gaze elsewhere.

"Who the hell asked about that?"

"I thought I should let you know."

He harrumphed. "On second thought, get out. I don't want you here."

"Why not? You invited me in already."

"I regret it. Leave."

Chest warm, I couldn't suppress my giggles.

I was right.

He was different from those delinquents. He'd always been. The reason he stuck with them despite that—gotten involved in their shenanigans—may have been because he was like me. He couldn't fit in elsewhere.

"Why're you even here?"

Kamakiri's whisper repressed my delight altogether. Gone was his patience. Irritation consumed him, eyes smouldering into mine.

"I betrayed you. I hurt you. Purposefully. You should know better than anyone how terrible a person I am. Then, why. . . why are you still. . ."

"If you ask me why, I don't have a proper answer either."

"Then—"

"But, it meant a lot to me." Smiling softly, the memories that clouded my mind reverberated in my heart. "When you first spoke to me. Sought me out the next day and handed me those tickets. Invited me to the carnival. Offered me your coat and held my hand when I was scared. Even when I fainted and you granted me your lunch. All of it might've come from a disingenuous place, but the happiness it gave me was real. Believe me, I understand very well how different you are from the Kamakiri I initially met. And that I'm dumb for seeking you out today of my own volition. But, I don't care. I want to believe you're a nice person. No, after visiting today, I'm sure you are. You're just bad at expressing yourself."

Kamakiri's jaw dropped. Colour blossomed across his cheek. "H-how idiotic are you? I'm telling you over and over again I'm despicable. If you stick around, you'll regret it."

"I'll accept that regret if the time comes, then," I snorted. "Because we met, and because of what happened, I've decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. It's still a struggle to fit in, but I want to properly face those around me. To do that, I can't blame others for my mistakes, or flaws. I have to face them head-on. What about you, Kamakiri? Will you face me?"

Against his intensity, I calmly maintained eye-contact. Seconds elapsed, and the more his poise crumbled.

He could've done anything, shouted whatever, yet he merely scooped up a ration of the lunch I'd made, and tossed it into his mouth.

"Gross."

I gaped. "No way! But I taste-tested it."

"The seasoning's too strong," he gagged. "It's not cooked right either."

"Agh! I can't believe it. I worked so hard to follow the recipe, though!"

"Did you follow it without looking at the proper proportions?"

"Th-that. . ."

Sighing, he pointed to the section he'd taken from. "For stuff like this, you're supposed to. . ."

Kamakiri exploded into a detailed explanation, describing where I went wrong, and how to adjust it. Considering I'd eaten his cooking the other day, his knowledge shouldn't have surprised me, yet it did anyway. I scrambled to jot down everything for future reference. Before I knew it, lunch was basically over.

"Thank you for the tips!" I proclaimed, dropping into a formal bow.

"Whatever," he said. "Don't bring me another lunch. I won't eat it."

Considering he gorged every last bit of this meal before ruthlessly ripping it apart. . . I shouldn't complain, huh.

"Start cooking for yourself. Not wanting to eat your dad's girlfriend's cooking isn't an excuse to starve yourself."

Shot by an invisible arrow, I nodded wistfully. "Yes, sir. . ."

Sparing me a sidelong peek, he emitted an exhausted breath. "Close your eyes."

Quizzical, I titled my head. Leaving me no chance to rebuke, beckoned me onward. Albeit nervous, I did as told. Ruffling erupted; him ascending to his feet. Then, footsteps pattering away. Apprehension knotted my gut. What was he doing?

When I heard shuffles returning to my side, his voice erupted, much closer, and softer, than previously.

"Open them."

Shakily, I did as instructed.

I'd never forget the sight awaiting me on the other side.

Against the pitch-black curtain draped over the ceiling as a makeshift night sky, warped shapes glistened brightly. The blinding speckles flickered and danced in diverse patterns. I cocked my neck upward, eyes more open than in the fullness of day, lips tugged up in a wide grin.

"It's so pretty!" I exclaimed, then. They worked like LED lights, but the ornaments' designs, their likeness to starlight, stole the oxygen from my lungs. Twisting right to where Kamakiri sat, I asked, "Did you make this too?"

"The first thing I worked on," he answered, admiring them all the same. He scooped up a book I recognized from the other day. "Tried incorporating the real sky into the design, much to no avail."

Drawn back to the blinding view, my awe enlarged. Did Kamakiri have a thing for astronomy? Either way, it was incredible.

"In return for the the lunch. . . I thought you might appreciate it."

Once more, I barely caught his faint as a feather murmur.

I giggled. "And you told me you're despicable."

"That's because I am."

I had a hard time grasping his statement. However, upon sensing an unusual pressure on my cheek—lips—my stomach erupted with tingles. Blushing hard, I whipped my neck toward Kamakiri only to find him smirking from ear to ear.

"And because you're softhearted, you're going to be sorry for trying to face someone like me head-on."

My embarrassment multiplied tenfold, leaving me to flush in horror.

He was teasing me; implying the real him was a handful I'd better prepare both my heart and soul to confront.

Like hell I'd be sorry. I'd take up this challenge of getting to the bottom of who he was. And I wouldn't back down.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Chapter Bonus:

"Ah! Those!"

"What?"

"Those books! Now that I get a good look at them, they're exactly what I've been breaking my back trying to find!"

"And?"

"I need them! Miss Akagi nearly came for my throat since I didn't bring them to class. Let me—"

"No. I'm in the middle of reading them."

"Oh, come on! My literal future is riding on this. I'll do anything!"

"Anything?"

"Absolutely anything!!"

". . .Spin three times and bark, then."

.

.

.

Whatever happened in that room would remain a secret for the sake of my dignity. But, I did manage to score the books.

Ugh.

Maybe approaching Daisuke Kamakiri wasn't so wise after all. . .

____________

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