The eavesdropping disciple

The classes ended, and Mary left mumbling to herself while looking at the sheet she finally probably completed. I couldn’t call out to her, I feel like I shouldn’t… She seems busy, and I don’t want to trouble her… Time for some club activity then!

Can’t wait to sit there… with those two. Is the baseball club still having selections?

As I got there, I opened the door and found Aki waiting there for me. He smiled and nodded, “We don’t have club today, you know?”

“We don’t?”, I was shocked and kind of happy. Alright, kind of might have been a lie.

“Nope. You have the elections to thank for that.”, he smiled. Really? They really take this stuff seriously, although I’m not complaining in this instance.

“Wait…”, a thought popped up into my head as soon as I was leaving. Aki looked up, “What are you doing here then?”, I asked. Aki laughed, “I just really enjoy manga.”, he added while reading a light novel.

Alright, that’s my cue to leave. Maybe I should go back to the classroom, maybe Mary has forgotten something. I doubt it but I might as well. Wait, there’s two people inside the class… Kuroki and… is that Hinata? Is this a manga scene?

“I don’t need your help…”, said Hinata, sitting on her seat with Kuroki sitting on her desk, slumping away. Is that his natural state of being?

“Sorry…”, he spoke in an almost hushed voice. And that must be his catchphrase.

Hinata sighed and put her head down, behind the space where Kuroki was sitting. “It’s fine… I know you were just trying to help…”, I could see Kuroki smiling somewhat before going back to his somber look.

“I talked to Akari…”, wait, they’re talking about me. Should I even be here? I should’ve asked that to myself two minutes ago.

Hinata looked at him with a puzzled look which asked for an explanation, “I said I was sorry…”

“For the fight you two had and don’t want to mention it to me?”

“No! Not for that… yet anyway…”, Kuroki got down from the table and went towards the window and looked outside.

“You know…”, Hinata replied while still looking at her desk. “I don’t know how you keep talking to him…”

Kuroki quickly shifted his focus towards Hinata, almost in a jolting manner. “What do you mean?”

Hinata chuckled, “He lost his memories… I wonder if he would’ve remembered me if he didn’t.”

Kuroki stormed near Hinata and slammed one of his hands on the desk and looked at Hinata fiercely, “I told you before, we both talked about you a lot… we both care about you a lot…”, I guess he realized how aggressive he was being since he stepped two feet back as soon as he said it.

Hinata didn’t seem moved by that statement, she still kept looking down. Kuroki rubbed the hand with his he slammed the desk with and spoke, “You talked to him right?”

She nodded, “Yea… I helped him reach his home.”

“That was nice of you…”, he took the chair near him and sat right opposite of Hinata.

“Remember how we three used to play together in that very house?”, which finally let Hinata smile a little. She looked up and touched Kuroki’s hands, “I know you want to help me…”, she looked at him with pleading eyes. “But this is my battle to fight.”, Kuroki looked down and slumped his shoulders again before regaining his composure and looked Hinata right into her eyes and nodded with a smile.

They both played with Akari in his house? I don’t recall Hinata telling me this… I actually feel like a stalker, is this what being Nari feels like…

“Hey, what are you doing”, WHAT! I turn back as fast as I could to see who said that, only to find Nari standing right besides me smiling.

“OH!”, I calm down my nerves. “It’s you.”

Nari kept smiling, “Are you here for that scene too?”

So I was right, this is a manga scene. It did feel like that.

“No. I didn’t even read the manga…”

“Right! I forgot.”, she laughed awkwardly.

“Well, you’re late… the scene’s over.”

“Oh! That’s fine.”, she smiled before adding, “I was too busy staring into Akari’s face and almost lost track of time.”

That sentence made me lose balance and fall right in front of the open classroom, right in front of both their eyes. I wouldn’t make for a good spy, even if I had a solid run so far. You only need one mistake to ruin it all.

“Hey… guys…”, words come out of my mouth.

“You alright Akari?”, Kuroki rushes over to help me up. “Thanks…”, he dusts off all the dirt of my clothes to the best of his abilities as Hinata walks over as well. “You didn’t hurt yourself did you?”

“No… I’m fine…”, I let out an awkward smile.

“What are you doing here?”, asked Kuroki.

“Nothing… I mean, there are no clubs here and I just came back for no reason at… all…”

“Were you eavesdropping on us?”, Kuroki asked, suddenly. I mean it was expected but I’m also not ready for this.

“No! I mean… not on purpose… sorry…”, that was the bleakest sorry that you’ll ever hear.

“You’ve changed, dude…”, Kuroki looked at me in pity.

They both looked at me with pity, “Do you want me to take you home?”, asked a worried Hinata.

“No…”, I held up my hand. “Thank you though.”

They both looked at each other and then their eyes fell on a smiling Nari. I didn’t want them to meet.

Nari suddenly rushed forward and shook Hinata’s hands. “I’m a big fan!”, she smiled.

This is why I didn’t want them to meet. At least not in front of me.

“H-Hello…”, Hinata looked at a loss of words. “Have we met before…?”, she somehow got that out.

“You may not know me, but I know of you.”, could she be any less creepy?

“What she means is that…”, alright, why did I even jump in… now I have to think of something fast. “You’re the rank two of this prestigious school right?”

Hinata looked at me with confusion, “Yeah…?”

“She’s just really a big fan of how you and Mary study!”, I look at Nari, “Right?”

Nari nodded, “I love Mary too!”

“She means her studying style!”, I interjected. What is her problem?

“I-I see…”, Hinata stepped backwards and looked at Kuroki who also looked confused.

“Well, you see… we have to go now!”, Kuroki held Hinata’s hand and started to walk away before looking back at me, “Are you coming dude?”

“No… I need to talk to Nari about something…”

“Suit… yourself…”, and he pretty much ran away with Hinata who didn’t complain. I somewhat wish he took my hand as well. I turn towards Nari, who’s now staring into my face. “You said you were sixteen right?”, she nodded. “Can you please act your age!”, I almost screamed at her but I controlled my voice. She laughed, nervously I think. “Ahh… sorry, seeing them come alive… I couldn’t help myself…”

Now I’m feeling bad, “No I’m sorry… I mean, just take care of it in the future…”, I look towards her, “They’re no longer fictional. They’re very real people who can get weirded out by very real situations.”

“Right…”, she mumbled.

I sigh and slump my shoulders, “So, how did that scene originally play?”

Might as well use her.

“Oh! All three of you sit together and help Hinata out in writing the script!”

“Really?”

“Yea!”

Didn’t she say that she wanted to do this all on her own, what changed except Akari not being there?

“Are you sure she didn’t want to do this on her own?”, might as well ask her without racking my brain about it.

“Ahh yes, she does… but Akari changes her mind!”, she smiles. “Wait… what were you doing outside the class though?”, she adds.

“Copying you apparently.”

“No… wait… why weren’t you there with them?”, she made a surprised face.

“Why would I be? I told you didn’t I? I’ll do this my way.”

“You’re ruining a completely good story!”, she almost screamed my ears off. She’s passionate, I’ll give her that.

“No! I don’t know how many times I must tell you this!”, I look into her eyes. “I’m not Akari and I will never be him, I’ll always be me and I’ll keep hammering this down until you get it!”, I can’t believe I said that under a single breath…

Alright, time to leave. That should be enough for her to think about. This is annoying.

I look back at her, with tears in her eyes. Maybe I went a bit too far…

“Hey!”, a groan comes out me, which wasn’t my intention, “What happens next?”

She looks up at me, surprised. “Oh…”, she wipes off of her tears, “Hinata wins… Which I don’t know if she will this time.”

“Think of this as a spin-off.”, I go towards her. “A completely new story based upon the story that you read and loved so much.”

She looked at me. “You’re one of the new main characters now and well…”, I look around the hallway searching for absolutely nothing. “Well, the story can go anywhere from here on! Isn’t it exciting?”, I think I gave up somewhere in the middle of that.

Nari laughed ever so slightly, “I don’t agree…”, or maybe she didn’t laugh at all. “But I’ll try to see your point of view!”, she smiled.

“Yeah!”, I smiled in return. “Let the best person win tomorrow!”, I wave my her goodbye and walk away. Another day gone, another manga chapter completed.