Far Enough 1

"Ayumi?" Yuki said looking at the distant almost vacant look in Ayumi's eyes after Fumiko had left them. There seemed to be a reddish glow in her face that Yuki was having a little trouble understanding for a moment. He put his hand out on her shoulder hoping that it would snap her out of the trance that she was in now.

It mostly seemed to work making Ayumi initially blink and then step back a little like she was not expecting to see someone in front of her.

"What are you looking at?"

The softer features of Ayumi were washed away almost immediately to be revealed as the cold calculating expression that appeared under the surface, so easily forgot.

"Well you were zoning out ever since Fumiko was standing near you and even after she left. You feeling alright?"

Yuki stepped in closer to Ayumi, but she backed away from him.

She looked at him a little suspiciously not certain why Yuki was acting in a strange manner towards her.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

When Yuki tried to reach out a hand to help Ayumi she slapped it away looking insulted.

"Just because I let a bunch of immature boys near me, doesn't mean I'm helpless. I can't be revealing myself."

"Yeah I know…"

Yuki thought to himself for a moment remembering her reaction. The image made him think that he might be not seeing the entire picture correctly.

'Is she being defensive?'

A change in his features became almost sly and mischievous making Ayumi's eyes narrow only further questioning his behavior.

"How come your face was so red then if you were just acting?"

"What?!"

She stepped back a couple steps from Yuki being taken off guard by Yuki strange probing question.

"I was just keeping with the moment."

"Oh?" said Yuki becoming even more suspicious of what she had told him before. He was starting to believe her less and perhaps even see that there might be a human being underneath all of that cold manipulating exterior.

"But you were still like that even after Fumiko left. You didn't need to keep the façade up for us, right?"

"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about," she said turning away and crossing her arms.

Saki was minding her own business during most of it, but her hand was up at the side of her face thinking as Yuki was acting like a fool. There was something valid to what he was saying in spite of being as tactless as Hiroshi looking for a victim for his next joke.

"You…were… Were you acting?" She had a more curious tone in her voice than one that was accusingly looking for someone to play with.

"You too?"

She turned back to look at Yuki with her cold stare that would have normally frightened him into submission. However, it did not seem to be working this time as Yuki was grinning to the point of laughing almost.

"If you say another word about this I'll kill you…"

Yuki could not hold back his laughter anymore seeing how seriously that Ayumi was trying to make this just to cover up the issue. The expression that she had was too funny for him. She could not take a joke.

However, Ayumi did not find it amusing and grabbed Yuki by his uniform's jacket collar and tightened her hold quickly to make him choke while he laughed. The glare from Ayumi was firm and unmoving by anything that Yuki did making him cough himself serious in a few moments.

"Alright! Alright! I'll drop it!"

He was released and stepped back to pull down his jacket to straighten it out.

'Ouch…can't take a little teasing…'

He rubbed his neck feeling the rawness that left behind from Ayumi. 'Sort reminds me a little of Seiji.' Yuki finished getting himself back to normal and stepped forward to Saki and Ayumi.

"Still that Fumiko, is something. She was able to scare off the boys with nothing, but her glare. Huh, Saki?"

"Hmm…"

"But speak of…Saki I—"

"I've got practice now. I've got to hurry before the coach yells at me."

She ran off quickly from the two of them returning to the building leaving Yuki with his hand out and speechless.

"…Saki…"

Yuki dropped his arm to his side holding his head down looking at the grass at his feet. The chances that he had been given to speak to her were both stolen away from him.

He did not have any choice in what happened, but even when he tried he could not say what he wanted to her. It felt like the weight would not leave his back no matter how much he tried to strengthen his resolve.

Ayumi walked up around Yuki facing him even if he was not looking at her.

"It's time to go."

She waited for him to make a move seeing clearly enough that he was still held within his own problems. She did not want to waste much time stand around, but it could be afforded slightly. However, he was not moving even with her being patient in giving him the time that he needed to be able to settle his issues.

'If he's this unfocused and distracted… How is he going to be able to control his power…'

Ayumi pushed forward on Yuki getting into his space making him be forced to react even if it was only to fall back. She needed him to snap out of this if he was to move forward.