Closing the Gaps

I woke up feeling so sleepy, guess I didn't get enough sleep after the incident that happened yesterday at Shimamoto's house. I was alerted when I peeked at my phone's time.

"Damn it! It's already 7:53 AM, gotta take a quick bath."

I quickly get out of the bed, took a quick bath, and runs on my way to school. I'm so lucky since I've arrived 10 minutes before being marked as late. I sat at my chair and after realizing that I've made it in time, I let out a deep sigh.

"What's with the sigh, Ogawa-kun?" Shimamoto asked.

"Eeeehhh!?" I almost melted by the time that she called me. Because of my bad luck, I forgot about the incident that happened yesterday.

"What's with the disgusted reaction?" Shimamoto asked as if she quickly figured out my thoughts.

"Nothing to worry about." I brushed it off to avoid her suspicion at me.

After that quick conversation, the teacher entered the classroom.

Hours passed by and the classes were done, it's time for our lunch break. Before leaving the classroom, I checked Shimamoto and there she was, looking straight at me. I quickly averted my eyes and left the room.

"Why are you such in a hurry?" Yumiko asked.

"Oh its nothing, I was just thinking of the food to buy." I replied.

The usual lunch break was done and the classes continued after that.

The classes for the day were done and it's time that our teacher will dismiss us.

I hurriedly leave our classroom and started to walked outside the school.

As I was turning into a corner, Shimamoto was leaning over the wall that I almost never recognized her. When I noticed her, I completely ignore her without turning my head to look at her.

"Fuuuuu!" Shimamoto lightly blowed my ears.

For a quick moment, it felt like my soul escaped my body.

"Are you avoiding me?" asked Shimamoto.

"No I'm not." I replied while fixing my clothes.

"Then why are you ignoring me for the whole day?" asked Shimamoto.

With her bag on her shoulders, I assume that she skipped her club and planning on walking home with me today.

"I'm just focusing on studying, that's all."

It looks like she's not believing me, having her doubt, she slowly walks near me and whispered to my ears.

"Are you still thinking about the kiss?"

"Wha?? No!?? I mean, of course not!" Upon hearing those, the words that I replied back were stuttered.

"Then why are you flustered?"

I hate it when she' teasing me.

"Okay, okay, I'm thinking about the kiss yesterday. That's what you want to hear right?"

She stopped walking as if she's surprise by my honest and irritated answer.

"Sorry I shouted."

I apologized at her when she suddenly burst in laughter.

"Haa… I thought you'll deny it but you're an honest guy." Said Shimamoto.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Nothing, I told my parent yesterday about you."

"What did they say?"

"I'll tell you if you're not upset anymore."

"Well, I'm not."

"No, you are, liar!"

"Seriously, I'm not upset anymore so please tell me."

"Okay. They told me that they'll give you pills if you allow me to monitor your status."

"You mean I'll be reporting to you my experience in this drug?"

"Yup!"

"Then I'm in."

We ended spliting up because our house is the opposite direction of their place. After I got home, I instantly received a LINE message coming from her, the message says: "Just got home! I hope you're safe." With a cute sticker attached to it.

Just like before, I coldly replied to her as usual.

The next day came by and it's time for school again.

I saw Yumiko walking towards my apartment so I patiently waited for her outside and accompanied her to school.

As I was walking down the hall, I saw many faces looking towards our direction.

"Hideki?" asked Yumiko.

"I know." It seems that I did something wrong.

As soon as we entered the classroom, Ige walks at me and put his arms across my shoulders.

"Yo! Hideki! You heard the rumors about you? They said that you're going out with Shimamoto."

What the? I guess walking home with a popular anti-boy girl can be intriguing to them.

"No it's not true. That rumor was false."

"Hmmm? Mind telling me what happened Hideki?" asked Yumiko.

I explained everything to the two of them and they understood it, except the pills-thing, I conclude that the secrecy of the disease and the pill should be between Shimamoto and me.

Meanwhile, Shimamoto entered the classroom and she was completely surrounded by girls and she looked at me and waved her hand while smiling.

The class saw that and went to uproar, I'm lucky that the teacher got to enter the classroom.

"Everyone please be quiet and get back to your seat."

I wonder how many times I caught Shimamoto looking at me while Yumiko looks like she's spying in both of us. What has happened to this world?

Its lunch break and the rumors and issue seemed to subside.

"It's hard being an MC huh?" said Ige.

"Stop watching animes will you? It's eating your life."

"Of course I'm joking. Kidding aside, I noticed that you and Shimamoto are kinda close, do you happen to know her even before going to this school?"

"No, I'm not acquanted with her in any way, why are you asking like that?"

"It's because this is the first time that I saw someone that tamed her. You know how she avoided boys right? There's even a time where she was confessed by one of the most popular students but she rejected him on the spot."

"Okay, I get it."

After eating, there's still 5 minutes remaining so I told Ige to go to the classroom by himself because I'm going to the bathroom.

As I was walking, I saw three boys leaning at the wall and it seems that they're talking about someone, or was it about me?

"Is it true that she's her boyfriend? What a shrimp."

"I know right?"

The three of them laughed and I'm certain that I'm the subject of their laughter. I decided to ignore them so I walked over them and the other guy blocked my way.

"What?" I asked.

"What kind of sorcery did you do to Shimamoto?" the student asked.

"If it's about Shimamoto-san then it's a total coincidence." I replied.

"Of course it is, but if the rumor is true, then Shimamoto must have a bad taste."

"Yeah, but why're you obssesed with her? You can go mess with the other girls here." His companion asked.

"I'm not going to let that chick passed by me, her rack is what caughts my eyes so I'm going to make her fall for me and leave her someday." He replied while laughing.

"So, you're the rejected bastard huh?" I muttered.

"What did you just say punk?" replied the student while putting his hands at my shoulders.

"You can badmouth me but not Shimamoto, she's a good person so stop messing with her."

"Uhhhh, so this guy wanted her, I'm sorry but she's mine." The student said.

"If you can…" I replied.

"What did you just say?"

It seems that I mocked him too much, if the brawl is starting here then I'm going to make them take the first blow so I can fight back. Luckily, they didn't notice the surveillance cameras so I can assure my innocence. With that, I'm certain that I can win this fight, I let out a smirk and they took the bait. The popular guy punched me in the face and its kinda strong, I stumbled down and he kicked me in the abdomen.

I stand up and do a fighting pose where I can fight them without holding back. They were more agitated and they started to throw punches at me. I blocked them and started to take my turn, I first punched his friend at the stomach and targeted the face. He went down and became unconscious, maybe the punch was too strong.

As the two of them preparing for the second attack, a teacher from the faculty came and saw the situation, we were sent at the office and my innocence was proved. I also request a favor to my teacher to clear the rumor that's spreading. In the end, the three of them was suspended for one week and I was suspended for three days, I hate it when I got the punishment when I had the upper hand, maybe its about the punched that made the other student sleep.

The rumors were gone but I think another was starting to rise up because of the popular guy. I went to the bathroom and took a look at my swelling cheeks. s

I went to the clinic to get treated.

"Sensei? May I come in?" I knocked but no one responds so I opened the door and went inside.

"What are you doing here?" It was Shimamoto lying on the bed while covering her mouth with her upper head only exposed.

"I just wanted sensei to treat my face but since she's not here, I'm leaving."

"You seem to know martial arts, no?" asked Shimamoto.

"So, you saw what happened earlier."

"Sorry for being a burden to you."

It seems that she's misunderstood something. "Don't apologize, I did it in my own will, I just don't want them to judge you."

She's kinda flustered and hid in the blanket.

"Not feeling well?"

"No, I'm just glad, thanks."

"No problem. If you may excuse me."

"Umm... Hideki-kun?" asked Shimamoto as I was leaving.

"Can I treat your wound?"

"Okay, thanks."

She treated my wound like a mother, her hands were small and soft. After that, I head back to classroom. Today was very stressful and I hate it, but I think that I managed to be closer to Shimamoto. Maybe it's not a bad thing.