Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ As We Go Through Life ❯ Thanks for Your Hardwork ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiβ Kreuz or its characters. I've only temporarily borrowed them in writing a non-profitable story that is for the sole intention of entertainment. (But it will make me really happy and feel like I've won the lottery if I received reviews.)

 

 

-As We Go Through Life-

 

By: Emitique

 

Chapter IV- Thanks For Your Hard Work

 

“Are youpositivelysure this is what we're supposed to do during detention time?”

 

“Naoe-san, you've asked me that question seven times before. Why can't you believe my previous seven answers to that consistent question of yours?”

 

“Well… it's just… this kind of punishment for students seems…” the one with the darker shade of eyes stopped talking because he is at a lost for words to voice out what he had in mind.

 

“-cruel and unusual?” the other teenager finished up for him.

 

“Yeah, that's kind of what I had in mind.”

 

“Well, what can I say? Sometimes, even I think the people in this school have their heads screwed in too tight. This school of ours has its own way of teaching students the lessons of life.”

 

“If by `own way' you mean weird, then I totally agree with you.”

 

After the mention of that last statement, they looked at each other and Omi smiled at him. He started to smile too and soon enough they were softly laughing and he was feeling like he was having fun. His heart felt so light and he can't detect any of his usual pessimistic feelings attempting to engulf him like it did many times before. It was a nice feeling, he felt comfortable as if he shouldn't have any care in the world.

 

But that short moment of pleasantry was interrupted when they heard the lunch lady shout to them from outside the twin doors of the school kitchen. They jumped from that loud and awful voice that was given off by one of their school's employee.

 

“LESS TALKING, MORE WORKING!!! Those pots and pans aren't going to scrub theirselves boys!” said the lunch lady who was put in charge of monitoring their detention time.

 

They both sighed aloud as the nagging voice demanded that they go back to their given task at hand seized. Nagi was handed a plate that was all soapy and was covered in soap spuds. He took the said plate from Omi's hands and started to dip it into his basin of clear water to rinse it out.

 

They've been cleaning the dirty dishes for at least thirty minutes now. He was actually surprised when he found out that their after school detention would be held inside the school cafeteria.

 

As far as he knows, school detentions are normally held inside a classroom of some sort where the punished students are to spend a long time cooped up inside while doing some long boring paper work. At least that's the normal way of doing it, but apparently his new school does things differently from normal.

 

Out of all the questions he had inside his head that he really felt the need to get answered, he'd resulted into asking questions to the only person he can ask- Omi.

 

The apple of his eyes tried to explain how the school board, principal and counselors all saw it fit that the students who did violations be punished by being assigned to do labor work depending on how serious the violations they did so that moral lessons would stay implanted on their minds. Omi had said it to him seven times already but somehow he still can't believe it.

 

Since Omi was only tardy and Nagi was still new, they were only given “LIGHT JOBS” to do; that's what the teachers referred to washing a ton of pots, pans and dishes anyway.

 

The two of them divided up the work, Omi was the one who lathered and scrubbed the dishes while Nagi rinsed and placed them aside for the excess water to drip away. It wasn't an easy job, but he liked how Omi's hands would brush with his now and then during the handing of dishes. Of course he didn't say that to his washing partner.

 

He was in the middle of rinsing another plate when he heard Omi from beside him say

 

“Well it could be worse…” the honey-blond turned to face him with a smile and continued “We could have been assigned bathroom duty.”

 

His mind processed what Omi just said. Without him even realizing, a smile formed on his lips and he gave out a little laugh. Nagi was with Omi for only less than a day and he has already smiled and laughed more than he would in a year.

 

If that wasn't amazing, then the term “amazing” doesn't exist….

 

Nagi was still trying to contain his chuckles when Omi spoke out loud.

 

“I really don't know how those other kids that get assigned to clean the bathrooms have enough guts to take it. I've seen what this school's comfort rooms are like; they don't provide a pretty sight -all those writings on the walls, on the mirrors, and on some places I don't even know what to call.”

 

“Why should they worry about those kinds of vandalisms? Are they what, asked to erase the writings in the comfort rooms or something?” Nagi asked after he fought down the giggles.

 

“Yup.” Omi answered.

 

“What do you mean by `yup'?” Nagi asked quite confused

 

“Just exactly what it means. Your guess is right.”

 

“They make the students rub out the graffiti in the bathrooms?!” Nagi responded with an I-was-only-trying-to-make-a-random-sure-fired-wrong-guess-and-it-turned-out -to-be-right? tone in his voice.

 

“Mm-hmm...” Omi said with a nod. “They have each of the comfort rooms cleaned of writings and graffiti each day only to be written on again the next day. I don't know why they even bother, but it seems to me that the ones assigned to remove those writings from the C.R.'s are also the suspected students that have been the ones writing on the walls.”

 

Omi said as he again handed another soapy flatware he just scrubbed to Nagi. The midnight-blue eyed one took the plate and began his job on rinsing it.

 

“Are the ones suspected of vandalism, the same students everytime?” the brunet asked.

 

“Well, our classmates say that they are the same ones, but I haven't confirmed it for myself yet”

 

Nagi have just placed the flatware he rinsed aside as Omi handed him a new one to rinse out. He talked to the blond boy as he did his job.

 

“That's odd, if they got caught more than once why haven't they stopped what they're doing? It doesn't make sense, they are the ones who are made to remove their writings on the walls and yet they continue on with writing on them the next day. Aren't they only causing trouble for theirselves?”

 

“Like I said, this school is weird. Both the teachers and the students seem to have some screws loose…”

 

“Don't forget, you're a student here too…” Nagi reminded his blonde detention mate

 

“I know…. that's why I said that the students here have screws loose” Omi replied with a grin.

 

That particular statement from Omi left Nagi wondering a bit.

-

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-

 

Yohji went inside the flower shop just a few minutes earlier for the time of his shift. He took off about three hours ago after he had some sleep. He wanted to get out of their place because he didn't feel like being with other people for the time being, especially not with a certain redhead who just broke his heart indirectly by not being as real as his dream.

 

He was pretty surprised to find that his young honey-blonde partner for the afternoon shift was no where to be found. Instead he saw Ken wringing up bouquets, which was what Omi usually does about this time of day. He proceeded on further inside the shop and talked to his younger friend.

 

“Yo, Ken-ken! You're working hard. I take it the chibi won't make it to his shift today?” He said with his voice resonating with cheerfulness.

 

Ken looked up from the flowers in his hands to his shift partner and a mild cross look formed on his face.

 

“Yohji, you know that you can make yourself more useful by helping me rather than standing there with that smile plastered on your face.” Ken retorted back to the tall blonde who seemed more interested in talking than working.

 

“Aw come on, I was only asking. Your sharp tongue can cause others pain you know” Yohji said with fake sorrow looming in his voice. Despite saying that, the blonde man was now putting on his working aprons from the rack to get ready for work.

 

Yohji gathered up some of the bouquets Ken placed on top the table and carried them to the smaller table nearer the front door so the two of them would have separate places and allow the selling of the flowers to go on more faster and smoothly. -A thing Omi came up with long ago to help with rush hour. Speaking of Omi, he never found out from Ken why the young one isn't at the shop yet.

 

“Ken, why are you taking Omi's shift, is he going to be late on going home or something?” he asked the brunet.

 

“Well he called earlier and said that he'll not make it here for the first half of his shift, that's why I'm going to fill in for him a bit.” Ken explained.

 

Yohji smiled slyly at the younger florist. He knew what this is all about, Omi was having a bit of trouble so here comes his ever loyal admirer Hidaka Ken, ready to serve him from head to toe.

 

“Oh, so you volunteered instantly when he asked someone to fill up for his shift.” Yohji said knowingly.

 

Ken blushed instantly, Yohji have always noticed his hidden feelings for his blue-eyed angel, and Aya might have already known too. Thankfully both of them are not saying anything about it to Omi. Both of them must be waiting for Ken to be the one who will say something, which is a good thing. He wanted Omi to find out about his feelings for him from himself and not from other people.

 

“W-well, what was supposed t-to do?! We all know I would be the only one able to fill in for him! …Y-you already have the shift a-a-and Aya has to visit his sister.” Ken stuttered as he tried to reason out.

 

“Yeah, yeah… Whatever floats your boat Ken-ken” Yohji answered with a knowing smirk.

 

Ken decided to not push the subject farther. He knew that he was on the loosing end from the very beginning. When it comes to romantic subject against Yohji, he could never win. He tried to change the topic of the conversation instead. That way he won't end up having the same color as a tomato due to thinking so much about his angel and his friend's teasing.

 

“Where have you been anyway?” Ken asked “If you came in a few minutes later you would've been late.”

 

“Just around…” Yohji answered casually “-Wanted to get some air outside and look for something to do.”

 

“You don't normally go out that early. You usually wait till the sun sets before you take a step out into town… And you could've kept yourself busy by helping me with preparing for rush hour!” Ken said the last part with his voice louder and more irritated.

 

“Well, I didn't know that Omi won't make it in today. And besides, I was a bit… uncomfortable inside the house earlier.” The blond man answered picking his words carefully.

 

Silence was heard after Yohji's last statement. Both of them remained quiet. But Ken broke off the awkward silence by suddenly talking.

 

“You missed it when Aya left.” Ken said neither casually nor angrily. It was a bit like when someone talks about one thing but means something else. Or maybe that was just Yohji's ears playing tricks on him...

 

Yohji stiffened a bit at the mention on the redhead's name. To the blond one's luck, thankfully it seemed like Ken didn't notice anything so he just gave a random answer with a shrug of his shoulders.

 

“I think he was actually waiting for you. If I hadn't pushed him out of the door, he wouldn't leave until you came… and that would make him an hour late for his appointment with Aya-chan.”

 

“You really had to push him out?” Yohji asked not quite believing what Ken just said.

 

“Uh-huh… Both figuratively and literally.” Ken said with a nod “I think he was afraid of you sleep walking and ending up crossing busy streets while unconscious or something. After all, you did leave without saying anything to either of us. As far as we knew you were inside your room…… but when I came up to call you down for your shift you weren't there and we can't find you anywhere inside the house, so he got worried about you.”

 

Yohji didn't know how to respond to the statement of his younger friend. There he was, thinking he was the one unfortunate because the person he cared the most about, thought he was just as precious as a wallpaper, but in truth Aya did care. He was the one selfish for not bothering to think what the consequences of his actions would be. He could've caused his beautiful admiration to be late in visiting his only left blood related family in the world of the living...... and he already made him feel uneasy by making Aya worry about him.

 

“Sorry…” it was spoken so softly that it almost went unheard but it did come out of his mouth and Ken's ears picked them up, although it was meant more for Aya than Ken.

 

“Nah, don't put too much into it.” Ken said trying to sound reassuring because of his typical friendly attitude.

 

Just then the bell that hung from the top of their main shop door rang and inside waltz in the noisy, giggly girls that came almost everyday just to see the popular boys of Koneko Sumu Ie. The store was filled with twice as many people that afternoon than earlier that morning, and the two florist set to go to work.

 

A few more minutes later, the shop was totally packed with people, both customers and just admirers. Ken handled most of the paying ones, the ones that really came inside to look for flowers, while Yohji, being the Yohji that he is, keeps the fangirls busy by talking to them and subtly trying to convince them to buy flowers by some smooth talk and flattery like “These daisies complement you captivating eyes well” or “Carnations really bring out the beauty of your face my dear” and he succeeds more often than he fails.

 

The real admirable worker of the two was Ken. Yohji was in the middle of being asked by a rather annoying girl about what shampoo he uses when the lanky man noticed that Ken was doing three things at once. He was wringing up a new bunch of flowers while talking to a customer and recommending some flowers to other people. He seems to be working twice as hard. It must have something to do with the shift the soccer player's covering being Omi's. The man really is head over heels in love with the other teenager.

 

`I envy you Ken. You are able to turn your emotions and feelings into something productive and positive. Guess I'll have to try hard and follow your example huh? Besides, I already made up my mind to make my dream into reality…' thought Yohji as he watched his very hardworking younger friend.

 

-

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-

 

Omi and Nagi are lined up beside each other as the lunch lady inspected their work. It took some time but they finally managed to finish up cleaning all the dishes, pots, and pans that they were told to clean.

 

Nagi was starting to feel bored. They've been standing still there for several minutes now, and the lunch lady still isn't done making sure they did their job right by looking at the freshly washed dishes almost one by one. He was starting to feel like wanting to sleep, by the rate she's going it'll be an eternity before she finishes.

 

After almost half an hour of inspection, the lunch lady gave them a `thumbs up' and smiled, like she was happy for them for winning the lottery or something as exciting.

 

“Good job boys. You are the first ones so far that did this job this well.” She said to the two students. Which caused much to the relief of the two penalty receivers, and they were able to breathe the sigh of relief.

 

Omi smiled at the lunch lady, while Nagi just blinked. The lady reached into her apron's pocket and pulled a piece of paper out. She handed it to the boys and Omi took it from her hand.

 

“Just show that to your teacher at the faculty room and you'll be given permission to leave the school and go home. I'll be looking forward to your services again! -that is if you ever get back in trouble.” She said with an almost evil grin, before she ushered the two out of the kitchen.

 

They were now walking on the hallway towards the faculty room. They were both glad that they finished the dishes. When they first saw the mountain the lunch lady called “dirty dishes” for them to wash, they weren't quite sure if they were even going to finish. Apparently, if you have fun while working, you won't notice that you're already halfway done. Omi looked at the piece of paper the lunch lady gave to them, it was a plain white paper with the school's seal that had both his and Nagi's name written on the top and a big “CLEARED” on the middle of the paper with the lady's messy signature scribbled on the bottom right-hand corner.

 

“Once we showed this to Kaname-sensei, we'll be allowed to go home and she'll give your cell phone back to you.” Omi said as he showed the paper to Nagi.

 

“Good, I would hate to explain to Crawford how it got confiscated.” Answered with his voice, once again sounding leveled.

 

“Would you be scolded?” Omi pried

 

“I wouldn't term it to `be scolded' he would only probably say that he's disappointed and confiscate my phone if it's ever returned again and not give it back to me for a year.” Nagi said with an even tone of voice.

 

Omi pictured in his mind what Nagi just said. He guess it was the most probable way on how Oracle would react, based on the way the man is when he gets the chance to see the precognitive, it would seem that he is a man of few (not at as few as Aya's) but wise and impact bearing words and action, so it would only be logical that he isn't the scolding type of man.

 

“He has his own way of implementing discipline huh? It must be tough…” Omi said thoughtfully

 

“Unn, but I'm used to it.” Nagi said with a shrug. “Brad is a business man, and he handles things at home the way he handles things at business. Give and take, only he takes more than he gives…”

 

Not long after that, the boys reached the faculty room. Once they finally arrived at their destination, Omi stood before the door and carefully slid it open…

 

Both boys stepped inside the room where different tables for different teachers are positioned in a very neat and orderly manner. Omi continued to walk further into the room and Nagi, being there for the first time followed behind him.

 

They reached Ms. Kaname's work table and found the said teacher sitting behind it while writing something on a notebook. The blue haired lady looked up to them with a somehow questioning look as if wondering why they were there. Omi then presented the paper to her and her expression changed to a more comprehending one.

 

“Oh, that's right!” she said abruptly “You're the ones from my homeroom class who were given detention.”

 

“A-ah yes, that's us ma'am.” Omi replied a bit hesitant at first.

 

 

With Omi confirming matters for her, Kaname closed her notebook and placed it aside. She brought her hands together and had a stern look crossing her eyes as she turned her head up and directed her azure orbs at the two students.

 

“I'm very disappointed in both of you.” She suddenly said as she heaved a sigh.

 

When Omi saw his teacher's disappointed look, he also sighed but more discreetly, then he turned to Nagi and whispered to the other student.

 

“Get ready. You're about to hear the `I-try-to-teach-my-students-good-morals-but' speech.”

 

“Huh?” Nagi asked Omi but apparently Kaname-sensei thought the brunet was talking to her because she was the one that replied.

 

“You heard me, Naoe-san. I said I'm disappointed in you both.” She said with a mild glare and Nagi blinked in confusion at her.

 

At the sight of Nagi's confused face, the lady sighed loudly again and resumed speaking.

 

“I try to teach my students good morals, but they still don't listen to me. I try to steer them away from trouble but they keep pushing me away. I try to tell them that nothing good can ever come out of defying school rules but they just set my words aside. How come you children do this me?” her eyes were starting to get moist as tears start to form in them as she continued on.

 

“Don't I fulfill my job of being your teacher properly!?!! I never once caused you children trouble right!?!! Why won't you help me as much as I'm helping you build your lives better!?!!” she asked the two students desperately.

 

Animated tears were now flowing freely on her face. “I try to teach my precious students the real lessons in life, but they seem more interested in trivial and trouble causing things. Sniff, sniff… I try to tell them that life is a journey you can't complete without morals and values, but they don't listen…. Why do they hurt me so?! Why?! HUWAAAAA! WAAAAA!” Kaname was now crying and whining as loud as she can.

 

Nagi was beginning feeling uneasy about the scene their teacher was making inside the faculty room. He cautiously glanced around the room expecting the people inside to be all like “What have you boys done?” or “Could you keep her quiet?” but it seems like everyone in the room was paying no attention what so ever to them. All the teachers inside the faculty were just going on with what they're doing. He looked beside him to see that Omi was also just standing there with a level expression on his face, like somehow all of this is a normal thing. Their homeroom teacher was still being hysterical when Nagi leaned to his side to ask his classmate about the current behavior of their teacher.

 

“Umm, Tsukiyono-san?” Nagi started.

 

“Mmm?” Omi answered with that sweet smile on his face. He turned and leaned towards Nagi, thus decreasing the already small distance between them.

 

Nagi blinked at him. A blush almost showing itself on his face which he rapidly suppressed. He quickly turned his head the other way so Omi wouldn't see his face in case he lose the fight of hiding his blush… and if that warmness he's started feeling on his cheeks is any indication, he best not face Omi until he's sure that he can control his pounding heart and heated face.

 

`Does he have to smile like that everytime I talk to him? If he keeps that up, he'll caught me blushing one of these days… Why does he have to look so damn cute especially when he smiles anyway?!'

 

While Nagi was fighting with himself, Omi was wondering why the brunet suddenly turned away. `I wonder what happened. I thought he had something to say to me, but then his expression suddenly changed into what looked like he just saw a ghost and the he turned away.'

 

Omi took a step over to Nagi and placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder, it made the brunet jump a bit, but after that no other reaction came from Nagi. Omi was starting to get worried.

 

“Naoe-san, are you alright?” the blonde asked “You seemed startled or something”

 

“I-I'm fine” came the other's weak answer “don't worry about it.”

 

Omi let his hand leave Nagi's shoulder. The other one was still facing away from the blonde. “That's good. I wouldn't want you to be all messed up like Kaname sensei too.” Omi said relieved.

 

Nagi calmed down as the touch of Omi's hand left his shoulder. He was able to breathe evenly again and his racing heart calmed down, thus he decided it was safe to face the young blonde again. The words that came out of Omi's mouth earlier reminded Nagi of his original reason for getting the blonde one's attention.

 

“Tsukiyono-san, why IS Kaname sensei acting… acting like that.” He asked as he pointed to their still frantic teacher.

 

“Oh that…” Omi replied “She does that often. It's pretty normal for her and as you can see everyone is used to it.” Omi finished as he looked around the faculty room. Its occupants are all busy doing anything but paying attention to the crying and whining lady.

 

“Yeah, but how long will she stay like this?”

 

“Oh, she'll lighten up in a moment.”

 

“Shouldn't we… um, try to do something?”

 

“It's best if we not. We tried that once before. She just ended up crying and shouting harder.”

 

“Sigh… So I guess we wait huh?” Nagi said wearily.

 

“There's nothing much else we can do.” Omi reasoned “Don't worry. It'll only be for about a minute more or so.” He added reassuringly as he sensed Nagi's starting to worry.

 

After a moment, a bit long moment, the blue haired teacher stopped crying. She signed the paper Omi handed to her which was from the lunch lady. She opened her desk drawer and placed the note inside it with others like it. She took out a weaved-basket with a pink ribbon tied around it. The basket was filled with different cellular phones and presented it to Nagi.

 

“Naoe-kun, I'm sorry about not being able to tell you the rule about no using cell phones during class hours, but I thought it was already understandable.” She said in her now non-whinny voice. “You can have your phone back now and please refrain from using it again during classes… but if it's an emergency we can always make an exemption!” She added hurriedly to her student.

 

“Hai, I'll remember that ma'am.” Nagi answered after he took out his phone out of the basket.

 

“Good…” she answered satisfied. “-and you!” she looked sternly at Omi “Try to make it to school on time tomorrow ne, Tsukiyono-kun. Tardiness is a bad habit you should get rid of while you're still young… That is, if you don't wish to wash tomorrow's dishes too.” She added threateningly.

 

Omi flinched a bit. If Nagi wasn't with him earlier he couldn't have finished all those dishes. He won't survive another pile of dishes on his own.

 

“I'll do my best, ma'am.” Omi replied a bit awkward.

 

“Good.” She said “The two of you better go home now. It's almost been two hours since your schoolmates have gone home.” She said as she looked at her wrist watch.

 

“Unn... Then, we'll be off now…” Omi said before he politely bowed and Nagi followed his example.

 

The two of them walked out of the faculty room and headed for the school gate. Nagi turned on his phone and read the message he received earlier. Omi wondered what it was because Nagi looked upset after reading it. But Nagi didn't say anything and asking about it might seem rude so he decided to just let it pass. Instead he asked another question.

 

“So, do you take the train or the bus home?”

 

“I could take the train, but Schuldig will be picking me up in a bit.” Nagi answered.

 

“Oh... I guess we part ways here then.”

 

Omi was a bit disappointed. He had somehow hoped that they would be able to spend some time walking together while on their way to a bus stop or the train station, but it seemed that their time together for the day was at an end.

 

“It seems that way…” Nagi confirmed.

 

“Well then, I have to be on my way. Ken-kun and the others are stuck there working during rush hour.” Omi explained. “See you tomorrow! Bye Nagi-kun!” Those were the last words Omi said before he took off running on his way home to the aid of his workmates.

 

Nagi stood there, looking at Omi's retreating form getting smaller and smaller as the blonde young man gets farther away. Indeed he's a bit disappointed because he's day of being with Omi has ended… But somehow that pleasant feeling inside of him won't vanish… Especially when Omi mouthed his last words of farewell for the day which consisted of a goodbye and his first name.

 

`He… He … He called me NAGI-KU!!!. It sounded so great when he said my name. I really liked it. I hope he calls me that from now on.' Nagi thought wishfully as he waited for Schuldig's red Ferrari to arrive.

 

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-

 

Loud music filled the atmosphere, and a redheaded man lightly nodded in time with the obscure tunes. His long fingers wrapped around his car's steering wheel. He was waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Normally he wouldn't follow traffic rules, but he felt like being kind today. Besides, letting the kid wait a few more minutes for him wouldn't hurt.

 

Schuldig enjoyed listening to music. Especially the kind that plays so fast you can't even recognize the words for the lyrics properly accompanied with dark gothic melodies. It makes him feel relaxed in a way. It drowns out all of the scattered thoughts he might pick up which usually cause him to have headaches when absorbed without warning.

 

He was driving to Nagi's new school. Crawford sent him to pick their youngest member up from school. The American told the telepath that Nagi would be too love-struck to go home alone without having any accidents and that they wouldn't want to run one member short.

 

They were already in a pinch because of that whole betraying Eszet during that ceremony deal. Schwarz had to cut all their ties with the said organization and keep out of their sight until things cooled down to avoid unnecessary conflicts. They are currently flying and drifting on their own now. That's why the American had Nagi transfer schools. It would've caused trouble if some member of Eszet traced the little one's school and seek for revenge. But of all the schools, why chose the public one which have many connections with the local government right?

 

He found out what was so special about Nagi's new school. Apparently one of the reason why Brad picked that school out of the many others was because it was also the school their little one's crush's school.

 

He found that interesting piece of fact out when he was trying to clean up their leader's desk. Surprised that he does it? He might not look like it, but Schuldig is a very tidy person. He doesn't like it when there are scattered things that tend to distract him anywhere. Much less on his soon to be lover's (hey, a telepath can dream can't he?) office table.

 

As he was trying to arrange scattered papers into tidier piles, his eyes caught sight of Nagi's transferal papers. The documents contained the list of Nagi's teachers and his classmates. While scanning the listed different names just out of boredom, his eyes spotted a name too familiar. So the little blonde kitten is in the same class as Nagi-chan huh? That should be fun.

 

Yes, Brad and Schuldig indeed knew about Nagi's feelings for his white counterpart. Heck, maybe even Farfarello knows, the man may play with knives but it doesn't mean he's oblivious to what's happening around him, and just because Nagi can produce a powerful mental shield doesn't mean Schuldig is entirely out of ways to read the little one's mind.

 

Nagi didn't know how vulnerable thoughts are when one is asleep… and so the telekinetic one hadn't really tried his best to place his strongest shield over his mind when sleeping.

 

One night, Schuldig got bored and decided to poke into Nagi's mind. It just so happened, that during that time, Nagi was having a dream that night which starred a blue eyed smiling blonde boy.

 

Schuldig told Brad about his new found discovery knowing the man would find it interesting, and he knew the man will not hold anything against the boy. Brad may not show or admit it, ever, but he thinks of a Nagi in a way, as his very own son. So there's no way the American would be upset at the boy for just liking someone… Even if that someone is supposed to be an enemy. Love is the most wonderful feeling in this world, and Brad would be damned if he deprived Nagi of that one feeling.

 

Brad cares a lot about the boy, that's why the man was forced to be strict with Nagi, so the little one would be toughen up. That made Schuldig thought back to when Brad hit Nagi. The boy was against the decision of abandoning their employers during one particular job they were assigned by Ezset, and keeps going on about how they should stay to stand their ground. Unbeknownst to the young telekinetic, the reason behind Brad's decision was he foresaw something about their employer turning against them or something in the lines of that… It would've been easier on the both of them if Brad had told Nagi his reason, but the man promised himself not to go soft on the boy and so he was forced to use violence against the boy to convince Nagi to leave.

 

`We're all living in a cruel world… One might as well be used to cruelty in order to survive life's harshness'

 

The traffic light flickered onto yellow and then finally to green. Schuldig stepped on the gas pedal and his car smoothly rolled away towards Nagi's school…

 

`I wonder how the kid's 1st day went?' Schuldig thought to himself as he turned a corner.

 

`Well according to what I got out from Brad, he should have had his greatest day yet.'

 

A few more minutes, and the German redhead is already at Nagi's school. He pulled over and found the student he's supposed to be picking up standing on the sidewalk staring at space with a weird look on his young face.

 

Schuldig climbed out of the car. The sound his car door made when it slightly slammed shut was pretty loud, but Nagi didn't even seem to hear it for he kept his gaze to the same direction with the same bewildered look on his face. Schuldig walked until he was right behind the boy. The redhead tried to look at what the boy was starring at but try as he might, he can't see anything but an empty sidewalk.

 

“The sidewalk's pretty huh?” Schuldig said to try and how Nagi would react, if the boy ever react at all.

 

“…Yeah... Pretty…” Nagi replied with his voice sounding so mesmerized, and eyes still glued to the pavement Omi ran on to get home.

 

Omi's words still rung inside Nagi's ears.

 

“Nagi-kun…”

 

He can still hear that sweet voice of the equally sweet honey blonde boy. The way Omi mentioned his name was almost celestial… It was like having heard the angels' harps playing a wonderful melody dedicated solely for him.

 

`Oh, Omi…' Nagi thought dreamily as he leaned back and absorbed the ecstatic he's feeling.

 

When Nagi inclined back, he felt his back making contact with the body of another person. He was finally snapped out of his love spell when he felt the slight impact produced when his back bumped with the person behind him. He turned around and was ready to say a simple apology to whomever it was that he caused a bother to… But then his eyes recognized the familiar face that looked down at him and instead of the apology he was supposed to say, he ended up with asking:

 

“H-how long have you been standing there?” Nagi asked and managed to make his voice sounding normal and not all squeally, but that stuttering on the beginning managed to slip out. `I need to improve my communication skills'

 

“For a while now… Didn't you remember our talk about the pretty sidewalk?” the German teasingly replied.

 

Schuldig tried to look into Nagi's mind earlier when the brunet was still out of sorts, but found out that it was of no use because the only thought he could pick out of the kid's mind was of the kid's white counter part. He decided to just wait for Nagi to notice he was there before he began teasing and messing with Nagi. And much to his pleasure, the kid is now aware of his presence.

 

The first thing Nagi did when he came back to his senses was to slam up his mental shields. Although he doesn't know if it helped cause from what Schuldig said earlier, the redhead had been there for quite some time now.

 

`Okay Nagi, don't panic…. Uummm, what should I say?'

 

Nagi thought hard and what came out of his mouth was

 

“You're late…”

 

Nagi was more than thankful that his voice didn't quiver and he was able to keep a straight face while saying those two words to his sadistic teammate.

 

His blue eyes spotted the red car of Schuldig parked not far from where the two of them were standing. And without looking directly to the German's eyes, he walked part him and got on the car.

 

Schuldig stood to the spot he was and his knowing smirk widened even more. He gave a couple of chuckles before walking and going to his car which Nagi just boarded.

 

“Nagi is soooooo in denial…' was the thought that played inside Schuldig's head as he approached the car.

 

Nagi felt the car shift a little as another person's weight settled on it and the door firmly slam shut. He had his blue eyes closed as to not have to see the look on Schuldig's face, which he knew, would be difficult to see with a straight face. He checked for the 10th time if his mental shields are now properly in place and made no attempt to open his eyes or talk to the other. The ride home would be a long one for him.

 

The young telekinetic waited to hear the sound of the car's engine purr, and the feeling of G force slamming to his body as the vehicle accelerates… He waited a few seconds and no such things came…

 

Nagi waited…

 

…Nothing `That man better start driving soon, or I'll…'

 

And waited…

 

…still nothing `Grrr… Calm down Nagi, this is exactly what he wants… Just keep your cool… He's bound to give in sooner or later right?'

 

The boy still waited…

 

…no dice `Argh! That's it!!! I can't take this anymore!!!'

 

Nagi snapped his eyes open and glared at the man sitting on the driver's seat. He's powers were already threatening to spill out of his control just like his temper was. Schuldig, on the other hand, was looking at him with a smile and a look on his green eyes saying “You're hiding something juicy, and I know you'll spill the beans sooner or later.”

 

Nagi gritted his teeth and fought hard with himself on not banging the telepath's body to the opposite side of the car so hard, that it would squish the German and make the other's inside leak out of his body. The boy will have to settle to quarrel verbally with this man. He can't risk being blamed for the loss of a teammate. The only problem with arguing with Schuldig using words was that you know from the beginning that you won't win unless lady destiny was smiling upon you… and she hadn't smiled for him as far as Nagi could recall.

 

“WELL!? Are you just going to stay looking at me like that till pigs fly!?!” Nagi finally snarled at the redhead.

 

Schuldig's smiling lips opened and answered “If it makes you so pissed out… I just might!” he finished merrily.

 

That comment made Nagi fought harder to contain his feeling of wanting to slam Schuldig to something hard… Or maybe slam something hard to Schuldig… Either way would work to ease his anger.

 

“You do realize we still need to get back home. I have homework to do, and Brad might not appreciate you keeping us stuck here for the amount of time needed for piggies to learn aerodynamics.” Nagi said calmly in his seat with his eyes holding a determined look, almost daring Schuldig for another round at their verbal war.

 

`Haa! Take that Schu! You're not the only one who can make up clever remarks.' Nagi thought as he saw the taken back reaction the man he was talking to had after he said his latest words.

 

It was true that the redhead was a bit shocked after hearing Nagi's retort. He hadn't thought the kid would use the strict time management of Bradley against him… But he regained his composure a few seconds later, and with a smile on his lips and after giving off a disappointed sigh, he turned the keys and started the car's engine. Nagi's taunting smirk almost turned into a happy smile because of his victory against the other.

 

`Very good Nagi… But you do know I never give the last word to anybody.' Schuldig thought as he shifted the gear from park to drive and another smirk found its way to his lips.

 

“Alright, I'll drive us home now…” the wheels of the car rolled away slowly, giving Nagi the pleasure of tasting victory. Schuldig turned to look at Nagi and waited for the kid's eyes to look at him before he said “MR. `PRETTY SIDEWALK'”

 

Nagi's eyes widen at Schuldig's words… Then the happenings of the last few minutes replayed itself on his mind. He remembered saying the word “pretty” after someone asked him a question. Everything was so vague and unclear back then, but now everything was starting to slightly make sense. Schuldig caught him in the middle of his heart's soaring earlier and asked a question which he answered while mesmerized.

 

The young one's cheeks were now painted red and Nagi quickly turned his head away from the driver's direction. It was now Schuldig's turn to drink in the sweet feeling of being the victor. If he would pick up the kid regularly from now on from that school, he would be having this much fun everytime he does it.

 

And so, Nagi's ride home concluded of sitting inside the car while blushing furiously and being forced to listen to Schuldig's victory snickers.

 

 

-End of Chapter-

 

 

Author's Note: Ok, I know it's waaaaaaay late. But I managed to update, hope you liked it. Would I be evil if I asked for reviews? (Please do)