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Their first night here -- in captivity.
It had been a long day. An exhausting day of investigating, of stress, of coping -- and for some, particularly young Kanna, of coping with loss. With everyone so high-strung, it was decided that it would be better for everyone to get a bit of rest and sleep, the group camped out in the main blue-room of this terrible game they'd found themselves in the middle of. Gin, resting his head on Joe's lap, with Sara's head on Joe's shoulder... Reko, arms crossed against her chest as she slept against the wall... Q-Taro snoring softly, his shoulder pressed against Kai's, whose unnervingly quiet breathing might suggest to some a death-like sleep.
And then, there was Mishima.
He was trying to keep calm and quiet, as his beloved ex-student, Nao, rested against his shoulder with her arms wrapped tight around his own, holding it close as though it were a security blanket. However, he could not deny his nerves running awry with anxiety. Yes, Mishima was a teacher; an experienced one at that. And he was on an expert level of keeping calm and cool in the face of stressful situations for the benefit of his students -- especially Nao here, who tended to jump to the worst conclusions immediately.
But he never imagined he'd ever be in this stressful of a situation.
He'd been strong today. Cheerful, and optimistic for those around him who were younger than him. The anxiety that he'd suffered from nearly all his life, though -- quiet and gnawing as it was -- began to creep up on him in moments such as these, when it was near-silent and without distraction. He felt the urge to jostle his leg in an attempt to relieve the nervous energy, but didn't want to wake Miss Nao. So quietly, he untangled himself from her grasp, and opted to cover her in a blanket of his brown tweed jacket instead. She gave a quiet, sleepy murmur, to which he responded with a fatherly pet against her head, hoping to keep her sleeping. She smiled and nestled underneath the jacket slightly, continuing to sleep soundly. Phew.
Mishima carefully retrieved some things from his jacket pocket and walked out of the room where everyone lay sleeping-- not without getting noticed by a certain keen-eyed policeman, of course.
He'd considered having a drink at the bar to calm his nerves, but didn't want to chance becoming inebriated in such a perilous situation - so, he'd opted for the somewhat discreet, closed-off smoking area instead. Mishima knew how Nao would be disappointed in him if she knew that he still carried around a spare pack of cigarettes; it'd been something she'd chided him for all throughout his career as her teacher, citing the fact that it made him appear like a delinquent, and had a bad influence on the children he'd devoted his life to teaching. He knew she was right, as well - and sneaking around like this did not make him feel good about himself. Mishima knew, or at least hoped, that he'd be forgiven for it just this once should he be caught by his loving yet nagging former student.
The situation was frightening.
He was frightened.
And pretending that he wasn't in order to help spare the feelings of the nervous young ones among them was only making the reality of it all hit much harder in these silent nights.
He flicked his lighter on quietly in the glass-encased smoking area, sitting on the bench with his back against the wall. He silently apologized to Nao (as though she was some kind of deity) as he lit up one of the cigarettes. With his eyes downcast, he smoked quietly for a long moment, contemplating the situation -- before nearly jumping out of his skin as he heard the glass door creak open.
"Haven't seen you look so serious all day, professor."
Thank god. It was just Keiji.
Mishima put his hand against his chest, feeling his thumping heart as he caught his breath. "You nearly scared the life out of me, Mr. Shinogi." Kazumi admitted, shaking his head. "I must have been very deep in thought."
"No kidding. I nearly thought you were a different person, with how bummed out you look. I've only seen you grinning thus far." Keiji said in a humorous tone of voice, leaning against the wall across from where Mishima was sitting.
"Yes, well," Kazumi chuckled, closing his lips around the cigarette once more. "You must forgive me for feeling 'bummed out'."
"I don't blame you at all for that." Keiji said, and nodded his head up at the teacher. "You got another one of those?"
Moments later, the two were smoking in silence together. Although Kazumi had come to get away from it all, he had to admit that being in the presence of someone else wasn't half bad -- even if the deep-seated desire to "perform" someone who was a fearless and carefree teacher still gnawed at him. His career was one of putting everyone else in the room before himself, considering their feelings before his own; for a moment, he simply gazed at the policeman, wondering what he could say that might help put him at ease, as well.
Finally, Keiji glanced back at him, and their eyes met. Mishima became embarrassed he had been staring.
"You know," Keiji said thoughtfully around the cigarette, "you don't gotta try and figure me out."
Was he a mind reader as well as a detective? "Oh, I do apologize." Mishima said, a form of admittance. "It is just that - you've kept your cool all day, as well. Could it be that this situation troubles you as much as it does me?"
Keiji smiled a little, shrugging. Kazumi got the impression that Keiji was someone who had many years under his belt of pretending that everything was fine. Maybe, in a policeman's line of work, you simply had to be that way - like an uncrackable piece of glass... unlike Mishima, who sometimes felt extremely brittle from his woes. That's how he felt right now, anyways.
"It's not exactly a dream," Keiji said, blowing out smoke. "But a situation's a situation. Just gotta figure it out, and make the best out of it, so that nobody gets hurt."
"You're admirable," Kazumi chuckled weakly. "-- I agree with you about that. But my nerves can't seem to get on the same page."
"Is that why you're here?" The detective asked, and then smiled playfully. "Hiding?"
Mishima couldn't help but laugh at that. "An unconfident teacher has an influence of unconfidence over his students, I'm afraid."
"I don't know about you, but this place doesn't look like a classroom to me." Keiji teased.
"Perhaps not." Mishima smiled at him. "But I still believe that I have a duty as an adult to keep the young ones safe and unafraid... what message does it send if they see me trembling? I'd like to be someone they can believe in, even if I do have an untrustworthy appearance..."
Keiji grew quiet, closing his lips around the cigarette and taking a long drag. As he breathed out smoke, he remarked, "... Sorry I attacked you earlier and made that accusation. I really don't think you're that kind of guy, teach."
For some reason, such an honest and gentle apology from the policeman brought a shade of redness to the teacher's face. He waved his hands frantically. "Oh, please, don't apologize for that, Mr. Shinogi. It's quite alright. Besides -- I believe Miss Nao gave you quite the pounding for it, so you shouldn't worry too much. She will probably hold on to it more than I have."
In truth, he'd pretty much forgotten already about the headlock that the strong-muscled detective had trapped him in upon first meeting, having mistaken him for the kidnapper due to his somewhat suspicious air and nervous smiling. It was hilarious to think that the flimsy professor could ever have the gumption to kidnap and entrap an entire group of people like this.
Keiji just smiled. "Well, I'm apologizing anyway. You and Nao are pretty close, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes. Quite close." Kazumi nodded, a bit of joy returning to his previously-solemn face. "In fact, she is the one who persuaded me to quit." He waved around the cigarette in his hand for reference.
"Ah. That explains the hiding." Keiji chuckled. "Well, don't be too hard on yourself. I've quit more times than I can count..." Not that Keiji cared much about possible damage to his body. He didn't ever think he'd be alive this long, really. "I don't think anybody can blame you in this situation."
"Trust me, Miss Nao can blame me." Mishima laughed thinking of his kind yet hard-headed student. "But I love her for that. It means that she believes in me to be the best kind of person, and teacher, that I can be."
"Professor... you're kind of cool."
"-- What? No, I'm not." Mishima laughed.
Truth be told, it had been a long time since Keiji met someone who talked the way Kazumi did. He seemed to Keiji to be a person who was entirely self-sacrificial, but not because they had no qualms about dying like Keiji didn't. Self-sacrificing out of love for the people around them. Self-sacrifice out of feeling as though it was their human duty, their duty as an adult -- yet always pushing to be a better version of himself than he was yesterday. Keiji had given up long ago. He still had a strong sense of right and wrong, naturally-- but it always felt like he was living on borrowed time. When the day came when he could finally sacrifice himself for the good of someone else, it would be in apology for the life he took all that time ago, and he wouldn't complain. It would just be bringing things to equilibrium once more. He wondered what it was like to have someone like Nao, who believed in Kazumi so much and wouldn't allow him to fall short of the great man that she knew he could be.
Keiji was pretty much alone. And he had no expectations for himself.
Right as that thought struck him, he heard Kazumi's voice once more. "I will admit, though-- I do truly find you admirable, Mr. Shinogi... you have a strong sense of leadership. I think that you put the others at ease. Especially Miss Chidouin," he smiled at the other man. "I wonder if you've ever considered becoming a teacher?"
Keiji's mind went completely blank, his eyes widening slightly. Him, admirable? Him, a teacher? "Not me, not me." Keiji finally sputtered out, waving his hand as if to dismiss the words out of the air. "I appreciate it, but -- not me."
The teacher laughed. "I'm sorry if I caught you off guard, it's just that... you seem quite good at meeting young people on their level and understanding them. If you ever think of a different line of work, I believe you might be quite good."
For some reason, Keiji felt somewhat naked over the remark.
It had been a while since anyone seemed to see past the surface and try to find the good in him.
Since anyone had told him that they believed he could be something other than what he had been all along.
God, if only Mishima knew, but... still.
Alright. Keiji was starting to understand why Nao trailed after Mishima like a loving puppy, clinging to his every word and searching for praise. There was a certain warmth in his chest that he couldn't explain at the compliment that the professor had paid him, even though Keiji knew it was most likely an undeserved one. Almost nervously, he took a final drag off the cigarette. "I'm no teacher, but I'll do what I can to support ya, professor." he said. "So let me know next time you decide to take a smoke break in the middle of the night. I'll come with you." Keiji smiled slyly at him.
Mishima granted him a grin. Not the goofy, mischievous kind he wore around the others -- but one that was genuine and trusting. A smile of friendship. "Nothing would make me happier, Mr. Shinogi."
"You can call me Keiji, teach. I don't mind."
He nodded. "Keiji, then. In that case, Kazumi will do for me."
"Kaz it is."
Right as Mishima began to laugh, about to thank him for the friendly and familiar name he'd been given -- no one had ever spoken so familiarly of him before -- suddenly, the glass door swung open once more with amazing force!
"So this is where you've been!" Nao exclaimed, her loud, stern voice filling the small space with more noise than there was smoke.
"Oop. Caught red-handed." Keiji said, flicking his cigarette into the trash once it was put out.
However, it appeared in the moment that Nao didn't see or even hear the policeman. She rushed right up to her former teacher, plucking the almost-finished cigarette right out of his mouth. "Professor! How could you!? You promised! Give me the rest right now!" She fussed over him, sticking her hand right into his shirt pocket to fish out the pack of cigarettes and the lighter. Kazumi couldn't help but laugh as she pounced upon him.
Keiji felt as though this had probably happened to the poor teacher a myriad of times, and laughed at the mental image of Nao attacking him from the shadows in staff rooms and behind the school.
"Do you know how worried I've been!? I woke up and you weren't there! You could have at least lied and told me you were going to the restroom or something, but nooooo!"
"I'm sorry, Miss Nao, I'm sorry," he was laughing. Keiji smiled. Even though he'd been caught, it seemed as though all of his worries had been washed off his face. He smiled and simply took Nao's scolding like a champ, not as downtrodden as before.
"Mr. Policeman, I'm entrusting you with these!" Nao spun around, holding out the confiscated objects to Keiji. "Whatever you do, don't give them back to him! Throw them away or destroy them if you must!"
Keiji and Kazumi simply looked at each other. Then, they really began to laugh.
"I can do that, Nao." Keiji said.
Looks like these late-night smoking sessions between them weren't going to be going away after all.
In fact, this habit was just the beginning.