Chapter Text
Chapter 115 Mitsukou Re-write
“What's up with you Mitsuba? You're usually such a wuss when it comes to this sorta thing.”
Mitsuba blanched at the insult.
“Am not! I'm just worried about my lower classmates is all.”
Kou's smirk crept further up his face as he looked down to see Mitsuba's long fingers gripping his jacket as they trailed along. Well, at least they were hanging out, even if it was at school in the middle of the night.
Kou swung the flashlight around the classroom as they entered it. Everything looked as it should, except for a single desk in the furthest back corner of the room. On top of it lay a toppled over flower vase with its white roses and their water strewn about. This must've been where those girls conducted the ritual.
“Hmm…” Kou hummed as he ran his fingers through the wet roses. “This doesn't seem like anything too serious. It looks like the kind of silly rituals kids do all the time.”
Mitsuba leaned over his shoulder to get a closer look. Without looking up, Kou flicked his damp fingers in Mitsuba’s face, speckling him with tiny droplets of water.
As per Mitsuba style, he reeled back with an intense amount of head shaking. “Yeuck! Minamoto!” Mitsuba slapped his hands against Kou's back before crossing to the other side of the table.
“Hey, look at this.” He picked up a wilting piece of paper. The ink was running a little.
Kou tried to hide his giggling. “What is it?”
“Dunno. Looks like they've written some kind of question on it. They must've wanted a spirit to answer it for them.” Mitsuba brought the piece of paper close to his nose, trying to make out what it said. “It says, Who does senpai have a crush on…?” His voice trailed off towards the end.
Kou slowly looked up from the roses. He was already smirking again. “Well, come on. Who does Mr. Mitsuba senpai have a crush on?” He reached out his hand for the piece of paper.
“No. It doesn't say anything.” Mitsuba quickly clutched the paper in his fist and turned away. “So, what about this other stuff? What do the roses mean?”
But Kou wasn't so easily deterred. As Mitsuba continued to mumble and bend down to pick up one of the roses, Kou crept up behind him and snatched up Mitsuba's wrist with the paper in it.
“Minamoto, no!” Mitsuba squealed as he fought to keep his fist tightly closed.
“C'mon, I just wanna see.” Kou playfully wrestled while Mitsuba flailed about. Eventually, Kou backed down and let Mitsuba spin away from him. He whipped around in a flurry of pink hair and foul words.
“You're such a dork.” spat Mitsuba. Kou was racked with giggles as he looked Mitsuba up and down. His lips were twisted into a tight pout and his cheeks were glowing red, even in the darkness. They looked at each other for a moment before Mitsuba spun on his heel and set about re-doing his ponytail, mumbling all the while.
Kou ambled back to the desk where he had left the flashlight. Just as he was about to suggest that they look around another classroom, he had an idea. Mitsuba still had that piece of paper and Kou's curiosity had no limits. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little sour about not getting to know who Mitsuba’s crush was.
“Ugh, Minamoto let's go. Maybe those girls didn't even-”
The classroom went pitch black.
Mitsuba dropped his ponytail. He spun on the spot as he looked around for Kou.
“Haha, very funny. But I can't see anything and I'd like to leave now.” He crossed his arms high up his chest and waited for an answer. Nothing.
“Okay, well, you can stay here if you want, you idiot. See you tomorrow.” Mitsuba shuffled forward in the dark with his arms out in front of him to feel his surroundings. But he misjudged, and kicked his foot into the leg of a chair.
“Ow, fuck!” He folded over and nursed his throbbing toe. He was about to curse Kou out for his stupidity when he felt a slight breeze tickle his cheek. He froze.
“Boo!” Kou's distorted face appeared in a blinding flash, inches from Mitsuba's.
Mitsuba screamed in terror as he scurried backwards straight into another table that screeched and clattered with the impact. Mitsuba lay there in a flustered mess as Kou stood doubled over with laughter. He shook as he fought to catch his breath while Mitsuba just lay there wide-eyed with a hand clutched to his chest among the furniture.
When Kou went to wipe his eyes, he noticed that in his panic, Mitsuba had dropped the piece of paper. Kou snatched it up. He shone the torch on its blurry lettering. Kou's laughter faded out as he read it.
Mitsuba has a crush on Kou Minamoto.
Kou snapped his head up to stare at Mitsuba. Now he really looked scared, lying there on the floor as he realised what Kou had in his hands. Mitsuba quickly went from pale white to burning pink as he untangled himself from the chairs. Mitsuba was suddenly very interested in the floorboards while he nervously smoothed his hair. God, he was getting pinker by the second! Kou just stood there, floundering for words.
“Is-”
“Gah, whatever!” exclaimed Mitsuba as he shoved past Kou and out the door.