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The teacher sighed. His boss looked in the other direction. "Were you working?" "....Mhm..." "Stay here." Tsuchigomori reached for the first aid kit, and Hanako sat down on the couch without a word.
That kid. Always getting injured, and never saying anything until someone wrestles the truth out of his body. 50 years of knowing eachother, and he still doesn't say when something is wrong.
The spider sat in front of the ghost, and lifted up Hanako's leg, which had a large cut from fighting apparitions.
"You know, you need to be a bit more careful when fighting. Lately, you get so many cuts everyday..."
No response. Hanako looked at the ground, somewhat sulking from being reprimanded.
"...Please keep that in mind. ....Hey, are you even listening to me?"
"Yeah yeah, I heard you." He doubted that he did. He said the same thing three times before, and yet he was back here again. Though he didn't mind patching up his wounds, it did irk the teacher that he almost didn't seem to care. As he didn't feel when he was hurt.
Furthermore, the ghost's attention wasn't even on him anymore. Instead, his gaze rested on the window. Tsuchigomori glanced outside.
It was the moon, its soft light illuminating the classroom. Of course, he did adore these things. So it would be understandable to expect a subtle smile on the boy's face, but there was none. He just stared at the sky, the stars seemingly staring right back at him.
It brought back a memory. When he wasn't Hanako, but Amane instead. Brought back to the same classroom, tending to his injuries, asking him again and again, "Who is doing this?" (Despite knowing the truth) And being met with the same answer of silence. And then swiftly changing the subject to the moon and stars, smiling gently at the sight.
Those were the only times he remembers that boy being somewhat happy.
Yugi, with such a bright side of him, had dark thoughts swarming him without fail everyday. He'd look towards the moon with a grin, but his eyes...
His eyes had nearly no light in them left. Like the emptiness was a premonition of his fate, slowly swallowing him whole. "I'm fine," he said, but he never went home willingly. His arms were mosaics of despair, a cry for help that he refused to let be heard.
He can't exactly pinpoint when it started, but one day, Tsuchigomori could see the last ember start to extinguish. He stopped eating his lunches, and new scars appeared, ones that were again not given origin, but then he read Amane's book, and found out the truth, the gutwrenching reality of how deep in to darkness he was sinking.
But the wrench to the gut must had been delayed, because he witnessed this unfold, and didn't do anything. He overlooked the matter entirely. Because he saw his future. His bright, shining future that fate had given to him.
Too bad Amane and fate didn't seem to agree on some chapters.
The wrench didn't hit until after his death, when the spider walked up to the rooftop for some fresh air, and saw his boss huddled in a ball, sitting on the ledge. A red kitchen knife was next to the small apparition, and Tsuchigomori faintly smelled blood. And the ghost was staring down at the ground, as if his freedom was waiting for him down there, reaching its arms out to catch him.
The spider had to lift him off the ground, tucking the brunet's head into his arm as he carried him to the science room.
It made him wonder if his failure to act a teacher was the cause for why Amane died so young. He should've pushed more, let him know that it's okay to speak your mind, that he's safe.
But he didn't, now they're here, both still in the school together as co workers for all the wrong reasons.
And at this moment in time, they were here together, still struggling to say what needs to be said.
He was still the same deep down, despite the smiles and silliness he put on display. That mask he wore, so thick yet thin at the same time. Titanium at first glance, but when you known the kid for as long as he has, you can see that facade is dangerously close to shattering.
In fact, he's more surprised it even lasted this long.
The act he put on, it could win awards without fail. It fooled practically everyone that knew him, until a fateful encounter with a girl that would change him.
For once in the span of his existence, there was someone who pushed No.7 and the rusty door to his heart to open. They saw through his performance, and instead focused on the Behind the Scenes. And at first Tsuchigomori didn't think much of them, or rather, didn't think it was possible knowing the wonder's stubbornness, but it was real.
And he saw the former student smile, a smile small but undoubtedly genuine.
That moment he remembers vividly.
The teacher tied the final bandages, and Hanako looked down at him. "What're you thinking about?" "Hm..nothing much, what are you thinking about?" "Oh, nothing much."
They stared at each other, then swiftly looked away as they muffled their laughs.
"A-Anyway, the point is, you need to be more careful." No.5 stood up as they walked towards the window to watch the moon. "And," he mumbled, "You should speak your mind to me...when something is bothering you."
"I..That's....You're asking a bit too much of me, Tsuchigomori." "I see." The spider took a long draw from his pipe. "Then, can you make an effort to come here as soon as possible when you get injured?"
"Hm." Hanako paused, then replied. "I'll try. But no promises." "Of course." "Also, why is it so important that I come right away?" "So you can work more efficiently, it wouldn't be good if you weren't at your best when fighting." "...Are you saying I'm weak with some scratches?" "You're my boss, I wouldn't say that." "So you would say it if I wasn't your boss?"
Tsuchigomori reached over, and ruffled No.7's hair. "You're very strong. Just... it would still be more convenient for you to work with patched up injuries, no?" "I guess."
They turned back the view outside. "Too bad it's not a full moon." Hanako sighed. "Atleast the stars are out." "..Say, how strong am I?" "You're just fishing for compliments." "Am I now~?" "You are." "Wow, nothing gets past you." Hanako chuckled, and Tsuchigomori shook his head in amusement. "Award-winning." He whispered, inaudible to all except No.5 himself.
The moon shined down on them, kindling the younger boy's faint smile. Star twinkled, seemingly cheering him on. And in the spider's mind, he claps for him. Claps his hands together and prays that there's still enough room for fate to write him a happy ending.