Work Text:
Akito sat stiffly on the wooden chair outside the office, arms crossed, foot tapping against the floor. The room was quiet in that annoying way, like it wanted him to think deeply.
Hmm...
Hmm......
… What even was the fight about again?
It started to replay in his head someone spoke shit about Akito, which he snapped back at. Hands shoved! Voices raised. And a teacher yelling his name like that never worked on him.
#Spoiler:
It didn’t.
The door swung open.
"Shinonome Akito."
Akito stood, all stiff shoulders, as the teacher strode in and sat down.
They didn’t waste time and immediately started scolding Akito, a tired, disappointed expression that adults loved to use.
“Do you know how many students manage to get through a year without ending up here?”
Akito stared at the floor, he literally didn't really want to care right now.
“Look at Aoyagi Toya. Student council president. Polite. Calm. Reliable.”
Akito’s lips twitched into a small smile.
"Yeah," he thought. "My boyfriend. The best one on the block… Mr. Perfect. The golden standard. Love him, still mine... My perfect, annoying, sweet-boy boyfriend…no, he's ugly… No he's not!!!!! I'm the ugly one in the relationship...and dumb... And stupid… And unintelligent… And 不聰明"
His gushing gets interrupted as the teacher slid a phone across the desk. “Call your parents or guardians.”
Akito froze.
Parents?
… Yeah, no.
He picked up the phone anyway, thumb hovering. Then, after a second, he dialed.
"Hey Ken-San."
"Kid…?"
"So like..."
-
-
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“Yeah uh, that's bout it."
“I’ll come,” Ken said. “Sit tight.”
Akito hung up, relieved.
Not long after, Ken finally arrived! The teacher explained everything, the fight, the noise, the disappointment. Ken nodded, thanked them, apologized as if he had given birth to Akito.
Akito wanted to smirk so badly.
They walk out together
__
Akito went straight to find An.
He found An's classroom on the second floor. She was at her desk, chin in her hand, staring out the window like she was counting clouds…
He knocked on the doorframe.
“Hey, An… Pspspsps"
“Akito?!”
She stood up fast.
"... Are WE in trouble?"
"No... But you're leaving early."
Her eyes went wide. "Wait" Really?"
"Your dad is here. We're going."
For a second she just stared at him. Then her whole face started to lit up.
She grinned and followed him down the hall, already talking about what movies they should watch on the way home.
__
In the car, Ken glanced at Akito in the rearview mirror. "Have you called your parents yet instead?"
Akito shrugged. "Tried before. They don't pick up."
"Try again."
"It's pointless."
Meanwhile, An was in the backseat, smiling from ear to ear, legs swinging like a little kid. Had her phone out, possibly texting Kohane.
Akito glanced at her, then out the opening window and stared out at the sky.
It was between that time, not evening nor afternoon. The blue was starting to soften at the edges, fading into something warmer. A few clouds had drifted past.
Behind him, An's legs were still swinging. Hearing her humming faintly over the music
Akito closed his eyes for a second, letting the wind mess up his hair.
As when he opened them again, it shifted into a more orange color bleeding into pink.