This was a Stupid Meeting

“What’re you talking—” Sure enough, up ahead was a cookie-cutter office-lady character, nonchalantly waving right at us. How did we know it was us?

“Being dressed like an office-worker and yelling boyfriend, boyfriend! While running up to a high schooler is an incredible way to get the police upset… Iijima-san…”

Across the table from us, the office-worker in question was sporting a confident smirk. “Well, you live and you learn, right?” She said, picking up a cup of coffee. Iijima had pulled us off the street (after the police interaction) into a nearby diner.

“By the way, you know I’m not Fujioka’s boyfriend, we’ve been over this.”

“Oh~ sweetie, I meet a lot of people in this business. The easiest way for me to remember them is by little mnemonics I come up with.”

I felt a small tug on my sleeve. “Hey, who’s this lady…? She’s kinda creepy,” Yoshika gave a half-hearted attempt at whispering.

“I am not creepy!”

“I don’t know lady… inviting two high schoolers out for lunch all alone is a bit suspicious.”

“H-hey! I’ll have you know I work closely with a high schooler, s-so this isn’t suspicious at all. S-she even comes over to my house to work, a lot!”

Yoshika was already dialing on her phone. “Hello? Police?”

Probably being the fastest I’ve ever acted, I snatched her cellphone away. Luckily she hadn’t actually called anyone and was just trying to scare Iijima… “Ms. Iijima, we’re already late for school, is there something you actually need? Or were you just looking to chat?”

“There was! There was! Hold on a second, please…” Iijima ruffled through a bag sat next to her. While saying a few frustrated words under her breath she haphazardly produced an envelope. “Here.”

“A letter?”

“Yes I need you to deliver it.”

“Us?” Yoshika interjected. “Do we look like delivery people? Mailmen? What kind of scam is this?”
Despite her protesting, Iijima ignored her and continued to talk at me. “It’s for Chihiro-chan. I’m rarely able to find her, like that one meeting we had was probably the only time I’ll see her for about a month.”

“For real? W-why can’t you message her or go to her home?”

“Because she has me blocked… everywhere… B-besides, if I go to her home she’s able to call the police on me.”

“Has she done that!?”

“O-o-of course not. B-but yes, I need you to deliver this to her, as I’m assuming you see her fairly often.”

I accepted the letter. While I don’t like this shady sort of business, I can understand and respect the difficulties of working with Fujioka. Iijma must be her company’s strongest soldier to have been assigned Fuchi-san. “Who’s it from…?”

“I don’t know… I was simply given it in my office and it’s labeled, Fuchi-san.”

I gave Yoshika a side-eye and she met it with her own. Simultaneously we stood up from the booth and gave a small bow.

Why do I have to be in algebra II? One of this world's foremost concerns… I believe I’ve addressed it before, but nothing has changed. It’s not like I can’t not pay attention, I need to! My mom would be disappointed if I failed this class anymore than I am already.

I had the letter addressed to Fuchi-san inside my desk—I played with a corner of it. What’s in there? I’m fairly certain it’s a crime to open others mail, but if I sealed it perfectly afterwards did I even open it in the first place?

I flipped it around searching again for a possible sender… Nothing. That was the fourth time I looked to no avail.

What could this be? An invitation by a secret illustrating/writing society? No, be real. It’s like a job request or something… Isn’t that kinda archaic though? Why not send an email? Meaning one thing… it IS a secret society!

With a quick glance to the classroom’s clock, it was five to the hour—class was almost over. I’ve suffered long enough… and I get the sense Kaoru has too. By that I mean, she’s been kicking the back of my seat for the last ten minutes. Whether it’s on purpose or not, I don’t know. It’s a bit strange though, she’s usually calm and collected during classes. The difference is striking—that being popular girl Akimoto-san and the gremlin I know as Kaoru.

She keeps all that grubbiness pent-up inside and saves her worst side for me. It seems she’s at her limit though.

The hour hand ticked over to twelve and Hasegawa-sensei dismissed us. Before even finishing his dismissal Kaoru was up dragging two of her friends out of the classroom. The unassuming spectator would assume she has some urgent gossip to share or a boy to talk about, however, I am no noobie.

There is a one-hundred percent chance you’d find her in the cafeteria. No doubt in my mind.

The girl who sat to my right tapped my shoulder. “Kiyotaka-kun—” She said, pointing ahead of me with a pencil.

“Yo, Kiyotaka-kun.”

“Ah! H-hey! A-ah I mean, uhm… yo…?”

“Have you seen Kaoru-chan?”

“W-who are you a-again…?” Seriously! Who is this guy!? Sitting backwards in the desk in front of me was a, I’ll say stylish, guy. Messy but fashionable black hair, and a clearly toned build from sports.

“Whaa? Pretending not to know me? Come on Kiyotaka. Hahaha~ good one.”

I’m starting to sweat… probably not from nervousness or anything but it’s just hot in here. “Y-yeah… right… K-K-Katsumi… kun?”

“Heyyy~ Yeah, you do remember me, Katsuki.”

Holy shit! That Katsuki! T-the cheating on Kaoru Katsuki! Hold on! Did she not split from the classroom for food? But to escape Katsumi? Sorry— Katsuki? He’s sitting right in front of me!?

Does not recognizing him make me a bad friend of Kaoru’s? I don’t think so, it doesn’t mean I haven’t cared about her problems, no. It means I hate him so much I don’t even know what he looks like. Yeah, that sounds right.

“Did you see her leave?”

“Ah— Uhm… Yeah she left when class ended.”

“Hmm~” He hummed. “Do you know where she went?”

“H-how should I know?” Even if she left to escape you, I’m assuming it’s still the cafeteria.

“Well you two are in the same club, right? She spends quite a bit of time there.”

“Doesn’t m-mean I know where she went just now.”

“True, true.” Katsuki nodded along. “Anyways, if you see her, tell her to look at my messages please.”

“Uhm… Sure…”

He stood up with a stupid grin. Well it probably wasn’t stupid, the way I grin is stupid, but I’m just describing his as stupid because he’s an asshole… nevermind… “I’ll see ya’ around, Kiyotaka.” He waved as he exited the classroom.

I’ve completely lost my train of thought… What was I gonna do? That slick bastard just came in here and caused me to forget everything! Like it was on purpose! Is he a part of that secret organization Fujioka’s a member of!?

Wait! That’s right! The letter.