Uh, what's a curse?

"—"

Orahashi's neck twisted back, eyes shooting a glance.

"Aren't you kidnapping me?" Keta asked, feeling the need to clarify.

Orahashi looked confused, then silently his face lowered.

"... " He wriggled Keta's wrist towards the floor, then looked away, blinking fast.

"Feeling good now?" Keta murmured.

A sudden smile tugged at Orahashi's lips, he'd heard him. Incidently once he turned back, his lips became pale.

"I swear I didn't squeeze it that hard.." Orahashi was caught off-guard, seeing the bloodred thumb, the one he gripped so hard.

"My thumb is soft and tender, so it's quite easy to crush." Keta turned around, covering the sore thumb with his other palm.

Orahashi's own thumb stiffened at this.

"... Are you not feeling any pain?" He leaned closer to him. Keta's deadpan way of speaking of his pain was alarming Orahashi.

"I'm feeling curious." Keta said, holding onto his thumb.

"That's a lie."

Keta turned opposite to where they came from, "Why the office?" He asked him.

"That doesn't matter anymore." Orahashi shrugged off, "Lab's about to start." With a small exhale he brushed off his concern of Keta's thumb and moved on, past him.

"Why the office?" Keta tugged his sleeves, stilling him.

Orahashi let out a sigh, "Leave it, can't you?" his voice sounded sore.

However Keta didn't respond to it, he continued. "I can't, told you I'm feeling curious."

The determined tone in his words suprised the tired Orahashi even more. "Not even a flicker of worry for your first lab experience?" He nodded sideways while speaking, as if he really wanted him to say yes.

"No." Keta persisted.

Not until I hear about it. He thought in his mind. That was just how he was— curious like a cat.

"...!" Orahashi's eyes momentarily widened as he exhaled through his nose. Keta sensed warmth tingling on his skin.

"I was trying to get suspended." He finally confessed. His eyes were lowered, almost like Keta's. His lips were dry as he said it.

"This sounds ridiculous but I.. ." Orahashi looked at Keta, trembling at each word.

"I lied." Orahashi surpressed a stutter. "I lied to you... About being new and all."

His heart hammered in his chest.

"Already learnt it?"

The first time he'd seen Keta using the hackable Desk.

"May I come in, sir!"

The first time when Orahashi entered the class

"... Yes."

"Huh?!"

The first time when he'd seen those boys.

In each of these, Keta observed Orahashi Ozamu's way of talking. It was too casual, too knowing and familar setting for a first timer.

He even reacted the way those boys would've expected.

"May I come in, sir!"

".. yes."

"Huh?!"

Maybe it was a coincidence and Keta'd have let it slide until...

"Orahashi-san!"

A girl named Asuka Miori called to him. In response he should have turned to say something or just nod, but he..

"... tch."

..clicked his tongue, on purpose.

"Did you know Asuka-san from the beginning?"

If the answer came yes, then Keta'd been right all along from the very first time.

"I know everyone there. We've been studying in this Institution for the last five years." Orahashi looked stern, his eyes suddenly looked cold. Like the person in front of him, wasn't his friend—

"Keta-kun."

"Did the class teacher change, everytime you went up a level?"

From their earlier conversation Tadano, in no way, displayed any cues of intimate familiarity with them.

Orahashi's lips parted, he flicked a nod.

"Why get suspended then?" Keta knew how hard it was to just get in here all the resumes and paperwork, they stripped him of his his mental resources.

Orahashi solemnly glanced around, then he looked at a wall, his eyes immediately softened. He looked comforted, which was pretty odd to Keta.

"So that I don't get cursed... By her."

Keta saw a eye, peeking at them from the hazy glass fitted on the wall. Orahashi's finger trembled.