Chapter 27: The Rooftop Interrogation

I don't stop dragging him until we are on the roof.

It's windy. It's empty. Perfect.

I shove Daiki Hanata against the chain-link fence.

"OW! Hey! This is a designer hoodie, Twilight-chan! It's delicate!"

"What," I hiss, my face inches from his, "is wrong with you?"

He just blinks, his bored eyes looking... not bored. They're... sparkling.

"You're so strong, Twilight-chan," he breathes. "That was hot."

I let go of him like he's on fire.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT! And stop showing up at my school! Are you insane? You're famous!"

"I know," he says, fixing his hoodie. He's pouting. "It's so annoying. I had to sign like, twenty autographs just to get to your classroom. I hate my fans sometimes."

I just stare at him.

This is the most arrogant, out-of-touch jerk I have ever met.

"You... why?" I demand. "Why bring me my wallet? You could have texted me!"

"I did," he says, pulling out his phone. "You left me 'on read'. Rude."

"So you invaded my school?!"

"I wanted to see you," he says, like it's the simplest thing in the world.

He leans against the fence, that stupid smirk back.

"And," he adds, his voice dropping, "I wanted to see him."

"...Fuji?"

"Prince-kun," Daiki snorts. "So... that's the guy. He's so... stiff. Is he... like... your... boyfriend?"

My face... explodes.

"NO! HE IS NOT! He's my rival! He's my nemesis! He's a royal pain in my-"

"Good," Daiki cuts me off, his smirk gone. He's serious. "That's good."

The rooftop door slams open.

Speak of the devil.

Fuji Kenji is standing there.

He is not following my orders.

He looks furious. His perfectly-parted white hair is messy from taking the stairs too fast.

"Isuzu-san," Fuji says, striding toward us. "Get away from him."

"Oh, come on!" I groan.

Daiki just laughs. "Prince-kun! Twice in one day? Are you stalking me? Or... are you stalking her?"

Fuji stops right in front of us. He is ignoring Daiki. He is only looking at me.

"Midterms are next week," Fuji says, his voice ice. "You should be reviewing your Kanji, not consorting with... dropouts."

OOF.

Low blow.

Daiki's lazy expression darkens.

"Ouch, Prince-kun," Daiki says, his voice cold now too. "At least I make a living. What do you do? Get allowance from your mommy?"

"I am the top of our class," Fuji states. "I am building a future. She... is also building a future. She doesn't have time for... games."

"You don't know anything about her," Daiki snaps. "Twilight-chan loves games! She's better than you at them!"

They are arguing... about me.

Right in front of me.

"She needs discipline," Fuji argues.

"She needs to have fun!" Daiki shouts back.

"She needs you two... to SHUT UP!" I yell.

They both stop. They both look at me.

"I hate both of you," I inform them.

I start to storm past them.

"Wait, Twilight-chan!" Daiki says.

"Aoi!" Fuji says. (He... he used... my first name?)

I stop.

Daiki notices.

Oh, no.

"Oh... 'Aoi'?" Daiki says, his smirk... returning. "We're on a first-name basis now, Prince-kun? That's cute."

Daiki looks at Fuji.

"But I... I got to see her carry your stupid... panda-handled... shopping bag... all the way home," Daiki murmurs. "How... princely... of you."

Sabotage.

I see it.

Fuji's face.

It drains... of all... color.

He... he knows? How does Daiki... know?

...Fuji... must have told him... when he spied on us!

No... Daiki... must have seen us!

Fuji looks at me. His perfect composure... is shattered.

He knows... his princely image... is ruined.

Daiki winks at me.

I... I...

I run.

I leave them both on the roof.

This... is war.