Can I Please Have a Normal High School Day?

High school wasn’t nearly as long ago as Noriko wished it was. But blocking out the past did make it a little more foggy. Unfortunately, when faced with the emotions the memories returned to her stronger than ever. Almost like they wanted to be alive once again.

The day wasn’t anything special at the time. It might have been for some girls having someone confessing, but as already explained it wasn’t the case for Noriko. Her upbringing clashed strongly with such blind acceptance. So the plan was to just march into the lab and be as clear as she could while still being polite.

It wasn’t like she wanted to hurt the boy. There was no joy in what she did. Just no other choice for her. There was some discomfort to do so, but she wasn’t that nervous. At least, not as much as she thought that she might be. It was her first time. She might have been attractive enough as Maiko claimed, but she never had a lot of interest in boys.

At least the real life variety. 2D, you couldn’t hold her back from them. It wasn’t how Maiko and her met, but it certainly became how they bonded in their teenage years. Borrowing manga from the library and buying what little they could with their allowance. Sneaking away to go to events to buy doujin. They were in deep and the merchant was giving a drowning man water, they only provided more fuel. It was an addiction, a wonderful time.

And thus boys weren’t really something that she gave her attention to. Not that she was going to tell Keiichi that. Even as a child she learned quickly what was considered acceptable to share in public. No, she would keep that to her grave. No one besides someone like Maiko would understand. And she accepted that as a fact of nature.

The old West Wing of the school had been largely reserved for clubs that didn’t require the school facilities. So activities like the literature club, board game club, etc could be found in the building. It wasn’t attached to the high school, supposedly dating back to the 50s when the school was smaller. There was a notable amount of age in the wood floors and peeling paint. Though it was still maintained well, time could only be slowed, not damed.

As she reached the chemistry lab, she wondered why he specifically made that the place to meet. Given that she was only delivering her reply after he sped away from her in a dust cloud after the lunch time confession, she figured after class would have been enough. But when she attempted to talk to him, all he said was to wait until after class. But he promptly disappeared when school ended like he teleported.

It took one of his friends to find out where he popped over to. Which left her curious wandering if the labs were so necessary for an answer. But she started to smell something coming through the thin door. ‘Am I smelling something burning? Like meat?’ Part of it started to feel like she might have been getting a picture.

Though she still knocked on the door. If he was using the labs, even invited she didn’t want to brazenly intrude. “…oh…already…oh no…” He wasn’t ready. A lump of lead dropped into her stomach now. She still had to go through with it. He was a nice boy, but she still had to reject him.

She heard what sounded like a foot hitting something metal with a pained reply. More panicked groaning and other hurried noises that she couldn’t place. The mental image it started to paint for her didn't help her sick stomach anymore. And it made her determination weaker, but so far she held fast to the plan.

Finally the door opened and there was Keiichi with the collar of his uniform jacket unbuttoned and his hair disheveled. “Shirane! You came so fast!” There was no hiding how panicked he remained. What plans had he arranged?

Noriko attempted to lean forward a little to get a sense of what she was walking into, but it wasn’t enough. All she could see was the old wooden counters of the labs. “I tried to find you after class, but your friends said you were here.”

“Oh, sorry I was going to come find you.”

“After how long? You ran off without letting me say anything.”

He sheepishly laughed. “Yeah…that did happen. But! C’mon in, I got the labs to myself today.” Keiichi stepped back, starting to walk to the far back counter where she could see a little haze or smoke, maybe rising. The burning smell she identified.

“Are you working on an experiment?”

“Something like that.”

She followed him with some concern. It wasn’t a chemical smell. She might not have done a lot of cooking, but she knew the smell of food. And as they came around the last walled counters, she saw an array of snacks and drinks all gathered. There was even cake and takoyaki, more than one person could eat, even if he was planning to have dinner at the school, which she felt was against the school rules. The whole thing probably was questionable. Anyone in the building in time probably could smell it.

Keiichi eagerly went over to the food. “I didn’t know what sort of things you liked, so I tried to make sure to have a variety for you!”

“That’s kind of you. But I still have to get back home.”

“I know, but you can stay for a little. Clubs are still going for a couple of hours.”

She knew he was correct about that. But there wasn’t going to be much of a mood after what she had to say. Though he made it more difficult. The glowing smile and anticipation that she could see in his jumpiness. The boy was almost humming. Hook him up to the power grid and he’d generate a little power for school.

“Sorry, but I can’t stay.”

“Huh?” There was a slight crack in his happiness. It nearly sounded audible.

It hurt so much. “I’m sorry, but I was trying to find you to tell you that I can’t go out with you.”

Keiichi nearly fell over, tripping over something. She couldn’t see, it seemed like he just fell over his own foot. “What do you mean? I have everything planned.”

“I know, but I can’t. We’re nearly strangers. I’ve talked to you maybe twice in class all year?”

“Once…” he said with a weight on it like it was the most precious thing that she just shattered in front of him.

Watching him be destroyed before only made her feel worse. She wanted to leave and let him vent his emotions. But she was stuck not wanting to be so callous.

He staggered forward looking like he was caught on something. Keiichi looked up at Noriko. “Then we can talk. It doesn’t have to be over! Right?”

“Perhaps…” she wasn’t against the idea, but it felt like getting his hopes up. There was no certainty that what he sought would be what she would find. Though she didn’t know how to explain that to him without just blowing everything up in his face. “Maybe, but I don’t know…”

“Please!”

“Let’s step out of here first. We can talk outside.” It wasn't healthy to stay too long. He put so much on a positive answer. If she stayed it would have felt like she made it even more hopeful for him.

He at least agreed to it. She hadn’t told her mom that she would be late, the whole confession was sprung on her today. She really couldn’t stay. Outside the West Wing, she felt a little better about speaking with him. All of the food and preparation didn’t seem to have a good effect on him. “I do need to get home, but I guess if you wanted to between classes. We can talk. I don’t want you to make assumptions though. I—“

She couldn’t even finish what she said before a deafening explosion came from the lab. They were thankfully away from everything. The blast mostly went out the window. But they both looked on in horror and confusion. If she hadn’t left that could have been them. She had never known fear like what poured through her now. It froze her blood.

No one was harmed, but the property damage completely ruined the lab and an empty neighboring room. They were lucky, but Keiichi and her never spoke again. The fallout completely ruined any chance of a romance. And her fears sealed everything away for ten years.

Until a hot man finally shattered that seal.