Honor Thy Enemy

“I’m sorry I keep taking up so much of your time! I know you probably want to be studying for the term final by now. We just have so much paperwork piled up and everyone else left already.”

The girl who said this spoke in such a sincere voice. And yet, despite her face being literally framed by towering stacks of papers and folders, I somehow didn’t feel very moved. The reason being that this girl’s name is Kaori Asano, and I can hear what she’s really thinking.

As if those creeps would pass on a chance to be close to me after school. I knew sending them home was the right choice. Good luck studying tonight after I work ya to the bone!

I’m the one that should be apologizing. You’re spending so much time trying to get me to fail, but our scores are gonna match perfectly. The look on that cute face will be worth all the hell you’ve been putting me through.

“It’s no problem. Honestly, it beats getting swarmed by club presidents asking me to sub in for games and matches and stuff on my way out. This way I get to leave after them”

Too bad they’re begging for help from a fraud with no real skill of his own.

“Ahhh, I totally get that. Before I was on the student council, they wouldn’t let up on me either.” She laughs softly while stamping paper after paper, as if reminiscing. “Give it some time, they’ll forget all about you and move on eventually.”

“Well, that’s encouraging.”

We fall into a comfortable silence for a time while I shuffle through stack after stack of approval papers, club petitions, budget reports, and sales invoices. There was so much paperwork that I can hardly believe the entire student council could stay on top of it even with all hands on deck. There wasn’t a backbreaking amount of work in front of me for no reason, you know.

“I’m surprised so much goes into the culture festival though,” I chime in, breaking the silence. “Last year my homeroom never felt this busy.”

“That makes sense. Since Taizo High is unusual and holds its culture festival at the end of the first term, the faculty doesn’t like burdening the majority of students when they should be studying for their finals. A lot more work goes to class presidents and student council members as a result.”

And I suppose that’s why you’re keeping me here? Thanks, Prez! I’m so grateful! How can I ever repay you?

“Wow, then it’s even more impressive that you manage to score so high. As expected of a top student.” I wish I could roll my eyes while saying this.

“I manage somehow. You’re no stranger to hard work either. I’m sure you know what it’s like to lose sleep over studying.”

Usually tons of boys are climbing over each other to take any work off my hands, though~

Wait, I might be wrong, but isn’t this the closest we’ve come to a normal conversation? It’s almost like she’s enjoying being here with me for once. Then, as if she could read my mind, Kaori is suddenly dropping a massive stack of papers onto the desk in front of me with an audible thud. It was so large that she had to peek around it to flash her signature fake smile at me.

Stop slacking off and burn out already, you pig bastard.

“Sooo sorry to ask, could you take care of these ones too?”

Ah, right. This is more like what I’m used to.

By the time the sun was setting, I never wanted to see the inside of this room again. The real tragedy is that the sundown wasn’t the end of it. We worked for hours after that. Did you know, handling cartoonishly large stacks of paperwork leaves your hands covered in papercuts? I somehow didn’t, and now my hands are decorated with so many bandages that the office’s first-aid kit ran out. If this is a joke, I’m not laughing.

I know for certain that Kaori is, behind that mask of hers. I don’t have to read her mind to know. In fact, I decided to block her out entirely over an hour ago. At first, her gloating and spite was funny to me, what with her being unaware that her plans weren’t hurting me. But after the fourth stack of club and class budget reports, it was starting to get on my nerves. So I buried my face in the work I ‘happily’ agreed to finishing. Eventually she stopped talking out loud entirely, which was fine by me.

I slide another stack to the half of my desk reserved for completed documents. One down, who knows how much more to go! I cast a tired glance towards Kaori, expecting her to be preparing even more for me to do. While still surrounded by unfinished work, the girl has her head down, sleeping soundly and drooling onto the desk.

Nice try, you think I’d fall for that? There’s no way she actually fell asleep after keeping me here so long. She’s obviously testing me, trying to see if I slack off while she’s not looking or something. All I have to do if I want to know for sure is read her mind.

Zzz…

Zzzz…

Zzzzz…

All I hear is static, fading in and out rhythmically, like a heartbeat or her breathing. The sound of someone’s mind in a deep, peaceful sleep.

“Wow, you’re actually out cold. Wonder if that means I won today’s little battle?”

I lean back in my chair, stretching my arms over my head with an accomplished smile. I could easily get up and leave. I’ve done plenty of work already, I’m sure she’d feel broken if she woke up to the rest of it, knowing she dug her own grave by sending all the help home. I make my way out, turning to take one last victorious glance at my defeated enemy.

She looked entirely different than usual. Her hair was ever so slightly messy as it framed her relaxed face. Normally, each little expression Kaori made was composed. Practiced. Perfect. From every angle, she looked like someone straight from a fashion magazine. Yet now, her mask was off, and I got to see what her face looked like without lies or her usual brand of deception. I hesitated inches away from the door handle. It was midnight already. I could go home and collapse into my bed, knowing her perfect face would be hiding an overwhelming sense of defeat for once.

Instead, I turned around and stood looming over her desk. Loosening the tie around my neck, I unbutton the vest of my uniform, and drape it over her slender shoulders. In response, they gently rise and sink with each quiet breath.

“You’re lucky you’re so much cuter like this,” I mumble with a tinge of spite, moving each and every stack of unfinished paperwork from her desk to mine. It looks like I’ll be working through the night for once.

***

When the morning sun kissed the windows of the student council office, Kaori Asano awoke from her nap with a start. She remembered where she was immediately. As if a natural reflex, her forearm wiped her mouth clean and her hands frantically moved to smooth out her hair, cheeks reddening in embarrassment. She never let her guard down, so why now?

I can’t believe I passed out… That dumbass just left me here and–

“Huh?”

She thought for sure she had lost at her own game. Contrary to what everyone else believed, her enemy was the lazy type that cheats at tests and feels proud of it. There was no way he saw her asleep and didn’t decide to leave the rest to her. It would have been the best move, leaving her with extra work she would have to finish within the short few hours of morning before classes start. If she didn’t rush to finish, her reputation was at stake. There was no way that Kamiya bastard wouldn’t knowingly take advantage of that fact.

And yet, arrayed in front of her was every single document in the room, organized within folders into neat stacks, completed in full. The one responsible was reclined in his office chair, snoring away. Kaori’s eyes naturally moved along his silhouette, lingering on the top few undone buttons of his white undershirt.

That exact moment was when the girl noticed his vest hanging around her shoulders.

“Wh-wha!?” She pulled it off from around her, and almost threw it, but couldn’t manage to. Its warmth still lingered against her back.

The feeling gripping her was just embarrassment and humiliation. It came from an enemy rubbing their victory in her face. That’s all it was. At least, that’s what she told herself while carefully folding her makeshift blanket and placing it in front of Kei. She also told herself that the ‘thank you’ note she left on top of it was just to keep appearances up. It was an obligation, nothing more. Nothing genuine.

Kaori Asano was a great liar. She deceived everyone around her and they happily ate from the palm of her hand. She recognized this. What even she didn’t recognize, is that she was also great at lying to herself.