4

[EDITED]

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It's finally Monday and those who are from the student council, officers or members, are tasked with the checking of each entering students in front of the school gate. This time, Eichi is on duty with two other guys who're members.

She's silently watching every entering students. Scolding some of them if needed. While the two other guys are the one who's getting the name of the late students or the ones who are violating some of the school policy.

" Yamada-san" a silver colored haired guy came up to her, if she's not mistaken, he's the president of the home economics club.

"Didn't I told you to change your hair color? Colored hairs are not allowed." she strictly said to him. Giving him a serious stare because this is the nth time she saw and scolded him about it.

"And didn't I told you too, that THIS is my natural hair color ?"he insisted and mocking her voice. Eichi rolled her eyes. " Believe it or not. "he added and chuckled.

"So? What do you need? Hurry up or you'll be late for the morning assembly." she changed topic, crossing her arms.

Despite of always scolding the guy and the visitation of clubs last week, she still don't even know his name. I think I also saw him somewhere too. I don't remember where's the specific place though.

The guy searched something from his bag, couple of seconds pass he gave her a small oak bento box." Here, Baji said to give this to you." he said.

"Baji? You know each other?" she asked curiously. Didn't this guy a third year already?

"Yeah. You may say that we're friends." he answered, closing his bag. Eichi just nodded.

"Then, what is this for?" she curiously asked. Why would he gave me a bento? Is this an upgrade of what he always give me? From juice or milk to a bento real quick? Wait.. Am I complaining?

"I don't know. A thank you would be nice though." he said with a bit of sarcasm. She rolled her eyes and dismissed the guy without even saying thank you. She doesn't want to be nice today.

Until the time for the morning assembly come, she's still holding the small bento. Even the time she is asked to give some good luck message for the clubs, she's still holding it.

-

Lunch break comes and Eichi's already eating her bento her mom made. The bento Baji gave is just laying on the side, still unopened. It's not like she doesn't want to open and eat it, she can't seem to find a good reason to.

When she finished her bento, she finally decided to open the bento from Baji. I'm seriously joking myself. She thought.

Curious of what kind of food he prepared for her. Eichi's brows raised when she already saw what's inside.

Is he kidding me?

The small bento consists two convenient store onigiri and a small box of juice. Yup, he's messing with me. Again. What did I expect?

She sighed and close the bento, losing her appetite after what she saw. I'll just bring it at home and return the box if needed. She put it inside her desk's drawer and stood up to walked around to digest the food she ate.

While walking she suddenly realized that there is no sign of Baji today. There's no one messing with her at the entrance gate unlike it used to when she's on her duty. There's no one waiting for her class to end and when break comes, there's no one who's talking to her endlessly and that's weird.

Where the hell is he?

She didn't notice the time because she kept thinking about where is the annoyingly stubborn guy and then bell suddenly rang, sign that the break is over. She head back to their classroom. Until the class for the day already ended, there's still no sign of Baji. That's unusual.

"Yama-chan? Are you okay?" Eichi snapped out of it when Aya, their secretary, poked her.

"Huh? Yeah... I'm fine. Continue with the report." she said and tried to focus on their meeting. 1 week left and its the school's festival. It's getting busier.

Eichi's being denial about hoping that she would see Baji by the time their meeting is over. But unfortunately, when it ended and she reaches home, there's no sign of him.

It also happened the next day until its already Thursday. For four days, there's no sign of Baji around. No one's following her and fooling around, annoying her over and over except for Mitsuya, the HE president who's always giving her something that came from Baji. And yes, she finally learned his name.

She didn't bother to ask him where Baji is because she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea. The idea that there's something is going on between me and his friend.

-

Inside her room, Eichi can't concentrate on studying her material for tomorrow's quiz. She dropped her pen and leaned her back on her chair then looked at the foods that Mitsuya gave her which originally came from Baji. Ever since Monday, she didn't touch the foods and instead she stock up all of them.

There is the two onigiri and juice from the bento, from Monday. Egg sandwhich from Tuesday. Meiji strawberry chocolate from Wednesday and the peyoung yakisoba from earlier. It looked like a small pantry on the side of her table.

Is he sick? She suddenly thought. Because the last time they saw each other was from the shrine where some incident happened. Wait...Don't tell me he got beaten up by those guys?!

Eichi's eyes widened with the possibility of her thought. Maybe that's why he cant go to school because he might be healing from some bruises or such?

But then Eichi realized that she's being worried about him and questioning herself why. It's not like he's someone she's close to and it's not like they're friends, but he's my kouhai?

Eichi messed up her hair and stood up to throw herself on her bed. Frustrated with some annoying thoughts about Baji. Wondering why she's worrying about him. It's not like her at all.

Damn that guy! It seems like he managed to get me used to his presence. Because if that's the case then she's close to admitting it.

-

Founding members of Toman decided to hang out for a while. It's been weeks after the their last time. And they also want to know about Baji's story where and when did he found himself a girlfriend since he gave them a hanging info about the girl.

"Oi, Pah. Where the hell are we going?" Baji asked once he closed their house' gate. His mom is not around and it's not like she really cares where would he go as long as he's safe then he's good to go.

He got a call from Draken earlier saying that they're going to meet and Pah-chin's fetching him, making him to leave behind his bike.

"Drink." Pah-chin shortly answered. Baji smiled, it's been a while. Happy that they're going to drink again.

But aside of being happy , he can't contain himself from being guilty that he's not attending school and not showing face to Eichi. No matter how much he missed her knowing that she's not feeling the same, he kept himself distant. He's afraid that once they meet again, she would ask questions about Toman, why is he beating up a guy suddenly and why is he wearing the same uniform at the other guys. If he introduce her to all Toman members, he wouldn't know what kind of danger would he put her through. Considering what happened at the shrine. 

It does not mean that Toman members will be a threat to her, what he's worrying about is the other gangs. That maybe someday, just because she's with Baji she will be targeted when the truth is, she's not even part of Toman's concern.

It's better to not say anything than put her to something she has nothing to do with.

The ride was fast that it only took for about 5 minutes. He got off Pah's bike and waited for him after he parked.

The place is new that's why he waited for Pah since he's not familiar with it. Pah came and both of them made their way inside where he find the other four members waiting for them.

"Yo!" he greeted them and seated beside Mitsuya.

"She's fine if you're gonna ask." Mitsuya whispered he just nodded and smiled even more that other members noticed.

After their meeting from Sunday, he asked Mitsuya to give something such as foods to Eichi. Since he's always giving her something, he must also give her even though he's not around. In that way, Eichi could feel that he's around.

"What's with the smile?" Mikey asked first after he noticed Baji smiling, unusual from his usual killer smile.

"Nothing." he denied and got himself some snacks to begin with before drinking.

"I saw your wifey earlier, Baji" Draken said. Drinking something hard to begin with like as always. Well, he's a heavy drinker after all.

"Where?"

"On her way home. Thought you're gonna send her but she walked alone. Did you guys have a fight?" he said, Baji shook his head, denying that they didn't fight and explained his side why he's doing that.

After the meeting from the shrine last sunday, Baji also gave them a brief introduction about Eichi, even introducing her as his official girlfriend even though he haven't started courting her yet and said that he had no intention on introducing her officially to all Toman members unlike what Mikey did to Emma before.

They had a good night while catching up on each other. They're not attending the same schools that's why it really feels that they need to catch up on each other. They also played  drinking games and sadly he became the loser out of all them and ended up finishing up a bottle of liquor that someone brought as a punishment.

"Man the luck's not on my side today!" he exclaimed after finishing the super bitter alcohol.

"Remember Baji, no penetration or else you'll be a father in no time." he got confused when Draken said that, smirking before drinking a glass of beer.

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously but Draken just shrugged his shoulders and didn't bother to answer him.

After most of his friends are asleep and drunk, he decided to leave. Saying his good bye to Mitsuya who's the only one who's awake except from him, looking after the others.

There's no taxi's going around this time so he had no other choice but to walk back home. He's been sober up a while a go that's why he can manage to walk himself home. He can also stop by a convenient store to buy water so he can re-freshen up more.

But Baji suddenly felt something inside him. A burning feeling that's looking for something. Something he only feel when he's turned on. The hell?. Then, out of nowhere, he thought of Eichi. -

Eichi woke up in the middle of the night. She felt like someone is watching her. It's already 2am and its cold. She covered herself in her blanket and tried to close her eyes again, ignoring the feeling of being watched. Maybe just my hallucination.

Minutes after, she can't stand it anymore so she sat up and grabbed her glasses. There's no sign of person looking at her. What is this feeling, geez.

She left her bed and walked to her balcony. Eichi noticed she forgot to close the sliding door which is the reason why she's feeling too cold.

She's about to close it when unexpectedly someone appeared in front of her. She prevented herself from shouting despite of being surprise but she can't prevent herself from slipping.

The person immediately hold her wrist, keeping her balance. Eichi looked at the person then finally found out who is it...

"Careful, you don't want to make some noise, no?" Baji whispered to her.

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