"You anemic or something?"
Unfazed by my scream, he posed the question with little expression change. His stare flickered back onto his book, strands of his red hair tumbling over his eyes. But I recognized him in a heartbeat.
Daisuke Kamakiri.
Running on shock alone, I lurched upright. "Wh-wh-wha—"
Pain seized the back of my head, shutting me right up. I clenched the spot, biting my lip.
"I wouldn't recommend getting up so suddenly." Once again, Kamakiri's tone was indifferent. "You took a nasty fall."
Fall?
It was an afterthought. Memories flooded back to me in that moment. I met Banri and Upperclassman Issei in the library whereby Hachi and Naru showed up. They left for a BB meeting while I stayed behind to search for the books Miss Akagi asked me to. Then, I got all unsteady. Black engulfed my vision. . .
My eyebrows shot upward. I. . . fainted?
It clicked. However, my surroundings didn't. A cashmere blanket covered my legs and torso. Soft, uniquely patterned carpet was spread across the floor. The room wasn't too large or tall; had bizarre ornaments decorating the walls and ceiling. Not to mention the stacks of books, and small shelves housing snacks as well.
Absorbing the unfamiliar environment, my focus fell onto Kamakiri yet again.
"Judging by your reaction, you have no clue what happened," he said, still delving into the book in his grasps. "So you cause trouble wherever you go naturally, huh."
I tightened my grip on the fabric keeping me cozy. "I fainted, right?"
"If you can figure that much, it proves you at least have one working brain cell."
I'd become aware of his true personality for a while, but he didn't mince his words. Straight-faced, he neither averted his gaze nor paid me a fleeting glance.
"You collapsed in the middle of the library," he elaborated. "The infirmary was full, not to mention phoning an ambulance seemed like a pain, so Mrs. Uetsugi suggested letting you rest until you wake up. Guess who got dumped that role?"
He expelled a bolstered sigh.
"I have the worst luck. If only I stopped by the library a little later. . ."
It was brief, but before I passed out, I did spot another student in my vicinity. That must've been him. Regardless, that didn't explain where I was.
"Are we still in the library?" I inquired. The back room, perhaps?
Kamakiri's face contorted bitterly. Clearly, conversing with me was the last thing he wanted. "I guess," he finally caved. "It's a room designed specifically for me. Mrs. Uetsugi wasn't using it, and it was collecting dust, so I got her to let me take it over at the beginning of the year. For the record, aside from her, you're the only one I've ever let in here. You better keep your big mouth shut about it, or else."
Sourly, I trained a mini glare at him. It wasn't like I came here because I wanted. . .
A secret room, huh? Did that mean everything in here was his? This blanket, and these pillows. I elevated the one I'd been lying on, fit with an adorable penguin. It didn't suit him. . . The ones nearby didn't either. Not that I was going to voice that aloud.
"You're making yourself oddly comfortable for a freeloader."
Heat consumed my cheeks. I lowered his belongings instantly. "I-I'm only trying to make sense of things."
YOU ARE READING
Outsider Syndrome | ✓
Teen Fiction(A Reverse Harem) Due to her above-average height, Shiina Kisaragi lives as the constant object of ridicule by her high school peers. Not a day goes by where she isn't reminded of being an outcast. With her mother having passed away a year ago, she...
