Gold Foil

Chapter Eleven: Strides

"What're you standing around for?" Ieiri tilts her head and frowns. "We don't have all day, you know Getou. Yaga wants to talk to you before school starts." Not waiting for an answer, Ieiri starts to walk away. Hesitantly, Suguru follows before coming to a halt.

He blinks. In the distance, there was a wail of a train whistle and for a fleeting moment, Suguru had wondered if Gojou was on that train- coming back home. He shakes his head, there's no way that Gojou is coming back. Not when the elders have both of them strung up like little marionette dolls and one wrong move from either of them may end with those delicate strings being cut. Knowing that their lives are so dependent on their behavior and the elders' moods, it leaves Suguru frustrated.

He curses himself for waiting for so long before finally saying anything to Gojou. Maybe things would've been different if he had just reached out and taken that risk.

Ahead of him, Ieiri looks behind her before she sighs and turns back, stopping just in front of him. Suguru looks at her, confused, as she gives him a small and sad smile. Leaning against a wall, Ieiri fishes out her pack of cigarettes and offers one to Suguru. Without a moment's hesitation, he accepts the cigarette. Rolling the slim cigarette between his fingers, Suguru watches as Ieiri flicks open her lighter. In the early morning light, the soft orange of the fire casts subtle shadows that dance over Ieiri's face. She motions for him to lean forward and lights his cigarette.

With a deep inhale, Suguru's stress melts away and he feels like his head is in the clouds as soft grey smoke swirls around them. From the corner of his eye, Suguru notices that Ieri keeps stealing glances over at him as if she wants to say something. He decides to not press her, knowing that whatever she's going to eventually say- it's going to be about the predicament that Gojou and himself have found themselves in.

Thankfully, she never says anything. Her silence leaves Suguru one part curious and one part relieved. He wants to know what she was going to say but there will come a time where she does say what's on her mind and the truth of her words will no doubt dig deep.

Ieiri claps a hand on his shoulder. Glancing over to her, Suguru gives her a small smile and extinguishes his cigarette, continuing forward. As he walks in the direction of the school, he squints against the rising sun and his smile slips away.

He will become stronger.

"You're late." Yaga sighs, tapping a finger against a manila folder. "I see that Gojou has already been a bad influence on you, Getou." Though he's wearing a frown, Yaga's tone holds no venom. Suguru opens his mouth when the door behind him is flung open.

"You're really here!" Two small voices squeak out. Turning, he sees Mimiko and Nanako grinning up at him before they dash over and hug him.

"It's not nice of you to keep your biggest fans waiting like that." Yaga grunts as he opens the folder and fills out the papers. "They were so excited to see you, both of them hardly slept... which means I got no sleep too."

"We've been waiting for so long!" Nanako exclaims, pulling slightly away to grin up at him. To Suguru's surprise, he notes that one of her front teeth is missing.

"How is Sparkles?" Mimiko questions, "I bet she's having tons of fun at her sleepover!"

"Mister Yaga said that you're gonna be a teacher, is that true?"

"Will you get to be our teacher too?"

The twins end up speaking over each other, peppering him with questions and silly jokes and the dreams that they had over the last couple of nights. There's a chuckle from Yaga and quietly wishes him good luck.