Where You Go - A Kai Satou Fanfiction

Chapter Fourteen - Nao Egokoro

Reko and I walked into our next class, History of Egbenedia. Nao beckoned me over to sit by her, so I gave a polite wave to Reko and sat by Nao. From left to right, our seats were arranged as such: Reko, Gin, Nao, Me.

Mishima was at the front of the classroom shuffling through a pile of papers. He looked up to check the clock and then looked back down and started marking up the papers.

"Hey, Kai! Is everything alright? You seem a little down.." Nao asked worriedly. She was very kind, but I was alright. Reko's backstory was very sad but I needed to continue on with my day, I still have the whole day ahead of me.

"I am alright. I appreciate your worry." I responded. "How do you feel about this class, Nao?"

"I love this class! It's my favorite~!" She said in a cheery voice. "Professor Mishima is just the best too! My favorite class and the best teacher every? Score!" Her happiness brought a smile to my face, which I hid by scratching my nose.

Class went well again. Nothing too special happened, except for a rapid-fire conversation between Nao and Mishima.

Nao started. "So what you're telling me is- Queen Sara won our land by winning a war?"

Mishima followed. "Yes indeed, Miss Nao. It was a very intense war of the thumbs between herself and Lord Midori."

"A war of the thumbs? Do you mean a thumb war?"

"Yes ma'am. Midori still lives in Egbenedia."

"On Sara Island, correct?"

"Yes, but remember never to visit! Sara Island is the most dangerous place in Egbenedia."

"No one has returned alive to knowledge, correct?"

"Very good, Miss Nao!"

That was a lot of information. A lot of questions just opened up. How am I alive? Why was I sent to Sara Island in the first place? More specifically, was someone trying to kill me?

Is Alice okay?

I shook off my worried and focused in on the lesson. We mostly learned about the intense thumb war between Queen Sara and this 'Midori' person, which was interesting but I feel as if it was dragged off into a longer lesson than needed. The lesson quickly ended and we walked out of the classroom.

Reko and Gin were deep into conversation after class so we let them go ahead into Citizen Studies. Nao and I walked together.

"Ooh, ooh! I love citizen studies! It's my favorite class ever!" Nao exclaimed with glee.

"Is it? I though History of Egbenedia was your favorite?" I asked, curious as to why she would change her answer.

"I love all of my classes! School is so much fun! Every day we get to learn something new, and under the professor's teaching? It makes learning a blast!" She explained with a joyful smile. It was intimidating... I do not understand how someone is so cheerful all of the time. Was she perhaps using it as a facade? Or was this her true self? I decided now was not the time to ask.

"I see. You and Mishima seem to get along, then?" I asked.

"Yes! Mishima and I are very close! I respect him so much, he's like a father to me!"

Her tone sounded very honest. Nao was such a sweet woman, I am very grateful to be her friend. "I am glad you two get along. I am also glad you enjoy your classes, school is a luxury not all can obtain."

"Yeah, you're right! I'm really grateful to be here, going to school, have a job, and to have met all of you! I must be one of the luckiest people on the world!" Nao smiled.

We continued to head to Citizen Studies. We walked into the class and sat down in the same order we had been in for History of Egbenedia. Mishima walked in not too soon after.

The class was neutral. Nothing good happened, nothing bad happened. Nao seemed to enjoy it a lot, to the point where when I would lean over to ask her a question I'd have to ask multiple times because she was so focused on her work! It was very impressive.

Next on our schedule was to tidy the castle. This would last for the next two hours. I was not sure how this was going to happen. I looked over at Reko, planning to ask her how this was going to go, but she was in deep conversation with Gin and they were already heading out the door.

"Follow me, Mister Kai!" Nao said as she got up and grabbed her Trader Tazuna's bag. I got up and grabbed my belongings and headed after her.

As we were walking out of the classroom, Nao's vocal chords started up. "First we should start by cleaning the yoga room. Lets go!"

We headed to the Yoga room and began cleaning. I am not going to get to into detail about how exactly we were cleaning, because that isn't very important. What's important is the conversation we had. It started off with Nao spilling a little too much soap than she intended to when cleaning the yoga mats.

"Oh no!!" Nao shouted in surprise. I looked over at the mess she made and walked over to help her clean it up.

"Are you alright, Miss Nao?" I asked.

"Yes, I am. I'm just clumsy, that's all! One day, I'm sure to clean without making any mess!" She exclaimed confidently.

"Miss Nao, are you really that clumsy? Forgive me for asking, but if you knew you were not good at this job, why do you work here?" I said. I'll admit, I did sound a little rude. I was unable to figure out how to word it in a nicer way.

"It's okay! Well, I met Professor Mishima one day while I was shopping at a Walmart. I accidently knocked over some bottles of marinara sauce and they spilled all over the floor!"

"Oh no... Were you alright? Did you get hurt?" A concerned me asked.

"I was alright! It was very messy, however. I felt so bad for the person who worked there, so I offered to clean it up for them! In the middle of cleaning, the professor walked up to me and asked me what I was doing. I wasn't wearing anything near to a workers' uniform, so it was only natural that he'd be curious!"

"I see..."

"Yes! After I explained to him what I was doing, he insisted on helping me clean it up! I told him about how I was an aspiring artist, but I wasn't doing to well financially and I was at risk of losing my home. He then offered me a job at the castle!"

"Oh? And you accepted, right?"

"No... I initially declined him! I felt I could manage on my own, and I didn't want to be a burden on this stranger! He then told me that they were actually looking for people to work here, and I would be helping him out!"

"So you were the first person to arrive?"

"Correct! I was the first student under Mishima to arrive at the castle! Without Mishima, I would have probably lost my house and became homeless. I owe everything to me! He's taught me so much, and I appreciate every second I have here!"

"Understandably so, Miss Nao. The professor seems like a very good person."

"He is! Even now, he's always so kind and understanding to me! Like I said, I have to appreciate every second I have here! I owe my life to the professor, so I have to try my hardest!"

Nao and I finished cleaning up her mess.

"That was a very sweet story, Miss Nao. I am very happy that you are here as well.."

Nao smiled and continued to clean. I walked back to the area I was cleaning and smiled. Nao's story was such a sweet one, and it makes me appreciate the professor even more. I chuckled a little under my breath and continued to clean. Soon after we were done, and we moved to the next room. And then the next. And then it was time to make dinner, so we headed out the door and made our way to the kitchen.