Pearled Oysters Volume 2

~3~ Confrontations

"This needs to stop."
The next break had taken a long time to arrive and though I was exhausted, I still made sure to corner Haru alone for our little chat. Kumi was acting in part as a distraction by talking to Natsu about Ai. That left the business of sorting out this mess solely to me. But it seemed like Haru wasn't interested in actually listening.
            "What are you even talking about Haya-chan?"
She was trying to come off as amused and flippant. It was pissing me off. So instead of hitting her like my emotions wanted, I punched the nearby wall and just grabbed her shoulders before actually responding.
             "Haru! Don't even try that. We only know about it because you can't seem to keep your hands off each other."
I saw a shock of fear in her eyes at my actions but it gave way to an annoyed sigh.
             "What's the western idiom? Pot meet kettle? I remember you two are more than affectionate regardless of who is present or where you are."
            "There's one key difference though."
"Oh really?"
"We didn't try to hide it from everyone and openly acknowledged being together."
We had gotten into arguments and fights before, but this one turned uglier than I had expected. For the first time in years, Haru actually got upset enough to push me back.
"You didn't tell us!"
"You already knew! And we didn't hide it like you two!"
"Well... we're not you and Ku-chan. There are valid reasons not to announce it to the world."
"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it. I can't believe you haven't told Ume. If she finds out any other way than you telling her... it's going to break her."
At the mention of Ume, Haru seemed to lose most if not all of her anger... however she shook her head and planted her flag of denial.
"Why would it break her? She's straight... She's interested in Natsu and they're probably dating already. We're not all as messy in our relationships as you. She'll probably be grateful that I'm no longer getting in her way. At least let us figure out our own way of doing things."
Haru turned and left me with the strong urge to scream. Instead I just slouched and mumbled the part she wasn't seeming to get.
            "But what if we only think she's straight because she already has you? And what if you had come out before all this? Why am I the one who can see it? My not telling you about Kumi is different than you hiding your relationship from Ume. It was a day before you learned and we had openly announced it before then. You've been with them for over a month and the only people who know are those who caught you. Ume will not react well no matter what she feels. I just don't want either of you to get hurt."
             I don't know how but a moment later I realised that I was on the floor and sobbing as if I could feel some part of me suddenly break. I just knew this wasn't going to end well but she just wasn't going to listen. It wasn't something anyone else could tell Ume. It had to be Haru, and even then I knew there would be a reaction that would surprise both of them. I just hoped things were going better for Kumi.

I really wished Hayami was with me. These were her friends first. I understood that she was the only person who could probably get through Haru's thick skull, but that didn't change the fact that I wasn't sure if Natsu had fully forgiven me for being connected to two situations at the carnival last summer. At least now I was learning some of the skills that would allow me to not have to worry about what he might try.
         "So what exactly is the deal with you and Ai? We get she isn't always the shy little doll she pretends to be, but why does she make you so upset?"
         "You don't have to worry about it. That's none of your business."
He started to leave. I stepped in front of his path and Ume grabbed his arm, causing him to look from me to her with clear surprise and concern.
          "Yes. It is. You're our friend. There aren't many of those. Plus besides that you're making Ume worried, and so we're also worried. Plus Ai isn't going to leave us alone and seems to like to tease you more than most. What's going on?"
The death glare he gave me was so strong that I could imagine it killing a charging rhino.
           "I don't want to talk about it."
           "Tough. She's here now and we have to know what we're dealing with."
            "So ask her!"
            "I'm asking you, because I trust you more."
            "Well then let it go. I'll handle it."
            "Why does it have to be you?"
            "Because she was my best friend!"
            The room we were in was empty but still, it felt like it went silent in an unnatural way as his shout rang in my ears. I didn't know what to say in response, and then he hung his head and continued in a defeated tone.
             "She was the first person I met in primary. We were friends ever since. When we got into middle school... we were put in the same class. That's when I started to notice the change. Most of the time she's all sweet and shy innocence that makes people want to be around her, but then a girl would catch her eye and she'd chase after them like she'd die if they weren't together. Then if there was any trouble she'd hide behind me. The relationships never lasted long. I thought she was just unlucky or had bad taste. They always seemed either very bitter towards her or way too clingy and then downright scornful. That's when the rumours started. They began calling her the Ninja Succubus. I was the only one who stood up for her. I thought it was just lies told by her exes. And then I started seeing her act. I watched her go out on a date with one person and then halfway through she met someone else and left the first person to wait until she returned only to apparently break up with a third the next day. And then I was personally confronted by some of her exes. She had been using them. She'd go out with them, letting them spoil her and always wanted to be treated like they owned her, and then as soon as she got a specific thing or they slept together she'd break up and act like they were never a thing. And then I heard that she was supposedly saying that she was really with me and I was a possessive protective lover who'd hurt any of them if they spoke up. So at our middle school graduation I confronted her about it and learned that while she never said we were together, she did want to be my friend just so I'd protect her. So I told her to stay away from me and took the entrance exam to get into this school but had trouble with making the correct switch in uniforms. And now she's here and clearly was planning on doing the same thing as before."
         "And she was trying to latch onto me."
         "You're kinda her type, though she seems to like it when they are more controlling and physically forceful."
          "And then she changed tactics when she learned I was with Hayami."
           "Of course, she didn't know that I would be here and so who better to protect her than someone called the school goddess?"
             "Well that's less likely to happen."
            "Don't worry. I'll make sure she's not going to cause trouble and that she stays away."
            "No, I think she should be around us if she wants to be. I'm not quite convinced that she really is some horrible person. Just some immature little power bottom masochist who needs to learn how to behave outside their roles and mask. We'll all be careful and watch out for her."
Something about it all didn't quite add up in my head. It made me think of the fact that no one really understood why I had used a mask in the past. Some things just begged to be hidden from possible danger. Maybe in time I could open up truly and let Hayami in. Right now I just wanted to let things get comfortable. I had already messed up when we started and the cost was we were now in so deep that it was just as dangerous to step back as to press further. Ms Kaneko had been right when she was talking to Hayami while I pretended to sleep. We were acting like an established couple but we didn't have any foundation to lean back on. So I was going to make sure we built that before the end of our first year together. Somehow I felt like Ai was like me a bit. If she found someone who really matched with her needs and desires, maybe she'd settle. Or maybe she needed to consider poly and be honest with her needs. Either way I knew there was a definite need for things to change and grow naturally. I just had to hope it wasn't too late.