Spring Festival || Aki Hayakawa X OC

Chapter 5: Favors

After the events of the previous day, all Niko wants is a break. But there's still so much to do. The council knows, and the broadcasting department is ready to deliver the news to the school. This would all be thrilling, if the thought of telling the principal of the sudden change of plans didn't loom overhead like a storm on the horizon.

Niko would have much rather ripped the band-aid clean off yesterday, but Ren insisted that they wait until Junpei delivered the request themselves. And now that she's had time to think about it, it makes sense. If they had just burst into the principal's office and told her themselves, she would've demanded to know how Junpei knew about the error, and that would not have ended well. Now at least with junpei delivering the request days later, she wont be skeptical at all. She'll have no choice but to go along with it.

She just hopes whoever Junpei sends is anyone but Aki. Just thinking about him coming into her turf all high and mighty, looking down on everyone else, makes her want to gag.

She slings her bag over her shoulders as the school approaches, each step nerve wracking. She has the whole day to prepare and calm herself, but the thought brings little comfort. Up ahead she spots Haru and Yuki walking side by side, being alone right now does not sound appealing, so she jogs up to them as they near the gates.

"Good morning," she greets, and they respond in kind. The sky is dark and cloudy, and it's not the only thing that's gloomy. The students look less animated than usual, by now the rumor about the festival's cancellation has spread throughout the school. Morale is low, and she can't really blame them.

"Everyone looks so down," Yuki comments, Niko and Haru hum in agreement.

"The announcement is scheduled for tomorrow, the principal has to know first," Haruka reminds them as they walk through the doors. The mention of principal Choi makes her bristle, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

"Nervous?" asks Haru, Niko nods sheepishly. "Don't be. Principal Choi is super chill, I'm sure she'll be just as glad to know that the festival's back on as we are, and she won't be too upset."

Niko grimaces. "Yeah, I hope so too. Someone from Junpei will be here to deliver the news with us, but... I'm still not sure how she'll take it."

Niko and Yuki arrive at their class and part with Haru. The bell rings just as they take their seats. The first half of the day passes by in a blur. She was anxious to get it over with, anxious about what principal Choi would decide because ultimately, this was all up to her. She really hoped whoever was coming was persuasive enough to get the principal on our side.

She wouldn't mind if it were Power who came, she was the most determined and goal driven person Niko had met, and she was convinced of that because it only took a short conversation for it to be so clear. She's intimidating, but in the sense that she doesn't need her charm to get what she wants. If she comes, Fukushima is sure to participate in the festival.

Time seems to speed up again, they have less than two hours before the representative from Junpei arrives. With her limbs feeling heavier than lead she trudges onward to the entrance. Why did she have to do this by herself, couldn't Ren at least feel sorry for her?

Ten minutes pass, and she's beginning to think they'll be a no-show, when a black BMW peaks out in the distance. The car slows down when it reaches the gates. Dread washes over her, then flares into annoyance. Her fists clenched at her sides as Aki Hayakawa steps out of the car and walks past her like he doesn't see her. He's just gonna act like they've never even met before? She peers into the darkened windows hoping, praying that Power is in there too: no such luck.

With a frustrated sigh she hurries after him. There's no way he actually walks that fast, he's trying to mess with her, and she knows it. That only irritates her further.