Call Me Mr. Knight

Chapter 22

"Hmm... Something definitely changed." Sai smiled as Sasuke and I went to school together the next day. He kept looking at us suspiciously behind his grinning façade. Although, based on his twinkling eyes and his all-knowing smirk, I knew Sai already figured it out. I couldn't help but hide a blush at that.

I wanted to scowl because Sasuke appeared really cool even now.

When we woke up earlier, aniki had already gone back to his room. Sasuke, on the other hand, remained asleep underneath the warm blankets. I wanted to do that too but I reluctantly went to the bathroom and readied myself for school, yawning and stretching all the while. When I came out of the bathroom, Sasuke was already waiting with his arrogant smirk in place. I glared at him, knowing full well the reason behind that cunning expression, and yet I also couldn't help but blush.

We didn't have time to ponder about what happened last night nor did we have the chance to talk about it, what with all the morning commotion of going to school. Aniki kept pestering us to hurry up before he drove off on his own again.

Sasuke insisted yet again that he would be the one to drive the motorcycle. I didn't argue anymore, at least not that much, since we're really going to be late.

And thus, even now, Sasuke and I have yet to talk about our so-called change in status. Just thinking about it already gave me so much warmth.

On a more serious note, our team already managed to find the ninth piece of the puzzle. I had no idea how Sai and Kimimarou managed to get a hand on the ninth piece of THE puzzle so early in the morning but I didn't think I would want to know. They already had the piece when we met up with each other in the field just now.

I looked at Sai with suspicious eyes but he simply gave me his most annoying fake smile. I believe it meant I wouldn't want to know. And so I didn't ask any further. Sasuke and Yahiko, on the other hand, didn't even bother to feint surprise as they saw the ninth piece. It was truly suspicious. I just hoped there was no group somewhere out there crying because of injuries and also for losing their dearest ninth piece.

"...'A thousand needles for a broken promise... A thousand words for a broken heart'... This," I voiced as I looked at the final clue without any idea of what it could mean. "...is definitely troublesome." All the clues before this last one were very elementary and had very literal meanings. The last clue, on the other hand, sounded quite poetic. I could only look at my teammates since I really had no idea about it.

"I already heard that line somewhere." Kimimarou voiced quietly. "No... I think I've read it..." He had that look of concentration – lips cast downward and eyebrows creased – as he kept trying to remember when or how he saw it.

If he was correct, then I take back my word about it being poetic. To think they would just end up taking the line out of someplace without even bothering to make up some riddle about it...

Yahiko's eyes lightened up too. "Yeah, I already saw that line too. I feel like it was written somewhere." He looked at all of us to silently ask if we had the same nostalgic feeling about the line.

Both Sasuke and Sai were mirroring my face as I looked back at him with a clueless expression. I had never heard it before... maybe except perhaps the line about the thousand needles. It reminded me of when aniki and I would make a promise to one another when we were younger. We would sing that song as we entwined our pinky fingers together.

"The first years don't know about it. Only we third years do." Kimimarou deduced as he looked at Yahiko. "It means it's in some place the first years don't normally go to."

"There is no such place in this school." Sasuke mused aloud, indicating there wasn't a place prohibited for first years and the like. And knowing Sasuke, the bastard must have already visited even the places that were prohibited simply for the sake of fighting stronger opponents. Even Sai couldn't seem to think of a place where freshmen didn't usually go.