IshiMondo Collection

‣ a moment of honesty

Kiyotaka Ishimaru needed glasses. It shouldn't have been a big deal, and it wasn't in and of itself. What bothered Mondo was why, and the fact that he had warned him on multiple occasions.

"I told you not to study if you don't have any light!"

It was an unusual reversal of a common script between the two. Kiyotaka, partially because of his position as a disciplinarian and partially because of his own personality, frequently scolded Mondo. For the biker to be scolding the prefect was an odd change of pace, but not entirely unwelcome.

"But I must study to maintain my grades!"

Kiyotaka was as stubborn as always, and Mondo scoffed.

"Yeah, sure, study, but don't do it all night, and use a goddamn lamp!"

The prefect had barged into his room without warning, as he had taken to doing when he was upset or excited, with the announcement and a slip of paper indicating his scheduled eye appointment. Mondo had just gotten out of the shower, and he was now dressed in flannel pajama pants and and a sleeveless undershirt, his loosened hair still dripping and a towel wrapped around his neck. Mondo had been so startled by the news that it had not even crossed his mind to remind Ishimaru to knock, even as he had quickly scurried to properly cover himself with a towel before the other boy saw a bit too much of him and even as he had quickly thrown on some clothes while Kiyotaka stood completely still with his hands over his eyes.

Now, he had Kiyotaka more or less cornered. He was standing by the door of the dormitory's bathroom, and Mondo had not allowed him to pass, had trapped him where he stood in favor of lecturing him. Kiyotaka eyed the beanbag chairs near the table almost longingly, and he kept looking around as if for an escape route, but Mondo could not be swayed. He placed his hands on his hips and stood at his full height— lessened, of course, by the current lack of pompadour and boots.

"A lamp, kyoudai. It's not a new concept."

Kiyotaka narrowed his eyes a bit and his lips formed a tight line.

"I don't have one."

"What?"

"I do not have a desk lamp, and I cannot ask my father to waste his money on such an expensive trifle, and I cannot use the overhead light at home as it would wake him and he needs to work so early, and I can't use the overhead light here in the dorms because that would violate the lights-out rules—"

"What do you mean you can't ask your dad to buy you a lamp?! Why don't you just use your school stipend?!"

Hope's Peak supplied what was more or less a monthly allowance to its more impoverished students, Mondo himself included as he didn't actually have any parents. With how little money Kiyotaka's family had, and the amount they still owed, Mondo was certain the boy qualified for one. But the prefect shook his head.

"My stipend goes directly to my father. Repaying our debts is more important than—"

"Fuck!"

The expletive was all he could manage to express how he was feeling. Mondo tangled his hands into his wet hair and stomped away from Kiyotaka, frustrated beyond belief. The boy could be downright unreasonable sometimes, usually when it came to his own hypocrisy in taking proper care of himself like he urged everyone else to do. He'd skip meals, pull all-nighters, and miss doctor's visits, all while insisting that others do nothing of the sort.

Mondo threw down his hands with a long sigh and turned around. He had half-expected Kiyotaka to take the opportunity to escape, but he had instead folded his arms and glared.