Me and Ai

Chapter 11: Water and Oil

Chapter 11: Water and Oil

"Kaori, who wrote the melody of your song?"

"Hmm?" I looked at Syo who was across the table.

"You're in the idol course, right? You were the one singing after all. So someone had to write the melody for you."

"Umm..."

"Who's your composer?" he added.

"Well, the melo—"

I was cut off by a group of girls who suddenly shouted.

"Kyaa! Jinguji-san! It's Jinguji-san!"
"He's so handsome!"
"He's single, right? He doesn't have a girlfriend, right?"
"Jinguji-san! Please look over here!"

The girls were really noisy. It was quite bothersome.
I wonder who this Jinguji person is.

"Haruka, what's going on? Who is Jinguji?"

Haruka told me what Tomochan told her. She told me about the Jinguji and Hijirikawa group and how a fire starts whenever Jinguji-san and Hijirikawa-san meet.

"I see. So the two of them are like water and oil. I hope he doesn't come this way."

Syo overhears my conversation with Haruka.

"Kaori, how can you not know Jinguji? He's our classmate."

"Eh? He is!?"

I tried recalling our roll call this morning and I realized that he was indeed my classmate. He's the person who sits behind Syo in class.

"Oh. I remember now. He sits behind you. Is that right, Syo?"
"Yeah. That's right. That's him alright."

"So that's Jinguji-san."

Syo tells me that he is a flirtatious and carefree type of person. He usually skips class and doesn't submit his homework too. I wonder why? He'll get in trouble if he keeps doing that.

Unfortunately, the crowd of girls seemed to be moving this way. Would that mean that Jinguji-san is coming this way? Oh no. Please don't come here.
It was too late. I made a mistake. When I looked at the crowd of girls, he caught my eyes and started walking towards us. Why did I look?

"Ah, little lamb. You're here together with the mysterious beauty of my class."

Lamb? Does he mean Haruka?
Mysterious beauty? Is this what he thinks of me? Is this what I'm called in class?

Jinguji-san then notices Hijirikawa-san who was just beside me.

"Hmm? Hijirikawa, you're here as well? You're a lucky man to be able to spend time with these two wonderful ladies."

Hijirikawa-san did not speak but I could feel his irritation.

"Ignoring a person who is talking to you is a rude thing to do." Jinguji-san said as he smelled the rose he was holding.

"Speaking sweet words is not as sweet as you think either, Jinguji."

Oh no. Hijirikawa-san replied. I can feel the tension. Oh please just let this pass. I don't want any trouble or anything to happen. I hate it when people start quarrelling because it makes me remember such awful memories.

Lunch finished after a while and nothing more happened between Hijirikawa-san and Jinguji-san. They just continued to exchange comments with one another and such. Sigh.

"Lady, it's time to get back to class. Would you like to return with me?"

Jinguji-san then took my left hand and kissed it.

I quickly pulled my hand away. "I-It's alright! You go on ahead! I-I have to pass by the faculty to submit something."

"Is that so? Perhaps next time then. Take care, lady."

He smiled one last time and left. I think he's a nice person inside but I just don't like flirtatious men. They kind of...scare me. I just find it really uncomfortable.
We all stood up and went our own ways to our classrooms.

"See you guys later!" Tomochan said.

I nodded at her and Haruka. I waved at everyone else.
Before Syo left, I called out to him.

"Syo."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Just in case the teachers ask where I am, could you tell them that I'm with Saotome-sensei. I'll be meeting with him in the faculty room."

"Saotome? Shining Saotome?"

I nodded.

"Okay. I'll tell them. Are you in trouble or something?"

"No. It's just something about my enrolment. It's about the tuition fee. You see, I'm paying for half of my tuition here and the other half is from my parents."

I said farewell and went on my way to the faculty room.