Me and Ai

Chapter 16: Greater Heights Fight

Chapter 16: Greater Heights Fight

"Syo has a fear for heights?" Otoya said in surprise.

"Of c-c-course not!" Syo said while shaking on his seat with his back against us.

"Hehe. It looks like it's a serious case" Tomochan said.

Otoya then said, "Isn't that going to be a problem? The movie..."

"It's full of high places." Tomochan says in a teasing voice as she places her head on top of her hands that were resting on the table.

"Shut up! I-I'll get over this stupid fear of heights!" Syo was still shaking making his words not convincing enough.

I then realized. "Then, earlier today, you were up that tree because you were trying to get over your fear of heights?"

"Syo-chan, you are too secretive. You should have come to me for help!" Natsuki says in a caring voice.

"Y-you're too dangerous!"

"I would never put you in any danger!"

"That smile is dangerous enough!"

Otoya then speaks, "Why don't we help him?"

"Yeah! Let's help him so he can audition for the role in the movie!" Haruka said.

"I'll definitely help you, Syo!" I said.

"I suppose I'll lend a hand" Tomochan said as she smiled.

A voice then said, "That sounds interesting."

When Syo turned to look to see who said that, he was startled because Jinguji-san's face was right in front of his face.

"Would you mind if I joined in? It seems like the perfect way to kill time."

Otoya then looked at Hijirikawa-san who was sitting two chairs away from him.
"How about you, Masa?"

Hijirikawa-san puts down his tea and says, "Knowing what is right and not doing it signifies a want of courage."

"Then you're in." Otoya smiles.

Syo looks at all of us. "If...everyone is going to help...then I will do my best."

Everything was settled and we started doing the things that we thought could help Syo with his height problems. The first plan was to make him stand at the top of one of the school's tower and make him jump with a rope tied to him. Something like bungee jumping.

"T-This is the first step?!" Syo shouted.

"Exposure therapy is the most effective way of curing!" Natsuki said.

"Are you sure about this?" Haruka asked.

"I don't know." Otoya replied.

Syo didn't seem like he was going to jump any time soon and so Natsuki pushed him. In the end, it just made Syo turn really purple and froze him.

The second plan was to make him ride the window cleaner's scaffolding on a high floor of a building. Syo was just panicking the whole time.

The third plan was to make him stand at the side of a high bridge.
He just panicked as well.
We did several other things but it all just scared Syo.
Haruka went to Saotomate to buy water and Syo just lay down on a bench and Tomochan was fanning him because he was all red in the face.
"Don't you think we went overboard?" she said.
"I think we just made it worse." Otoya said.

"I guess it's time to call it quits." Jinguji-san said.

Haruka came back with water and we poured it over Syo who couldn't take it anymore. Syo calmed down but then he turned pale blue.
"I can't take it anymore..."

Natsuki bent over him. "Syo-chan, are you alright?"

I was starting to give up as well. "I wonder why he's afraid of heights?"

"Maybe it's from something terrible that happened in his past." Hijirikawa-san said.

A loud laugh suddenly came out from nowhere.
A man suddenly appeared from behind the bench where Syo was lying down.
We all got startled. It was Shining Saotome.

"Headmaster, how long have you been there?!" Tomochan said.

"Are you eavesdropping again?" Haruka said.

Shining Saotome got up and started spinning on the top of the bench and jumped into the air. He landed on front of the bench.

"Listening to the problems of this academy's students is part of the job for me." He said.

He grabbed Syo and started to shake him. "Mr. Kurusu!"

"W-what do you want with me?!" Syo yelled.

"Are you all right-yo?"

Shining Saotome told us to meet him in his office at night and we did. There, he made Syo sit on the couch with a metronome on front of him. Shining Saotome sat across him.
"Now, close your eyes, slowly, deep breathing...slowly...slow and slow, slowly...slowly...calm down..."

So I guess Shining Saotome wanted to try hypnotism? Will this work?

"And you're getting sleepier and sleepier..."

We all waited intently.

"So you went to sleep?" Shining Saotome asked.

"Of course not. How could I sleep like this?!"

Syo started to rant and complain and suddenly he fell asleep. Wow. It worked.

Shining Saotome then continued. "Okay, you have fallen asleep. Now go deep into your memories. You are now three years old and on a Ferris wheel are you scared of being high up?"

Syo replied, "I'm not scared. It's fun."

"You are now four years old. Are you scared?"

"Nope. It's still fun."

"Now you are five years old. Are you scared? Is it scary being up there on the Ferris wheel?"

Syo's face started to have an uncomfortable expression and he seems to tense up.
He started to scream.

"What's wrong?" Shining Saotome asked.

Syo suddenly stood up. "I'M SCARED! GET ME DOWN! HELP ME!"

"What happened?" Shining Saotome asked.

Syo then started saying, "STOP CHASING ME AROUND! GO AWAY!"

After the hypnotism, we found out that the reason for Syo's fear of heights was all because of Natsuki. When they were kids, Natsuki was chasing Syo and they ended up at the top of a tower. Syo slipped at the top and almost fell. Natsuki was able to catch him before he fell but Syo looked down and got scared of the height.

"Natsuki! You're the culprit!" Syo said angrily.
He went to Natsuki and grabbed him by the collar.

"Oh! I remember now!" Natsuki said in his usual joyful aura.

Syo got annoyed and started shouting at Natsuki and shaking him as well.
Poor Syo! At least now we know why he's so scared of heights.