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10: What's Wrong?

The way Len looked at me, with that blankness in his blue eyes that was so unlike him, made my stomach churn. I was worried and I knew that something horrible had happened.

Len always smiled. I believe I mentioned earlier that if Len can't smile then something is indeed wrong. This was one of those moments.

"Len," I said again, pulling his arm. "Are you...are you okay?"

"No," he bit his lip and shook his head slowly. "Gumi, last night, my mom's...my parents were fighting and she just left. Hasn't come back yet..."

I took a slow breath and pulled Len along with me towards the school. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"She just...left, Gumi," he said. "Ran to the bus stop and climbed on. Hasn't answered her phone. Hasn't called. My dad locked himself up in his room and my sister...Rin's been crying all night. She wouldn't even go to school this morning."

"Is your mom okay?" I wasn't sure what to say.

"I don't know!" Len growled. "I don't know where she is or anything! If she's alive..."

He stopped walking and held his head in his hands, groaning. I pulled him towards a wall and sat down with him, my knees folded under my bum.

"Len...," I pulled his hands away. He looked at me and blinked.

"I'm sorry, Gumi," he whispered hoarsely. I shook my head, slowly bringing my thumb to his cut cheek and trailing down the length of the wound. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath.

"What happened here?" I asked.

"I slipped," he said. "It was raining and I was running after my mom..."

"Did you disinfect it?"

"Y-Yeah, I...sort of," he mumbled. "Rin didn't even help. Whatever, I don't..."

"It's alright," I said. "You don't have to talk about it."

"I have to," he said, meeting my eyes. "Gumi, if I don't tell you...who will I tell?"

I nodded slowly. "Take your time, Len."

We got up and walked into the school. I hugged Len tightly and we waddled across the halls together.

"She's going to be fine," I said, trying to assure Len as we walked to his first class. The bell rang, jolting me. I looked up at Len and he looked at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry for being like this," he said. I shook my head.

"Don't be sorry," I said. "I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Where do you want to meet?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "By the tree, where we played with the cat?"

I smiled widely and patted his shoulder. "That sounds good," I said. "See you then, Len."

"Yeah," he nodded. I stared at him for a few seconds.

"And smile," I requested quietly, raising my fingers to brush his cut again. He suddenly took my hand in his and closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "Len?"

He smiled a sad smile and let go of my fingers to tousle my hair. "See you at lunch," he said before walking into class.

"I don't think Len and I can play today," I said to Gakupo in Accounting class. He tilted his head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

"What? Why not?" He asked before chuckling softly. "Afraid of losing?"

"Shut up," I shook my head. "I'm not like you. I just...I'm going to be with Len."