The Humanity Club | ✓

44-2. Welcome back

CHAPTER 44 (PART 2)

          "I'm going to do it."

"Don't. It's too risky."

The wall Hiro and I were hiding behind led into a separate corridor, giving us a good view of the vacated hall. Primarily, the girl of long black hair currently scanning over the clipboard for the upcoming event. Wannabe wasn't in sight, and the silence in the air was insanely unnerving, to say the least. The only means of noise originated from the open window nearby, waves of cheers of one of the sporting events underway. After the occurrence of the three-legged race, events had resumed with little to no argument. Though, knowing the repercussions that could've followed if we'd done another big-scale prank like that, we kept on a low profile, performing small things to delay events like misplacing name tags, scattering equipment, etc.

Hiro and I had just finished rolling out some dodgeballs and having a surge of boys dodge like madmen, when we came across this sudden sight. Ikumi, by herself in this hall, definitely a mess of all things frustration.

"What's going on today? This event should be perfect," she grumbled to herself.

She brought her thumbnail to her mouth, biting it fervently as she cast the clipboard onto the closest window ledge. Then she rested her elbows on it, gazing out and scanning the situation below.

"I'm going for it," I whispered. "How angry can she possibly get?"

Hiro shook his head, as to tell me not to. And honestly, I should've listened to him. But seeing such a golden opportunity ahead of me pushed all my rationality out the window.

With Ikumi's back to me, I crawled forward, as silently as I could with my kneesocks scraping against the floor. My heart pounded like a drill in my chest. I kept a firm look upwards in case she suddenly moved, but fortunately the girl's mind was too preoccupied that her senses of her surroundings had dulled. When I arrived underneath the windowpane, her calves inches from my face, my fingers trembled. Okay, now that I had crossed over to this side, this could very well mean my demise as well as ruin everything that comprised our mission today. Or things could go really well and I could see Ikumi lose her top for the first time since I met her.

I spared a glance to Hiro. The look on his face was easily impassive, giving me the notice that I was completely on my own. Maybe I really should've thought this through more... Knowing, however, that such regret wouldn't do me any good in this situation, I cleared my mind the best I could and reached to the ledge. My fingers barely skimmed the papers when Ikumi heaved a loud breath and moved. My heart dropped and I immediately dived back down, throwing myself into fetal position and pressing as close as I could to the wall.

Fortunately, Ikumi never lowered her gaze. She'd simply repositioned her elbow, this time her head craned left—in the complete opposite direction that I was. Albeit wanting to breathe out in relief, I didn't dare risk it. It was now or never. Mustering all the courage I still had buried within me, I rose on my knees, jerked my hand back up and snatched the board as swiftly as possible. Then without even bothering to wait for a response, adrenaline running high through my veins, I crawled like a madwoman back to Hiro.

I skidded behind the wall, burying myself the best I could from her ray of view. Ignoring the burn of my kneecaps through my socks from crawling, I lowly breathed out, "Success."

The corners of Hiro's lips downturned further. "That was a stupid idea."

Setting down the clipboard of the organized events, I gave him a flat look. "Look, just because you're book smart and have your head screwed on better than me when it comes to reality doesn't mean you have the right tell me this was a stupid idea when I know for a fact—"