The Jian

Chapter 12: Hidden Reasons

Zero two stood in the doorway, her eyes were cold and menacing as they bore into Ichigo. Ichigo couldn't help but shiver under her gaze.

'And I'm that bad, that you even shiver by me looking at you... I am disgusted... You're supposed to help students like me, students who are new and lonely... Typical of humans...'

As she finished her speech of distaste, she took a step closer towards the squad.

'I honestly thought that humans were good at this... being able to hide their emotions, if there were any in the first place...' With everything Zero two said, more guilt and shame festered in the squad's hearts. The one who was feeling the guiltiest was Ichigo as she was the one who had been following her in the first place. And she only just then told them of her conspiracy theories.

Her stride was paused as she let the words cut in deeper.

'This is one of the reasons why I don't trust your kind...' Her stride was now turned towards the door as she left. Goro got up to try to talk to her, but as he laid a hand on her shoulder, Zero two's glare whipped around d to meet it. He let go of her, allowing her to continue her way to where ever she was going.

The squad all felt ashamed of their friend and themselves. If they just tried; things could've been better than they were now.

≈ θ ≈

Hiro had instead of gone to the forest where he usually would have gone, had gone to his and Goro's dorm room. He had done so to take some time to think. Something that had been reoccurring on a rapid scale.

He lay there, eyes and mind wondering around the room and what might be of Zero two. The mysteries and answers behind her.

So much about was fascinating and aggravating. He could never find an answer...

His pondering's and wondering's lead him to his slumber, awaking the next morning with an angry and loud stomach.

'Best you head off to breakfast; surprised you got anymore sleep than I did with all of that rumbling!' he greeted with his usual joke. 'Didn't see you at dinner, and you're up early enough to even make breakfast! Who are you, and what have you done with Hiro?'

'Haha; very funny,' he said through yawns. 'I'm human being, who needs his breakfast just like you...'

'I'm surprised. Usually sleep is the only thing that is motivation to wake up on time! Let alone wake up at all...'

'Your humour is one of a kind, Goro,'

Goro put his hands up in protest, 'You're growing, I'm growing; we're all growing! You need your food, sleep, and hormo...' Goro's train of voice trailed off as he remembered Hiro's equally strange infatuation with Zero two and what happened at the common rooms the last night.

'Yeah whatever...' said Hiro who hadn't witnessed the occurrence last night. 'Let's see how long it takes for you to finish getting dressed and ready?'

'You're on!'

And the two began to race to see if they could win the race to the breakfast table.

≈ θ ≈

For what was like the first time in forever, Hiro had actually made it to breakfast before most of the squad had. Of course, Zero two was there, slumped over her spot on a table and her face pointed towards the window. Not long, students and the such filed in and some left after eating their meal for the morning. Zero two was one of these early eaters.

Hiro thought it strange to see Zero two at the cafeteria as she had not been there before and seldom ventured among students before and after school hours. She seemed in a bad mood as she was giving the poor window a good glare down. He would have to ask about it later.