Remember Me (Illumi x reader) (Modern)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 2

       The bus arrived shortly after our arrival, sparing us only about five minutes of waiting. I stood up, hoisting my bag onto my shoulder as the doors swung open. Turning towards Illumi, I gave a mock bow, gesturing towards the bus entrance with my hand as I tipped my head forward.

"Ladies first," I teased with a smirk, noting the subtle drop of his eyebrows that showed his lack of amusement. Undeterred, I playfully wiggled my eyebrow at his deadpan expression before following him onto the bus as he stepped inside.

I settled into a vacant seat, letting out a sigh as I sank into the cushioned comfort. Meanwhile, Illumi opted to remain standing, his slender, pale fingers curling around the bus pole as his eyes remained fixed on his phone screen.

Feeling a slight desire for his attention, I reached out and gently tugged on his sleeve.

"What's the matter?" he inquired, his gaze still fixed on his device, showing little interest in looking at me directly. I patted the seat beside me with a slight purse of my lips, hoping to catch his eye. He arched an eyebrow in response.

"Care to join me here?" I asked, a hint of longing in my voice.

He let out a sigh and acquiesced, sliding into the seat beside me and placing his bag on the floor between his legs. I couldn't help but smile, leaning in slightly and resting my head against his shoulder. However, before I could even utter a word or fully express my contentment, his hand swiftly met my face, pushing my head back and away from him.

"What the he-" I attempted to exclaim, but my voice was muffled by his hand, leaving my words stifled.

His gaze locked onto my (e/c) eyes, his expression serious. "I agreed to sit beside you, not to have you smother me, (Y/n)," he stated firmly. "I'll stand again if you continue with that behavior."

Feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion, I immediately pulled away, hugging my bag tightly against my chest instead. "I didn't know I was smothering you," I muttered defensively, feeling a bit hurt by his reaction. 

-------

As we disembarked from the bus and set foot on school grounds, a chilly breeze sent shivers down my spine, prompting me to pull my hood up and clutch my bag tightly. Illumi trailed behind me, casually swinging his bag over his shoulder.

Amidst the bustling crowds, I suddenly sensed another tall figure closing in on me from behind. Unease prickled at my skin, causing a shiver to run down my spine as I turned around slowly. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I found myself face-to-face with none other than the enigmatic clown, his piercing golden eyes locking onto mine.

Hisoka. . .

"Hello, (Y/n) ~" Hisoka greeted me with his usual unsettling charm. I couldn't help but cringe at the way my name rolled off of his tongue, but I forced a smile onto my features nonetheless. "Hi-"

"Hisoka," Illumi's voice cut in abruptly, saving me from further interaction with the red-haired clown. A part of me was relieved that Illumi intervened.

Hisoka's smile widened, and he elegantly turned to face a visibly bothered Illumi. "Yes~?"

"Care to explain why you were bombarding me with a plethora of text messages at such an hour?" Illumi's tone was laced with irritation. It took me a moment to realize that Hisoka's incessant messaging was likely the reason why Illumi had been so engrossed with his phone earlier.

Hisoka nonchalantly shrugged and sauntered over to Illumi, casually draping an arm across Illumi's slim shoulders. "Oh~ I was merely feeling a tad bored, Illumi dear," he chimed with an air of playful mischief.

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, I quickened my pace and focused on reaching the school entrance. I tucked my hands into the pockets of my sweater, attempting to drown out the cacophony of conversations and boisterous exclamations around me. However, my eyes widened in surprise as I suddenly felt someone's chin resting on my shoulder.

"And how are you, (Y/n) ~?" Hisoka's warm voice in my ear made me jump, and I instinctively turned my head to the right. Though, before I could react, Hisoka swiftly wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer with my arms pinned against my sides. My attempts to squirm out of his strong embrace only seemed to amuse him as he tightened his hold.

Embarrassment flushed my face as I noticed people staring at us. I cast a quick glance at Hisoka, but his grin remained firmly in place.

Someone then placed their hand on my left shoulder, prompting me to turn and face them. To my surprise, it was a visibly different-looking Illumi. His expression seemed stern, and there was a hint of something menacing in his tone.

"Leave her alone," he commanded, his voice carrying a weight that made the glint in Hisoka's eyes falter ever so slightly.

Hisoka's grin, however, only widened as he released me from his embrace. "Oh, my, my~ Is someone feeling a bit tense? I simply wished to have a chat with (Y/n). As you and I always do~" Hisoka chuckled, clearly unfazed by Illumi's demeanor. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Illumi's fingers twitching as his grip tightened around the straps of his bag.

"Is that so? Because what I witnessed appeared to be more than just conversation," Illumi retorted, tightening his hold on my shoulder, this time with a protective edge to his touch.

"Hmm, very well then~ I suppose it's time for me to take my leave," Hisoka remarked casually, striding ahead of us. However, just before disappearing through the front doors, he glanced back at me, his smirk still firmly in place. I watched his lips move, but the words didn't reach my ears.

I felt Illumi's grip on my shoulder tighten painfully for a brief moment before relaxing as Hisoka entered the building and vanished into the crowd. I glanced up at Illumi to find him looking down at me, his expression unreadable for a moment before he shoved me forward with a push.

"Let's go," He spoke, his voice devoid of the earlier tension.

I couldn't resist smiling and reached for his wrist, tugging him along with me. "Yeah, let's go," I agreed, noticing a subtle twitch at the corners of his mouth.

As we reached our lockers, we proceeded to stow away our belongings and retrieve our books. Suddenly, an impulse struck me to check the pockets of my sweater. Slipping a hand into the right pocket, I felt an unfamiliar rectangular object. Pulling it out, I examined it closely—bungee gum? Confusion washed over me as I stared at the small rectangle that had seemingly materialized.

Illumi's head peeked out from behind my locker door and I handed the chewing gum to him, watching as he examined it with curiosity. "Bungee Gum? I didn't know you were a fan of it, (Y/n)," he remarked, his tone tinged with surprise.

"I'm not. I just found it in my pocket," I explained, retrieving another book from inside my locker.

Illumi hummed in response and then produced a small plastic bag, carefully placing the gum inside. I watched him with intrigue, wondering why he was taking such precautions for something as small as a piece of gum.

"What are you doing that for?" I inquired, watching as Illumi tightly sealed the bag, rolled it up, and then slipped it into his pocket.

"I'm going to keep it in this bag and dispose of it properly. I have a feeling Hisoka might have given that to you during his... whatever it was he did," Illumi explained, adjusting his books under one arm and shutting his locker. I nodded in understanding and closed my locker too, falling into step beside him as we navigated through the bustling halls toward our classroom.

As we made our way to our classroom, I inadvertently bumped into someone in the crowded hallway.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I quickly apologized, bending down to pick up my fallen books. The person I bumped into kindly reassured me, saying, "It's alright," and helped gather the rest of my supplies with quick hands. I offered them a grateful smile, thanking them for their assistance, before hurrying to catch up with Illumi.

"Did you bump into someone?" Illumi inquired, glancing back at me as we walked.

I nodded, adjusting my grip on my books. "Yeah, but it's alright." I assured him.