Outsider Syndrome | ✓

Chapter 8 - "Kind and Cheerful Chie"

"Hey, Kisaragi."

I gagged. "Call me 'Kisaragi' again and I'll throw up."

"That's your damn name! What else am I supposed to call you?"

"Nothing. Don't talk to me at all."

I twisted towards my shoe locker. As the final bell for the day had rang, crowds of students swarmed this area as they exited the building. Unfortunately for me, today of all days Igarashi had decided to catch up to me on my way out. I had no clue why but I didn't care enough to find out.

"I have a lot I could say about your nasty attitude," Igarashi said, "but I'm serious. Listen to what I have to say."

I tossed him a dubious glance, momentarily assessing the band-aid pasted onto his nose as a result of this morning. I spun in my lock's combination. "Do I even want to—"

"You like Kamakiri, right?"

I flung face-first into my locker.

"Wh-wh. . . A-are you. . ."

"I only wanted to make sure. Damn, you're an open book."

"Book? I— I don't l-like—"

"It's that bad?" Adjusting his bag strap on his shoulder, he tilted an eyebrow. "Don't you think falling for a guy over Mortal Mania tickets is a little innocent? I knew you were stupid but to think you were that stupid—"

"Stop calling me stupid!" It was difficult to ignore my flaming complexion, not when he had such a smug look on his face. "I don't even l-like him!"

"You better not."

I had expected a flood of tease, which was why his command left my mouth flapping wordlessly for a good while.

"What?" I eventually spluttered.

His sharp eyes narrowed into slits. "Stay away from Kamakiri."

Was this what he wanted to tell me?

My eyebrows knitted together. "I didn't realize you cared so much about who I got involved with."

I switched my indoor shoes with my outdoors. He expelled a heavy sigh.

"Look. This isn't coming out of nowhere," he said. "I went to the same middle school as him and the rumours about him were terrible. He wasn't a good guy. Sure there's the chance he's better now but I doubt anyone can change so much in six months. Anyone can tell he's up to something."

He didn't have to voice it out loud. The reason Kamakiri called out to me—why he invited me to the carnival—he was implying it was insincere. That Kamakiri had something up his sleeve.

"Nobody would get involved with you otherwise."

It was painfully clear in my ears.

"Don't place Kamakiri on the same pedestal as a jerk like you." Anger surged within me. "He's super honest and sweet. Not an inch of his personality is fake. It isn't!"

Igarashi must catch onto the desperation in my tone because his mouth dipped downwards. He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"I thought I'd warn you before you fall for his act and get your heart broken. You don't have to believe me but you'd be an idiot not to at least approach him with caution. Don't fall for him, moron."

"I-I'll do what I want!" I shouted after him.

But with a simple wave over his shoulder, Igarashi sauntered right out of the building.

I bit my lower lip, hard.

What was that about? If it was his idea of pity, I didn't need it. Kamakiri was a nice guy. The nicest!