KYORI . tsukishima kei [✓]

- twenty-three -

〚 third person 〛

☾☾☾

"Momiji, who does house belong to?" Her father said as he exhaled deeply, blowing out a puff of smoke. The expression on his face made her cower and look down.

"It's my tutor's house." She answered half-honestly, slightly fearing what his response would be.

His eyes scanned her outfit with distaste. "You go to your tutor's house dressed like that?"

Momo flinched slightly, recalling that she was wearing Tsukishima's shirt instead of her own.

"Don't tell me you're still chasing after that upperclassmen of yours?" He sneered, blowing out a puff of smoke in her direction. Upon getting no response, he already knew his answer. "Didn't I already tell you to stop bothering that damn kid? You must be a nuisance to him."

Momo flinched, hating those words. N-No...I'm not...

"He's gonna end up throwing you away like that last kid did." Upon hearing that, Momo's entire body went stiff as she clenched her jaw.

I hope he doesn't.

☾☾☾

"Kei, hurry up." A female voice called out as Tsukishima exited the club room. Momo peered around the wall, spotting a female in front of the club room with her bag hung on her shoulder. "Jeez, you're so damn slow."

"Shut up." Tsukishima muttered, brushing past the female who remained unaffected by his words and caught up to him.

"I tried learning the stuff you told me about, but you're so vague that I don't understand it at all." The female huffed as she bumped shoulders with Tsukishima.

Momo watched from a distance, clutching her bag strap anxiously. Who is that? Why is she calling him Kei?

"It's because you don't listen." Tsukishima muttered, flicking her forehead harder than necessary.

Yamaguchi appeared beside Tsukishima, bowing to the female who stood on the opposite side of Tsukishima. "Oh, hey, Konno-san."

"Hey, Yamaguchi." The female replied, shooting him a lazy grin that he awkwardly returned. Turning her attention back to Tsukishima, she grabbed his hand. "C'mon, Kei, tutor me properly. I can't pass without you."

Momo felt her heart clench when Tsukishima didn't pull his hand away from her, allowing her to hold onto him. He simply shrugged, sighing softly.

"Whatever. You better actually learn." Tsukishima muttered, knowing she'd pester him for the next few weeks until he agreed.

"Yay!" Konno said as she let go out his hand, flashing him a triumphant grin. "Let's start today?"

As Konno and Tsukishima worked out the details, Yamaguchi glanced over his shoulder and noticed Momo standing alone. Before he could turn on his heels to walk over to her, she turned away and disappeared in the other direction. Momo-chan?

"Little girl's will get snatched up if they walk home alone, you know?" Akiyama's familiar voice called out as Momo walked past him. She glanced up, smiling faintly at Akiyama who noticed her off-smile. "What's wrong?"

After a bit of persuasion, he finally got Momo to open up about what she had seen. He nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked beside her.