Naegami - Responsible

Twelve: Truth

"We need to get to school," Byakuya repeated. "What, have you actually forgotten what your life consists of?"

"But..." Makoto sunk deeper into Byakuya's arms. "I don't think I can go back. What will we say to everyone?"

Byakuya held Makoto tighter. "Don't worry. No matter what anyone says, we can explain. It'll be alright." He seemed to realize he was being sappy, since immediately after that his face went red and he added, "Which any idiot could figure out."

Makoto giggled. "Oh man, hearing you try to act cold and distant when you're actually super sweet never gets old." His face grew serious again. "But... I can't do it. I don't think I can do it. Because they have every right to hate me."

Byakuya considered this. "Well, you're not wrong. But still. I'm sure we can explain everything."

"How?" Makoto demanded. "We don't have any proof. The whole school knows, and there's nothing we can do to convince them otherwise."

The room fell silent. Nobody seemed to have a response to that. Makoto's heart sank. He was right. His life had been ruined after all.

Then Sayaka spoke up. "You know... I could help with that."

"What?" Makoto shook his head. "No. You've been through enough."

"Oh, Makoto," she sighed. "You're too self-sacrificing. But it really is no trouble. Now that I'm awake, every news outlet in Japan has been clamoring for an interview with me, and I've got one scheduled for a few hours. If you can manage to get the interview on the TVs at school, everyone will be able to see me forgive you."

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Byakuya demanded.

Sayaka sighed. "Byakuya. One of the headmaster's students is just now recovering from a coma. You really don't think he would want to reassure the rest of the school that she was alright?"

"He could just announce it," Byakuya countered. "There's no guarantee he'll play the broadcast."

Sayaka smiled. "True... but, not to brag, I'm kind of a big deal. And we barely do anything at school anyway, so it's not like it'll be cutting into class time.

He thought about it for a moment. "Okay," he said grimly. "But I'm warning the both of you, it won't be easy."

"That was depressingly easy," Byakuya said to Makoto as they walked out of the headmaster's office.

"Yeah, I gotta agree with you," Makoto said. "Like, I'm glad and all, but it's still kind of disappointing."

"Right?? I was expecting some kind of challenge, and I was met with, 'anything for the esteemed heir to the Togami Corporation'. Having such a prestigious family truly is a burden."

Makoto punched him in the arm. "What was that for?" Byakuya demanded.

"You were being stuck-up. From now on I've decided that's how I'll call you out on it."

"Leave it to a commoner to instantly resort to violence," Byakuya muttered. Even so, Makoto thought he could see a hint of a smile tugging at Byakuya's mouth. He was glad he'd been able to lighten the mood, because inside he felt like he was dying. Every passing look in the hallway made his heart hurt. Even his teachers were giving him the cold shoulder.