Chapter 6 – Gossips

Note:

(*) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Uwabaki.jpg

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Many months have passed since I began working as a janitor. I’ve always kept a close eye on Maki, so her life had become quite peaceful.

Today was like any normal school day. Maki arrived to the school at exactly 7:40, just like during her first day as a junior. She would take her time to change into her *uwabaki (indoor shoes) and she would drag herself up the stairs and into her classroom. She was always the first student to arrive in her class. At that time she would whip out a book and just start reading. These patterns became her morning routine.

During lunch she would always sit with her friends and chat about all sorts of stuff. I’m always close by listening to their conversations. You can call it ‘eavesdropping’ or whatever but this is the only way I could get updated with Maki’s private life.

During lunch today she and her friends were talking about their boyfriends and their crushes. Since they always ate in the middle of the class room I always had a difficult time hearing what they were talking about. I tried my best to manage.

“So Kumiko, how is it going with your new boyfriend?” A girl with long silky black hair asked as she played with a strand of her hair

“Not so well,” A girl with shoulder length brown hair replied back. “He’s becoming too clingy for me. I might break up with him next week.” She told them calmly as if breaking up was her habit.

“How about you Yui? Any guy in your life right now?” Another girl asked the first girl.

“No, no new guy in my life. But there is this guy I’ve noticed staring at me all the time,” she told them as she takes a bite out of her sashimi (sushi). Everyone moved their faces closer to hear more about her story.

“What’s his name?” Maki asked.

“I heard his name is Miura Haruma. He has bleached hair and he’s a senior.” She explained to them as she continued to pop sushi rolls into .

“How about you Maki?” another girl asked. My head immediately jerked up when I heard her name. I leaned closer towards the door.

“Eh, I don’t like any boys right now.” She told them shyly. The other girls just nodded and continued on.

I peeked between the openings of the door and glanced at Maki’s face. She didn’t look happy at all. I guess she’s still bummed about the rejection from her crush. *sigh* With that I left and went about cleaning the corridors in the second floor instead. I guess there’s no new news about Maki then.

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It was the end of the day and I was just packing my stuff to leave.

“Otsukaresama dea (you’ve worked hard today)” I told my coworker as I headed out of the locker room. As I walked out of the school building I saw Maki and her friend ‘Yui’ parting ways at the gate. They waved to each other as they headed the opposite ways from each other.

I followed behind Maki as she made her way home. As she walked home she stared at the ground and she swung her bag back and forth. I made sure not to get too close to her so that she wouldn’t notice my presence.

As she made a turn at a corner, I heard the sound of falling.

“Itte! (Ouch!)” She yelped. I walked just a little bit closer to the corner, and then I heard her yelp again, but this time she sounded like she was struggling.

“Ugh! Let go of me!” she pleaded. Then I heard her foot getting dragged away. I ran towards the corner and on the other side of the corner I saw a man wearing black shades and a long coat gripping Maki’s arm tightly. My face began to burn with rage as he continued to drag her behind him.

Oh no you don’t! I said inside my mind.

I ran towards the man and I tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around I punched his face so hard that his shades broke into pieces.

“!” he yelped in pain. He immediately let go of Maki’s arm and he grabbed his bleeding nose instead. When I took his shades off my jaw dropped in surprise to find out who it was. It was the same man who tried to kidnap Maki when she was little.

“YOU AGAIN!” I pointed at him. The man’s eyes widen when he recognized my face. I grabbed him by his collar and I began beating the hell out of him. When I let go of him, he immediately gathered himself up from the ground and he began running away to the opposite direction.

“YEAH! KEEP RUNNING YOU CRAZY CHIKAN (ert)!!!” I shouted at him as he run away. “AND DON”T EVER COME BACK!” I added.

Damn! That’s like the second time he had done this and to the same person too! He sure is persistent!

When I turned around to face Maki she was no longer there. I probably scared her off when I tried to beat up the guy’s face. *sigh* At least she’s safe.

When I started walking, I accidentally stepped on something. When I lifted my foot up I found a pink Hello Kitty handkerchief covered with dirt on the ground.

Are? (huh?) Is this Maki’s?

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Today was also another normal school day. I stretched my body as I got ready for another long day. As usual I started cleaning the first floor first, where I waited for Maki’s arrival. Just like any other day, she arrived on time. ‘7:40’ my watch read. I watched her change into her *uwabaki. When she walked towards my direction she kept her head low. She took a quick glance at me and then she began power walking towards her classroom.

What’s up with her? I thought.

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I was cleaning the boys’ bathroom at the third floor when I heard people talking just outside the girls’ bathroom.

“Really?” One of the girls asked in disbelief.

“Yea, I saw it with my own eyes.” Another girl said. Her voice sounded very familiar.

“So who saved her?” A third girl asked.

“You know that hot janitor?”

“You mean the new janitor?”

“Yea, he’s the one who saved her.” She said almost whispering. The other girls gasped and giggled at what they just heard. I know those girls where talking about me and Maki. I can’t believe someone saw us yesterday. Hmm…….I have a bad feeling about this.

As I expected the story about me saving Maki became the most popular gossip in school. As they passed on the story from person to person, the story became more distorted and more unrealistic. People were making up their own versions of the story.

A week ago, it started out as me merely saving Maki from a ert, but now it became to, me and her having a forbidden relationship thus the reason why I save her from a crazy who had a grudge on me. It’s amazing how these kids come up with these lies. *sigh* I don’t get teenagers at all!

One day after school, while I was changing in the locker room Maki’s brother confronted me. He dragged me out of the locker room and brought me into a deserted classroom where no one can see or hear us.

“You,” He started out. “Do you love my sister?” He asked pointing at me with his index finger.

I was a bit taken aback by his question. I didn’t quite understand what he meant. Did he mean brotherly-sister love? Or man to woman love?

“Huh? What do you mean?” I asked him dumbfounded.

“Don’t play stupid! I heard about the rumors! Although I’m already in college, rumors can still travel!” I just stared at him. I didn’t know what to say to him.

“Do you have a relationship with her or not!?” He asked me raising his voice a little bit to intimidate me. However I wasn’t intimidated at all. In the contrary, he was getting intimidated by me. I walked towards him and he backed off towards the windows.

“Those are just rumors.” I told him. “They’re not true. The only truth about that rumor was me saving her from a ert, and that’s just about it.” I looked at him straight into the eyes as I explained it to him. I think he believed my words since I heard him sigh in relief.

Before he left, he apologized to me for dragging me out of the locker room and for accusing me. I didn’t think too much about it, his actions were understandable. I did hear it was illegal to date a minor so I know he’s worried about his little sister. However, after my confrontation with him I began to wonder what my true feelings are for Maki. Is it really just brotherly-sister love? Or is it something more?

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A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you think!

Comments would be very much appreciated! Pls stay tune for chapter 7!!! =D

Chapter 7: Falling for her……..

(8/26/09)