The Accompanist

Chapter 39: Poking the Sleeping Bear

Despite breakfast being one of his favorite foods, Boutarou couldn't help the tightness in his throat and the nausea in the pit of his stomach. Across from them in the corner, Katsumi was sitting, arms folded, eyes averted.

Boutarou refused to speak to him. And the only reason he wasn't throwing up his food was to convince Sayaka to eat and recover her strength.

After they both finished breakfast, Boutarou shot a glare in Katsumi's direction. "If you're just going to sit there and do nothing, sit outside."

"That's what I've been doing. They moved me in here to keep you two in check."

"We're nineteen. We don't need to be puppy guarded."

Katsumi ducked his head.

"Just because you think you're on our side doesn't mean I trust you," Boutarou spat. "Move for anything other than the bathroom and food, and I'll make sure you end up far worse than her."

Sayaka reached over and grabbed his hand as if to say, that's enough. You can't do anything about it.

He shot her a look back. I want to try.

She just shook her head, eyes closed. It's not worth the energy.

"It wasn't me," Katsumi said suddenly, gaze as hard as the tile floor. "It wasn't me that hurt her."

Boutarou looked over his shoulder.

"I... I wouldn't have done that. Not to a girl. Not to that extent. I've done some pretty messed up stuff in the past... And this might not mean anything. But you have my word. If someone comes through that door with a gun, I'll stand in the way of it. That should do as an apology."

"If you didn't do anything in the first place, you shouldn't have to apologize," he grunted, turning back towards Sayaka.

"That's not what..." Katsumi sighed. "It's because she got close to me. He does that. To anyone that gets close. Mr. Kurata, I mean. I didn't think he'd do anything before the concert. I thought I was being careful. I even beat up that other accompanist to make it look like I was threatening her... But I guess he saw through it all. Sorry. It's my fault... I just wasn't the one that beat her up. Mr. Utsushima told me to at least explain that much. So there."

Leave it to his dad to hear out the story of an abusive creep. Even if he wasn't the one who beat up Sayaka directly. Even if she was beat up by the organization's men as a result of getting close to Katsumi. It didn't make the fact that she was in the hospital now as a result any more forgivable. It didn't mean she was going to get these few weeks of college life and missed practice time back.

But... If it didn't happen, he probably wouldn't have been able to realize he was in love with her until it was too late.

Sayaka either realized the same thing, or felt pity for Katsumi. Because the look on her face was conflicted. A tinge of worry... And an emotion he couldn't quite place.

. . .

Mitsuo sat in his parent's lab, the white walls surrounding him finally giving him a taste of home. He didn't usually come back on weekdays, but his parent summoned him. Either to test another experiment, or simply check in.

"Mitsuo."

"Hm?"

Mitsuo learned not to question whether or not his parent was his mother or father a long time ago. At this point, he probably did enough genetic mutation experiments on his own body that he was some odd mixture of both... But his voice was deep enough that most people considered Oushirou a male.