School Days [Kaimu]

Yes, it was very....very rare!

"I-I wouldn't know! I just know...know the relation isn't that close!" Not like a father an son, it...it was close though considering that was him she was seeing, but he couldn't exactly explain that!

Ehhh...

C-Cousins...? He had no cousins!

"I don't have cousins..."

She didn't seem to know his name though, young him anyway, if she did well...that would certainly raise questioning flags...considering he'd told her his name...

"Oh I see...but there is some relationship? Maybe I should find him and inform him. He might know how to help." Lakshmi smiled brightly at the idea that popped into her head. If he was some relation of some sort then it would be his help they needed! The young woman moved to gather all of her things, deciding to head to the nurses room and ask for a students name. She could talk to the nurse fairly well, it would also give her an excuse for the day too. Lie about being sick, lie about needing to bring something to that classmate as well before she could rest...

Perfect!

"Well, regardless of what the relationship is... it might help you figure out how to fix it and informing your family comes first right? That'd make you less worried because they are less worried and know where you are, yes?" Her smile was sweet and innocent as she turned back to Kaimu. She wanted to help him and would do so even if it was only emotionally. "Then maybe we can figure out...why me of all people."

Her fluster from before and fear were gone now in face of having an issue to work on and a mystery to solve! She would be tenacious in trying to figure this out or die trying.

Eh!?

M-Maybe she should find him!? Ask the nurses!? She'd...Gah!

This would not help, it would just cause infinite confusion on her part! How was he supposed to explain that this would be a bad idea!? How!? Aaaa! He was wracking his brain for answers as Lakshmi stood and gathered her things, hardly noticing her doing so as he floated in spot trying to think.

What was he supposed to doooo!!?

"K-Kai? I am heading to the nurses now. You have to follow me, right? Let us go then..." Lakshmi gave the thinking man a shy smile and nodded in the direction of the office with her arms full of items. the bag of food sitting on top of everything else.

She turned after her words, beginning to walk away carefully as her eyes scanned for people around. Should she hurry? Kai said he was stuck by her, so he would have to follow or always be able to find her so he shouldn't get too lost. What could make someone incorporeal who wasn't a ghost? Especially in the soul society, where souls gathered and everything was made of energy at its core. What kinds of things caused such a problem? It bore quite a bit of thinking...

Kaimu followed, after having heard Lakshmi address him, the entire time he floated behind her and attempted to think of a way to explain this without her really...learning anything. How!?

He was almost at the point this could be considered a crisis.

What would happen if she found out who he was!? Gahhh!

Lakshmi seemed unaware of the man floating behind her, now that her focus was on navigating the streets and paths of the seireitei to get back to the school while also trying to figure out the incorporeal problem. Too many...people... way too many! She was nervous and twitching, hiding behind her hair as she peered around at anyone who seemed to get too close. It caused her mind to jolt around, making more issues with her attempts to solve such problems.

Focus on getting back. She had to help Kai though and the sooner the better!

Fuuuu!

Kaimu wasn't just floating normally, instead he was flailing a bit animatedly as he attempted to think of a solution to this. Lakshmi was focused on walking and getting to the school.

What if this messed things up!?

He didn't want that! He just wanted to...to wait out whatever the hell was causing him to even be here, and make Lakshmi happy while he waited! Uuuu!

The nurses office was quite large, almost more like a few rooms of the building really instead of an office. Considering it was a military school with lots of fighting and injuries, it was good to have at least more than one room devoted to hurts or sickness even with Divison Four to take care of the serious stuff.

Lakshmi, too focused on walking and the problem to note Kai's flailing, quickly reached the closest entrance to building the nurses office was in as it was much faster to walk on the main pathways as well as closer than that classroom had been. She made her way down the halls, quite a few more people around than in the other section of the Division causing her to hang her head and pretend to be a wallflower as best she could. "A-Almost there... Then I can...find out..."

She whispered softly, hoping Kai caught it though she couldn't see him at the moment.

"Uuuu...." That's all Kaimu could give in response to Lakshmi's words.

He couldn't think of anything, if he explained not being related it would just be... he'd already said he hadn't known so saying there was no relation would just seem weird now! Lakshmi was determined too it seemed, and when she was determined...

Eeeh!

What kind of sound was that? Was it sad? Lakshmi almost turned but her eyes caught a glimpse of the sign for the office and she hurried forward instead. It wasn't as if she could ask right now anyways... It was best to find out the young man's name and where he was staying for now!

Entering the office, she saw the head doctor from division 4 in charge at her desk and smiled sweetly before rushing over. The woman as she saw Lakshmi enter, smiled with an eyebrow raised. "What are you doing? You have classes today, so why aren't you studying?"

"J-Just feeling...really under the weather, I-I was planning on heading home. B-But first, there's a student... H-He left something in a class yesterday and I-I...wanted to try and return it... But I don't know his name... So...So I thought..." Lakshmi fidgeted, her lie coming easy to her lips even though she didn't want it to. This woman was one of her few friends and it was rather obvious she was attached. She quickly rattled off a description of the young man as best she could.

"I am always telling you to take it easy, I suppose one rest day won't hurt you. I'll write a note... as for this fellow? Let me look, I know who you are talking about... He's had to come in like most students at one time or another for minor training injuries." The woman's eyes were a bit wide, but they shifted to warm and knowing. Someone had a cruuush~ Was the look on her face. For the Sotaicho's Granddaughter and such a sweet girl she'd help her out.

"Aaah, let me see... Miura. Kaimu Miura. He stays in the men's dormitories, I can give you his room number if you promise not to abuse it." The gleam in the woman's eye showed she hoped the girl would, though knew better about the shy young thing.

Lakshmi turned deeply and darkly colored as her head shook from side to side. "N-No never! I-I just want to return...return the item..."

The woman nodded sagely before rattling off the number, floor and section before getting an emergency call. There was a slight smirk on her face as she hurried off, Lakshmi's face unable to die down. The name of the man hadn't clicked with her yet, in her mind Kai was Kai and Kaimu Miura was Miura-san now. Her voice was quiet as she finally turned towards Kai, speaking in a whisper. "We can go now..."

Kaimu was dead, he was floating almost lifelessly in mid air as Lakshmi spoke to the nurse and received his dorm room number. This was it, this was the end...

Lakshmi's determination on this after having realized the similarities between him and his younger self was his downfall...

She was flustered, it was cute...but he was doomed...

"Ah..." Kaimu gave a nod when Lakshmi mentioned they could go, and he wordlessly floated behind her whenever it was time to head out.

Doomed...

Something was...wrong with Kai? But... what could that be? Lakshmi paused as she left the room, glancing back at Kai and tilting her head. Maybe...he was worried about his family again... A quick glance around gave the woman a chance to pat his head softly when she noted there was a lull of people. "Th-There, there... we will figure this out... Please do not be so upset..."

Then she scurried along down the hallways, hurrying towards the men's dormitories. It did not take her too long, her quick pace from fear of others forcing her to make good time... Though as they got closer to the room, she shook more and more... Talking to a stranger... a potentially very handsome stranger...and fellow student...

It would be hard but she could...she could do this! Finding a room with a nameplate next to it with the name, on top of the number, she politely knocked with a deep red face. Her eyes were trained on the floor, waiting for the man to answer.

Figuring it out was the problem!

Kaimu wanted to sink to the floor, and just lie there in a puddle of whines, but he followed, floating silently behind Lakshmi, the only sound coming from him the occasional "Uuu" of his whining.

They reached the dorms...

Lakshmi was getting shy about it, but...but she didn't seem like she was gonna turn back now...

That thought was confirmed as she knocked on his door, and another whine escaped him.

The door opened shortly after Lakshmi had knocked, and of course...his younger self had answered the door. He blinked, having expected someone like Tatsuo or Haruki, but...

Quickly though, he composed himself; "Can I help you?" He asked, his tone questioning but polite.

Kai seemed miserably upset! Her words had seemed to not help one bit and Lakshmi felt the worse for it. It spurred her on though, determined to see it through and help him. She heard the door open and looked up, shock written all over her features as well as utter fluster. That...that voice... It was...younger but...the same...!? And the looks were...were completely identical! Completely! Just shorter hair! What was going on!?

Kai...Kai... Kaimu... Miura... His introduction...had been...

Same name...same looks... Some sort of... Oh no no no! Lakshmi's eyes went wider and she squeaked and hopped in place as she realized after a moment he had asked her what she needed, politely of course...He wasn't any less handsome... "U-Uh... H-Here!"

Deciding on a course of action, Lakshim all but tossed the bag of curry buns into the mans arms before turning and running at top speed far, far away with the most undignified retreat. What was going on!? What was goiiing ooon?!

"H-Huh!?" Instinctively, the younger Kaimu's arms went up as the bag of curry buns was tossed at him; surprise was written all over his face as she suddenly fled. "H-Hey!?"

Wh...What had that been about!?

What was...

Curry buns...? Why had she...

"Uuu!!" With a long whine, the ghostly Kaimu quickly followed after her, more than willing to get away from any past selves of himself! "Lak-taaaan!"

Uuu, had she gotten shy enough to bolt before realizing anything!? That...That seemed unlikely...

The younger Kaimu stood at the door of his dorm room, blinking; he looked down the hall, the girl now gone before his eyes returned to the bag of curry buns. Wh...Why had...she...she given him curry buns...?

Lakshmi found the nearest closet, ignoring both Kaimus and bolting into it. Anther linen closet, this one for the dormitories, she locked it so no one could get inside other than the future Kaimu. Future Kaimu...

That was all she could think of him as now. They were too similar, what was she to think!?

She waited for him to follow her inside, knowing he would, before speaking. "H-He's you! H-He is...you somehow...h-how!? Explain...Kai...Why...why didn't you...you knew...didn't you? Why didn't you warn...me..."

Her voice was lost and weak, on the verge of tears of embarrassment and utterly worn out from her experiences. "I-I trusted you..."

Another closet!?

Bathrooms and closets were his worst enemy, they were his worst enemy...! He plopped down as Lakshmi shut herself in, well aware he could just...phase through it but that might make things worse!

She...She sounded upset...and she'd...definitely realized.

"I didn't say anything out of concern for...for messing up!" Kaimu replied; "Th...That's me from...from now, I'm from...a lot farther down the road...centuries...even..."

If he said anything, he'd been worried about messing this all up! He couldn't...couldn't mess up time! Time was fragile! He had to...to go through his life! Go through his life to get to the point he was really at!

"I'm sorry...I was...afraid of saying...anything really...so I didn't know how to...to stop you..." His tone was completely apologetic, he really hadn't meant to...to hide anything from her, but... "Sorry, Lak-tan..."

"...T-Time...travel!? Why...you could...have said...How would it mess things up? Unless..." Lakshmi's voice paused... "I-I wasn't supposed to meet...you...for some...reason?"

Her head popped up as she crawled forward, door opening in a burst as she then tugged Kaimu inside by his collar and slammed it closed and locked again. The only light came under the door, it was dark otherwise and impossible to make out her features though the sound of soft sobs could be heard.

"Why...why...would it mess...things up? I-I just...made the biggest...fool of myself... Kai...you...are an awful person..." Lakshmi's voice was broken as she scooted away, backing against the shelf with a thud. "I-I...was better...off all alone..."

"You're not better off alone!" Kaimu could say that with sureness. That wasn't true! She wasn't better off alone, not at all!

Considering how...quiet he had been attempting to keep this, despite his failure...he had to wonder if she...realized that she might one day know him... he would never expect her to guess the truth, but...

"You're not. Being around others brings happiness, look at how you just saw me...and think about how I acted before you knew! Bright! Happy! I'm quiet in those classes, right? I never say a damn thing unless spoken to! Yet here I am as the current me! You're not better off alone, I promise... Loneliness hurts...

You didn't make a fool of yourself! That me is still stupidly standing at the dorm, he's the one that looks foolish! A-And that's fine! I don't mind!"

Gah! What was he supposed to say!?

"You're not better off alone...no way...Lak-tan...believe me..."

"B-But...who...who will I have? Who do I have?! Y-You are just...from the future... I-I...don't have...anyone..." Lakshmi's cry was soft, not loud at all and wouldn't carry from the closet. "S-So you changed because...you had others...but I have no one! I won't have anyone... I-I am better off not getting my hopes up!

The image of the young man standing in the door still made her jolt and feel worse. "I-I made him look foolish?! I-I am so awful!"

She fell to her side with an obvious thud, tears streaming from her eyes and hiccup filled sobs coming from her. "N-No...one wants to be my friend...they want to be the Sotaicho's Granddaughter's friend...or the ace student's friend...or the teacher's pet's friend... and the teachers and everyone treat me so...so carefully! They are terrified of me... p-peole who come near...want my status... it's just like back...back with Grandfather but at least Gigi loves me and helps me..."

"It hurts being so alone! I want people to be my friend I want people to like me a-and not my power! I don't...want to be estranged from everyone all the time... I just...want to study with friends and eat lunches together and..." Her sobbing got worse as she let this all out, not knowing she was keeping it all bottled up like this and just this whole situation just causing her to let it all free. "I-Its better...if I prepare for it, then keep constantly hoping for something and being hurt all the time! If its only temporary happiness I don't want it I don't!"

He...shouldn't have mentioned his past self standing in the hallway...

"He'll be fine! No one's even out there to see him! He'll eat the curry buns, and be happy to have them!" At this time, his birthday was soon, so he'd think of it as a really nice gift! He liked curry buns!

It wasn't okay to be alone...

"Please...don't shut yourself off, being alone isn't good...school's hard! Relationships at school...they're hard, but...but there's still plenty to look forward to! Think of what you're working towards! Shinigami!"

He reached forward as she fell to the side, wanting to pat her head, it helped sometimes, but...she didn't know him...not this Lakshmi.

"You're not awful!"

She'd had these concerns...she'd told him about them in his time...this long...

"You're not....You're not awful...you're not better off alone..." He was from the future! Couldn't she believe him somewhat at least!? "Alone isn't good..."

It wasn't... It wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't...

Lakshmi... She wasn't better off alone, she'd have people that weren't Setsuna that loved her! She just had to give it time!

Not better off alone...

She didn't...didn't need to lose that hope...

Losing that hope was the worst thing.

It was hard, he wouldn't sugar coat it, it was hard being alone...and putting up those damn fronts...but they'd both made it through it! He'd lost everything, and he was...he was happy now! He had gone through hell, been alone, more alone than he ever had been in his entire life and he still...

Lakshmi too! He couldn't...couldn't even say that...

"Don't lose that hope...It's hard...hard as all hell, but...you're not better off alone...you're not..."

If...that was his past self...then Kai would know that no one had seen him. Lakshmi felt one worry disappear but the rest held strong as Kai continued speaking. She shook her head violently before he carried on more, once he spoke of what she was working towards. "I am not! I want to be a doctor... I do not...do not want to become a shinigami! But I have to...to...be...a doctor..."

"I-I have to though, Kai. There is no one...who ignores those parts. No one... No one who does not care or who does not have them in the forfront! It is not hard, it is impossible to keep having that...and having it crushed." The young woman sat up, pushing herself up with effort as she shook her head. Her eyes had gotten used to the dim lighting and she could see that Kaimu was closer, but she didn't back away like before. "I can not Kai...k-keeping that hope will...destroy my heart."

She shook her head firmly... Better...alone...better with no others around her... no one close. "No one...should get close to me. I won't allow others in..."

"Then doctor! Become a doctor, you help others!" Kaimu replied; she wasn't better alone! "I'm ignoring those parts right now! I don't give a damn who you're related to! You're Lak-tan! Lak-tan! Lak-tan! Lakshmi! Lakshmi! Lak-tan! It doesn't matter! I care and I don't give a damn about those parts!"

He wouldn't care! He didn't care!

Lakshmi was Lakshmi!

Lakshmi wasn't the Soutaichou's granddaughter to him! She was Lakshmi! She was Lak-tan!

He was from the future, and...and she had seen that they were similar in age, his past self to this her...he was from her time! He couldn't make any promises, he couldn't force the words out, but he would know!

She wasn't better off alone!

She didn't back away from him like she had before...which pushed him to attempt to lightly pet her head in some attempt at comfort, though...he couldn't see it helping in this scenario...

Lak-tan...

"Be a doctor, be a doctor and help people...shinigami...the job sucks, but a doctor...you'll be able to help people... You're not better off alone...please...I know it's hard...but please try to believe me... You're not better off alone... It feels impossible...to keep that hope...I know, but..."

"B-But you are from the future! I-It doesn't matter, I won't...You have to go home to your family!" Lakshmi's cry was pained and filled with hurt, her first friend who didn't care...who wasn't thinking about it and it was some incorporeal ghost person from the future somehow!

"I will be a doctor... I will help others... but..." She blushed more as the man petted her head, calming her only slightly due to the combination of his strong words and forceful tone. Lak-tan...Lakshmi... he...he was so...strongly against her being alone... he'd been strongly against them meeting...

His final words sealed it though, her eyes widening. He wanted her to believe him, he seemed so sure she was not better off alone... That it would be hard to keep the hope alive... but that it would be okay he seemed to be trying to imply... His...his past self was... her age... similar time and place...

Lakshmi's breathing grew a bit panicked as she froze solid. "...Am...I the family...w-waiting...for you?"

She had family to go home to, she would at least! She'd have that, she'd have all of that! She'd be a great doctor, she'd help tons of people, she'd have family! She'd have all that! She'd have friends, family, the job she wanted! She'd have all of that!

"Hn?" As her crying stopped some and he felt her freeze, he looked towards her in her panicked state.

He felt that pull shift some, but...but he had to fight it! He had to make Lakshmi feel better!

At her question he gave a sheepish, but large grin, a small chuckle following. He...couldn't say yes or no, but...he felt his reaction had answered that enough...