Chapter 43: Chapter 43 - The Hoodie Incident

Kuro Kurogane found himself facing a problem of considerable magnitude.

In point of fact, it was quite a serious problem.

His black hoodie was gone.

Physically, that is.

Kuro stared at his closet for the third time that morning.

" Impossible."

Akari walked past his room with toast in hand.

"What has been lost?"

"My hoodie."

"A tragedy," she replied.

"It was my favorite."

Akari expressed her shock theatrically.

"NOT THE DEPRESSED INTROVERT HOODIE!"

"Why do you call it that?"

"Because you wear it when you are feeling emotionally unstable."

"Therefore, every day."

"Bingo."

A fair point, to say the least.

After searching the house for another ten minutes,

Kuro discovered nothing.

Aoi provided quiet help.

"Maybe you misplaced it."

"I never misplace my clothes."

Aoi stared back at him.

"You forgot your umbrella twice this week."

"That is irrelevant."

But suddenly they both stopped.

Akari narrowed her eyes.

" Wait."

Aoi looked at Kuro coolly.

" When did you last wear it?"

Kuro thought, then froze.

" Mina’s apartment."

Silence.

An ominous silence.

Akari grinned, perhaps somewhat ominously.

"Oh."

Aoi adjusted her glasses.

" I see."

Kuro realized immediately that something was going to happen.

"It will probably be nothing."

Akari spoke with a gentle but disturbing laugh.

"Of course."

A disturbing answer.

Meanwhile across the building Mina Fujikawa was dealing with her own emotional issues.

For she was wearing Kuro’s hoodie.

Once again.

For the third night in a row.

"This is bad," Mina said as she lay on her bed face-down.

The hoodie smelled of washing powder ,books a little bit of Kuro which, too Mina, caused emotional turmoil every single time.

Mina hid her face in the sleeves dramatically.

"This is criminal behavior."

But she could not bring herself to take off the hoodie.

For wearing it made her feel warm, comfortable, and, in a certain sense, safe.

Dangerously so.

Her phone buzzed.

Kuro: you stole my hoodie

Mina sat up straight away.

"HE KNOWS."

Horrified, Mina: proof?

Kuro: you are the only one crazy enough to do .

Mina gasped theatrically at the screen.

Mina: wow, emotionally hurt

Kuro give it back

Mina looked down at the large black hoodie covering her.

And then smirked.

Mina: no

A quick response came.

Kuro: thief

Mina: finders keepers

Kuro: I literally own it

Mina: spiritually ours now

Mina tensed up after sending it.

" Wait."

Too couple-like.

Then, immediately another message arrived.

Kuro:Your personality, as usual, continues to worry me.

Mina fell back onto her bed with a flourish.

" Why does he sound so normal about this?"

Shouldn’t he be panicking more?

Or at the very least realize just how intimate this situation is?

Meanwhile, Mina herself was undergoing some internal pain.

The next day at school Mina kept her distance from Kuro at all costs.

This immediately raised concerns in everyone else.

Akari blinked.

" Mina avoiding chaos?"

Rika adjusted her glasses.

"Concerning."

Even Kuro picked up on this.

Mainly because every single time he tried to approach Mina moved away.

Hallway? Gone.

Class break? Nowhere to be found.

Lunchtime? Vanished.

Kuro gazed at the empty rooftop spot she used.

" Is she dead."

After classes ended Kuro cornered her near the gym storage area.

"Mina."

Mina froze instantly.

" Oh no."

"You’ve been acting weird."

"That’s an unfounded accusation."

"You climbed out of the classroom window to get away from me earlier."

" Strategic retreat."

Kuro sighed quietly.

" Just give me my hoodie back."

Decisive words.

Mina’s face flushed.

" You keep saying it like that."

"That’s because you stole it."

"Borrowed."

"Without asking."

"Details."

Kuro took another step forward.

Not out of any attempt to intimidate her.

But Mina suddenly became acutely aware of how close he was,how good he smelled,how unnervingly calm he looked.

Then, quietly Kuro said something else.

" Why do you want it so badly?"

Mina froze.

Because she couldn’t say the truth.

Couldn’t tell him because it makes me feel like you’re next to me

Totally impossible.

So instead Mina looked away dramatically.

"It’s comfy."

Kuro blinked.

" You have expensive clothes."

"Yes, but this one feels different."

It slipped out a little too naturally.

Both of them froze.

Mina felt like she was dying inside.

" Unspeakable words."

Kuro watched her silently.

Then, unexpectedly he gave a small smile.

Tiny.Soft.Warm.

" You’re strange."

Emotional hit.

Mina’s heart rate immediately increased.

Somehow that smile looked even more threatening than flirting.

Then Kuro held out his hand.

"Alright."

Mina blinked.

" Alright?"

"You can keep it for now. "

Mina gaped at him in total surprise.

"Really?"

Kuro turned away awkwardly.

"You seem pretty attached to it."

This almost made her cry.

Mina quickly pulled the hooded sleeves around herself.

Then, slowly she gave a genuine smile.

No laughter. No teasing.

Just happiness.

"...You’re very unreasonable sometimes, Kuro-kun."

Unfortunately for her Kuro immediately experienced a constriction in his chest upon seeing that smile,still finding him unnervingly calm.