KRF Fic; After School

[zarahjoyce]

Ratings: G
Summary: "The bad thing about surprises is that sometimes the one who plans it ends up being the one surprised." Shades of Tomoko/Ryusei, of course.



"You'd like Amanogawa High School, Jirou," Ryusei said casually, as the two of them strolled towards the gates of the school. "I did, when I was a transfer student here."

It had been three full weeks since he'd returned to his old school. The first few days, Ryusei had made the mistake of walking towards Amanogawa instead of Subaraboshi - thus becoming late and earning the ire of his teacher. Fortunately, Ryusei was very smart and diligent in his studies, and so these transgressions had been easily forgiven. Besides, he became cautious enough to not repeat his mistakes in the following days. But being here again, walking the same path as he did before, being greeted by so many familiar sights and sounds... he couldn't help the nostalgic smile that formed on his face. Subaraboshi might be his school, but Amanogawa, no matter how brief his stay in it, had felt like home.

Jirou nodded, looked around them earnestly. "I can see why, Ryusei," he replied. "It feels... alive, doesn't it? As if the very air is happy." A beat, before he laughed aloud. "That sounds weird. Don't mind me."

Yet Ryusei clapped him on the shoulder and shook his head. "No, no. You're right. Amanogawa feels like that." Alive. Perhaps more so now that it was free of Horoscopes and Zodiarts influence - but they could never be too sure of it. Good thing Gentarou still had his belt, and could protect the school as Fourze if needed. Good thing his Meteor switch was still active, and he could come assist anytime it was necessary.

Not that it had been, these past few weeks. A part of him missed it.

"Come on. We better hurry if you're going to meet them. "

They made their way inside the school, intent on visiting a certain club. With the Rabbit Hatch permanently destroyed, the Kamen Rider Club had to find another room to treat as their base of operations. Good thing Ohsugi-sensei had found one for them quickly. Ryusei hadn't seen the room for himself, and a part of him was excited to do so - though he was more excited to see the members rather than their room, of course. And with Jirou well enough to leave the hospital and attend school with him, Ryusei didn't hesitate to bring his best friend along.

Soon enough, they were standing in front of a room opposite the gym. Ryusei knocked twice, shot Jirou a grin. Once, Ryusei had killed Gentarou and hurt the Kamen Rider Club willingly for Jirou's sake. He wondered briefly how Jirou would be received by the group.

Slowly, the door opened - and a pair of wide, surprised eyes regarded him. "...Ryusei-san!"

The smile that crept up his face was big and open. "Long time no see, Tomoko-chan." Too long, he thought, though in truth the last he saw her was merely three weeks ago, before his return to Subaraboshi. He shoved his hands in his pockets, eyes intent on her face, as though he's looking for something - though he wasn't sure what. She looked... well. Really well. The ribbon on her head sat on its usual perfect place. Her nails long and coated pitch black. The colorful Amanogawa uniform was clean and neatly pressed. No sign that she'd been put in harm's way recently, or had been threatened by anything - or anyone. Good.

Jirou then cleared his throat, and Ryusei started while Tomoko blinked repeatedly at him. "...right. Uh, Tomoko-chan. This is Jirou." He then jerked a thumb towards his friend, who lifted his hand and waved at Tomoko. "I'm sure you remember him."

Or not really, considering Ryusei never did do anything aside from mentioning his friend's name to the club every now and then. But Tomoko squinted at Jirou, who looked rather alarmed at her sudden, intense scrutiny. Then, "Don't worry, Jirou-san. I'll try not to read your mind too often," she said quietly, causing Jirou to sputter and Ryusei to chuckle. Tomoko met his eyes and gave him her quirky version of a smile - one of his very favorites.

...he probably should have warned Jirou about Tomoko's sharp senses, but then why ruin the surprise?

"Come in, please," Tomoko said, stepping back to open the door wider for them. Ryusei did, too eagerly it seemed, whereas Jirou was more hesitant in doing so. "You should have told me you're visiting us, Ryusei-san - we haven't prepared anything to welcome you."

"Sorry," he said, giving her an apologetic look. "I wanted it to be a surprise of some sort."

The room, much like the Rabbit Hatch, was filled with memorabilia and touches of each of the club's members. There were Yuuki's Astronomy books strewn everywhere, Kengo's electronic bag and sketches of Foodroids scattered around. A colorful jacket rested on the back of a chair, while a radio sat on its seat - JK's, for sure. One of Gentarou's own jackets was on a chair adjacent to it. And, as always, Tomoko's corner was decorated with witch and skull cutouts, with her own witchcraft and paranormal books laid neatly on her desk alongside her Ipad. Meanwhile, the badly singed but newly repaired KRC flag was plastered proudly on one of the walls, which Jirou was now inspecting.

The room felt foreign yet familiar at the same time.

"The bad thing about surprises is that sometimes the one who plans it ends up being the one surprised." Tomoko nodded at herself, before going to her corner of the room.

Jirou glanced at her in confusion, then at Ryusei.

"...Tomoko-chan?"

"They're not here," she said simply. "Gentarou-san and the others. Ohsugi-sensei had planned a trip for the seniors, and won't be back until tomorrow. Haru-chan and Ran-chan have gone home already." She shrugged carelessly, then moved to stand near Ryusei - the way she often did, in the past.

It was on the tip of Ryusei's tongue to ask her why she hadn't gone home yet, when Jirou suddenly asked, "Ah, so you're alone here, Tomoko-san?"

"Mm. For the moment." She pursed her lips, glanced at Ryusei before looking away. "I... was about to go home earlier, but I had a feeling something was going to happen today. Something different. That's why I stayed."

She wasn't looking at him but down on the floor. Nevertheless, Ryusei smiled at her fondly. It never ceased to amaze him, the way she--

Jirou made a sound at the back of his throat - somewhere between a cough and a laugh - and Ryusei straightened himself, aware that he'd been caught.

"Tomoko-chan, it's good that you stayed today," he said - and he meant it, because if she didn't then their trip would have been a complete waste. Yet there's something else about this whole thing that was bothering him. "But this room isn't as isolated as the Rabbit Hatch. Anyone could have come here, find you alone and-- it's dangerous for you to be alone like this. You realized that, right? You should have--"

"Oh, but I wasn't alone the whole time," she said, looking up at Ryusei suddenly.

"But you said--"

As if on cue, the door to the room opened again, and in stepped JK who was carrying bags of food with him. "Tomo-chan I've arrived! I bought your favorite--" Then he stopped dead on his tracks, his mouth opening and closing comically as he realized who was there with them. "...Ryu--Ryusei-san?"

The smile that Ryusei wore for him wasn't as big as earlier, but it was just as sincere. "JK. Good to see you again."

JK laid the paper bags on the table, then walked towards him to enthusiastically clap him on the shoulder. "It's good to see you again, Meteorrrr! What happened? Are you going back here? Are you transferring again? Are you--"

"JK."

JK glanced at Tomoko, who was pointing at Jirou. Following her gaze, he finally spotted the silent fourth person with them and frowned belatedly. "...oh. Who are you?"

"Jirou. It's nice to meet you," he said, bowing slightly.

"Oooooh. Jirou-kun." A strange expression crossed JK's face then, and Ryusei knew he was thinking of that incident at Subaraboshi. To the informant's credit, though, he didn't say anything about it, merely strode forward to grin at Jirou "I'm JK. Too bad Gentarou-san isn't here, is it? He would have been glad to meet you. Kengo-san and Yuuki-san would have been, too, for that matter. Even Miu-san and Shun-sempai." He glanced at Ryusei. "You should have told us you were coming!"

"The one who planned a surprise often ends up being the one surprised, right?" Ryusei said, darting a glance Tomoko's way, who simply smiled at him. "Maybe next time I will."

"It's all right," Jirou said, "that I didn't get to meet all of you. Meeting JK-san and Tomoko-san is enough for now, anyway." Here, Jirou looked up at the singed flag, then smiled at them again. "Ryusei... told me so much about you."

Ryusei didn't miss the way Jirou seemed to stare at Tomoko when he said that last word.

"He did?" Tomoko asked, seemingly aware of Jirou's emphasis. She clasped her hands together before looking at Ryusei again.

He shrugged in reply, then looked at Jirou and widened his eyes, a silent plea for him to stop.

Except Jirou didn't get it... or chose not to. "Mm. The informant and the Goth Girl. He said you were very good friends of his."

"Hai! That we are." JK casually slung an arm over Ryusei's shoulders, then looked at Jirou. "Ryusei-san's stay here in Amanogawa had been, shall I say, verrrrry eventful. Never a dull moment with Meteor-- I mean Ryusei-san - around!" He scratched his chin in apparent thought and added, "Maybe you both should just transfer here, then we'll all be very good friends! Right, Tomo-chan?"

Ryusei shrugged JK's arm off his shoulders, said nothing in reply.

"There are lots of students asking about you, Ryusei-san, after you've left." Tomoko drew her brows together. "Most of them were girls."

JK immediately stepped away from them, seeking solace by standing near Jirou - who, to Ryusei's chagrin, seemed to be enjoying the scene unfolding before him very, very much.

Ryusei, on the other hand, felt something cold and clammy run down his spine, making the hair at the back of his nape stand up. "...ah, is that so?" The way Tomoko squinted at him told him he said the wrong thing right then and there. "...I mean, you should just ignore them, Tomoko-chan. I don't know any of them anyway." Quickly, he turned and busied himself with reaching for one of her books and pretending to rummage through the pages.

"So! Jirou-kun." JK's voice was extraordinarily loud in the room - as if making up for the silence that had earlier engulfed it. "Do you like Astronomy, too? Would you like to go to space some time in the future?"

"...well no, not really," Jirou replied. When Tomoko and JK merely blinked at him, he added, "I think it's a very interesting field, but I just... I don't think it's for me, really."

"What do you like, then, Jirou-san?" Tomoko asked quietly.

"Jeet Kune Do," Jirou replied quickly, with a smile thrown her way.

"Ah! So you're fond of--" JK immediately dropped to a position similar to Ryusei's fighting pose, then cried out-- "Huuuuuuwatchaaaa!"

Jirou chuckled. "Ah. Though, I don't think I'll ever be as good or as strong as Ryusei is. He's always been the best at fighting."

Ryusei went from frowning at JK's impersonation of him to frowning at Jirou's words. "Don't believe him. He's also very good at fighting." A beat. "JK, you're doing all of it wrong."

"Sorry, sorry!"

"I see," Tomoko said, looking at Jirou with a bit of a smile on her face. "Will you tell me more about it, Jirou-san?"

Both Jirou and Ryusei looked at her in surprise, with the former scratching his head and shooting at uncertain glance Ryusei's way. "But--"

"Why the sudden interest, Tomoko-chan?" Ryusei asked, arms crossed in front of him. He also wanted to ask why she wanted to talk about Jeet Kune Do with Jirou instead of him, but held his tongue.

It was JK who answered, "She wants to learn it."

Silence.

Then, "What?"

Tomoko nodded earnestly. "With everything that happened to us in the past, I think it's time to learn how to defend myself properly." She looked down at her hands, clasped and unclasped them nervously, then added, "Though I-- I don't think I'll be very good at fighting."

The very thought of her standing up against enemies such as the Zodiarts and fighting them made Ryusei's stomach clench and drop. "All the more reason for you not to," he said firmly. Fighting belongs to him and Gentarou, and Shun and even JK - if he had a Powerdizer. They have the capabilities and weapons to do so, after all! "This is-- Tomoko-chan, what are you--"

"That's what I told her, Ryusei-san." JK walked to Tomoko's side and, much like he did with Ryusei earlier, casually slung an arm around her shoulders. She didn't make any move to remove it, much to his annoyance. "I told her I'd protect her, but she didn't listen."

"You'd do well to learn how to fight too, JK," Tomoko told him point blank. "So you wouldn't have to rely on blind luck for you to win."

JK's face crumpled at the implied insult, but didn't remove his arm.

Casually, Ryusei walked to JK's other side and pulled him away from her, making his body jerk for a second. "What the--"

Satisfied, Ryusei smiled benignly at him. "I'd agree with Tomoko-chan there, though. I can teach you a few basic moves, if you want. Maybe even several."

JK's eyes widened, as though he suddenly realized what stunt he'd pulled - and in front of Ryusei, no less! "Ah, well, you-- you don't have to be so kind, Ryusei-san--"

"Oh, but I insist."

JK whimpered and shrank back.

Satisfied, Ryusei's smile widened to a grin, and he looked back at Tomoko - only to find her in a quiet conversation with Jirou. But then she smiled fully at his best friend, and Ryusei snapped, "Tomoko-chan?"

"Ah, Ryusei - sorry about that." Jirou shoved his hands in his pockets. "It seemed Tomoko-san is very insistent on learning - and, well, even if my style is a bit different from yours, I thought I'd be the one to teach her. It seems you're unwilling to do it, after all."

Silence.

Then, "What?"

Tomoko glanced at Ryusei and smiled as well. "Jirou-san is kind enough to offer to teach me. Jirou-san is very nice, Ryusei-san. I can see why you two are good friends."

The man in question just chuckled at her. "It's nothing, Tomoko-san. I'd be happy to teach you. Though, in return, maybe you can teach me how to read minds?"

Her eyes widened at that inquiry - and Ryusei belatedly realized he never asked that of her at all. "You--"

Before she could continue, however, Ryusei had managed to grab Tomoko's arm and all but dragged her away from his best friend. "It's getting late, Tomoko-chan. I think it's time for you to go home."

"But I was supposed to take her home," JK said - though immediately raised his hands up in surrender when Ryusei glared at him. "I'd be happy not to do it today, of course! I'll be staying somewhere else, far away from her and just-- study! Bye!" Quickly, JK grabbed one of Yuuki's books as well as the paper bags of food he'd brought in, and disappeared from the room.

"What about you, Jirou?" Ryusei's voice was deadly calm when he spoke. "You know the way home from here, right?"

"...Ryusei-san!" Tomoko freed herself from his grasp and glared at him. "That's not a way to treat your friend!"

"Yes, Ryusei. I'm very disappointed in you."

Though Jirou's voice was serious enough, Ryusei knew he was amused by all this. The bastard. He bit back the curse threatening to erupt from his mouth, then said, "You're right, Tomoko-chan. I'm sorry."

"That's better," she told him, before heading towards her corner to collect her things.

Ryusei took this chance to ask the other, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Helping," Jirou replied with a grin. "Though I'm not sure which of you I'll end up helping more, actually."

"You're making me regret bringing you here."

"On the contrary. I think you'll thank me for it."

As of now? Ryusei very much doubted that.