Kenji Route: Path of the Bro Ch. 7

School proceeds as normal.  More boring work to do.  Filling out answers followed by group work, a 'Venn Diagram' of the terms covered today.  Once again I'm grouped with Shizune and Misha.  Misha takes care of the outline and Shizune ends up filling in most of the answers.

Easy.  I almost chuckle to myself at how much work I didn't have to do in the second half of class.

Before too long, the assignment is complete and we turn it in.  A few minutes later, the bell rings.

As I'm entering into my room, I hear locks clicking behind me.  I close my door without going through it, turn around, and wait for the door to open.

Kenji
"'Sup dude.  Ready to go?"

Hisao
"Huh?  Go where?"

His smile flattens.

Kenji
"Hanging out.  You said you were down for it earlier this morning."

Hisao
"Oh, right."

Kenji, once again, is managing to drag me out right when I have enough idle time to do some thinking.

Hisao
"Yeah sure, I got nothing better to do."

"What did you have planned, anyway?"

Kenji's face relaxes again.

Kenji
"Nothing, really.  Just walkin' around and hanging out.  Planning, too.  Always time for planning."

"Yeah, we'll have the time to plan our next move.  Perfect."

Hisao
"Uhh... what was our first move?"

Kenji
"You, of course."

"I mean, there wouldn't be much need for planning without a second guy."

With this sudden announcement, I'm reminded of Shizune and Misha's antics to get me into the Student Council.  I decide to humor Kenji.

Hisao
"Already drafted me for the Feminist Revolution, eh?"

Kenji
"Nah.  You don't get drafted.  You gotta volunteer.  It's your choice in the end."

"But I'm assuming you already made that choice."

Hisao
"A wise leader shouldn't make so many assumptions."

Kenji
"Damn, that's true.  Or at least it sounds true."

"That's what I like about you Hisao, you're not afraid to question things."

Hisao
"I'm pretty sure you're already the champion of that."

Kenji
"Good to have something in common, then."

"So, you comin' along, or not?"

Hisao
"To hang out?  I already said I would, right?"

I nod at him, then look back towards my doorway.

Hisao
"Just let me put my things away first."

Kenji
"Alright, I'll gather my things, too."

I have nothing I feel like gathering, myself, but I'm not too surprised that Kenji would.  I wonder how much of a 'hang-out' this is going to be.

A minute later, we meet in the hall once again.  Kenji nods at me and leads the way, and I follow.

We cross the school grounds, through the gates, and down the road.  This familiar road, the same one we walked along to reach the store.  Kenji's still taking long strides, and he's still well ahead of me.

Hisao
"Come on, Kenji!  Wait up!"

Kenji's stride pauses, and his head jerks towards me.

Kenji
"What?  Seriously?  What did I tell you, man?"

Hisao
"I just... ah..."

In my attempts to catch up with Kenji, I feel a sudden pounding in my chest.

Hisao
"Seriously... Kenji... just a moment."

Kenji
"Fine.  Whatever.  Don't you croak on me now."

He says it with a joking tone, not realizing there's an actual risk of me keeling over.

Hisao
"Where the heck is this place, anyway?"

Kenji
"There's an entrance just down this hill.  Come on!"

Hisao
"'An' entrance?  What exactly are we going into?"

Kenji
"Oh, calm down, it's right there!"

Just ahead of us is an arch made of old-looking stone.  A small stream of murky water is running out of it, flowing further downhill and out of site.

Hisao
"A sewer?  Really?"

Kenji
"Yeah!  The ultimate spot to be alone and begin making some plans."

Hisao
"I think we're plenty alone in this forest as it is.  Can't we lay down under a tree or something?"

Kenji adjusts his glasses and coughs.

Kenji
"Look, Hisao, if you don't wanna go, don't go.  The feminists are everywhere, you know.  Even in the forest.  You just never know!  I'd rather sewer dive than take any chances with that!  I mean, the forest!?  It's the home of fairies, for Pete's sake!"

Hisao
"Fairies?  I can suspend doubt for most things, Kenji, but you can't honestly believe in fairies."

Kenji
"Regardless of whether I do or don't, I know they'd never enter a sewer, and neither would any woman."

"You chicken or something, Hisao?  Just follow me already.  It's not like there's a dragon in there or anything."

Now dragons is the subject?  I sigh and follow along without another word, not having any desire to continue this chain of 'logic'.

As we proceed down the tunnel, Kenji slips me a cold, tubular object.

Kenji
"Here, take this flashlight and get in front of me."

Hisao
"But I don't know how to get there."

Kenji
"We're already 'there'.  We can just walk wherever at this point, while we discuss.  Besides...

Kenji makes a snapping sound by flicking his finger against his glasses.

Kenji
"Can't see so well, you know.  So it's all you, man."

Hisao
"Fine, we better not get lost."

I flick on the flashlight and shine it around, observing the area.  The walls are covered with the same stone as the entrance.  The way up ahead is a T-intersection, with either way much deeper in the center.  Only the thin walkway on each side is without at least a meter-deep river of sewage.

It looks awful and smells even worse.  I almost want to vomit.

Kenji speaks up behind me, continuing a conversation nobody ever started.

Kenji
"So as I was saying, Hisao.  The feminists are encroaching on our boundaries more and more every day.  And I used to think to myself, the best offense is a good defense.  But I recently discovered why."

Kenji grips my shoulders suddenly, making me jump.

Kenji
"They're opposite words man.  A defense is a shitty offense.  The best offense is an offense.  I should've known all along.  I have no idea what idiot made up that saying.  Maybe a woman."

Hisao
"Hey, let go of me."

Kenji
"I need to hold on.  I have no idea where you're leading us."

Hisao
"What?  You told me to go in any direction."

Kenji
"Well, don't get us lost or anything!  Look, go down there."

Hisao
"Down where?  I can't see where you're pointing."

As I turn towards Kenji, his grip tightens unexpectedly.  Before either of us know it, we seem to be overcompensating to re-balance.  Combined with the slime-hewn walkway below us, there's no way we can remain standing.

We wail out as we fall to the side, touching down with a sloshy splash.

Feels horrible.  Smells horrible.  Tastes horrible?  I'm pretty sure I vomited, but any sensation of that pales in comparison to what I'm wading in.

I manage to clear enough out of my eyes to open them and fish out the flashlight bobbing slowly in the muck.  The light illuminates Kenji in front of me, looking in just as bad a shape as I am.

Kenji
"Auuuugh!  Dammit!"

Hisao
"My thoughts, exactly.  What the hell, Kenji?  You basically tripped me?"

Kenji
"Me!?  I don't... look, it doesn't matter.  Let's just get the hell out of here!"

We pull ourselves back up to the walkway.  Even though we're out of the mess, it's still thoroughly covering us.

I lead us back to the surface, luckily before too long.  The sun illuminates the sad messes of our sodden, smelly bodies.

Kenji
"Goddammit!  This sucks.  Seriously.  We can't go back to school looking like this."

Hisao
"What choice do we have?  We'll just say we had an accident."

Kenji
"An accident!?  Every last person on campus will notice us!  There is no easy explanation!  This'll get us exposed for sure!  Don't worry Hisao, I have a plan."

Kenji reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone, trying to wipe it clean the best he can.

Kenji
"Yes!  It still runs!  Alright, I just gotta make a call to a trusted person."

With no better ideas, I let Kenji go ahead and make his call without complaint.

Besides, I'm occupied trying to wring my shirt dry at this point.

It's not working very well.

Kenji
"Hello?  Yes, this is Kenji.  Uh-huh.  Look, I need you help.  Yeah.  Just get two clean changes of clothes, and meet me at... what?"

"Whaddaya mean that's not your job?  I don't care how busy you are!  What's my dad pay you for?  ...Yeah.  Look, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't an emergency!  Fine... fine!  See ya!"

Kenji closes his phone, and starts trudging up the hill, his shoes making a sloshing sound.

Kenji
"Come on Hisao, we gotta get closer to the road."

We sit and wait just below the ridge of the sidewalk, out of sight and smell range from any passerbys.  As cars pass by, we stay still.

Hisao
"Hey, shouldn't you be looking for-"

Kenji
"Shh!  Not looking, idiot.  Listening."

As cars continue to rumble on, I question Kenji's method in my head.  Just as I'm about to speak up again, however, his head perks up and he gets to his feet instantly.

Kenji
"There she is!  Come on!"

Hisao
"She?"

I follow Kenji as he approaches a very nice-looking black car.  The paintjob is glossy and flawless, sparkling in the sunshine.

Kenji knocks on the tinted window with one knuckle.  Instead of the window rolling down, the opposite door opens, and a slender figure in a dark pinstripe suit steps out.  Her short, blonde hair and somewhat masculine expression cause me to interrupt whatever either of them is about to say.

Hisao
"Akira!?  No way.  You know Kenji?"

Akira chuckles without a smile.

Akira
"Know him?  This kid's the son of one of my clients."

She glares at me.

Akira
"Actually, I'm surprised you know him.  Are you friends?  I expected... something else outta you, Hisao."

Kenji
"Hey!  What's that supposed to mean!?  I'm Hisao's best friend, I'll have you know!"

Best friend?  When did that happen?

Well, I suppose it's true enough.  I don't even have any other friends at this point.  Maybe an aquaintance here and there.

Akira frowns and sighs.

Akira
"Whatever, fuzz-top.  I got the clothes."

She leans back into the car and produces two plastic bags full of white and black cloth.

Akira
"Cheapest stuff I could find from a corner store.  Here you go."

As she slides the contents over to Kenji and I, her nose visibly wiggles as she snorts, then grimaces.

Akira
"Uggh!  What the hell did you two manage to get yourselves into?  Did you bust a drainpipe or something?"

Kenji
"Yeah, that."

Kenji takes the bags and quietly turns away.

Kenji
"Thanks, Akira."

Hisao
"Yeah."

Akira
"My pleasure.  Anything to abolish that stench."

Akira slips back into her car, muttering to herself before shutting the door.

Akira
"Buncha' weirdos."

Kenji and I get to a fairly secluded area and immediately strip everything off, eager to change into something a little fresher.

Kenji
"Well Hisao, we still smell like crap.  Literally crap.  But we should be able to slip by and take a shower, at least."

Hisao
"I hear you there.  I call dibs on the shower."

Kenji leans forward, annoyance on his face.

Kenji
"Hey!  No calling dibs.  That's not fair!  Aw damn why didn't I call dibs..."

I put a hand on his shoulder.

Hisao
"Tell you what, I'll let you go first if you tell me about this Akira business.  She said she works for your dad?"

Kenji
"Yeah, for my dad.  Keeps his money in order, you know?  No big deal."

Hisao
"Is that it?  Seems like that isn't really an on-call sort of job."

Kenji starts to put his hands behind his head, before realizing that it was still quite dirty.

Kenji
"She gets paid by the hour, so whatever.  No more questions."

Hisao
"Fine by me."

As we trudge our way home, I wonder what other sorts of secrets Kenji has behind him.  Just who else might he know that I'm already familiar with?

I always pictured him as the extremely secluded type who, after however long he's been at Yamaku, has probably spoken to less people than I have.  But, I guess this situation proves you never know.

I just hope I get to find out Kenji takes quick showers.