22 Bonds - Part 2 (2/2)

”Ah. Right. Cough, cough. Oh no, it seems I've caught the influenza. I'm sorry, I can't talk anymore. I need to conserve my energy for tomorrow.”

Did… did she just audibly say cough?! That's too suspicious!

”N-no, this is serious Momo. I mean…”

Before I can continue she giggles on the other side of the line.

”Mm, yeah. I understand. But I don't think I should be the one to explain it to you. Perhaps… Er… Maybe you should try calling Chase instead? Oh, but he doesn't have a phone for himself though, does he?”

He doesn't? So those two were right after all.

”Well, I suppose you'll just have to wait until tomorrow then. Haaa… Really, this is quite the predica… This is a strange turn of events. I figured he'd talk to you on his own before he left school.”

”So did I, but he seemed to be in a hurry to leave. I wonder what that was about?”

”Hmm.”

Momoka takes a moment to ponder my words.

”Say, where exactly are you right now?”

”Um, I'm on the metro to the city right now. Why?”

”Hmmm… The city, huh? Strange, that's nowhere near the bus route. What made you decide to head over there?”

”E-eh? W-w-well…”

What's with this?! Has she figured me out already?!

Why is she so perceptive?!

”In any case I'll leave you to it. I hope the resolution is something you both can find satisfaction in. Wait, darn it.”

”Umm, Momo. You've been fumbling with your words a lot. Is everything okay?”

She pauses awkwardly once more.

Even I'm beginning to get nervous now.

”I-it doesn't matter. I'm hanging up now.”

”Ah, okay. Byebye.”

I hang up the phone.

For some reason, that call left me feeling just a bit lonely.

I'm not sure what it was though.

Is it that I wasn't going to have my one on one time in the bus with her this week?

No, I think it's because Chase told her about his phone before I even heard about it.

I guess there's a lot of things I don't know about him, huh? And yet we're supposed to be in a ”relationship” right now. What a joke. We've barely spoken about one another.

Geez, what's with this? Why do I feel so uncomfortable all of a sudden..?

”…”

Just as I was losing myself to those invasive thoughts, I'm suddenly brought back to reality by the sensation of something disgusting tapping my shoulder.

”Woah! Ew!”

I instinctively lunge away with all my might.

”W-what?! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

”Oh, it was just you Nicholas. Don't scare me like that.”

”Don't be such a drama queen. Look, he's awake again so we're probably close.”

Oh, he's right.

Chase longingly stares at the scenery of the bustling city as the metro makes its way to the checkpoint.

We'd come into the city about a minute ago, so maybe the first stop is where we'll be getting off?

”We're gonna need you to take the lead in following him.”

”Wha- why me?!”

”You've got more hair than me dude! You can just use it to cover the front of your face under Sig's hoodie.”

”Sigmund's WHAT?! You have GOT to be joking!”

”Shhh!”

”Ah.”

I reflexively turn away.

Chase definitely reacted to that screaming.

He might be a bit far off, and the sound of cars and people outside may have drowned out the words a little, but he definitely reacted to that screaming.

I just hope he didn't see my face.

”… You're good.”

”Haaa, geez.”

I turn back around.

”You know…”

This time, Sigmund is the one who speaks up.

”I'm only doing this because I care about Chase. This hoodie is very important to me so I'm not exactly thrilled to be handing it over to someone else, but it'd be way too obvious if I wore it myself.”

”A-ah, is that so?”

I guess I shouldn't be too harsh on him. He might be really gross but he's not exactly as bad as this other one.

”I'd only willingly lend this hoodie to Momo-chan!! She's the only girl kawaii enough to pull it off!”

”Fuckin' weeaboo.”

”Heh, like an rp-geek like yourself can talk. You've clearly looked at too much Dragon's Crown hentai to appreciate a real 3D waifu when you see it.”

”S-shut up! I was joking about that, I promise!”

Nevermind, they're both pretty bad. Seriously, why am I stuck with these two idiots?

Ah the trains stopping.

”Hurry losers, pass me the hoodie.”

”Who're you calling a loser? Ugh. Hurry up and give it to the thot already.”

”Dude, you need to relax.”

Sigmund sighs and takes his hoodie off then passes it to me.

A strange odor overwhelms me the moment I accept it into my arms.

”Ugh! When was the last time you washed this?”

”Huh? Why would I wash a hoodie? It's not like my sweats ever gonna get past my t-shirt right? Hurry up, he's standing now!”

Oh.

My.

God.

Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross!

Ugh! I can't do this!

I can't do this! I can't do this!

Why wouldn't you wash your own clothes?!

”God, girls are so fucking useless! Here, I'll wear it.”

”Shut up, cockroach!”

I yank it away before Nick can grab it and slip it on over my head.

”…”

”…”

I'm gonna throw up.

It reeks of tuna and moldy cheese.

How does he not realize how badly this smells?!

”Okay, the doors are opened. We'll be right behind you, Scarlet-san.”

God, this really does suck…

After today, I'm going to drop this off at a Laundromat. I swear it.