14 Chapter 14 Shoujo Effec (1/2)
Fortunately, all the other kids were in class. Kou and Duran was able to rush down the hallway of Block-B's first floor science labs without distraction.
They ran up to Watanabe-sensei, who was opening the door of the far end laboratory.
'Watanabe-sensei. We have the cat fur.' Kou puffed.
'Not bad,' Watanabe-sensei said as he invited them inside.
Duran and Kou took a moment to recapture their breath.
They entered the room and were reunited with Himeko, Mei, Fumio, Aki and Saski.
Duran carefully placed the crumpled tissue next to the other ingredients that were lined up on the teacher's bench.
'Déjà vu.' Duran thought as his mind wandered back to the start of the snafu. He felt he had been running a yearlong marathon and ached that way too.
They gathered their teacher and attentively watched him mix the ingredients in a vial over blue flames of a Bunsen burner.
Watanabe-sensei covered the top of the vial with a funnel, where the thin hole was an entrance to space of a white paper bag. The bag expanded as purplish smoke filled it. He quickly disconnected and tied off the bag when it was at bursting level then swapped it with an empty one.
'Fujita-Kun. Can you and Okada-kun release the contents into the air conditioner unit down in the maintenance room? Tanaka-sensei is expecting you,' he asked the boy and handed Mei the responsibility of holding the bag.
'How are we supposed to put this stuff in the aircon?'
'Open the bag before the main vents. Ask Sensei who will tell you what ones,' Watanabe-sensei answered.
Aki and Mei raced out of the room to complete their mission.
'Okay my affected lab-ra, er,students. Breathe this in and go back to being the shy, awkward students that you are.' Watanabe-sensei chuckled as he unhooked the bag from the vial and passed the purplish smoke under everyone'noses.
Duran felt the same sensation he experienced the first time around. This time there were no twinkling stars or roses. Everyone and everything had returned to being dull and boring. Even his heart lacked the pace and flutters it once held in his chest.
'I dunna wanna be in love for a long time.' Fumio sighed deeply.
'I never thought I'd be so happy to feel dull and boring.' Saski sighed with relief. He still looked worse for wear.
'I thought all student council guys were happy being boring.' Himeko joked.
'Humph. Joke all you like but now that we're back to normal. I'll be expecting a full report from everyone affected. Especially, from yourself Sensei.' Saski retorted.
'A report on what?'
'On how everyone suffered under a botched experiment from their science teacher. The school board would want to be advised of this issue ASAP.' Saski stated.
'Tsubaki-kun. You are way too serious minded for a student of your age.' Sensei retorted.
'I'll consider your comment a compliment. My report to the student council and the school board will be swift. You won't be able to wheedle out of this one Watanabe-sensei.' Saski spoke his piece, turned and stormed out of the room, letting the door slam behind him.
'Can't blame him for being pissed.'Fumio commented.
'Me neither. His response was reasonable. Was it not Sensei?' Duran commented levelly.
'I suppose so. Well I imagine my review for employment is on the line. So, your music club will need another sponsor eh?'
Duran sighed when he realized it was like that. He left the science room feeling dejected and drained.
He was glad the remainder of the day passed like any other school afternoon, although the atmosphere was so thick with embarrassment a knife couldn't even slice through it. When the end-of-the-day bell rang out, all of Duran's classmates scrambled for their escape and didn't look back.
'Phew. What a first day aye Nii-san?'Himeko said as she meet up with him before the lockers near his class.
'Tell me about it. I'm so embarrassed I don't know if I should come back,' Duran replied and dodged eye contact with the other students.