An Unheard Voice - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

"Toya!!!" My mother cried, and tripping down the steps, but immediately got back up. I ran to her, and hugged her tightly.
"I missed you..!" I smile, and felt her freeze.
".. Now that's a voice I haven't heard in years!!" She smiles, squeezing me.
"Thank you so much, Akito. Would you like to stay for dinner?" She asks, and I shake my head quickly.
"I don't think Mr. Aoyagi approves of me very much.. I'll work on it, if I want Toya to keep going out with me." Akito chuckles, and waves. I wave back, blushing. In a friend way, right..?
"Your father better approve of him, I want you to marry Akito." My mother whispers, and I push her away immediately, flustered. She laughs, and we go inside.
I sit on the couch, cuddling smudge. I missed him. .. oh yeah, father's here... Uh..
After very long awkward silence at the dinner table, he returned to his room again after thanking my mom, who did a noise in reply.
When it was bed time, and my mother tucked me in. I'm not a child anymore and kind of get embarrassed doing this, but I missed her a lot for just a few hours. I have real bad attachment issues...
"Sweet dreams, Toya." She kissed my forehead, leaving. Oh sh- I mean oh no, I didn't add Akito to my contacts yet.
.. I feel like An is being the bad influence to my language.
"Good morning." Akito yawns, slumping in his chair. I smile, and take out my phone. I notices before I show him, and sits up. "Oh, you got a phone? Nice."
"TOYA GOT A PHONE?!" An slides here, crashing onto my desk. She pauses for a moment, and rolls on my lap. "Oh no, I'm injured! I can't move. You'll have to carry me to the nurse." I look at her, unamused.
Akito kicks her off, and her head hits the floor, making a 'thud'.
"Ouch.." An rubs her head, and takes my phone. "I'll add myself here right now!" She says, and I blink, stunned. I wanted Akito to be first, though.. she glances at me looking at my desk, and realizes.
"OH- Hey, actually, I'll go get Nene's number so you can add her, Akito, be useful and add yourself!" She tells him, and rushes off. He glares at her, and sighs.
"All right, I'll add myself. I'm actually glad, I can talk to you when we're not together now. I enjoy my time with you." Akito says while grinning, and my face lights up. I nod rapidly, trying to calm myself down.
"Me too."
"I'm glad to hear that." He hands me my phone back, and I stare at his name, blushing. As he's putting his phone away, I notice his bag. It has the keychain on it...
Not realizing what I'm doing, I take mine, and attach them together again. He stares at me, blushing, shocked. I take a few moments, and come to realization. I snatch it away out of embarrassment, facing the other direction.
He begins to laugh, and I hide my face with my palms.
"You're so random sometimes, it makes you fun to be around." He chuckles.
"Woah! You're literally red all over!" An says, poking my ears. I flinch, turning quickly. I immediately put my head on my desk, embarrassed. "Poor Toya~ stop killing him, Akito."
"So like, what's up with you buying jewelry for Toya? I never actually mentioned it, but I wanted to. What, you going to buy him a ring nex-- GAHH-" An leans on Akito's shoulder, and he pushes her away, flustered.
"I've officially asked everyone you know for their number! Except Mizuki, it's better off if it remains a secret they don't know." An pats my back, and I smile to myself. We're all walking home now.
"Thank you."
"Wait, how much do you think people would give me for Toya's contact info--"
"You're dead if you do that. Got it?" Akito gives her a death stare, and a dark aura comes off. I shiver, that sent chills down my spine..
"G-Got it!! Yeesh, just take Toya away from everyone in the world already and keep him to yourself.." She grumbles, crossing her arms.
"Gladly." He rolls his eyes, and my cheeks turn red. "Bye, I'm going to go help my dad with work tonight!" An waves, and I wave back.
After Akito dropped me off, my mother wouldn't stop asking questions about getting Akito's number.
I step out of the bathroom after taking a shower, drying my hair. I stare at my phone, and look away. Cut it out Toya, that's creepy. There's no way he'd message you no--
Ding!
I fall onto my bed because of how fast I went to my phone, and turn it on.
"Heya! How r u??" Oh. It's An. I turn it back off after replying, and sigh.
But I go back to staring at Akito's message. Should I send a text first?.. what should I say?
"Hello." .. does that sound too formal? "Did you get home safe?" Of course he did, Toya. Stupid. I keep deleting my messages, and eventually get angered to the point I spam the keyboard. I sigh, and my finger slips to the call button. OH.
I panic, trying to find out how to stop it with it jumping in my hands like it's something hot.
"Hi."
"Ah- uh- I-" He picked up!! Toya, you're so stupid!!
"Toya? Are you okay? Why did you call me?" He sounds worried. I messed up.
"I-I'm- I'm sorry, I-" I barely manage to sputter out words, because of my heart racing.
"Toya, calm down. Breathe. It's okay, I'll listen to whatever you have to say. Maybe this would be better for you to talk, since you can't see me directly?" He sounds so caring.. I blush, and take a few deep breaths. "Better?"
"Y-Yes, thank you.." I mumble, fidgeting my fingers.
"What's up?" He asks, and I take a moment to think. What was it again? I begin thinking so hard, I'm humming. He chuckles, and I stop immediately. "Take your time. I'm still here."
"Oh right, I- I called you on accident, I'm very sorry-" I apologize, and goes silent. ".. Are you still there? Akito?" I hear a crashing sound, and grow extremely worried.
"Sorry, sorry! It's fine, I'll text you later I uh- my sister is throwing stuff at me, I've got to go!!" He shouts, and hangs up. Huh. Ena is really violent...
* With Akito *
Akito opens the door to his window, and takes a deep breath.
"FUU- HE SAID MY NAME-- HIS VOICE IS SO PRETTY!!!!" He shouts at the top of his lungs, flustered.
"SHUT THE HELL UP AND CLEAN UP THE CUP YOU BROKE!!!" Ena yells.
"Where were you guys yesterday?!" An storms up to us, smacking Akito. I tilt my head.
"What are you talking about?" Akito asks, and she groans.
"Don't act so dumb now! We all stayed after school to discuss the new play! We're done with the plot and roles now after doing it on the weekend without you, thanks for your help!!" She pouts, and I blink. What?
".. You're welcome." Akito shrugs, turning away from her.
"YOU BI--" An shouts, and he covers her mouth.
"Not in front of Toya."
I'm not innocent. I've said a very bad word in my head once. I did a very bad thing.
"Oh, right. But still, why didn't you come?!"
"1, we didn't have rehearsal yesterday but do today. 2, where the hell is this coming from? You  never told us. Tell me where the hell you texted me this?"
".. I didn't..? Oh, yeah.. haha." She awkwardly laughs, trying to back away, but Akito pulls her hair.
"Apologize for yelling at Toya." He says, staring at her with disapproval.
".. I'm sorry, Toya. I didn't mean to yell at you... y-you'll forgive me, right..?" An's voice is shaking as her face looks extremely pale. Is she not doing well? I nod, and she gives a huge sigh of relief. "P-Please get him away from me!! He's holding a sharpened pencil to my neck!"
He's what.
"I'd do the knife, but I can't bring that to school. This should suffice." Akito menacingly stares at her, and I separate them. An hides behind me, and he rolls his eyes then sits down. I'm scared.
"You're crazy! I'm leaving!" She leaves the classroom, going somewhere. Wow. Maybe I shouldn't leave them alone ever.
After school we go to the auditorium, but Kamishiro isn't there. The others put their stuff down, while Akito and I look for them. Akito moves the curtain out of the way, but covers my eyes quickly before Kamishiro and Tsukasa turn their heads quickly to us.
"Guys! T-Toya! It's- It's not what it looks like, I swear!" Tsukasa waves his hands, flustered, as Kamishiro awkwardly coughs.
"Wow. How could you do that in front of this innocent soul's eyes." Akito seems like he's teasing them. I take his hands off, confused.
"O-Oh, it's time already? Well, I'll wake up the teacher." Kamishiro clears his throat, walking to the office. What happened?
"How dare you kiss in front of this angel. For shame, Tenma. For shaaame." He taunts Tsukasa, who tries making an excuse. .. Of course they were.
"GAHH, I JUST TRIPPED! I DIDN'T KISS HIM AT ALL, IF YOU SAW ME TOUCH HIS LIPS YOU DIDN'T!"
"Hello, everyone!" Mr. Kaito yawns, rubbing his eyes. His outfit is messy again.
"Hey, Mr. Sleepy head!" Otori giggles, and he ruffles her hair. "Oh yeah, An recruited a new member! Everyone, please welcome Shizuku Hinomori! And Mizuki Akiyama, and Ena Shinononome, who we didn't get to meet last time." She slowly and carefully reads off her arm.
"It's Shinonome! You keep adding the extra 'no'!!" Akito shouts, as An and a few others laugh.
"It's alright, Otori." Ena smiles, and Kusanagi glares at Akito, who looks away. They all wave, and sort out their papers.
"We have decided on the roles. Akito Shinonome will be the villager, A.K.A the main love interest, we put An Shiraishi for the villain, Emu Otori the princess, Ena Shinonome our make up artist, Mizuki volunteering to be the dame, background characters have their own lines, and the rest are stage crew working on props, while Rui Kamishiro is still the director. Thank you again, Mizuki Akiyama for designing the outfits and backgrounds!" Hinomori says, and everyone claps. "As for me, you've already been told, my name is Shizuku Hinomori. I will also be directing you all from now on! Well, if giving feedback counts as directing."
.. Otori is the princess now?
"We only have 3 weeks to do this, come on!! Let's get started with the acts! Shizuku, don't hold back nor sugar coat the feedback!" Kamishiro snaps, and the people who go up for the beginning get on the stage.
"I'm so sorry, half and half!" Otori cries, and hugs me. "We didn't have a princess, nobody wanted to do it so I volunteered.. An wanted to make you the princess but.. a few people would've tried to murder him.."
I pat her back, smiling.
"Do your best."
She blinks, and her face lights up.
"You can count on me! Also, there is no actual smooching in the play just so nobody gets sick, so we're good." She gives a thumbs up, and I feel very relieved.
The stage crew is going to change the settings now, since we have to get used to it. I see Kusanagi flat on the floor, and jolt. I shake her, seeing if she's unconscious.
"Huh..? Oh, hey Toya." She says, with dead eyes. We take a few moments of silence, and she jumps up, slapping me. "D-Don't touch me!!" Ow..!
"What are you doing here, anyways..?" She blushes, mumbling.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I don't think so... I don't know why, but I feel so jealous of Akito." She whispers, and I blink. I knew it.
"NENE!! TOYA!! QUIT MESSING AROUND!!" Kamishiro shouts, and Tsukasa pinches him.
We run to our spots, and watch the first act. I do the lighting now, as well as a few others. Kamishiro said I couldn't keep up with some of the setting movers, which I felt offended but understood. Kusanagi does the setting and a few props. She's quick.
After the first act, to me it was a little off but I just focused on Akito the whole time.
"I'd give it a passing grade, but you seem so bored, Akito. Try to put more emotion into it!" Hinomori tries encouraging him, but he looks even more gloomy. An cackles, and Azusawa shushes her. Oh yeah, Azusawa is going to be our audience today.
After act two, comes the last one. We got through it pretty quickly, considering it's not a very long play, and Kamishiro was very serious about this. It's not really good or perfect, but that's okay since it's our first time acting it out.
We will also be playing this 2 times at least. One an hour after school apparently, and the other about 2-3 hours after that. It's a short play, so we'll be fine. Weird schedule, huh. But Kamishiro likes the idea of a smaller play so we stuck with it.
Hinomori's criticism was totally honest, sometimes brutal, and encouraging. Otori isn't really in besides her short part in act 1 and act 2 just listening to the villain while imprisoned, but here comes the intense part followed by the confession...
"No, this can't be..!" An pants, as she's supposed to be fading away because of the princess's magic. "Curse you, princess! If I go down, so do you!"
We're supposed to make it look like An cast a powerful spell, but we gave her a ball instead. It looks like she threw it with a lot of force..
"Wh-- Are you okay?!" Otori reads off of her script and holds Akito, who fell to the floor, protecting her. But in reality, he got hit straight at the crotch.. she's really dead after this..
"I'm.. fine. But why do you worry about me?" Akito put more emotion into his lines, like Hinomori said. He's holding back his pain and anger very well. "I have no worth.. you heard the other villagers, I just mess everything.. up.."
"No! Don't say that..!" Otori is doing.. decent at acting as a calm princess. "You're worth something to me.. and I don't want to just have you by my side as a friend, I want you to be more than that to me.."
"What.. do you mean..?" Akito is supposed to act as if the curse is slowly shortening his life span, which he's doing good at. Not the best, but I still enjoy watching it.
".. I like you." She tries so hard not to cringe, and I see Kusanagi looking away. We used this minty thing for Otori to cry, but her eyes are getting really red.
"Princess, I've admired you for years.. I always have.." Akito hesitantly put his hand on her face, and she tried so hard not to look at him in disgust.
"Do me one last favor before you go, I beg of you.. as your princess," Otori's eye twitches, as she gets closer to his face. "Show me that you truly adore m-"
"STOP! Emu, I'm sorry, but what the heck are those facial expressions?! You too, Akito!! You're not showing love, you're showing pure disgust!" Hinomori scolds, and she jumps.
"Oh, thank God! I was so weirded out. No offense, Shinononome." Otori throws her hands up, and Akito sighs. I think he gave up correcting her. Her face lights up again, and she grins, running to Hinomori, whispering something in her ear.
"Really?.. Okay!" Hinomori nods, and they both look at me. "Toya, Emu recommended to me she wants you to give her an example of how to do it!"
"PFF-" An chokes, and Akito's eyes widen. Azusawa gasps, covering her mouth. Tsukasa's jaw flies open, and Kusanagi stares in disbelief. Akiyama breaks their pencil, and Ena cackles. My eyes widen, and my face heats up.
.. Wh...
"WHAT?"