Chapter Text
It annoyed Kyoko, more than anything, when her things were not kept in order. She didn't know whether it was personal preference, or just the detective in her, but she had always been a very neat and clean person.
She was also known be levelheaded, cool as ice, to never overreact in any given situation -- instead logically finding clues to get out of it. She never really understood why people feared her when she was only just trying to keep a straight face, trying not to display any emotion that would make her seem vulnerable, show weakness. It was not like she had any malicious intent, she was just trying to keep calm.
Unlike right now, when her head was boiling because she couldn't find the stud of her glove. The others had a good reason to avoid her at this moment.
Kyoko wore black leather gloves, and on the back of each hand were sewn twelve metal studs, neatly arranged in three rows and four columns. Totalling to twenty-four. But there were only twenty-three.
How annoying.
She kneels on the ground, looking for that tiny square piece of metal.
Now, anyone would tell her, "In this big school, how would you find such a small thing?" But Kyoko was certain of it. Today when she had entered class, all twenty-four were in place; and they hadn't left the class for gym or any other activities, not her, atleast. So, the stud should be fallen somewhere around here.
In the midst of her searching, she paid no attention to who was entering and leaving the classroom, neither was anyone to her, sparing her odd glances instead, preferring to keep their distance from the strange sight of the 'ice-cold' detective they were witnessing -- hunched over between the desks. It truly was odd. Kyoko huffs in annoyance.
"Uhm... Kirigiri-san?"
Her heart leaps out of her chest, head shooting up, and it was too late for her to realize that it was a bad idea. The back of her head meets the bottom of her desk, hard, and she swears it rattles her brain inside. The force shifts the desk from its place.
"Ugh!" She pulls herself out from underneath the desk, cradling the top of her throbbing head. Great, she had another thing to be irritated about now. Anger bubbled in her chest, although her face did not betray the mask she had skillfully put up.
"Kirigiri-san!" The converned concerned voice of the one and only, Makoto Naegi rushes beside her, rubbing her back. Would rubbing her back help in any way? "Are you alright?" He asked.
She greatly underestimated the strength of the desk. Her head reels, "Ugh, I feel like puking." She spoke in the smoothest voice she could muster, despite feeling like her head could burst into flames from the frustration any moment now.
Makoto panics beside her, "Uh! Oh no! We need to get you to the infirmary then! As soon as possible!" He turns to her, "Can you move? Is it a concussion? Rate your pain from one to ten! Uh-oh, you don't look too good, I'll to get the nurse!" Makoto hurries up but Kyoko grabs his wrist before he could take another step.
"Naegi-kun," She speaks calmly, "I am fine, please calm down and try not to shout so much." She pulls him back down on the floor beside her.
"Oh... Okay... Sorry," He mutters, placing his fists on his thighs, waiting for his next intructions expectantly, like a dog. Kyoko shook her head slowly.
"No just-- could you please help me with something?"
"Sure, anything!" It was entirely her fault that she'd gotten hit on her head and yet Makoto's face was filled with immeasurable guilt, as if he was blaming himself. His hair (that odd cowlick in particular) always seemed to droop whenever he'd think himself guilty, along with those endearing (puppy dog) eyes he gave. It was... cute.
"Naegi-kun," She tried to distract herself, showing him the back of her hand, "I cannot find my glove's missing stud. Could you please help me find it?"
Makoto stares at the missing spot, processing in his brain, and she expects his question from a mile away, "How will you find such a small thing in such a big school?"
But instead he asks, "Where did you last remeber seeing all of them?"
Kyoko blinks, "Well, just this morning when I came in, I was certain seeing all of them in place; and we didn't leave the classroom so--"
"So, it must be fallen here somewhere!" Makoto completes her sentence, beaming. Kyoko's face heats up slightly.
"Well, yes. But we need to find it."
Makoto nods, "Uh huh, I'll go look here, and you could look there," He points to two sections of the classroom. She looks at him confused. Why will they look for it in the whole classroom when it must've gotten lost around here where she'd been sitting? He notices her frowning.
"Well, you know you only started searching after everyone left, so it could've gotten thrown around under everyone's feet," He explains.
Oh. Yes. That made sense. Kyoko didn't think of that. She hides her brief embarassment. Makoto goes to the other end of the classroom, leaving her some encouraging words, while she searched for the little thing on her own end.
They look for it for quite a while, earning the stares and questions of their classmates around. Kyoko narrows her eyes when Sayaka asks what he was doing, offering help; but Makoto denied (Thankfully, she couldn't bear that faint harrowing feeling in her chest), saying that two were enough and that he didn't want to hold her back. She accepted, saying her goodbyes and left.
The evening sun filtered through the windows, casting the classroom in a soft glow. Makoto looked around on the floor when he saw something shine from the corner of his eye. He goes towards it.
There was no doubt about it. It was the metal of Kyoko's stud glimmering in the sunlight. He picks it up excitedly, raising it in the air like a victorious child.
"Kirigiri-san! I found it!"
Kyoko lifts her head from amongst the desks, looking at his childish stance. Standing up and brushing her skirt, she walks towards him, but then stops, noticing how absolutely mesmerizing Makoto looked in the sunlight. His eyes glow, his hair only enhancing his appearance further and that childlike smile of his makes her chest flutter. He walks upto her, pulling her hand open and placing the tiny stud in her palm. The warm smile never left his face.
"Hey, uh... Kirigiri-san?"
Kyoko is broken out of her stupor, "Yes, Naegi-kun?"
"Well, why were you looking so hard for this small stud? You must have many gloves at home right?"
Oh. Oh.
Yes, she did. Had she not have found it at the beginning she would've just let it be, instead opting to wear another pair of gloves. The studs didn't matter anyways, she could have worn them even if one was missing.
She blushes, avoiding the question and the thought that she only made a ruckus with a little thing such as her glove's stud to spend some time with Makoto.
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