During class Eizan got a message from Mio telling him she would not be home right after school. He was happy because Ome had requested they go to the arcade after school. He knew this was just a ploy to get him to tell him everything about what had been going on. Classes went on as usual for the rest of the day. Eizan told Ome to wait for him by the school gate, he still had to have a meeting with Izumi. After class Mio and Ren left school together walking in the direction opposite of his apartment. He was a little worried but he still had to attend this meeting. Izumi walked up to his desk as he was packing away his books. “Follow me.” She said leading him towards the principal’s office. Once again, he sat on the sofa across from the principal’s desk. Different from this morning though, Izumi was sitting in an office chair next to the desk. A few seconds after they sat down Ichigo entered the room and made his way behind his desk.
Izumi and Ichigo stared at each other and he nodded for her to start. “Alright I brought you here for two things. First, lets get to the altercation you and Harada had in the hallway. I asked all the students in the hall, what happened. They, all said he attacked you, but can you tell me what exactly happened.”
Eizan smiled. “He got mad at a comment I made about a funny smell in the hallway. Apparently, he thought it was directed at him. I tried to tell him it wasn’t but he got mad and tried to hit me.”
Izumi looked at him suspiciously “Is that all there is to this?” Eizan nodded. “You know Harada’s story differed from yours.”
Eizan’s smile faded “Are you trying to blame the victim? I already decided to let the last incident slide. But now I am attacked by that madman in the hallway and you want to blame me. I wonder what the newspaper would think if I told them this story and about our star basketball team ganging up on me behind the gym and sending me to the hospital?
Izumi swallowed her next words “P-please don’t do that.”
Eizan smiled coldly “Please choose your words carefully sensei.”
A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. She looked toward the principal who was shaking his head. Ichigo spoke next. “I intend to let this incident end here. Harada will be suspended for three days for fighting. Now Izumi what was the second issue wanted to bring up."
She sighed “I wanted to talk to you about your upcoming exams. Do you intend to miss questions on purpose again?”
Eizan sighed “So, you noticed. I really thought I did a good job hiding it. If I may ask what clued you in?”
Izumi stared at him intently “You answered every question flawlessly except for a select few. Your mistake was answering some of the easier questions wrong but still getting the hardest questions right.”
Eizan laughed a little “And here I thought that I should make it look like I just made a simple mistake, guess I should reevaluate that strategy.”
Izumi sighed “Why would you want to miss questions on purpose.”
He looked out the window as he spoke “Ever since I was little, I have been excluded for my intelligence. Everyone looks at me weird because I get perfect scores on every exam even if I don’t participate in class. I just want to be seen as normal.”
Izumi started laughing “You normal, I think that persona has gone out the window long ago.”
Eizan frowned “You may be right about that. But if I were to show you my true intelligence you would try to have me graduate early. I definitely don’t want that.”
“Just tell me one thing. Have you learned anything from me all year.” She looked a little down trodden.
A soft smile appeared on his face. “Yes, more than you could imagine. But I would say none of it was school related. Our chats have broadened my horizon immensely.”
“How far ahead are you right now in your studies.”
Eizan raised an eyebrow “Before I answer that can you guarantee you won’t try to make me graduate early?” He looked back and forth between Izumi and Ichigo they both nodded in agreement. “I’m sure I could graduate from university in most subjects with top marks.” Both of their eyes widened in amazement.
Even though she was shocked she had one more question for him “What benefit can this school provide you then?”
He leaned back on the couch in a lazy manner “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you about it. My mother’s side of the family are all geniuses, every single one of them is highly intelligent. But this comes at a cost, the unlucky ones have trouble integrating into society. My mother’s uncle was one of these people. He had no ability to talk to people and did nothing but physics calculations in his office. It completely destroyed him emotionally. He graduated from Harvard at sixteen years old. He never had interactions with people of his own age until he was older than eighteen. By that time most of the people he interacted with, who were his own age, were his freshmen students. He lived a life of loneliness until his thirtieth birthday when he took his own life. I don’t want to end up alone. Luckily my sister didn’t get the intelligence gene from my mother that was inherited from my grandfather. That or she’s really good at hiding it, that remains to be seen.”
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The principal then asked “So you’re doing this to improve your ability to socialize and have friends?”
Eizan nodded “That is the plan, you will be happy to hear that I will be the top of the class from now on though. My mother made it a condition, something that happened to me yesterday made me concede to her demands.” Izumi looked at him curiously. “I can’t tell you what happened, it’s personal.”
Izumi’s sighed “Ok, I think that’s more than what we needed from you today. You can go now.” Eizan stood up and bowed to them both respectfully before leaving the office.
Izumi and Ichigo stared at each other for a few seconds “Uncle what have you gotten me into?”
“I’m glad you’re here for this actually, that boy is kind of intimidating and hard to deal with. I can tell he is much kinder to you than me. Even though he kind of threatened us I could tell he wasn’t serious about it. But I do feel like everything is going just the way he wants it too.” Ichigo sighed.
“Kind to me, he seemed to be his usual self to me. Hard headed, slightly lazy and arrogant to a fault.”
“You are still too inexperienced, the intimidating aura he had around him this morning was nowhere to be found. Earlier when we were alone, I felt like I was trapped in the office with a cunning wolf. It felt like the only reason he left me alive was so he could toy with me a little longer.”
“Uncle, you exaggerate too much.” Ichigo just sighed at her response.
Eizan met Ome at the school gate. He apologized to him for making him wait and they headed towards the arcade. They chatted on the walk like normal. Laughing and making jokes just like any day. Finally, Sano couldn't help but ask the question that had been nagging him since earlier today. “So are you ready to tell me everything? I think I have most of it figured out but I want you to confirm it for me.” Eizan nodded and told him to ask away. “You didn’t really fall down a flight of stairs, did you?” Eizan sighed and told him exactly what had happened. Sano looked incredibly angry “I can’t believe those bastards did something like that. You should have told me earlier; we could have gotten revenge.”
Eizan shook his head. “Nah, I want to get revenge on my own if possible. If I need your help, I will be sure to ask.”
Sano nodded with a smile “Now, the next question is one I know you're going to avoid. What’s your relationship with Sakurai?”
Eizan laughed “Your right I would like to avoid that question if at all possible.”
Sano laughed “Not going to happen. Spill it man.”
Eizan sighed “Were just friends, but due to some family drama she is living with me for a month. I really need you to keep that last part secret.”
Sano’s eyes widened in shock “S-she’s living with you in that little apartment.” Eizan nodded. “And you want me to believe you two aren’t more than just friends?” Eizan nodded again. “Come on man you can’t tell me you’re not at least a little interested?”
Eizan smiled mischievously “Did I say I wasn’t interested? If anything, last night while I was lost in thought lying on the floor, I realized I was very interested. Now I just have to figure out if I can get her to think of me that way. I even woke up this morning before she did and made her breakfast. I also made her the bento she had for lunch. I have a month to woo her unimpeded by that bastard Murata.”
Sano laughed “So that’s why you pissed him off at school today. She’s going to think he’s a real jerk now.”
Eizan smiled coldly “That’s the plan. While I’m at it I thought I should scare away his compatriots. I think Neji is scared shitless, I taught him a lesson at lunch today. I don’t think I will have to worry about him interfering for the time being. He may even talk the others out of messing with me again.”
Ome looked at him seriously “You know, you really scare me sometimes. I’m glad you’re on my side.”
Eizan laughed “Oh come on man, I’m actually really kind hearted most of the time. As long as you don’t do something horrible to me or the one’s I love I’m really nice. Hey Ome what do you think of Shimada?”
“I think she hates you.” Sano giggled. “But I think she’s the best-looking girl in the school, anyone would be lucky to date her.”
Eizan put his hand on his chin and thought for a few seconds. "That sounds like a good punishment for Ren let’s make her fall in love with Ome. I can tell she’s in love with that bastard Murata but I bet I can help Sano steal her heart." He then questioned him “Do you want to date her, I’m fairly sure I could tell you how to get her if you want. It’s not a one hundred percent chance but at the very least she will see you as attractive.” He had an evil thouth "I will have that bastard crush her heart and have Sano play the hero."
Sano gave him a weird look “Are you crazy, I don’t think that’s possible?”
“Anything is possible if you play your cards right. I can stack the deck if you would like. I’ve been able to count cards since I was nine.”
Sano looked at him weirdly again “Man, you really are weird sometimes. But sure, if you think, I can pull it off I’m willing to give it a shot. I still think you’re crazy though.”
Eizan laughed “Nah just cunning like a wolf.”
Sano laughed “A wolf in sheep’s clothing is more like it.”