Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was loud around them. The sounds of people bickering over tables, the cooks shouting out when a meal was done being made, chopsticks hitting the rim of a bowl. Just the every day sounds of the lunch area.

Nobuko and Yuko were currently sitting outside waiting for their friend Umi and her boyfriend Shun to get their food and find the table the two occupied. Leaving them to just talk amongst eachother for the time being.

"So Yuko, do you believe that Namazaki is going out with Sachiko? Someone said they saw the two of them down at the docks."

There was a sigh from her friend. "Really Nobuko? It's just a stupid rumor, no reason to get worked up about it. If you think about it a little bit those two couldn't possibly be together, there hardly ever in the same area." Yuko flicked her chopsticks at her to puncuate her next words, "Your source sucks. They just happened to be at the docks at the same time it doesn't mean anything."

"Okay then." Nobuko admitted defeat."Well what about-" she thought it over for a moment then frowned, "no, hmmm," Nobuko racked through her brain for a few moments for another good rumor she had heard about recently. "nevermind. I got nothing."

Yuko was silent for a second. "I might have something."

"What, what? Is your source reliable?"

"My source is observation." Yuko stated firmly. "With these eyes I have seen horrible things-"

"Oh, I'm sure. Like that dog in the Philosopy Club's room. Just get to the juicy bits already."

"You shouldn't interrupt others Nobuko. Now, as I was saying, I can recall seeing just days ago that Mizunuma and," she paused for dramatic effect, "Sora were talking on the school grounds. Then the next day I saw them down at the market together. If anyone was going out I would say it was those two." Yuko smiled at Nobuko's baffeled expression once she was done speaking.

"Really? I never noticed that before..."  Nobuko looked to be in thought for a moment. "But now that you mention it ever since Umi took Sora to the Club House I have spotted them around eachother a couple of times afterwards without Umi or Shun present." She blinked in astonishment. "Maybe they are going out! This is like... a pot of gold in rumor credit. Does anyone else know about it?"

"I don't think so. Why?" Yuko asked between bites of food finding it rather amusing to see her friend get so worked up over the 'news.'

"We need more evidence!"

"Evidence for what?" Umi's voice came from their side and the two glanced over to see Shun standing beside their good friend. Within the next few seconds they had both sat down looking over at Nobuko for an explanation while getting out their lunches.

"Shun, you're good friends with Mizunuma." Nobuko glanced toward him and he could only nod as he was chewing currently. "So you would know if he was going out right now, right? With Sora." she pressed.

"Sora?" Umi questioned. "I'm sure she would have told me if she was going out with someone. Especially if it was Mizunuma what with her crush on him."

"Aha! More solid evidence!"

"Why are you so interested in people's personal lives Nobuko?" Shun questioned from across the table.

"Hey now, you still haven't answered my question so I don't have too answer yours!" she quickly rebutted.

Shun set his chop sticks down for a moment. "Okay, don't bite my head off." At her glare they all laughed. "I haven't heard anything from Mizunuma about going out with anyone but he does disappear sometimes so he could possibly be going out with someone. I don't know who it would be though if he is. He's been busy writing up more mock exams what with winter finals coming up."

This made Nobuko frown for a moment as she thought. "Well I still think it could be a possibility." She took the last bite of her ramen before standing up. "Come on, Yuko.'

"What? Oh, okay." Yuko got up holding the last quarter of her tuna sandwhich as she followed her friend to the Club House. She had an idea of what was going through her friends mind. "See you guys later." she called back to Shun and Umi before being dragged the rest of the way by Nobuko.

Nobuko hurried toward the steps only stopping when she noticed the Astronomy Club members just outside the door with the telescope. "Hey! I got a question for you guys!" she marched right over to the three members crowded around with a clipboard. "It has nothing to do with the suns rays. This is more important." That seemed to catch their attention. Yuko was still standing further back, covering her mouth to stop from giggling. Important? Maybe by Nobuko's standards but not theirs. "Have you noticed Mizunuma hanging out around Sora Matsuzaki at all the past few months?"

They all blinked at her in turn. "That's important?" Yuko burst into a fit of laughter from behind Nobuko earning a glare from her friend before she rounded back on the Astronomy Club members.

"Just answer the question!"

"Hmm, well," one of them started, "I haven't ever seen them together, but Sora does come to the Club House regularly every week."

"Almost every day actually." another member piped up. "Why?"

Nobuko smiled at this new information. "Oh I'm just trying to prove that they're going out together." she said it offhandedly while walking away and up the steps. Yuko followed her after watching the members look at eachother and give a few remarks before going back to their research. Well it would appear the mill was starting to spin.

They headed up the stairs next to stop in front of the Philosopher's Club. "Heeey." Nobuko called into the room, or rather a closet. The Philosopy Club President appeared a moment later.

"Hi Nobuko." he greeted. "What brings you to the home of Philosophy on this fine day? With the beautiful weather." Yuko had to stifle another giggle at his awkward words. It was no secret that he liked Nobuko after the incident with the plaster.

"Well visiting hours were open so I thought I would stop by." Nobuko smiled at him and a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks. "Also have you seen Sora come in today?"

"Umi's sister? Yeah just an hour ago but then she left again. Are you looking for her?"

"Yes. Did she leave with anybody?"

"No. Though Takahiro mentioned seeing her a few minutes ago."

"Where's Takahiro now?"

"Third floor. What do you need to find Sora for?"

Nobuko smirked at this question, clearly eager to continue spreading the rumour even without completely solid evidence. "To question her about her whereabouts and relationship with Mizunuma."

He of course took the bait. "Mizunuma and Sora are going out?'

"Yup." With that the two headed up the stairs knowing the Philosophy Club President would talk the rumor up to go to the third floor to track down this Takahiro. They had to ask around a bit but eventually they found him in one of the many club rooms.

"Takahiro?"

"Umm yes?" The student turned around to look at the two girls.

"I heard that you saw Sora not to long ago even though she left the Club House a little more than a hour ago."

He blinked at her accusation tone of voice. "Yeah. I saw her, but she wasn't in the Club House. She was down at the little grouping of trees behind the Club House with Mizunuma eating lunch."

Noboku's eyes went wide. "You saw her with Mizunuma eating lunch?"

"Yeah... they've been eating there together for the past two months. Why? Is something wrong?"

Nobuko blinked before exclaiming, "I knew it!"

Yuko laughed softly from the doorway. "No you didn't. You just guessed from my observations. So can we leave now that you got your evidence?"

Takahiro just watched the two girls leave the room wondering what that had been about.

The next day the news was all over school. That just being how fast the rumor mill was in these parts, true or false.