Lesson Learned

Talk to Someone!

Ritsu scowled. "We need to talk about what happened yesterday!"

Mitsuko grimaced, crossing arms as she leaned back. "Why? The Principal was just being an asshole as usual."

Ritsu cringed. "How often does he talked to you like that?"

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"The things he said were not categorized as healthy parenting!" Ritsu complained, looking worried. "And what did he mean when he said you were vomiting before tests?"

Mitsuko shifted, looking away. "I...I have bad nerves so I vomited on Mr Kensaku during a Mid-term test." She shrugged, digging her nails into her lap. "The Principal loves bringing up stuff like that." She grimaced. "As I said, he's an asshole."

"But, that's not normal!" Ritsu's voice bordered on desperate. "He shouldn't treat you like that. He's your father."

Mitsuko sighed in exasperation. "The Principal is anything but normal," she replied dismissively. "It's fine. I can handle it."

"Mitsuko—"

"Ritsu, just chill already." Mitsuko sighed, shrugging. "So my dad is a jerk to me, who cares? In a few more years I'll finally leave home and be done with him."

Ritsu stared at her with wide hurt eyes. "Mitsuko...this..." She shook her head in distress. "You shouldn't have to put up with this! He shouldn't be treating you like that, to begin with."

Mitsuko started to grow impatient. "Well, I can't exactly make him stop, Ritsu? What do you expect me to do? He's my father."

"Koro-sensei could—"

"The Principal is his boss." She curled her hands into fists. "And this doesn't concern anyone outside of my family, so just drop it."

"I can't just—"

"Friends respect each other's privacy," Mitsuko said coldly, narrowing her gaze.

"Real friends also watch out for each other!" Ritsu argued back. "And they don't ignore the other one when they're just trying to help!"

Mitsuko felt a lump in her throat, looking away. "...I know you're just trying to help, Ritsu," she said evenly.

"Then let me," Ritsu pleaded, looking up at her. "I think if Mr Karasuma talked with the Principal..."

Mitsuko felt a growing dread in her stomach. "One talk isn't going to magically change a person, Ritsu."

Ritsu gaze was pleading. "You have to talk to someone."

Mitsuko felt her stomach give another twist, looking over at her phone for a long moment. "...I'll only do that if you promise me you'll stop nagging."

Ritsu scowled. "I don't nag!"

The other girl rolled her eyes. "Just promise me you won't interfere."

The AI conflicted. "Mitsuko..."

"Friends respect each other's privacy, remember?" Mitsuko argued, giving her a look.

Ritsu's brow furrowed and her jaw twitched agitatedly. "...Fine."

Mitsuko smiled. "Thank you."

Ritsu's scowl didn't let up. "You better talk to someone..."

***

Mitsuko aimed at the tree that over overlooked the river; it had a yellow Koro-sensei face painted onto the tree trunk. When she fired it was an inch off target. "Damn..."