"I don't have a better plan."

Ann looks anxiously at her pack, where the airsoft guns are stashed. "Akira really didn't want us to hang around here long. Maybe you should take the packs and hike for it and I'll catch up with Akira?" 

"Nah, if anyone should risk getting caught it's me. If he sees you, maybe it comes back on you or Shiho. He already hates me plenty. Might not be the best for Akira to be seen with me, but rumor mill already hates her too."

"Yeah, that makes more sense. Okay. I'll get over to that café we were at before with the packs, you look after Akira. You've got my phone number, call if anything comes up."

She holds her hand out for Ryuji's pack.

Akira's fallen asleep sitting up.

Ryuji nods, hands Ann his pack, then focuses on making sure Akira's decently comfy against the tree. Hopefully this little rest helps her out some.

And Ann heads off. She glances back over her shoulder a couple times as she goes, but eventually Ryuji fades into the distance and she has to focus on where she's going.

Okay, now what? He's got at least a few minutes before Akira can wake up. Probably a lot before she's feeling better, but maybe she could walk in five to ten? He sets a ten minute alarm on his phone and puts it on vibrate.

Sitting here with her alone like this, he's suddenly reminded of how she was at his place earlier. And now he's blushing again. Her blush was pretty cute too. Hell of a contrast with how bold she is in the Metaverse, though.

He watches the world for a bit. Not much is happening, thank fuck.

About five minutes later he gets a text from Ann. 

At the café. Things ok?

He texts back.

Yeah. Nobody's come by. She's still asleep. Got a timer, gonna try waking her up in about ten.

Alright. I'll stick by the café. 

A few people walk by across the street, but they don't seem to be students or teachers, thankfully.

Eventually his timer goes off. He silences it, then shakes Akira's shoulder gently.

She opens her eyes a fraction.

"... Ryyyyyyuji?" Her voice slurs heavily.

"Hey. We gotta get away from the school. Think you can walk if you lean on me, at least to the train station?"

Akira slumps over against him. Ryuji good.

Um. Blush.

He tries to slip an arm behind her, and drapes her arm over his shoulders.

She clings. This is definitely a girl who wants a firm hold on her Ryuji.

Blushing intensifies, but also that's very convenient right now. Okay, hand goes around her waist, he does not want to grip high enough to touch somewhere he shouldn't, and then up they go.

She still slumps hard against him, but once she's lifted to her feet she seems to have enough lucidity to take a little of her own weight.

With his focus on helping support and steer Akira, he's distracted enough that his blush lessens a bit. Okay, off toward the station and the café they go.

Akira manages to keep from stumbling, though she's still very much being steered by Ryuji.

She is doing such a good job. Ryuji is perfectly happy to steer her if she's doing all this not-stumbling. That's one block down. Then two. Then more.

"Halfway there, Akira. Doing good."

Akira makes a noise that's not even a word and keeps going where she's led.