Hikaru stared at the chalkboard while his teacher, Tanaka-sensei, began writing algebra equations across it in very unruly handwriting. The clock's ticking seemed to have a certain impact on his mind, making him loose focus on his learning and pay attention to the soft clicking instead.
1.59.57, 1.59.58, 1.59.59, 2.00.00. The bell began chiming, marking the start of his fitness class. After that, he could go home and sleep without disturbances.
"Miyazaki, I'd like to have a word with you after class. Please stop by my class later, alright?" Tanaka-sensei said, I nodded my head in response and exited the classroom.
I haven't done anything wrong, what does he want me for? My grades are perfect, I've already chosen a club, I have perfect attendance and I don't get in trouble. I just can't seem to understand why he asked to meet me after class of all the students in the room, when clearly I'm fine.
I opened my gym locker and took out my fitness uniform, slipping off my shirt to start changing into it. A hand came down on my locker, startling me for a moment from the sudden loud noise.
"You still owe me, princess. How long do you expect me to wait?" The voice belonging to the hand on my locker asked, I turned around to face him with my shirt still in my hands.
"Not now, Kacey. I can't afford to miss fitness class, you can have your payment after that." I said, pushing him away from me. I hastily pulled my shirt over my head and turned around, opening my locker again to finish changing.
I felt his gaze burn into my backside for a moment before he turned around and left. I sighed in relief, and slipped on my shorts quickly.
"5 laps around the track, if you're not back in 15 minutes that'll come off your grade!" The gym coach bellowed, blowing the whistle.
While I was running, I overheard some of the girls gossiping in the bleachers. "-Personally I think Kacey's pretty hot, but Ryu's way hotter. What do you think, Natsu?" One of the girls said, glancing at the redhead to her left.
"I'm kind of a sucker for cute guys, so I'm kinda crushing on Miyazaki at the moment." She responded, gaining my interest.
"Are you kidding? Haven't you heard the rumor that's been going around? They say he seduces his teachers for good grades so he doesn't have to do anything in class." The third girl said, paying no attention to the fact she was rather loud and I was passing by.
"Next time, try keeping your voice down. I'm not deaf you know." I said, picking up the pace. All three girls looked at me bewildered and extremely embarrassed, then eventually got up and left the bleachers.
I kept running until I had finished my 5th lap and returned to the gymnasium to finish the class.
___ ___ ___
It was now 3:00PM, gym class had just ended and I was changing back into my school uniform to head back to Tanaka-sensei's room. At least, I was about to until I felt someone's hand slide down my back making me flinch. I turned around to see Kacey looming over me with a sick grin across his face.
I felt small, and powerless. I needed to get back to Tanaka-sensei's class, but Kacey wouldn't listen. He took what he wanted and left me quivering on the cold wooden floor of the boys locker room in my underwear.
I sat up, pulled my knees up against my chest and stayed like that for a while. This didn't change anything, as a matter of fact it happened quite often. Just so that he wouldn't post some incriminating picture of me kissing another man on social media.
It might not sound like much of a reason to sell my body to another student, but in Japan it's not always considered an 'okay' thing to do. If my principal had seen that, I'd have been expelled. If my parents had seen it, they'd have probably disowned me. Not that they ever really cared what I did, but they might have been disappointed in me.
I had been too lost in my thoughts to realize the door of the locker room being unlocked, and to my horror the one who had opened it was Tanaka-sensei.
"Miyazaki? What are you doing on the floor like that, gym class ended 15 minutes a-" He stared at the bruises on my arms and legs, then noticed the red marks on my neck and froze. "W-what the hell...?"
"S-sensei, I can explain-" I started, but was unable to finish my sentence. I knew I couldn't come up with an excuse for this, and I was screwed.
"Does it hurt?" He asked, I was taken off guard by the sudden question. "W-what?" I asked.
"Does it hurt? Your bruises I mean." He asked again. "Y-yeah, they do. But, I'm-" "Fine? Miyazaki, I don't believe that for a second. I'll help you get dressed and we can talk on the way home, I'll need you to tell me your address by the way." He said, extending his hand to me.
I was having a hard time processing the information presented to me, I thought for sure I was going to be expelled and they'd call my parents, but I wasn't expecting to be helped. Even if I had thought about him offering to keep quiet about this, I would never have thought he'd so much as touch me let alone help me get off the floor.
"Thank you, sir." I said, taking his hand and allowing him to lift me up off the floor.
"Can you stand?" He asked, concern lineing his voice. "I can manage." I answered, letting go of his hand and leaning against the lockers.
"If you have to lean against the lockers, then you can't stand." He said, guiding me over to the bench and sitting me down, "Which one's yours?"
"247, the one with all the dents and permanent marker on it." I said.
"I just don't understand why someone would do something like that to a kid like you, why haven't you reported it to the principal?" Tanaka-sensei asked, opening my locker and taking out my clothes.
"Simple, blackmail. If I say anything, he'll ruin my life. I'd be expelled, disowned, living on the streets doesn't sound to pleasant if you ask me." I said, "As for why they'd want s*x instead of money or homework, is probably because I've got feminine features. Sexual predators tend to be attracted to those kinds of things."
Sensei went silent for a moment while setting down my clothes beside me on the bench.
"How long has this been going on? You talk about it like you've done this hundreds of times before." He asked, helping me stand so I could get my pants on.
"...Since the middle of 1st year, sir." I answered. Black lines filled Tanaka-sensei's face, I couldn't tell if he was repulsed by me or the student who's responsible for this.
"Do you have anything to write on?" He asked, the repulsion disappearing from his face.
"Yeah, in my bag. Why?" I asked. "Because I'm going to give you my phone number. If I can't convince you to resolve the problem, then the least I can do is relieve some of the stress it puts atop your shoulders." He said.
"What do you mean by that?" I questioned, pulling my shirt on. "You can call me if this happens again, I'll drive you home anytime you need me to."
I didn't think he'd ever be okay with doing something like that, it made me feel like I actually had someone to depend on. I myself didn't realize it, but I had started to cry. For once in my life, someone gave a damn about my welfare.
"Ah, okay kid just- stop crying please. I need to drive you home now, and I can't do that if you're crying." He said, helping me up off the bench and handing me a tissue.
"Thanks." I sniffled, wiping my eyes.
"Don't mention it, Miyazaki."