[1].
"Tch."
I spit angrily as I walked alongside Ryuma who had a smug smile on his face. I hated going outside — even if the reason is something like food or getting more toilet paper. I never understood how we befriended each other as children, we're complete opposites.
I'm what you call a NEET — well I would be one if Ryuma didn't drag my ass to school every once a week. I barely attend classes and when I do, I normally just sleep. I don't work, barely have any money, barely have clothes and my apartment is a complete disaster. Not a single girl in this small ass town likes me and all think Ryuma should stop associating with a gross delinquent like me.
Who's Ryuma Sakuragami you ask? Well, he's the most perfect, most handsome, most smartest student Tenkuumi town. He's also loaded when it comes to cash and has over hundreds of clothes — those being of no-named brands. I think of him as the main character of this town. He's rich, girls love him, guys want to be him, and has his life planned out.
I'm just the side character by association. You know, the 'childhood friend' trope every harem romance light novels and manga have. Except I'm a guy and have no romantic feelings for Ryuma no matter how rich he is.
"Come on don't be like that Ichi." Ryuma shoved my side playfully as we walked up to the gates Tenkuumi Public High School. Almost instantly a swarm of girls formed around Ryuma, pushing me on the ground.
"Sakurgami-kun! Your hair is as curly as ever! Is it permed?"
"Hey, Sakuragami-kun, where'd you get your glasses from again? It's just so cute and round… can I try them on?"
"Sakuragami! Sakuragami-kun! I made you a bento box! I packed it with your favorite foods!"
"No way! Sakuragami-san should try my bento box!"
"Sakuragami have you joined a club yet? You totally should try the drama club!"
I groaned, getting up off the hard ground. This is the exact reason why I didn't want to come to school. I tried to walk away but then three girls stormed right into the herd of fangirls, blowing their whistles.
"You all are breaking rule #21 of the 'Ways To Truly Appreciate Ryuma Sakugami' Handbook!!" A large-breasted girl with brown pigtails yelled, blowing her whistle repeatedly. Her two lackeys started directing the crowd of girls away from Ryuma.
"There's a handbook…..?" I muttered, standing up again. I tried to dust the dirt off my already dirty white sweater and black Gakuran jacket.
"Yes!!" The brunette turned to me, pulling a large handbook out of thin air. Where the hell was she even hiding that huge thing!? "I, Sorako Kosumi, came up with this handbook!" She bragged, a little too confident if you asked me. I mean, she came up with rules for just one guy? Creepy if you ask me….
"Kosumi, what the hell!? Who died and made you in charge of Sakuragami?" A random fangirl asked annoyed. She was being held back by one of Kosumi's lackeys.
"Fufufuu~" Kosumi giggled, looking down at the fangirl. She had a weird but smug aura around her as she put her hand up to her chin in a haughty fashion. "Why…. I did! I, Sorako Kosumi, was the one who made the 'Ways To Truly Appreciate Ryuma Sakuragami!' Why I'm not just some number one fan, I'm like the leader—"
"Yeah, I'm outta here…."
"She totally ruined the mood…."
The crowd of fangirls quickly disperse, leaving just me, Ryuma and Kosumi along with her two lackeys. I took in a relieved breath, finally some peace and quiet.
"Hmph!" Kosumi crossed her arms with great annoyance that no one wanted to listen to her speech. She probably rehearsed that for months, but no one let her get past the first sentence.
"Thank you, Kosumi." Ryuma smiled at Kosumi, briskly walking past her. I could see her already fantasizing some slow-motion scene in her huge sparkling purple eyes. She opened her mouth, but no words came out to respond. "Let's get going, Ichi." Ryuma called after me, already halfway to the school doors.
"Yeah, yeah. And don't call by that dumb nickname…."
+ + + + + + + +
[2].
"Please don't forget about me, Ichigo."
A woman with long sky-blue hair asked me in a distant-sounding voice. I knew just by the look of the large, golden cage I was trapped in that I was dreaming. I didn't know who this woman was or why the wings on her back were clipped. But I felt a sense of familiarity around her — like a mother and a child. It was strange because I did have a mom and a dad, they both just worked overseas leaving me all alone.
"I'll find a better way to communicate with you one day…."
I would open my mouth but no words would come out. No matter how hard I tried to scream, no sound would leave my throat. The angelic woman smiled sadly at me, her eyes couldn't be seen through her badly cut hair.
"Ichi…. Ichi…..! Ichigo Tsutanai….!? Ichigo!!!?"
I jerked up from my desk, waking up in a cold sweat along with blurry vision. I touched my cheeks feeling a streaky and wet sensation. I rubbed my face, trying to get rid of the blurriness that my tears were causing.
It was that weird dream again. . . I only ever got it in school. It always felt so real despite me never seeing that woman's face, I always felt like I knew her. She never gave off the feeling of a stranger. And the room I was in, felt familiar as well.
"You're crying, Ichi…. Was it that dream again?" Ryuma's voice interrupted my thoughts. "You know, you should go to Hirokuni-Chan. . . . she's into that supernatural stuff."
I scoffed at the idea of ever going to that crazy third-year. I could never understand how she never got in trouble for her random schemes of finding Aliens and Espers. Everyone knows those things don't exist. She even thought Ryuma was an Alien or some kind of android at one point! I mean, Ryuma is perfect but not that perfect that he's from some kind of different planet right?
"It's just a dream — nothing supernatural at all." I quickly stand up to take my bag. "You're busy with Student Council stuff, yeah? Even though we're first-years, you still have a lot of things to get down."
Ryuma let out a sheepish laugh, scratching the back of his head all fluster-like. "Don't say that Ichi. I'll walk you home tomorrow."
"Don't bother," I slung my bag over my shoulder. "All I do is sleep in school. . . there's no hope for me. Just let me get expelled." I walked away before he could say anything else. I could feel his black eyes looking at my back. Ryuma won't be alone — he's too popular to be left alone. Me on the other hand? This friendship stuff is all temporary with Ryuma. I know he'll have enough of me and find someone else. The only reason why he talks to me is out of pity that his childhood friend ended up in this sorry state. Of course — he's never actually said that, but it doesn't take that many brain cells to figure it out. I could already hear the several other girls rushing to his side now that I was gone.
Kosumi's words really stuck to me.
'"Tsutanai-kun, don't you think Sakuragami-san is friends with you out of pity? He's probably too nice to distance himself from you, so his best bet was to try and make you a better person. Well attempted. . . you seem to not want to better yourself. Why else do you only come to school like once a week and just sleep? You're ruining my lovely Sakuragami-kun's reputation!"'
Yeah. . . . I'm definitely not the protagonist of this world that I'm in.