(Note that this is a work of fiction. Any names and events are all fictitious. Happy Reading!)
My daily semi-quiet life my gone. Ryou's transfer to our school took away my quiet free life.
He'll follow me everywhere I go. He kept on pestering me and embarassing himself around many people.
His date with the librarian on Saturday. It's Friday now, I am on my way to school, .but before that, I dropped by at a nearby convenience store.
I ran out of disposable face mask. I bought a whole box, wore one and kept the remaining, inside my bag.
I am conscious of Ryou's transfer. He'd disappear whenever he has the opportunity. If my guess is right, I hope that he's not doing something stupid.
"Yo, Seth-chan!"
Ryou was behind me, running, trying to catch up to me. I ignored him and continued walking. He's used to my cold behaviour towards him.
"Ahh, you're ignoring me!"
--
There's a fuss going on, inside our classroom. Sakaguchi-sensei was already there. We entered and saw that there's a new student. Our classmates have been asking her questions. Her face seems.so familiar, where have I seen her before. I tried hard to remember but, it was to no avail.
All students were inside their classrooms. The hallway's emptied, like a ghost town, you won't hear a single noise outside.
"Oksy, minna! Have a seat first, what I am going to say is important!"
We're all quiet and sitting on our seat.
"But first, let her introduce herself"
Sakaguchi-sensei stepped aside and let her have the stage.
"Em. Goodmorning my dear classmates"
Even her voice, feels familiar.
"I'm Yoshikawa Erika. Minna can call me Erika. I'm a pure Japanese, but I studied abroad. I came back to meet someone"
Her name, her features. She's 'that' girl, the one I was playing when I was a kid. She's more beautiful than she was before. Her blond her was dyed black. Her pointed nose and thin lips.
A not-so-tall girl. Plump ass, but slightly small boobs. It's really her, she's my first friend, after Tachibana-san.
"Uhh, this is embarrassing, if you guys keep looking at me, without saying a word"
Her elegant smile had made them dumbfounded. She's so different from any other girl.
"Nee, Seth-chan! I think she's the best!"
Oh, this bastard's drooling. I can't let him have her. I need to do something about this.
"Okay, tone down. Please take the vacant seat in front of Kaneko-kun"
"Kaneko-kun? Is that the same surname?"
"What's the matter, Erika-san?"
"Ahh, nada!"
She took her bag that was on top of the teacher's table and went on her way to her seat.
'Secchi, has a unique scent to him. It was a long time ago, but I could still remember it. His sweet unique, sniff, sniff, no way!'
She looked back, staring intently at me. Her gaze turned into a dagger. Does she remember me? No she couldn't possibly be. I'm wearing this fake eye glasses and mask.
"Okay, all ears here. This matter is serious! This announcement just got sent to us, teachers. This upcoming Monday, the test you'll be taking will not be a written exam. This time, it's different. How could I say this, the test is like a logical and physical test,"
The test has been changed? But, why did they changed it now? The past years, the written exam didn't change.
My classmates, half of them understood what Sakaguchi-sensei was talking about, while the other had no idea. They need proper explanation.
"I'm telling this you guys, because, everyone of you will study, but it will be all pointless. Further explanations will be given on Monday. That's all, for now, this day will be given to you guys as a free time"
"Whoopoo! Sensei, can we leave?"
"You're not allowed to leave the school premises under school hours. If something happens to any of you and it's still school hours, the teachers will be the one responsible"
Sakaguchi-sensei took his leave and they continued to swarm Erika-san, asking her questions. It's normal for Japanese students to ask a transfer, about the outside countries.
I guess it's fine to roam around. Sakaguchi-sensei didn't say we couldn't leave our classroom.
I leaved the classroom and hits the library. She wasn't around this time. It's someone I don't know.
"Where'd he go?"
Erika-san asked Ryou where I've gone to.
"Don't mind him. He wants to be left alone. Forget about him, why don't we have a chat?"
Erika-san ignored Ryou, that was he first time a girl had rejected him. He always get the girl he laid his eyes on.
Tachibana-san, she remembered her too. They played a lot, back then.
"It's you right, Erika-san!? Remember me, we used to play when we were kids!"
"Are you perhaps Tacchi!? Small world! I've missed you!"
They embraced each other and stayed like that for a while. Others don't have an idea what's going on.
"But, why are you looking for that perv- I mean Kaneko-kun?"
"Ehh!? You don't remember!? If my guess is right, the guy who left just now was the one who we used to play with. You know, that kid who's always carrying a book and exercising a lot!"
'Come to think of it, there's this boy. Don,'t tell me! That bastard knew it all along, that's what he meant by those words!'
"O-of course! I remember him, if you're looking for him, he's either on the library, or on the rooftop"
"Hey don't ignore me girls. Seth-chan's my best friend too"
Erika-san was surprised to know that I was friend with such a flirtatious guy.
"Tacchi, his name's Kaneko Seth?"
She confirmed it first, still doubtful of the events.
""Y-yes"
'I didn't know that Kaneko-kun knew me all along. That's why he's been acting all close to me. But why didn't that bastard told me!?'
"Let's look for him Tacchi!"
"Un!"
---
Being alone and lonely comes with perks too. Away from the people who would drag you down. I'm tired of keeping up with people's bullshit. Small things they choose to exaggerate and exacerbate. Teenagers this days thinks that they are so miserable just because of simple, little mistakes.
Cutting their wrists, trying to kill their self. Wait who am I to talk?
I'm still in the library. The quiet, peaceful surroundings is so good.
The door to the library shut open. Two girls that I know and one shitty guy that I also know, had barged in, like they are on a buy-bust operation.
Other students who are reading glared st them. They apologized for being a bother.
Just when I thought that I'll be having my quality time, these people broke it.
It's not like I don't want to see or talk to Erika-san, it's just, I'm a bit pissed. She left and didn't say anything to us, we were supposed to meet, before leaving.
"Oh, it's the new student. You guys got along already? Dee, what brought you here, you herr to read?"
Erika-san sat beside me, the two sat in front of us.
"You know why we're here"
Said Tachibana-san.
"You're here to read, right? There's plenty of vacant seats, why here?"
"This guy!"
"Now, now, Tacchi" Erika-san calmed the angry orange. "Aren't you happy that we've once again reunited, Secchi?"
Erika-san was smiling, as if she has nothing to say about her, leaving us and not saying goodbye. Well, it's fine, I'm not the type of to be sentimental about things.
"Who's Secchi? And I didn't know that Erika-san and Tachibana-san are close, you their close friend too, Ryou?"
"Nai, nai, but I'm thinking of getting close to Erika-san here"
Ryou winks to Erika-san.
"Don't play dumb! I know it's you Secchi!"
She's lightly hitting me, she used to do that whenever I teased her.
"I don't really know what you're talking about"
"Stop with your trap! You know that we used to be childhood friends, but you didn't tried to tell it to me!"
She's lashing out her anger on me. I don't see the reason why I should tell her.
"Huh? You should lower your voice, you're being a nuisance"
The other students couldn't focused on what they are doing, because this girl was being loud.
"Uhh, gomenasai, gomanasai!" (I'm sorry, I'm sorry)
She was glaring dagger at me.
"Stop teasing her Secchi, you know that Tacchi's pretty hotheaded"
Her personality hasn't changed one bit. What changed about her, she's more prettier than ever, but we made a promised that we will not like each others.
"Let's go to the rooftop, we can talk as loudly as we want there"
We excused ourselves and apologized one last time.
On our way to the rooftop, students who looks like they are in the student council, stopped and talked to us.
"Who's Kaneko Seth between you two?"
Asked by one of them.
I raised my hand, "It's me. Is there something the matter?" I asked back.
"So, it's you, huh. You need to come with us, the others are waiting"
They grabbed me by my hand and dragged me along with them.
Other students blocked their way.
"You're not allowed to come with him"
"But, why? What's happening here!?"
Erika-san tried to escaped and follow us, but she was stopped by Ryou and Tachibana-san.
They were shaking their heads.
"Don't worry, Erika-san, it's just a meeting for top scorers. Kaneko-kun will be alright"
Upon hearing Tachibana-san's words, Erika-san stopped putting up a fight.
The three of them went back to the classroom and waited for me to return.
~