That night they stayed up late talking, Kim made him notice many things that he had misunderstood, he understood that he had been unloading his aggressiveness on the wrong person since at the end of the day Kimi was his friend, someone who sacrificed himself to keep him safe, he deserved his gratitude and Tan would never forget to return the sacrifice. Kim apologized for the jokes, which while not malicious were more brusque than necessary. Having clarified all that, they only had to venture into the new life that awaited them together, and it all began with the first day of school.
"Tan, wake up, we have to go to study. Tan!" Kim yelled from the bathroom.
Tanou sat on the bed still with his eyes closed, scratched his head and rubbed his face, then he felt heated so he took off his shirt and threw it towards some corner of the room, at that moment he heard screams that did fully awaken and put your senses on alert.
In front of him were the redheads -Mila and Marie- holding the garment, they wore the school uniform, a beige skirt, long stockings that covered their knees, a white shirt, and a blue tie and jacket, both with reddish hair falling in laughs on your shoulders. Identical as always.
"Look at him, he looks so cute when he just woke up," says Mila pointing a finger at him.
"Even her tousled hair is adorable" Marie replied squeezing the part of the shirt she was holding in her hands, then tilted her head to the side, pouted her lower lip, and sighed "His skin must be so soft."
Tanou was still too sleepy to understand that he was half-naked under the scrutinizing gaze of two teenage girls.
Mila approached with jumping steps, extended a hand, and passed it over Tanou's bare chest, who was startled for the second time that day, the girl squealed with excitement and her sister imitated her.
"Girls, please get out of my room," Tan snorted, feeling his mood begin to cloud.
The girls ignored him while continuing to comment to each other about how attractive he was or what he would look like wearing this or that costume, Tanou's patience was wearing thin, but he knew that the girls were older than him and he didn't know them at all to speak to them casually, much less to yell at them to get out (which was just what he wanted to do), before he even inhaled to say something Kimi yanked open the bathroom door making the girls freak out.
"Get out of my room you fucking freaks!"
Mila and Marie jumped before running off taking Tanou's shirt with them.
"Show Tanou how to get rid of them," Luk said leaning against the frame of the open door.
"Good morning rookie" Ohm greeted appearing behind Luk.
Tanou wanted to complain, he wondered how early everyone in that house woke up, why were they already awake, dressed, and full of energy? And also why had his room become a tourist spot that so many people had to visit that morning? His expression must have denoted his complaint because the two boys backed away.
"Okay, let's go, we just come to say hello" Luk commented, as Ohm smiled and waved his hand, surprisingly it turned out to be a short visit.
Tan got up once and for all in search of the clothes he would wear after showering, when he remembered that he still did not have his uniform, that Ralph had to give it to him the day before, he supposed that with so much hustle he would have forgotten. He put on a random T-shirt intending to leave, but Malik, Ryan, and April, perfectly dressed and groomed, entered taking his uniform with them. He would be angry again for having his room full of strangers, but this time they were coming to help him so he thanked him and took the clothes.
Before leaving, April hit her elbow on Malik's stomach saying "Apologize to him"
The long-haired boy rolled his eyes, which earned him another blow, then he said:
"There is no problem with you being friends with Luk, I say it only because Ohm accepted it, don't cause problems for them."
Tanou thought that he would apologize for the sneak attack and the assassination attempt, he didn't even remember that first conversation anymore, yet he nodded.
"There is no problem, it didn't bother me"
"You, apologize too," April said to Ryan, punching him in the ribs.
"I'm sorry for the shot and that, it's nothing personal, it's just a procedure," Ryan said with a tone of indifference that made him sound anything but sincere, however, Tanou accepted the apology and said goodbye to proceed to get ready, this time he closed the door behind him, he'd had enough interruptions for one morning.
He took a quick shower, put on his beige pants, black shoes, white shirt, tie, and blue jacket, he was combing his brown hair in front of the mirror when someone knocked on the door.
He so snorted in exasperation and complained loudly.
"Why do you keep coming? Don't you have anything to do?"
"I see you're busy" he raised his head as he recognized the female voice. Nivi is also wearing her uniform, her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her bangs covering her forehead "They keep coming because they are worried, they want to make sure you are as sane as yesterday."
"Tell them to calm down, they won't have to do all that paperwork anytime soon."
He felt strange with the idea that they were worried about his mental health just because it would be inconvenient for them if he committed suicide, it seemed so hypocritical that he began to annoy him more and more by his kind smiles and fortuitous visits.
"We will have breakfast on the terrace, do not be late," Nivi gave two cloths towards the exit, but she returned "Let me do that, you're going to ruin the tie"
He approached Tanou and knotted the tie with nimble movements, then turned and left.
Breakfast was quick and quieter than I thought it would be, in less time than planned by Tanou they were already on the bus on their way to school, a spacious, comfortable bus, equipped with air conditioning, wifi and led screens, just what better for the twelve inhabitants of Cloudhouse.
For the first time he had the opportunity to see the city in detail, the skyscrapers rising in the center of it, the people rushing past the street with little care, innocent people, free, with their own problems and dreams, recently It was just like them, oblivious to his gloomy reality, but now, at any moment he could witness a cruel murder of one of those people, perhaps he would be the one who would bury the dagger or pull the trigger. A chill ran down his spine at the thought.
He absentmindedly ran his gaze around the bus, the boys were talking, laughing, listening to music, happy, relaxed, innocent-looking, he wondered how much they would have had to do up to that moment, if the kind April had pulled the trigger or if the smiling Luk he would have buried the dagger, Kimi beside him was shaking his head to the rhythm of the music he hears through his headphones. And Kim? How much would he have had to do? What horrible and inhumane acts would he have committed?
The air began to get stuck in his throat, as it did every time he rediscovered what he was up to, even worse, Kimi. Would he have committed murder? Torture? Would Tanou have to do those things? Clearly yes, but he couldn't. He felt that he was running out of air so he started gasping for more and inhaled, but he had forgotten how to exhale, his body and mind were playing tricks on him, he felt dizzy, he started to panic.
"You're crying?" Evangeline asked leaning out from the front seat.
He couldn't answer, still couldn't breathe, but she noticed the wetness on his cheeks.
Kim grabbed him by the shoulders, telling him to breathe out, trying to make him imitate his breathing, but Tanou could barely hear him, he saw all the faces swirl around him and he felt fear and anger invade him. The voices sounded like buzzes.
"Tanou!" Kim yelled desperately, her eyes clouded "You have to breathe! Breathe damn it! Please try to breathe."
His screams made him concentrate enough to finally exhale, he coughed, suffocated for a moment, but gradually managed to normalize his breathing.
Everyone sighed in relief and the bus finally stopped in front of the school, Tanou didn't listen to anyone and hurriedly got off, he felt claustrophobic locked in with all of them there.
Berrycloth Academy was a group of large and elegant buildings, covered with windows in the front and a large wooden door that could only be reached by a stone path that crossed a garden where several students sat on the grass to enjoy the shade and the fresh air, all surrounded by a tall grating with spikes.
The first to reach him was Ohm.
"Hey bro, everything's ok? You're scaring us."
"Relax," he raised his voice more than necessary, also referring to the rest of the group that was looking at them from behind. "I'm not going to jump off the terrace, nor eat rat poison and neither will you find me in my room hanging from the neck"
Kimi seemed to understand that it was one of those instances where Tanou needed his space, or else he would explode violently.
"Tanou" April grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him, to which he jerked away making her stumble until Mila could hold her.
"May we know what your damn problem is? That stupid girl just wants to help you." Ryan claimed to approach with firm and fast steps.
"My problem?" I asked out loud. The students in the garden were beginning to pay attention to the discussion.
"Tan, soothing, you're getting attention," Luk said trying to calm the situation.
"Please stop now," April asked Ryan in a pleading tone.
"Do you want to know what my problem is ?!" she yelled as she approached the blonde.
"Don't be stupid, you're smarter than this!" Evie yelled.
"I can say in front of everyone what my problem is. Do you want me to do it?" At that point in the discussion, the students were already clustering around the striking scene.
"Say something stupid and it'll be the last thing you do," Ryan threatened with heavy breathing and the veins on his forehead swelling.
"Ryan, bro, let him in, the boy's just upset," Ohm says to Ryan as he slaps him on the shoulder in an attempt to appease him.
"You're just a dirty ass ..." He was about to expose him, to expose the reality of that residence and those who inhabited it, without being aware of the consequences, when he saw Nivi, she approached as fast as it was humanly possible and landed a blow to the left cheek that sent him back in a daze, then Ryan received a kick to the chest, which if not for Ohm who caught him in time would have left him lying on the ground.
"Come to your senses for a damn time!" the girl yelled, silencing the murmurs of the onlookers and leaving the entire group with a shocked expression.
A soft laugh filled the air as it rose to a roaring laugh.
"What a fun show!" Ginger praised while clapping "I love having you at home Tanou, everything is more interesting around here since you arrived"
The blonde settled the backpack on her shoulder and followed the stone path without stopping to laugh.