"Oh! I didn't think you'd notice us."
"Well, I wouldn't have if weren't trying so hard to be seen."
"That's not bad. You are aware of your surroundings."
A mob of 10-12 boys followed each other and were standing right in front of me. The odds of making out alive from a fight would be very less. Though that being said, it doesn't look like they're up for a fight. In fact, it's more like they've come here to show me a glimpse of what they can do.
"Hey, I don't want to pry into your pesky little rotten life but I just wanted to ask something..."
"What is Hina to you?"
What is Hina to me? Indeed, how do I define our relationship? Are we friends? No. Are we dating? No. Just what are we? We are certainly more than the level of strangers and friends, but what are we? Partners? That's indeed something that could be close, but I'm not sure. Besides...
"I don't know. You tell me. What do you think Hina is to me? I'll leave that to your own imaginations."
I didn't need to define our relationship. That's why we were very quiet about it. That being said, I knew that there was always someone keeping an eye out for us. Even near that locker room today. I won't boldly claim that I interrupted our serious conversation then and now, just to protect her and her reputation like how any main lead would do. Far from it. They could have just finished everything with the snap of their fingers. But they didn't. In these situations, there are only a few conclusions that may be true. This is a possibility at most but, if I'm right, and I know I am, then they are...
"Well, we were in the assumption that you were a couple, so we came over to give a friendly warning."
"Warning?"
"Be careful with who you deal with. And watch over your back. You're exposed, and if you continue like this, sooner or later, you'd be the one who'll meet a fateful end."
"And how am I supposed to take your word with what you just said?"
"Oh, don't get the wrong idea. We are not looking out for you. In fact, we are not even remotely interested in you, but in regards to her, that's a different case. And you're the only one who's close to her. That's the only reason why."
"What are you to her?"
"Who do you think the enemy is?"
"Huh?"
"I'd recommend you to raise your awareness of your surroundings."
"I asked you something."
I cut in with a serious tone.
"Why does that concern you?"
"Let's just say I'm curious."
"Pfft! You just can't be honest, can you?"
He let out a chuckle.
In time, you will definitely know. As this ain't the last time we'll be meeting. I'm looking forward to our future encounters.
"Oh! That's right, take this."
He tossed over a dark band with some funky designs all over it.
"That's a decision entirely up to you."
Now that I think about it, each one of them was wearing them. So if I were to wear this, then that would mean that I've chosen to join their cult or gang. Which was it? Hmph...Fine, whatever. It's not like I needed someone to tell me to watch out for myself. That's pretty hilarious considering they're advising that to me of all people. But you can never be too cheerful or too wary about stuff. And this encounter only adds fuel to the fire about my suspicions.
Ahh, it's lunch break, isn't it? I guess for now I'll just go back. But to think that they'd come in contact with me. Hina, you're really a troublesome girl. Sigh!
"Oh! Look who's back."
"Oh? Did you miss me so much?"
"Yeah, right. As if that would happen."
"Oh, that's a relief. I was afraid where this was going..."
"So, what were you two up to?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? And yet you two skip class together. The rumors are spicing up, you know?"
"Rumors?"
"Yeah, about how the princess is busy having a romantic relationship with a peasant boy."
"Oh, is that right?"
"I'm surprised that the both of you haven't heard about this?"
Both of us? I noticed that he was glancing over my shoulders, and I turned back to find Hina right behind me.
"Do you have any idea about this?"
I turned over and asked her.
"I...I did hear stuff about that."
She was stuttering and her voice was kind of faint. Was it only me that noticed this weird behavior?
"Uh-huh,..."
"Is that it? Is that all that it means to you?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"They're calling you a peasant and what not in this day and age, and you're ok with it?"
She clenched her fist tight and raised her shaky voice, and that caught quite a few eyes.
"Argh!..."
I let out a moan and put my hand at the back of my neck, and moved it from left to right and right to left. Huff!
"Hey! Hasuga-san."
I called out to one of the silent girls in my class. She was suddenly taken aback by my action, and the eyes that focused on her were making her reach a mental breakdown. She walked towards us very quickly while keeping her head down. I'm astounded by her skills to navigate so effortlessly while keeping her head down, and so was another person.
"Ho!"
Alright, Saishi! Shut up. We don't need your admiration. You could kill that girl if you were a bit louder.
"Wh...What is it, Naofumi-san?"
"Uhm! For starters, you can drop the honorifics. I'd appreciate it."
"Al...Alright!"
Hasuga Chitosuki. A girl who's around 5'4 and is on the lean end. But that doesn't mean she's off the fragile kind. No, no. That's a wrong assumption. She's very fit. You could tell that if you closely observed the way she walked. But not many people notice that. And she doesn't follow the general trend of these types of girls, as she did have a medium size chest. Ah, thank goodness! I'm pretty sure if she was flat-chested like in the mangas, it would just crush the little confidence that she has. She had silky brown hair that was of medium length. She had glasses, but something about them was off. It almost begs the question...
"Secondly, are you single?"
"Ye...HUH?!"
That was an outrageous shriek with embarrassment. I didn't know you could mix them both so well.
"Wh...Why?"
"Why, indeed?"
"..."
"HARU! I NEED YOU!"