In the awkward position, we started heading towards school and I could feel glares piercing through my chest. I never knew it could hurt a person in real life. Tsubaki-san on other hand paid no heed to it because well, they were not directed towards her.
"What is that guy doing with Ai-chan?"
"Argh, she has her head on his shoulder. I will die of jealousy."
"If it were me, I would never wash my shoulder again."
Things like these became more heard as we walked near the school. I could see the boys looking at me with envy and rage while the girls were just wondering just who the hell I even was. I looked at the person beside me who had an unwavering smile on her face. I wonder if she will have it on her face when she will be pestered by questions.
I, on the other hand, will be pestered with compasses, knives, and every other thing you can use to kill a person. Who knows they might use nuclear weapons against me?
We finally reached our class and Ai went to her seat in the front seats while I sat in the back in the corner. The best place where no one really wants to come. I call it my personal corner, ha, bet you don't have that. I went to my seat finally and sat down resting my face on the desk.
I saw Tsubaki-san finally sitting down and all my classmates surrounded her probably asking her questions. Time after time, they turned to glare at me and the glare got more intense till they finally broke into dramatic tears. Well, the boys and some girls from our class. Even the so-called "popular" guy of our class was among the group while Tsubaki-san turned around and waved at me. Don't wave at me.
If I waved at her, I will instantly get killed and if I don't then I will instantly get killed. The best option? Pretend that you are sleeping so I placed my head on the desk and looked out the windows. It was the time for the cherry blossom to bloom, right? I saw some of the cherry blossom leaves fly away from their tree which was right in front of our class. Lucky me.
A single cherry blossom leaf fell on my cheek and I could feel it moving up with the wind. This is peace.
"You bastard!!!"
Well, I had it for some seconds so that does count as a win, right? I hope so. I looked up and saw a figure charging at me, he was one of my classmates who really has pea for a brain. He never thinks twice before doing anything and I am just surprised how the school keeps him here even though he fails all the subjects. Oh, his family is rich I remember.
He grabbed me by my collar and yanked me up with all his strength and I did not budge. I am not strong, he is just too weak. He glared at me with an angry look on his face. I felt a shiver run down my spine but it was not because of him. I felt another murderous intent somewhere in the class leaked out for an instant. I have quite good instincts for danger after all. Everything comes with an experience, sadly.
"What is it?" I asked getting my composure back.
"What is it you say?! Tsubaki-chan over there just said that she is in love with you. No way that can be true, what did you do?" he asked me.
"I have no idea myself. I am as confused as you so if your amazing brain can come up with a logical answer, please do tell me," I said bowing my head sarcastically.
"Now li-"
"That's enough," a voice was heard in the classroom and I saw Tsubaki-san looking at us.
Her eyes looked colorless and she gave off a really scary aura off. I looked at her and she was staring at this classmate of mine. Wow, this was the first time anyone saw her like this, and I made the boy let go of my collar and looked back at Tsubaki-san. Her eyes were coldly glaring at the boy who was also cowering in fear himself.
Fear is an emotion induced by the perception or recognition of phenomena that can pose a danger or threat. That is what I read on my phone quickly searching for the meaning of it some months ago. The bell rang and Tsubaki-san was snapped out of her current behavior as everyone let out a sigh of relief. But the question remains, why was she so angry and how does she have such a strong killing intent?
The classes started and I decided to try to pay attention in the class. The keyword here is "try". I soon fell asleep and left everything on fate but then again, I don't know if I did something to her because she seems to hate me a lot.
"Shiba, how about you tell the class what is so boring about my teaching methods?" I heard a voice that interrupted me.
"I will take Kuro on a walk later," I muttered but then I felt extreme pain on my head making me jolt up in pain.
I looked up to see our homeroom teacher, Kawazuki-sensei looking at me with her hands fold and the other classmates were snickering behind her. She glared back at them and they all stopped and then looked back at me and let out a sigh.
"Seriously, your inactiveness in my class makes me reconsider my decision of becoming a teacher in the first place," she said rubbing her head.
"Don't do that sensei. You are an amazing teacher, I can guarantee that" I replied giving her a thumbs up but was met with a hit on the head with the book she was holding.
"Say that when you are waking up in my classes. Now, start reading from page 108," she said.
I nodded and stood up and started reading from the book. She was our English literature teacher and has studied from Oxford in the subject meaning that she was highly proficient in her subject. This sometimes makes me wonder why she did not go to any popular school because if she wanted to, she would have gotten the job easily.
I did sleep in her classes but then she usually makes me stay behind and she would always give me a one-on-one lesson explaining everything she taught in the class to me. I had never met such a dedicated teacher in my entire life which makes me respect her a lot more. She can be a little...physical but she is a nice person though she is feared by many students. Maybe that is why she is single.
"You were thinking something rude, weren't you Shiba," she said to me and I froze in my seat. "That confirms my doubt. Okay, you will stay back after school and write a paper on a play of Shakespeare that I chose."
"Sensei...please no. I have to go home quickly and get my first edition of the first volume of the light novel I have been waiting to buy for so long. Please spare me, I will write two papers tomorrow," I said begging her.
"I was not asking but ordering you and if I don't see you here after school, you can say goodbye to going home early for the entire month," she replied shattering my dream.
Defeated, I slouched my shoulders and continued reading and this story sounded more of a traumatic one. It was about a girl who was out there searching for the last wish of her grandmother which she said was somewhere in her town. She went to different houses, fields and even ventured into the forest nearby though she could not find it. On the way home, she was met with a little puppy she found and picked it up. The puppy was hurt so she took it home and then...
"Stop it, you reading it this way makes me feel like the puppy will die now," she said stopping me. "Tsubaki, you continue from where he left."
I sat down and placed my face down on my book as Tsubaki-san started reading the content of the rest of the story. The dog does survive, yaay.
The rest of the classes just went as usual with me trying to concentrate and get something in my brain. Tsubaki-san often peeks at me and whenever our eyes met, she would avert her face. What is this girl thinking?
Morning classes were over and it was time for the lunch break and then...again...why...I heard a voice call me.
"Kazuki-kun, let's eat lunch together," Tsubaki-san said to me while holding a lunch box in her hand and standing before me.
The entire class's attention was on us and I knew the person before me would not take no for an answer. So what should I do? I started using my rusty brain and found no escape. Letting out a sigh, I just nod my head and Tsubaki-san sat in front of me politely asking the boy before me to let her use his seat and just who on earth can say no to her?
With a smile, she opened her lunch box and I was a little concerned. All the food in it was store-bought and by looking at it, it was not even today's. It looked like it was bought yesterday and saved to be eaten today. It even looked really cold, like her body.
"What is it Kazuki-kun?" Tsubaki-san asked me tilting her head cutely.
"Your lunch box," I said letting out a sigh. "All the food is store-bought and cold. Don't tell me you eat this every day?"
"But I do," she said placing her index finger on her cheek.
I was just amazed about how her body was even able to stay so slim even after eating all that stuff. No offense to store-bought food, it is pretty good but nothing beats a home-cooked lunch. I placed my lunch box's lid aside and took out some food and passed it to her.
She stared at it with a confused look on her face looking at it and then back at her.
"Try this. It is a lot better than the store-bought ones," I said looking at her straight in the eyes.
I do not have a big appetite so it was alright if I shared it. I usually make extra lunch for an unknown reason which is that sensei often comes after class and eats the food that I make. She doesn't know how to cook and often forgets her lunch.
"Kazuki-kun is so kind," she said with a soft smile making me blush while I felt glares at me.
"I am not kind," I said with a little hint of sadness in my voice. "You are an idiot."
"Yes, I am an idiot in love," she said with a tint of red on her face.
How can she say something like this in public? This is the most popular girl in school for you. I am pretty sure I heard pencils breaking somewhere back there. I decided to not pay any heed to this. I am not really used to this attention and I am sure I will never be in any situation so the only thing I could do was just ignore it so that is what I did and started eating my food.
I looked at Tsubaki-san and she has not touched the food I made till now. Does she not like the dish I made? I mean, she might be a picky eater but I was a little sad for some reason. I continued looking at my food while eating but then I heard a happy hum.
"Hmm, thish ish sho good," Tsubaki-san said and I looked at her and she was talking while eating the food I gave her. Her lunch box was empty. Did she save the food I gave for later? Maybe.
She had placed her hand on her left cheek while chewing the food with her cheeks puffed due to it. Add that to the smile she had on her face and the illusion of flowers behind her, it was a sight to look at and feel your eyes have been blessed. I was able to see this from the first seat.
Though this peaceful interaction was interrupted by the sound of camera flashes. Some boys of the class have broken the rule of using phones on the school premises and taken Tsubaki-san's picture. She did not look pleased by this and her expression darkened.
"Hey, you should not take a photo of Tsubaki-san like this."
"Yes, delete it. It's against the school rules."
"That is really rude. Your phones are now confiscated."
"What? No!!"
"Please don't do this!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"
Fortunately, the girls of the class handled the situation quite well and the student council member in our class confiscated the electronics from the boys who have fallen down crying. Seriously, what is wrong with these guys?
I am more concerned about Tsubaki-san right now. No one has ever seen her angry like this. She had the image of a sweet cheerful girl who would get along with anyone but right now and the incident was different. Right now, she was scared to say at the least. I shook her shoulder bringing her back to her senses. She looked at my hand on her shoulder and her face was flushed.
"Does Kazuki-kun worry about me?" she said in a teasing voice with her cheeks still red.
"And does Tsubaki-san loves teasing me? I wonder," I said sarcastically and ate my lunch.
The lunch break got over and Tsubaki-san went back to her seat. The school continued as usual, nothing out of the ordinary if you ignore the glares from the boys and the glances from Tsubaki-san. It was time for school to end but I had to stay back, like always. Tsubaki-san insisted on staying with me but I told her not to and she went with her friend. Loves me? Just what did I do for her to like me? I find it really weird.
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