I am Issei Iwatani, a 15 years old high school student.
Today we are going on a school trip and thus, I just hopped onto the bus that was arranged to pick us up from the school gate.
Everyone is enjoying their moment with their friends, classmates... And I am alone. No one talks to me, I also don't take the initiative to have a chat with them. Well, it's not like not having any friends bothers me or spmething...
I was sitting on the very first sit of the bus.
Madam shouts, "Is everyone ready? We are gonna move soon. Let me count the numbers. We should have 20 students. '1,2,3,4,.....' "
She is counting the numbers of the students.....
"Ok, we have twenty students as we should have. Let's move on."
The bus left the school... On the journey, everyone is gossiping,
"Lucky us, this bus is more beautiful than the other buses that left for the trip first."
"Yeah, all the buses left half an hour before ours. Our bus arrived 25 minutes later the other buses arrived. I was angry about it before, but I am not angry anymore."
"Damn right, surprisingly this bus doesn't even stink like all the buses we have seen so far, it's just like this bus came from another world."
"Hahaha, you are right about that. But 'another world' is a very strong word"
"Good thing the beautiful madam is also escorting us on this trip..."
"Hey lower your voice, madam might hear you saying that"
"Ewwww....You perverts..." (A girl)
"Hahaha" .
Meanwhile, madam played music on the speaker and said, "It's a school trip with your friends. We don't know if we will ever get another chance to participate in this kind of trip in the future. So let's enjoy to the fullest everyone....."
"OHHHH... Hell yeah..."
"You are the best madam."
Everyone literally started jumping, singing and some even started dancing on the bus. But the bus somehow wasn't affected in any way. Madam felt it a little bit odd. But she thought this bus is an extraordinary high-class bus. ... She then got startled and said to herself,
"No wait, why would only our bus be of this high quality and not the one principal is going himself? Something is off. I should call the principal."
She called the principal. [ Conversation between principal and the madam ]
"Hello, principal sir"
"Yes madam..., Lol the noise coming from your bus is really something... I mean they are really enjoying it. I can understand just from the sounds of it."
"Yes they are enjoying it very much but I have another question"
"Yes? what is it?"
"The bus you prepared for us is a bit weird. It seems like an extraordinary bus."
"Yes, of course, these buses are awesome. After all, I arranged this school trip myself."
"Principal sir, this is not the time to say these things. It's a serious matter. This bus doesn't even have a foul smell on it like all the buses. And this bus is far too superior to the other buses that have left for the trip."
"What do you mean by that? Well, we will see it through after we reach the destination. Now enjoy the trip."
"But sir...." cring ...cring...cring...
The principal teacher seems to have cut the phone call. But what madam said isn't wrong.
Few minutes later madam also started to enjoy the trip with the students. Only I was left all alone. Just looking at the view outside. Madam noticed me. She came near me and took the seat beside me. She stayed quiet for a while.
What does she want? Is she observing me? well, whatever.....
I just ignored her. A few minutes have already passed. Madam suddenly talked to me.
"Hey kid, what's your name?"
"Huh? Oh, I am Issei... Issei Iwatani."
"Oh, that's a nice name. May I know why you are sitting here all by yourself and not enjoying the trip with your friends?"
"Correction, not friends, it would be classmates... I didn't make any friends. It's also seems bothersome for them to have me as a friend. As for the enjoyment, I like sitting alone like this. Don't worry about me."
"Oh... I see... "
I thought the conversation ended here. But....
"Are you... really ok? Are you saying this to make me not worry about you? Are you saying those things to make me leave you alone?" teacher asked me.
"You are overthinking things. A suggestion from a student, you shouldn't waste your time with me. Just go and enjoy the trip."
"Hahaha, you are a troublesome kid. No wonder why other students ignores you"
"I am sorry for that"
She is closing the distance between us a bit and then said to me, "You really are something kid. Having a lady like me sitting beside you and yet ignoring me like this..."
"You are my teacher. What kind of reaction do you expect from me?"
.....
"Hahaha, that's true. You are so straightforward. But your answer is logical as well harsh It's like someone like me is not enough to make you happy."
"What are you saying? You are embarrassing"
She looks at her wristwatch.
"Oh my, it's almost time to distribute the breakfast. Students might be starving at this point. I will be back soon kid."
"She left her seat and took out the breakfasts. She gave the first pack to me with a gentle smile on her face"
"..."
I looked at her face for a few second and then took it and kept it in my hand. I wasn't in a mood to eat anything.
She distributed the foods amongst all the students. She also put a pack near the driver and asked him to eat it later. But the driver had no reaction at all.
...
She just ignored it and sit beside me with her share of food in her hands.
" Huh? You haven't started eating yet? Well, that's good, let's eat together."
....
" Whatever..."
"...Hey that's not so nice of you to say something like that to a beautiful lady who is trying to get close to you!!"
"Now you are saying weird things."
"Humph..."
She looked like an angry little girl and he started unpacking her pack.
"Pfft...."
I couldn't stop but laugh looking at her behaving childish. I enjoyed this conversation.
" Thanks for the conversation. This wasn't bad I guess" I said to her with a smile on my face. She deserves to know it. Thanks to her, this trip, so far wasn't as boring I thought it woul be.
She smiled and said, "Hmmm... That's good to hear."
She started unpacking her food. We were eating together. All of a sudden I felt something strange. I felt like I saw something strange outside. I suddenly looked outside and I noticed the speed of the bus has increased too much. The speed increased so much that the scenery outside started to become like a shadow. The sky seemed like coming near us and surrounding us. I was really shocked.
"Ma...mam??"
"Hmm? What is it Issei?"
"Lo...look outside. There's really something wrong with this bus..."