Haruki's summer vacation, which he initially dreaded, turned out to be one of the most memorable breaks of his life. The thought of it coming to an end saddened him because it meant he would see less of Ken, his close friend.
To his surprise, Haruki had forgotten to confirm which middle school Kentaro would be attending, shattering his plans for a surprise visit to Ginger's school. However, he remained hopeful that Ken would still find a way to visit him, as he had always been the one to make the effort.
Little did Haruki know, his assumptions were completely off.
Unexpectedly, the week before school started, Ginger suddenly ceased all visits.
Moreover, Ginger stopped emailing him, which was odd since they had been exchanging emails daily. Concerned, Haruki sent numerous messages, but none of them received a reply. This unusual behavior from Ginger worried him, but without knowing where Ginger lived, Haruki couldn't confirm if everything was okay. The secretive brat had never revealed his address.
It felt as if Ginger had vanished into thin air.
*
Haruki dreaded the beginning of the new term. Most people would gather in groups, discussing their vacation experiences.
As if that mattered. The past was gone, why not move on? These bitter thoughts consumed Haruki's mind as he sat quietly by the window, gazing outside.
Even some teachers skipped their classes during the first few days, leaving Haruki with more free time to despise it all.
"Hey, Fukuda, what are you spacing out for?" a familiar voice suddenly called out, snapping Haruki out of his daze. He turned to see one of his classmates, beckoning him, "It's lunchtime. Are you coming?"
Takumi Shimoda.
He was one of the few people Haruki could engage in meaningful conversations with. They had met during the first term while working on a biology project together, and since then, they had gotten along. If it weren't for the fact that Takumi lived on the other side of town, Haruki believed they would have been closer friends. They hadn't met up during the holidays because Takumi, like most of Haruki's attempted friends, would always leave town to visit family.
Takumi stood alongside another student, Tadashi Matsui. Most of the time, Tadashi appeared reserved, as if the outside world beyond Takumi meant very little to him.
Initially, Haruki and Tadashi only interacted because of their shared connection with Takumi. However, as time went on, they also grew accustomed to each other's company.
"You guys go ahead," Haruki waved his hand dismissively, "I have other plans."
"Cool," Takumi nodded before he and Tadashi walked away, engrossed in conversation.
As the class emptied, Haruki found himself alone in the vast, empty room, staring absentmindedly out the window.
His mobile phone, safely tucked away in his gakuran's inner pocket, vibrated once again, indicating yet another message. Since morning, he had been bombarded with texts from countless unknown numbers, becoming increasingly irritating. Unfortunately, he couldn't mute his phone, hoping that at least one of the messages would be from Ken.
Whenever he saw an unfamiliar number, his initial instinct was to ignore it. However, a voice in the back of his mind warned him that it might be Kentaro using a new number, compelling him to open and read every message he received.
He did the same this time, only to be disappointed once again.
Apparently, he had mistakenly opened a love confession. This must have been the tenth one.
Slightly annoyed, Haruki finally gave in and muted his cellphone. After stowing it away, he stood up and prepared to leave the room.
"I might as well head home since nothing meaningful is happening here," he muttered to himself, slinging his bag over his shoulder before stepping out of the classroom and into the hallway.
He couldn't believe Kentaro had decided to ghost him. It would have been nice if the kid had given him a fair warning. Haruki still wondered which school the ginger-haired boy had ended up attending...
"Fukuda-kohai," Haruki hadn't even turned the corner when he was suddenly stopped.
He spun around to find a familiar girl standing behind him, slightly out of breath. If it weren't for the fact that they had gotten acquainted in the same after-school club, he wouldn't have even recalled her last name.
"Suzuki-sempai?" he greeted her, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
"Yeah, but most people just call me Sachi," she nodded, offering a friendly smile.
Only then did he remember her name: Oh, Sachiko Suzuki from class 2-2.
"You're the Judo Club's manager, right?" he confirmed.
She nodded once more.
"I see," he started feeling a bit awkward, not quite sure how to proceed. Why had she sought him out? In the end, he could only awkwardly inquire, "I'm sorry, was there a club meeting today?"
"No, not at all," she suddenly averted her gaze, her cheeks turning a rosy shade. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."
.... Huh?
"To be honest, I didn't think you'd even receive the message and stick around," she added, further confusing the first-year boy.
Then it suddenly clicked in his mind. The flood of messages bombarding his phone.
Oh, I see. One of them must have been from her. What a coincidence.
"What did you want to talk about?" he asked, noticing the shift in atmosphere but pretending ignorance. "Is it about the club?"
"N-No, it's," her embarrassment deepened, and her face flushed crimson. "Truth is, Fukuda, I... I..."
"Hey, sempai, are you feeling alright?" he interjected abruptly, causing the girl to startle.
"W-Why do you ask?"
"Your face is all red, almost as if you're coming down with something," Haruki said innocently, a hint of concern in his eyes. "Maybe you have a fever?"
Sachiko's hands flew to her cheeks, intensifying her blush. "It's nothing, really. I'm perfectly healthy..." she trailed off when he took a step closer and gently placed a cool hand on her forehead. "???"
Adding to his look of concern, he offered her a sweet smile. "How about you visit the nurse's office just to be safe? You wouldn't want this underclassman worrying about you, would you?"
With a swarm of butterflies fluttering in her stomach, the girl nodded hastily, not giving it a second thought. "Yes, you're right! I should go and get checked. Oh my, I didn't even realize. Thank you, Fukuda-kohai."
"It's all good," Haru reassured her, watching as she practically floated away.
As soon as she disappeared around the corner, Haruki breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.
He knew exactly what that girl wanted to say.
Sorry, sempai, but I'm really not interested in dating anyone right now.
He still couldn't fathom why girls were so interested in him, even some third-years. It wasn't as if he possessed extraordinary looks. And he certainly didn't fit the bill of the tall, cool type in school. Just an ordinary freshman who somehow garnered the respect of his seniors. Nothing special, right?
He had just reached the building's exit when he abruptly halted his steps, his ears catching the sound of raised, angry voices nearby.
An argument?
It was probably another instance of bullying. Such incidents were common during the initial days of a new school term, and Haru had grown accustomed to it. He had even heard his classmates mention a few "victim's corners" tucked away in certain parts of the school, including isolated hallways.
"It's as if these people have nothing better to do," Haru murmured disapprovingly, preparing to continue on his way. However, after taking a few steps, he paused once again, the intensifying argument grabbing his attention.
Finally, after careful consideration, he casually decided to investigate the situation.
*
"Ha, who thought we'd cross paths again after all this time! You've been stalking me in secret, haven't you, you little twerp?"
Jomei Sugimoto, a sixteen-year-old with an air of arrogance, pointed a mocking finger at his target—a small freshman sporting nerdy black glasses. He embraced his role as the overbearing bully, exuding superiority.
The freshman's face remained hidden under a large black sun hat, making it impossible to gauge his expression as he kept his head lowered.
"After all this time, that's the first thing you say to me? I dare you to say it again," Jomei taunted, reveling in his unfriendly poking.
"Sugimoto, you clearly provoked him first," Ryoichi Kojima, a fifteen-year-old third-year student, chimed in, clearly siding with the victim of the bullying.
"Come on, guys, he's new here. Let's leave him alone," timidly spoke Kazuo Takagi, a sixteen-year-old from the same class as Ryoichi. "Remember, we agreed not to do this kind of thing anymore."
Yasahiro Oihama, the oldest of the four seniors at sixteen, remained silent, arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to derive enjoyment from the spectacle unfolding before him. Only nine months older than Ryoichi, five months older than Jomei, and a mere two months older than Kazuo, Yasahiro maintained an aloof stance.
Jomei persisted in tormenting the freshman, who had been knocked to the ground with a single shove, causing his scattered textbooks to litter the floor.
"I have a personal score to settle with this brat. Didn't you hear what he called me? 'Dog turd.' Can you believe it? And to think I was trying to be friendly to an old acquaintance."
"Then what's this about a watch?" Ryoichi inquired.
"That old thing? I treated myself to it before summer vacation. Sold it for quite a sum, which means this kid's family must be loaded. He didn't even protest when I took it from him," Jomei sneered, redirecting his attention to the freshman. "Isn't that right? You willingly gave it to me, didn't you?"
The freshman remained silent, crouching down to gather his fallen books.
"You see, he knows the truth," Jomei leaned closer, addressing the kid directly. "Now, let's try this again. I dare you to call me what you did before. I'm all ears."
Still, the freshman didn't respond.
"What's the matter? Can't spew your arrogant remarks anymore? Just like when you ran away from me and Yasahiro back then," Jomei reminded, while Ryoichi and Kazuo turned their attention to Yasahiro, who stood there, indifferent. They both realized simultaneously: No wonder he's enjoying this; he harbors a grudge too.
"Alright, we get it. But even if he wronged you, he's just a kid. Maybe he didn't mean it..." Ryoichi attempted to intervene, but paused when the freshman suddenly spoke up.
"No, I didn't do anything wrong."
Ryoichi and Kazuo exchanged surprised glances. It was rare to witness any of Jomei's victims standing up for themselves. After all, Jomei's size made him appear more like a high schooler than a middle school brat.
"Eh? What did you say?" Jomei raised a challenging eyebrow, expecting the kid to retreat. However, to his astonishment, the little freshman continued his audacious confrontation.
"You heard me, and I didn't give it to you," the freshman coolly accused. "We both know you stole it from me. You took the watch by force—"
Jomei seized him by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "Shut up! Don't get so cocky!"
"Do you think I'm afraid of you? Hit me all you want, you piece of dog sh—" he couldn't finish his sentence before a sharp blow struck his face, leaving him disoriented but conscious.
"Sugimoto!" Ryoichi exclaimed in disbelief.
Kazuo turned to the fourth member of their group. "Please, Oihama, you're the only one he listens to."
Yet, Yasahiro remained unfazed, shrugging and grinning, making it clear he had no intention of intervening.
Kazuo's mind raced with concern. Sugimoto's lack of restraint knew no bounds. He worried that this kid would suffer serious injuries if the situation escalated any further.
"Alright, that's enough," Ryoichi intervened, gripping Jomei's shoulder. "Sugimoto, the kid's had enough."
"Don't you interfere, Kojima," Jomei growled through clenched teeth. "This brat needs a lesson in respect for his seniors."
"He's learned his lesson already," Ryoichi asserted.
Yasahiro finally chimed in, his tone laced with mockery. "Be careful, or you might get caught in the crossfire."
Ryoichi's indignation flared at Yasahiro's careless remark. Nevertheless, he reluctantly let go of Jomei and growled, "Then do something about it and tell him to stop!"
Yasahiro shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not my business. Let him vent. You know he'll become our problem if he doesn't get what he wants."
Ryoichi and Kazuo found themselves powerless in the face of the furious giant. If they were stronger than Jomei, they would have subdued him and let the kid go. But in the end, all they could do was watch.
Jomei was now beyond reason, fueled by an uncontrollable rage. The disrespect from a freshman, a newcomer to the school, had pushed him over the edge.
"Now that you've got what you wanted, want me to teach you another lesson?" Jomei taunted, shaking the helpless freshman by his collar.
The kid's head drooped low, his glasses askew and his hat on the verge of falling off. He stood in silence, and for a moment, Ryoichi and Kazuo feared he had been knocked unconscious. It was only when he muttered something inaudible under his breath that they felt a glimmer of relief.
"Fuck this, I'm calling someone," Ryoichi declared, ready to leave.
But Yasahiro grabbed his shoulder, halting him. He shot Ryoichi a stern look. "We don't snitch on our buddies, Kojima. Remember that."
Ryoichi swatted away Yasahiro's hand in frustration but didn't take any further action. For some reason, Yasahiro's words left him feeling trapped. He despised the sensation but couldn't break free from it, cursing internally.
"What was that? Say something?" Jomei's attention remained fixated on his victim. He was determined to make the audacious brat regret his choices.
Once again, the freshman mumbled something.
Jomei leaned in closer, bringing his pierced ear near the kid's face. "Speak up. I can't hear you."
"I said... THAT EARRING MAKES YOU LOOK MORE STUPID, DOG SHIT!!!" The kid suddenly retaliated. In a flash, his right hand snatched the small silver ring dangling from Jomei's ear and yanked it forcefully!
No one had anticipated what happened next. Jomei let out a thunderous roar, staggering backward several steps as he clutched his bleeding ear in shock.
The little perpetrator glared at the four seniors before him. He slumped into a sitting position after Jomei released him, holding the bloody silver ring in his hand before tossing it disdainfully at their feet. A satisfied smirk crept across his bruised face as he wiped away a trickle of dried blood from his split lip.
Jomei's widened eyes turned bloodshot as his body trembled with rage.
"You son of a bitch, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Jomei lunged toward the kid, but his path was blocked by an unexpected figure. His fury intensified. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
This newcomer seemed to materialize out of thin air, unperturbed by Jomei's seething hostility.
"Please, upperclassman, he's had enough," Haruki Fukuda calmly raised his palm, staring down the four seniors before him.
~~~~~~