Huh, first day of school. I cannot believe that I am in college.
I woke up at 5 A.M. to attend my 7:30 A.M. class. It's still dark when I peek through the window while waiting for the water to boil.
I live with my sister in a small studio-type apartment, together with her other friends in a town called Haruki. This is not our hometown. Haruki has reputation as an educational hub is well-deserved. The city is home to world-renowned universities and research institutions that attract students and scholars from across the country. The quality of education and the diverse range of academic disciplines available make Haruki a magnet for young minds seeking knowledge and innovation. The universities also contribute to the city's vibrant intellectual and creative atmosphere. That is one of the reason why we are here, just to study.
It is nice living here but the apartment is way too small for us. The apartment in question is a stark contrast to the concept of spacious and comfortable living. It's a cramped and unattractive space that offers the bare minimum for its inhabitants.
Upon entering the apartment, one is immediately struck by the cramped and cluttered atmosphere. The limited floor space is dominated by two cheap and rickety bunk beds, hastily assembled to maximize occupancy. The beds lack any sense of aesthetics, with metal frames showing signs of rust and peeling paint. The thin, worn-out mattresses are draped in mismatched sheets and faded blankets, giving the beds a disheveled and unkempt appearance.
The room's occupants are left with virtually no personal space or storage. There's barely enough room to stand between the bunk beds, and the occupants' belongings are scattered haphazardly on the floor. The absence of any decorative elements or attempts at organization only adds to the overall unattractiveness of the space.
The small comfort room is as cramped and unappealing as the rest of the apartment. The bathroom fixtures are outdated and show signs of wear and tear. The toilet has a constant drip, causing a small puddle on the cracked and discolored tiles. The sink is chipped, and the mirror above it is tarnished and stained.
The shower area is an uninspiring cubicle with faded tiles and peeling grout. A cheap, plastic shower curtain barely conceals the moldy walls within. The lack of proper ventilation has led to a persistent musty odor that permeates the bathroom.
The kitchen, if it can be called that, is a dismal corner of the apartment. It consists of a small, grimy electric cooktop that appears to have been neglected for years. The countertops are scratched, stained, and cracked. A tiny, rusty sink with a leaky faucet is perched precariously on one side. Storage is virtually non-existent, with a few chipped and mismatched dishes piled in a disorganized manner.
The apartment as a whole is a depressing and uninviting space. It lacks any semblance of aesthetic appeal or comfort, making it a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those who must endure such cramped and unattractive living conditions. It's so small that I have no choice but to sleep on the floor.
I still feel sleepy when the heater stops making a noise and it only means that it's already hot. I grabbed the hot water and poured it into the bucket so I could take a bath. We do not have hot shower and we cannot afford to live in an apartment that has hot shower.
It's already 6:00 A.M. when I finished taking a bath. I decided not to have breakfast anymore because that would consume 30 minutes of my time again and I don't want to be late. I don't know why I am thinking too much about getting late when I only live 8 minutes away from school by foot. I was so worried about the time that by 6:30 A.M, I had already decided to travel to the university.
I arrived early in school but someone is already there, earlier than me, guess they are excited too. I am not familiar with the school yet since it is my first day and there's too many buildings, so I decided to ask the guard.
The school's campus is a marvel of architectural design, consisting of seven interconnected buildings, each representing a different department or academic discipline. These buildings stand tall, rising majestically across from each other, creating a stunning and cohesive campus environment.
"Good morning sir, can you please help me locate where this room is?" while pointing at my schedule slip.
"Oh, it's on that building, 2nd floor." pointing at a gray building that is 7 story high
"Thank you sir." and I left.
"All of your classes are in that building, okay?" the guard shouted while I was crossing.
I just smiled and thanked him again.
The guards here are weirdly approachable, not like my old school when I was in high school.
I think I jinxed myself. The building where I have my class doesn't have an elevator, but it's fine because my classes are just on the 2nd. I was wrong too, I thought that it had only 7-stories. It turns out the building has basement classrooms too.
While on my way to my room, I can feel something and it is making me nervous. My footsteps felt heavier than usual as I approached the door to my new classroom. My heart was racing, and an overwhelming sense of anxiety washed over me. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, but the memories of my past high school experiences came flooding back, like a dark cloud hanging over me.
In my previous school, I had endured relentless bullying. I had been called hurtful names and had faced humiliation at the hands of everyone. The echoes of those painful moments still haunted me, and the scars they left behind were more than just emotional—they were deeply etched into my psyche.
As she stood before the classroom door, My mind replayed those hurtful words and cruel taunts. The fear of facing a similar ordeal in my new school gnawed at me. The thought of being labeled and ridiculed as a "dumb bitch" once again sent shivers down my spine.
You're a dumb bitch! She is a dumb bitch. Look at this small minded freak on her way to her new class. They won't like you there. You're just a waste of space.
I took another deep breath, trying to summon the strength to step into the classroom.
"Good morning! Are you also in this class?" A stranger spoke behind me.
I looked at her still about to panic. I looked at the room number and my schedule slip.
"Ah, yes!" I answered back awkwardly.
"That's nice! Do you know someone here?" She asked.
"No, I am new in this school and new in town." I replied.
"Me too. I am Hanae! Nice to meet you and you are?" She said,
"I'm Mizaki. Nice to meet you too." I answered while being weirded out by what was happening.
This is the first time someone talked to me, this feels like a trap so I decided to go in our room first to avoid this awkward encounter. I don't know how to make conversations and I am not used to having close people around.
I look around the room to find a spot where I can sit in peace and not be disturbed by my new classmates cause I know that I will not make friends and they would just make fun of me for being dumb.
The room is quite big, the new classroom was a breath of fresh air, quite literally. The large window that spanned one entire wall of the room offered a breathtaking view of Haruki, the bustling city. Positioned on a 2nd floor of the school building, the classroom enjoyed an elevated perspective, providing an uninterrupted panorama of the urban landscape. The window allowed streams of natural light to flood the room, casting a warm and inviting glow over the students' desks.
I saw a spot near the window at the right-back corner of the room where you can feel the cold breeze and the view of the town. It seems peaceful so I put my bag there and sit.
"This is a nice spot." Someone muttered. I glanced to check who was talking, it was Hanae.
"Yes, it is." I answered because I don't want to be rude.
"Can I sit in front of you?" She asked.
I don't know why she is asking me, I don't own the freaking school or this room but I still answered,
"Sure." in a polite way.
I sat quietly while Hanae was writing stuff in her notebook and just minding her own business which is great because I am not really in the mood talking to any of the people in the room.
It was already 7:15 A.M. when our other classmates started arriving inside the room. It's nice that the people who sat beside me are all quiet and shy people, this only means that they will not talk to me. The quiet room became noisy since the room became crowded and it is starting to irritate me.
There's this one voice that is clearly louder than everyone else and it is coming from the other side of the room, I just wished she would just shut the fuck up.
"Do you smoke?" The girl with fucking loud voice said to the guy sitting behind her.
"Yes." The guy answered and I looked at him, he looked uncomfortable. His knees were shaking and continuously cracking his hands.
I smirked and shook my head and congratulated myself for not sitting on that side.
The girl still continues asking other people on that side who are smoking.
"Who the hell fucking cares if someone is smoking or not." I whispered.
"I know right, it's too early to be this loud." The person beside me answered.
I was shocked because I thought I only muttered that in my mind but clearly not, someone heard me. I gazed at him and he was already looking at me. I smiled stiffly at him and he giggled and said,
"It's fine, I won't judge you besides what you said is true."
Before I could say anything, the bell rang and the teacher had already arrived.
The teacher introduced herself and of course, she will ask the same too for us. I hate introductions but it's also nice because I get to know the names of my classmates, especially the guy sitting beside me.
The loud girl's name is Jana, the guy behind him who was extremely anxious is Kenzo, the guy beside me is Akeno. While someone was still introducing themselves, the door opened and there was a girl who arrived late.
"Good morning Ms." she said while she was looking for an available seat. She sat beside Kenzo.
The teacher told my classmate who was introducing herself before being distracted to continue.
The late girl introduced herself last, her name is Yuna.
The class ended with no lessons, only introductions from one another. Jana became noisy and talkative again. Our second class will start after 30 minutes. Hanae invited me to grab snacks and since the atmosphere in the room is becoming annoying and irritating, I gave in and joined her.
"Where are you from?" Hanae asked while we were on our way to the canteen.
"Momoka and you?" I answered.
"I live far away, in Hama. Are you familiar? Where is Momoka?"
"Ah, two hours away from here."
"That's near, do you go home every weekend?"
"No, I don't. It's too expensive to go home"
"Expensive? But you only live 2 hours away."
"Ah yes, but my allowance is not that big." I answered.
She just smiled at me and changed the topic by asking what I will eat.
We arrived at the canteen and there's too many choices. There are a lot of stores inside, offering different varieties of snacks and cuisines. As I browsed through the food and the store menus, I realized that the meals and snacks are too expensive and that would clearly swoop my one-week allowance. I am hesitant to buy since I only have $7 for the rest of the week. So I told Hanae that I am not hungry.
"There's no way, I am eating alone." Hanae said.
"I am not hungry." I smiled at her awkwardly, trying to hide the fact that I don't have enough money.
"The food here is way too expensive, want to check outside?" She muttered.
I am a bit relieved that she didn't insist on eating inside the school. We got out of the building and saw small stores that offered cheaper meals and snacks compared to the one inside.
"This is better. What do you want to eat?" Hanae said.
She asked me again what I want to eat but I already told her that I am full even if I am just really saving my allowance, to avoid being embarrassed, I told Hanae again that I am not hungry. She looked at me, and ordered 4 waffles.
"Here! You can have the 2 waffles."
"Oh, I am not hungry."
"Come on! I cannot eat all of these. Help me out will ya?" She insisted.
To be honest, I am starving but I don't want to spend my allowance for food cause it's too pricey for me plus the only person who gives us allowance is my grandma, and I don't have any source of income. I am thankful Hanae gave me 2 waffles. I grabbed the waffles and said thank you. We ate the waffles while heading back to our room.
When we arrived at the room, we still had 15 minutes before the next class starts.
"Ehhh? Why did you not invite me?" Akeno said.
"Huh where?" I answered.
" I am hungry too." Akeno answered angrily.
Hanae started to giggle and she answered
"We don't know that you are hungry."
Akeno sighed, grabbed my hand and started eating half of my other waffles.
I looked at him and my waffles,
"I haven't had my breakfast yet." I said.
He glanced at me looking guilty,
"Omg, I am sorry, I didn't know."
"I thought you were not hungry?" Hanae blurted.
I have no choice but to tell the truth since I have already been caught.
"I only said that because I don't have enough money." I whimpered.
Akeno's face turned red because of embarrassment and guilt.
"I am really sorry, I promise, I will treat you to lunch Mizaki."
I am frustrated, but I could see that Akeno genuinely regretted his actions. He looked truly sorry for his impulsive act, realizing that he had invaded my personal space and taken something that wasn't his to take.
"How about me?" Hanae complained.
"You can join too but I will not buy you lunch." Akeno said.
"Alright!" Hanae exclaimed.
I am feeling a mixture of irritation and sympathy by Akeno's guilt-ridden state, I accepted the invitation. I understood that people made mistakes, and Akeno's remorse was evident. Plus, I believed in giving people a chance to make amends.
The three of us made our way to the restaurant, where we enjoyed a pleasant lunch together. The meal was filled with friendly conversation, laughter, and shared memories, reminding me of the enduring bond I shared with Akeno and Hanae.