"Wow, look at how good-looking he is," one student remarked, while another student nodded in agreement. Later, the whole room buzzed with chatter about the new student.
"Please take a seat in the second row from the back, next to Junko," the teacher called out, referring to a random girl in the class. As Aoi walked to his desk, he noticed the person who had bumped into him the other day. He observed the boy before taking his seat and inquiring about the boy from someone nearby.
"Hey, who's that guy back there?" Aoi asked, looking in the direction where the boy was.
"Oh, you mean the freak? Oh, uh, his name is Akio."
"Akio, huh?" Aoi looked at Akio and grinned.
"Yeah, everyone knows him as the silent, obsessed-with-a-sketchbook guy. Some even call him the 'gay silent freak' because, you know, he doesn't talk much, and apparently, there are rumours of him being gay or something. Oh! Another weird thing is that he always carries that sketchbook with him," the girl in the class said
"Yeah, I never saw him without it even once; he wouldn't even let anyone touch or take a look at that book," another boy in the class added.
"Well, I better say you shouldn't talk to him; you know, first, he wouldn't speak to anyone; second, he's the freak here, so no one cares to talk to him," the girl continued.
"Oh, but we can't forget he's always with this girl, or this girl is always with him. Apparently, there are rumours that he may not be gay and is pretending, but this girl is his secret girlfriend?? I genuinely don't know where this gay nonsense came from, but that's what I heard," the boy added, confused.
"I see." Aoi listened as he watched the two speak to him
Later that morning, Yuki finally saw Akio and nudged him with an ice cane of melon soda next to his face, which caused Akio to flinch.
"Hey, nerd," she said as she sat down next to him, handing him his cane of melon soda, which was Akio's favourite drink.
"Don't call me that," he responded
"What are you doing all by yourself?" she asked as she opened her cane of soda.
"None of your business."
"Oh, come on. By the way, I've been meaning to ask you something."
"What?"
"Who gave you that book?"
"My dad," He lied
"Oh, I see. Anyway, have you seen that new guy? He's in your homeroom class, right? He seems so obsessed with himself, and look at those girls, ugh," Yuki remarked, observing the girls gushing over the new boy and rolling her eyes.
"Oh, you mean the red-haired guy? and yeah, he is in my homeroom."
"Yeah, although he looks familiar, doesn't he?"
"Mm, I guess..."
"It's like, I've met him before." She looked at the Aoi with curiosity.
"Ok? I'm going to class. See you."
"Hey, hey, don't leave me!"
Yuki ran after Akio, who was already halfway to the school building. Meanwhile, Aoi was watching them from behind. Folding his arm, he then followed them to the school as well, with a small smirk on his face.
"Now, as we all know, our science test will be happening in a few weeks, giving you generous time to study. Consider yourselves lucky for the extended preparation period. So, please study hard. I don't want to see anyone failing in this class," the science teacher announced while distributing science books to each student. "Especially you, Yuki. Your performance in the last test raises concerns about whether you'll pass this class or not, so strive to improve this term. As we approach the second term, I better see a big improvement." The teacher's gaze turned stern as she looked at Yuki. "Ah, Akio, I know you will study hard. I'm especially proud of the effort you've put into this class, so keep up the good work," the teacher said, smiling as she walked off to distribute books to the other students.
"Why does she favour you over me?" Yuki scoffed at the teacher's response. Akio shrugged and perused his science book.
"Just to be reminded, it's not long till our first term break, so study hard. and make me proud," the teacher said as she finished handing out the students books.
"Hey, Yuki," Akio asked as he examined his book.
"Yeah?"
"The art teacher wants me to make 2-3 art pieces before the end of the term."
"And?" she looked at him
"He wants me to focus on something related to my emotions, feelings, a person, or an object."
"So basically, something important, right?" She gazed at Akio while leaning forward on her desk, contemplating some ideas
"I'm not sure what to create, and I'm not certain if I'll finish it before the end of the term," Akio responded, jotting down notes in his science book.
"Then talk to the art teacher and ask about extending it for maybe later. Meanwhile, you could create something about June, then?" She looked at Akio, who was focused on his study. As he heard June's name, he stuttered a little and glanced at her. "N-n-no way! I can't do that!"
"Why not? That sketchbook of yours—you could turn it into an art piece."
"No way!" Akio said in a bit of a harsh tone.
"Ok Jeez... I was just suggesting some ideas, but I think it'll be pretty interesting so people will understand you more and stop calling you."
"Freak!" One student called out, throwing a crumpled piece of paper at Akio, laughing.
"That..." she said, casting a glare at the people who threw the paper at them.
Akio noticed the piece of paper and unfolded it. Inside, it read, "You should marry that sketchbook of yours and burn it. Oh, wait, no, your girlfriend can do it for you!" Yuki, who saw the paper, crumpled it up and threw it back at them even harder. "Fuck off! Assholes, get a life, and leave us alone!"
"Yuki! We do not use such language in class! Understand!" The teacher who heard that looked at Yuki with disappointment, as she's already failing science class.
"yes sensei..." Yuki sat down and glared at the people who were snickering, while Akio, who saw the paper, stayed silent and didn't utter a word.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
The bell rang, signalling the end of the period. Ignoring Yuki's plea to wait, Akio hastily packed his books and exited the room. Walking down the corridor, lost in his thoughts, he collided with someone unaware of his surroundings. He fell to the floor as he swiftly gathered his books, only to hear the familiar phrase, "(Blue-Head), is that you?" Akio looked up to see a boy with red hair, yellow eyes, and a much taller, more handsome figure. Kneeling down to his level, he gripped his chin and gazed into his eyes. "Hm, it looks like you haven't changed much," the person chuckled, before glancing at Akio's science book. "Aww, this is cute; the little bluehead takes science," he remarked, snatching the book.
Akio, shocked, tried to retrieve it, pleading, "H-Hey! Give it back!" He stammered, trying to shout. Aoi, who is Akio's childhood bully, chuckled, releasing his chin, and tore the science book into pieces, leaving Akio horrified and watching his hard study review pages scatter into snowflakes falling down.
Akio, witnessing the incident, harboured a desire to confront Aoi, but fear and weakness restrained him. Suddenly, a female voice rang through the corridor.
"Hey, Red Head! Leave him alone!" She strode down the corridor, capturing everyone's attention as the drama unfolded.
"What... did you just call me?" Aoi glared at the approaching girl.
"Yeah, how do you like being called 'Red Head,' huh?!" She shouted, positioning herself in front of Akio. Aoi scrutinised the girl, recognising her as someone often seen with Akio. "Ah, so you're that girl. You look awfully familiar," he snickered as he scanned her. "Oh, I see. Are you that girl from that day when we were little, but just more attractive?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Yuki retorted sarcastically, pretending ignorance of his reference.
"So, you're his girlfriend, huh? You're damn attractive," he said, smirking as Yuki clenched her fist. "For the last damn and final time, he's not my boyfriend!" She glared at Aoi, who continued smirking. "Oh, so that means you can go out with me, huh?" Aoi teased.
"FUCK NO!" Yuki snapped, growing more enraged.
"I'd rather date someone else other than you who bullies people asshole!" Yuki, who grabbed Akio and walked off with him, shouted, "And leave us alone!" As Aoi watched both of them walk off, there was a slight grin on his face, showing interest in Yuki.
As Yuki took Akio's way, Akio stayed silent the whole time as both of them went outside of school.
"Hey, it's okay. You can copy from my book, so don't worry about it," Yuki reassured Akio, sensing his downcast mood. She hugged him to comfort him, but Akio remained silent, his mind echoing the hurtful words spoken behind his back. Each word whispered into his head, causing panic and fear to creep in. Yuki, seeing his body language, hugged him tighter.
As the days passed, Aoi's bullying of Akio only seemed to escalate, much to his delight. With each prank and taunt, Aoi found immense satisfaction in seeing Akio's discomfort and misery. His laughter echoed through the corridors as he plotted new ways to torment Akio. To Aoi, the power he held over Akio was exhilarating, feeding his ego and sense of superiority. He revelled in the attention and admiration from his peers, relishing in his reputation as the dominant force in the school hierarchy. As Akio's distress deepened, Aoi's grin widened, savouring every moment of his adversary's suffering.
"Hey Aoi, don't you think you're pushing it a bit? Look at him; he's like a zombie coming to school every day," one of his friends exclaimed, genuine concern lacing his voice.
"Nah, he's holding up just fine."
"But dude, why not just lay off today? He looks like he's about to pass out."
"Ugh, fine."
Aoi glanced over at Akio, who had his hood pulled low, concealing his face, while Yuki walked by his side, a worried expression on her face.
As Aoi enters class, memories flood back from his first encounter with Akio, sparking envy for Akio's seemingly perfect family life. Unlike Aoi, Akio has a loving family, leaving Aoi yearning for it. Aoi's own parents' struggles with alcoholism and abuse haunt him, echoing their hurtful words, "Worthless child."
Seated in class, Aoi's gaze fixates on Akio's every move, drawn to his captivating eyes. Akio embodies an ideal that Aoi craves, intensified by the arrival of a blond-haired boy in Akio's life, stirring Aoi's envy and feeling of being overlooked.
"Aoi," the English teacher called out, interrupting Aoi's reverie. Aoi, lost in his thoughts, flinched at the sound of his name.
"Y-yes, sensei!?"
"Please stop daydreaming about your girlfriend and focus on the class."
The remark caused all eyes in the room to turn towards Aoi, leaving him feeling acutely uncomfortable under their collective gaze. In that moment, one pair of eyes remained absent—Akio's. "Yes, Miss, I'm sorry," Aoi muttered, his gaze shifting uneasily around the room. He stole a glance at Akio, who remained disengaged, and quickly redirected his attention to his book as the teacher resumed the lesson.
Later that day, Aoi was spotted in the boys' changing room, getting ready for basketball practice.
"Hey, what happened with you in English class?" one of his teammates asked, observing Aoi as he removed his school shirt.
"Oh, nothing, just thinking about the test," Aoi replied casually.
"Uh, okay, even though you came late to this school and you're not doing the test..."
"Oh right, I forgot; just forget it," Aoi replied as he put the rest of his basketball stuff on and walked out
As everyone was gathering up to practice, the coach showed up, saying that there would be an election for the team captain for the basketball team. This excited everyone, as some of them wanted to be the captains of the team.
"Now, guys, as we choose the team captain, we need to agree on one thing," the coach announced.
All eyes turned to each other and then back to the coach, who held a clipboard in hand.
"Rules are rules; write down your names, and if your name is picked out as you, then you will become the captain for this year. There mustn't be any arguments or cheating. If I catch someone cheating, they won't be allowed to be captain. Understood?"
"Understood!" everyone replied, nodding in agreement. The coach began distributing small pieces of paper to each person, who simultaneously reached for a pencil. After writing down their names, each student handed their paper to the coach.
"Alright, let's start the vote," the coach announced as the students watched.
As the coach reached for a piece of paper in the bag, an air of nervousness filled the room as everyone awaited the announcement of the team captain. Unfolding the paper, the coach's voice resonated through the silence: "The captain for this year's basketball team is..." He paused briefly, then looked directly at Aoi. "Aoi," he declared. The room erupted into a mix of applause and murmurs as Aoi's name was announced.
"Wow, even though you've been here for 2 weeks, you were literally chosen, How Scary~" Aoi's friend pumped him on the shoulder, teasing him a little. Aoi, who was trying to brush his friend's shoulder, replied, "Knock it off." He laughed sarcastically
"Alright, as Aoi is the new captain of this team, I expect you all to listen to him and respect his leadership," the coach announced. He then turned to Aoi, his tone firm yet encouraging. "Aoi, as you are the new team captain, you will lead the practice sessions from now on. I'll be here to support and guide you, but I have full confidence that you'll make an excellent captain," the coach said, giving Aoi a reassuring pat on the back. "Now, let's get practicing, everyone!"
"Great work, everyone!" Aoi exclaimed as the team began to pack up their gear. Observing their dedication, Aoi made his way over to the coach to express his gratitude for the opportunity to become captain.
"Don't worry about it; I know you'll do great," the coach reassured Aoi, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Just make sure you don't mess up this opportunity."
"Understood! Thanks again!" Aoi replied gratefully as he gathered his belongings from the changing room and headed out. Leaving the school, Aoi caught sight of Akio, who sat alone in the art room, immersed in his work. As Aoi observed Akio's diligent efforts, a pang of guilt washed over him for the way he had treated him. Yet, amidst the remorse, Aoi couldn't shake the envy he harboured towards Akio, wishing for the kind of life he seemed to effortlessly possess.
As Aoi entered his home, the familiar sounds of yelling and objects being thrown greeted him, signalling yet another loud evening with his parents. Aoi chose not to acknowledge it and proceeded to go to the kitchen, where his parents were fighting.
Listening to his parents fight, he utters, "Why don't you just get a divorce? It's obvious neither of you are happy," Aoi blurted out as he grabbed some food, causing his parents to pause and turn to face him. His father's expression hardened as he demanded, "What did you say?"
Aoi met his parents' gaze; the scar on his cheek was a visible reminder of past abuse. "You've never considered how I feel after enduring years of abuse. You never asked if I was okay. Because of you, I find myself lashing out at others who have a perfect family because you never think about me," Aoi asserted, his tone edged with frustration.
His mother's hand hung in the air, about to strike, but Aoi managed to stop her, his eyes flashing with resentment. "It's because of both of you! That I'm hurting this boy who has such a good family! "
"THEN MOVE IN WITH HIM IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT!" his mother shouted, her voice sharp with frustration. Aoi remained composed, his emotions simmering beneath the surface. "No. I want that type of family with you guys," he said, his voice wavering as tears welled in his eyes. Aoi's father, sensing the weight of Aoi's words, began to feel the weight of guilt for his actions. "Dad, why do you treat Mum like she's an animal? If she doesn't make you happy, then do the normal thing that every parent should do: get a divorce. And Mum, why do you treat me like I'm nothing to you? It's like all I do is be worthless to you when clearly you wanted me and you gave birth to me."
Both parents looked at each other, and his mother's hand began to soften as she sat down, not knowing what to say. Silence filled the air, creating tension in the room, few minutes later, Aoi's father broke the silence "Son," his father said, "no, dad, I don't want to hear it if it'll just make me feel even worse."
His mum placed her hand on top of Aoi's, a gesture of contrition. "We are so sorry... I know 'sorry' may not be enough, but your dad and I do love each other. We just start to get really mad over small things, turning them into bigger issues and unintentionally putting them on you because we don't know what else to do. We didn't recognise how much you were hurting because we were too focused on ourselves. We're truly sorry. Your father's alcohol addiction has been harmful to the family, and we're working to fix it. Same with me always hitting you. We regret all the fights and not considering your feelings. I want you to know how sorry we are, darling." His mother said it with tears in her eyes.
"Son, I want you to understand that your mum and I do love each other, despite our frequent disagreements. Our inability to express our love has had a negative impact on our family. I promise you that from now on, we'll make an effort to improve things." his father added on, putting his hand on Aoi's mothers shoulder
Aoi looked at his parents, who finally understood him, and a soft smile graced their faces. They hugged tightly, enveloped in a moment of shared understanding. "Aoi, please stop hurting that boy you mentioned and say sorry to him tomorrow... He has nothing to do with you; it's our fault that we didn't give you enough attention, and it's never good to put your issues on someone else who isn't part of the issue, understand?" his mother said, her tone tinged with disappointment even as she gently caressed his cheek, trying to conceal her disappointment.
"Your mum's right. Even though someone's family may seem supportive on the outside, you never know what it's like inside. Their family might not be perfect like ours because you don't see their home dynamics. Remember, never judge a book by its cover, as they say." his father added
"I know, and I feel really bad. I'll try to make things right for him," Aoi said earnestly, his voice carrying a hint of determination. His parents smiled in understanding as he walked out of the room. "Oh, and I was chosen to be the captain of the basketball team today" Aoi added casually before heading upstairs to his room.
Entering his room, Aoi closed the door behind him and let out a sigh of relief, hopeful that things would finally start getting better in his life. Sitting down at his desk, he retrieved the science book he borrowed from Akio's class. Opening his own notebook, Aoi began transcribing all the notes Akio needed to know for his upcoming test. This was Aoi's way of apologising for all the things he had done to Akio.
Aoi, immersed in his task of adding notes for Akio, lost track of time and ended up staying awake all night. His mother entered his room and gently shook him awake. "Sweetie, you're late. We'll drive you to school, but please hurry," she said, her voice tinged with concern. Aoi, realising the lateness, quickly changed into his clean uniform and packed his bag, making sure to include the notebook with the added notes for Akio. He rushed downstairs with his bag, ready to head to school. His father was downstairs, waiting for him "Ready, Aoi," he asked as Aoi looked at his dad with confusion, as he would usually be at work. "Yeah," Aoi replied, walking down the stairs. He was also stopped by his mother, who was giving him breakfast. "Please make sure to eat on the way there," she said, kissing him on the forehead "Thanks, mom," he said as he took the food from his mother's hand. Aoi felt a bit weird at first with the sudden change but also felt a bit happier that things worked out in the end. Getting in the car, Aoi put on his seatbelts and saw his parents giving each other a hug for the first time and kissing each other before leaving.
"Ok, you guys don't need to push it." Aoi said as he looked outside his own window on the other side, which made his parents giggle a little. "See you after school and make sure to apologise to the boy, please," his mother reminded him. As Aoi's father started to drive off, Aoi couldn't shake the thought of why his father wasn't at work.
"Why aren't you at work like you usually are?" Aoi asked, peering out from his window.
"Well, after last night, your mum and I reflected that we should spend more time making up for all the hurt we've caused you in your life and rebuilding our relationship with you," his father responded as he drove. Aoi didn't say anything in response. He simply continued to gaze out of the window, lost in his thoughts, while he listened to music.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at school. Aoi thanked his dad for the ride and hurried to his class. Bursting through the door, he was out of breath as he apologised, "I'm so sorry for being late. I overslept last night." All eyes, including Akio's, turned towards him. Aoi looked at Akio and started walking towards him, causing Akio to tremble nervously. Without Yuki by his side, Akio felt even more uneasy about what Aoi might say or do. The teacher attempted to intervene, saying, "Aoi, please can you," but got interrupted.
Aoi held out the science book and notebook to Akio, his expression serious and sincere. "I'm truly sorry for everything I've done to you, and I hope you can accept my apology. I... added all the notes I ripped off from your old book and wrote them in mine for your test," he said earnestly. Akio glanced at the notebook, then back at Aoi, who awaited his response with genuine remorse in his eyes. Accepting the book, Akio murmured a quiet "Thank you." Aoi added, "I also hope we can be friends after I make up for all the hurt I've caused." This left everyone in shock, including Akio, who was unaware of the sudden request and apology. "Alright, Aoi, please, can you sit down now?" the teacher said, capturing the attention of the rest of the students. "Yes, sensei," Aoi replied with a smile. He looked back at Akio and went to his seat, leaving Akio silent.