Endless Pain Chapter 1. Page 4: The Tyrant.
"You remember me? Casper."
That disgusting smirk of his… I will not show him any reaction. No way I am giving him that satisfaction.
I notice that Seikrei is with him and another girl.
The girl has orange medium-length hair with some purple strains, purple eyes and a shorter skinny build.
"Are you surprised to see your pals Casper?" The boy is asking me with a mocking tone leaning down and placing his arm over my shoulders.
"Stop it. Don't call him that!" The orange-haired girl instructs.
"Oh my my, it seems like our dear friend Akene still defends you." He removes his hand and stands up straight walking toward Seikrei and Akene.
Akene Yotsuba is also someone from my past.
Between Seikrei and Yotsuba, Yotsuba is the person I prefer though I hate her for what she has done to Ryoto.
"Tch, can't you answer?" Seikrei is saying with frustration and disgust crossing her arms.
"I'm sorry but I fail to see the reason for me to do so," I reply, infuriating Seikrei even further but also the boy.
"Let's just go Hinami Satomoto." Yotsuba approaches him.
"Fine!"
He walks away with Seikrei and Yotsuba toward the canteen exit.
"Oh!" He turns around to face my table.
"After school, meet me at the place you know all too well."
I know exactly where that "place" is.
*sigh "I'll be there."
He leaves with Yotsuba and Akene.
Silvia who was watching this scene quietly is turning her head toward me.
"Uhm, Nilos…What was that all about?"
A fair question to ask.
"It was just another person from the past."
The two other girls who sat at the table are getting up to leave as they have finished their lunch.
Now it is just me and Silvia sitting at the table.
I can tell by her expression that she wants to ask another burning question, it's not hard to analyse her behaviour pattern.
"You want to know about that nickname don't you?" I question her. I am 100% confident that she wants to inquire about the "Casper" nickname Satomoto called me.
"Yes!"
She is excited to know that.
"I was called that since kindergarten by him because of my pale skin and white hair."
Silvia, usual smile facade is gone and she looks upset.
"Sorry, I asked."
"It's fine. It doesn't bother me."
"Nilos, what do they want from you after school?" She questions.
"Well, I presume a conversation involving the past."
"I see…" She seems to be worried about me.
"You are welcome to join me." I'm sure she would have asked to join anyway.
"Really?"
"Of course," I confirm.
We head to class for the remaining lessons.
….
"Thank you everyone, please be safe on your way home." Teacher Nakata ends the school and this marks the end of my first day.
Now I have to meet Satomoto and the others which I do not look forward to.
"Uhm Nilos, will you meet them?" Silvia questions.
"I don't have much of a choice." I reply.
Silvia and I leave the school through the same front gates we entered from.
"Where are we heading to?" Silvia is asking in worry mixed with slight excitement.
"To a playground I frequently visited when I was younger." The playground is where I spent a lot of my childhood surrounded, which at the time I thought were my friends.
"Are you nervous?" Silvia questions.
"Not really, I know it will be bothersome but there is nothing I can do about it."
"I see…"
We walk another 11 minutes and arrive at the park.
From the distance, I can already make out that Seikrei, Yotsuba, Satomoto and Hiroshi.
"Hiroshi is also here!" Silvia expresses in fright and more worry.
"Don't worry it will be fine." Hiroshi, I was not expecting him to be here, Seikrei must have told Satomoto about our conflict in class and he invited him to be here.
*sigh* let's just get this over with.
We continue to walk and reach them.
"There you are, Casper. Look around you, does this not bring back the memory of the good old days? Satomoto greets me mockingly.
He's trying to provoke me…trying to get a reaction out of me. I stare at him coldly, not giving him what he wants.
"Oh ho! You sure are good at keeping that poker face of yours. You have changed a lot since we last saw each other"
"Come on Satomoto we only wanted to talk with him and not start another conflict." Yotsuba calls out from behind.
"Don't interfere!" Seikrei scolds Yotsuba with frustration.
"Now now…I don't want to start anything with our old friend.
"Is there a reason why you called me here?" I question him breaking his vocal dominance.
"Do we need a reason for us friends to hang out?"
He stares at Silvia.
"I don't remember you being in our friend group Silvia!" Satomoto rudely points out.
Silvia looks upset and embarrassed.
"That's ironic." I am replying.
"Huh?" Satomoto sounds and the others also look confused.
"What is?" Seikrei questions.
"I don't recall Hiroshi being part of our "Friend group". Why is he here?"
"I heard what happened between the two of you and thought I could get you two to reconcile." Satomoto is saying with a grin and sarcastic tone.
I look at Hiroshi who is sitting on an animal spring rocker.
His expression is filled with anger, I guess he wasn't able to let go of what happened earlier.
"I see." Let's just let them think I am willing to.
"Hiroshi, come here."
Hiroshi stands up and walks toward me.
"We meet again." He says with a grin.
"Unfortunately we do." I reply.
"Don't be like that. Just apologise to him and everything will be resolved." Satomoto tells me with a cocky tone.
"That's right! Get on your knees and apologise then I might spare you from my fists." Satomoto points to the ground.
"What are you waiting for? On your knees now!...Haha!" Satomoto is all riled up.
"That's enough!" Yotsuba moves quickly toward the two.
"Akene, I have been lenient with you but you are starting to annoy me." Satomoto shoots an evil gaze toward Yotsuba.
"Why do you want to start a conflict with him?!" Yotsuba yells at Satomoto.
"Who said I wanted to?!" Satomoto yells back in frustration.
"Oh please! You brought Hiroshi here and you know they are on bad terms." Yotsuba replies.
I just want to wrap this up and leave…
"Like I told him…I just want them to work things out." Satomoto says sarcastically.
"Akene, don't tell me you feel sorry for him." Seikrei walks up to Yotsuba.
"Of course I do. He's our friend!"
"Tch!" Seikrei is visibly angered.
"I believe it's time for me to leave." I break my silence and let them know that I am leaving.
I turn around and begin to walk away.
"Who gave you permission to do so?" Satomoto grabs my shoulder from behind.
"Let him go!" Akene yells at him.
Hiroshi pushes Silvia out of the way and walks in front blocking my way.
"I still didn't get my apology." Hiroshi looks down at me, lowering his head closer to my face.
"First of all. Who said I need your permission?" I slap Satomo's hand off my shoulder.
"Second, I don't owe you anything." I face Hiroshi face to face…eye to eye.
"Guys that's enough. We only agreed to scare him." Seikrei with her arms crossed is saying from behind.
"Why are you doing this to him?!" Silvia yells in anger.
Everyone looks shocked no one expected her to yell like that.
"No one asked you to be here!" Satomoto replies.
"Go home freak…This doesn't concern you." Seikrei with her arms still crossed tells her.
Silvia's expression changes to hatred and fury.
Is she about to express her true self?
"Nilos has told me about his past…" Silvia lowers her head staring at the ground.
"He told me that you all used to be his friends." Silvia clenches her fists.
Everyone, including myself, is staring at Silvia curious at what she is saying.
"He mentioned how close you guys were when you were children…But that one day you betrayed one of your friends which deeply hurt him." Silvia clenches her fists tighter, staring at the ground to hide her face.
She may be able to hide her angered face but not her angered tone.
"Who?" Satomoto questions.
"Don't play dumb! Of course, I am talking about Ryoto Arati!" Silvia quickly raises her head and shouts out that name.
"Hahaha!" Satomoto laughs out loud covering his forehead with his hand.
"What's so funny? Is it fun to betray your friends?!" Silvia responds to his laughter.
Yotsuba is visibly upset.
"I think you might be misinformed by "Nilos…" Seikrei tells Silvia.
"What do you mean?" Silvia stares at me.
"You haven't told her?" Satomoto questions me.
"He told me plenty…He and Ryoto were close and you betrayed Ryoto…Ryoto is dead and you don't care!"
Silvia, please stop talking…
"I don't know what he told you…" Satomoto laughs more and more.
"Nilos, or whatever he goes by is Ryoto Arati" Seikrei tells her.
Great now she knows.