I screwed up.
I woke up at 6 am, my usual time. I forgot to set my alarm clock to 5:30 am to allow myself enough time to get to school 30 minutes earlier. It is now 6:20 am and I'm running through town in an attempt to reach the school by 6:30.
I even forgot my wallet so I can't even drop by the store to buy lunch for later.
That's a small consequence though compared to the potential problems I'll have if I'm late. Still, I haven't run this hard since my elementary school days. I'm already winded by the time I managed to cross the intersection, which makes me doubt whether I could keep up this pace for what's coming next.
The uphill path to school.
Oh lord have mercy.
I take a few seconds to catch my breath. Then, I started jogging. It's impossible for me to continue running up this hellish incline. Jogging, though, is much more plausible. I take a quick glance at my phone.
6:25 AM
I can make it. I can beat the odds and save myself from Mr. Hirashi's cruel punishment. I can go the rest of my life without getting my self-identity analyzed, scrutinized, and utterly questioned by that man ever again.
Speaking of which, I see him right now, nonchalantly walking to the school gate.
"Ah, hey Jo! I didn't expect to see you here so early."
Mr. Hirashi gives a casual wave in my direction. My inner demons are screaming at me to dropkick him over the edge of the hill path. Here I was, grasping at every breath of air to try and get to school 30 minutes earlier, as discussed. Meanwhile, he's just here acting like a sloth who just woke up, slowly climbing down its tree to do its morning rituals!
"Mr. Hirashi… You sure do know… How to make me… Hate you… Even more."
I say as I finally catch up to him. My lungs are clamoring for oxygen with every word I utter. And as I stood there, my hands on my knees, heaving and sounding like a dying moose, Mr. Hirashi pats my shoulder.
"I'm not trying to purposefully make you hate me, you know? Still, I really didn't expect you'd actually come 30 minutes early."
"I always make sure I'm on time, especially when it's something that's agreed upon."
That's the absolute truth about me. I'm very conscious when it comes to time, and I always make sure to stay on schedule, even when it's for things I'm not particularly looking forward to.
"But you were late to my session yesterday, weren't you?"
"I told you, I got delayed on the way. But you dismissed it as me just making excuses."
"So you actually had a valid reason? Oh, my bad then."
He laughed apologetically, making his admittance of guilt seem completely insincere. I swear that one of these days, I'll make a list of people I'll drag with me to the grave. And he'll be the first, and possibly only person on that list.
"Well, we better get going. You wouldn't want to keep Kurebayashi-kun waiting."
Mr. Hirashi puts his arm over my shoulders and leads me through the school gate. To any outside observer, it'll look like a teacher having a fun time with his student. In actuality, it's a scene more closely resembling a prisoner being taken by his executioner to the guillotine.
As we cross the courtyard and pass by the small garden leading towards the back of the main school building, I felt Mr. Hirashi's hold on me slightly loosened. I took this chance to slip out and distance myself by a few steps.
"Not that I'm okay with this whole arrangement, but what exactly will I be doing?"
"Ah, good question. But I think I'll leave that up to Kurebayashi-kun to explain."
Mr. Hirashi points towards the storage unit, a lonely little shed hidden behind the monumental main building. It's used to store maintenance equipment and probably other things as well that the school needs for its facilities. The door is left wide open and I see Kurebayashi helping the grounds keeper put away a long watering hose.
"Well, off you go then."
Mr. Hirashi gives me a sharp slap on the back, urging me forward. I turn around to retort but he's already walking back to the front of the building.
I'm tempted to keep quiet and sneakily get away from here, but Kurebayashi has already spotted me. No turning back now.