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12 chapters to the system
Don't forget to add to library
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It was a bright and breezy afternoon in the remote town of Higashi. The public high school sat at the edge of the town, bordered by thick forests on one side and the shimmering coastline on the other. The building, though aged, was buzzing with the energy of students going about their daily routines.
In the classroom of 2A, the atmosphere was filled with the usual chatter as students prepared for the homeroom session, flipping through textbooks or scribbling on notebooks. The air was filled with anticipation for the end of the day, but for Tatsuya, this day was about to be anything but ordinary.
Tatsuya, a slender and unassuming boy, sat near the window, his gaze unfocused as he absentmindedly fiddled with a pen. It had only been a few days since his return to school after a long two-month break, and things had been far from smooth. The silence surrounding him was quickly broken by the sharp voice of Ray, the notorious class bully.
"Hey! If it isn't the school's favourite stress absorber!" Ray jeered; a smug grin plastered across his face as he swaggered over to Tatsuya's desk. The usual crowd of troublemakers followed in his wake, laughing and high-fiving each other like they were part of some private joke.
Ray loved his morning ritual of picking on Tatsuya. For months, he had singled him out as his personal target, and every day played out the same predictable script. Ray would throw out a few insults, slap Tatsuya around a bit, and leave him to pick up the pieces of his pride. It was a routine everyone in the class knew by heart.
But today, something was different. As Ray approached with his usual swagger, Tatsuya didn't shrink back like he usually did. His eyes, which had once held a timid glint, now seemed strangely calm. Almost too calm. When Ray sneered and reached out to grab his collar, Tatsuya spoke.
"Let's leave it for today, Ray," Tatsuya said, his voice steady and firm, cutting through the noise like a blade.
The entire room froze. This wasn't the Tatsuya they knew. The weak, silent boy who would take Ray's beatings without a word of protest was now standing up to the class tyrant. All eyes were on the pair, waiting to see how this unexpected shift would play out. Whispers flitted across the room, students exchanging glances of surprise and curiosity.
Ray stopped in his tracks, his grin faltering for a moment before it was replaced by a sneer of disbelief. "What did you say, you pest?" he spat, narrowing his eyes at Tatsuya as if daring him to repeat himself.
Tatsuya didn't flinch. He met Ray's glare head-on, his expression unnervingly calm. "I said, leave it."
Ray's face contorted with rage, his pride bruised in front of his friends and the entire class. Without thinking, he swung his hand, landing a stinging slap on Tatsuya's cheek.
The sharp crack echoed through the room, but Tatsuya barely reacted. His dark eyes remained locked on Ray's, and for a split second, something shifted in Ray's expression. It wasn't just anger anymore. It was something closer to fear.
The room grew quiet as Ray stared into Tatsuya's cold, hollow eyes, feeling an unsettling chill creep down his spine. It was as though he was staring into an abyss, a void so deep and dark that it made his stomach twist uncomfortably. For the first time, Ray hesitated.
He snorted, trying to shake off the unease. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous today," he muttered, stepping back.
"We'll settle this later. Don't run away."
Tatsuya didn't reply. He simply returned to his seat, the cool autumn breeze filtering through the open window, gently ruffling his hair.
The class remained silent for a moment, unsure of what to make of the exchange. Ray, on the other hand, stormed back to his group, muttering under his breath as they left the room.
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The day dragged on, and when lunchtime came, Tatsuya stood up from his seat, ignoring the whispers and stares that followed him. His only friend, Leo, watched him from across the room, a questioning look in his eyes. Tatsuya walked over to Ray's desk, a small envelope in hand.
Without a word, he placed the envelope in front of Ray, who looked at it with a raised eyebrow.
"What's this?" Ray asked, his voice dripping with suspicion.
"Read it later," Tatsuya said, before turning on his heel and walking out of the classroom with his bag slung over his shoulder.
Ray watched him go; his brow furrowed in confusion. Something about Tatsuya was off today, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. His friends were equally puzzled, exchanging glances as they wondered what Tatsuya could possibly be up to.
Outside, Tatsuya walked with purpose, clutching another envelope in his hand. The corridors were nearly empty as most students had already settled down for lunch, but Tatsuya had no time for that. His destination was clear. He made his way out of the school building and towards the post office at the edge of town.
As he walked, the wind picked up, carrying with it the distant sounds of the ocean waves crashing against the shore. He held onto the envelope tightly, its contents weighing heavily on his mind. He had to mail it. He had to make sure it reached its destination.
Behind him, Ray had finally caught on. Realizing that Tatsuya had left the school grounds, he grabbed his things and ran after him. His mind raced as he tried to figure out what Tatsuya was up to. Was he running away? Trying to post something? Ray wasn't about to let him slip away that easily.
Tatsuya, however, was faster. By the time Ray had reached the streets, Tatsuya was already far ahead. Ray's shouts echoed through the narrow roads, but Tatsuya didn't stop. He kept running, his legs burning with the effort, but his determination kept him moving forward.
"You're going to post that letter, aren't you?" Ray shouted, his voice growing more distant as Tatsuya sped up. "I'll be waiting for you there!"
But Tatsuya had no intention of meeting Ray again. His focus was solely on the letter in his hand. However, as he rounded a corner, his hand brushed against his pocket, and a cold realization struck him. The letter was gone.
Tatsuya stopped in his tracks, panic rising in his chest. He frantically searched his pockets, but it was no use. The letter, the one he had intended to mail, was missing. His heart raced as he retraced his steps, but it was nowhere to be found.
The wind picked up, the sky growing darker as evening approached. He had lost it.
With no other options, Tatsuya turned and walked in the opposite direction, away from Ray and the post office. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. How could he have lost it? The letter was crucial. It wasn't just a simple apology; it was something far more important. And now it was gone.
As darkness settled over the town, Tatsuya was eventually stopped by patrolling officers who escorted him back home. The recent tensions in the area, the strange clash between two unknown armies, had led to increased security in the town. It was a strange time, and everyone was on edge.
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Two days later, Tatsuya returned to school, his face looking frustrated as he walked in isolation. But when he walked into the classroom, something felt off. The usual chatter stopped, and he could feel eyes boring into him from every direction. People were whispering, staring, and some were even laughing behind their hands.
Confused, Tatsuya made his way to Leo, who gave him a strange look, one of both concern and amusement.
"What's going on?" Tatsuya asked, his voice low.
Leo sighed, crossing his arms. "What was in that letter you gave me to pass to Ray?"
Tatsuya blinked. "An apology for the morning incident. Why?"
Leo shook his head, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Well, it seems that gorilla Ray spread a nasty rumor about you."
Tatsuya's eyes narrowed. "What kind of rumor?"
Leo explained the situation. Ray seemed to have twisted the contents of the letter, making it sound like Tatsuya had sent a reply letter to a military general, claiming he was some kind of team leader requesting his general to allow him
to rest and not send any more information letters and orders. He had already had enough of the life that side and wished to spend his remaining days as a calm life. It was absurd, but the rumor had spread like wildfire. Now, the entire school believed Tatsuya was trying to intimidate Ray by pretending to be some sort of important figure.
Tatsuya now understood what had happened. The pieces fell into place, but something didn't quite sit right. He massaged his temples, frustration building as he realized the gravity of the situation. Without another word to anyone, he grabbed his things and left the school in a hurry. The day had been more than he could handle, and his mind was spinning with questions. Questions he wasn't sure he wanted answered.
That evening, alone in his dimly lit room, Tatsuya stared blankly at a letter he had received earlier at dawn. His eyes narrowing at the line "You already had your sweet holiday now. Ready to come back? you can open all your letters yourself when you come back."
He cltched his head as he shited his gaze towards his phone for what felt like hours before finally dialling Leo's number. His heart raced as the line rang.
"Hello?" Leo's voice came through, steady as always.
"It's me," Tatsuya said, his voice quieter than usual.
"Yeah, I figured," Leo replied with a sigh. "What's up?"
Tatsuya hesitated, his mind swirling with doubt and confusion. "What do people think of me now? After the spread of the... rumor?"
He stopped before finishing the sentence, as if uttering the final word would somehow make it more real. Leo picked up on his hesitation immediately.
"Is it really just a rumor?" Leo asked quietly. "Or is there something more to it?"
Tatsuya's silence stretched between them, heavy and telling. He didn't know how to answer. He had told Leo what the letter was supposed to say—an apology—but there was more to the story. Something he couldn't bring himself to admit. Not yet.
Leo, sensing Tatsuya's reluctance, sighed again. "Look, don't worry too much. Most people don't really take it seriously. They know how Ray is. No one trusts that guy."
Tatsuya exhaled, relief flooding him for a brief moment. But before he could fully relax, Leo's tone changed.
"But," Leo added, a note of caution in his voice, "they didn't exactly let you off the hook, either."
Tatsuya's breath hitched. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice growing tense.
"Nothing huge," Leo said casually, but Tatsuya could hear the weight behind his words. "It's just... you've got a nickname now."
"A nickname?" Tatsuya repeated, his pulse quickening. "What kind of nickname?"
"'KL,'" Leo said after a pause. "It stands for 'King of Liars.'"
The phone nearly slipped from Tatsuya's grasp as the words sunk in. He facepalmed in disbelief, his mind racing. This was worse than he'd expected. A nickname like that would stick. And it wasn't just Ray who had it out for him now—it was everyone. The whole school was turning against him, and for what? A misunderstanding? Or was it something more?
The next few days only confirmed Tatsuya's fears. While the school resumed its normal rhythm, his life had become anything but ordinary. Wherever he went, students pointed at him, some whispering, others laughing outright. And then there were those who were bold enough to confront him directly.
"Hey, Tatsuya," one student sneered as he passed by. "Did you make up that whole letter thing just to get attention? Wanted to be famous, huh?"
Tatsuya clenched his fists but said nothing, walking past them with his head down. But their words echoed in his mind, fuelling a growing paranoia. The rumor wasn't just a random fabrication—it was targeted. But why? What was it about that letter that made it so significant?
The truth was, Tatsuya didn't know what had gone wrong. The letter he had passed to Ray was an apology. At least, that's what he thought. But now, thinking back, something didn't add up. He had felt uneasy from the moment he handed it to Leo to give to Ray. The night before, as he wrote it, there had been an unsettling thought nagging at the back of his mind. Almost as if... something else had been written, or could have been.
But how? And why?
There was something strange about the letter he had lost on his way to the post office. It wasn't just an ordinary letter. Tatsuya had no idea where it had gone, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone else had it now. And that person knew more than he did.
Ray had exaggerated the contents of the letter, claiming it was some ridiculous resignation from a "team leader" to a "general," but even that had a strange ring to it. Why had Ray latched onto that particular narrative? Could it have been a coincidence, or was it something more deliberate?
Tatsuya's mind wandered back to the patrols that had increased recently—the heightened security after the strange clash between two unknown armies. There was talk in town, whispers of something brewing beneath the surface, and rumors that the local authorities were keeping a close eye on anyone who seemed out of place. Could the letter have been intercepted? Altered?
The more Tatsuya thought about it, the more paranoid he became. Ray, though a bully, wasn't the type to concoct such an elaborate scheme on his own. And if there was something more behind the letter, could it be tied to the strange events happening in town?
Leo's words echoed in his mind: "Is it really just a rumor? Or is there something more to it?"
Tatsuya couldn't answer that question. But he knew one thing for sure—he wasn't imagining the way things were shifting around him. His return to school, the letter, the rumor—it was all connected. And somewhere, someone knew the truth about what had happened.
The question was: who?
Tatsuya stared out of his bedroom window into the night, the faint glow of the city's lights flickering in the distance. The weight of the conspiracy forming around him pressed heavily on his chest. He was caught in something much larger than a schoolyard rumor, and the truth was slipping further from his grasp with each passing day.
For now, all he could do was wait. But deep down, he felt as if that the letter, the rumor, and the nickname "KL" were all just the beginning of something much darker.
And when the truth finally came to light, there would be no going back.