Lily stood a few feet away, her blonde hair catching the light as the breeze swept through it. At first, her lips curled into a faint smile, thinking Koji was surrounded by friends. But as her gaze swept over the scene—the crushed rice balls, the mocking smiles, Koji's hunched posture—her expression darkened.
"What's going on here?" she asked, her voice steady despite the knot tightening in her stomach.
All four bullies turned to face her, their postures shifting in unison. It was as if her presence alone had disrupted their carefully curated power dynamic.
Rika was the first to move, stepping out from the group with a sharp, cat-like smile. She was slender and elegant, her long black hair perfectly glossy as it fell over her shoulders. She tilted her head, her narrowed eyes practically glowing with amusement.
"Uh? What's this?" Rika said, her voice laced with venomous curiosity.
Behind her, Hayato leaned lazily against the bench, his grin widening as his sharp features took in Lily's appearance. His short, spiky and blonde hair and confident stance gave him the air of someone who thought he owned the world—or at least this school.
Tsubasa stood a step behind, tall and broad-shouldered, his arms crossed over his chest. His dark, shaggy hair obscured part of his face, but his piercing eyes peeked through with an unsettling intensity. He didn't say a word, but the subtle downturn of his lips spoke volumes.
Finally, there was Arata.
He didn't move immediately, nor did he look at her right away. He stood at the center of the group, his tall and lean figure towering effortlessly over the others. His hands rested casually in his pockets, but there was nothing casual about his presence. His neatly styled dark brown hair framed a sharp, handsome face, and his eyes—cold, calculating, and impossibly dark—finally flicked toward Lily.
Rika raised an eyebrow, her smirk twitching slightly. "And who are you supposed to be?"
Lily ignored her, stepping closer to Koji. Her green eyes were wide with concern. "Koji," she said softly, her tone gentle but insistent, "what's going on?"
Koji didn't respond. His head stayed low, his face hidden beneath his dark hair.
"Koji?" Lily pressed, crouching slightly to try to meet his eyes.
Still, nothing.
Her gaze shifted to the mess at his feet, the crushed food and spilled drink painting a clear picture. Anger flared in her chest as she straightened up, her sharp gaze darting to each member of the group.
"What did you do?" she demanded, her voice sharper now.
Hayato chuckled, crossing his arms. "Whoa, calm down, princess. We were just… hanging out."
"Yeah," Rika added, her tone dripping with false innocence. "We're all friends here. Right, Koji?"
Lily's jaw tightened as she looked back at Koji. He still didn't respond, his hands gripping his knees as if holding himself together.
Rika let out a short laugh and took a step closer, her eyes flicking to Lily's hair. "You're new, aren't you? Guess no one told you the rules. You don't really think you can just… step in, do you?" She paused for a moment. Her eyes fixed on her hair and eyes. A venomus smile curved on her lips.
"People like you shouldn't—"
She reached out, her fingers brushing toward Lily's blonde hair, but before she could touch it, Lily slapped her hand away.
"Don't touch me" Lily said, her voice steady despite the hammering of her heart.
Rika's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed, her smirk fading. "Excuse me?"
Hayato let out a low whistle, his grin widening. "Oh, this is good. She's got guts."
Tsubasa, silent as ever, watched with mild interest, while Arata finally stepped forward.
He took a slow step forward, his polished shoes crunching faintly against the gravel beneath them. The sound, though subtle, seemed to reverberate in the courtyard, commanding attention without a single word.
Lily turned her gaze to him as he stopped, standing a full head taller than her, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a weight that was almost suffocating. His expression remained calm—too calm—but there was an unmistakable menace in the air around him.
"You," he said, his voice low and steady, with a sharp edge that cut through the silence. "Who the hell are you?"
Lily's heart pounded, but she refused to look away. "I'm Lily."
"And I asked who you are," Arata said again, his tone colder this time, as if the words themselves were a judgment.
Lily swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand her ground. "I'm Koji's friend."
Arata raised an eyebrow, his gaze flickering briefly to Koji, who sat frozen on the bench. "Friend?" he repeated, his voice dipping lower. "This pork here?He doesn't have friends."
The words hit like a punch, and Koji visibly flinched, his head dipping even lower.
"Don't call him that. Maybe he didn't before" Lily said, her voice firmer now despite the pressure of Arata's presence. "But he does now." She could feel her heart in her chest, her hands were sweaty, but she couldn't let that pass.
Rika recovered first, her lips curling into a sneer. "You're really going to stand up for him? That's adorable."
"If you have a problem with Koji," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her chest, "then you have a problem with me too."
"Uh-oh, the princess here has some guts. It's a shame she just sided with piggie right here." Hayato said with a mocking flirty voice. He never took his eyes off her. "What a waste."
Then Rika laughed—a short, sharp sound that shattered the silence. She stepped forward, her hand reaching out toward Lily's hair. "You've got some nerve, don't you? What's your deal anyway?"
"Enough."
The courtyard fell silent. Even the faint hum of distant chatter seemed to fade.
Arata's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression still unreadable. He stepped closer, his towering figure casting a long shadow over her.
"You're new," he stated, as if her mere existence was an inconvenience. "So let me give you a piece of advice."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper, but the weight of his words hit harder than if he had shouted. "Stay out of this. People like you don't last long when they step into places they don't belong."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Lily's chest tightened, but she stood firm, her green eyes blazing with determination. "Maybe I don't belong here. But that doesn't mean I'll stand by and let you treat Koji like this."
For a moment, Arata didn't move. He studied her with a sharp, calculated gaze, as though weighing her worth and deciding whether she was even worth his time. Finally, he straightened up, his expression as cold and indifferent as ever.
"Pathetic," he said flatly, the single word cutting through the tension like a knife.
He turned on his heel without another glance, his coat swaying lightly with the motion. "Let's go," he said, his tone final, leaving no room for argument.
Rika hesitated, glaring at Lily before reluctantly following. "Bye bye, losers." she muttered as she passed by.
Hayato lingered a moment longer, leaning close to Koji with a smirk. "Better keep your little friend close, piggy. Looks like you'll need her."
Tsubasa was the last to leave, his gaze flicking briefly to Lily before he turned and walked away without a word.
(´•̥ ᵔ •̥`)
As the last of them disappeared around the corner, the courtyard felt strangely hollow, the air heavy with everything left unsaid. Lily turned back to Koji, her chest still heaving from the adrenaline.
The courtyard was quiet now, but the tension lingered, an invisible weight pressing down on them. Koji sat motionless on the bench, his broad shoulders hunched and his gaze fixed on the ground.
"Koji?" Lily's voice was soft, uncertain.
He didn't respond, and for a moment, Lily wondered if he'd even heard her. But then his shoulders trembled slightly, and she realized he was trying to hold something back.
Her voice startled him, and he flinched, his shoulders still hunched. Slowly, he raised his head to look at her—and what he saw made his chest tighten.
Lily stood there, her blonde hair falling loosely around her face, her green eyes wide and glassy. Her hands were clenched tightly into fists at her sides, trembling slightly, but what struck him the most was her smile. It was gentle, warm—so kind it hurt to look at. But he could see through it.
His cheeks were flushed, his round face tight with embarrassment, and his eyes glistened behind his glasses.
"Why did you do that?" he croaked, his voice thick.
Lily blinked, caught off guard. "Do what?"
"You… stood up for me," he said, his words coming out in a rush. "You didn't have to. They're not your problem. I'm not your problem."
She hesitated, her heart squeezing painfully at his words. But then she took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm.
"You're not a problem, Koji," she said, her voice steady but kind. "You're my… seat buddy. And you've been kind to me since I got here. The least I could do was return the favor."
Koji stared at her, his expression wavering between disbelief and gratitude. "But they… they're horrible. And now they'll go after you too."
Lily forced a smile, though her chest still felt tight. "Let them. I'm not afraid of them."
That was a lie.
Her hands were trembling, and her pulse hadn't stopped racing since she'd slapped Rika's hand away. But she wouldn't let him see that—not when he already looked like the weight of the world was crushing him.
Koji frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. "You're shaking," he said softly.
She froze, her forced smile faltering. "I… I'm fine," she said quickly, straightening up and brushing her skirt as if that could somehow ground her.
"No, you're not," Koji said, guilt flooding his voice. "I shouldn't have… you shouldn't have gotten involved. I'm sorry, Lily."
"Don't apologize," she said firmly, her green eyes meeting his. "I couldn't just stand by and let them treat you like that. You didn't deserve it."
He looked down again, his hands clenching into fists on his lap. "Still… I dragged you into something awful."
She let out a shaky laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Koji, you didn't drag me into anything. I chose to help. And besides…"
She paused, her lips curling into a faint smile. "If I were in your shoes, wouldn't you have done the same for me?"
Koji's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, he was silent. Then he let out a soft, shaky laugh, wiping at his glasses with the sleeve of his shirt.
"Yeah," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I guess I would've."
They sat in silence for a moment, the warm afternoon sun casting soft shadows over the bench. Koji glanced at her again, his throat tightening at the sight of her trembling hands.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked cautiously.
Lily hesitated, then shook her head slightly. "No," she admitted, her voice soft. "Not really."
Koji's breath caught in his throat, but then, to his surprise, she let out a quiet laugh.
"But I'll be fine," she said, her smile wobbly but genuine. "Eventually."
He couldn't help but laugh with her, the sound light and unrestrained. It was strange—just a few minutes ago, he'd felt like the world was closing in on him. But now, sitting here with her, that crushing weight didn't feel so unbearable.
"Thank you," he said suddenly, his voice breaking slightly.
"For what?"
"For standing up for me," Koji said, his round face flushing slightly. "For being here.""You don't have to thank me," she said, her smile softening. "Because like you said earlier, Koji…"
She hesitated, her green eyes bright as they met his.
"I'm right here."
Koji blinked, his throat tightening again. For a moment, he thought he might cry, but instead, he let out a soft chuckle, nodding slowly.
"Yeah," he said quietly, a small, grateful smile tugging at his lips. "Right here."
For the first time in a long time, Koji felt something he hadn't dared to hope for: someone truly saw him—not as a joke, or a target, but as a friend.
And maybe, just maybe, she was really his Usagi.