"Isame, you know about Ai's transfer, right? Could you please share a book with her just for today?" the teacher asked.
What!? Sitting next to her was already painful enough, and now I have to share a book with her. It feels like God is testing my fate with this.
I slowly walked over to the desk by the window and shared a book with her.
Up close, she was gorgeous, and her scent was captivating.
But for some reason, when I look at her, it feels as if she's not even in the classroom. Her eyes are searching for something. It could be a person, an object, or a solution to some problem. But it is something very important to her.
As I was thinking about this, I suddenly found myself staring at her like a pervert.
She seemed to notice.
"Hey! What are you looking at, you pervert?"
"I'm looking at everything. I'm looking through the window. I've always wanted to sit by the window, but there was no space."
"If you don't look carefully, I'll seriously injure you, MR."
Oh! Why did I stare at her? It might get me in big trouble. But it's not her fault. I was staring at her like I was a real pervert. I'd better not talk to her again today.
For half a day, she didn't say a word, didn't even make eye contact.
During lunch break, I moved my desk to the left, and suddenly, all the boys and girls flocked to her like bees to honey.
They all started asking her about her favorite color, her favorite food, and things she didn't even mention her name.
Sure enough, she yelled at the students to stop asking stupid questions. But before they even sat down at their desks, they were told not to talk to me or befriend me.
Yeah! This is a common thing in my life. Everyone around me thought of me as a toy or a talisman.
Suddenly, a group of boys came over to my desk and started bullying me, loud enough for the whole classroom to hear.
The whole class started laughing at me and acting like they believed everything the boys said about me.
So cold. Ever since I was a child, no one has accepted me for who I am. My parents divorced and left me, but I was raised by my mother,, who passed away last year. I was rejected, rejected, rejected.
I was a failure from the beginning. Or rather, I have no beginning. Why? Why? Always me.
What mistake did I make? I think my high school career was over when I was a freshman. Would anyone believe me?
I think these thoughts caused me to completely stop being a fun, normal guy who likes to hang out with my friends.
I'm invisible. Or rather, a walking corpse.
A voice came over to my ears
Akemi Ai (stepping in, eyes sharp):
"Hey. That's enough."
[The group turns, surprised. One of them scoffs.]
Bully:
"What's it to you? You just got here. Don't act like you know anything."
Akemi (walking up slowly, voice steady):
"I know enough. I know that people who laugh at others this easily are usually just scared someone might look too closely at them."
[A beat of silence.]
Akemi (looking them dead in the eye):
"You think he's weak because he stays quiet? No. He's strong. Stronger than all of you—because he wakes up and comes here every day, knowing people like you exist."
[One of them tries to laugh it off, but she steps in closer.]
Akemi (calm, dangerous):
"Do you know what it feels like to be treated like trash for simply breathing? To carry that weight in silence while everyone looks the other way? No, you don't. You wouldn't last a week living like him."
Akemi (gently, to Isamu):
"You don't owe anyone an explanation. You're not the problem here."
Really? She was just protecting me from them. Then I realized I'd completely misunderstood her.