For the first time in a while lunch was… quiet, Natsuki-san didn't show up ever since that day
''Maybe she's just busy today''
that thought didn't hold up the next day or day after. I tried approaching her but every time I tried approaching her she would turn around, pretend to be busy or vanish completely like some ninja character in a school anime.
"Wow she's really ghosting you" Minori said while biting into his yakisoba bread. "What did you do, Katsu stepped on her cat?"
"I didn't even know she had a cat"
"She doesn't," Yui chimed while sipping her milk. "But whatever you did, she's clearly avoiding you."
I sighed. "I just… held her hand and dragged her away In front of everyone."
Minori nearly choked. "YOU—WHAT?!"
"Keep your voice down" i told him
"Bro I was joking when I called you the main character but now I'm not so sure..."
Tanaka nodded with a smirk. "This is starting to feel like one of those romance shows I secretly binge."
"Secretly?" Minori teased.
"Shut up." Tanaka said while pulling Minori's cheek
That afternoon I decided to gather my courage and write a note
Can we talk after school? --Nagano
I slipped the note into her show locker and headed back to my classroom hopefully waiting for a response
The bell rang and the school day was over i went to my shoe locker getting ready to leave but when i open it a small piece of paper falls out, i pick it up
Meet me behind the gym Alone! --A.N.
My heart jumped
''Was she finally ready to talk?'' i thought to myself
I closed my locker and headed towards the gym. I arrive and see there's no one there yet
''She must be running late'' I stood there waiting.
I pulled out my phone to see if there would be any new notifications for Shizuka-chan's next Live stream.
WHACK!
Something slammed into the back of my head and i passed out
Darkness.`
My head was pounding. When I woke up I thought I was going to be awakened by a guy on a cart.
"Ugh… where…am i?"
I start looking around but couldn't see much since my head was still hurting
I looked down. My arms were bound behind the back of a chair.
"Alright… I've seen enough late-night anime to know this is a kidnapping but it's fine just ropes… I can work with that…" i say to myself
I wriggled a bit except the sound wasn't rope.
Clink.
"…Wait."
Clink clink.
I looked down.
Chains actual metal chains.
"…yeah chat I'm cooked." i look up looking defeated
I heard footsteps. The door creaked open like a villain reveal scene, and in stepped someone I really didn't expect.
Arisu Kanzaki, another senpai who is the vice president and Natsuki-sans right hand woman, looked at me like I'd threatened to kill her sibling .
"You're finally awake," she said emotionless
''Senpai, were you the one who knocked me out cold and constrained me? '' i asked her
''It was necessary'' she replied
''For what..?''
She stepped closer, cold eyes narrowed.
''So i can get all the information out of you''
"What kind of information…?" i ask
She circled me slowly like some kind of calculating interrogator from a detective anime
"Your relationship with Natsuki-senpai. Be honest. Not smart. Honest"
"She's just… a friend."i reply
She stopped
"Liar"
"No, really! She barely talks to me now. We're just people who—"
"You're still lying"she says
She pulls out her phone showing me an image of me holding Natsuki-san's hand when I was trying to get away from the crowd. She looked to be unlocking a yandere skill in real time and I could feel her determination intensifying.
Her voice began to shake a little now as she whispered "You don't understand do you? When Natsuki-san is distant she is perfect, beautiful,cool and clever. She is respected by everybody. I admire her and worship her as if she is an untouchable goddess''
She suddenly became almost lost in her thoughts as she looked off into space.
She starts to laugh She stutters, she looks soft around you, you're ruining her
She stepped back and opened a locker nearby, saying, "She used to be mine." She reached inside and took out a long, familiar object. A bokken (wooden sword) with the inscription 'lake Biwa souvenir'.
I start to panic "Senpai... please don't. Please don't do thi-"
''You ruined her. You made her weak. She lost her hand purity. She is not seiso anymore'' she says
Eyes ignited she lifted the blade above her head.
"This is good for her!"
''well this it for me'' i think to myself
"Huh seiso? How does she know that word?"
"ARISU!"
The door suddenly slammed open and then Akari Natsuki entered.
Her voice sounded aggressive and bossy. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO NAGANO-KUN ?"
Kanzaki-senpai stopped in her tracks and then changed personalities immediately
She threw her weapon down and clapped her hands together like a fangirl smiling "Ah Akari-chan" "You came my lovely Goddess !"
Natsuki quickly hurried over and sighed, "Don't call me that." The chains caught her attention "You actually chained him up?"
Kanzaki-senpai replied happily, "I needed answers, he was a danger everything is good now that you are here but-''
She reached like a fan girl in love with Natsuki's sleeve.
"Come come he is no longer useful to you, he's damaging your reputation"
Kanzaki-senpai picks up the bouken and offers it to Natsuki.
"Here… Squish this annoying bug". She bows like a servant.
Natsuki-senpai clutches the sword. Raises it above her head. Kanzaki-senpai snickers mischievously at her side.
I look to her in defeat, accepting this inevitable outcome. My head drops in surrender.
*Swoosh*
The sword drops on my head then… onto the floor?
*Grasp*
*Crash*
"Huh?" I look up half-dazed.
My chains start to rattle. I look back down.
Natsuki-senpai is UNLOCKING MY CHAINS!?
"Eh? What's going on? I thought you were going to end me."
"You really are an idiot," Natsuki said, her fingers moving quickly over the chains.
"Wait, you're not going to squish the annoying bug?" i joked
She rolled her eyes. "If I was going to, I wouldn't use a souvenir wooden sword like a discount anime villain."
Kanzaki-senpai's smile started to twitch.
"No… no no no…"
She backed away slowly like her world was crumbling.
"You're not supposed to unlock his chains. You're supposed to listen to me… I'm your right hand… you're number one!"
"Arisu—" Natsuki stepped toward her.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she shrieked.
Her hands trembled as she picked the bokken back up from the floor but this time her eyes weren't filled with admiration.
They were full of rage.
"If you protect him again… it means you've chosen him over me," she whispered.
Then she lunged forward, her scream piercing.
"YOU'RE MINE, AKARI-CHANI!!" Kanazaki screamed
Time slowed.
Natsuki gasped, frozen. She didn't have time to move. But I did. I threw myself in front of her, arms out wide like I was doing the gifu pose.
CRACK.
The wooden sword struck hard on my head
I stumbled then fell into Natsuki's arms.
"NAGANO-KUN?!" Natsuki-san screamed
Her voice was panicked, hands already on my shoulders.
"Heh… guess that's the second time today." i said
She looked ready to cry.
"Why did you do that?!"
"Because…" I managed a small smile.
"Thank God… you didn't get hurt."
And then everything faded to black.
Darkness.
But not peaceful. I felt cold. Distant. Like I was floating underwater with my thoughts muffled.
And then—a dream. Flashes of childhood, too blurry to make out. The school. Laughter. A sunny day.
Then—
A girl's voice.
"Why would I ever date someone like you?"
Her tone was sharp, cruel, but familiar.
"You're gross."
My younger self stood there, paralyzed. A paper flower in his hand. Rejected. Forgotten. Worthless.
Even in dreams, I was still a faceless side character.
For a brief second, I imagined a light consecutively changing into 9 colours with 8 figures behind me in a yellow misty cloud.
And a voice screaming, "ADVANCE!!! I SAID ADVANCE GOD DAMN IT"
then silence.
A gentle hand touches my cheek.
I opened my eyes. bright light. Beeping noises. The infirmary?. My head was killing me. I slowly sat up, looked at my hands spotting a heart rate monitor on my finger. And notice a presence… sitting besides me was Natsuki-san
''T-thank god your okay Nagano-kun'' she said with tears in her eyes as she plunged forward to lay her hands on my shoulder.
''H-huh Senpai wait what happened?'' I said as I put my hands on her wrists.
''Don't worry Nagano-kun i made sure to discipline Arisu i just can't believe she acted like that i made sure that she apologises to you when she sees you'' she replied
''Oh I see, that was definitely a first. I don't want that to ever happen again.''
''Wow, the Nagano-kun who fought off those delinquents is scared of a girl'' she chuckled.
''But seriously Nagano-kun i am so sorry its my fault you ended up getting hurt again'' she bowed down
''No please Senpai it's not your fault it's mine i just wanted to apologise for holding your hand you must of been grossed out that's why you were avoiding me right'' i said
''No Nagano-kun that's not it.. It's just that was the first..time a boy held my hand.. I got very flustered and fled away from you. That's why i was too embarrassed to talk to you''
''Oh i see i thought you just hated me that's why i thought you got angry and cancelled your live stream'' i said
''Oh no i just had a doctors appointment i forgot about so i had to cancel my live stream and after all, i could never hate the guy that saved me'' she smiled
I felt so relieved I was overthinking it thank god. I felt the top of my head and felt linen wrap.
''Senpai where you the one who helped me here?'' i asked
''Yes that's the least i could do for putting you in trouble''she replied
''Thank you and don't worry. You owe me nothing. However, that said, How did you know where to find me?''
''Oh i asked your friend Miyamoto-kun he said you were heading towards the school gym. But by the time I went, you were gone aside from some blood droplets'' she said
''Minori you life saver i'll get you a yakisoba bread for sending the school princess to save me'' i thought to myself
I leaned back against the infirmary bed finally relaxing. My head was still throbbing like I got headbutted by a tonjira from Devil eradicators but at least I wasn't chained up anymore. Small wins I guess.
Natsuki-san smiled at me, that usual cool aura back in place even if she just patched up the dumb guy who keeps getting into trouble over her.
"All things considered," I said, exhaling, "this week's been... a lot."
"Yeah," she nodded. "Maybe take a break from getting kidnapped?"
"Likewise" I smirked.
We both started to laugh