Chapter 9 - New Adversary

The cliff I’m standing on the edge of seems like it goes down for eternity, why am I so intrigued by its’ beauty? I can’t seem to move, my feet are sucked into the ground like quicksand.

Tap, tap, tap, tap

Someone is walking up from behind me, I swivel my head to see the mysterious source�"!

“Ta�"ki??”

These words escape my mouth quietly as a familiar face is standing right there. I can feel my eyes wide as the Sun with my mouth agape. He doesn’t say a word, his white shirt is stained with blood and his eyes are covered my shadows.

“O-Oi Taki what is this place?…What happened to you..”

I try again to plea with my desperate attempts but to no avail. He lifts up his arm and points right at me. What’s going on here this isn’t a familiar place at all…

“Haah haaah haah”. I can hear my breathing in this eternity of silence. Finally Taki lifts his head a little and speaks to me:

“Did you hate me this much..because of you…because of you I’m like this YUTA!!”

I then see his lifeless bloodshot eyes as they dig right into me with a burning hatred.

“No..no you have it all wrong Taki what are you talking about?”

I turn around to see the cliff crumbling under my feet, unable to avoid the collapsing ground I fall as I’m engulfed by the thick darkness.

“AHHHHH!”

Beepbeepbeepbeep

My alarm goes off as I wake up sitting in my bed, I quickly check myself and the surroundings.

“What the hell? Was that all a dream, o-of course it was a dream. Hahaha even my palms are all sweaty”. Memories of the Taki incident flood back into me, I clench my fists and tightly shut my eyes hoping for all of it to vanish.

“It’s okay Yuta, today is a special day remember?”

Today is Monday, the day I tell Kurihara-san how I feel about her. What a start to the day this is…

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I  take my usual route walking to school, bag slung over my shoulder like a shoujo manga protagonist should. It’s surprisingly warm today with the sun beating down on me, I have to loosen my tie a little to cool down. Just a little more until the school gate where the inviting cool air welcomes me.

Murmurmurmurr

Ugh sometimes with everyone talking at this school I can’t even focus on my own thoughts, which are said to be the most dangerous to humans. Getting lost in my own thoughts are a relaxing time for me though, it’s time away from the busy every day bustle of the world.

“My life is overrr, I’ll never get accepted into university with these scores!”. Hmm? I look to the side by the lockers and see a girl  by herself holding a piece of paper with teary eyes. Looks like another bites the dust after all..

“Umphh!�" Hey watch where you’re going!” Someone accidentally bumps into her.

“Fwooshh”. The piece of paper she was holding slips out of her hands and slides to my feet. She stands there in shock frozen in time. I bend down and pick of the piece of paper and�"she wasn’t lying these scores are bad!

“U-U-Uhmm can you please g-give that back to me�"and don’t look!!”. She hurriedly snatches it out my hands, what’s her problem not my fault she isn’t good at academics.

“Ah sorry I might have accidentally seen some of the things on the�"”

She gets within a couple of inches of me as quick as  lighting with tears welling up in her eyes.

“No no no please tell me you’re lying! I think I might die now…” Her shoulders slump down.

“Hmm judging by your slippers you’re a first year right? I wouldn’t sweat entrance exams yet don’t worry”. Did I really just give comforting advice? Well I did feel a little bad for peeking at the sheet…

“Indeed I am a first year and judging by yours you’re a second year it would seem!”

Well that’s good she seems to have calmed down by now, this has already been too much of a hassle I’m going to go find Kurihara-san now.

“You’re right I am a second-year, well on that note I’ll be going now, good luck”. I turn to leave before she stops me.

“Wa-Waitt a second, I don’t know any senpai’s very well yet so do you mind giving me your name, you know since you already know my scores…”

Why does she look angry again?!

Is that right…I’m Yuta Hiragi nice to meet you”.

“Nice to meet you Hiragi-kun I’m Aoi Tamaki!”. She bows slightly to me, is this a kouhai thing? Well whatever I guess I don’t mind it.

“Now that we are acquaintances you can’t share my scores with anyone, pleasseeee!”. She looks at me desperately again, not that I have anyone to share them with anyway…

“It’s fine, I don’t have the drive or energy to go around flaunting scores of that caliber”.

“Wheww, that’s good to hear�"wa-wait scores of that caliber??”

“Ahh I’m just kidding they weren’t that bad okay? I have to go take care of something, good luck with those scores”. I turn around and give her a slight wave like a senpai should. This is why I don’t try to openly interact with girls…or anyone for that matter it’s way too tiring.

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My heart is racing thinking about confessing my feelings to Kurihara-san today. Is it too soon, wait does she even like me?! These thoughts float heavily in my mind as I'm subconsciously walking through the busy halls.

If she says something like "Ooh you see, well I'm married."---of course she wouldn't say something like that idiot! The only thing I can do is hope for the best, luckily for me my head feels fine today so no crazy cliche distractions--- There she is!

I see Kurihara-san by the one of the vending machines alone, perfect time Yuta!

"Hey Kurihara-san, you ready for the quiz today? hahah". God that was a lame opening...

"Oh Hiragi-kun! Ehmm not really but I never truly feel ready for those things to be honest." She looks up and smiles at me.

"Yeah I know what you mean...say Kurihara-san y'know, how should I put this? Well I--"

"Miya-chan there you are! I need help finding the gym, it's only my second day!" A boy walks up to Kurihara-san totally disregarding me.

Miya-chan?? Who the hell is this guy and why is he so formal with her?! I squint my eyes scanning the intruder with distaste.

"Huh? Oh sorry were you two talking? Sorryyy man!" He put his hands behind his head and coolly laughs. I think I remember the President saying Kurihara-san's cousin just moved to this school, this must be him. Heh, competition my a*s he's family!

"Sorry Hiragi-kun I didn't introduce you, this is Kenji-kun! He's my cousin, well actually not really he's just more of a really close childhood friend if I had to say".----

Huhhh?! He's not family then?? S**t this isn't good it seems they're both really close with each other. So this is the "cousin" that the useless President talked about. I need to find out what they think of each other before I make my final move...

"Nice to meet you Hiragi-kun, Miya-chan actually talks about you a lot it would seem!"

"Stoppp no I don't! It's okay you can disregard him Hiragi-kun!" She blushes a little while waving her hands around.

Scoreee, that's one mark for me..unless that b*****d was just bluffing!

"Oh that's right, weren't you trying to tell me something Hiragi-kun?" She finally calms down.

"Ahh that yeah don't worry about it, it was just some question about the homework I'll just ask Kasuno!" My plan is ruined right now but I'll find another time to strike!

"Is that so, well alright then. I'm going to show Kenji-kun the gym since he's still new here so I'll see you later maybe!"

She and Kenji walk past me but not before Kenji puts his hand on my shoulder and whispers "Hope I didn't ruin anything." with a sly smile on his face. Was he just provoking me that b*****d?!

I turn and watch them leave with irritation, this is not how this was supposed to go at all. A new adversary really? I don't need some antagonist in my life...

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"Fwoop". I fall slide down the wall and sit on the side of the building during lunch time. I have a cold coffee in my hand from the vending machine just re-thinking the moments from earlier today. I squeeze the carton in my hand when I imagine Kenji's smirk parting remark.

"Hhmm what am I gonna do now? My plan was ruined by that guy, great now I need a new plan of action." I keep sipping on the coffee while trying to formulate a new plan.

"You're not talking very low you know."

--"Fwuhahh!" I spit out a mouthful of coffee in surprise at the voice.

Aoi Tamaki, the girl whose grades I saw is standing to my side with a bag.

"Hey Hi..ragi-kun right? I was bringing the gym equipment back to the storage room and I heard some weirdo talking around the corner.

"Oh that's how you great someone you just met huh? It was nothing I was just reciting a poem out loud I heard in class alright?" I avert my gaze to the side in annoyance.

She stands there with arms crossed not buying one word I said. D****t I need to stop talking to myself!

"Well that's some bitter poem then, it's okay I won't pry don't worry! This will be a secret since you didn't tell anyone about my scores...right?!"

"No I didn't tell anyone alright!" She always quickly changes to a dark mood on a whim, what's with her?

"But!!" She quickly says.

"But?" I fire back at her.

"But it seems like it's a love issue, and I know how those can hurt. So if you need any help in executing your mission I ca---"

"Nope, don't need your help but thanks anway". Kasuno is enough for advice but not some random girl I just met.

"Way to shoot me down so quickly! Welp not my problem, good luck with whatever you keep struggling with. I have to go back to gym class now, bye bye!" She waves at me before leaving.

Wait a second...gym class?

"W-wait a second". I quickly say, she turns around with a mischievous grin knowing this was coming somehow.

"You said gym class right? Okay if you're so bent on helping me there's this new guy, his name is Kenji I think. Try to see why he came here and ask him who he likes y'know cliche stuff like that. Can you do that?"

"Hoohhh, so you are in love distress? Well...sure I can do that! Tomorrow morning by the shoe lockers I'll give you the intel alright?" She actually looks excited, what a weird girl...

"Sure that's fine, don't be too obvious though. C'ya later then". She waves and goes back to class while I slump on the ground wondering why I just hired an underclassman spy.