“I want Yakisoba pan”, said a bratty voice from behind me. No surprise, it was Inugami Korone again. In her trademark white dress, she wore the school’s baseball jacket over the top. “Come on come on!”. She gestured her hand at me, as if ordering a serf to pay taxes. I reluctantly handed over a 1000 Yen note, I knew she’d only cause a scene and embarrass me again, if I offered any kind of resistance. Okayu was in tow, as usual, wearing a grey and purple hoodie, with baggy sweatpants. Okayu herself had never really bothered me, directly, but the fact she always followed Korone around, a bored and coolly disaffected look on her face, made her just as much an accomplice in the bullying. Korone cuffed the back of my head and left for the cafeteria. I guess I wasn’t eating lunch today.
“Ooo, share with me, Koro-chan”, Okayu cooed after her.

I wasn’t sure why exactly Korone had chosen to mess with me so much. Maybe if I’d stood up for myself from the start, it would have been different. We were in the same year, though I had transferred to this school pretty recently, and didn’t really have any friends. Perhaps that made me an easy target. At any rate, this sort of thing had become part of the typical routine of my school day. All I could do was squirm in quiet embarrassment and hope she’d eventually get bored. Sometimes, I imagined myself standing up to her. Getting in her face, shouting, even shoving her aside. On the worst days, I even wanted to punch her in her stupid smug face. No doubt the students would all gasp, and all blame me for being some kind of monster, attacking a girl. Then things would be even worse. So all I did was bury my face into my pillow at night, thinking about what I’d do, whilst barely holding back tears. Pathetic really.

–

I pulled a couple of textbooks from out of my locker, and retrieved the others from my backpack to put away. The contents slid out, and books clattered to the floor. I carelessly bent down to pick them up, accidentally bumping my hip into someone passing behind me.
“Oioi! The hell are you touching me for?” Of course, it just had to be Korone. I went to stammer out an apology, before realising who it was.
“It was an accident”, I murmured.
“Clumsy freak, don’t ever touch me.” She dramatically brushed her clothes off, as if she’d catch something from me.
“Creep”, added Okayu. A few other students in the hallway scoffed under their breaths at this scene.
“You better apologise, or I’ll make-” Korone started up, but cut herself off.
Shishiron Botan sauntered down the middle of the hallway. She was our senior, a few years above us, and an exceedingly tall girl. Taller even than the male teachers. She held a stack of papers or leaflets in one arm. I think she was on the student council, or led it.
“Keep it down, make your way to classes” Botan said smoothly to no one in particular, though everyone around hushed and pretended to be busy. I think she was the only person in school Korone would shut up around. I bet even Okayu thought she was cool.
Botan stopped and pinned some papers to the noticeboard across the hall from us. Korone kept her eyes fixed, until Botan had made her way out of sight down the hall. Then she turned her attention back to me. She shoved a hand stiffly into my chest, pushing me back into the lockers.
“Ne~, lets just get out of here Koro-chan”, yawned Okayu. The two of them looked down the hall, apparently understanding this subtle cue, and I followed to see what they were looking at; now a teacher was making their way towards us down the hallway. Saved again, Korone scowled at me, and they left.

I had a couple minutes to burn before class, so I decided to take a look at the notices Botan had posted, though I wasn’t really interested in any school clubs. That would mean spending more time here. Unappealing. I had nothing better to do than awkwardly pretend to be busy at my locker, anyway.

Cram classes: Friday evening and Saturdays - Gross.
Lost & Found: Report it to the Student Council ASAP!
Keep your Smartphones to yourself, and OFF whilst at school, teachers are allowed to confiscate them.
Boxing Club - We still welcome late-comers to the club. Get fit & Have fun! Wednesday/Friday evenings.
Science Fete winners will be posted at the end of the month - CONGRATULATIONS to everyone that participated.

Wait, Boxing Club? This school has a boxing club?

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