[Hikaru POV]
Another morning, another tiresome day.
In any case, I got up from my bed and sighed, fixing my messy dark hair, which would always get roughed up during my slumber.
This was just another normal day in the life of Kazuki Hikaru. That being me.
But I suppose today is a little special. Why, you ask ? Well you see, today's the day I'll be going to my new high school!
Doesn't really sound that exciting, does it ?
I know. I'm not that excited either. But it's a special place. For I have managed to secure myself a seat in Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, or just ANHS for short.
A prestigious high school that is completely cut off from the outside world. Once a student enters, they had no contact with anyone outside for the rest of their time there. No, not even parents or close family members.
It is an ideal school meant for elites, funded directly by the government and it boasts a 100% employment rate for all its graduates for any job or university of their choosing.
So really, it's a pretty good school to go to.
Is what I would've been thinking. Now I wouldn't necessarily call myself a genius, but I am quite intelligent. Enough to realise that something is not right.
The school, funnily enough, has a habit of expelling students, from what I've heard. Additionally, the students that leave before those three years do not face any benefits and they're not allowed to speak of their experiences in the school. The same applies to those who graduate.
One would just think it's because the school is very strict, but I don't think so. I think there's more to this school than meets the eye.
And that is exactly why I want to go there! It'll provide me some form of entertainment from my boring life, at least.
I quickly fixed my bed and went to the bathroom, where I would simply brush, wash my face and hair, and take a nice cold shower. I could already tell what was happening downstairs though.
Normally, I'd work out around this time but I don't plan on doing that right now. My mom, I believe, should've made food for me.
My family situation is a little complicated. I am half Japanese, half Hispanic. My dad is a native Japanese man from Kyoto. My mom is actually Puerto Rican. And we lived abroad because my dad met my mom while he was in America.
And as for where— Orlando, Florida.
But, it's been about a year since we've come back to Japan, moved into Tokyo. And I will now leave for school today.
And before that, my parents took me to China. I learned a new language.
In any case, I was done getting ready. I had gone down and had breakfast, which was just some Arroz Con Habichuelas. With a fried egg on top. And of course, the coffee.
Can't forget the coffee. It's practically my favourite hot beverage.
My dad got ready and ate with us, before getting the keys and going to the car. I would've followed, if my mom didn't stop me.
"Espera un momento, joven. ¿Te aseguraste de empacar todo? ¿Teléfono? ¿Ropa? ¿Cepillo de dientes? ¿Ropa interior? ¿Productos para el cabello? ¿Artículos de papelería? ¿Y qué hay de...?" (Wait a minute, young man. Did you make sure to pack everything? Phone? Clothes? Toothbrush? Underwear? Hair products? Stationery? And what about...?)
Hearing her say these things, I knew exactly where this conversation was heading so I decided to end it right there.
"Mamá, mamá... Estaré bien. Tengo todo conmigo. No tienes que preocuparte." (Mom, mom... I'll be fine. I have everything with me. You don't have to worry.)
"Estarás fuera por tres años y ni siquiera podré llamarte. ¿Cómo no voy a preocuparme?" (You'll be gone for three years and I won't even be able to call you. How can I not worry?)
"Estaré bien. Confía en mí." (I'll be fine. Trust me.)
"Oh, confío en ti. Pero eso no evitará que me preocupe. Además, ¿me interrumpiste mientras hablaba!?" (Oh, I trust you. But that won't stop me from worrying. Also, did you interrupt me while I was talking!?)
I did. That might not have been a good decision. My mom hates it when someone interrupts her.
""Dado que necesitas llegar a la estación de autobuses a tiempo, te dejaré ir. Pero escúchame bien, más te vale estar en la cima de tu clase como siempre lo estás, si sabes lo que te conviene. Te daré una paliza." (Since you need to get to the bus station in time, I'll let you off the hook. Another thing, you better be at the top of your class like you always are, if you know what's good for you. I will whoop you.)
I know that. I know well enough. I do not need to be told that.
"Lo sé, mamá. Estaré bien. Tú me conoces. Por favor, no saques la chancla." (I know mom, I'll be fine. You know me. Please don't take out the slipper.)
Hearing this, she laughed a little and brought me into a hug. After that, he slapped my back playfully and told me off. "Do your best. And take care of yourself!"
"I will mom."
I then left the house, got into the car next to my dad and he drove me to the pick up point. Upon getting there, I got out of the car and looked at my dad one last time. I won't be seeing him or mom again for the next three years.
"Goodbye dad. I won't be seeing you or mom for a while." I wished him off, making him crack a smile at me.
"Take care son. And before sure to show them not to underestimate. Live your life and have fun, but don't let anyone look down on you. Got it ?"
"Got it."
We shook hands and he pulled me into an embrace. This was short lived, but I got out of the car and waved goodbye as he drove away.
I now began to observe my location. The bus stand, which was isolated in this place, would be where the bus would come to pick me up.
I leaned back and simply waited here for a good bit of time, earphones in and listening to some tunes by myself.
After some time, I noticed the arrival of some else. A girl. She wore the same school uniform as me, which meant She was going to the same high school. She was a pretty girl, colourful hair with blue streaks tide in twin tails. But the most captivating thing about her was certainly her violet eyes and her glossy lips. She stood there, uncaring about anything else and simply listened to music on her teal headphones. It's safe to assume she was also waiting for the bus, like me.
I continued to stare at her passively. She was certainly beautiful. I'll say that much. She didn't really have a very social air around her, or at least not like mine. But she didn't seem like a complete loner either. She seems interested in music, even if it might only be listening to it. I don't know of she can sing or play any instruments. And she also didn't seem to care much about her surroundings.
"Hey, what's the matter ? What are you staring at ?" I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a voice.
Ah. It seems I've been caught staring.
The girl seemed to be glaring at me just a little bit. She didn't seem to like me, but that glare wasn't too harsh either. More like, a curious but cautious glare you give to a stranger.
"Oh, I apologise if I offended you or made you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to stare. You're wearing the same uniform as me and I assume you're also waiting for the bus, meaning you're a first year ANHS student like me."
"Uh-huh. I am." She replied.
"Well, I'm Kazuki Hikaru, a student of Class D. I was wondering which class you might be in. You see, I was just a little nervous about this since we'll be in the school for three years without any contact to the outside."
Upon hearing my explanation, she eased up. I suppose that was a believable excuse and she now thinks I was just lost in thought.
"I see. Personally, I think this is a good thing. We're free to do anything for three years, independently." She didn't deny the feeling of nervousness, yet she also felt a little excited. Like me.
I wouldn't really say we were free to do anything we want, though.
"I see. Good point."
"Himeno Yuki. Class B." She nonchalantly introduced herself.
Upon hearing this, I smiled at her vibrantly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Himeno-san."
For some reason, when I did that, her body suddenly shook and she stared at me with a slightly surprised face. I noticed her cheeks heating up a little.
I responded by not removing that smile from my face.
"R-Right.. it's a pleasure to meet you too."
Hm. She's cute. I like her already.
I could feel myself grinning internally. So she's like that huh ? I have a feeling teasing her will be very fun.
"Huh, Class B... It is unfortunate that you are not in my class. I would've liked to be classmates with a cute girl I'm aquainted with. It would make socialising easier for me. But we can't have everything." I shrugged nonchalantly.
Himeno looked a little surprised when she heard me call her cute, but she didn't take it offensively. She probably figured I was just being polite.
"By the way, what type of music do you listen to ?" I decided to ask.
"It's not really something you'd probably understand. I like English and Spanish songs, even though I don't know how to properly speak either languages. But I can understand some words and the tunes here and there. I also really like the vibe and beat." Himeno revealed her tastes in music to me like it was nothing. She probably wasn't expecting me to like it.
But she couldn't be more wrong. Her taste in music seemed to match perfectly with my ethnicity.
How convenient.
"Really ? I'm actually fluent in both languages, so it's quite alright. In fact, I'm half Hispanic, so I grew up learning Spanish." This seemed to surprise her a little. Her curios eye now fell upon me. I suppose it wasn't too often you meet a half-breed.
In any case, I noticed someone movement behind her which I didn't initially notice.
My face deepened into a frown for a moment, before going back to normal.
Immediately, an arm wrapped around Himeno's shoulder and pulled her in, taking her by surprise. A man who appeared to be in his twenties stood behind her and glared down at her and me. The man had a face mask on, so I couldn't actually see his face.
From the eyes of a normal person, it would seem like he's taken her hostage.
"You better not move boy. Not if you want the girl to live." Hearing him say this certainly made me raise an eyebrow playfully.
I didn't see a weapon on him.
"You will answer all of my questions, got it ?"
I shrugged.
"I have a knife with me. If you don't listen to me, I'll stab her back and run away."
"That's not a question dumbass." I retorted, surprising Himeno.
"You're going to give me your wallet, or I'll stab her."
...
I stared at him for a bit just to make sure if I was hearing things or not. Really ? That's what he was after ?
"You want my wallet ?"
"Yes. After you take yours out, you'll search this girl and take hers too, and give it to me. Don't try anything funny." He said this while hugging the girl even more, making her squirm uncomfortably.
I frowned noticing this, that face of discomfort was putting me off, but I quickly composed myself.
"Ah yes, what a brilliant idea this is! Come rob the two teenagers that are waiting for a school bus to arrive so they may go to high school. We totally have some money on us to share with you." I said in a playful tone, punching him mentally because of my tone.
I could see his hand tighten, realising that I wasn't taking him seriously.
"T-Then just give me your stuff! Phone, these headphones or thos earphones, anything else that can be of value!"
"Yeah, no."
Hearing me say this, Himeno stared at me with a bewildered expression. She didn't dare move out of the possibility of the man having a knife to her back. Without a doubt, she was certainly scared for her life. If one would look close enough, one could see her fingers trembling.
"I have a knife, did you forget ?" He asked.
"Use it then."
"What ?"
"Use the knife."
This man smiled a little. "Oh, I'm not afraid to use it little guy. If you don't co-operate with me, it's really over for this girl."
"Oh, I'm sure you're not."
"So take it out!"
He was getting impatient.
"How's your mom doing ?" I suddenly questioned, changing the direction of this conversation.
Upon hearing me ask about his mom, he did a double take. Even Himeno was staring at me with a weird expression on her face.
The man stared at me in confusion before answering me question. "Why are you asking about my mother ?"
"I haven't seen her in a while. So I was wondering if she was alright. I'm simply worried for her." I said, trying to sound genuine when I said this.
Hearing me say this made his scoff. "Don't pretend like you know my mom."
"Tch, come on... Of course I know Mrs. Mirai." I nonchalantly said.
I noticed, as I said this, the skin on his face turn pale and the sweat drying up. It seems I hit him right on the mark.
"How do you know my mom ?"
Upon hearing him say this, Himeno stared up in surprise, before looking back at the now smirking figure of I, in shock.
"Hmph. Why do you think~? I sleep with her." I said this while leaning down a little.
Yes, I've had some intimate activities with this woman before. What's wrong ?
This shocked both of them even more, the man being in denial of such things.
"Y-you're lying! You can't fool me like that! Sleep with you ? Pfft! Yeah right! And how can you prove that you're talking about my m-mother?!" Yup. Definitely in denial.
How sweet.
Only makes the downfall all the more satisfying to watch.
"Oh you want me to call her ?" I asked him, putting my hand onto my pocket where me phone was. I noticed his body stiffen due to my action.
I decided to press forward.
I took out the phone and grinned at him. "Well ? Should I ? I could tell what her son's been doing here, on the bus stand, threatening two teenagers with a knife. Is that what you want ?"
Hearing this, his eyes widened in fear and his body shook. Immediately, he let go off Himeno, who gasped, and backed away with his hands up.
"No, no, no! It's fine! We're cool! I don't even have a knife! That was just a bluff."
I smiled hearing this and told him off. "I see. Then please go, kind man."
He scurried off hurriedly as I placed my phone back in my pockets, Himeno staring at me in curiosity, confusion and disbelief.
After that man had gotten far enough, I dropped that smirk of mine.
"I can't believe I guessed her name."
Hearing me say this made Himeno's eyes bulge out as she stared at me in utter disbelief at what I just said.
What ? Did you really think I slept with an adult as a minor ?
I'm pretty sure my chastity was still very much intact.