Running in CiRCLES (Male!Reader x Bandori) [ONGOING]

Chapter 11: An unusual first day...

you said you'll be back at 11:40

Marina: :P

Sigh.

I take a bite out of my lunch, looking idly out the window. Everything's in place. We have the songs ready, and we've been practicing extra hard for the concert. I and his mom have gotten our costumes ready for the performance. I take a look at the picture he sent to us.

Our costumes were just normal school uniforms that I's mom designed. It wasn't as flashy as the other bands, but we were all satisfied with the result. Along with our custom-designed masks to hide our faces, we're also wearing slightly different accessories. N is wearing a cotton sweater over his uniform, with his hair carefully styled to the side. O was going for the delinquent look, wearing his blazer on his shoulders and slicking his hair up and back. I was simply wearing his uniform fully buttoned up with his hair split down the middle. R was going to wear a sweatshirt over his uniform. O insisted on carefully combing and styling his messy hair. I was going to wear my uniform normally, nothing out of the ordinary. O was also going to style my hair like __.

We're lucky that I's mom is a fashion designer. She was able to create full-face masks for us that had a microphone in it. The audio was clear and it had no wires, so it was perfect.

*Click!*

I blink, looking towards the front doors. I put down my food on the counter.

(Y/N): "Welco-"

??: "Marina-sannnn? You heeeeere?"

??: "H-hello?"

Oh, it must be the other staff members Marina mentioned. I walk out of the counter, greeting them.

(Y/N): "You two must be Yumi-senpai and Sara-senpai. (Y/N), (L/N). Nice to meet you", I bow. 

Yumi: "Oh~, so you're (Y/N)... I didn't expect someone so...", she looked curiously at me.

So..?

Sara: "Yumi...", she looks at Yumi-senpai. "S-sorry 'bout that. I'm Sara, nice to meet ya", she greets back. "Also, you don't need to call us 'senpai', just 'san' is fine. Plus, I think you're older than me.."

Yumi: "Yeah! Or, you can call me Yumi-chan!"

(Y/N): "Then, nice to meet you Yumi-san and Sara-san."

Yumi: "Aw~ You're no fun.."

Sara grabs Yumi and drags her off into the room behind the counter, probably to change. I walk outside and, checking for any customers, I go to the cafe. On the front counter is a stock list, listing all the items that should be in the cafe. Some items, like coffee beans or plastic utensils, are marked with a star, probably signifying that they are low in stock. I open the upper cabinet and check if everything is there.

Sugar cubes, fruits, spaghetti pasta... I guess everything's here. 

I start the coffee maker and set up the chairs. I turn around a see a... huge statue?!

(Y/N): "...The Tsurumaki Family..." Christ, just how rich are they?

Sara: "Oh, you've set up the cafe. Thanks."

I turn around and see Sara, dressed up in the same work apron that I'm wearing. 

Sara: "Yumi-san's taking the front counter, and I'm taking the cafe. Marina-san mentioned you have a meeting with the other girls at 2:00? No, 3:00."

(Y/N): "Yeah. It'll be a while though, so I have about an hour of free time. Anything you need me to do?"

Sara points to the nearby trashcan. I nod and open the lid, taking the garbage bag and tying the top. 

Sara: "The garbage's at-"

(Y/N): "The back of CiRCLE, across from the back doors."

I walk out of the cafe, garbage bag in hand and walk towards the back of the cafe. 

...?

As soon as I reach the back of CiRCLE my nose wrinkles, smelling something very unpleasant. What's that smell? Is that...tobacco? I recognize the smell. 

I remember one time, at school. I was just normally leaving school from the back doors when I noticed smoke. I looked over and saw a kid smoking, though he didn't seem to see me. He was wearing a hat to cover his face, he didn't seem to be from our school. He was nervously looking around him, seemingly trying to look for someone. The smell forced me to leave quickly.

I carefully approach the corner and look at the back corridor. I see two people, specifically two kids, maybe around my age? I slowly walk in, making sure not to step too loudly.

(Y/N): "Excuse me..", I carefully say. The two boys turn around, and I'm able to look at them.

Noticing their uniforms almost immediately, I recognize that they're from my school, specifically second-year students. They're both a year younger than me, and both are shorter than me. They seem to have skipped class, deciding to come here. But, why CiRCLE? It's a pretty long trip just to loiter around.

(Y/N): "Excuse me, you can't smoke here.", I say to the two, pointing to a nearby sign.

They glare at me, and one of them puts out his cigarette and slowly approaches me. 

"C'mon man, we're just trying to have a smoke here. Anything wrong with that?", he says.

I sigh, a bit annoyed and tired.

(Y/N): "There are other places you can smoke instead of here..", I try to reason.

The other guy, a bit more aggressive, looks at me.

"Huh? Don't recognize you. You from here?"

"Oh... He must be a new guy! Man, lucky. Working with all those cute girls. Must feel great as a guy, huh?"

(Y/N): "Excuse me?", I retaliate, getting a bit angrier. "I think you need to leave, now."

They don't move, only smiling condescendingly at me.

"Oh, sorry man", he says feigning distress. "I think this is one big misunderstanding. We're just fans right?", he says to the other guy, snickering.

"Yeah, yeah. What is it...Their music. Yeah, we're big fans of their music.", he snickers.

I drop the garbage bag on the floor, my fists unconsciously forming into fists. I start to feel angrier, but I manage to hold myself back from saying anything.

"Yeah, that keyboard girl. Y'know, the girl with pigtails?", he says to the other guy.

"Yeah, yeah. She's pretty hot, y'know?"

I feel my heartbeat get faster as my face gets redder in anger.

"Heh, yeah. And those racks? Hot damn", he jokes with his friend.

My knees buckle and I tighten my fist.

The two of them turn towards me, smirking. "Whaddya you think? She's pretty hot, right?"

...

...

My mind goes numb.

...

...!

I suddenly fly forward. Overcome with anger, I throw my fist in their direction.

...

I blink. I look down and see one of the guys on the ground in front of me. The other is standing back, a surprised look on his face. I step backwards, looking down at my first. It's fine, but I seem to have cut it on something. 

The two guys stand up, slowly backing away from me. The guy I punched rubs his cheek, while the other curses under his breath. They both walk away from CiRCLE, leaving me alone in the alleyway.

I stare at my hand in disbelief. What did I just do? What...happened? Did...did I?

??: "Um, (Y/N)-san?"

I slowly turn around, still staring at my bloodied fist. 

(Y/N): "...Ichigaya-san?"