SUPERFICIALITY & FUTILITY

prologue

prologue.

BEING BORN IS LIKE THE EVENT HORIZON. See, when you are born, you are way past the point of no return back towards the stage of initially being—well, nothing. Nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to feel, nothing to touch; nothing. Just an empty, hollow nothing; non-existence. And you think that, sometimes, nothing is better than being thrown into the absurdity of the existence of everything. Like falling into the rabbit hole ass-naked with nothing but the things you don't know to embrace you.

Being born is like the event horizon—the boundary surrounding a black hole wherein nothing can escape, not even light. Once your life falls into the clutches of the world and your existence is made known, expectations arise coming from fellow humans. The reasonable ones down to the unrealistic ones. These abstract things chain you down, not allowing you to escape. Because being alive is a 'gift' and suicide is only for the damned.

But hey, that's what makes a community, right? The communion of individuals. A simultaneous agreement between everyone. Afterall, you can't spell 'community' without 'unity'. Funny.

Being born is like the event horizon. Because, well, it feels as if life goes on forever from the standpoint of the individual who is living. A second may be fast; a minute is less; an hour leaves room for an array of actions; a day is a set of twenty-four full hours, and so on. The longer you are alive as you travel towards the apogee of your life and drown yourself in the tiniest details that make up your survival, the more it feels as if time slows.

Being born is like the event horizon.

It's too bad that you're not a fan of black holes.

Reality is not as surprising as it seems. It's anticlimactic, truly. You don't even remember the last time you had first found out the existence of a well-known thing.

You don't remember the first time you've seen a flower. You don't remember the first time you've witnessed rain. You don't remember the first time you saw your parents. Hell, you don't remember the first time you saw yourself. You just know that it's there.

The process in which you've found out about a thing's existence doesn't matter, they say. The only thing that does is what you make out of it, well, they say.

In a world like this one, perception is the most important thing. It is the baseline in which opinions and definitions are constructed, and eventually through these, standards are formed. Moral codes and conduct, beauty standards, professional behaviors, and so on. They all depend on perceptions. Humans value how they and others appear.

To judge is inevitable. Preferences come unconsciously through how the brain perceives the world. The actions that come after your brain's perceptions and preferences though? Definitely conscious.

You know the concept well-enough. You experience it through day-to-day life as an individual who never seemed to be favored by most. It must be your personality, you think. You are aware of the way humans react to things that they don't like, and truly, you don't care.

It just becomes a subject of concern when it begins to harm you.

"The applications for the Student Council Election are coming up, so if some of you would like to run for a position, please approach me and I will provide you with an application form." The teacher announces, presenting a stack of papers pinched between the palm of her left hand. "Take note that if your application is approved by the office, you will be required to participate in an interview. The principal herself will be the one to conduct this along with the current Student Council President. Further information will be provided once you pass both stages."

A series of murmurs erupt from the students and fill the room. You sit up straight, tightening your hold on your ballpen in interest.

"This isn't necessarily required, but I'd like to have a show of hands of those who are interested in running for a position."

Your hands shoot up and everyone stares, eyes almost appearing incredulous, but you keep your gaze straight. A few seconds later, you feel the scrutiny that was previously burning throughout your body to dissipate. You glance to your left, towards the boy who sits at the very front and center of the class. His right hand was raised calmly.

Kita Shinsuke.

Figures.

Everyone believes that no one would be a better student council member other than a sharp, clean-cut boy who appears more like a man. You don't completely disagree. But, it doesn't mean that you agree either.

( There's nothing special about him, after all. He's just another perfect straight A's student. You come across those every once in a while. Pretty sure that every school has one. )

"Ah, (Last Name)-san and Kita-san." The teacher smiles. "I'm glad that there are at least two people who are interested in running. May I know the positions that you plan to run for and why? Kita-san, you may go first."

He stands with his body dipping forward slightly in the process. His snow hair transitioning to ebony hangs over his forehead and pokes his skin, yet strangely, it doesn't appear messy or uncomfortable. His back straightens and he begins speaking with a mild tone.

"I'd like to run for the Student Council President position." His voice doesn't waver and his honey-gold eyes cut straight through the transparent air. "I'd like to advocate for the welfare of each student. Concerns that may be raised, suggestions for the betterment of the student body, and the overall maintenance of the system are shouldered by the Council President. I trust myself in being able to handle these responsibilities and more so we can all experience a fruitful final year in high school. That is all."

He takes a seat and the teacher speaks once more while turning her gaze towards you. "Thank you, Kita-san. I wish you luck in your application. Well, then, (Last Name)-san?"

You stand up from your seat, ignoring the number of stares burning onto you.

You smile.

"I'd also like to run for the presidential position." You pause. "I have spent about less than two years in Inarizaki High School as a student and as a mere observer, and I have to admit; there are... many things that I don't particularly like, and well, the way the systems run here is one of them."

A bunch of murmurs echo throughout the room once more and you feel Kita Shinsuke's eyes cut through you.

Your smile widens, presenting the top row of your teeth. "You know what they say—if you don't like something, then change it. I want equal opportunities to be given to everyone, provided that they are doing good enough. Success should not be determined by appearances, gender, etc., rather, aptitude and skill should be the basis. I don't want another person to miss an opportunity or success that is well-deserved simply due to biases and prejudice. I want to advocate for equality and take back the purpose of an educational establishment.

"It's nothing grand. I just want to change and improve the way things run here. That is all."