Cold Shards and Warm Stars (OliKase-FukaOli)

2. Rivalry

   Another day at school. Only the third day, and I'm already tired... transitioning from third to seventh grade is quite a challenge! But, continuing to catch up with the curriculum at home, I'll surely manage! However, now my appearance leaves much to be desired... I lost my cloak and feel insecure without long clothing on me. That day, when I forgot it in the forest, I only remembered it in the evening, too late to retrieve it. Returning the next day, I found it gone. I haven't tried asking Fukase, who might have taken the cloak for himself, as he started avoiding me after that day. He arrived at lessons with the bell and left with it too, and during class, I didn't want to speak. I even called out to him, but he pretended not to hear and quickly left.

   I wanted to catch him during school lunch, but Defoko and Piko took me to a communal table, where I also met Nana, a cheerful green-haired girl who, like Piko, was the life of the company, and constantly clung to Defoko, as if she was in love with this sleepy girl.

   However, this time I was lucky and caught him, although, to be honest, it was he who caught me.

   – Hey, you, Oliver! – his pleasant, gentle voice echoed behind me. At that moment, I was near the school building, it was early morning, with the lesson due to start in 10 minutes.

   I turned around and saw the guy standing there, looking both angry and embarrassed, holding a package with something wrapped inside.

   – Hi, Fukase! – I exclaimed, turning fully towards him and approaching, which made him step back slightly, – I've been looking for you...

   – Here... – he said and thrust the package into my hands, – Couldn't do it earlier! That's all... Bye!

   He quickly walked towards the school, even running, which he probably shouldn't have, considering we had physical education next, and energy would be needed... but this would be my first PE lesson in this school, I didn't know the intensity of the activities, maybe they were not that hard!

   After watching him for a moment, I shifted my gaze to the package and cautiously opened it. Inside was my lost cloak, and it seemed to be stitched up! Did he really fix my cloak?

   "Haha, he acts so mean and does such cute things!" – I thought, pulling the cloak out of the bag and putting it on. Looking at the poorly stitched sleeve, I realized that despite the guy's effort, it would need to be re-sewn. But that's okay, it's not hard, and his effort was touching. He clearly wants to connect somehow, but understandably, it's difficult for him, considering how people talk about him...

   "Troubled", "Dangerous", "Aggressive", "I saw a knife in his bag", "Future social outcast", "He reeked of cigarettes yesterday", "He didn't take after his sister, too bad" – these were the comments other classmates and my new friends made about him. And I could have said the same, considering he chased after me secretly, but I felt that he behaved oddly because he simply... didn't know how to act differently and was trying to invoke terror to keep people at bay. Maybe mockery over his appearance, or something similar, had made his emotions mixed and confusing, and his behavior repelling, but I didn't think he was all that bad...

   – Oh...! – I exclaimed, realizing I still needed to change for physical education. After realizing this, I run to the school.

   Quickly grabbing my PE uniform from my locker, I dashed to the boys' changing room, where a couple of classmates were changing, but Fukase wasn't there, which was odd since he couldn't have changed in the brief time I was away. Nonetheless, I quickly changed and went outside, where our PE lesson was supposed to be held until it started raining or got too cold. Fukase wasn't there either, but my friends were. I ran up to them and hugged each one... they were all so sweet, I couldn't help but embrace them.