Cold Shards and Warm Stars (OliKase-FukaOli)

4. Group Outing

   – I'm in for driving him away! – Piko declared.

   – Oh come on, Fukase isn't doing anything bad right now... – Defo countered, shaking her head in disagreement.

   – I also don't agree, that's not right! – I exclaimed, frowning in disapproval.

   – Well, maybe you two will figure it out then! – Nana suggested, pointing at Defo and me.

   Defo stayed silent. Her interactions with him had been limited to tackling him to the ground and handing him over to me earlier this week, and before that, they were in one team in gym class, where she hadn't been too happy with him. That left me...

   – I'll go...

   – Are you sure? You guys don't exactly get along... – Piko pointed out, glancing in the direction where the redhead was.

   – We're on good terms now!

   – Yeah, right, after Oliver asked Defo to catch Fukase – Oliver and Fukase are definitely on good terms... – Defo remarked with a smirk.

   I just rolled my eyes and headed towards my detached friend. As I entered the odd path filled with rocks, bushes, and water, I slowly approached Fukase, pondering what to say to him. My friends watched me, holding long, thin tree branches, resembling whips. As I got closer to him, the melody of his guitar and the song became clearer and clearer. His voice was bell-like yet gentle, enveloping my ears with its pleasantness... it was so nice... He was singing a song unfamiliar to me, possibly his own composition, and I didn't want to interrupt his performance:

   – "I'm drowning in my tears, help me... I need oxygen, but I don't need you.I am stronger than you. I'll be better than you. And this is not impossible. I am stronger than you. I'll be better than you. Repeating over and over again. You wanted it that way, the others will want me, And I do not need you..." ("Cruel Destiny" by VNaneP)

   He continued to hum, but suddenly stopped playing and hissed:

   – Fuck... bitch...

   Putting the guitar aside, he reached for his bag and began rummaging through it, muttering unpleasant expressions under his breath. He pulled out a plaster and applied it to his finger.

   – Hi! – I suddenly exclaimed, causing him to startle and quickly pick something up from the ground. Standing up and turning towards me, he held a thin wooden cane, ready to defend himself.

   – Oh... it's you... – he said, relaxing and lowering his cane, – Haven't talked for a while, huh?

   – Three days... why did you start avoiding me again? We agreed to make peace, didn't we?

   – Ha-h... It's awkward being the only one in the whole school who knows your secret... – he said snidely, stepping closer to me and, wrapping the cane around my neck, pulled me towards him, causing me discomfort. But his eye caught sight of my company, and he let go of me, stepping back a few paces, – What are you all doing here? I was hoping for some solitude...

   – They have some kind of base here... – I honestly replied, hoping for his understanding.

   – Hm... interesting. There are a couple of abandoned houses there... even a multi-story one. I've smashed a lot of windows there, ha-ha. Though, not just there, I hope I didn't accidentally wreck their little hideout. Can you show me this base?

   – Hey, don't you think that's a bit much? – exclaimed Piko, approaching us while still holding a branch. The others also descended and joined us, – Get lost, freak...