The lunchroom was huge and befitting for a fancy school. A dome-like ceiling sat up there, windows adorning it instead of cement. Because of that, the blue sky and golden sun shone through the space, creating an uplifting mood. Green plants placed in every corner and the table were made of wood with velvet chairs to accompany them. Goodness. It was beautiful, but not practical at all. You shook your head at the view of it yesterday and still held the same feelings towards it today. Rich people... you couldn't seem to understand them.
At least the food was delicious. It was the one thing that kept your day yesterday from being a total failure. None of it frozen like the corndogs you've eaten in your past life, it was fresh and much more healthy. You took one bite of it and had been unable to stop until the tray was licked clean... as gross as that sounds.
As it was lunchtime, you found a spot in line and waited for the line to move forward towards the waft of food. Silent while the people around you spoke to their friends, you felt a little lonely. You remembered the days when your friends chose to bother you at lunch, despite your need to study. It was annoying to you back then, but when you thought of it now, you had a lot of fun. Heart squeezing in pain, you took a deep breath and shook your head to yourself. You already had the chance to cry last night... and crying in public at this school was pretty much asking for a bad reputation to your family's name. Family's names were important to these esteemed people, yes?
A tray was already in your hands and you went to choose the choices of food in front of you. With that done, you paid your meal with the money mother gave you. Avoiding to look at the tables packed with students, you found an empty table and sat down at it. It was not a surprise that these table groups were just as cliquey. You didn't like it. It felt as if people could look over at you and your empty table to judge and criticize you.
Sighing to yourself as you scooped food into your mouth, you began to think about what happened today. The second day of the school felt a little too similar to the first for your liking. Your first three classes you've had so far were hard and humiliating. The same girl who decided to trip you in the hallways began to make your time in Martials Arts a bit hellish as well. You learned that her name was Michiko. You wondered why she would waste her time talking shit about other people. Was she that bored? Perhaps she should focus on herself instead, considering she was not even an elite.
A clatter of the tray startled you, so you looked upward. Locking eyes with a warm brown, you raised your brows in surprise. It was Eito. You nearly forgotten that he had asked to eat lunch with you. "You found me," you uttered out, blinking in awe for a few moments. "I... I'm so sorry. I should've went to look for you."
He smiled at you and shook his head, his dark ponytail waving back and forth. "It's no big deal. You weren't too difficult to spot. It was my fault anyway, since I didn't clarify where to meet up."
You nodded and mustered the courage to ask him a question. "I hope it's not rude to ask, but what rank are you?"
He held his pointer finger. "One," he said simply, taking a bite of chicken. "I deliberately fail my tests."
"You... what?" you said in shock, widening your [e/c] hues. Why would he do that? Hoping that he would elaborate on that, you were left disappointed when he merely nodded. Unsure of how to continue this topic, you eventually quitted and returned to eating your food. As someone who was quiet at the lunch table, the lack of social skills here was pretty obvious. You had allowed your louder friends to fill the silence in your previous life, but because there were only two people at the table currently, things became much more difficult.
Beginning to feel a little awkward as you continued to stuff your mouth with food, he finally broke the silence, much to your relief. "How did your classes go today?" he asked, glancing at you in interest. He didn't seem to feel the tension at all -- maybe it was just you.
"Just as bad," you mumbled, frowning in disappointment. "Hey, do you know Michiko?"
He nodded, his expression darkening. "She's a bitch. She acts all high and mighty and bullies the rank ones, but she's not even that good. All bark and no bite. She's only a rank three too. Why? Did she do something to you?"
"Sort of. She's been messing me up in Martial Arts and mocking me with her friends. It's nothing I can't handle though. I'm sure she'll get bored of me soon enough and move on."
His expression was strange and you were unable to read it. But it soon fused away to a relaxed state, to which he nodded in agreement. Before he could open his mouth to form a response, a commotion caught the attention of both of you. Sharing a look with him, you stood up from the chair and turned your head to the right. A crowd of students were rushing out of a wide door on the side, one that looked like it led to the courtyard. Confused at the sight of this, you began to follow them, leaving the unfinished food on the table.
Eito reluctantly followed you from behind, rolling his eyes to himself. The two of you passed through the doors and arrived into a courtyard, that had a beautiful, freshly mowed lawn with picnic tables sprawled around. Cherry blossom trees were planted everywhere and pink petals sprinkled the air like raindrops. But the view wasn't what caught everyone's undivided attention. The middle of the space had people gather around to circle around two people. You squinted and tried to get a closer look, but there were just so many people swarming around.
"What is happening?" you asked the male standing beside you. His hands stuffed into the pockets of his uniform, he was fidgeting in place, as if he wished to be anywhere but here.
"They're challenging for an elite's spot. Looks like the person is challenging an actual elite... don't know why he would do that. There are empty spots still open to challenge for, which would be easier, in my opinion," the dark headed boy explained. "Maybe they have a thing against Ginjirou, but this is such a big mistake."
Peeking through the spaces underneath people, you could finally see what was happening inside the circle. Two students were out of their uniform and changed into t-shirts and shorts. Their hands balled into fists, they got ready for their battle. One boy had red hair gelled back smoothly. His golden eyes glimmered mischievously, while his lips curved up into a smirk. Tattoos lining his forearm, he looked scary to you. Meanwhile, the other boy had dark blond hair and ripped arms that were the size of your head. He was much more bulky. Spikes as his hair, he also looked scary to you. Anger was evident on his face, with his blue eyes swirling in revenge.
"Who's the elite?" you asked Eito, without looking back. Your eyes couldn't take off of the highly anticipated battle. Were they going to get hurt from this?
"That's Ginjirou," he told you. "The red head with tattoos."
Interesting. Was there a chance he could lose? The other guy also seemed like a fierce opponent.
A whistle in the distance blew loudly, echoing across the courtyard. The battle began immediately at the sound of this, the two boys positioning into stances. The dark blond boy lunged forward first, preparing for an attack on the other male's face. But Ginjirou was too fast. Dodging it within a second, he ducked down and gracefully backtracked from his opponent. The other guy went to aim for another hit, attempting a punch in the guts. It was dodged again. Over and over, he tried and failed, until he was panting of exhaustion.
"Stop dodging and fight me, you damn coward," the challenger exclaimed, his raspy voice loud and furious.
Ginjirou let out a chuckle at this and was not affected by the words too much. "Hmm, since you're kindly asking for it, then sure. I'll truly fight you if you want." By the time he was done speaking, he had charged to the other guy with inhumane speed. The guy had no time to react to it, nor could he even think to dodge. His right hand a firm fist, he pulled back far and slammed it under the blond boy's chin. The strong impact sent blond boy's head up, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Staggering toward the ground, he crashed to the ground heavily, unconscious from the hit.
The audience exploded into applause and congratulations for the elite. You backed away from the sight, half amazed and half appalled. You were amazed because this guy somehow knocked someone out with one hit. On the other hand, you couldn't believe people were fine with being entertained by this. Someone got hurt and nobody gave a damn about him, only focusing on the winner. What if he was in serious danger?
As you were about to take a step forward to the unconscious loser, a hand kept you from getting too far. You turned around to see that Eito was shaking his head no. "Don't. It'll put unwanted attention on you. Plus, a nurse is coming to fetch him soon. He'll be fine, I promise. People have gotten worse injuries before... this isn't even the worst of it."
Slowly nodding to him, he released your arm and you gulped in guilt. There were worst injuries before, within the school's properties. These school systems were just so strange to you. Couldn't parents sue a lawsuit against the school for such violence? It was almost as if the people in this world were brainwashed by the image of violence and elitists.