143
Written By TheUnfunnie
•••••
It is the year 2021.
The morning bell reverberated through the corridors of Cloud Hills Academy, signaling the official start of another day of learning. It was 8 am, and students eagerly streamed into their respective classrooms, brimming with anticipation for what the day had in store. Among them was a small-town known as Cloudy Hills, a quiet and normal town, inhabited by varients of people. Inside the classroom, the students settled into their desks, the hum of excitement mingling with the rustle of textbooks and the occasional hushed conversation. The teacher prepared to take roll call.
As the teacher called out names, each student responded with a simple "Here" of "I'm here" their presence affirmed.
But amidst the sea of voices, one name stood out, for it belonged to a girl who would play a pivotal role in this story.
"Izumi Tetsuko." the teacher announced.
Came the spirited reply coming from a girl known as Tetsu.
A bright-brown short haired girl with light green eyes, known as one of the goofiest human beings to ever lived in this planet. Also known for her insanely and abnormally energetic yet charming personality.
As the teacher called out Tetsu's name during roll call, her boisterous reply reverberated through the classroom, drawing attention from both the teacher and her classmates. With a hint of exasperation, the teacher gently admonished Tetsu, "You don't need to shatter all the windows with your voice, Tetsu. We can hear you just fine without the extra volume." Laughter and whispers filled the air as some classmates playfully poked fun at the energetic and goofy girl that Tetsu was known to be. Unfazed by the teasing, Tetsu shrugged it off with a carefree smile. She was accustomed to being the class clown, even extending her antics to entertain the entire school. Being the center of attention didn't bother her in the least. However, there was one person who seemed more embarrassed by Tetsu's goofy ahh behaviour than she was herself - a boy with dark purple hair and a small birthmark on his face, seated beside her, named Jiro Tamaki, Tetsu's best friend since their early childhood days.
Jiro, often referred to as Tetsu's babysitter due to his responsible nature, found himself burying his face in his hands, seeking refuge from the attention that Tetsu's loud antics brought. He mumbled in a slightly muffled voice, "Ugh... you're so embarrassing." He buried his face in his hands, muttering about how embarrassing she was.
With roll call completed, the classroom erupted with various sounds-conversations, whispers, and laughter filling the air.
Amidst the chatter, Jiro turned to Tetsu, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Can you please answer Mr. Brynn's call quietly next time? You don't have to be such a loud-ass dork," he implored.
Tetsu's face lit up with a mischievous smile as she retorted, "Well, the class felt too quiet and gloomy during roll call. Someone had to bring some life to it!" She pointed to herself playfully, her eyes sparkling with a playful glint.
Jiro let out a sigh, his frustration evident. "I know you don't care about being treated like a joke, but do you realize how embarrassed I get?" he murmured. Tetsu tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. "Huh? Why should you be embarrassed? I'm the one being goofy, not you!" she exclaimed.
"You really are an idiot," Jiro replied.
Instead of talking back, Tetsu responded with a soft teasing smile and a quiet giggle.
The classroom fell into a hushed silence as Mr. Brynn's voice boomed through the air, capturing everyone's attention. "Before we dive into today's lessons, I have an important announcement," he declared. Confusion and curiosity danced in the eyes of the students.
Jiro leaned toward Tetsu, whispering, "What do you think he's going to say? Is he about to reveal some big secret? Maybe he's pregnant or something."
Tetsu's eyes widened with a mix of incredulity and amusement. "Pregnant? But Mr. Brynn is a guy. Can guys even get pregnant?"
Jiro rolled his eyes, exasperated. "It's just a joke, dumbass."
Mr. Brynn's voice cut through the air, quelling the curiosity that had enveloped the classroom. "I have an announcement to make," he began, piquing the interest of his students.
"Today, we welcome a new transfer student to our class. Please give a warm welcome to Sora, a 15-year-old boy who, due to personal reasons, has been homeschooled until now."
All eyes turned towards the mysterious figure rising from a seat near Tetsu and Jiro. Sora, seemingly invisible until this moment, made his way to the front of the classroom. Jiro leaned towards Tetsu, expressing his surprise. "Was he there before? I didn't even notice him."
Tetsu nodded in agreement. "He's like a silent ninja, blending into the background."
As Sora, a boy with pointy navy blue hair, stood before the class, whispers spread like wildfire, swirling around the room, and the most of it being some whispers about the eye patch he's wearing on his left eye. Tetsu and Jiro exchanged their own hushed speculations. Sora's shy demeanor was palpable, his introversion evident. However, he had no choice but to introduce himself and break the ice with his new classmates, hoping to quickly retreat to the relative comfort of his seat.
With a tremor in his voice, Sora began his introduction, stumbling over his words. "H-hi, everyone. I'm Kireii Sora, but you can call me Sora, if you want... I... um... it's nice to meet all of you." The stutter in his speech mirrored the uncertainty in his heart. Mr. Brynn, recognizing Sora's introverted nature, offered him reassurance. "Thank you, Sora. I hope we can all befriend you. Please, take your seat."
Sora, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension, made his way back to his desk.
Tetsu, renowned for her goofiness, felt a pang of curiosity towards the newcomer. Seizing the opportunity, she discreetly launched an eraser towards Sora's back, hoping for him to notice her presence.
As Tetsu's eraser made contact with Sora's back, he turned around, sensing the gesture meant to catch his attention. Jiro, disapproving of Tetsu's impulsive act, leaned in and whispered, "What the hell are you doing? Throwing an eraser at the new transfer student?"
Undeterred, Tetsu whispered back to Jiro, her voice filled with excitement, "Come on, Jiro! I just want to get to know him better. He seems interesting!" It was then that they both noticed Sora's gaze fixed upon them. Tetsu, with her characteristic goofiness, wasted no time in introducing herself. "Hey there, transfer boy! Name's Tetsu. That eye patch you're rocking is pretty cool!"
Sora, still feeling shy, replied softly, "Oh... um... hi." Jiro, feeling obliged to make amends for Tetsu's behavior, stepped forward and introduced himself. "Sorry about her. She can be a bit eccentric. I'm Jiro. Enjoy your stay here." In an attempt to reprimand Tetsu, Jiro leaned in and whispered, "What's wrong with you? You can't just strike up a conversation so abruptly like that, especially by throwing an eraser-"
Before Jiro could finish his sentence, Tetsu interrupted, "Why not? He looks kind of lonely, and you greeted yourself too. Why can't I?" Jiro sighed, his frustration evident. "I only did it because you did it first! I had no choice but to follow your lead, you dumbass!"
Tetsu paid no mind to Jiro's protest, pushing him away, determined to engage in another conversation with Sora. With undivided attention, Tetsu turned to Sora and continued their exchange. "Heyy, what's up? I'm Jiro, blah blah," she said, dismissing Jiro's presence. "Haha, ignore this weirdo. He's just trying to act cool. Anyway, hi again! My name's Tetsu! I like batteries and curtains as much as shrimp udon and McDonald's nuggets!"
Tetsu exclaimed, her words flowing freely.
Jiro, feeling a surge of embarrassment, facepalmed at Tetsu's goofy ahh behavior. Sora, meanwhile, felt utterly confused. None of Tetsu's words made any sense to him. Where did batteries and curtains come from? What did McDonald's have to do with anything? Attempting to respond politely, he mustered, "Oh... that's... cool..."
But then, Mr. Brynn interrupted with an announcement, signaling the start of the lessons. Tetsu let out a disappointed sigh, exclaiming, "Oh, man! Not now! I still want to chat with the new transfer boy!" Jiro, feeling a wave of secondhand embarrassment, tried to diffuse the situation. "Come on, Tetsu, let him have his peace. Don't get him confused about your total weirdness." Tetsu pouted, "Aww, man!"
Mr. Brynn, addressing Tetsu's plea, responded, "Well, you can get along with Sora later, Tetsu." Tetsu's face fell, but she reluctantly accepted the teacher's directive. Jiro, trying to protect Sora's space, chimed in, "Cut it out. Stop trying to scare away the new kid. Just let him have some peace or something." Sora felt a glimmer of gratitude, silently acknowledging Jiro's understanding of his shyness and desire for solitude. Tetsu, undeterred, insisted, "But he seems lonely! He probably needs a companion right now, right, Sora?" Sora, overwhelmed by the attention, stammered, "Uh... no... I..."
Jiro interjected, "Ugh, stop forcing him into your stupidity-" but before he could finish his sentence, Mr. Brynn suddenly instructed the class to bring out their math books. Tetsu's face contorted with dismay as the dreaded subject was mentioned. Deep inside, she despised math with a passion. Jiro, resigned to the task at hand, muttered, "Welp."
"My first fucking day in this hell hole.. and it's already math.."
Sora thought.
A few minutes into the math class, a sense of tedium settled over the students. Some succumbed to the boredom, dozing off in their seats, while a few diligently followed Mr. Brynn's lesson-Jiro among them. Tetsu, on the other hand, detested math with a burning passion. She lazily rested her head on the table, absentmindedly blowing on her pencil, lost in her own world of distraction. However, her attention shifted when she noticed something peculiar.
Sora, the new transfer student seated behind her, didn't have a math book. Despite her own disdain for the subject, Tetsu felt an urge to help him. Without a second thought, she extended her own math book towards him. "Here, you can use mine, transfer boy!" she offered with a mischievous grin. Sora, shy and hesitant, replied softly, "Oh... um... no thanks..." Tetsu persisted, undeterred. "Aw, come on, don't be shy! I couldn't care less about math. Just take it! I won't be paying attention to the teacher anyway."
Jiro, noticing Tetsu's intentions, attempted to intervene. "Ugh, Tetsu, stop trying to force him. Just leave him be-" Before he could finish his sentence, Tetsu silenced him. "Shush! I'm just trying to be nice to the transfer boy here!" Jiro, feeling a mix of embarrassment and resignation, redirected his focus back to the lesson with a weary sigh. Meanwhile, Tetsu persisted in her offer, holding out the math book to Sora. "...I... to be honest... I don't really like math either... so... n-no thanks," Sora responded bashfully. Tetsu let out a small gasp, finding common ground with Sora. "Oh, hahaha, that's nice! We're on the same boat, huh? Epic!" Sora remained silent, his shyness still enveloping him.
Tetsu, curious about Sora's eye patch, was about to inquire further when Mr. Brynn, noticing her lack of attention, reprimanded her. "Tetsu! Pay attention, please." Tetsu reluctantly turned around and muttered, "Ugh... alright..." feigning interest in her math book. Jiro, once again, whispered to Tetsu, "Like I said, just leave him be for now."
After a few minutes, when Mr. Brynn shifted his focus back to the lesson, Tetsu seized the opportunity to turn around and resume her conversation with Sora. Sora, feeling puzzled by Tetsu's persistence, thought to himself, "Ugh... What is this girl on about?"
Tetsu suddenly asked, "Hey, you seem pretty lonely! Wanna be friends?" Jiro, overhearing her question, quickly grabbed Tetsu and whispered, "Uh... too soon, Tetsu..." Sora, taken aback by the sudden question, found himself at a loss for words.
"..Friends?"
His expression shifted from shyness to anxiety and a tinge of sadness. Tetsu and Jiro, noticing the change, exchanged confused and concerned glances. Jiro hastily advised Tetsu, "M-maybe you shouldn't—" but Tetsu cut him off, ignoring his words, and asked Sora again, feigning a smile. "S-so... d-do you wanna be friends?" However, Sora swiftly rejected her request, saying, "N-no thanks..."
Tetsu gazed at Sora, her eyes filled with concern as she contemplated his response. She turned back to Jiro, her face reflecting a mix of worry and hesitation. After a moment of contemplation, she silently nodded in agreement with Jiro's request.
Perhaps Sora had his own reasons for keeping his distance and declining her offer of friendship.
Jiro, thought that it must be that he carried a weight within him that he couldn't comprehend.
For Tetsu, she couldn't shake off her curiosity and desire to reach out to Sora, but she understood the importance of respecting his boundaries..
or does she?
Prologue - Part 1
Ends
---
Character Designs: