The classroom had become a real snooze-fest, and you couldn't help but let your eyelids droop. You tried to sneak in a quick nap by covering your face with a book. However, your little power nap was short-lived as the teacher's stern voice jolted you awake.
"Ego, are you sleeping in my class?!" Her accusing tone made you sit up straight in an instant, wide-eyed. "No!" You lied as swiftly as you could, trying to hide any traces of drowsiness.
The teacher didn't seem entirely convinced but decided to challenge you with a math question to prove a point. "Okay, then tell me the answer to this:"
Your confidence surged as you recognized the simple math problem. "675?" You replied, your smirk hidden behind a mask of innocence.
The teacher, momentarily taken aback by your prompt response, quickly regained her composure and moved on with the lesson. Meanwhile, Bachira, sitting nearby, couldn't help but whisper, "You're so cool, Lego-chan!"
A faint smile tugged at your lips as you appreciated the unexpected praise from your friend.
During the lunch break, you and Bachira headed to the cafeteria together since Yumiko was absent that day. As you dug into your meal, a question popped into your mind. "Bachira-kun, do you watch Chinpui?" you asked, curious about his interests.
He paused for a moment, considering your question. "I do sometimes," he replied with a hint of interest in his eyes.
As you continued your conversation, a group of boys suddenly approached your table. Their leader, a boy with a confident smirk, wasted no time in making a snide comment. "Oi, Bachira, I see you've been hiding with the girls for some days. Aren't you a scaredy-cat?" he taunted.
You glanced at the boy who had insulted Bachira, then turned your attention to your friend. Bachira's expression had shifted from its usual cheerful demeanor to one of sadness. The comment had clearly affected him, and you couldn't help but feel protective of your friend.
"Oi ya gobshite!" you called out to the "leader" of the bullies as you stood up from your seat. A naughty grin played on your lips as you noticed that you were taller than him, prompting a snicker that escaped your mouth. You couldn't resist muttering "lilliputian (shorty)" under your breath.
The bully heard your comment and, fueled by anger, attempted to hit you. However, your quick reflexes allowed you to dodge his attack, and with a swift motion, you smacked him with an empty lunchbox. The surprised look on his face was almost comical as he staggered back from the unexpected counterattack.
Bachira couldn't help but giggle as he watched the events unfold before him.
Enraged by your actions, the leader of the bullies ordered two of his henchmen to attack you. The pair charged toward you, fists raised, with taunts on their lips. "You're gonna regret this jackass," they sneered.
You, however, remained unfazed. Swiftly, you crouched down, causing the two bullies to trip over your lowered form and fall to the ground in a tangled mess. The unexpected spectacle began to attract attention, and it was clear that teachers would soon intervene.
Seizing the moment, the leader bully, now furious, grabbed you by the hair. You allowed him to do so, maintaining a confident demeanor. Meanwhile, Bachira, concerned for your safety, attempted to help, but you discreetly mouthed "Just watch" and winked at him, reassuring him that you had this under control.
As you began to cry loudly, your sudden outburst caught the attention of nearby students and, most importantly, the teacher. The bully, initially amused by your tears, found himself startled by the teacher's loud voice as she demanded to know what was happening.
Frightened by the teacher's presence, the bully released his grip on you. You continued to act, your sobs intensifying as you pretended to be terrified. "T-they hit me," you stammered, pointing accusingly at the three boys who had harassed you. They looked at the teacher with wide, fearful eyes.
"She's lying! We didn't hit her! It was her who hit me with the lunchbox!" the leader bully protested, pointing an accusing finger at you. But you stuck to your act, feigning innocence. "H-how could I do that...? You're three boys, and I'm just a girl."
It was a convincing performance, and it seemed clear how the teacher might interpret the situation, given the circumstances.
The teacher, clearly concerned about the situation, decided to take the three boys with her to the principal's office to sort out the matter. They reluctantly followed her, still bewildered by your sudden outburst of tears and the turn of events.
As they walked away, you couldn't resist holding back a grin. Leaning close to the leader of the bullies, you whispered with a sly tone, "Did you like my acting?"
His face turned red with anger and embarrassment, realizing that he had been outshmarted. He couldn't muster a response as he was led away by the teacher.
You chuckled softly to yourself, satisfied with how you had handled the situation and defended your friend Bachira.
Bachira on the other hand just stared at you, flabberghasted by your girlbossiness.
"I love you" he blushed as he mumbled something you couldn't hear.
"Um you okay Bachira-kun?" You put your hand on his shoulder as you asked him.
Your friendly gesture seemed to snap Bachira out of his daze. He cleared his throat, his cheeks still tinged with a rosy hue. "Yeah, I'm fine, Ego-chan. You're just... really something," he stammered, trying to find his words.
The two of you shared a moment of laughter, the tension from the earlier confrontation melting away. You were relieved that you could protect your friend and even more surprised by Bachira's comment.
The rest of your lunchtime conversation was more lighthearted, filled with stories and laughter. Bachira seemed more at ease, and you enjoyed his company. Little did you know, your actions had earned you a special place in Bachira's heart.
One day, upon arriving home, you noticed an unusual sight, your parents were busy packing up their belongings. Confusion and curiosity filled your young mind, and you couldn't help but inquire, "Mama, papa, what's going on?"
You contemplated whether they might be preparing for a sale or if, perhaps, the family was relocating. The latter possibility didn't sit well with you, so you held onto the hope that it wasn't the case.
With a mix of excitement and trepidation, your mother confirmed your suspicions. "Sweetie, we're moving! You remember Sae-kun and Rin-kun, right?" You nodded in response. "We've found a new home closer to them so that you can play with them more often!"
In theory, this should have thrilled you, but a sense of melancholy overshadowed any potential joy. Moving meant bidding farewell to the house where you had shared countless adventures, where your cherished childhood memories resided, and where you had grown up.
Your mother's announcement took a more significant turn when she added, "Oh, and you'll be changing schools as well since our new home will be quite a distance from this one."
"TE NANI!?!?!??"
Before you could utter a word, the world around you began to tremble, glitches and errors scattering like digital confetti.
Panic surged within you as you attempted to scream, yet your voice remained trapped, refusing to escape your lips. It was as though the very essence of sound had deserted you
Then, in a surreal moment, everything froze, as if some cosmic pause button had been pressed.
ᵀʰᵉ ˢʸˢᵗᵉᵐ ˢᵉᵉᵐˢ ᵗᵒ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵉʳʳᵒʳ ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ ʷᵃⁱᵗ ᵃˢ ʷᵉ ʳᵉˡᵒᵃᵈ ⁱᵗ.
This message flashed across your vision, the last thing you saw before the world succumbed to an inky blackness.