Chapter 2
“Hey did you hear…?”
“Yeah, what guts…”
“Even though she isn’t THAT good…”
What’s going on…why do I feel like everyone is staring at me…Kumiko raised her head slowly and looked over her shoulder. Even though the stares were averted for a moment, the gossiping still continued. When Kumiko bowed her head once more, the stares returned. What’s going on?!
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“Good morning…” Kumiko whispered as she opened the door of her classroom. No one returned her greeting, but then again, no one ever did. She was usually a quiet and reserved person and did not attract much attention in class nor in school. Well, another usual day…or so she thought.
She trod onto the first tile of the classroom. At that moment, she became aware of the staring and the unusual silent atmosphere that was wrapped around the classroom. What is going on? Kumiko’s face went a shade of blue as she raised her head. Everyone was not hiding it; they were staring at her. What did I do wrong? Why is everyone staring at me? What’s going on?
“Hey hey! Look here! Lover girl has arrived!”
Kumiko’s eyes went wide. Wha…What’s with that nickname? What’s going on?
The class started to resume its buzz; in a different tone. The girls started to speak in loud voices:
“What guts to do such a thing…How dare she…who does she think she is…”
The guys decided to do vandalism. They used pencils and pens to draw on desks…specifically Kumiko’s. Another bunch was already starting drawing on the board with chalk.
“Wait! What’s going on here…what are you doing to my desk?” Kumiko cried as she ran forward. However she was blocked by a wall of girls.
“Don’t you feel ashamed of what you have done?” barked one of the front girls.
What HAVE I done? Kumiko wondered, but she didn’t answer.
“Wondering what you have done?” sneered another as Kumiko flinched. “Look there you **** .” She pointed to the blackboard. Kumiko followed her finger to find words that appalled her. HOW?
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Kumiko’s eyes were the perfect picture of fear, anguish and terror. Her mouth was open, wanting to utter words, yet could not. Her shock swallowed her entire being before she knew it and it led her to her body being paralyzed. She could only manage a simple word, not even a sentence. “How…”
The board was scribbled with vulgarities, all directed at Kumiko. There was even the traditional Japanese umbrella scrawled there, where her name was written on one side…but it was marred with vulgarities to vulgar to mention. The name on the other side caused her blood to freeze.
“Rei…-kun…” Kumiko’s voice shook as she uttered the few words.
“How dare you even say his name, you ____!” screamed one of the girls as she raised a hand to deliver a crushing blow. Kumiko cowered before her, thoughts shooting across her brain. Why?! How?! I never told anyone about Rei! How could anyone know...what on Earth is—
“What’s going on here?” Everyone stopped their hostile stares at Kumiko as the single voice rang out. Rei stepped forth from the sliding doors. He entered the class with unusual brashness and glanced up at the board. The class froze, as if time had stopped itself. Without wasting another second, he shot another look at the shivering Kumiko, who had her eyes fixed on the floor, her frame crouched and pressed against the cold tiles. He shifted his gaze to the girls who were ganging up on Kumiko, and the one who raised her hand to strike her.
“I’ll only repeat myself once more. What is going on here?” Rei repeated once more, his voice going into a soft yet strangled whisper. Everybody was suddenly aware of the ominous rage that was soon going to overflow onto them if no one moved soon. And then, someone moved.
“Rei-kun!” she called. Kumiko recognized it to belong to the girl who raised her hand to strike her. She ran forward and put her hands on Rei’s shoulders. “All we’re doing here is to punish that person…we’ve heard what happened to you…”
Rei’s eyes widened. “Wha…what are you talking about?” No one answered him but they all crowded around him, consoling him and giving words of pity. Kumiko slowly raised her head, her eyes following the thread of words on the board.
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No way! Her eyes once more depicted the turmoil in her heart. Although the vulgarities were to mean to mention, Kumiko understood what was going on: somebody had spread a rumour that she liked Rei and was forcing her feelings onto him. No way…I never ever did force anything on him…neither had I told anyone that I liked him…It suddenly struck Kumiko like a meteorite. She turned her back to the seat in front of her own. Yui!
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