Stressful Present

It's 6:30 AM, and I just realized I had set my alarm to wake me up early for school today.

I never really understood why I needed to get up every day. 

Regardless, I quietly put on my uniform and got my holo-books ready for class.

I lock my door with the DoorLock application on my handphone and lazily walk to school.

On my way there, a classmate of mine spotted me.

"Good morning, Noboru!"

A redheaded, small girl, spoke, with a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah... Good morning Ko."

The girl in front of me was Sera Ko, a girl, that has been speaking to me for a while now.

She is always ecstatic and bubbly when she talks about animals and her friends.

As we walked towards the transport point, she started talking.

"Hey..."

Her tone turned serious.

"Are your parents back home?"

My heart began to race.

"Ah... No, they're still busy with work."

With that, the awkward silence began.

The truth is, I lied about my parents being away. I didn't want to worry anyone with my problems.

They have been dead for 8 years now... And it's all because of me...

When we got to the transport point, we both stood in the area that was circled and said:

"Mizuwara High!"

The next moment, we're in front of our high school.

"I will never get used to the transportation system..."

I shivered a bit.

"Come on Noboru! We're going to be late!"

She started running, as she heard the bell.

I cleared my mind and started running as well.

When we reached the main entrance, we both hit a stop when we bumped into the school's robot.

"Student cards, please!"

We both search for them on our handphones.

"Here!"

Ko scanned her card and ran in.

When I couldn't find mine on the handphone, I began to panic.

"Where?! Where is it?!"

I freeze when I hear the second bell.

"Please let me in! I will be late again!"

I bow down to the school's robot.

"Student card, please."

It felt like I was going to cry 

"Can't find your card?"

A tall, white-haired boy who wore our school's uniform came up to me.

"Oh... hi Masato." 

That boy is Uyemura Masato. He is the most popular guy in our class, 2-C. Even though he's popular, he still talks to me.

"Did you try typing in the search bar?"

As he said that, I immediately searched on my handphone.

"No... It looks like I didn't install it."

I feel ashamed. How could I not have it?!

"Well, it looks like we have to go the hard way."

He got up to me and whispered his plan.

"Are you sure?"

That plan of his would put me in trouble.

"Don't worry! Just trust me!"

He laughed as he walked towards the robot. This isn't looking good.

I follow his plan and stay behind him.

"Hey there! Here's my card."

It looks like he's about to laugh. Is he serious about this?!

When the robot moved out of the way I ran in as fast as I could.

"Hey! Your student card!"

The robot started chasing me.

"Please no!"

Fear took over me and I started crying.

I tried to lose him by cutting corners and outrunning him, but he was fast enough to keep up with me.

"Intruder! Intruder!"

Alarms went off on the robot.

"No!"

This is disastrous!

Slowly, the classroom doors opened, and the teachers walked out.

"What is happening?!"

Their eyes turned towards me as I ran past them, with the robot close behind me.

"Sako Noboru!"

I heard an all-familiar scream.

"Professor Toshiaki!"

My fear skyrocketed. Professor Toshiaki was my homeroom teacher and one of the strictest teachers in the whole school.

Before I could think, he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the classroom.

"Your student card!"

The robot stood at the door, glaring at me.

"Excuse him, he is my student."

Toshiaki shoots me a glare. A shiver ran down my spine.

The robot returned to the entrance and left me in the hands of my professor.

"Um... Sorry sir. I forgot to install the student card app, hehe."

I could practically feel the heat coming from his face. Before he spoke, Masato came in.

"Sorry that I'm late, professor! There was a long line on the transport system."

In a matter of moments, his anger at me turned towards Masato.

"Masato! How many times have you been late to class?! It has been only two weeks since school started!"

"Sorry, sorry! It won't happen again!"

He then turned towards me and smiled at me. After that, he sat down in his seat.

"Get your holo-books out. We're going over European history today."

The teacher ordered and started drawing with his finger on the board. I don't like history, so I couldn't concentrate on the whole class.

When the lunch break came, Ko walked towards me.

"Hey!"

She looked like she was jumping for joy.

"Did you hear that Professor Toshiaki is retiring next year? I'm so glad!"

Ah, that's why...

"Yeah... That's a relief. I don't know if my heart could have handled him another year..."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Anyway, do you want to join me today? Pretty please!"

She gave me the puppy eyes. With how cute she is, I can't just simply say no.

"Um... Alright, I'll join you..."

I felt unsure about this. Wasn't I separating her from her friends by agreeing to join her?

"Yeah!"

She jumped up with her fist above her.

"Come on then! We have no time to waste!"

She grabbed my arm and started dragging me towards the courtyard.

"Slow down! I'm going to fall!"

We somehow managed to get through the crowd of people and find a bench. As we sat down, Ko started to rummage through her bag.

"Ugh, where is it?!"

When she found what she was looking for, she tried to get it out of the bag, but it got stuck inside.

"Come on!"

She pulled on harder and the thing, that was her lunch, flew out of her hands toward the ground.

"No!"

She started crying. I didn't know a high school student, except me, would cry over food, but it's her, so it should not be a surprise.

"Here. We can share my rice balls. I'm not that hungry..."

I got so nervous, that my hands started to sweat.

"R-realy?"

She stopped and looked at me.

"Y-yeah, so-"

"Thank you!"

She surprised me by hugging me. My mind went blank.

"Hey, Noboru?"

She was confused about why wasn't I responding. That got me back to my senses.

"Got any room for more?"

Masato suddenly showed up with a grin on his face.

"I-I think I'm just going to rest in the classroom. You can have my lunch, Ko."

I muttered as I ran back inside, embarrassed that Masato saw me like that.

"Hehe."

I could hear him laugh as I closed the door.

"Student card, please!"

"AHH!"

I screamed as another chase began.