『Unpredictable Guest』

In the abyss of human nature, where the pieces of the puzzle called life never quite fit perfectly, we find ourselves playing roles on a chaotic and ordered stage. Amidst the tragedy and comedy, we laugh in defiance of despair, yet our laughter echoes with the shadows of our deepest sorrows.

Perhaps our shared struggle against inner demons is what binds us together, revealing the beauty in imperfection and the unpredictable dance of chaos and order that defines our existence.

But even in this intricate dance, we ponder the abyss of human nature-where the roles we play and the masks we wear blur the lines between reality and fiction. Each of us carries our own darkness, our own untold stories, yet in these shared moments of vulnerability, we find solace and understanding amidst the enigma of life's unfolding drama. And as we navigate the twists and turns of our intertwined fates, we are reminded that amidst the darkness, there exists a fragile beauty-a fleeting glimpse of hope that illuminates our journey through the shadows.

Just as I was about to conclude my internal monologue, a sound disrupted my thoughts. Just when I arrived at the good part, I thought. Looking up, I saw that the door of our Class 1-C was open, and an unfamiliar man was heading towards the board. Quickly realizing he was likely our teacher, I scanned my classmates' reactions.

The man, who I assumed to be our teacher, was neither tall nor short. He was wearing a formal green suit, and due to his apathetic expressions, one could easily ignore him in the crow. Though he did possess some physical traits that might overshadow his lack of carness; an unusual blond short hair and a piercing pair of blue eyes.

The teacher soon turned around to face the classroom. His face, his walk, his presence-everything surrounding him released a mysterious aura, enough to make some of my senses warn me about the danger this one man could potentially cause. This particular feeling was slightly different than the one I usually have around normal criminals. In a sense, the man before me was vulnerable, yet impervious in another.

He then swiftly lifted a black pen and wrote his name in a beautiful manner, masterfully demonstrating his unappareled calligraphy level, to witch most students were left in admiration. "Welcome to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, and congratulations, I assume," he said. His voice was exactly as I imagined; empty, cold, and monotone-perfectly matching his facial expressions.

Honestly, I was curious. He immediately got my attention, and so was the case for the rest of my classmates. Something about him felt familiar to me, yet I was confident I never encountered this person in my life. I thought by learning more about him I could erase this Deja-vu-like feeling, so I was patiently waiting for him to deliver his introduction speech.

From my position, I couldn't fully read the name he had written, but I was able to detect the necessary letters to form a comprehensive conjecture.

His name was Johan-Johan Liebhart.

■■■

Everything the teacher explained could pretty much be summarized in one word: The S-system. Mainly, it was this system that made this school so different from any other educational institution in the entire country. Said more simply, this advanced high school was highly unusual. Even without mentioning that everything from our guaranteed future to our monthly allowance was unheard of.

Of course, such things are impossible. The world wasn't that good, and life was certainly not fair. I wasn't naïve enough to believe any of their promises, not with all the things I was able to witness.

Truth is, the instructor never really specified how many points we will receive each month. Just that they are distributed the 1st day of each month. That only helped to increase my doubts and skepticism, but it seemed most of the students didn't think much of it. Perhaps I was the only one who noticed that, or maybe they feared voicing it. Because during the teacher entire explanation, no one dared to intervene. That probably showed how intimidating this man was.

I might have been overestimating him, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Johan was more than just a teacher, perhaps even a key to understanding the unconventional nature of this school.

"Do any one of you have a question?" He asked. I already had my own ideas regarding this school, which more or less allowed me to see the bigger picture. And while asking a few questions wouldn't hurt, it will definitely confirm all my guesses. I didn't want that. That's why I stopped myself from asking. Gathering even one bit more information will lead me to the ultimate truth. In the end, I had all the time in the world to discover that. I wasn't really interested in finding anything out right now.

I was just enjoying the mystery. Why on earth would I ruin that?

Going out of my way to destroy my only source of entertainment seemed like a stupid thought, especially when I finally found something exciting to kill my dull and boring routine. I wasn't here because of the 100% application rate, so why would I care?

There was no reason for me to help anyone either. It was unfortunate, but everybody has to seek what they want on their own.

"Seems like you don't have any. Very well, do not forget to gather in the gymnasium for the entrance ceremony in 1 hour. You are free to do whatever you wish until then." With these last words as a parting gift, he picked up his stuff and left.

Nothing worth mentioning happened after that for a while, it was just kids expressing their feelings and excitement. Of course, there were a few exceptions.

Namely a tall guy with violet-dark color hair styled in a messy and unkempt manner that told me of his rebellious nature. His eyes were sharp and intense, probably displaying his fearlessness to engage in physical confrontations, even though he was aware of the existence of the huge guy over there.

This guy, whose name appeared to be "Ryuuen," had picked my interest. It was clear by his expressions and demeanor that he wasn't tricked. Rather, he seemed to enjoy this mystery as well. Our eyes met briefly, sparking a silent understanding of mutual curiosity. Maybe we could become friends.... Just kidding.

When things settled down, my classmates suggested the idea of introducing ourselves. Most students didn't mind, and those who did left the room without making a scene. Surprisingly, though, Ryuuen stayed. I honestly expected him to be among the first to quit. What a revelation, maybe we really can be friends.

"Then, who would like to start?" Asked someone.

"Ah... I-I can try," said a petite girl after she gathered her courage. She had a long hair and brown eyes. "I'm... Uh... Nanami Yabu. N-nice to meet you!" It was clear that she wasn't comfortable. She didn't seem used to this sort of things, but that can be fixed quite easily.

"So... You like vegetables?" Said someone jokingly, not imagining that the person addressed will be confused. Well, I imagined that she forget the meaning of her name due to all the conflicting emotions. Laughs and chuckles escaped the students' mouth, but they had no malice behind it. She lowered her face and scratched her head. Apparently, she also thought that was funny.

Next up was a rather delinquent-like group of guys. One had an above average build, and his hair was dyed. His introduction wasn't as bad, but his appearance drove some people away from him. His name was Ishizaki. Another was a tall, average looking guy with a grey short hair. His physic was nothing to laugh about, definitely superior than Ishizaki's. He said that he played basketball, so that explains everything. There were also some individuals who gave the same vibes, I guess they form a good group of friends.

More people joined in and properly introduced themselves, but I was uninterested in most of them. After a while, I became bored. With nothing to do, I focused on the black titan sitting next to me. I was wandering what titan would he get if he was in Attack On Titans. The Colossal Titan, or Armored Titan?

Suddenly, without any particular reason, he looked at me. I have heard of women's intuition, but certainly didn't hear about men's. For obvious reasons, I felt that I should probably stop calling him that in my mind. I didn't mean anything by it, but I guess that didn't matter at this point. Curious about his name, I secretly took a peak, but I guess it was hard to peak when the person in question was staring at me. Anyways, he was Albert .

"Can you speak Japanese?"

"Not much." It was in English, but he still answered. How did he plan on living here for 3 years if he couldn't even respond to a question as simple as this? I couldn't imagine it.

"So, where-"

Abruptly, I heard a screeching sound. Turning around, I could see that a couple of disks had already fallen to the ground. What happened? Why are they doing this? Such questions were reasonably posed by my classmates. But that wasn't the appropriate time for questioning things.

"Please! Someone stop them!!" Screamed the vegetables girl from before. Two guys tried to stop what was happening, but it was fruitless. On the ground, there were two men engaging in a physical confrontation.

Ryuuen clashed with Ishizaki, escalating into a brawl. Ryuuen was fighting Ishizaki-no, it was a massacre. His fists stroke his face repeatedly without missing, while Ishizaki tried his best to resist. One look at the latter's face was more enough to announce the one who had the upper hand.

That isn't a fight anymore.

Just as I was about to step-up, my seatmate Albert was quicker to intervene. Without much effort, and with one move, he kicked Ryuuen a safe distance away from his training bag. "That's enough." Everybody should understand that much.

"Ryuuen, stop. This is the first day of school, don't cause unnecessary troubles," I said as I walked towards him. I expected him to like violence, but this much is annoying. At any rate, I could use his rebellious nature to my advantage, which is why I was deliberately re-directing his anger.

"Shut the hell up. Who are you to order me around, huh?!" After I was close enough, he launched a surprise attack. His target was my throat, but I dodged it easily. I found it unsettling how he didn't hesitate to aim for such a dangerous spot, if it was someone else, that might have had serious consequences.

I then slightly pushed him back and made him lose his balance, and delivered a 1-inch punch to his chest. There was nothing he could have done; apart from flying to the wall. The outcome was like I predicted, as he didn't foresee any of that. He underestimated me, while I overestimated him. How unfortunate.

An announcement reached my ear, notifying us that it was time to gather for our ceremony. Ryuuen was still on the ground, making heavy breathing noises every now and then. He was still conscious, which was surprising. I gestured to Albert to keep his eyes on Ryuuen. While Ishizaki went to the infirmary, everybody else headed to the gymnasium, and Ryuuen stayed in the class by himself.

■■■

The ceremony was boring, and I almost slept through it. It was difficult to think of nothing, especially when provided the opportunity to observe my follow schoolmates.

They were an open book of answers. It was similar to putting the answers just bellow the questions in an exam sheet. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't avoid them. My peripheral vision didn't allow that.

Anyways, I stopped by the convenience store to purchase the necessities I needed. Stuff like First Aid and Tool Kit, cleaning supplies, Kitchen Utensils, and some miscellaneous. Granted, most of those weren't available here at this store, but I planed to buy everything today.

"Oh? Free products? How interesting." In my hand was one of those free products. There seemed to be a limitation to how much can every student acquire, which was natural considering the alternatives. The interesting part was that those limitations were reset each month. Seriously, I might become bored quickly if things continued like this. Come on, they couldn't be more obvious.

Can't I just get my things in peace, without any more hints being thrown at me?

I completed my business and left the convenience store. My next destination was my room-at least that was my original plan, but that instantly changed. On the route to my room, an altercation between a first-year and three upperclassmen caught my attention. They said that he was from Class 1-D, but it was apparent that they didn't know him. That can only mean.... Sigh, now I'm becoming annoyed with this bullshit.

The red-haired student throw a punch in response, and the group of upper classmates weren't resisting at all, seemingly wanting him to hit them even more. Aware of the presence of the cameras, I waited for the time just before things took a bad turn. The first-year student backed down rather quickly after seeing that they had no intention of fighting back. The moment they proceeded disputing over money, I decided to approach the scene quietly.

"What's going on here?" I asked calmly as I stepped closer, observing the students' facial expressions. The three turned their attention towards me, faces shifting from aggression to mild surprise.

"This punk owes us money," one of them said bluntly, pointing accusingly at the younger student who stood defiantly before them. I knew it, they were just after his money.

"He's lying! They're trying to extort me," the first-year student retorted, his voice filled with anger.

"Is he one of your friends?" The leader of the group inquired.

"Now, now, calm down. I don't even know him," I answered.

"Then you should f-"

"But now that you mentioned it, I think that you are the ones who owe me."

"Huh? Did you hit your head or something?"

"Right, haha! Hey, kid, why don't you play a hero somewhere else?"

I glanced at each of them in turn. While I wasn't particularly interested in intervening, I was too annoyed to just ignore things. Let's see, how can I profit from this mess?

"Oh? I think the school would love to hear that some students are throwing secrets around."

I continued to stare at them calmly, letting the implication of my words hang in the air. The three upperclassmen exchanged uneasy glances, clearly weighing their options. The threat of exposure seemed to have an impact, as their demeanor shifted from confident to cautious.

"You can't prove anything," one of them finally retorted, trying to maintain his bravado.

"Maybe not," I replied casually, "but it wouldn't hurt to have a chat with the Student Council, would it?"

The tension thickened, and the first-year student stood quietly beside me, eyes darting between the upperclassmen and me. He seemed relieved, but also uncertain of the outcome.

Seeing their hesitation, I decided to press further. "Or maybe I'll just take what you owe from you right now. Save us all the trouble."

The upperclassmen exchanged another glance, realizing that I wasn't backing down. "You can't be serious?! We can report you for that!"

"Well, try me."

The upperclassmen exchanged another glance, realizing that I wasn't backing down. Reluctantly, the leader pulled out his phone and handed over the money owed. "Here, but you have to promise this will be the last time," he spoke bitterly. His friends were quick to follow after him. "Sure, you have my words," I responded with a smile.

Collectively, they had about 200,000 point. That was almost equivalent to twice the amount of our 'monthly' salary. Now I wouldn't feel bad about the expensive knifes I will buy.

"Good choice," I said calmly. With that, the upperclassmen turned and walked away, grumbling under their breath. The first-year student looked at me with a mix of surprise and suspicions. He didn't trust me, and he probably didn't understand anything.

The idea of waiting for them to take his points first briefly crossed my mind. That way, I would get his share as well. That would earn me an additional 100,000 point, however, I decided against it. I may not seem like it, but I wasn't that evil.

Not yet at least.

"What the hell? What's this supposed to mean?" The red-haired boy approached me, demanding an a proper explanation.

"Well, they were trying to take your points by making it seems like you attacked them first." I pointed at the store's camera. "They are upper classmates, which explains why they were so carefree about it. It must be quite easy to scam the new students-especially the ones with short temper," I whispered.

"Tch! Those jerks! I swear if I meet them again...!" The boy kept cursing and swearing as he walked away until I no longer heard his voice. Must be nice to be so ignorant, huh? As they say, ignorance is a bliss.

"So? How long will you keep hiding?" I was standing by myself, seemingly talking to to the wind. It had been a while since someone had tried tailing me.

"Well, well. You're sharper than I expected." The voice came from behind me, dripping with amusement. I turned to find the person I had been addressing.

Standing there was a figure of an average high school student-except that there was nothing average about him. His black hair, periorbital hyperpigmentation, and weird looks were certainly unique, enough that we were already receiving a few stares.

This wasn't the first time we had crossed paths, though I hadn't anticipated our reunion here, of all places.

"What brings you here?" I pressed, keeping my tone neutral but probing.

He hummed softly, a sound devoid of mirth but tinged with a quiet amusement. "Curiosity, perhaps," came the cryptic reply, revealing nothing and everything at once.

"That's not like you at all, L." I commented, my voice steady despite the underlying tension. This person being here implied serious problems.

"I would prefer if you refer to me by the name of Ryuzaki," he whispered. "I trust you with that."

"Well, that depends. What do you want, L," I asked. His sudden appearance was equally puzzling. I couldn't figure out what he was after.

The man chuckled softly, a sound that echoed eerily in the area. "Oh, I assure you it's nothing harmful. Just checking in on an old acquaintance of mine," he replied cryptically, taking a step closer. "But I have to say, I didn't expect you to be here."

"That's my line, weirdo."

"Hm, perhaps you are right."

What was the greatest detective of the world doing roleplaying as a student? What kind of case would require such action? This school was cut from the rest of the world, so, in a way, him being here made sense if there was something or someone he was after. But what could it be?

"Give up," he ordered, "You can never guess."

"Oh? What made you so sure?"

"Because I know you very well, Dazai Osamu.”

7/2/2024, 11:09 PM, 3190 words.

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

A/N: If you enjoyed reading this, Vote and Share and leave a Comment.