Chapter 2 : She's back to normal (Kind of)

Today is the second day of high school.

I wake up, brush my teeth, and tell myself three lies:1.Today will be normal.2.Airi Fujimoto is a nice girl.3.My life is not a romcom made by a god.

I leave my house early.The sky is clear. Birds are chirping. My neighborhood smells like someone just cooked toast.Maybe today will be peaceful—

“Hey, move it, Slippers.”

I freeze.No.No no no no no no—I slowly turn around like I’m in a horror movie trailer.Airi Fujimoto is standing behind me.She looks cute. Her hair is neat. Her uniform is perfect.

“G-Good morning?” I try.

She blinks. “Huh? Do I know you?”

I blink back. “...What?”

“You look familiar,”

she says, staring at me like I’m a bug on her lunch tray.

“Oh wait. You’re that weird kid who kept following me around yesterday, right?”What?!

“Excuse me?! You’re the one who grabbed my arm!”

She tilts her head. “Wow. So clingy.”

My jaw drops.

Is this a prank?
Am I on a hidden camera show?
Did she hit her head?
Or is she just… evil?
As I was thinking Airi already left.
I reach the shoe lockers.
I open mine.
I stare.
It’s empty.
“…No,” I whisper.
Just like in primary school.
My indoor shoes are missing.
Again.
Airi opens her locker next to mine and hums like she’s in a shampoo commercial.

“Airi,” I say. “Did you take my shoes?”

She gasps.
“Wow. Rude. Why would I steal something so… tragic?”
I die a little, inside.
I borrow the backup shoes from the office.
They’re pink.
Again.
Size : tiny.
Fit : wrong.

Vibe : humiliation.

I walk to class.

Everyone looks.
Airi walks behind me and loudly says,

 “Tanaka kun, those are such brave fashion choices. Real confidence.”
My soul leaves my body.
Daiki sees me and chokes on his bread roll.
“Bro are those the limited edition Pepto Bismol 3000s?” he asks.
“Shut up.”
Mr. Kumagai arrives and starts class by comparing literature to

“a forest of emotions and midlife despair.”
Half the class sleeps with their eyes open.
At break, Daiki leans over.
“Okay, explain. Why happened?”
“She said she doesn’t remember anything yesterday.”
He nods. “Ah. Selective amnesia. Classic girl move.”
“That’s not a real thing.”
“It is if you believe hard enough.”

I groan and lower my head onto my desk.

When I lift it, there’s a note.

It says:

“Be careful where you walk today. Accidents happen. 💕 –Airi”

I flinch.

I check under my desk. Nothing.

I check my chair. No glue.

This is psychological war.

In gym, she volunteers to be my partner.

Then hits me with a volleyball. In the face.

Twice.

She apologizes while smiling.

At lunch, Daiki and I sit under the tree again. I open my bento, already feeling emotionally damaged.

“Man,” Daiki says, stretching. “Second day of high school and I already feel like dropping out.”

“You say that with a full bento and zero trauma,” I mumble, stabbing a piece of chicken.

He points at my shoes. “Still rocking the Strawberry Princess slippers, I see.”

“They’re backup shoes.”

“They’re brave, Revolutionary even. You’re not just walking, you’re making a statement.”

“I’m making a cry for help.”

He snorts and pops a sausage into his mouth.

“So what’s the deal with Fujimoto now? Yesterday she was giving you puppy eyes. Today she’s giving you PTSD.”

“I don’t know! She pretended not to remember me. Called me clingy. Then I think, Takes my indoor shoes."

“Okay, but hear me out,” he says, raising a finger like a philosopher. “What if she likes you, but 

in a… messed up, slightly criminal way?”

“She hit me in the face. Twice.”

“Love taps.”

“She stole my shoes.”

“Symbolic. She’s walking all over your heart.”

“Are you trying to be helpful, or are you just saying things?”

“Why not both?”

Across the yard, Airi is laughing with her friend Hina.

“Is she laughing?” I ask.

“Yep. Probably about your face.”

“…Thanks.”

He gives me a thumbs-up while still chewing.

“On the bright side, this is great entertainment. I’d pay to watch this live.”

“This is my life, not a soap opera!”

He shrugs.

“You say that, but yesterday ended with a handwritten love(?) note and today started with shoe theft. I give it three episodes before there’s a dramatic rooftop confession.”

“…I’m not going to the roof with her.”

“You might. You’ll say, ‘Airi, why are you doing this?’ and she’ll say, ‘Because it’s fun, Yuuji-kun~’ and then push you. But gently.”

I bury my face in my bento.

Daiki claps me on the back. “Don’t worry, man. If you die, I’ll avenge you.”

“How?”

“I’ll write a haiku. Maybe two.”

I sigh.

We watch Airi for a moment. She looks… normal. Like a normal cute girl just eating lunch with her friend.

Then she turns and locks eyes with me.

She smiles.

I immediately drop my rice ball.

Daiki whistles. “Oh yeah. That’s the smile of someone who just signed your death certificate.”

I sigh. “She’s gonna kill me. But nicely. With glitter and heart emojis.”

Daiki leans back against the tree. “You know, I used to think you were just dramatic. But now I think you’re right.”

“Thanks.”

Hina stares straight at me.

I look away.

She keeps staring.

I look back.

She’s still staring.

“Does she blink?” I ask.

“Maybe not in this timeline,” Daiki says.

The rest of the day is just as confusing.

In science class, Airi “accidentally” spills water near my bag.

“Oops~ Hope your math notebook isn’t made of sugar!” she says.

It is. I mean, it’s not, but emotionally it is.

Finally, the day ends.

I pack my things.

Airi passes by my desk and whispers:

“Better luck tomorrow, Slippers.”

She walks away like a Disney villain on her lunch break.

I go home in silence.

At least I survived.

Barely.

At home, I open my bag.

There’s another note.

It says:

“Day 2 Report: Subject still alive. Target shows signs of confusion. Will increase pressure tomorrow. –A”

My hand shakes.

I drop the note like it’s cursed.

I collapse onto my bed and cover my face with a pillow.

I scream into it.

Yuuji’s Mental Diary – Day 2

Airi Fujimoto Status: 😈
Damage Taken: 7/10
Footwear Dignity: -12
Confusion Level: I’ve stopped measuring
Comment: She’s gaslighting me. And I think I’m into it. Send help.

Writers note :

I forgot to describe how Airi looks so here it is :
Airi has a short bob cut, chin length, with slightly curled ends. Height is below average for a 

high school girl.

And this one for Hina full name is Hina Sakamoto.

Hina has a straight, shoulder length black hair with bangs. A little taller than Airi. Her uniform is always neat and tidy. She also looks emotionless most of the time.