Chapter 5

Everyone in class stared at her with Hikaru and some other boys making inappropriate comments about her.

The teacher gently tapped her shoulder, nodding with a stern expression.

"You boys shut it. And Hikaru. The principal wants to speak to you about your behavior yesterday. Kohaku and megumin from class 2B are already waiting in the office."

Glaring back at Inoue, Hikaru got up and stomped toward the door, slamming it shut behind him.

"Alright. Philomena was it? You can go on and take the only empty seat. In the back next to Inoue."

Bowing politely to the teacher, she made her way through the class. Waving at Yuna and saying hello when she did.

Sitting in her seat, she looked at Inoue.

"Hello. I'm Philomena. I hope that we get along well. Since we're desk neighbors."

Seeing her smile and hearing her soft, friendly voice, all he could manage was a simple nod.

Turning around to look at her, Yuna chuckled.

"Please excuse Inoue. He's not being rude. He's just not very good with new people. He's actually a very kind and sweet person once you get to know him. You just need to get through his defensive layers first."

Smiling, Philomena nodded.

"I understand. And I can tell that he's a very caring person. He has that aura about him. You can just feel the kindness radiating from him don't you think?"

A giant smile of pure joy stretched across Yuna's face at her words.

"Yes, I agree completely. Most people see only  what's on the surface. But if they cared to dig deeper. They'd see the real Inoue. The Inoue that I see and now you."

Hearing the girls, Inoue lowered his head, blushing at their compliments as the teacher cleared his throat again.

"Yuna, Philomena. You can socialize at lunch. Please pay attention and open your math books."

In the student council office, he sat at his normal spot across from Yuna, but this time with Philomena next to him.

Eating, he listened as the two girl talked about their hobbies while he was shocked at how fast they were becoming friends.

"And what about you, Inoue? What do you do for fun?"

He froze mid chew, Philomena's question floating in the air. Terrified of how she'd react when she found out that he was an otaku.

"It's ok, Inoue. Just tell her. She won't mind. Just like me. Be brave."

With Yuna support boosting his confidence slightly, he swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I play video games and watch anime at my appartment... Alone."

He waited for her reaction, the silence overwhelming until she clapped her hands and giggled, filling him with terror.

"I love anime. I'm more of a romance girl myself but I'm not picky. Video games are something I don't play much, but I do like to watch other people play them. Seeing the fantasy worlds, creatures and stories that other people's minds can create is such a fascinating thing to me."

Breathing a sigh of relief, he nodded in agreement as Yuna clapped her hands and started praising his gaming abilities to Philomena, sounding like a supportive girlfriend.

Continuing to eat, both girls kept talking with them both including him in the conversation. Confusing him as they both seemed to care about his input.

Later, during gym class, Philomena grabbed his arm, claiming him as her partner for stretches.

While stretching, Philomena looked at him with adoration

"You know. You should smile more. You look much more handsome when you do."

Looking down at their feet as he held her knees for sit ups, he tried to hide his blush.

"How would you know that? We only just met today."

Her smile spread wider as she sat up, her face inches from his.

"Oh, you jokester. We know each other from one end to the other."

Flinching backward when she quickly sat up, he stumbled but she caught his hand.

"Don't tell me that you dont recognize me. Darling."

She pulled him closer as she spoke, a loving smile on her face.

"Philomena... You can't be."

She nodded as she watched the realization form on his face.

"I've been watching you for so long. Having nightmares, mumbling about your bullies and how much you wish life could be like it is in Valanear. Our love was so strong that it alowed me to break free from the limitations of my code and come here to be with you."

Hearing the bell, she pouted playfully before smiling again.

"How cruel time can be. You have just realized that I am your Philomena and we must part ways to change out of our gym clothes. I'll see you soon, Darling."

Standing gracefully, she waved with a smile and eyes full of love and adoration as she walked away.

At the shoe lockers, he kept his head down as he changed his shoes until he was roughly pushed into them.

"What's your deal, huh? The weirdo loner wasn't just content with having Yuna hanging all over him but now you have the new girl fawning all over you too? How the hell did a freak like you manage to do that?"

Hikaru asked, slamming his head into the shoe locker.

"Talk, freak. I made sure that Kohaku and Megumin would keep Yuna and the new girl distracted in the student council office. So it's just you and me."

Grabbing his face and squishing in agaisnt the shoe lockers, Hikaru laughed as other students stood around watching.

"You must think you're cool now, huh? Having two of the hottest girls on your side. Well guess what freak? You're just a weird little loner. They're probably just using you, you know. Even Yuna. Your dear childhood friend. She dated me, remember? I'm sure she can't forget how I made her feel during those days. And now she's just using you to get back with me. The new girl too. Being friendly with someone like you to gain the reputation of being a kind and caring person until she drops your ass for me."

He laughed as he punched Inoue in the ribs.

"No one to save you this time. Just me, pounding you just like your parents used to. Maybe it'll encourage you to finally kill yourself, Haha!"

He punched Inoue once more before gasping and freezing in place when a feeling of dread and suffocating anger surrounded them.

Feeling a voice like grip on his shoulder, Hikaru looked behind him to see that Philomena was the one grabbing his shoulder with tightly gritted teeth and eyes filled with murderous rage along with Yuna who was standing next to her with her arms crossed.

"Letting Inoue go, he tried to get out of Philomena's grip but found himself unable.

"Again? Hikaru. You got in trouble today for what you did yesterday and you're already back bullying Inoue again?"

As Yuna mentioned yesterday's bullying, Philomena's grip tightened.

"You bullied my Darling like this yesterday?"

Hikaru's face paled as Philomena seemed to stare straight into his soul.

"It was worse yesterday. Those two girls that stopped us in the student council office joined in with him. They said horrible things to him. Talked about his past and the times he tried to... Like I told you."

Philomena's eyes began shivering in anger as she released Hikaru's shoulder and grabbed his throat, squeezing with almost impossible force.

"You dare put your filthy hands on my Inoue? You dare to harm him with your brutish hands and feet and insult him with your words!?!"

Gripping him tighter, Philomena pushed him against the shoe lockers as Yuna checked on Inoue.

"Philomena, please. That's enough. If you hurt him here you could get expelled since it's only just your first day. And what did I tell you earlier?"

Looking at her and Inoue, Philomena released Hikaru who fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath.

"Right. I wouldn't want to lower myself to his filthy level. I just wanted to make sure he understood the danger of treating my darling... Our Inoue such a way."

Nodding, Yuna helped Inoue to his feet and waited until Philomena hugged his other arm to leave together.

Watching them walk away, Hikaru growled.

"This isn't over freak!!! You think your girlfriends can save you!?! I know where you live!"

He yelled as Kohaku and Megumin ran to his side, comforting him.

"Don't listen to him, Inoue. You have me and Philomena now. We won't let him hurt you. Right?"

Nodding, Philomena glared back at the school.

"Absolutely not, Darling. You're ours to protect and since that brute threatened you. We will be staying over at your appartment tonight to ensure you're saftey."

"Yes, we won't leave you. I made that mistake many times when we were kids and I won't listen to you and leave you in sorrow again."

Hearing both girls words, their genuine care for him, he took a shakey breath.

"Miss. Tanaka is expecting me for dinner."

Philomena's face darkened at the mention of another girl, tightening her hold on him while looking at Yuna.

"Miss. Tanaka is a nice older woman from Inoue's building. She couldn't have kids of her own so when Inoue moved in she kind of adopted him as her own. I've met her a few times and she's lovely."

Nodding, Philomena loosend her grip a bit.

"Then let's not keep your so called Mother waiting."

Walking toward the building, he saw Miss. Tanaka waiting and waving at them with Motherly love.