Chapter 36: The Aftermath and the 'Idiot Alliance'

The rooftop.

My new hiding spot.

The old hiding spot (the library) has been compromised by Fuji.

The other hiding spot (the arcade) has been compromised by Daiki.

And school has been compromised by Hiroto.

So, the roof it is.

My phone is buzzing.

It's on silent.

I am ignoring it.

I am ignoring everyone.

After my 'research mission,' things exploded.

Fuji looks like he's seen a ghost every time I look at him. He actually dropped his pencil case this morning. It was glorious.

Daiki sent me a picture of a sad cat.

DaikiJerk: "This is me. This is you making fun of my pure heart."

And Hiroto...

Hiroto formed an alliance.

With Toujo.

This is bad.

"AOI-CHAAAAAN!"

Speak of the devil.

Toujo bursts onto the roof, Rika trailing behind him.

"You missed it!" Toujo cackles. "You missed THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!"

"What show?" I grunt, not looking up from my manga.

"Hiroto-san is a GENIUS!" Toujo wipes a tear from his eye. "He confronted Fuji!"

I look up.

"He what?"

"It was right after first period!" Toujo relays, acting it out. "Hiroto struts up to Fuji's desk. He slams his hands down. BAM!"

Toujo slams his hands on the air.

"And he says," Toujo deepens his voice (he sounds like a sick frog), "'Fuji-kun! You cannot win our Angel's heart with boring tests! You must show her your PASSION!'"

"Oh, no," Rika murmurs. "That sounds terrible."

"It was BEAUTIFUL!" Toujo shouts. "And then! Daiki shows up!"

"Daiki? At school?"

"He was waiting at the gate!" Toujo laughs. "He heard Hiroto was here. He stormed in! No pass! Nothing! He marches up to Hiroto. And he yells, 'Oi! Actor-boy! Leave her alone! She's MY rival!'"

My head is starting to hurt.

"And Hiroto!" Toujo cackles. "He puts his arms around BOTH of them! In the middle of the hallway! And he says, 'My rivals! Let's have a fair fight! A battle of MEN! For our Angel's love!'"

I put my head in my hands.

"A fight?" I groan.

"A competition!" Toujo corrects. "To see who can make you blush first! Starting NOW!"

"Aoi-chan..." Rika says, her voice small. "The whole school is watching them. They aren't even hiding it."

"It's Operation: Annoy Aoi," Toujo snickers. "And I am OFFICIALLY Team Hiroto!"

This traitor.

BZZZT.

My phone.

It's the group chat.

HirotoJerk: "Gentlemen! Our Angel has fled! This proves she is flustered!"

DaikiJerk: "Shut up, pants-ripper. Where is she? I'm getting her a *'Sorry I'm a Simp' t-shirt."

FujiKenJerk: "This is highly inappropriate. We are in school. You are disrupting her studies."

HirotoJerk: "Ooh, Fuji-kun is angry! Does this have anything to do with 'Miss Muffin-Face'? ;)"

FujiKenJerk: "I will end you."

DaikiJerk: "Wait. 'Muffin-Face'? What's this?"

"Aoi," Toujo says, peeking at my phone. "You created monsters."

"I didn't!" I protest. "The actor did!"

"Yeah, but you gave them all names," Toujo grins. "'FujiJerk'. 'DaikiJerk'. 'HirotoJerk'. It's cute."

"It's efficient."

"Whatever," Toujo says. "Anyway, watch out. They're hunting you."

He wasn't wrong.

After school.

I run.

I bolt out of the classroom.

"Angel-chaaaan! Wait!" (Hiroto.)

"Aoi! Your history notes! You 'forgot' them!" (Fuji.)

"Twilight! 1v1! Right now! 'Doki-Doki Love Story'!" (Daiki.)

I run faster.

I am Aoi Isuzu.

The 'Bloody Twilight'.

And I am being chased through my own school by an actor, a prince-like-jerk, and a gamer-simp.

This is my life now.