The Transfer Student

Megumi Ichinose walked into her classroom and put her schoolbag down on her desk. She began unpacking her manual, notebook, and pen for the first lesson. A strand of her pink hair fell off her twin-tails, getting into her sight. She frowned and tucked it behind her ear. She placed the items on her desk in meticulous order.

“Megumi!” Two familiar, high-pitched voices reached her from the other corner of the classroom.

Her two friends, Natsume Hanagaki and Chiyo Tōji, ran up to her desk. Natsume was the tallest girl in the class, and Chiyo the shortest, so they looked funny together.

“Hey, girls!” Megumi smiled at them. “How are you?”

“Save me, Megumi!” Chiyo exclaimed. “I couldn’t solve one problem for today’s Math homework. Morikawa Sensei will roast me again!”

“Just one? You’re improving, Chiyo! You have nothing to be ashamed of,” Megumi said. She scanned Chiyo’s notebook and then turned to Natsume, “What about you?”

“Oh, I’m just her emotional support.” Natsume shrugged and crossed her arms, a corner of her lip curving up. “I gave her my solution, but she didn’t want it.”

“That’s because last time, your answer was wrong!” Chiyo pouted, adjusting her circular glasses on her nose. “Morikawa Sensei might not call you ‘dumb’, but he surely will do me!”

“There, there… Megumi will help you!” Natsume patted Chiyo’s shoulder and looked at Megumi. “Right?”

“Sure!” Megumi said. She took her Math notebook out of her schoolbag and gave it to Chiyo. “You can copy it during History. I’ll explain it before Math.”

“Oh, Megumi, you’re a lifesaver!” Chiyo brightened up and grabbed the notebook out of Megumi’s hands like it was a gold nugget.

While the three girls were discussing their Math homework, their classmates whispered about a different topic:

“You remember the talk about that transfer student? He’s coming today.”

“Now? But it’s November!”

“They said he was a special case…”

Their chatter was cut short. Their homeroom and History teacher, Mr Junji Takeda, walked in, his head in his papers. Although he paid no heed to the students, all of them knew to take their seats and straighten up. So, Megumi parted from her two friends.

Mr Junji Takeda threw his papers down on his table and eyed the class.

“Good morning, students!” he said in his sonorous voice. “I have important information for you all: we’re having a new transfer student joining us today. I expect you all to welcome him civilly, as it befits my class!” He turned to the door and beckoned someone to enter.

Megumi and her classmates watched a tall young man stroll into the room. He had hung his heavy schoolbag over his shoulder, dangling from his fingers as if it weighed nothing. His other hand was in his pocket. His tie was somewhat loose, and his jacket was thrown over his shoulders with its sleeves free. Megumi blinked at him from behind her glasses, bewildered.

I know our school rules aren’t as strict, but isn’t that a bit too much? She eyed the new student’s dishevelled uniform. The next thing you know, he’ll have tattoos! Wait, are those… ear piercings?!

Indeed, golden ringlets showed in the young man’s earlobes, amidst his bushy, bluish-grey hair. His dark eyes were barely visible through his thick hair strands. And he seemed unnaturally pale… Megumi got goosebumps down her spine.

Great, another rule-breaker… She thought. She glared at the back of the class, where three boys with loose uniforms were seated, whispering among themselves and chortling. Megumi snorted with disgust. All these delinquents are such stuck-up idiots!

Takeda Sensei’s voice made her turn forward again.

“You may introduce yourself, Mr Shimura!” he said.

The transfer student cocked his head to the side as he eyed the class, his eyelids drooping. He opened his dry lips and let out a low, husky voice.

“Mornin’,” he muttered. “The name’s Gorō Shimura. 17. I like to be left alone. That’s it.”

He turned back to the teacher. Mr Takeda stared at him in confusion, but seeing his unbothered expression, decided to let it slide. He cleared his throat.

“Take your seat, Mr Shimura, and we’ll begin our lesson!” he said, and, to Megumi’s fright, pointed to the empty seat right next to her.

Oh, no! Megumi thought, clutching at her hair. What did I do to deserve this?!

Heavy steps came closer, and a big, pale hand pulled the chair out of her adjacent desk. Gorō slumped down beside her and threw his schoolbag on the floor. Megumi stared at him, her hands clenched between her knees. As if sensing it, Gorō glanced sideways. And their eyes met.

Megumi jolted and turned away, her cheeks burning. She tried not to look again, hoping he’d turn away. But his gaze lingered. So, she dared peek at him. He was still watching. His dry lips formed a faint, friendly smile.

“Yo,” he whispered.

He raised his two fingers at her as a casual greeting, some cut marks lining his hand. Megumi stiffened. Before she’d find any word to reply, he sank his head into his folded arms and shut his eyes as though falling asleep. Megumi blinked, dumbfounded. She stuck her face into her History book.

Ohh, why did this weirdo have to sit next to me? She thought with distress. And he smiled and talked to me! This can’t get any worse…

But it did. In a few moments, the teacher, Mr Takeda, asked a question. Only Megumi raised her hand, so Takeda Sensei addressed Mr Shimura next to her. But he made no reply. Mr Takeda repeated his address. Still no response. Exasperated, the teacher turned to Megumi.

“Miss Ichinose, could you poke him, please?” he asked.

Chuckles and chortles came from around the class. Megumi turned red like a tomato and folded her legs, squirming. She gently poked Gorō’s arm with her forefinger.

Ugh, why me?! She thought. But out loud, she called, “Hey! Psst, wake up!”

Gorō started at her touch and lifted his head, his eyelids drooping.

“Huh, what?” he muttered, looking around.

The whole class broke into laughter, except Megumi. She felt second-hand embarrassment for him, and a sort of pity, too.

What did he do yesterday, now to sleep in class like this? She wondered. How irresponsible these delinquents are!

“Stand up, Mr Shimura!” Takeda Sensei’s stern voice echoed, making the laughter in the class cease.

Gorō’s brows slightly knitted. He pushed back his chair and stood up, placing his hands in his pockets.

“Yes?” he asked, in a rather hostile tone, and pierced Mr Takeda’s eyes.

Mr Takeda was startled by such a response, but stood firm.

“I asked you a question, Mr Shimura,” he said, reaffirming his authority. “Answer it!”

Everyone was intrigued by the showdown between the teacher and the student, a rare sight. Even Megumi was impressed, but not in a good way.

I was wrong. She thought, watching Gorō, who had locked his eyes with the teacher. This guy is worse than all of our delinquents combined.

“Sorry,” Gorō told the teacher, a corner of his lips rising in a defiant smile, “could you repeat the question?”

“No.” Mr Takeda frowned, getting more and more irritated by the newcomer’s smugness. “You should’ve been listening!”

“Well, I wasn’t.” Gorō shrugged.

“Then you’ll get an appropriate grade,” Mr Takeda said. “Sit down!”

“It was about the Pearl Harbour attack!” Megumi whispered before Goro would retake his seat, feeling sorry for him. It was unfair to give him a bad grade just because he hadn’t been listening, she believed. He might’ve had a rough night yesterday, for all they knew. “Sensei asked when the attack on Pearl Harbour happened.”

“Miss Ichinose!” Mr Takeda scolded her.

Megumi jolted and straightened up in her seat. The boys in the back, the delinquents, chuckled, making Megumi turn red.

“Oh, that?” Gorō muttered, hearing Megumi’s hint. “Yeah… December 7, 1941.”

Megumi gasped. It wasn’t often that delinquents knew their History lessons! The year was okay, but even the date?! And he replied so fast!

That’s impressive! She thought. Then again, that could be the only thing he’s studied… But still.

Mr Takeda appeared just as impressed. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

“Well, fine, I guess. Sit down… And pay more attention next time!”

“Yeah, sure.” Gorō shrugged again and retook his seat. He folded his arms on his desk, about to go back to sleep. He turned to Megumi and whispered, smiling: “Thanks… Ichinose!”

Megumi’s whole face burned. He remembered her name?! – He must’ve heard it when the teacher scolded her… Ohh, this was bad!

I don’t want to get close to delinquents! She thought, squirming. And he picks fights with teachers, no less!

But there was no turning back for her. Gorō Shimura had addressed her twice with a smile, and not even fifteen minutes had passed from their first lesson together. She could only imagine what the rest of the day would bring.