Ouga Juukurogi

I woke up on the sofa with my face feeling sore. I then felt something drop on my stomach.

“Morning idiot. You’ve been out cold since last evening. Throw on your uniform and eat that lunch as you go. The girls left 10 minutes ago,” my mother said.

“Huh… EHHH!?”

I immediately bolted up and scurried to my room. I was out the door in 5 minutes flat. Just as I closed the gate to my front yard, I received a phone call. It was from Ramona.

“What!?”

“Did you just wake up?”

“Yes!”

“Oh good, then you are still at your house I presume. Grab your rifle and proceed to Station E.”

“I have to get to school!”

“Why? You’re a lousy student and it’s not like anyone will miss you anyway. Now get going!”

Well, at least the station was on my way to school. Maybe it would just be something simple and not something like hunting down a monster like Hyena or the Gorobana twins.

                                                                             …

I stared in disgust at the billboard. Someone had drawn a giant red 0 on the poster for a ballet show. It was drawn right on the knee of the star.

“You can’t be serious. Maybe this is just some random graffiti, and the real message is hidden. Yeah, it’s probably on the back of the poster, now I just need to- “

‘HEY! What’s with that giant case!”

I turned to see a police officer walking towards me.

“Oh I’m part of the shooting team at my school,” I said.

“Hmm, ah! Pretty sure that uniform belongs to a school that does have a shooting club. Though why aren’t you in school?”

“I oversleapt so I’m running late.”

“Your face looks pretty bad too.”

“Oh, I accidently went in the bathroom while my sister was still in there.”

“Ha, well seems you just had a real bad night. Well, the train’s here so I’ll let you go. Don’t worry, I won’t tell the school on you.”

                                                                               …

That was too close. If that cop wasn’t so nice, I would’ve been caught. Though now I had no idea if there was a message on that poster.

As I approached the school gate, I hid as I noticed the principal standing guard. There was no way I would be able to sneak past him.

“Oi Tsubaki! The hell are you doing here?” a woman’s voice growled.

I turned to see Kasegawa Sensei.

“Oh uhm ah…”

Kasegawa’s expression only grew angrier.

“Tsubaki, Not only are you late, but your acting like you’re part of the shooting team. You know the rules, now I’m confiscating that rifle and returning it to the club. You’re also going to spend the rest of the period with the principal,” she growled as she dragged me towards the school.

                                                                              …

After a long lecture, I was allowed to return to class. Sakura and Kuriyama shot death glares at me as I sat down.

“Why are you here? I thought you had a mission,” Sakura angrily whispered.

“What was the mission?” I whispered back.

Before Sakura could answer, Kasegawa noticed us.

“Oi Tsubaki! Stop trying to flirt in class!” she yelled as she sent a piece of chalk at me.

                                                                               …

“YOUR RIFLE GOT CONFISCATED!? YOU IDIOT! We could all be in trouble. If that bitch on the student council finds it, we’re all in trouble,” Sakura groaned.

“Since it got confiscated, she probably already knows about it,” I groaned.

“No, the third years left on a field trip this morning. They won’t be back until school gets out.”

“Then we have a chance. Kasegawa sensei thought I just took it from the shooting club, so it’s probably there.”

“Then we better get it. Be careful though, that other student council girl has you in her sights.”

                                                                              …

Once school got out, Sakura and I made our way to the shooting club. To my dismay, some students were already there.

“Zerou! You are-“

“-Banned from setting foot here.”

It was the Juukurogi twins, Ouga and Otome. They were second years just like me, and the top ranked male and female shooters from our club respectively.

I noticed my rifle case leaning against the wall.

“What are you looking at?”

“That rifle- “

“-Belongs to the club.” The twins growled.

“No it’s mine. I paid for it. Sensei just didn’t believe me.”

“We don’t believe you either!”

I then turned to Sakura who sighed and walked up to the twins.

“Technically speaking, that’s actually mine. I’m only lending it to dumbass so he can do maintenance on it until I’m healed. My name is Sakura Harukawa. I just transferred here three days ago.”

The twins scoffed.

“Don’t cover for him. He’s-“

“-a failure and disgrace. Those talents-“

“-are wasted on him.”

“Say, could you help me register for the club then?”

Otome put down her rifle and went to retrieve the registration form with Sakura.

The twins were naturally gifted shooters and honors students. Ever since they learned about my shooting, they’ve resented me. I imagine they can’t stand that a loser like me makes then look like rookies. While the twins seemed to hate me equally, I had a feeling Ouga actually hated me more since we were both guys. If my grades were better, I’d easily replace him as the ace.

Ouga’s envious green eyes would constantly dart back and forth between me and his target as he fired, making it impossible for me to grab the case. Then he turned to reload and I went for it.

“HEY! That’s school property!” Ouga yelled.

I ran through the halls as Ouga’s footsteps echoed behind me. I quickly grabbed my shoes and hopped into them as I scurried out of the school.

“KAZEROU TSUBAKI! HALT THIS INSTANT!” Kuriyama yelled as I bolted out the gate.

I gained some distance, before I began to relax. It didn’t sound like anyone was chasing me. Just then,

a girl walked by. My eyes widened as I recognized her as the girl from the poster.

“No way. She’s the star of the play. Why would she be a target? Wait! Could she secretly be evil?”

Sadly, my stupidity kicked in. I immediately swung my case and knocked her to the ground. I then ran into an ally before opening the case and pulling out the rifle. I fired and killed her with ease.

Since I was hidden in an alleyway between some buildings, no one should have seen me. Or so I thought.

“What the hell…”

I turned Ouga trembling behind me. I guess he had followed me after all.

Then to my horror he began laughing maniacally.

“You just killed her didn’t you!? Oh, you’re a murderer! That means I can destroy you!”

I then turned and fired, only for Ouga to pull out a handgun and block my shot with his own.

“Ehkehkehkehkeh! Now I can say I killed you in self-defense,” he  sadistically cackled.