Haruki Hoshino

If you are nice to me, I'll be nice to you. If you pick a fight with me, I'll finish what you started. It seemed like a fair way to live my life, but life is hardly fair.

My name is Haruki Hoshino. I'm seventeen years old and a second-year high school student. Also, I'm the loner in my class, but not for the reason you were probably expecting.

Break time in school was always the same. I was seated at the corner of the classroom by the window, staring at the sky. Meanwhile, the rest of the class divided themselves into their cliques to mingle.

Three girls gathered at a couple of tables in front of me, bathing in the sun by the window. They had blonde hair tied up in a ponytail with colourful scrunchies. They had a generous amount of makeup on their faces and bright manicures on their nails. The way they were dressed made me wonder if the school staff were blind or if they just didn't care. I could overhear them talking about how pretty their hair looked and the new massage spa they would like to try on the weekend. One of them twirled her blonde hair as she talked about her date with an older man the previous night. These girls were the Gals. All they ever talked about in class was fashion and how to keep their appearances up. Whatever. You do what you want to do.

There were four guys at the back of the class. They had basketball jerseys underneath their uniforms. They were talking about the previous week's victorious basketball match. The basketball club's star player was spinning a basketball on his finger. If it wasn't obvious enough, these guys were the class athletes. Playing ball was all they seemed to excel in, they were probably hoping they could get into the national team one day. Good luck, I guess.

On the other side of the classroom, four boys were seated together. A couple of them wore glasses, and their uniforms were neat and tidy. They each had a new issue of various trending mangas and were reading them together. One of them was talking about his newly acquired magical girl figurine. These guys were the otakus and they don't even try to hide that they're otakus. Stick to your hobbies, if that's what you want.

The centre of the classroom consisted mainly of what I consider to be regular students. I mean, guys and girls that were about as ordinary as you could get. Students that don't stick out of the class nor do they have a real passion for anything as far as I know. The only thing they put their focus on was studying and getting acceptable grades.

At the front of the class, there was one more group of students; the popular crowd. There were three handsome-looking guys. The one in the middle was the bright star of our class; Hayate Yoshida. He had a swept-back brown hairstyle and a charming smile. On top of that, he was the top in our class in all subjects, making him the class representative. The other two guys beside him, I didn't bother to remember their names. I just called them Yes-Man One and Yes-Man Two.

It was no secret that almost every girl in our class admired Hayate. Among these girls, one stood out. She had long mahogany hair and a spunky expression on her face. This was Keika Tsukasa, and she was attached to Hayate's hip every time they were in the classroom.

Hayate Yoshida and Keika Tsukasa, the King and Queen of my class even though they weren't dating.

"Hayate-kun. Let's get ice cream after class." said Keika, "There is a new place that opened near school."

"Sorry Keika-san," Hayate apologised, "I have practice later."

"Surely you can skip one day." Keika pouted, "The karate club can survive without you for one day."

They were talking so loudly I could hear them from the back of the class.

"I need to practise for the upcoming tournament." Hayate shrugged.

"You won last year's tournament without breaking a sweat. Surely you can win this year's tournament with one hand tied behind your back."

Hayate gave a smile, "I also have to help the other club members hone their skills. They are also participating in the tournament."

Yes-Man One then said, "That's Hayate-kun for you."

Yes-Man Two added, "Always helping others."

Keika's cheeks went pink, "You're so kind, Hayate-kun."

As Hayate's Yes-Men continued to give him praises, Keika and the rest of the girls surrounded him and continued swooning over him. I tried to tune them out of my ears, but it was useless. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I put on my headphones and played the latest tunes from my phone.

Maybe in another life, I could have been part of a clique in school. But in this life, I was the outcast in my class.

After lessons had ended for the day, I was at the back of the school building reading a new chapter of a web novel I had been following. I wanted to finish the chapter before I started heading home. I like reading manga, web novels and light novels and I like watching anime too, but I'm not the soft and timid otaku you might be picturing. Heck, I don't ogle over figurines of hot anime girls and keep a collection in my room. I just don't value models or figurines. I'd rather spend my time and money on other things.

Just when I thought I could get some seclusion to read in peace, I heard a disturbance. I poked my head out at the corner to see what the commotion was at the bicycle shelter. One of my classmates, Sora Aikawa, was backed into the fence by three guys from another class.

Sora was one of those regular students who only focused on his studies. He had short black hair and a little on the short side. He looked soft as wool and frail as a newborn lamb. The three bullies surrounded Sora with smug looks on their faces.

"Hey, Aikawa." The tallest bully sneered. "I heard you were sleeping in class today. Why? Did you stay up all night? What were you doing? Something disgusting I bet." The other two guys laughed along with ugly grins. Sora could not even look the lead bully in the eye.

"I'm sorry." Sora bowed his head at them. They continued to laugh at him.

Just look away, Haruki. I told myself. You know what happened last time.

I averted my gaze and I was ready to leave. Just walk away, Haruki.

"Well, anyway. Me and the boys are going to the arcade. But we are a little short of cash right now." I heard the lead bully say. "How about you do us a favour and pay for us?"

That halted me in my tracks. It was no longer a case of picking on the little guy, it was robbery now. I let out a long sigh. This is a bad idea.

Sora dipped his head lower, he stammered and mumbled, "I'm sorry. I-I don't have any money now."

"Hah?!" The lead bully's teasing demeanour changed instantly, "Don't lie to me, Aikawa!" He grabbed Sora's collar before throwing him to the fence. Pain erupted in Sora's back and he fell onto the floor. The other two continued to laugh.

"Please," Sora begged. "I can't. Please."

"Your face is so annoying!" The lead bully pulled Sora up by his collar again and he whimpered in pain. "Just hand over the money already!"

"Oi."

They all stopped and saw me approaching them. Sora gazed at me with trembling eyes, the bullies had confused looks on their faces.

"Let him go." I said.

"Who the hell are you? Get out of here." The lead bully spat.

"I said let him go." I gritted my teeth.

The lead bully released his grip on Sora's hair and he fell back on the ground again. The three bullies turned to face me.

"Wait, I know you." The lead bully said to me, "You're Hoshino. Yeah. You are the one who beat up an upperclassman last year."

"And you're the loser who cannot pay for his own arcade games." I snapped back.

"What did you just say?" The lead bully's face contorted with anger, the other two followed suit.

"Are you so short of cash that you and your two boyfriends have to rob my classmate?" I taunted them even more.

The lead bully's face got redder as did the other two bullies. He raised his voice at me, "You bastard! I don't care who you are! Get lost!"

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" I squared off against him.

The lead bully yelled, "Get lost! Or else!"

"Or else what?! Huh?!" I yelled even louder than him and clenched my fists. "Huh?!"

That got the bullies to flinch. But they didn't back down. The lead bully stared at me and I stared back at him.

"Bastard!" The lead bully shouted. I could see him pulling his fist back to throw a punch. But I was faster and I struck him in the throat. His eyes widened. He choked and coughed before he dropped to his knees. His 'boyfriends' stepped back in surprise. I grabbed the lead bully's collar and threw him into the fence like he did to Sora.

"See how you like it?!" I shouted at him.

The second bully dashed in and threw a punch in my direction. I raised my left arm and blocked his punch before swinging my right elbow into the side of his face. He tumbled into the ground face first.

The third bully rushed at me in an attempt to tackle me to the ground, but I was prepared. We got into a clinch and we struggled against each other. Before he could attempt anything, I shot up a knee into his midsection. As he let out a painful cough, I shoved him away and he fell on his back. They groggily got up and staggered away. They were not going to try their luck any further.

"I'll remember this, Hoshino! You better watch out!" The lead bully croaked as he rubbed his neck.

"No! You better leave me and Aikawa alone!" I shouted back at him, "Or I will kick your ass again!"

They cut their losses and ran off. I was left with Sora at the bicycle shelter. Neither of us said a word to each other, but Sora remained on the ground wheezing and whimpering.

I clenched my fists even tighter, I hate guys who think they are better than someone and they can pick on that person without any repercussions. Guys like these would not listen to any lectures given by a guidance counsellor, they would not listen to the pleas from their victims. Guys like these will only listen when they get a taste of their own medicine. When they get a fist to the face.

Suddenly, there was a gasp by the side. Both of us turned to see Keika who had a shocked look on her face. With Sora whimpering on the ground, it definitely looked like I was the one who was bullying him from the perspective of a bystander.

Keika ran off with the wrong idea about what happened. I didn't bother to chase after her to explain myself, I already knew what was going to happen. Rumours would spread and people would be even more wary of me. I just left Sora by the bicycle shelter and made my way home.

My name is Haruki Hoshino. I'm seventeen years old and a second-year high school student. Also, I was the loner in my class, but not for the reason you were probably expecting.

In my first year in high school, I got into a fight with an upperclassman because he was trying to bully me and take my weekly allowance. I was able to beat him because I trained in mixed martial arts on the weekends. But after I beat up the upperclassman, I got into big trouble with the school because they thought I was the impudent trash who was disrespecting an upperclassman. People then avoided me out of fear of getting beaten up by me or to avoid getting their reputation tarnished.

I was the loner in my class because I was the perceived delinquent.

The next day, the atmosphere in the school hallways was quiet. I could hear the murmurs from other students as I walked past them. As I got to my classroom, everyone froze and stared at me. I dragged my feet over to my desk and took my seat.

Our homeroom teacher had not arrived yet. At the front of the classroom, the popular crowd was giving me looks of disapproval, especially Hayate and Keika. No doubt Keika had spread rumours about me after she saw me the previous evening.

I took my phone out, ignoring the stares that I was getting. Just when I was about to get comfortable and start reading a web novel, I noticed Hayate approaching me. Keika and Hayate's two Yes-Men were by his side. Hayate's fangirls gathered behind them as well.

"Hoshino." Hayate greeted me, but he had a displeased look on his face.

"Yoshida." I greeted him back. The other students gathered at Hayate's side as if to support him.

"I heard you were bullying Aikawa yesterday after class." Hayate said.

"Did you hear that from Tsukasa?" I asked him.

Keika gave me a scorned look. She then said, "I saw you. You were beating up Aikawa at the bicycle shelter."

"How could you do that to our classmate? What is wrong with you?" Hayate frowned, "Do you want to get our class into a huge scrutiny?"

"You got it all wrong." I answered, "Aikawa was being picked on by three guys from another class. They were going to rob him. I fought them and they ran off."

Hayate recoiled for a moment. The rest got confused after hearing the truth of the story.

"But I saw you." Keika, still unconvinced, pointed at me. "You were standing over Aikawa. There wasn't anyone else. You were bullying him. You must be."

"That's not what happened." I stood up immediately. My irritation was slowly rising, "I was defending Aikawa from three guys."

"Is this true?" Hayate asked.

"If you don't believe me, then ask Aikawa." I told them. We turned to Sora who had been in his seat this whole time. Instead of speaking up on my behalf, he stared at his table and avoided eye contact with anyone.

"Aikawa?" Hayate called to him. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Sora did not say anything, he remained silent and timid like he always did.

"Aikawa?" Hayate called him again, but Sora still would not say anything and continued to timidly stare at his table like he was trying to shrink and disappear.

I had enough of this wimp. I took my turn to ask, "What are you scared of? Just tell them what happened."

Sora flinched and turned his head away from us.

"Will you say something already, Aikawa?" I raised my voice.

"That's enough." Hayate said. He stepped in as if to defend Sora from me. I wasn't getting any help from Sora. Thanks for nothing, you little mute pipsqueak.

"Yoshida. I'm telling you the truth." I said to Hayate. "I don't even see the need to explain myself to you."

Hayate looked back at his peers for a moment before he approached me again. "Hoshino, I don't know what really happened. But as the class representative, I have to ask you to avoid getting into any more trouble."

Just what I needed to hear from this guy. I defended my classmate and I still got labelled as the villain. I wasn't even mad at Hayate, he was just doing what he was supposed to do. I was mad at Sora who couldn't do the decent thing to speak up about the truth.

"Yeah, whatever." I waved Hayate off before taking my seat.

Hayate's 'queen' quickly came to defend him from my supposed impertinence. Keika snapped at me, "Hey. Don't be rude to Hayate-kun. Who do you think you are?"

Before I could talk back, something appeared under my feet which took everyone by surprise.

"What the hell?!" I immediately stood up. Gasps were coming from the rest of my classmates. It was a bright ring of glittery light. I stepped away from it, but the light followed me and remained under my feet.

"What are you doing?!" Hayate, agitated by the light, asked me as he and the other students backed away anxiously.

"I'm not doing this!" I answered with distress in my tone.

The light grew brighter and bigger. Everyone in the class was standing on top of it. They all started panicking. I tried to run, but my legs were planted on the floor. None of us could move, as if the light was keeping us in place. Everyone started shrieking in fright. The glittery light grew even brighter till it was too blinding and I had to shut my eyes. Then, there was nothing. No sound nor wind.

Haruki...

I heard a voice calling my name. I opened my eyes, but I could not see anything. There was no light, my classmates were nowhere in sight. There was only darkness.

"Hello?!" I shouted, "Who's there? I can't see! What's going on?!"

Haruki...

I heard my name being called out again. The voice sounded like me in an ethereal and otherworldly way.

Haruki...

Suddenly, a force pulled me down and I was falling. I tried to scream, but my voice would not come out. I could not see or hear anything, I just kept falling and falling.