Evangelism

Just before heading into school, I noticed a few people from the student council were talking outside the buildings. They were holding small cameras and stuffing them into their bags. Not many people seemed to notice it, since we usually just kept our eyes forward while walking.

“What’s going on with them, Ekko?” I asked.

“You’ll see.”

It felt ominous the way she said that. But it gave me a little courage knowing that there was a bigger plan at play here.

Being left out of the loop didn’t leave me with a great feeling, but I had an idea of what she was hinting at. The more people who know something, the more likely it is to leak out.

“To be honest, I don’t even know everything," she admitted. "We all have a part to play today, and yours will be by my side...if you're helping.”

“Ekko, I’m helping.”

Someone tugged on my sleeve.

“Helping with what?” my sister asked.

“Oh…uh…”

I still wasn’t sure if my sister was privy to emotions yet or not. The way she talked made me question if she was on her pills or not. She’s just such a mystery. Could we trust her?

“We’re just talking about our project.” Ekko showed her the paper we typed up.

“Very good. I look forward to how your class responds to it,” my sister said as she walked to her class.

“Something about her maturity just seems wrong,” I commented.

“If everything goes well today, kids like her won’t have to act mature anymore.”

***

Everyone was lining up to turn in their projects. Ekko and I were at the very end of the line, both fueled by intense anxiety, like we were about to commit some horrible crime in plain sight.

To be fair, that might be exactly what we're doing.

Finally, after a soul straining wait, it was our turn to hand over our paper.

But Ekko didn’t put it on the podium, rather, she stepped up to the microphone. I followed closely, making sure our hands were locked together tight the whole time.

Her finger tapped on the metal mesh of the microphone, sending a loud shriek across the auditorium.

SCREEE

“Ehh…opps…” she uttered.

People were visibly agitated, especially the professor.

“Ms. Haruki, what are you doing?”

“Um…pr…preaching…?”

That’s what her plan was?

“Excuse me?” the professor gave a very offended expression. More proof that his emotions were getting the better of him.

“It’s about…er…the paper. So please, sit down…and just listen.”

She was fighting hard to be her confident self, but the mix of public speaking, as well as the topic we were about to bring up was getting her flustered.

I squeezed her hand tightly, then she looked at me.

“Ekko, whatever you need to say, say it. You’ve got this.”

If she convinced me that emotions were a logical feeling for humanity, she could get through to this room.

“R…right!” she said, then cleared her throat. “Here I go…”

Her free hand fiddled with the cat pin on her collar, like rubbing a good luck charm.

“Your attention, please! All students!” her voice echoed across the chamber, getting everyone’s attention. “My name is Ekko Haruki. As many of you know, I am a member of the student council here at Sakamoto Ryoma Academy. Part of my duty is to ensure you all have a curriculum that develops you into proper adults. As such, I’d like to reopen a discussion from the other day regarding the book, Romeo and Juliet.”

The students who’d hidden cameras in their bags pulled them out and aimed them down at us. There were at least five of them.

The professor was clearly distraught at the sight of cameras focusing on Ekko. He was heading for the exit, very likely to report this, but a few students intercepted him and blocked the way.

Ms. Haruki!” the professor announced, turning back to her. “What is the meaning of this?”

“You'll understand soon. If I were you, I'd remain quiet. Please,” she furiously glared at him.

The professor did his best to temper his frustration, then sat in a seat next to the podium.

“Ekko,” I whispered in her ear. “You've got this.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “It's time the world saw that emotions aren't what we should fear.”

This was basically suicide. An open declaration of war to the powers that be. We'd never be able to return to our normal lives after this.

As much as I was afraid, we clearly had allies in this room. We weren't alone. And even if we didn't, I wanted to be by Ekko's side till the end. If feelings brought us together, others deserved to see that.

Her speech continued. “Our class, and likely the rest of the world, seemes to circle around the idea that Romeo and Juliet were led to suicide by the love they shared. This makes us believe that the moral is that we should never love, or risk a similar fate…”

Most students were nodding along. So far she hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary.

“If that’s how you interpret it, you're right.”

Her words caused everyone besides the nodding students to let out a gasp. Even I did too.

“Ekko?”

“Shhh…Let me finish!” she growled.

Did she already give up and just tell people what they wanted to hear?

“Trust me, please,” she cleared her throat and returned to her speech. “I’m not here to tell anyone they’re wrong for seeing something in a story. However, what you see may not be what I see.”

The students who had been nodding slowly stopped, very attentively watching her.

“What I see is a much deeper, much richer story than that. One that wouldn’t condemn love, but approve and celebrate it!” her fist slammed down on the podium. “It wasn’t love that killed them, because love is natural!"

A couple of the students started staring off into space, trying to ignore her now. A typical denial response. Others were really focusing in, even a few taking notes.

"I don't know how we fall in love, but we just do. Romeo and Juliet didn't have an answer for that either, but they didn't need one. So, then what did kill them?"

She took a moment to create silent suspense.

"It was the hatred their families shared for each other!" Ekko shouted. "Romeo and Juliet were oppressed by their families, unable to spend time together. Neither could escape that fate...not in life. So they took their own lives, just to finally be happy together in paradise. In our world, we forgo the idea of an afterlife in favour of making society a utopia. but I ask, are we much better than they were?"

Some students were looking angry, a few of them were trying to leave the room, but the doors were all blocked.

“The pill does not save us. It condemns us for wanting to feel! It masks away our emotions and forces us to pretend they don't exist. It tells us we aren’t allowed to love. No wonder people are driven mad when they stop taking it, because nobody ever accepts them! It's only natural to want to escape that!”

She put one hand to her heart and lifted our locked hands. “Look at us! We’re off our pills and have been able to function just fine! We can talk and think just like any of you. If anything, our heads have never been clearer. And today, I want to invite all of you to join us, to see what we see. True, feelings can be dangerous and hurtful, but it can also be rewarding! You never appreciate a sunrise more than after a rainy day!”

People in the audience were chatting, some were rising from their seats and clapping with applause.

That marked the end of her speech, but I felt like there needed to be a bigger hit at the end.

I'd just been standing here while she talked her heart out, so time to put my own lips to good use.

My hands gripped her shoulders tight enough to turn her toward me. She didn't fight the motion.

Pushing through my anxiety, I closed my eyes and pressed my lips against hers.

...

We both pulled away from each other. She was stunned, but slowly smiled.

“Where did you learn to kiss like that?” she asked.

“A book.” I tapped my finger over a copy of the story of the hour.

Cheers erupted in the audience. More hearts were touched by our display of affection then I thought possible. We could even hear it coming from other rooms. I guess she was broadcasting there.

Even the professor started clapping with the students. “I've been waiting for this day…” a tear rushed down his face, “I used to be in love with a girl long ago…but…then the world changed. And so did I.”

Students all started throwing their pill bottles at the walls, breaking them open and scattering little pills all over. Others, who clearly didn't get our message merely sat still, pretending to see nothing. I'd say about over half the class looked fed up.

“Are you mad at me?” Ekko asked. “I may have just doomed us and everyone in this school.”

I shook my head.

“I'm scared as can be right now, but it's time we made a world where we aren't afraid to fall in love."

“Y…yeah!” She looked very determined. I just melted at the cuteness. “That's exactly what we're trying to do!”