Sasaki’s back was drenched. Her hair became sticky. What I justspilled was a sweet carbonated drink.


    “Y- You !!” She ran her fingers through her sticky hair.


    Then, she sighed andgroaned. She screamed and squeaked like a rat.Mika and Aya immediately movedclose to her and wipedher with tissues.


    Kisaragi stunned as she looked at me. Anger left her face and she showed concern toward me.


    Wiping the sweet drink was a futile. Thesticky residue remained on her uniform.She glared atme angrilywhile pointingher forefingertoward me.


    “You will regret this!!” She declared and bumped through thecrowd.


    The crowdsplita path forher toget out.Realizing that Sasaki was going out,Kisaragistood up as ifshe forgot to dosomething, she was about to followher.


    While stompingout furiously.Sasakiyelled,


    “Afterschool. Rooftop!! You BOTH!”As she wavedher handwiththependant.Mika and Aya anxiously followed Sasaki out from the canteen.


    Thecrowdgradually ceased its existence.No one talked toKisaragi. They just went back doing their things like nothing happened.


    Kisaragisat down with head facing the ground.The water dropped from her messyfront hair.So shewiped herforehead with her arm.She lookeddispirited.


    “Are you....alright? “


    Iapproached her andactually asked if she wasfine whenshe definitely didn’t look‘fine’ at all. I handed hersometissues. She tookthemwith her head still facing on the ground.


    “....”


    Silence. She looked so disheartened. I wondered if thatpendantwasimportant to her.After a while, sheslowlyraised her head up.


    “I....Uhm...I need to...” She stuttered.


    “... I need toget that pendant back” She continued.


    “It is important for me!”and sheraised her voice.


    Then I hear her mumbled. “...that...was the only thing myparent....left”


    Sigh


    “Okay... I understood”


    Kisaragi’seyes filled with asparkof light as she heard me.


    “Thank you” She thanked mesincerely and she actually smiled.


    That was the first time I saw her smiling.Itmade my heart fluttered asecond. But not in a romantic way. Itfelt likeyou saw a cute kitten’svideo online.Her smile lasted only for a while.


    After that, she leftheruneatenlunchand walked away.She went upstairs, goingto the changing room. Isubconsciouslyfollowed herall thewaytoher intended destination.Then,I stood outsidewaiting as she went into the room.I don’t know why I followed her. But she looked sodepressedthat people would think if she will be doingstupid things.


    Some girls walked pass by me and gave me a suspicious lookingstare.That made me feel a bit awkward.


    While waiting,looking up at the sky that I watched through the window. The rainhad finallyceased.Leavingbehind drenched rooftopsin the neighbourhoodandwet ground.My stomach started to growland rumble. I am hungry.


    “Uhm.....Shiratsuki-san...”Kisaragiwho changed in to her PE clothonce againstartled me by suddenly stood beside me.Icouldn’t feel her presence at all.She knew that andgrinned. Then she looked all gloomyagain.


    She walked toward the end of the hallway. I followed her closely. Then she sat on the stair which we seldom use in the school.I lied my back towardthe wall.I hesitated a bit as the wall feltcold but the warmspreadoutafter a while.I watched Kisaragi closely.


    “I never saw you before” Italked after a momentof silence.


    It’s true that I never saw her until recently.I don’t mingle with people.But, I remember everyfacesI saw.I never forget.


    She listened and nodded then she finally spoke.


    “I transferred into here just a while ago”


    I gave her an“Ohh...” then we fell silent again.


    I didn’t mean to, but I took a quick scan of herfrom the corner of my sight. Shehas small wrists and thin body.Shelooked so frail as if she would break with a single bump. But, when Ithink about the expression she made while glaring back at Sasaki a while ago.


    Itook back what I''vesaid, sheisnotweak.


    “I really appreciatefor what you did just now” She thanked me again.


    “No.. It’s nothing”


    I lied.


    To be honest, Iregretted a bit. I don’tknow why Ireactedaggressivelytoward that incident. I never wanted to stand out. It’s my last yearof high schoolandI just ruinedit. Normally,I wouldjust leave her be. I won’tbe concerned by it.But, she piqued my curiosity.As a human being, curious is the least I could feel.


    “Yesterday...“ I pausedbriefly and gained her attention.


    “...Did you followme?” I asked again, out of curiosity. It’s now or never.


    She gasped.


    “I-I lived nearby” She panicked. I can see that.


    “But,why did you have to ran away?” I continued with another question.


    “...that wasbecause.............” She gave a long pause.


    Sheinhaled and exhaled.She showed a determinedexpression. Then,shestood up from her seat.Kisaragi stepped forward.


    She stood in front of me.


    “To be honest, Iwa-“


    Rrriiiiiiinnnnnnggggggggggggggg.....


    The bell suddenly rang and interrupted whatever Kisaragi was going to say.Tension left her face.I caught hersighing outof relief. She was nervous.


    “I- Igot togo... See youlater” She immediately leaptaway.


    Leaving me half answered and confused.I scratched myhead for a while andwentdown stairs to my class.I thought shehassomethingtosay. If not, why would she led me tothe secluded area of the school.


    I managed to eat my lunch right before the teacher camein.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ***


    “Don’t forget your homework. The class is dismissed” The teacherdeclared.


    The students stood up onclassrepresentatives’ sign. We bowedto the teacher andthanked him for the class. After the teacher walked out.Everyone started topack their belonging and walked out one by one.


    Some students stared at me. But thentheyimmediately lookedaway when I caught their eyes.


    I guess what happened todayreally made me standout. Iamused to people’s eyes on me.But adding that incident, they looked at me with somehow a different way now.


    After packing all my belonging. I went straight to the rooftop.


    The rooftop is normally locked and off limit. I don’tknowhow but Sasaki must haveher way. I walked outfromthe doortoward the rooftop ground.The floor was puddled with the rainwater.Iavoided the puddle as I walked toward them. Sasaki,Mika,Ayaand lastly,Kisaragi. She was tensed up.


    Sasaki folded her arm as shesaw me. Standingproudly with chin slightlyup.Mika and Aya both standing left and right of her, as if they were her bodyguards.


    Shehadchangedinto the same but clean uniform.I don’t think that the staincould just easily be cleaned upinsuch a short time. So, that uniform must be newlybrought to school.


    I went toKisaragi’sside and stoppedexactly next to her.Thedarkclouds haven’tfully dissipated.So itwas quite dark and ominous feeling up here.I looked through thefence. Seeing students walking pass by the maingate.


    Then I looked atKisaragi, whowasclearlygivingathreatening glare toward Sasaki. But her expressionrapidlychanged fromanger totroubled when Sasaki pulled out thependant from her pocket.She was holding it with her thumb and forefinger. Sheheld ituphighto the eyelevel.Then she swung the pendant by the fence.


    “Hmm....Would it break if I throw it from here?” rather than a question,shethreatened.


    Kisaragiwatched the pendantanxiously.Itwas asturdylooking pendant, so Idon’t think it would break butthrowing with strengthfrom that heightisdefinitelygoing to leave ugly scratches. That pendant lookedpolished.It was a silver framed gold colourednewmoonshapedflatgem.She has taken a good care for the pendant.


    “Please! Give it back to me!” Kisaragi pleaded as she stepped closer to Sasaki.


    Mika and Ayastepped forward to drew a linebetweenKisaragi and Sasaki.


    Sasakismirked.


    “If you want itback that bad...” She rolled her eyes toward me.


    She took outa clothingfrom her bag.Then she threw it to me. I caught the cloth by reflex.


    “Wearit!!” She ordered while grinningwickedly.


    Ispread the clothdown. Itwasa girl’s uniform.Kisaragi gasped andclasped her hands by her mouth.Istoodstill.


    “No...You don’t have to dothis!” Kisaragiexclaimedasshesnatchedtheuniform from my hands.


    Sasaki saw that and slowly movedcloserto the side of the fence.


    “Not doing it? Then I have no use for this!!“Sasakiraised her handbackward and uphigh,building momentum,to throw the pendant.


    “N-Nooooo!!” Kisaragishouted outloud.


    She leapt forward while Mika andAyapushed andblocked her.


    “Stop it!” I raised my voice in case she didn’t hear me amidst thenoise.


    “Iwill do as you say” I stated.


    Sasaki stopped midway and turn around looking sopleased with my resolution.As if she predicted it.


    I unbuttoned my shirt and took it off. They glanced atme as Ithrewmy shirt awayexposing my upper body.


    Then I grabbed the uniform Kisaragi held andwore it in oneswoop.Idragged upthe skirt from below thenpulled down the pants I was wearing.Kisaragi was flustered, she lookedat me withguilty-riddeneyes.


    Sasakilocked her eyes on me and gave outasmirkwith hercheekkind offlushed.


    The uniform unexpectedly fit on me.I am not a tall guy. My height is roughly the same asthem so maybe that explained how the uniform fit.Then I glanced at Sasaki.


    “Tsk...” Sheclicked her tongue.


    The oncesneeringSasakisuddenlycurled her upper lip with disdain.She scanned me from topto bottom and didn’tseem tolike what she saw.


    I turnedmyheadtofaceKisaragi. Her eyes wide open lookingatme with disbelief.


    I felt a bit humiliatedfor a few seconds.But then, that feeling quickly disappeared. As long as I can getKisaragi’spendant back. Thatmuchwas nothing.


    Itook fewstepcloser to Sasakiandraised my hand upto chest levelwith palm openedfacing upward.


    “The pendant” I demanded while looking straight intohereyes.


    She grit her teeth and clenchedthe fist which she held the pendant in.


    Why is he so calm aboutthat...


    Sasakiintrospected.Her aim was too see a pathetic side of Shiratsuki.Instead of what she thought he will be. He actuallyacted as calm ashe normally does.None of her bully went throughShiratsuki.That’s what made hergetting more andmore irritated.


    It’s not like Shiratsuki everoffendedher before.Maybe oncewithout himselfaware. But it wasn’t his fault at first. She knew it butshe didn’t like hisoddly composed manner.


    Moreover,his face.Thatpeculiar gaze he always gave fromhis sharpand crystal clear pair of black eyes.Theskin complexionthatwas uncommonly pale until itoutshone hers.


    He looked so mysteriouslyappealingin her eyes that itliterallybecamehate.Shewas sosurprised to see Shiratsuki wore the opposite gender’s uniformwith suchimpeccablyfitting.It felt like the uniform was madesolely forhim.


    Sasakisnapped out from her trainofthoughtandsmirked awkwardly.She pulled out a smartphone out ofher pocket.


    Kacha!


    Her camera flashed.Her phone aimed at me. So I guessshe took a picture ofme.


    She slowly walked along the side of the fence as she said,


    “A boy wearing agirl’suniformas a hobby during his spare time.... How does it sound?”


    She turned her smartphones screen toward me which displayed a picture of me crossdressing.


    Ileaned forward andswung mynearesthand without prior notice intended for her phone. But, she dodgeditlike she knew it.I was surprised by herreflex.


    “Go away!!”Ayaknocked mebackwardcaused me tostaggeron the side but Imanaged to keep my balance with a step back.


    “Hmm.. that sounds really great!Itwouldbecameour school’sheadline,wouldn’t it?”She continued her arrogantspeech.


    Sasaki and her two followers laughed in agreement. Their laughs echoedthroughoutthe rooftop.Lightning flashedominously as their background. They looked like threedistastefuldevils.


    To be honest, Iam notbothered by thefactof her spreading the picture.


    Instead, most students would know that Sasaki was the one who forced me into that.But, when I thoughtabouthow some girls caught me standing alone in front of the girl’s changing room suspiciouslythis afternoon.Sasaki might succeed. Nonetheless, that wasn''t the point.


    Iglancedat Kisaragi whowaslooking at her pendant anxiously as Sasaki swinging back and forth nearby thefence when she talked. She was about to be intears.


    Whichfrustratedme.


    Then I unconsciously whispered,


    “U...gly..”


    “What?


    ...Did it bother you?” She didn''t hear it.


    I clenched my fist and opened my mouth.


    “You are the‘ugliest’ girl I’ve evermet”


    I can’t believewhat I justsaid.


    Silence suddenly struck.


    Sasaki’sformerly chuckles stoppedabruptly. Her eyes wide open and theypierced mewith aragingsharp gaze. She bit her lip indisbelief tohearthe words that justcame out from my mouth.


    Mika and Aya looked at each otherastounded.


    Sasaki clicked her tongue and once again sheturned her body toward the fence and sheraised the pendant highbackward. She was going to throw thependant.


    Iwas one hundred percent sure she will.


    I leapt throughlearning what she will be doing. Swiftly grippedher wrist withthestrength I didn’t care to control.I forced her to turned around, facing me.Shewhimperedandstumbled.Then shestruggledwith her back leaningonthe fence. Both Mika and Aya came to her aid.But, my strengthoutwitted those girls.


    “Y-Youinsolent creature!!” She screamed atmeso loud that it rang in myear.


    She was quite powerful for an average girl.It wasn’t easy to force her away from the fence.It was dangerous as thefence’s height onlyaround mywaist tall.We were strugglingand her followers were pulling and pushing me.


    Exactly when Ithink about the danger. Mikausedall her strength andpushedme onthechest. I lost my balance,myback hit hard on thefence. I stumbled, myupper body bentpassover thefence.


    I caught a glimpse of Sasakidazedand Kisaragi astoundedfrom afar,about to leapt forward.


    I couldn’t feel thegroundon myfeet.My sense of directionshambled.I saw thedarkskyupturned.My heartthumped so fastthinkingabout what will happen next.


    Then I vaguely heard Kisaragiscreamed as my sense of hearingfading away.


    I am fallingdown toward the end of my life.


    That was when all the magic happened...