Moriyama leaned back on the classroom bench, his head resting against the cool surface of the wall. His dark hair fell over his eyes, but he didn''t care enough to push it back. Outside, the gray sky stretched endlessly, as lifeless as the day itself.
Is this all I can do? he thought, his mind drifting.
Another boring day in his pointless high school life.
"Moriyama!"
The sharp voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Slowly, he glanced up to see Homura-sensei standing near his desk, arms crossed and giving him her usual annoyed look.
"Sleeping again?"
Moriyama shrugged. "Not sleeping. Just thinking."
Homura-sensei sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Right... Well, listen up. There''s a new transfer student joining class today. Try to behave and at least greet her."
"A transfer student?" Moriyama muttered, his tone flat.
"Yes," she said, already turning to walk away. "And don''t ignore her."
Moriyama didn''t respond. He leaned back again, staring at the ceiling as if the conversation had never happened. A transfer student? Who cares.
Moments later, the classroom door slid open, and soft footsteps approached. He could hear the whispers from the other students and knew the transfer student had arrived.
But Moriyama didn''t even bother looking up.
The final bell rang, signaling the end of another dull day. Moriyama grabbed his bag, slung it lazily over his shoulder, and walked out of the classroom without a word. The hallway was crowded with students chattering and making their way home, but Moriyama weaved through them silently, his expression as blank as ever.
The cool afternoon air hit him as he stepped outside. He walked toward the school gates, the same path he took every day, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
But today wasn''t like every day.
"Hey, Moriyama!"
He stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly. Turning his head, he saw four guys standing near the back of the school building, smirking. They were older, taller, and all too familiar.
"Come with us," one of them said, jerking his thumb toward the back lot.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Moriyama stared at them for a moment, then sighed. He could have walked away, but something in their tone told him they weren''t going to let him leave so easily. Without a word, he followed them around the corner, where the crowd couldn''t see them.
As soon as they were out of sight, the tallest guy stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You''ve been acting real tough lately, haven''t you, Moriyama?"
Moriyama stayed silent.
"You think you''re better than us just because you don''t talk to anyone?" another guy sneered.
Before Moriyama could react, the first punch landed squarely on his cheek. His head snapped to the side, and he staggered slightly, tasting blood in his mouth.
That was a hard hit.
He slowly straightened up, wiping the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. A faint smear of blood stained his skin. His expression remained unreadable, but his dark eyes glinted coldly as he looked up at them.
"Is that all?" he muttered.
The four guys exchanged surprised looks. They hadn''t expected him to stay so calm after taking a punch like that.
Moriyama blinked slowly as the world around him spun.
Another punch landed hard against his ribs, sending a jolt of pain through his body. But he didn''t make a sound. He just kept standing, his head tilted down, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
Damn it...
His vision blurred as another blow hit him from the side. This time, his legs gave out. He hit the ground hard, the taste of iron thick on his tongue.
"Not so tough now, are you?" one of the guys sneered, towering over him.
Moriyama didn''t answer. He barely heard them laughing as they walked away, leaving him lying there, beaten and alone.
Time passed. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours. He didn''t know.
When he opened his eyes again, the sky was dark. The once-crowded school grounds were silent, bathed in the pale glow of the moon. His body ached, and his face was sticky with dried blood.
What time is it? he wondered, trying to push himself up. But his arms felt too heavy, and he collapsed back onto the cold ground.
That''s when he heard the sound of footsteps.
Soft, hesitant, and growing closer.
Moriyama tensed. Was it the guys coming back?
But no. These footsteps were too light. Too cautious.
"Are you... okay?"
The voice was soft, almost hesitant, and definitely female.
Moriyama forced his eyes open again and saw her standing above him—the transfer student. She had long, dark hair that fell in gentle waves over her shoulders, and she was wearing the same school uniform as him. But there was something different about her. Something that set her apart from everyone else.
"I saw what happened earlier," she said quietly, kneeling down beside him. "I... wanted to check if you were okay."
Moriyama didn''t answer. He just stared up at her, his dark eyes unreadable.
"Can you stand?" she asked, reaching out a hand toward him.
For a moment, he just stared at her hand, unsure what to do. He wasn''t used to people helping him. He wasn''t used to anyone caring.
Moriyama stared at the girl kneeling beside him, her concerned eyes searching his battered face. He didn''t know how to react.
For as long as he could remember, he had always been on his own. No one had ever stepped in to help him before—not during fights, not during the countless times he had been left behind or ignored. And yet, here she was.
A girl he didn''t even know.
She had seen him at his weakest, lying broken and bleeding on the cold ground. And instead of walking away, she had come to check on him.
"Are you okay?" she asked again, her voice soft but steady.
Moriyama''s lips parted, but no words came out. His mind felt blank, like he had forgotten how to speak. After a few moments, he finally managed to whisper two words.
"...Thank you."
The girl blinked, surprised by his sudden response. But before she could say anything, Moriyama''s body gave out.