May 31, Thursday

The school bell signaled the end of the morning classes and the start of lunch break, another much-needed break after three grueling days of examinations. Today, the results of our hard work would be posted – the much-anticipated Top 25 list.

I've heard that the Top 25 was a tradition in this school, a list of the top scorers for each year level, a recognition for the brightest minds, or perhaps the most diligent students. Either way, just reaching even the Top 25 is guaranteed to give you a sense of pride.

My nerves were strung tight as I stood up from my desk, my eyes already looking towards the classroom door, when suddenly, Satoshi approached me.

"Aya! Wanna see the Top 25 together?" he asked, his blue eyes filled with his usual energy.

"O-Of course!" I replied and looked at him with a small smile. Satoshi had been awkward around me ever since his confession last Saturday, and I couldn't blame him. I still hadn't given him a response, and while I felt guilty about it, I just couldn't bring myself to provide him an answer just yet. Today, however, he seemed to have returned to his usual cheerful self, which was a huge relief.

We walked through the rowdy hallways of our school, making our way to the central bulletin board where the Top 25 lists were posted. The crowd of students gathering around the board, all wanting to see the results, was proof of the importance of this school tradition.

As we neared, my heart started to pound even harder. I was nervous, obviously, but there was also excitement. After all, Keiyu helped me study for the exams, and I clearly worked hard for this, so I might as well see where my efforts take me.

Weaving our way through the crowd, we finally managed to get a clear view of the list. My eyes scanned the neatly printed names, starting from the top. As my gaze dropped lower, my breath hitched when I spotted my name - Imaizumi Ayase - in the ninth position. I had made it to the top 10!

"Look, Sato-kun!" I turned to him, unable to keep the excitement from my voice. "I'm in the top 10!"

But Satoshi's reaction was not what I expected. His face fell and he gave me a strained smile, "T-That's great, Aya... but, I didn't make it..."

I reached out and gently patted his arm to offer some comfort, "D-Don't worry, Sato-kun. There's always next time, we're still in the first semester."

We then left the sea of students still eagerly checking the list and started to make our way to the cafeteria. Satoshi was unusually quiet, and I knew he was taking the results harder than he let on.

"I think I need to eat my feelings away," he said finally, a trace of his usual humor creeping back into his tone.

"Y-Yeah, let's eat it out," I replied with a chuckle and a light nod, before making our way to the cafeteria.

As the hours passed, the clear sky that had greeted us in the morning had turned to a brooding grey, and with that comes a sudden downpour that drenched the school grounds. The rain was falling in thick sheets, splattering against the window panes and making the world outside a blur of grey and green, a strangely relaxing color combination in my opinion.

Just as the final bell rang, my phone buzzed in my bag. I quickly took it out and the screen lit up with a new message from Kurotsuki - Keiyu.

Hmm? What could he need me for?

I wasn't due back at work until the next issue of Hikari Monthly was due, so I was curious about what he might want.

Opening the message, I read: "Got something to show you. Come by at the usual time." I quickly typed back an affirmative and promised to be there.

Just as I was tucking my phone back into my bag, Satoshi approached me, "Aya, you have an umbrella? It's pouring a lot outside."

"I do, Sato-kun. Thanks for asking," I reassured him, showing him the compact umbrella I always kept in my bag. He sighed in relief, glad that I wouldn't be caught in the downpour.

With a wave of goodbye, I gathered my things, preparing to walk through the rain and make my way to Keiyu's place, curious about what he wanted to show me.

I opened my umbrella as soon as I stepped out of the school building, shielding myself from the rain. The streets were slick and glistening, and I carefully navigated my way through the puddles.

As I turned the last few corners, Keiyu's house came into view. Just then, I heard a whistle from behind me, and instinctively turned around. My heart dropped when I saw the two familiar faces of the girls who had harassed me at the cafe, as well as during middle school. They were still wearing their uniforms, clearly different from mine, indicating that they were probably on their way home too.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Look who it is," One of the girls sneered.

"If it isn't the pink emo," The other added.

Fear gripped my chest as they slowly stepped closer. I took a few steps back but was stopped when one of them spoke once again. "You think we've forgotten what you made him do to us back at the cafe?"

I swallowed hard, my hands shaking slightly as I clutched my umbrella. "I-I didn't have anything to do with that, K-Kurumizawa-san did it on his own," I stammered while trying to avoid their hostile gaze.

"Oh, really? You think you're so innocent?" the other girl said. "Can't believe we got to meet Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes here."

"Wh-What do you want from me?" I asked as I feel my voice starting to shake. "W-Why can't you just leave me alone?"

The two girls exchanged glances before one of them, the taller one with a sharp nose and narrow eyes, scoffed. "We just can't stand you," she said. "Acting like you're so troubled, playing the saint just to get people's sympathy."

"I'm not faking anything!" I protested. "I'm just trying to live my life!"

My words seemed to fuel their anger further. The taller girl stepped closer, her face twisting into an ugly scowl. Before I could react, she shoved me with her free hand against the stone wall of a nearby house. My umbrella slipped from my grasp, clattering onto the pavement as the rain immediately began to drench me.

"See? You deserve this kind of treatment," she sneered with her eyes sparkling with cruel satisfaction. Her words cut through me, bringing back unpleasant memories from middle school. My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced myself to swallow my fear.

"Y-You're being unreasonable!" I said with a slightly louder voice to cut through the noise of the rain. "What did I ever do to you?!"

The girls laughed, their laughter echoing chillingly in the empty street as they stood comfortably under their umbrellas.

"You," the taller girl began, her voice low and menacing, "have always been a pain, haven't you? Remember what we told you back in middle school? If you ever become an eyesore again, we'll cut that hair of yours." She reached out and yanked at one of my twintails, causing me to wince in pain.

The memory of similar bullying incidents from middle school were overwhelming me, especially the same thing that happened that day.

It was all too familiar, and it scares me so much...

I just want to die... "And look at you now," the other girl chimed in. "Hanging out with one of the Kurumizawa twins. You think you can just worm your way into their lives, don't you? Or are you just after their money? I doubt that you're doing anything genuine."

Before I could respond, the taller girl brandished a pair of scissors. "Luckily, I always carry these with me~," she said, a twisted smirk then started to form on her lips. "You used to draw a lot back in school, didn't you? You still do, right? It would be a shame if something happened to your hands."

"N-No! Don't do this!" But then, something within me snapped. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I pushed the tall girl away, causing her to stagger backward and fall. Without wasting another moment, I left my umbrella alone and sprinted in the direction of Keiyu's house.

My heart at this point was almost about to burst as I heard the girls shouting behind me, their words were drowned out by the thundering rain and my own heavy breaths.

I could hear their footsteps splashing in the puddles as they chased after me, their voices growing louder and more menacing with each passing moment.

I finally reached Keiyu's house and ran towards his front door, not even bothering to slow down as I slammed my body against the wall next to it.

My hands shaking, I frantically pushed the doorbell multiple times, pounding on the door with my other hand. "It's Ayase! I-I need help!" I cried into the intercom, my voice shaking with fear.

The girls had caught up to me by then, their faces twisted into furious snarls as they approached me. "You think you can just get away with that?" one of them seethed, reaching out to grab me. "You've got some nerve..."

But before she could even reach me, the front door swung open.

"...What's happening here?" A familiar voice cut through the heavy rain, its owner stepping out from behind the door. It was Keiyu, standing there with a cold and stern expression on his face, his golden-amber eyes blazing with an intensity I'd never seen before.

His gaze softened as he looked at me, his eyes widening slightly at my state. "Imaizumi-san... what did they do to you?" He murmured, stepping beside me, casting a protective presence over my figure. I tried to form words but nothing would come out. I was too scared, too shaken.

He whispered to me, "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

Keiyu then stepped forward, advancing toward the girls. They stiffened, surprise flickering across their faces as they took in the name on the plate beside the door. "K-Kurumizawa?" one of them muttered, looking at Keiyu, then back at the nameplate, then back at Keiyu.

"We were just... We were just trying to teach her a lesson, she made you humiliate us in the cafe, r-right?" the taller one started, but Keiyu cut her off.

"Made me do it? I did it by myself. When will you ever learn? What drives your obsession with her? Why won't you leave her alone," He spoke, his voice cold and quiet, full of anger. The rain was loud, but I could clearly hear Keiyu's words.

The tall girl tried to retort, but before she could, Keiyu stepped forward and slapped her, silencing her instantly. "Never show up in front of me, or Imaizumi-san, ever again," he seethed. "And don't think for a second that our school won't hear about this."

"W-What makes you think they'd listen to you?!" the girl snapped, clearly not believing him.

Keiyu stared at her, his gaze even more menacing, "You do realize who you're talking to, right?" he said, his voice chilly. "I'm a Kurumizawa. I can do whatever I want and need to do if I wanted to."

The two girls exchanged fearful glances before backing away, their faces slowly turning pale, "Y-You're just brainwashed by this... pink emo!" one of them spat as a last act of defiance. They quickly turned and disappeared into the rain, leaving us alone.

Keiyu sighed heavily as he watched them go, rubbing his temples in frustration. He then turned his attention to me. I was still leaning against the wall beside the front door, still completely shaken by the ordeal. His eyes were filled with his regret and utter concern as they met mine.

"Imaizumi-san, you need to be more careful," he said softly. "I... I can't stand to see you in pain like this."

I wanted to respond, but the shock of the situation still left me struggling to form words.

Keiyu gently took my arm, guiding me inside his house. "Let's get you dried off," he said with a warm tone. "You don't want to catch a cold after all of this."