"I'm sorry! Please forgive me! You have to forgive me!"

Hachi was a blubbering mess first thing Tuesday morning. And the moment I'd entered the classroom, he swung his arms around me, squeezing me like a pancake.

"Ha-chi," I gasped.

"I appreciate you, Shiina. So, so, so much. You're amazing. And talented. And kind. And you hit amazing spikes and baskets. It's incredible how often you make my jaw drop."

I was flailing for oxygen at that point. "C-ca. . .n't—"

"What Rumi said was cruel and insensitive! Never listen to that jerk! He's a meanie to everyone, but that was especially uncalled for. You're not this class's hindrance—you're our important ally! And I love you so very much!"

As if questioning my silence, Hachi released my shoulders, innocently fluttering his eyelashes.

"Shiina?"

Collapsing stomach-first onto my desk, I inhaled, exhaled and wheezed to regain my respiration rate. Soon enough I'd forgotten how to properly breathe.

He straightened his posture, and after a pause, asked, "Did I kill her?"

"What are you so loud for this early? Nobody has no time for your idiocy."

Jin Narumi entered the scene. Glare cold as ice, skin, hair and attire quintessential to a class representative. He hovered over Hachi, sourly rubbing his ear.

"R-Rumi! I killed her! I killed Shiina!"

He hardly paid me a glance. "Who?"

"Don't kill me off," I puffed, hauling myself upright. Flattening my lips, I gingerly caressed my throat. "I'm still the protagonist of this story."

"Shiina!" Hachi exclaimed, slamming me into another embrace.

At least, he tried. I shoved his face before he could—at the exact same time as Narumi.

"Shut up!" Narumi snapped.

I didn't say it, but I was thinking it. In that regard, for the first time in history Narumi and I were on identical wavelengths.

It didn't last.

Upon releasing Hachi, and allowing him to crouch over in pain, Narumi faced me. Indifference seized every inch of his countenance. Then, recognition flashed behind his eyelids.

"Oh, it's you."

Whether it be the lack of witnesses in the classroom considering how early it was, or my bubbling dissatisfaction, I snapped, "I'm not happy to see you either."

I dropped my belongings into my seat. Sure I was a mess yesterday, but it seriously was embarrassing breaking down like that in front of everyone. Insults departed Narumi's mouth like clockwork—him calling me a hindrance to the class shouldn't have shocked me. It was a wonder how he completed his class rep duties or remained a teacher favourite across all subjects despite that.

He reminded me of a particular idiot. But unlike Igarashi, Narumi was impossible to unnerve—

"I apologize."

I blinked once.

Twice.

"Don't make me repeat myself." His scowl was rigid—a perfect complement to his 'Ice Prince' status. "I went a bit far yesterday. I hadn't anticipated tears, which is why I'll keep in mind you at least possess some human fragility in that beanstalk body of yours. I'll choose my words carefully from now on."

Did he admit to not seeing me as a human this entire time?

It was a superficial apology—undeniably—but what else was I expecting from Jin Narumi?

"Rumi!" Hachi said, clinging to his legs. "I knew you had a heart in there! It's really in there!"

"Stop grabbing me. Unlike you, I don't lack brain cells. Even I know when I've stepped out of line. However, an apology doesn't change anything." He extended his finger at me. "Shiina Kisaragi—so long as you remain the object of this class's ridicule, you are this class's hindrance. Cry about it all you want, but those are the facts."

I momentarily shut my eyelids and heaved a breath that relaxed my shoulders. Then, I seized his finger.

Appalled, he yanked it back and cradled it to his chest. "D-did you just try to break my finger?"

"Ice Prince?" I scoffed at his acclaimed nickname. "'Naru the Narcissist' sounds more accurate to me."

"Wh-what—"

"I said don't look down on me, you obnoxious son of a bitch. Especially at your height."

I'd caught him off guard, proven by the way he'd flinched. It was only by mere millimetres—a centimetre at most. But our height difference was enough for me to peer at him from above, chin high in scorn.

"Yesterday wasn't a good day for me for a lot of reasons, but try insulting me again," I continued, chilling glower in tow. "I'll end you."

The quiet in the room plummeted to an all time low. I caught a couple of people gawking, but the one most affected was the male whose poise was said to be cool and collected as ice.

Then there was Hachi eyeing me with utter stars in his eyes. He exploded into wild hysterics before long, slapping and hooting with utter mirth.

"Sh-she totally roasted you, Rumi! How do you live after that? I wouldn't even be able to show my face!"

Snickers and titters in the background resounded—from our classmates who shared his amusement. All the while I stood my ground, tilted my head, and urged the bastard to speak on. Yet, least to my expectations, red bled into every portion of Naru's face until he was a walking tomato.

He scowled up at me with the darkest animosity known to man. Then, a heap of tears swelled in his eyelids.

My heart stopped.

But before anyone else in the room could notice, or me point it out, he spun on the heels of his dress shoes and booked it out of the room.

Even after his departure, I had a hard time coming to terms with what had happened.

I think I just made him cry.

"Rumi really is sensitive," Hachi sighed.

He'd hoisted himself back onto his feet before I'd noticed, rubbing to rid the tears that'd appeared from his laughing fit.

I performed a double-take.

"Sensitive?" I hissed, wishing my ears were playing a trick on me. "The Ice Prince is?"

Hachi raised his arms, but his beam didn't fall. "Everyone calls him that—and Rumi plays into it more often than not—but if you ask me, he's the furthest thing. Yesterday after school, he couldn't stop crying about how he made you cry, and how guilty he felt."

Was I hearing this right? The Jin Narumi had emotions? Not only that—he cried? For me?

"People have different issues on their plate," Hachi added. "Not everyone is exactly as they're perceived by others. The same applies for me. And you, too."

Right then, Hachi's immense optimism disappeared. He was still smiling, but his gaze softened.

"But unless you're honest with yourself, you'll forever find the part of yourself that doesn't fit with others' perception, a burden. But it isn't, really. It's a hidden strength known only to you. And when you finally let others see it, you'll be surprised to find how many accept you for it."

Eyelids high, my mouth moved, wordlessly.

Hachi raised a finger, and all at once, confusion spilled across his countenance. "At least, that's what I read in a flyer recently. Not really sure what it means, though."

I blinked. Somehow, it hadn't startled me. That was too deep for someone like Hachi. Still...

Containing a laugh, I shielded my mouth with the back of my hand. "I'll do my best to be more honest with myself, then."

Hachi chuckled—radiant smile taking over his face. "Oo, Shiina's smile is always so, so cute!"

Somehow, the praise reddened my cheeks.

"I'll go find Rumi to cheer him up!" he continued, twirling around. "Oh, but Shiina. Keep Rumi's tears a secret. He'll get mad at me for running my mouth."

I pretended to zip my mouth shut. He winked and took off at that, leaving me with a warmth in my chest that had me a grinning mess.

✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧

"Psst."

Come lunch, ambling through the school courtyard with my bought lunch in arm, I was greeted by faces I'd least expected. Kiharu Shino'oka and Tsumugi Tsukahara blocked the doors leading into the main building, uncharacteristically wide smiles painting their faces.

I fluttered my eyelashes rapidly. "What the. . ."

"You're so lucky!" Tsumugi surged forward, hands clasped together and unified awe swimming across her features. "Being noticed by the Beautician Boyz like that!"

Kiharu bobbed her head in agreement. "Sure you roasted one of them rotary style, but it's hella impressive you were able to stand yer ground."

Lost beyond comparison, I continued to bat my eyelids. I gandered behind me, but nobody was in the vicinity. Wait.

"Why do you look so befuddled?" Kiharu slapped my back with enough force to make me teeter. "We're talking to you, Shiina."

"Wh-why?" I muttered.

"What do you mean why? We can't start a conversation with our classmate?"

Hugging my wide assortment of school store breads to my chest—I could never quite stick to a single flavour—I raked them over suspiciously. "Considering you insult me whenever you see me, yes," I said.

Kiharu knocked her head to the side, palms on her hips. "I do it out of the kindness of my heart," she beamed. "Consider it my awkward way of displaying affection."

If her affection was as hostile as it usually was I wanted nothing to do with it.

Sadly, before I could continue on about my business, they cut off my path again.

"Wait! We seriously mean no harm. We're only curious!"

Tsumugi nodded in accordance with Kiharu's plea. "You really are amazing, Shiina!"

I replayed our conversation in my head only to draw blanks.

I took a bite of my melon bread then cocked my head. "What're you talking about?"

"The Beautician Boyz!"

I tilted my head further.

Kiharu face-palmed. "You seriously have no clue about the gravity of yer actions. No wonder you were able to interact with them so calmly."

"The Beautician Boyz are possibly the best looking boys Japan has ever seen," Tsumugi elaborated. "They're always getting interviewed and receiving praise from the entire city. They've done so much for this high school too."

I oohed whilst filling my mouth.

Kiharu continued, "It consists of seven students who all go to Hoshizaki. You had to have heard about them! Every so often, they choose girls and give them a makeover in front of the entire school. And these makeovers—man, they're godly! You can come to them as an ugly duckling and they'll transform you into a beautiful swan. Their talent as beauticians is that spectacular!"

"Wow. Awesome."

Kiharu pulled a face at my lack of optimism. Tsumugi's enthusiasm died down also.

"Are you possibly not interested in this stuff?" Tsumugi asked.

"They're basically beauty gurus, right?" I shrugged, tossing my second sandwich down the hatch. Talking with my mouth full was unladylike, but it was long established how far from the word I was. "You said they were all boys too, huh? Good for them. Battling toxic masculinity and other social norms. Honestly, I couldn't care less about that type of stuff."

They were not appreciative of my attitude.

Kiharu pursed her mouth. "You wouldn't care even if we told you Hachiko Ogami and Jin Narumi were members of this very group?"

Now that caused my eyebrows to rise. "They are?"

Tsumugi nodded. "It's crazy enough this group allowed new members to begin with—not to mention they're only in their first year! Rumour has it, for them to join they had to give makeovers to a thousand mannequins in under two hours, to which they completed it in a single hour. And in their free time, they gave the entire staff makeovers of their own!"

My memory takes me back to a couple of months ago, when our homeroom teacher arrived with a completely new look. I honestly assumed we'd gotten a new teacher by the same name and didn't question it too much—I was new to the school, after all. But now that they mentioned it, I was sure all teachers I'd crossed paths with had also become unrecognizable.

"The Beautician Boyz are a big deal, Shiina," Kiharu pressed. "They give makeovers not only to nobodies at Hoshizaki, but actual celebrities too. They're constantly booked and working in the actual field. Apparently if even one of them gives you a makeover, you're bound to succeed in all future endeavours. They're that influential."

The more I heard, the more badass they sounded. And they all went to Hoshizaki?

I imagined Hachi who'd I'd nonchalantly chatted with this morning, as well as all our previous interactions this entire year. Even the sensitive Narumi. . . They were apart of this famous group?

"Speaking of succeeding, have you heard about Upperclassman Hanai?" Tsumugi excitedly prattled. "She was scouted!"

"Upperclassman Hanai?" I questioned.

Kiharu gasped. "You haven't even heard of her?"

Shaking her head, she dug into her pocket and retrieved her cell. After tapping around a bit, she showed me her screen. A YouTube video.

We scooted over and took a seat in one of the nearby benches before she played it for me. A music video. And as soon as the singing started, I was doused in veneration. Her voice was powerful, and her dancing, effortless. She was drop-dead gorgeous as well.

I couldn't believe the amount of talent.

"She's in her third year but has already sequestered a large following," Kiharu stated after the video finished. The amount of subscribers she had, and supporters, was unreal. Flipping through her other uploaded videos, I was exposed to live concerts, talk shows. She really was beyond my wildest imagination. "Dancing, singing, acting—even looks," Kiharu concluded, equally awed. "She has it all.

"She even has a stylist," Tsumugi chimed in. "A boy in his second year a part of the Beautician Boyz—Banri Taniguchi."

I couldn't help but gawk.

"Being backed by the Beautician Boyz is amazing in and of itself, but having this amount of talent also?" Kiharu shook her head. "I hear she writes all her songs, too. No wonder the music industry took notice of her. She's going to take over the world with that brilliance, trust me."

No kidding.

And someone like that went to Hoshizaki?

I primmed my mouth. "The people in this school really are amazing."

"We've been trying to tell you that!" Kiharu remarked. "The fact that you're on friendly terms with the Beautician Boyz puts you on an entirely different level than the rest of us common folk."

I immediately waved. "I'm really not. Hachi is friendly with everyone. And Naru. . . I'm confident he hates me."

Least to my expectations, the two gaped at me.

"Not only on a first-name basis, she's already given them nicknames?" Kiharu hissed.

Tsumugi appeared on the verge of faint. "Shiina is way, way out of our league!"

I didn't like the way they put it. Didn't they ridicule me for being a beanstalk? Just because of a misleading conversation with these "famous" boys, they were going to overwrite it all? I was still the same Shiina I'd been all year.

I knew it was petty looking at them through the eyes of the past. Tsumugi aside, Kiharu made sure to poke fun at my giraffe status and chimed in with the rest of my classmates whenever they brought me down. We weren't friends. I'd gotten my hopes up about it once, when I invited them to that concert with me, only for it to blow up in my face.

That was why I knew. The reason they approached me today—it was definitely superficial. Possibly wanted as much gossip as they could get out of my relationship with Hachi and Naru. Not that there was any "relationship" between us.

As such, when they bid me farewell to head to the school store to buy themselves lunch and left me to have lunch alone as I always did, all that remained in my heart was the bitter numbness I'd grown accustomed to.

As I ate the rest of my lunch, I glazed over passing groups, raucously laughing and chatting.

I wonder how people made friends. Shows and movies made it seem so easy. One simple conversation could lead to them spending every waking moment together. But with me, no matter how many conversations I shared with others, no matter how many laughs or scandals we'd discussed, I always still found myself very much alone.

If Rin-Rin were here, he'd have gathered a bunch of friends in a day alone. He'd be surrounded by so many people, and he'd let me in his circle like he did all throughout elementary and middle school. He never left me be by myself long enough to have these thoughts. Maybe boys were just easier to befriend than girls? Or maybe I just wasn't the type people wanted to befriend.

As my thoughts roamed about nonsensical topics, I caught sight of something interesting.

Orange strands I'd never miss. And beside him, the girl I was introduced to only a short while ago.

My eyes bugged out of their sockets before I could help myself.

What was Igarashi doing with Upperclassman Hanai?

I knew I shouldn't have let my curiosity pique, let it get the better of me, but I couldn't help it. As far as I was concerned, the only girl ever allowed around Igarashi was Keiko Koshiba, yet here that midget was with a girl who'd typically never look twice in his direction.

So doing what anyone in my position would, I eavesdropped.

Tiptoed as close as I could get without them noticing me, and listened to their quiet voices the best I could.

"Iga." Upperclassman Hanai's voice was softer than I imagined. If through the screens I thought she was gorgeous, real-life was something else entirely. It was as if I was staring at an angel in the flesh. "Have you heard?"

Igarashi seemed rather uncomfortable. Not that I blamed him. I would be too in the presence of someone so out of my league. Therefore, hands in his pockets, he avoided eye contact. "Your latest song got chosen to be signed, right?"

"Correct." Upperclassman Hanai tittered, setting her palm over her mouth. "They complimented all my other music too, stating it was utterly amazing how I composed and produced them all by myself. They plan to give me an award for best composer. But, before they make things official, they proposed to attend the upcoming Music Festival to listen to my performance. They also made it painfully clear that they want to hear a brand new song."

A new song? At the Music Festival? Sparkles filled my eyes. I had no intention of attending before, but now I so had to. Even if Kiharu had only shown me a few songs, Upperclassman Hanai's impact was profound enough. I wouldn't mind hearing her sing again.

My eyebrows furrowed together. Which was why I didn't get it. Why was she telling Igarashi something like this? Were they friends? From this simple interaction, I'd assume otherwise. Neither were too friendly. In fact, I wouldn't pass them to have had some secretive past. . .

Then again, this was Igarashi. He was a moron with a brain the size of a peanut. The most secretive thing he probably dealt with was the fact that he drank four glasses of milk a day and still had no prominent height developments.

Then. . .

"And?" Igarashi asked, shattering my train of thought.

"The event is on Friday." Upperclassman Hanai's words were accompanied by a chilling smirk. "I can't wait for you to attend and congratulate me alongside everyone else. Don't be late, Iga."

She strolled past him and out of the scene without any further elaboration, leaving Igarashi frowning and me with a torrent of unanswered questions.

—————

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