Chapter Text
‘I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.’ My entire life feels more like a joke than anything else. Why? Why did people care how I looked? Why did all of them judge me based on that, and only that?
Being called ‘pretty’ or ‘beautiful’ hadn’t been much of a problem, on the contrary, it made me happy. Well, that was until I started middle school. Now it felt as if my looks were a barrier. I don’t mind being bullied, I can beat them up anyway. I don’t need friends, I have my sister. Being alone is better than being with people like them
Today is my first day of high school, the first day of 11th grade that is. An all-boys school
"This is our new transfer student, he came here from Tokyo. Let’s all treat him well"
"My name is Hoshiko sora, good to meet you"
Almost as soon as I finished introducing myself a boy raised his hand "Yes Fukuhara?"
Chuckling a little he stared at me "isn’t that a girl?". As he continued talking I tried ignoring him but just like a dying pig, his voice was inescapable and irritating. I don’t mind the laughs nor the fact that the teacher hadn’t said anything, but I too have a limit
Getting closer to ‘Fukuhara’ I made an unwise decision - my fist meeting his face the laughter ended - damn that felt good
"HOSHIKO," the teacher said quickly heading to the now bruised boy
Looking around I found an empty seat next to a delinquent-looking ginger. The crying boy and angry teacher wouldn’t stop screaming at me. I had left a good impression, hadn’t I?
While it seemed the teacher calmed down I still got a very impressive scolding, the kid I punched went to the nurse. Though I’m pretty sure I didn’t hit him that hard but nonetheless the class continued
We had a few more classes, and not long after lunch arrived "You didn’t break his nose, did you?" I heard someone humorously say to my right
Wasn’t he one of the people laughing? "Hypocrite" I mumbled under my breath
"What was that?" My tablemate asked, I got my lunch out turning to my side to look at him. One hand with my chopsticks the other grabbing the chair
"You’re a hypocrite" stating blankly "weren’t you laughing at me?"
"Oh right, I did laugh. Your reaction was funny is all"
My reaction was funny..? "In what way, idiot"
"If you keep saying that you’ll hurt my feelings" he sarcastically said getting a little too close, I turned away eating a few bites of my bento. The cute squid shaped sausages made me smile
"My name is Narumi koushi but most people call me by Ajax-" I ignored him as he kept talking.
"Let me try some of that!" Shoving his face almost on mine he opened his mouth. "Don’t you have your own lunch?" I made this myself, why would I give u any?
"I’ve got money" he exclaimed with a smile "so let me try some!" Insisting over and over again I had enough
If it’ll get him to leave me alone, getting a sausage I moved it closer to his mouth, with an ‘ahh’ that I said by habit he opened his mouth eating it. I turned again to eat MY food, a successful attempt
"That tastes amazing!! Who made it?"
As I finished chewing my food I smirked "I did"
With a shocked expression the taller idiot started looking for something in his bag, I stared at his face full of food. Money..? A LOT of money, is he showing off? That was what I thought until he placed it on my desk. D-did he steal that?!? Am I somehow associated with this now??
"What’s that..?"
His hand found its way on my back he smiled brightly, "make lunch for me too! I’ll pay you"
Huh?!?? Was that all his money? What type of job…
"I don’t need your money" I wasn’t going to take money I didn’t know where had come from
"Huh? Seriously? Do u want more?" ‘More?!?’ Who carries so much money with them?. He started pulling something out of his pocket, most likely more money. "Here you go" I was left speechless
Staring at the card then back at him I turned away to eat my food again, do rich people hand out black cards like it’s nothing? "Wait you don’t even want this??" Again, I tried ignoring him and eating my food but just like the last his voice was inescapable
"What do you want?!?" I shout. What gave him the right to order me around and expect something? Rich people really suck
"What do I want? I already told you! Make food for me too" he kept handing out the card smiling like a fool, how I was so happy to realize we were the only ones in class
"I’m not making your food. That’s the end of it"
Standing up and leaving the classroom that conversation ended
_______
Today I decided to have a comfortable lunch up at the roof - though it’s against the rules, I only want some peace and quiet - "when will you start making me some?" Said the annoying ginger next to me
"Won’t you leave me alone?!? You’re seriously getting on my nerves"
Bento. Bento started this, I stared at the carefully made egg rolls they complemented the rice and pickled plum. This was supposed to be a delicious lunch, now I don’t even feel like eating it
Shoving my food towards the ginger I grabbed the packed bread next to me, "you can have that"
I opened the bag of bread expecting to hear koushi being happy yet the only thing I heard was a long sigh coming from him "what’s wrong? Isn’t that what you wanted?" I swallowed my food staring at the bento
"It is.. but I don’t want to eat your food" getting closer his cheek touched mine, no personal space, I was still eating my bread. "Didn’t you say you want to eat the food I made?"
"Of course I do! It tastes amazing!! But I want you to make it for me"
What type of logic is that? My hand acting like a barrier pushing his face from mine I took another bite of my food "What does it matter if I made it for myself or for you?"
"I’ll feel bad taking your food" he gently pushed the bento towards me
He feels bad taking my food, but doesn’t feel bad following me for a week..?? Should I just agree? This guy’s standards seem messed up
"I’ll cook for you," I said looking at him
"Really? That’s great! Here take this"
We exchanged a few seconds of silence as I stared at the card. Maybe I should rethink this… no normal person would hand out a black card like this, averting my eyes from the card I see the huge smile on koushis face.. well it’s too late now. I took the bento and started eating it, while he did decline it he seemed sad I took it away from him
The next day I prepared for both me and Ajax because we had lunch together. That continued happening for the next 2 weeks
__________
"Ahh," sora said as he found himself once again feeding the taller man, what am I doing…
These past two weeks I’ve grown quite fond of Ajax - a nickname koushi likes - he likes martial arts just like me, and he has never once brought up my appearance as an excuse or an insult.
It felt good having a friend that didn’t judge me by my looks. Though I do wonder, what made him approach me? My sister said I looked very unapproachable
"Say Ajax, why did you approach me?" I asked closing my bento
As he filled his face with rice he looked at me confused "I mean why did you talk to me? People don’t normally talk to a kid that got in trouble on their first day"
Swallowing his food he got ready to shove more into his mouth but before he did he looked at me "you were cute, plus that punch was cool" after he just went back to eating as though he didn’t just say some embarrassing things
Cute…? I’m pretty sure my face was a bright red after that and for a while at that. I’ve been bullied for looking more feminine than manly but never complimented at least not by one of my classmates
But still.. why is my heart beating so fast?!?