The Ultimate Len Tsukimori Guide
by Pathetic Rainbow
Chapter One: The Assignment
I didn't really pay much attention in any of my classes. I did well in most of my subjects; but I was in no way an upstanding student. I submitted all my requirements on time and my teachers would usually give me a grade that would be enough for me to pass. The keyword being usually.
"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to repeat the year," Kakeru-sensei broke the news to me at the faculty lounge. "You cut my class too many times and the rules dictate that you've dropped the subject because of your absences."
My brain stopped functioning at the thought of me repeating an entire year. That would mean I would have to retake every subject, including maths. That would mean I wouldn't be able to graduate next year along with my friends. That would mean that I had to stay in this dreadful school for another year—and won't be able to head on to college with my classmates. That would mean my mom would kill me.
"Sensei," I pleaded, desperate. "Is there really no way to make you reconsider? Extra credit? I'll do anything!"
Kakeru-sensei rested his chin on his palm as he thought of something. He was a nice teacher and I couldn't believe that I took his leniency for granted and ended up missing more classes than was allowed. I tried to smile to not show my panic, but my heart was pounding loudly against my chest and I could hear the beats echo in my ears. There had to be something—anything.
"Well, there is one thing you could do..."
"Anything!"
"The administration has been pushing for the two departments to have better relations." I nodded attentively to every word. It was true that us students from the General Education department didn't like those from the Music department—but that was only because they acted so stuck up all the time just because they knew how to play an instrument. They were at fault, too, for seeing us as inferior. "The original plan was to have a soirée of sorts for all the students to mingle, but we realized that you'll all end up segregating yourselves either way."
I nodded to that, too. Their prediction seemed about right. While I have tried to remain neutral and just focus on getting through high school, I knew people who showed how profound their distaste was for the students of the other department. It couldn't be helped, really. I couldn't even imagine a world where we all coexisted without any tension.
"And what do I have to do?" I asked, eager to find out my assignment. It had to be related to the music department somehow. Perhaps I was to plan the soirée or a different kind of social gathering? The idea was admittedly fun, though it surely wasn't going to work as well as the teachers hoped.
"Because we can't affect change on a macro scale, we have to look into the micro level," Kakeru-sensei explained. "That's where you come along, Kahoko. You can be our test subject. A guinea pig of sorts."
I frowned. "It sounds degrading."
"You don't even know what you're going to do yet!" Kakeru-sensei laughed at me and I looked away, embarrassed. "Here's what you're going to do, Kahoko. You are going to take the initiative of befriending a music student of our—as in the teachers—choosing and you'll have to send a creative report about said student. Like a biography of sorts, but it doesn't have to be that detailed. Just get to know them well enough to write about them."
"Okay!" I didn't even consider it. I was desperate; I didn't want to go through my third year all over again. I actually didn't process it when I responded, but my smile faltered after a few seconds when it finally sank in that I was going to have to befriend a music student. I didn't doubt that I could be friendly, but everyone I had encountered were snobs. If there was a variable to me failing this assignment, it would be the other student and not me. "Wait—"
"That's the spirit!" Kakeru-sensei interrupted, slapping my shoulder. "You'll be a guinea pig in the sense that if you can pull off this assignment, surely the other students can do so as well!"
"But I—"
"I know it's your finals next week, but seeing that you're really not in any position to refuse the assignment, you'll have to start as soon as possible. You have three weeks to complete your assignment—so that's two weeks after finals, when the grades are due for submission."
"But I—"
"You can't tell the other student that this is for an assignment, though, because they might make you fail on purpose because they'll feel like they're just being used."
"Sensei, I—"
"You don't know how the teachers are looking forward to the results of this, Kahoko! We've all been trying our best to make everyone get along, but it's near impossible. But if there's anyone who could do it, I know it's you, my dear student; you're the sweetheart of the General Education department!"
I blushed at the compliment, but I was also annoyed that he wouldn't let me state my objections.
"Sensei," I started with a huff. "Who's the music student I'll have to report on?"
Kakeru-sensei gave a smirk and I became even more anxious. "No one else but the infamous Len Tsukimori, of course."
My heart stopped. The teachers were giving me Len Tsukimori. Heck, they might as well have asked the impossible from me! Len Tsukimori was a personified ice cube. While he did have looks, talent and a fortune to his name, he was still the infamous Ice Prince of the Music department. All his admirers would be turned down coldly and they'd have their hearts broken over this boy with an obsession with his violin. He didn't have any friends either. I could go on and on about the things I had heard about Len Tsukimori, but I have never personally interacted with him in any way.
"I know you've heard things about him already," Kakeru-sensei interrupted my train of thought. "But you shouldn't let those cloud your judgement when you get to know him yourself. He's still human underneath that cold exterior of his."
Calling his exterior cold was an understatement. He was like Pluto, so far away from the sun that practically no warmth reaches it. But despite any protest, I knew that I had no choice. It was this or fail—and I couldn't fail.
"Okay," I said finally, more to convince myself that I was actually doing this than to inform Kakeru-sensei that I was agreeing to take on the assignment for extra credit.
Len Tsukimori.
May the fates have mercy on me.
