The Melancholy of Sougo Tokiwa - Part 1 - A Peculiar Chuunibyou
"Excuse me, what is your name?"
"Geiz. Geiz Myoukouin." Geiz can barely get the words out.
"My name is Tsukuyomi."
Geiz turns bright red. It was in between classes and he had gone to his locker to grab the books for his next class. He never thought in a million years that the most beautiful and mysterious girl in the school (at least rated that way by some of his friends) would introduce herself to him out of the blue. "That's good." Wow, could I be more awkward?
"I have heard that you are not in any clubs."
Geiz relaxes somewhat. Oh, that's what this is about. But, still this doesn't make sense. If a club had Tsukuyomi as a member they would not have to recruit. Instead they would be more concerned about turning away members. "I am in the go home club."
"Please come to the third literature club meeting room after school today, please!" Tsukuyomi bows.
"Um, okay."
Tsukuyomi runs away, not allowing Geiz to change his mind.
Well, how bad could it be?
One of the teachers walks past him and gives him a knowing smile.
A shiver goes down Geiz's back. Wow, my friends were not kidding when they told me that Woz-sensei was creepy. Was he smiling at me because he saw a pretty girl talking to me?
Geiz turns to go to class and collides with another student.
The younger and smaller student falls back on his butt. "Moron!"
"Hey, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
"Don't patronize me upperclassman. I'm no one to be messed with."
Is today weirdo day? "Well then, please forgive me, I need to get to class."
"I'll remember this! Remember my name in fear: Heure!"
Geiz leaves the scene as quickly as he can.
...
"Geiz-kun! Can I look at your homework?"
Geiz looks at the student who sits behind him in contempt. He had known Sougo Tokiwa since Junior High School and something about Sougo had always made him angry. "Why don't you ever do your own homework?"
"I just want to make sure you did yours correctly."
"Transparent lie!"
"Please?"
Why do I always give in? "Okay."
Sougo starts laughing. "I think you got this one wrong." Sougo points to an answer.
"Did you look at the formula?"
Sougo, panicked, looks at his book. "Oops." Sougo hits himself in the head and sticks his tongue out.
"Acting cute isn't going to help you get through high school."
"Sorry. If I want to be a good demon king I need to do well in school."
That's it! Even though this dummy sits behind me, he is so forgettable that I had trouble remembering that he is a chuunibyou, someone who in eighth grade starts believing that they have super powers. "Well, doing well in school will help no matter what you wind up doing."
"But, there's only one thing that I will be doing, being a ..."
"Whatever!" Geiz turns around.
...
Geiz walks up the stairs to get to his next class. Suddenly he feels a slap on the face. "What?"
An underclass girl suddenly appears in front of him. "You peeped my panties, you pervert!"
Well, she is attractive. She be even more attractive if she smiled. My friends had rated her a B+ and said her name was Ora. "I didn't. But, since you slapped me for it, the least you could do is make up a lie about what your panties look like so I can feel that the slap was worth it." Geiz expects to be slapped again, but is surprised when Ora smiles.
"They are white and have pink bunnies on them." Ora runs away giggling.
This has been one strange day.
...
Geiz stops in front of the third literature club meeting room and hesitates. I have a bad feeling about this.
Geiz opens the door.
"Rejoice! The foretold rival to our beloved demon king, the one who will push Sougo in his quest, has arrived."
Geiz sees Woz-sensei, wearing a dark olive top over his suit, reading from a book. "What is this nonsense?"
Woz-sensei smiles in a creepy way. "Geiz Myoukouin, this is not nonsense. As you can see in my book, it is all written."
This is against my better judgment, but ... Geiz enters the club room. He is surprised to see Tsukuyomi reading a book by the window of the room. She wears a white cloak over her school uniform. Ora is also in the room wearing a white bunny outfit with pink bunnies printed on the outfit. Sougo is also in the room, grinning from ear to ear. Geiz walks over to Woz-sensei and looks in his book. What? Geiz sees that the words on the page of the book end with "and Geiz says 'What is this nonsense?'".
Geiz sits down in shock.
Sougo smiles. "I am so happy that we are rivals now."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"I have to surpass you if I want to become the demon king."
"If this means you will stop copying my homework, then I can slightly approve. However, I have no ambition to be a demon king. There is no point to you having me as a rival."
Tsukuyomi looks up from her book. "There is. You would have not been asked if there wasn't."
"What is the point then?"
Woz laughs. "The book has seen into the future and has recognized that you have qualities in yourself that you do not realize."
"And, if do not agree to join into this shared delusion?"
Sougo smirks. "Then I will continue to copy your homework."
"That's not much of a threat."
"I'll tell everyone that we are best friends forever!"
"And, if I beat you up for that?"
Woz smiles. "Rejoice! Our rival first realizes that he must engage in physical conflict with our dear demon king."
Geiz rolls his eyes. "Wait a minute. If I am supposed to be Sougo's rival, what are Tsukuyomi and Ora supposed to be doing?"
Tsukuyomi looks into Geiz's eyes without smiling. "I am the king's bully. If I can tell that he is losing his humanity and is becoming an evil demon king then I will beat him up without hesitation. If he strays too far from the path then I will support you for demon king."
"None of that makes any sense! How can you be a demon king without being evil? And, why support me? I have no ambition to be a demon king."
Woz shakes his head. "It is all written in the book."
"So, what is Ora's role in all this?"
Sougo smiles condescendingly. "She's cute, so we made her a mascot."
"Ouch!" Suddenly, Sougo starts rubbing his butt.
Geiz turns to look at Ora who has an unexpected self satisfied look on her face. "Are they bullying you into doing this?"
"I am here because the book says that I need to be here."
Geiz smiles a slyly. "Sougo, you have already failed as a good demon king."
"What?"
"If you were a good demon king and if you were given absolute control over your subjects then you wouldn't embarrass them by making them dress up in cosplay outfits just for your amusement."
Sougo's shock changes to a sly smile. "But, you have failed as well, since you like to peep at your underclassman's panties."
Geiz looks at Ora who sticks her tongue out and pulls down one of her lower eyelids.
"Geiz, do not despair. I am sure that you will get better at this."
"Woz-Sensei, I am not despairing. I have no intention of joining this insane club."
Woz-Sensei shakes his head. "You don't have a choice. As school counselor, I can declare that you are not emotionally fit for school and have you thrown out."
Geiz suddenly feels a piece of paper in his hand even though no one is close to him. He reads it as discreetly as he can.
Please play along. I will explain later. Meet me at the candy store across from school at five.
Geiz thinks for a minute. "Well, I will agree to be your rival for now, Sougo. But, if I decide that you are not worthy then I will withdraw."
Woz-sensei puts his hand on Geiz's shoulder.
Geiz feels very creepy.
"An excellent choice. Being the rival to the demon king will not be easy but I think you have what it takes!"
"Gee, thanks. But, what is this club called?" Geiz makes air quotation marks.
Sougo smiles proudly. "We are the SOS brigade. SOS stands for Spreading excitement all Over the world with Sougo tokiwa's brigade!"
Geiz rolls his eyes.
To Be Continued!
