Chapter 1 – Inexplicable Concern

This school is full of graceless buffoons.

From those delinquents that pelt the halls with spitballs to the gym class misfits asking me for condoms to that lazy "Earth Defense Club," there are certain classes of people that Binan High School is better without. How did Binan High School, once renowned the world over for its sheer elegance and regal air, devolve into such a bastion of baseness? I swear to the good gods above, if something wasn't done about the impurity that this school reeked of, I would-

"Oof!" A first-year student crashed into me, with little regard for his surroundings. "Sorry about that!"

"Ugh, it's you…" I remembered this kid far too well - Hakone Yumoto, the leader of the Earth Defense Club, and the biggest dimwit I had ever met. He was so stupid that someone with a single-digit I.Q. could outsmart him effortlessly. And if this school had to locate the culprit of its gracelessness, this buffoon would be him. In disgust, I departed for the student council meeting room with a huff.

"Kusatsu-sempai, I'm really, really sorry!" Yumoto attempted to apologize. Not that I bothered to listen or reply to him, for that blockhead didn't deserve even a second of my attention.

What did deserve my attention, however, was the stack of paperwork that typically cluttered my desk. I normally loved to test my skills in intelligence, I really did, but… I could only stand to look at arcane language and tedious statistics for so long before I decided I had had enough. This task was so boring that I wanted to bury my face in the paperwork and cry, wishing to the stars above that it would just do itself. It was quite dark outside, only adding to the mounting tiredness that almost overwhelmed me right now.

"Kinshiro?" Ibushi bought me a cup of tea to help me feel better. "What's wrong?"

"It's this blasted paperwork…" I groaned, taking a sip of the tea offered to me. At least in the midst of all of this tedium, I knew that in student council meetings I always had Ibushi's wonderful tea to look forward to. "I can't stand it. I really think I'm going to keel over just thinking about how the principal is going to have my head if I don't get it done soon."

"It's a shame," Akoya remarked. "You've been working on it almost nonstop for days."

"Yes, and if it weren't for the delinquents who raided the Gay-Straight Alliance's on-campus store, I would have been done with it days ago."

"Sounds like someone needs a break…" Ibushi consoled me with a hug from behind. "Why don't you take off for the day? We can take care of the rest of the paperwork."

"You… are kidding, right? Don't you realize that this paperwork is due by tomorrow morning, and if it isn't submitted by then, the principal will-"

"Kinshiro-sempai." Akoya took a stern tone with me as he practically shoved me out of the room. "You are going to take a break, and that's final. Go do something refreshing, then come back when you've cooled off."

"Okay, okay, I'm going… Sheesh." Sometimes, I couldn't tell if the other student council members were my schoolmates or my guardians. It did help me that they were quite dependable, though, because now I could do the one thing I do nearly every night before heading home: go to the movies.

I normally enjoyed quite depressing movies, as I could sympathize with the characters far too well. Tonight, however, I decided to watch a rather famous romantic comedy. I needed a little bit of joviality in my life after the monotony I had endured mere minutes ago.

Oh, how charming – the heroine is such a klutz and the hero doesn't seem to mind one bit. I for one was amazed that the hero could fall for someone as clumsy, hyper, and extroverted as that girl. I knew that there was no way I would ever fall for someone like that, though… not even if he begged me. Besides, I was in love with the most wonderful man in the world – my longtime friend, Kinugawa Atsushi.

The man had beauty like the dawn, evident every time he cast a smile in my direction. I could run out of breath, but the mere thought of Atsushi would renew it back into me. Despite how much I loved him and would move heaven and Earth for him, I just couldn't approach him.

And the sudden entrance of Atsushi with his friends reminded me why. It would have been one thing if Atsushi came on his own… But why did he have to bring his band of fools with him? Especially that worthless couch potato, Yufuin En, who is the very reason I haven't had the courage to approach Atsushi in the first place?

To make matters worse, they would not shut up. The heroine said something stupid, they laughed. The hero cracked a cheesy fart joke, they laughed. The hero confessed that he had explosive diarrhea, they laughed. It seemed that for 90% of the movie, those imbeciles laughed with no consideration for me or the other theatre guests.

I considered leaving the theatre just to get away from them, but by that time, the movie had ended. Phew – now I could go back home, where I could get something to eat before calling Ibushi to find out how the paperwork went. Even better, though, I didn't have to pay any heed to those insufferable Earth Defense Club members for the rest of the night. Or at least, that's what I thought, until…

"Oh, En-chan, you're simply wonderful!" When I turned around, I noticed Atsushi getting a little… close with Yufuin. "I can't wait until our next date!"

"You won't have to wait long, my love. After all, spending time with you is one of my life's greatest joys."

"Hey, hey!" Ryuu seemed to resent the intimacy he witnessed. "No fair! I wish I could go on an interesting date like you guys do!"

"Then I'll be glad to oblige," Io answered, giving Ryuu a side hug.

"You guys…" Atsushi shook his head before returning his attention to Yufuin. "En-chan, you are the best boyfriend I could ever hope for."

At these last words, I nearly collapsed to the ground, in a huge public space, with my spirits low and my heart heavy. So, after all this time, after me waiting for the opportunity to speak to Atsushi again, someone has robbed me of that opportunity. And of all people to steal Atsushi from me, it had to be Yufuin. That listless, can't-be-bothered Yufuin, who couldn't possibly-

"Eh?" Atsushi took notice of my distress. "Kin-chan, is that you?"

"Urk!" I couldn't believe he could notice me this late at night, and in such a huge crowd. What rotten luck.

"Kin-chan, you look awful." Atsushi took a few steps in my direction. "What's wrong?"

I defensively took a few steps back as I glared at the Defense Club. "Stay… back…"

"Kin-chan?"

Atsushi's obliviousness to my distress finally proved to be too much, and in a fit of annoyance, I shouted, "Stay away from me! I never want to see the likes of you and the Defense Club again!"

With that, I ran in the direction opposite to the Defense Club, not caring whether or not my path actually led to home. I just had to get away from them as fast as I possibly could. I couldn't run for very long, though, as the cold weather seared my throat. Quite lost, I simply surmised where home might be and began to walk. In the midst of my resentment, I had found myself in a deserted, dismal alley - perfectly fitting for someone like me. No people, no sounds, no stray animals… Just me and my downtrodden heart. Maybe I should stay here a while just for this alley's seclusion from all the annoyingly happy people meters away.

At least, I thought this alley was secluded, until…

"Ew, what a disgusting-looking cat!" I heard a teenage boy shout at the far end of the alley. "Why would you protect such a nasty thing?"

"Y-You can threaten me all you… like…" a feeble-sounding voice began, "but I'm not going to let you harm this kitty."

"She's just going to die, anyway! Just let her go!"

"N-No…" The voice displayed no intention to relent.

"Then you're just going to have to go with her!" another bully declared as he and his cohorts continued to beat the kid up.

At this point, I decided that enough was enough. I had suffered my fair share for the day – there was no need for another person to go through what I had to go through. With little thought, I approached the bullies, attempting to keep a cool head. "Hey. Leave him alone."

"Who the heck are you?" The apparent leader of the bullies turned to me, arousing the interest of his cohorts. "Wait… You're the president of Binan High's student council, Kusatsu Kinshiro, aren't you?"

"Yes, and this student council president is going to have to ask you to leave the kid alone."

"Oh, yeah?" The leader arose and grabbed me by the shirt. "You and what army?"

"My army of the student council, that's who. If you like, I can report to the principal that you're all juvenile delinquents and have you swiftly expelled. After that, you can have a fun time trying to convince your parents not to take all of your skateboards, video games, and dirty magazines away from you."

"Ugh, what a buttmunch… Let's go, guys." The leader gathered his cohorts, who left the area in shame.

Grateful that the bullies had yielded, I now turned my attention to the poor kid they had pestered. I attempted to touch him, but he merely flinched warily, saying, "S-Stay away from me! I'm not going to let you harm this kitty!"

"No, please!" I attempted to convince this kid that I meant no harm. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

"Do you… mean it?"

"Yes, I swear it."

"O-Okay…" The kid finally loosed the tension and turned to me. I was shocked to learn that this kid, who essentially risked his life for a scraggly cat, was none other than the Binan High buttmunch, Hakone Yumoto. "Is… that you, Kusatsu-sempai?"

"Dear gods, Yumoto, we need to get you to a hospital." Forget the fact that it was biting cold and I really wanted to be home, drinking hot chocolate, right now. This kid was in so much pain that I'd be callous to ignore him. I attempted to help on his feet, but as I did, Yumoto refused my help.

"No, I'm fine." Yumoto insisted. "I just need to go home and rest. My parents and Gora-chan can take care of the rest."

"And what about the cat? What are you going to do with her?"

"Why, adopt her, of course. I was in such a hurry to see her this afternoon that I ran here just to make sure she was okay. I'm glad I came when I did, or else those bullies could have done unspeakable things to her…"

So, that's why Yumoto had crashed into me in the hallway. If I had known this reason… If I had known that Yumoto only wanted to help someone in need, I would not have been so angry with him. To make up for my actions this afternoon, and to help Yumoto feel better, I brushed his hair from his forehead and looked at him sincerely. "What of you? Are you okay? Do you need me to help you with anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

"B-But…" Why? Why was I so concerned over Yumoto, the Yumoto who probably had a single-digit I.Q., the Yumoto who could easily trip over his own feet, the Yumoto who'd probably forget his own head if it weren't attached?

"Kusatsu-sempai, don't you worry about a thing!" Yumoto grinned, not affected by the apparent pain he was in. "I'll be fine, count on it."

"All right…" I began as I made way for home. "If you need anything from me, you know where the student council room is."

"Sure thing! Thanks for helping us, Kusatsu-sempai! Have a good night!"

It was with those words that Yumoto took the direction opposite to mine, clinging onto that cat for dear life. For the rest of the night, and well into the day that followed, my mind would not let go of that adorable kid and his determination to protect the cat. Shit, I just called someone other than Atsushi adorable. Not only that, but I had shown such concern for someone, with no hesitation, that I have only shown to Atsushi, whom I have known for years. Could I finally be… opening myself up to another human being?

No, that's simply absurd, I thought as I neatly stacked that pile of unexciting paperwork, ready to turn it in to the principal.