Monsters.
The whole of students were gathered in the yard, trying to get closer, to pass their teachers who were blocking the way with spread arms and severe faces.
« Those fuckers… They can't help to stare at us like idiots. What's so funny about this situation ? You heartless bastards », you muttered to yourself.
« Get back to your classrooms ! », yelled a teacher to a group in front of him.
« Professor ! Is it true that firemen are coming ?! »
« Professor ! Are you going to expel them ?! »
« Is it true that they threw him in the trash ? »
« For the last time : get back to your classrooms ! There's nothing to see ! »
It was all vain, of course. Students liked to gossip too much to drop it.
« You suckers… Just leave us alone… », you thought, staring at them with a cold gaze which made some girls whine and step back.
« Haruhi, that's enough ! Just grab my hand and lemme get you out of there ! », the brunette next you scolded for the fifth time.
Your hard gaze immediately softened when you heard your friend's name, and you returned your eyes on him. Haruhi was here, just under you, seated on few trash bags, head between his hands and tears running down his face.
« Leave me alone », he sobbed as you and your friend pulled a face. Those three words have been the only ones you've heard from him for fifteen minutes and he stilled didn't want to get out.
« Haruhi ! », your brown-haired friend called again, hands tightening on the edge of the trash bin. The two of you have been holding on it since you've found Haruhi, and your fingers were starting to get sore.
« Haruhi… », your soft voice repeated as you held out your own hand. « Please, Haruhi, let us bring you out of there. »
No reaction. He didn't even look up at you. Next to you, your friend's patience was wearing thin.
« Get up there, Haruhi ! », he yelled madly. « If you don't grab our hands on the instant I swear to God I'll come to bring you back myself ! »
« Etsurô, don't yell at him… », you whispered to him. « Haruhi, please… »
« Just go away ! Both of you ! », the blond in the trash finally screamed, looking up at you with teary eyes. « Don't you understand ?! If you keep helping me they gonna hurt you too ! They'll do to you the same things ! Just go away ! Leave me alone ! »
« What do you mean ?! Like hell we're leaving ! If those jackass want war, they gonna have it ! I'm not giving up on you ! », Etsurô shouted, stretching his arm even further. « Just grab my fucking hand, Haruhi ! We gonna overcome this altogether ! The three of us ! »
You silently nodded, waiting for the poor Haruhi to react.
Haruhi was a nice boy, in every sense of the word. He was tall, maybe a little too thin, but his skin was spotless and his eyes as blue as a summer sky. A mane of light blond hair was framing his delicate features. Haruhi was kind, soft, with a fragile heart of glass, and more importantly, he was a really good student. Way too clever for his age. His intelligence associated with his good looks and weak temper was enough to make of him the perfect victim for jealous boys.
Haruhi, Etsurô and you have been friends since you were all very little. They were like brothers to you. Haruhi was obviously the brain of your group, while Etsurô was a little more impulsive. Well, a lot more impulsive to be honest. He was hot-blooded, impatient, always ready for a fight. But he was also very reliable and would do anything for his friends. Especially Haruhi. Both of you were over-protective towards him because you knew he couldn't defend himself.
And you, well… you were the calm one. Between Etsurô's wrath and Haruhi's nervousness, a soothing presence was life-saving. But still waters run deep. If you were usually quiet and imperturbable, you were a true war-machine when pissed off. You had more strength than Haruhi. More strength than Etsurô. Despite your rather common appearance, you were probably the strongest person in this school. You didn't know where your power came from, but you knew that you could do some serious damages if you lost control.
« We're not leaving you, Haruhi », you murmured to him.
The blond sniffed a last time, and then finally grabbed your hand. You effortlessly pulled him out of the trash and delicately put him down back on his feet, but he staggered and fell in your arms.
« S-Sorry… »
« I'll carry you to the nurse's office, Haruhi », you said.
« N-No ! Please ! », he squeaked as you lift him up. « Put me down I… I've been humiliated enough for today… At least I want to walk on my own… »
This sentence broke your heart, and you could see at his face that he broke Etsurô's too, and you regretfully put him down, letting him limp ahead. You walked behind him, throat constricting as you noticed all his scratches and bruises. All the students were gazing at the three of you, whispering. You shot them a cold gaze.
« Stop it », Etsurô told you. « You gonna get in troubles with teachers if you scare them too much. »
You finally passed a group of boys who were snorting and grinning. Etsurô and you felt your hearts quickened.
« Haruhi, are they the ones who did it to you ? » Etsurô asked.
Haruhi didn't answer. He couldn't resolve to answer yes. What if they hurt him again for denouncing them ? Or worse, what if they hurt you ? He didn't need to answer anyway, the way his eyes widened and his hands tightened against his chest was enough.
« Hey… » Etsurô called, glancing at you.
« I know », you answered, looking at the guys.
« I let it to you. »
« No prob. »
You forked, letting Haruhi and Etsurô head to the nurse's office. The three guys were looking at you with amused eyes as you approached them. Obviously, they had no idea of who they had just provoked. It was gonna hurt.
« What d'ya want, miss ? My phone number, maybe ? », the first one dared to say.
« Uuuh, beware ! Miss Cute-Skirt seems upset ! », the second added.
« Are we gonna have a catfight ?! Oh noooo I'm scaaaared ! »
« You guys… you're the ones who did that to Haruhi, aren't you ? », you said in a loud voice.
« What ? You gonna scratch me because I beat your boyfriend down ? »
« I just wanted to be sure I'm gonna send the real culprits to the hospital. »
« Wha… You sure have guts, Miss ! But you should be more careful with this tongue of yours ! »
He launched himself, arm retracted to land a punch. You didn't even bother to dodge. There was no need to dodge or block with your level of strength. You simply received his fist against your smaller palm, and all the force engaged in his blow was sent back in his arm. It was enough to made him let out a cry of pain, and the boy shivered and step backwards as his two comrades looked at him with wide eyes.
« Wha..What are you doing, man ?! She barely touched you ! »
The boy didn't answer them. Instead, he just raised his head to look back to your unfathomable eyes.
« What have you done ?! You broke my arm without even moving ?! How could you possibly do that, you monster ?! », he shouted, his voice shaking.
The nickname made you screw up your eyes. It wasn't the first time you were called like this.
« Leave it to us, buddy ! There's no way somebody can be that strong ! It was just sheer luck ! », the second boy said firmly, taking quick steps toward you with the third one.
In a flash, you were next the taller one, elbow ready to be sent right his jaw. He didn't even had the chance to see it coming than he already felt the acrid taste of blood filling his mouth. His view spun around before he collapsed on the floor, completely stupefied. The last standing boy wasn't luckier and soon felt your hard knuckles sinking in his stomach, sending him cry next his comrade. The one with the injured arm didn't even try again.
You could have stopped here. You should have stopped here. All Esturô asked you was to teach them a lesson, not to slaughter them. But you were angry, so damn angry, that you needed to give them hell. Nobody touched Etsurô or Haruhi without facing your wrath ! Nobody !
« You guys like trash ?! Then lemme give you some ! »
Your hand grabbed the trash containing few goblets and tissues and uproot it like if it was nothing. It made them scream in angst and they promptly shielded their faces with their arms.
« P-Please ! No ! We're sorry ! We're sorry ! »
« Have mercy ! Please ! »
« Mercy… », you echoed gloomy. « Did you had any mercy for Haruhi when you beat him up until he cried ?! Did you had any mercy when you threw him in the trash ?! Why should I be merciful with shitheads like you ?! »
You raised the trash a little higher, ready to knock it down on them.
« Stop it, idiot ! »
This voice wasn't unfamiliar. This voice had the magic power to make you freeze no matter what you were doing.
« Etsurô… », you murmured.
« Drop this, idiot ! Did you forget what I told you ?! You're too strong to fight against people without holding back ! Aren't you aware that you might kill them ?! »
« But… Haruhi has been… It's… », you mumbled.
« Haruhi will be fine. He's stronger than you think, he'll get over this like he always did. Drop this. »
Etsurô was probably the only one you were listening to. Letting your head fall, you tossed the trash aside as if it wasn't heavier than a feather.
« You dickhead should be thankful… Esturô probably just saved your fucking lives… Stay away from Haruhi. »
« Y-Yes ! », all the three of them squeaked before running away from you.
« I've already told you ! », Esturô yelled at you. « Hold back ! Hold fucking back ! If you can't, I'll be the one fighting next time ! »
« I don't do it on purpose… I have no control of my strength… »
You raised your head again, and your eyes widened. You didn't notice it, but students were gathered around you, looking at you like if you were Jack the Ripper as one single word echoed again and again.
« Monster. »
« She crushed them… She crushed all the three of them like if there were insects, she's a monster ! »
Monster, monster, monster… Please not again.
You started to run forward, students moving out of you way, scared to be hurt too if they dared to block your path. You felt Esturô's hand brushed against yours, probably trying to hold you, but you powerful legs had already sent you out of his range of vision.
« Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK »
You were running without even looking at the road. All you needed was some unlimited sportive activity. You needed to weaken your body and strength to find some serenity, to cool down.
« FUCK ! »
You did it again. No matter how many self-control you try to gain. No matter how hard you try to be normal, to be weaker. It didn't work. It never worked.
You were cursed with what most of people would call a gift. An unbelievable and unexpected physical strength.
You couldn't tell where this force came from. Maybe you inherited from some great-great-great-parent. Maybe you were just born this way. Maybe you were really cursed.
You were strong. Damn strong. You were naturally strong like other people are naturally blond. Why people can't understand it wasn't your fault ? Why did they judge you only by your strength. People liked you hated you just because of it. They never tried to know you.
« How can they even want to know me… Who would be crazy enough to try to befriend someone who can behead them with a slap… », you thought, your legs losing their pace to leave you walking.
Your arms grabbed and tightened on each other, and you let your head and hair fall until you couldn't see further than your own feet.
« It's barely the beginning of the year and I screw up already…. »
Etsurô, Haruhi and you were in your first year of high school, and Esturô, who was the uncontested leader of your little trio, had convinced both of you that it was your chance to have a fresh start. He said that Haruhi wouldn't be bullied anymore. He said that you would be in a place with new people who won't know anything about your strength, people who will maybe give you a chance… But everything already shattered.
You knew how the three next years were going to be. Just like in middle school. You were going to be rejected by your classmates, called a monster behind your back. Everybody will be scared of you. Again. Just because you couldn't afford to lose control like a normal girl. Because when it happened, the damages you caused were far too serious.
You've already forbid yourself to practice any sport to not gain unnecessary muscle, but it seems pointless. It was like every step you took, every weight you lifted were enough to train your arms and legs and made them stronger. If you could leave your strength behind, if you could just peel it off your body, you would do it, without hesitating.
It's weird, really, how stern people are when it came to somebody stronger than them. They thought that you just had to hold back. That your own will could be enough to stop the war-machine you were. As if holding back through anger, fear, despair… was easy.
« Nobody never pity the strong like the weak… It's like you lost any right to complain once you've reached a certain level of power… It's like I have no right to not be happy about this, no excuse to not be infallible and perfect… Just because some people would kill to have my strength doesn't mean I can handle it, dammit ! It doesn't mean I have to force myself to love it ! Just because you're jealous of it… it doesn't allow you to blame me ! »
Psychologically exhausted, you let you fall on the grass nearby and tucked your knees against your chest, resting your forehead on it. Your fingers soon grabbed your shoelaces, nervously tugging at it as you began to cry again, tears rolling down your face and raining on your thighs.
Impervious to the world as you were, you didn't notice that somebody was already sitting on the grass, barely few meters away. He's been watching you since the moment you laid a foot on the green space, and was now silently hesitating between talking to you or leaving you alone. Finally, he spoke :
« Hey ? Are you alright ? »
The stupidity of the question was enough to get on your nerves, but the fact that you've been caught crying was even worse.
« Get lost ! », you shouted, not bothering to raise your head.
You didn't hear him speak again, but the sound of his footsteps was signalling that he was coming closer. You shoot him an angry look as your tears kept flowing.
« If you wanna fight, boy, you gonna lose ! Painfully ! », you warned.
He watched you with big surprised eyes, and the corner of his mouth irresistibly curved up in a nervous smile.
« I… I'm not here to pick a fight… Who would be enough cruel to start a fight with a crying girl ? »
« Assholes », you answered.
He snorted, giving you this nervous smile again. This guy was sweating anxiety… He was definitely not here to get in troubles, and knowing this soothed your nerves a little.
« Here, I think you need this », he said, holding out a handkerchief.
« Th-Thank you… »
The attention startled you a little. Beside Etsurô and Haruhi, people were rarely nice and compassionate with you. Of course, you didn't look strong, you were rather banal, so at first sight people didn't beware of you… But you also had the surprising ability to screw up your image since the first seconds when you meet someone. You were going to do something dumb and revealing in the next ten seconds, you knew it, and it made your heart ache.
« Uhm… By the way, my name's Asahi… Nice to meet you… »
You nodded slowly, answering with your own name.
« So… What happened to you ? », he asked, sitting next to you.
Why did he bother asking you ? It's not like if he was one of your caring friends. Why would he care ? Silently, you let your eyes wander on him. How tall was he ? Probably barely hundred-eighty-five centimetres. His eyes were big and brown, full of kindness, and his wide shoulders and torso with his long hair and little beard made him look like a giant teddy bear.
« I don't think you can understand », you murmured. « You surely don't know how it felt… when people look at you like if you were a monster… »
You expected all kind of reactions, but certainly not the laugh that escaped him. Not a timid, anxious laugh, but a sincere and strong one.
« Oh my… you're really telling this to the wrong person… I assume that you don't find me… scary ? »
« Scary ?! You ?! You look like the giant plushy you can win in the funfair ! »
Your bold statement made him blush like he never did before.
« What ? People are scared of you ? Really ? »
He nodded through his embarrassment.
« People said I look scary because I'm tall and bearded… There's a lot of rumours about me in high school like… They think I'm something like twenty years old and that I'm going to jail for drug selling… Just because of my appearance… And then they see that I'm a coward and are disappointed, haha ! But what about you ? Are people scared too ? »
You lowered your head.
« I don't look scary but… I've got something that scares people… »
« What's that ? I mean… if you want to tell ! I don't want to be rude or anything ! »
You know it was pointless to say it. No matter how you insisted when you told people you were strong, they were never able to understand, to picture of much you were. You always had to show them. And then watch them run away. And this boy was certainly not going to be an exception.
« Get up », you told him.
He looked surprised, but did as you said. However, when he saw you getting closer and closer, way too close for his heart of glass, he instinctively took a step backward :
« Wh-Wha-What are you doing ?! »
« Don't worry, I'll be careful. »
You didn't say anything more and just passed one arm under his legs, the other coming to support his back, and then lifted him up like if you were carrying a princess. A damn tall princess, but who weighed nothing for you.
You were ready to see him pale and scared, begging you to put him down so he can run hide behind his mother's legs, but nothing showed on his face. Nothing expect an unbeatable shade of red as his embarrassment deepened.
« Th-th-th-this is surely surprising but… I don't see how it's scary », he stuttered as you put him down.
« You're not scared… really ? », you looked at him with incredibly starry eyes.
« Well… I know what it is to be judged only on one criterion, you know. Just because you've got this amazing strength doesn't mean you put it in bad use, right ? »
Your lips started to wobble as your eyes became teary again.
« That's it… that's it ! » you screamed, running to bury your face against his chest, hands clenching on his back. « You understand ! You understand that it's not because you've got a weapon that you're gonna use it ! People always judge me wrong ! »
Tears were flowing down again, but this time, you couldn't tell why. You felt relieved. You felt understood.
« They call me a monster ! When they gossip about me they talk about the fact that I took three guys down but they don't see all those times I held back ! All those times where I successfully measured the right amount of strength ! Anytime I break something by accident, they thought I was doing it on purpose and blamed me ! They think strength came with instructions for use, but it didn't ! They have no mercy for the strong ! »
You hiccupped a little before speaking again :
« They think strength is a gift, but it's a poison ! They call me a monster ! They call me a monster ! They call me a monster ! », you repeated, crying loudly against the tall spiker.
It surely didn't help him to lose the red stuck on his cheeks to have you pressed right against him, but Asahi couldn't care less. Shyly, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, his other hand caressing your hair.
« You seem to be anything but a monster to me… »
Several minutes passed like this, with you pouring your tears on Asahi's shirt, and you sniffled loudly before finally letting him go, blowing your nose in your tissue.
« Feeling better ? »
« Y-Yeah… Sorry about this. »
Great, now that your sadness was gone you were starting to feel embarrassed too for what you just did. Seriously, hugging strangers like that…
« You know… A friend once told me that I shouldn't pay attention to what the other think or say about me… That there will always people who will like me, despite all the gossips and appearances, and that those people are the only ones who should count for me, because they are the ones I call friends… The others are just strangers who didn't find anything else to do with themselves than gossiping behind my back. It doesn't matter. It shouldn't matter », Asahi told you in a soft voice.
« Wow… you've got a great friend… You should treasure this one. »
« I know… », he murmured under his breath. « Contrary to him… I'm not a reliable friend. They called me the heart of glass of Karasuno and they're right. I get stressed and sad for nothing and… I abandoned them… But not anymore. »
His look was now determined, even if you don't get all of what he was saying. He next picked his bag up, throwing it over his shoulder.
« Did you just say… 'Karasuno' ? », you said in a tiny voice.
« Yes, why ? »
« I… I think I've run for too long earlier ! I don't have any fucking idea of where I am right now ! »
Asahi had walked you home after his first practice in a while with his team mates. Both of you were still a little surprised to not being perceived as a brute or a dealer by each other, and it was something incredibly soothing.
He had left you in front of your door with the promise to walk you home again if you ever wanted him to. Useless to say that you sprinted to Karasuno every day after school, finding some random excuse for Etsurô and Haruhi. Of course, it didn't take them long to discover your little game, and the brunette listed various way to kill Asahi if he dare to hurt you, but you hardly doubt that it would ever be necessary.
« YOU ! You better take care of her or I swear I'll make you pay for it ! », Esturô shouted to the taller man.
« Y-YES SIR ! », Asahi stiffened. « … Even if I think that she would be the one killing me if I do something wrong to her… »
« Don't be silly Asahi », you said. « You would shoot yourself before I could get angry if you hurt me. You almost cry last week when you accidentally stepped on my foot. »
« She's got a point », Haruhi admitted.
Asahi dropped his head in defeat, but the feeling of your little fingers shyly intertwining with his was enough to fill him with joy.
« I'm not holding your hand too hard ? », you asked.
« No, don't worry. Just the right amount of strength », he smiled heartily at you.
You smiled back, letting a little sigh escaped your lips as Etsurô and Haruhi snorted behind your backs at how cute but desperately old-fashioned you two were.
It felt incredible, truly, to be with someone who accepted you, all of you, without being scared, without having them running away. You could talk about your strength with him, and finally someone dared to tell you when it was too much or not enough. He was probably not aware of it, but he was learning you how to deal with it, he was giving you points of reference. He was giving you self-confidence (which was quite ironic when you knew how much he was lacking this), but more importantly, he was loving you. He loved you just like you were, you didn't have to change, to weaken, to fake, to hold back… He knew your flaws and he accepted them. Unconditionally. That was more than you ever wished for.
« Hm… By the way… », Haruhi's shy voice said.
« What ? »
« I think it's better if you warned so… I just want you to know that some students from Karasuno and from our school know you're dating and… they're spreading a rumour about the two of you planning an attack against the Mayor for next summer… »
« WHAT ?! »