"Aishi!" The red-haired girl called out.
Ayano walked quicker through the plaza with her head down, hoping to escape the taunting that had become daily now.
"Hey weirdo, it's rude to ignore someone when they call your name." Another voice joined in.
She wished someone would come to her rescue like they had in primary school, but she and the other girls were the only ones in the plaza at the moment.
Ronshaku laughed. "Like, OMG, she is such a freak-"
The girl with the purple hair in twin tails interrupted, "She's a freak who's not worth our time, I mean, she's not interesting. It's not she's doing compensated dating or anything scandalous." She had added the last part hurriedly.
Ayano sighed as she escaped the plaza, relieved that she spotted the only person she could consider a friend in this hellhole: Oka.
"Hey, Oka-chan." She greeted, pushing away all other thoughts and emotions.
Oka spoke barely above a whisper. "Oh, hello, Ayano. Those girls are.. terrible, are they not?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're not the only one who has fallen victim to them, Ayano-san."
Ayano was taken aback, this was the first time she had ever heard Oka use honorifics outside of authority figures.
Oka continued, "I have oftentimes wished vengeance upon their kind, but as you know, my attempts have been unsuccessful. Maybe you would like to assist?"
"Sorry Oka-chan, I would, but I don't wish to be in any clubs." She politely declined. Nor do I believe in the occult. She added in her thoughts.
"Well, take this anyway." Oka handed Ayano a choker. "We put protective spells on them."
Ayano looked at the crescent moon choker. It glimmered strangely, but she must have imagined that.
"Thank you, I hope it does work, see you later." Ayano left the Occult Club Room and headed towards her classroom when she was stopped by the twin-drills girl.
"What do you want?" She demanded, trying to sound confident.
The girl was surprised, "I- I don't want anything. I came to apologize on behalf of my friends, they aren't always nice, to say the least."
It was Ayano's turn to be surprised. "Well, uh… thanks. That's… nice of you.
She laughed, "No problem. My name is Kokona, by the way."
"It's nice to meet you Kokona-san. I'm Ayano." Am I actually making friends with one of The Rainbow Six? She thought, remembering the name Oka's clubmate, Supana, had once dubbed Kokona and her friends.
"Nice to meet you, too, Ayano-san. I should head back to my friends, I had to take a phone call, but I'll see you later."
Ayano watched as her new friend walked back into the plaza, dumbfounded as to what had just happened. Her phone buzzed, dismissing her thoughts. It was 8:25, time to head to class.