Hello! I finished my second challenge in two hours, and I decided to write a fanfic for Queen's Classroom, a Jdrama I enjoy a lot (and even writing a fanfic based on it). I hope this came out okay. Enjoy~

Prompt: Drama in and out of the lab

Ever since she took the blame for her now former friend's crime, Kazumi had to take in the consequences of "stealing." She didn't do it, but no one was going believe her, and Hikaru made sure Kazumi knew she wouldn't be able to persuade anyone otherwise. Hisako saw Kazumi with the wallet, and that was enough evidence for the class to believe Kazumi stole it, but as long as the real thief remained silent, no one would know what really happened.

Another day came, and Hikaru noticed Yusuke was no longer coming to school after it happened. For once, Hikaru took her attention off her book and examined Kazumi. The girl with a cute boyish haircut was smiling like usual, but Hikaru knew immediately it was forced. Kazumi had always been a cheerful child, Hikaru knew.

But how long can Kazumi keep a smile on her face, Hikaru wondered.

After the bell rang, the class departed to began science class in the lab. A class of microbiology was to occur, and students entered inside the lab, keeping serious faces as they proceed to their assignments. The students work in their assigned groups as always, and Hikaru would work with Hisako and Kazumi as usual. Yusuke was part of their group as well, but with his absence, it was only the three girls.

Hikaru never cared. It was always the same. Hisako would be bossing them around as the group leader and doing nothing, Yusuke would be fooling around, and both Hikaru and Kazumi would be left to do all the work. Even then, Kazumi wasn't as intelligent as Hikaru, thus the latter would do a lot more work than the former would. With Yusuke absent, Hisako wouldn't be yelling so much, which Hikaru was slightly happy about. Hisako would still be nagging though.

Of course, as class went on, Hikaru found herself working alone, albeit with giving Kazumi small jobs here and there, and Hisako only nagged on for them to work. As always, ever since they became a group, Hikaru would tune Hisako out. Keeping Hisako out of her mind, Hikaru became a mini microbiologist and continue to work on her own. Lab continued on, and Hikaru was lost in her world of work. She always seemed to be focused on her work, but it made sense for everyone in class. Hikaru was naturally smart without even studying.

Then the sound of malicious snickering broke Hikaru out of her thoughts. Hikaru turned her attention away from her group project to see the glass tube she had asked Kazumi to bring had shattered on the ground, no longer a single tube but instead many small pieces. Her eyes traveled, and she saw Kazumi on the floor, and a few girls behind her snickering away.

Hikaru did nothing but witnessed Kazumi sit herself up with a smile on her face, and Kazumi went to pick up the pieces of the broken glass as Hisako stood up and came towards her.

"Look what you did!" Hisako began to scold her. "I'll get the tube, so clean up!"

Kazumi never said anything, but she continued to pick up the pieces as the students' laugh grew louder and meaner, and Hikaru resumed on the bigger part of her experiment, not wishing to intervene.

But Hikaru did wonder, how long can Kazumi keep a smile?

An entire month came by, and Hikaru couldn't keep herself from observing the cruel pranks her classmate pulled on Kazumi.

Kazumi was pushed down a ditch in school grounds.

Kazumi had her shoe filled with tacks.

Kazumi was pushed inside a tiny closet and locked inside.

Kazumi was pushed down a flight of stairs.

The list went on, and the tormenting continued, and Hikaru witnessed all of it. Hikaru kept silent as usual, but she wondered if it was even okay to stay silent, especially when Kazumi had almost drowned in the school pool due to a dangerous prank by her former friends.

In her apartment, heights from the ground, Hikaru continued to read, but after all that had happened in the past month, she was unable to focus. Putting her book down, she turned on the TV, hoping hearing international peace and other useless humor could keep her distracted. After twenty minutes, Hikaru turned off the TV and went straight to her bed, without taking a shower and far earlier than her normal bedtime.

Even then, it was all useless.

The morning came, and Hikaru didn't have a good night sleep, but she came to school earlier than usual like she always did. Being early, Hikaru was quick to do chores for her classroom, and afterwards, she went to find a new book to read. Her mind was finally distracted, free from the thoughts she tried to run away from earlier, but it wasn't long until she returned to those thoughts.

On her way to her class, Kazumi ran past her, and Hikaru caught the sight of the tears falling from her eyes and the sounds of cruel laughter reached her ears.

It happened again, and Hikaru knew it. Even then, Hikaru slid inside her classroom silently, remaining hidden in the background. She wanted no part of it, but deep down, she knew it was wrong.

Night came, and Hikaru remained silent as she read her book. She tried to focus, but she couldn't forget the events of that day again. Hikaru wasn't sure why it bothered her so much. Kazumi wasn't her friend, so why did she care?

The telephone snapped her out of her thoughts as it rang. Hikaru's mother answered the phone without a care.

"Hello… huh? A classmate of Hikaru's… missing!?"

Hikaru snapped her attention to her mother, and her usual emotionless face paled.

"What's their name… Kanda? Kanda Kazumi? I see… I'll ask my daughter and try to help."

Hikaru didn't bother waiting for her mother as she found herself out of the apartment and running down the stairs in disbelief.

Kazumi… missing… never came home… no one has seen her.

Hikaru couldn't keep her composure any longer as she collapsed on the garden surrounding the apartment building. She didn't see it coming, but at the same time, Hikaru felt it made sense.

No one came to help her, after all.

The following day, the class remained moody, terrified to learn that Kazumi was missing. The next day came, and no word of her. Weeks passed, and summer ended, and yet, no one had seen her. Tension thickened in the classroom, and soon, the true culprit of the crime confessed, breaking down in tears as she admitted she never expected Kazumi to disappear.

As everything crumbled apart, Hikaru sat quietly on her desk. She read another book, as usual, but at the same time, she couldn't stop wondering.

Would things had been different if Hikaru had intervene?

Hikaru would never know, and she knew she was nothing but a bystander who could have done something.