The entire student body of Kaijou High was buzzing about two things come Monday morning: the brutal slaying of fellow student Hiroki Shichiro, and Kise Ryouta's shirtless photoshoot with model Aki Kuruo.
"You'd think the school would care less about Kise," Etsuko said.
"The shoot was a memorable one for his career." Chihiro ever the faithful fangirl continued to defend her idol, though her personality was much more subdued.
Both girls stared across the school ground to where Kise stood among several other basketball team members. He was frowning to himself, arms crossed over his chest. It was clearly visible he was deeply affected. Hiroki was a member of the team after all.
School was cancelled the day before but, the doors reopened despite the turmoil surrounding them. Grief councilors were available to any student who needed someone to talk too, and police swarmed the campus like a horde of wasps.
"I heard his throat was slit deep enough that his head was almost unattached," Etsuko paused. A shiver ran up her spine and she hesitated before lowering her voice. "His stomach was gutted too, someone craved a message in."
Chihiro swallowed hard. Her face looked green and a sheen of sweat collected at her temple. "Oh God! Where did you hear that?"
"I don't know it's just something I heard."
Chihiro sighed. "And the day has barely even started." Etsuko grunted in agreement.
Etsuko knew better than to believe any of these rumors outright. Rumors never told the whole story. This was the exact reason she avoided most of her classmates. She had been doing a fine job of self preservation and isolating herself from the brainless of Kaijou High, but Chihiro swooped in and destroyed all dreams of being a loner. Etsuko was waiting to see how long her patience could last until she began pushing the other away. That is if Chihiro doesn't go running for the hills before that, never let it be said that Honda Etsuko was welcoming.
She was grateful deep down though. Deep, deep down. Chihiro had recognized a lonely soul and forced her way into her bubble to help "stretch her horizons", at least that's how Saburo keeps looking at it. (Etsuko would complain over phone call to her elder cousin how pushy this girl is but, Buro said it was a good thing for her.)
Her parents were in the midst of battling an ugly divorce. They shipped her away from Hawaii all the way to Japan to spend time with family, and establish normalcy among her grandparents and estranged older brother. Normalcy. Here. Of all places.
The irony ran thick especially with the latest events at school.
But, Buro said despite everything, Chihiro saw something in her and was determined to make her feel good. Etsuko figured she should at least try in recuperation to show friendship if it could even be addressed as that.
Etsuko didn't have friends, she hasn't since Maui. Since the surfing club.
"I can't believe Hiroki is dead. He's dead and no one knows who killed him, and it's fucking with me."
"Thought you didn't like Hiorki," Etsuko said raising an eyebrow at Chihiro's word choice. This would be her first time hearing the other girl curse.
"I didn't dislike him." Chihiro blushed twenty different shades of red, and her inflection on the word dislike bordered on chipmunk squeaky.
"Could've fooled me." Etsuko said her blue eyes boring into Chihiro's face. With half of their lunch conversations consisting of Kise, how annoying Hiroki Shichiro is in debate club, and if her hair looked good. Etsuko was almost fully convinced the other girl despised him.
"I didn't really know him though," Chihiro started. Her brows were furrowed and she stared off into the distance with a far away look in her eyes. "Sure we had a club together but, I didn't know him, know him. You get it? He seemed nice enough . ."
Etsuko hummed in understanding. It was true their interactions in debate were limited but, never ended well. Which had just furthermore reinforced the idea that Chihiro hated him. But, Etsuko guessed there was more to it. Her acquaintance seemed genuinely heartbroken.
A scoff sounded from the left of the two girls. They both glanced over to see an apathetic Akira Cho, Chihiro's number one enemy, leaning against the tree they were next to.
Chihiro scowled. Etsuko raised a brow.
"Isn't it weird how the moment someone dies and now everyone becomes his bestest friend?"
Chihiro's scowl intensified. "I never said that." She snapped, "What's your problem anyways Cho. Have nothing better to do than keep my name in your mouth and my business within your hearing range?"
"Didn't realize that a classmates death was your business Makoto," Akira hissed back her brown eyes narrowed. "Unless you want to confess something."
"Your absolutely despicable! Even during a crisis like this you still act like a -!"
Etsuko leaned back with a sigh. She let them bicker things out before stepping in.
"Do you think his parents did it? I've read that when a murder is personal like this, it's usually a relative who did it."
"Or a girlfriend." Akira said. "He was dating that girl on the cheerleading team."
"That girl has a name, and it's Youko Hana. She's in our class and didn't come to school today because of how heartbroken she is," Chihiro growled her eyes narrowed on the brunette near them. "I wouldn't put it passed you though to be so insensitive."
Etsuko stiffened slightly, her hand reached out to grab hold of Chihiro's uniform sleeve. On a regular basis her friends patience was already low for Akira Cho but, today it was exceptionally explosive. It was best to do damage control, last thing anyone needs is a fight breaking out.
Akira was scowling right back at Chihiro. Neither girl was backing down, and this spelled trouble with a capitol 'T'.
"You've always been a brown nosed bitched Makoto but, at least have enough respect to not be two faced today."
The anger switched on like a light bulb. "WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU LITTLE CU-!"
"Enough." Etsuko said giving a smack to the back of the girls head.
Chihiro looked at her with accusatory eyes as she rubbed the now sore spot. "Both of you are being insensitive and making this about yourselves and this petty feud between the two of you. Today is not your day. Nor is any other day dedicated to either of you," She cast a cold glance at the two girls.
Chihiro looked disappointed in herself, and Akira at least had enough decency to look slightly apologetic.
"A classmate of ours was murdered. He's dead. Gone. The least you could do is show some respect by not picking fights."
All three stared at their passing classmates and fell into an uncomfortable silence.
"It's sad," Chihiro finally said. "Absolutely terrible. . ."
Etsuko and Akira nodded. It was.
"What kind of person would do something like that?" she asked.
Etsuko felt the overwhelming feeling of pain wash over her. The emotion rolled through her body like an ocean wave. I know that type of person. Evil, pure evil. She cleared her throat and without a glance walked away from both girls. She heard Chihiro sigh before walking after her. They didn't speak and Etsuko hoped the other girl didn't notice her odd behavior and if she by some chance did, that she doesn't pry.
By lunchtime another rumor had spread that local pot—head Taiki Haru was the one who gutted Hiroki and used his organs to sell on the black market so he could continue to fund his cannabis usage.
Etsuko had been done with this school on her very first day here but, now she was past that point if it was even possible. How stupid can a student body be?
At Kaijou the answer seemed to be limitless.
Taiki Haru was nothing but, a scrub. He had no future going for him, he rarely if ever showed up to school, and Etsuko was sure even in her short time here that he never even glanced at Hiroki.
It only added to the fact that Hiroki had been a first year just like her, and Taiki Haru was a third year. Technically he should be a graduate already but, like it was stated earlier he has no future going for him.
These rumors just keep getting dumber. She just wanted to be home in Hawaii, with the warm sand and the smell of salt water.
Rituko Rima tapped Etsuko on her shoulder. She finally learned her other two acquaintances names after almost three months spent here at Kaijou.
It was the end of November, December was to start within a week. Etsuko had arrived in early August right around the time when summer vacation would end. Katsu figured it'd be a good time to enroll her then, not like she had much say in this anyways.
"You should eat Suko-chan," It seems that Chihiro's nickname for her would continue to stick. Damn. "We wouldn't want you to pass out from fatigue if you don't eat enough."
Her clear blue eyes looked down at her barely touched lunchbox. "Yeah . ." Etsuko mumbled as she moved her food around. She didn't have much appetite and no one can blame her.
"I hope it's not a student." Momoko Miu said. Her face looked green in this light, and her red hair was askew.
"It's not." Chihiro assured.
"Let's not rule anyone out yet," Rima said. "Angry teenagers do stupid things all the time."
"Okay. But, something like this is usually closely followed by a school shoot up. And since I don't see anyone with a shot gun walking around besides the officers guarding the place, I'm assured it's not a student." Chihiro's voice had an edge to it.
Rima glared at the girl. "Don't get all snippy with me. I'm just saying . . ."
Momo muffled her ears with her fists. " Okay, enough. Please stop."
A silence fell over the girls. Normally Etsuko wasn't one bothered by silences like these. She never felt awkward, other people did. Today was a special day though. No one was feeling like themselves. Etsuko especially. She had moved here to stay safe. And now this happened.
She felt sick and in defeat began to pack away her lunchbox.
"I don't feel well." was her vague statement as she got up and left the classroom with her bag. None of her friends questioned her like usual. Not that she blamed them.
