Chapter 7

Friday afternoons were always fun because Shirokin students could go outside their school after class.

Kumiko and Shizuka decided to hang-out at a mall near the boarding school.

"Wow. I love this mall. It's a nice place." Shizuka said.

"Yeah, indeed it is." Kumiko answered.

They went inside several stores. Though they couldn't buy everything they wanted, they were contented of just looking around. Suddenly, Shizuka felt the need to go to the comfort room.

"Hey, Kumiko. Can I leave you here for a while? I'll just have to go to the ladies' room."

"Sure. Go on. I'll wait for you here." Kumiko told her.

While waiting for Shizuka, Kumiko went to a takuyaki stand and bought a takuyaki. She then remembered Tetsu and Minoru. The two have a takuyaki stand near Kurogin High and after school, Kumiko always go there.

"Oh… I miss them so much. And grandpa… I hope he's fine." She told herself.

She was eating the food she bought when a group of guys from another school stopped in front of her.

"Hi." Someone with a brown hair that has a scar on his face said.

"You're pretty. Can I have your number?" a guy with a long black hair tied in a ponytail added. "By the way, I'm Watanabe." He said as he extended his right hand to Kumiko but she ignored him.

"Oh, dude! She ignored you!" a blondie with a green highlight on his hair told Watanabe. "She doesn't like you. Maybe she likes me!" he laughed.

Watanabe was pissed by what the blondie said. He was about to punch him when Kumiko interrupted by saying, "I pity people like you."

Watanabe forgot what he was about to do when he heard what Kumiko said. "What did you say?!" he asked angrily.

"I said I pity people like you." She said once more in a calm manner, directly into Watanabe's face. "All of you are such pathetic scumbags!"

Watanabe's face flushed. He cannot believe that a small teenage girl like Kumiko said that in front of him and his friends.

"Take it back." He told Kumiko.

"I won't."

"I said take it back!" he was already shouting.

"If I said I won't take it back, I won't!"

Watanabe's eyes widened. He began to lift his arms and attempted to punch Kumiko. But fortunately for Kumiko, she avoided the punch.


Meanwhile, Shin and his pals were also at the mall. They saw Shizuka about to go back where she left Kumiko.

"Hey." Shin said. "Why are you alone? Where's your pig-tailed friend?"

"Don't you ever call her like that?!" Shizuka told him.

"Ok. Ok. But where is she?"

"I left her over there." She said as she pointed to Kumiko's direction from afar. Then suddenly, they saw what was happening.

"What's happening there?" Noda asked curiously.

They went to where Kumiko was and saw clearly what was happening.

"Kumiko!" they all shouted.

Watanabe and his gang were gathered around Kumiko when they heard them call her.

"Well, well, well, who are these people?" Watanabe asked.

"What are you doing to her?" Shin asked him.

"Well, for your information, mate, we are teaching her a lesson."

"You're teaching her a lesson, eh? Then why don't you teach yourselves?!" Shin told him fiercely.

The boys were already hot on each other until they started quarrelling already. People saw what was happening and some even called the security guards of the mall to stop them.


"I can't believe you have done such humiliation." Mr. Sato told Shin and his friends that night inside his office.

"But sir –" Uchi tried to reason out but Mr. Sato cut him.

"No 'buts' Mr. Uchiyama."

The door opened abruptly. It was Kumiko.

"Konbanwa, Mr. Sato."

"What are you doing here, Ms. Yamaguchi?" the principal asked her.

"I should be here too." She said.

"No, Kumiko! You don't have anything to do with this!" Shin chimed in.

"But because of me, you fought with Watanabe and his gang. And because of that, you're here!" Kumiko insisted.

"Is what this lady saying true?" Mr. Sato asked them.

"No, sir."Shin lied.

Why are you doing this? Kumiko thought.

"Really? But why is she telling these things?" Mr. Sato asked once more.

"Because I have something to with this!" Kumiko demanded.

Mr. Sato was already confused. "I don't know whom will I believe, children." He said. "Ms. Yamaguchi?"

"Yes?"

"Go back to your dormitory now." He ordered.

"But I can't." she persisted with a small voice.

"You're such a demanding kid, aren't you?" he said with a laugh.

Kumiko looked at Shin. Then to Noda, Kuma, Uchi, and to Minami.

"No, sir. I won't go back at my dormitory. I must stay here. If you give them detention, you must give me detention, too. If you suspend them, you must suspend me also. I'm not leaving." She said in a stern voice.

"Kumiko..." Shin whispered.