Chapter 18: To the pillory.

7.45 pm

Despite the late hour, the gymnasium of the Ooarai school was packed with students, who eagerly awaited the arrival of the student council. They all wondered what had happened so important that they had to call them at that hour. Only Miho and Saori, in the front row, had a clear idea of what Hana would say, and at the mere thought they trembled with fear. After a few minutes, the council made its entrance, placing itself in the center of the stage. To the surprise of the girls instead of Saori and Yukari together with Hana there were two girls dressed as a sailor: one had long silvery hair and black eyes, the other long dark hair tied in a tail and eyes of the same color. The first wore a long white skirt and identical colored shoes, the second a dark raincoat over a white T-shirt and short skirt, as well as boots on her feet. In her hand she held a pipe. Their appearance greatly surprised them.

"And who are those two girls?" Taiga asked.

"Two new members of the Shark team, the new unit of our sensha-do team." Saemonza explained.

"Good evening. I apologize for calling you at this time, but I have to give you a very important announcement ... Indeed, two announcements to be precise." Hana said.

"What is it about?" Satoko asked.

"First of all, starting today Yukari Akiyama and Saori Takebe are no longer members of the student council. In their place will be present here Flint and Silver, respectively as head of public relations and vice president."

At that news a buzz of puzzled voices arose.

"What is the reason for this provision?" Sodoko asked.

"Now I'll explain: some time ago Hisako Reizei, the grandmother of Mako (one of our teammates), died of a heart attack."

A new buzz, even louder than the previous one, rang in the room. Mako, who was also present, looked down.

"Please let me finish! What you may not know is that someone, instead of helping the poor granny, stole her pension, leaving her to die. And that someone is in this room, she is one of us!"

That statement shocked the girls, who didn't expect such a thing. Saori for her part had become very pale, trembled and thought:

It's over ... I'm ruined!

"Am I right, Saori Takebe?" Hana asked.

Immediately all the students turned to the direct interested, who covered her face with her hands. Around her, her companions began to murmur among themselves.

"Was it she?"

"But look what a coward! Robbing a poor old woman ... "

"What an ignoble behavior!"

Stop it, please ...

She thought.

"And that's not all. Miho Nishizumi, the commander of our sensha-do team, despite being aware of what she decided to keep silent, to cover her friend and teammate." Hana added.

"Did Miho really do such a thing?" Noriko asked.

"Yes, it did! She tricked poor Mako for weeks! She will be the one to confirm it!"

Having said that, Hana invited Mako to go on stage, and once she did she handed her the microphone.

"My grandmother was the last family member left, since my parents died in an accident years ago and I am an only daughter. If I got involved in my studies, it's not to disappoint her. Then she ... She died, and a part of me too. After that cursed day I was devastated, I wandered aimlessly through the streets of Ooarai, full of pain and fear. Only recently, thanks to the moral support of two of my dear friends have I managed to overcome the trauma. And just today I discovered that those friends have deceived and betrayed me! My childhood friend Saori turned out to be a dirty thief and a liar, and Miho, my commander, who I thought was an honest and trustworthy person, protected a criminal who let my beloved grandmother die! " As she said this, tears streamed down her face.

"Mako, forgive me!" Saori exclaimed, with shining eyes.

"NEVER!" Her now ex-friend furiously shouted.

"Please…"

At that precise moment she received a punch on the face from Murakami, who broke her nose. Aching, she put her hands to the injured party.

"If that had been my grandmother you would have died now!" Exclaimed the stocky girl, angry.

"Don't touch her!" Miho exclaimed, standing between the two.

"How dare you defend her? She left an elderly person to die after robbing her!"

"And what is it, you wonder? After all, she has protect her until yesterday… "Momo intervened, disgusted.

"Please, girls ... Saori is a my dear friend, I couldn't betray her!"

"By not doing it you betrayed Mako." Said the bespectacled.

"And disappointed all of us!" Erwin exclaimed.

"Please calm down. I know that you are all scandalized, but we must not be guided by anger. Saori is no longer a student council member, and from now on her name will be muddied for eternity." Hana affirmed, and this sentence did a lot of harm to the coppery-haired.

"And what about Miho?" One of the students asked.

"The ideal would be to remove her from the role of commander of the sensha-do team, but she is our winning ace. Without her help we would have lost the last tournament, and Ooarai would have gone to close."

"But now we don't run that risk anymore, do you?"

"Fortunately no. Our school is safe."

"Then we can very well dismiss her! I don't want to be commanded by someone like her!" Azusa exclaimed.

"One moment! Miho is a good leader and without her we risk losing the next tournament!" Ayumi protested.

"But are you stupid? She protected a criminal, she can't get away with it!" Moyoko retorted.

"In my opinion it is excessive ... She did nothing that we would not have done in her place, that is to protect a friend." Nekota said.

"In any case, it is unacceptable for it to go unpunished!" Rum asserted.

"Please keep calm! I am also outraged by Saori and Miho's behavior, but we will talk about the treatment to be reserved for the latter!" Hana intervened.

"Can you explain what Yukari has to do with this story?" Caesar asked.

"This will have to explain to you Miho."

They all turned to the aforementioned one, waiting for her reply. She looked around nervously, then, making her way through the crowd, went on stage, took the microphone from Hana and started talking:

"When I found out that Saori had robbed Mako's grandmother on the verge of death, my first concern was to make any evidence of her guilt disappear. So I commissioned Yukari to steal the DVD with the recording. She handed it to me and kept it hidden in my house."

Yukari too ...

Mako thought.

Miho, noting her sadness, tried to get closer to console her, but the girl backed away.

"Mako-san..."

"DON'T CALL ME IN THAT WAY!" Cried the dark-haired girl.

"We have been friends for a long time ..."

"If true, you would have told me the truth! Instead you have deceived me to this day, to protect her!"

"Please, Mako ... Calm down!"

"You are liars, you suck all three!" Tears began to streak down her face.

Miho for her part felt increasingly guilty. She had combined an irreparable disaster, forever destroying the anglerfish team and the friendship that bound them.

"I don't want to see you anymore ... For me you no longer exist!"

Having said that Mako ran away. Miho tried to follow her but Hana blocked her pace.

"Leave her alone! You have already made her suffer enough! " She ordered her.


Mako ran away, she didn't even know where, she just wanted to put as much distance as possible between her and her now ex-friends. Yes, ex was the right word. Every affection she had for them was gone, replaced by hatred, anger and disappointment. All three had betrayed her: Saori letting her grandmother die, Yukari and Miho covering the first.

Sluts ... Sluts! How could they do this to me? I trusted them, I thought they were my friends!

She thought, angry.