Chapter 4 – Yoshikawa's Reputation

Later that morning it was discovered that Yoshikawa-san and I have the same classes all throughout the day. So, she's been helping me by showing me around and working with me to understand the lessons they were currently doing. It really helped a lot. There was no way I was going to figure it out myself or ask the teacher. Giving my current state of mind.

Right now, It was lunchtime. And I was waiting for Rukia to show up as she said. I wasn't really doing much else. Not even eating my lunch. Seeing my cousin was the number one thing on my screwed-up mind right now.

C-Come on, Rukia. Pl-Please get here.

"Toshinio-san?"

"Y-Yes?" I quickly responded once I heard a voice. I then saw Yoshikawa-san standing over my desk again like earlier this morning. "O-Oh. Y-Yoshikawa-san."

"What's wrong? How come you're not eating?"

"W-Well…I-I'm actually waiting for someone…m-my cousin."

"Your cousin? I never would've thought that you had a family member going to this school. What's her name?"

"W-Well…h-her name is…"

"Woah! It's her!"

"She's here! The Queen is here!"

"Yamabuki-sama!"

We suddenly heard some of the other girls yelling and cheering over something. And that something just happened to be Rukia standing over by the door.

"Oh, thank you all. The cheers of my dear and loyal fans bring me nothing but sheer gratitude for my charm and talent. Ohhohoho!"

D-Does she do this EVERY day?

"Tch. Look who showed up as usual. Little Miss Prissy Ass." Yoshikawa-san said in a grumpy tone.

"I-I sense…h-hostility." I said.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. It's just…that girl and I have a little beef with each other."

"B-Beef?" I was going to ask what she meant by that. But then…

"Hey. Kyouko."

"H-Hi, Rukia."

This was all I was able to say before Rukia and Yoshikawa-san began staring at each other with looks of pure disdain on their faces.

"So, you and Toshinio-san are cousins. Never would've thought she would be related to you, of all people." Yoshikawa-san said.

"I should've known your stuck up ass would get to her first. You better not try anything with my cousin, Yoshikawa."

"Try what? Making her normal and tolerable unlike you? Cause that's all I'm doing."

"Tch. Damn bitch."

"Look who's talking."

"Grr…"

"Grr…"

Th-The hostility's off the roof!

As I was mentally panicking, I heard the other girls whispering to themselves as they witnessed the tension rising up before their eyes.

"There she goes again…"

"Yoshikawa is always fighting with Yamabuki-san. And with such disrespect, too."

"She's obviously jealous of her popularity. Why else would she be starting fights?"

"She's a bully. I mean, she made that girl cry on the first day."

"How the hell did someone like her become the Class Rep? It truly makes no sense."

And they were all seemingly against Yoshikawa-san.

"Tch. Whatever. I'm going to the bathroom." Yoshikawa-san said before leaving the room. The hostile atmosphere quickly depleting not long after.

"*sigh* Damn that girl." Rukia said. Still a little pissed.

"You two know each other?" I asked.

"Unfortunately. She's a huge pain in my rich elegant ass. Are you seriously friends with her?"

"W-Well…she's helped me a lot throughout the morning. We have the same classes."

"*sigh* I see."

She must really not like her, huh?

"So, how's your first day going so far? Getting familiar with the place and its standards?"

"Yeah, I am. Yoshikawa-san's been showing me around and explaining everything to me. She's been a great help."

"I see." Rukia then sighed again. "That bitch. She definitely did something…"

"Wh-What?"

"Nothing. Just a random thought. Anyway, I have volleyball practice today. So, have Azuma-sensei bring you over to the practice building after school."

"Practice building?" I was confused.

"It's the small building next door. There is where all the sports teams meet up and practice. Azuma-sensei will explain it better to you."

"Um…okay." I still didn't get it. "I'll be there."

"Alright, then." Rukia was about to leave when she stopped and turned back to me. "Oh. And one more thing. Watch you back when you're around Yoshikawa. She doesn't have much of a good reputation despite her title."

"Um…o-okay." Was all I said before Rukia had left the classroom. Waving the other girls goodbye as she called them her "fans".

"S-So weird…" I mumbled to myself.

But…is what she said about Yoshikawa-san really true? Not having a good reputation…what happened for that to be said about her?

"Phew. Looks like she's gone." I heard Yoshikawa-san say as she walked up to me.

"H-Hey…Yoshikawa-san. I-Is it true that…well…you don't have a good reputation here?"

"Oh. So, she told you that, huh? Well…yeah. To be honest, I'm not that well-liked around here. It kinda sucks."

"Wh-Why? Wh-What happened?"

"I…uh…I-I don't want to talk about it. Personal stuff, you know?"

"Oh. I-I see."

I can relate to her a bit. The stuff that I went through are extremely personal to me.

*INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE*

"Lunch is over." I said. "S-So…what's our next class? C-Can you…t-take me there?"

"Huh? You still want me to help you? Even after the supposed warning you got from your cousin?"

"W-Well…you've been a great help so far. A-And I…uh…w-want some more of it."

"Really?"

"Y-You know…l-like a…fr-friend."

"Fr-Friend…?" Yoshikawa-san went silent for a good while as she gained a small blush on her face. "*clears throat* W-Well if you insist, Toshinio-san, then I'll be glad to help you. Just leave everything to the Class Rep."

"O-Okay. Thank you…Yoshikawa-san." I said with a small smile.

*LATER THAT DAY…*

"So, you and Yoshikawa-san have become friends?" Azuma-sensei asked me as she was taking me to the practice building to meet up with Rukia.

"W-Well…kinda. She is the Class Rep and…w-we just happened to have the same classes…a-and such."

"I see. Well…I'm glad you were able to make a new friend so soon. And with Yoshikawa-san, of all people. Really impressive, Toshinio-san."

"Y-Yeah." I went silent for a bit. "A-Azuma-sensei. I-Is Yoshikawa-san…hated by everyone?"

It was then that Azuma-sensei went silent on her own.

"I wouldn't say "hated". But Yoshikawa-san does have a bit of a…reputation about her."

"Y-Yeah. I-I've heard from Rukia. Wh-What happened?"

"She's known to be rather cold to the other students. On the first day of school, she told another first-year student "I'm not interested in your shitty hopes and dreams. Go talk to a fucking wall.". And she ended up making that poor student run out the room in tears."

"Wh-Why would she say that?"

"No one really knows. But because of that, and some other minor altercations, the other girls started to dislike her. And thus, stay away from her entirely."

"W-Wow…" I said in disbelief. "A-And no one knows why she acts like that?"

"No one knows. But my honest and personal opinion is that something happened in her personal life and it made her dislike the people around her."

"D-Dislike? I-If she dislikes other people…wh-why was she friendly towards me?"

"I will admit. That is a bit strange. You're basically the only person she's ever been friendly to and the other students have already noticed. Though, I can't really give an answer to such a sudden change. And knowing Yoshikawa-san…she probably won't say why, either."

"Y-Yeah…sh-she told me it was personal."

"Well…you are her first friend since the school year started. Maybe after a while, she'll trust you enough for her to tell you. But for right now, I think it's best that you don't bring it up to her. Okay?"

"O-Okay."

"Well, here we are. This is the practice building. Just follow the signs and you'll find the volleyball court. See you tomorrow, Toshinio-san."

"Th-Thank you…A-Azuma-sensei." I said with a bow as my teacher waved goodbye. I then began following the signs to the volleyball court plastered along the walls.

But as I did, one thing was still on my mind.

If I'm truly the cause of Yoshikawa-san's sudden change of personality, then what happened to her that made her dislike everyone?

…

Except me…for some reason.

Author's Note: Kyouko learns what Chinatsu is actually known for and it isn't pretty. But the reason behind her being the only person she's ever been friendly to is a mystery all on its own.

Kyouko may not be the only one holding secrets around here. *hint hint*

Slight change of plan here. The volleyball chapter with the new character will be next up. it made sense with how this one was written up.

Thanks for reading. Later.