"I want to transfer schools."

Back then, when the bullying first started, I asked for help from my parents.

The first I asked was my mother. She was the only adult home when my father was on a business trip. My mother worked as an editor in a magazine publishing company.

"Why?"

My mother's hard eyes behind the spectacles peered at me.

"I'm being bullied."

My mother remained silent.

"I'm being bullied."

My mother's hands landed against her laptop, fingers skillfully pushing buttons, filling the screen with words every second.

"I'm being bullied!"

I received no response from her no matter how hard I yelled.

o.O.o

It was already seven in the evening when I returned home.

Because I was already starving even before school ended, I stopped by a local family restaurant for my dinner before going back home. Since my parents are always away from work or other reasons, there was no one to reprimand me from going home late. So far, this has been my normal routine.

Opening the door, I didn't bother to announce my presence to the only family member left in this household.

I did notice the several shoes on the doorway though.

"Ah, Onii-san..."

As soon as I entered the living room, I heard my sister's surprised voice. She was sitting on the sofa with several notebooks on the table. Beside her, two girls of similar age, wearing the same uniform as her were also present.

It seems like she brought home friends again.

Komachi was two years younger than me. Despite possessing facial features more amicable than mine, it seems like she did not possess the same intellect that I inherited from our parents. Seeing how she ended up clinging to her peers in order to survive school.

That alone was enough to tell me how my sister and I lived in different worlds.

Well whatever, I don't really care either way.

"H-hello Hikigaya-san, sorry for intruding again."

"Good evening."

The two girls greeted me. Seeing how often Komachi brought home these two, I've already grown accustomed to their faces. Our parents also know that Komachi organizes study sessions in the house so I don't have any reason to kick them out.

I gave the minimal amount of acknowledgement at the two of them and proceeded to head upstairs to my room.

Behind me, I heard Komachi's footsteps follow just when I was about to enter my room.

"I've made dinner, Onii-san, would you like some?"

I've never really interacted much with Komachi when I started schooling so I don't know whether she views me in a favorable light like most sibling does. But no matter how hard I think, I couldn't find the reason nor motivation to play the role of a caring elder brother to her.

I'd just wish that she finally takes the hint and stop bothering me.

"It's fine, I already ate."

I opened my door and set a foot inside.

"A-ah..."

My little sister stuttered for a moment.

"What is it?"

When she didn't say anything, I closed the door in my room. She stayed in front of my door for a minute before I hear her footsteps walking away. Whether it was out of genuine concern or loathing, I couldn't be bothered.

What a weird person.

I opened my bag and took out the work that needed to be done for school tomorrow. Seeing that I was already in my third year of middle-school, the workload has increased and improved, unlike in elementary where I could doze off and still be number one in class, now I needed to work my ass off to even get in the top ten.

Now you may be wondering why I would focus in my studies and the answer is simple. I don't like losing. If the people who rejected my existence get better grades than me I'd seriously commit suicide. There's also the perk of looking down on those despicable creatures and flaunting my superiority without resorting to any exchange of words.

So, despite loathing the idea of working, I submerged myself into study, ignoring everything and simply doing an everyday routine.

o.O.o

"Hey, have you heard the rumors?"

"Is it about Miura's torn P.E shirt in her locker?"

I was inside the classroom when the mutterings of those gossip classmates of mine inadvertently reach my ears. Now I don't really care about those rumors so I ignored them like how I would ignore most people.

People had a tendency to talk about others because their own lives are boring and do not provide any significance in conversations. It's annoying, but it's a part of society and accepted as normal. That's why these girls can talk about it even though the subject of their conversation was sitting just behind me.

Indeed, the target of bullying has shifted away from me.

It's not because they ignore me, quite opposite in fact.

It's because I fight back. For every nasty word they say I respond in kind. Those who create rumors about me tend to get hit by an even scandalous rumor from someone in the internet. There were also those who does it physically.

I don't know how many times I've returned with a bruise or swollen cheek, but I made sure to pay them back in kind.

A-kun from first year was kicked out from extorting several fellow classmates. Even though he says that he only did it to one person.

B-kun was also kicked out when it was discovered that he was hoarding pictures of female classmates changing in the locker room in his phone.

There were also some idiots who messed up gym equipments for some reason. Too bad they had no alibi since they were skipping school that when the students heard the mess.

Anyway, back to our topic. The new target of bullying was the student behind me, Miura something. A quiet girl with olive eyes and black hair, I'd say that she was cuter than Orimoto but that's just me speaking.

And it was for that reason that she was being bullied.

People would always find ways to be jealous. It's in human nature. Jealousy would then give birth to envy which would lead to prejudice. And since youth is so evil that it can't exist alone, that prejudice would be shared by a group of people.

People brave enough to gang up on those weaker than them.

And I guess, Miura's facial features did something enough to warrant her things being destroyed or missing. It's been like that since the start of our second year and I've yet to see her respond to her attackers.

To be honest it's kinda boring...

So I ignored her like I would ignore everyone.

Still, I noticed that she did not attend P.E that day...

o.O.o

Tch. Those damn teachers.

Even though it's the first day of school after the golden week, they've already piled up a lot of work of us students. I know that they're doing it in purpose. They're training us for our future where we will face a lot of work in our jobs even after holidays. You can't fool me you damn dogs of society!

This was them making a move to turn impressionable youths to become corporate slaves in the future!

I was on my way to my hiding spot when a figure caught my eye.

It was Miura, the girl who was being treated as the lowest in our social hierarchy because of her genetics.

It seems like she was running with a group of girls hot on her tail.

This should be amusing.

Miura's eyes were red from crying. It was clear to me that the bullying had escalated to the point where physical means were being used if the mark on her left cheek and her disheveled hair were to be the basis.

Miura's frantic eyes locked on me for a moment before the girl behind her caught her school uniform, making her lose her balance and crash to the ground. In a feat of grace and elegance, she desperately crawled towards me, her face full of tears and clung onto my legs.

"Help... Please help me!"

And as a desperate attempt to survive the cruel youth, asked the devil for help.

Help? You would ask me for help? Are you so weak that you will cling to anyone just to save you from problems that you could have easily solved if you fought back?

Disgusting

I was repulsed by her weakness.

I wanted nothing but to kick her back to the ground and abandon her to her fate. To let her be broken by the youth that had rejected me. How pitiful, how truly pitiful! The world doesn't work that way! You don't deserve to be saved!

But instead of doing just that, I found myself placing my hand on her head. My heart was pounding crazily in my chest as a familiar feeling desperately tried to crawl out. The vile black liquid that poisoned my heart all those years ago was back.

"Do not worry, I will save you."

I offered to her like a devil saying sweet nothings.

You poor little creature, I won't let them have the satisfaction of breaking you.

Having a new desire blossom inside me, I faced the group of girls foolish enough to think that they can get away with everything.

You don't need to worry anymore, Miura.

I will save you from them.

AN: Do not be fooled, this is not a romcom.