I 'm finally back into business. I had a really big project to finish for a game and it took me a whole month to achieve but now it's done ! I can write again !

Naho was drying her hair with the help of the towel that Kawasaki lent her. She was looking at the ground and doing it slowly. Saki only watched her, leaning against a sink, she a worried look on her face as well as an older sister aura. No words were needed, this silence was needed to appease the bullied girl.

Finally Kuwahara gave the towel Back to Kawasaki and bowed to her. She then looked in the mirror once again to see the terrible state of her hair. She winced and looked at her feet in defeat.

"Hmm... You know... I'm not as good as a hairdresser but I cut the hair of my little sister quite often. It saves money... Just saying."

Naho looked at Kawasaki for a moment before nodding and bowing to her to thank her for all her help.

"H-hey no need to be so formal, come on, look straight into the mirror, I'll take care of this mess. Can't promise anything though."

Putting her bag on the floor, Saki opened it and took some of tools she always had with her. Of course she wasn't a superficial girl but having hair as long as hers can be a pain so she needs to be ready to fix it at school sometimes. Soon after she got herself her pair of scissors, a comb and hair clips.

"Here I go."

Without hesitation, Kawasaki cut a good portion of the left side of her head as well as fixing the damaged right side. Her hair length was reduced from mid back to a bit below the shoulders. Putting hair clips here and there to fix the haircut, Saki decided to make a wild bun with a long left strand of hair on the side of her face using her clips.

"As good as new. See ? Hope you like it, I'm not that good with these things but at least you are saved now." Said Saki smiling warmly at Naho who smiled widely at her reflection like a little sister being spoiled by her older sister.

"Let's go back to class for now ok ?"

She nodded and both of them made their way to the class. The walk was filled with a warm silence putting Naho at ease. Kawasaki Saki was not the kind of person to ask unecessary questions and that was the kind of person Kuwahara needed the most at this time.

Saki knocked on the classroom door.

"Come in."

She opened the door and was met by a Hiratsuka who glared dagger at her. Not that she really paid attention to that.

"Kawasaki ? Your habit of being late has made a comeback all of a sudden ? I'm sure you have a good excuse huh ?"

Kawasaki glanced at Naho who cowered a little out of shame behind her. She wanted to stay silent and not push it more than needed but it was way more than soft bullying. The delinquent hesitated and decided to first scan the classroom. Everybody was staring at them, Saki was uncomfortable. Nobody stood out for her. She couldn't pinpoint the bully. Sighing she looked at Hachiman last. He was looking from the corner of his eyes at the both of them with his confused face.

"Well..."

"Well... what ?"

"I was helping a classmate who got bullied and harrassed. I had to dry her clothes and fix her hair."

Naho opened her eyes wides and tugged the sleeve of Kawasaki getting scared of the chatter which started almost immediately. She looked at the floor, clenching her free fist hard.

Saki looked at Hikigaya once again. He was as passive as ever but for fellow loners, one could tell he was pissed. His eyes slightly more dead than usual.

"Is that true Kuwahara ?" Asked Hiratsuka.

Naho nodded faintly.

Hiratsuka greeted her teeth and slammed her desk hard before looking at Hikigaya for a split second prompting him to see her after class. The latter acknowledge the signal.

"Go to your seat, I'll deal with it. Is everything ok Kuwahara ? Do you need me to call your..." She stopped in her sentence to think her words. "Dad ?".

Naho let go of Saki's sleeve et shook her head negatively. She lift her head and showed a bright smile.

You don't need to try so hard to be tough... She thought.

"Ok then, go to your seat."

Kuwahara made her way to her seat on the table next to Hikigaya. On her way she crossed the eyes of Sagami who looked particularly pissed right now, scaring her and making her look at her feet again. She sat down silently, taking out her notebooks.

Hachiman looked at her from the corner of his left eye using his stealth Hikki. Usually he wouldn't care, she was someone he didn't really know. Although she treated him nicely, he couldn't tell if she was a nice girl. One thing was for sure, she wasn't a bad girl at least.

Hikigaya tried to fight his oni-chan instinct but the battle was lost from the beginning. He took a sheet of paper and threw it discretely on Naho's table.

Surprised, the receiver took it and opened it.

"You good ? You don't have to try that hard you know, bullying is tough."

Confused she looked at Hachiman who was focused on the blackboard, feigning ignorance. She couldn't help but smile despite her sadness, this socially awkward and strange guy worrying about her, she felt a thump in her chest. She wrote her answer and threw it at his exposed cheek.

"Oï..." He whispered glaring at her who looked away feigning ignorance.

You little...

reading her answer, his eyes widened a bit.

"Don't worry about me, I've had it worse, I'm used to it."

Looking back at her, all he saw was the girl smiling with full teeth at him.

This damn fake smile... I don't want to see it... But first, there's something worrying me about her reply. She wrote the same thing I would be saying now. Except the part where she had had it worse and she's used to it. I for one never really got over my bullying nor got used to it even though I'm not bullied anymore. Those thoughts still haunt me when I cross path with Orimoto Kaori. I wonder what her story is but it's not something I should ask. Not like I care anyway.

The class was now finished. Hiratsuka instructed Hachiman to come with her while the rest of the students were chatting together while it was the break time. Yumiko came and took the seat of Hikigaya to be next to Naho while Ebina and sat on her table and Yui moved her chair in front of Naho's desk.

"You alright Naho ? Do you know who did this to you ? What happened ?"

"Tell us ! We want to help you."

Kuwahara thought for a moment and wrote something on her notebook.

"Yes I do know who it is but I don't want to do anything about it."

"But why ?"

"It would just worsen the situation."

"Can you at least tell us what happened Naho-chan ?"

Naho nodded not being really sure about the way to tell them. She decided to mimic what happened. Mimicking a pair of scissors, getting drenched, her hair getting cut and messed up. They were all scared, worried and speechless.

"I swear if I get a hold of those assholes, they won't hear the end of it !"

"Calm down Yumiko, it wouldn't help her you know. Bullying is a complicated thing. But Kuwahara-san please. Talk to us if you need someone to be with you okay ?" Said Ebina.

She nodded affirmatively with a big smile, the mood got instantly better while Sagami greeted her teeth.

"By the way, your hairstyle is really cool ! You did it yourself?"

Kuwahara pointed at Kawasaki who was looking from the distance and looked away instantly.

"Kawasaki ? Seriously ?"

"Hm hm !"

"Well when you see her silky long hair it's not that surprising I guess, still I didn't believe her to be so kind toward another person. You can't judge a book by its cover."

The four girls chattered for the rest of the break time.

Meanwhile...

Hachiman was in Hiratsuka's office. She was smoking a cigarette to calm down.

"Sensei, I know why you told me to come you know ? Can we get to the point already ?"

"Yes you're right. We have to deal with the bullying she's getting. You know that since it's my request."

"Yes I know that but something's bothering me about this. Why are you so concerned about her ? Does she get a special treatment because she's mute ?"

"No that's not it, I do choose my favorite students but she's different. Actually her life is quite messed up you know."

"Yeah I guessed something was wrong or more like a piece was missing to make all the connections."

"It's not data I should give to someone else but I know you won't tell anybody else about it."

"I'm listening"

"The reason why this girl had to come to Chiba to finish her high school third year is because of her mother. She was a great artist and a brilliant violinist. Her father on the other hand was a simple man gaining the minimum but doing his best to support his wife."

"Everything is perfect when you listen to this right ?"

"Why are you talking about her mom like she was dead."

"Well I worded it wrong but it's also kinda true. She 'was' a great violinist and a great artist."

"What happened ?"

"On stage while she was in the front to watch her mother concerto, she had a cerebrovascular accident on stage."

Hachiman stayed silent trying to take everything in.

"So ? How is she ?"

"Coma."

"And how's the father ?"

"I don't really know but the documents make me think that this man is in despair. She also has a little brother. She's the new mom of her house. She is the big sister, the daughter and the wife of the house all the while having a handicap and having to study. She's already gone through too much in my opinion, this girl deserves to be the least sad possible. I'm not even talking about the special kid being bullied case Hikigaya..."

"I... Think I understand the whole thing better now I guess."