Author's note! I want to spice up things for a bit. I want to see what would happen if we switch our POV for just one chapter. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
(Natsuki's POV)
I sat inside the bath tub filled with warm and relaxing water. I am reminiscing about the stressful events that have happened to me until now. The years that I have lived in terror of my dad, my bullies and the constant thought of losing my friends. I folded my legs and held tightly, at the thought of those things. I let out a dissapointed and tired sigh as I stood up. I dried myself with the towel Yoku gave me. Suddenly, I heard knocking on the door, in surprise, I let out a short 'Eek!' but managed to calm myself.
" Ummm, Natsuki, Yoku wanted me to give this to you. I'm just gonna leave it here, okay?" Monika opened the door slightly and gave me the clothes Yoku lent me.
I began to examine the set of clothes that is lying on the sink. A blue T-shirt and black shorts, both of which smelled nice and fresh. I put it on to see if it fits me. Well, besides the T-shirt, which is like two sizes bigger than me, it fits! Yoku also told me of the spare toothbrushes inside the cabinet. I took one out and unwrapped it from its packaging so that I can brush my teeth. After I was done, I wrapped the towel around my hair so that it could properly dry off, before walking out. I entered the room to see Yoku lying on the other side of his bed browsing apps on his phone and Monika sitting on the other side reading... Manga?!
" Oh! Natsuki, you're here! Finally I can show you something. Hurry, sit beside me." Monika spoke excitedly and gestured to the space beside her.
" Yeah, I really think you'll like that manga!" Yoku puts down his phone and took out a manga from the box.
" Wow, I didn't know the president read manga. I thought manga isn't literature." I said to them as I walk towards them.
" First of all, it is Yuri that said those things. Second, I think manga is a mix between literature and visual arts. The story elements are there, but they use images to show it." Monika explained as I took a sit beside her and took the book Yoku is handing me.
" New Beginnings in a Fantasy World? I've never seen this before, hmmm. YoShiKu? Is this the author? I've never really seen this pen name before." I examined it carefully, the art style is nice and the genre is fantasy and adventure. But as I continued to think about the author, Yoku grinned at me.
" Natsuki, can you say my full name?" Yoku had a grin on his smug face.
" Yoku Shisegi... Hold on, Yoku... Shisegi... YoShiKu...Oh my gosh, what the hell?! You make manga?!"" I excitedly got up on my feet due to ny shock and surprise.
" Ahaha, yup! That is my first and last published work. My producer was really sad about it, since it sold really well, but I still wanted to retire." Yoku rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously.
" The plot is really good and the art style is really pleasing to the eye. I really recommend you reading about it." Monika said to me before immersing herself once again into the manga she is holding.
I took a sit beside them and began to read the first chapter. It is about this regular and average boy who gets pulled into a fantasy world by some female mage. The mage is a clumsy airhead who is like an older sister towards him while the boy is a generic main character trope. But as I progressed trough the story, those traits changes. I saw the growth of all the characters in the story. The mage becoming more and more skilled and careful with her work, while the boy practiced his skill in swordsmanship and being a bard. It was comedic most of the time, but sometimes it gets really serious.
Suddenly, I began to tear up. I've remembered when my dad would beat me up of he saw I spent money on manga and the like. I've never really had the freedom to do the things I wanted in my house. But here, instead of being beaten and insulted for reading manga or staying up late, it's the opposite. We spent the night discussing or watching anime and manga, telling stories and basically, have a good time.
" Natsuki, hey, you ok there? You seem to be crying." Yoku asked as he put away his phone.
" Uhhh, no! I have to spend the night sharing a bed with you, of all people." I tried to hide my smile, but it seemed the color of my face showed how U really felt.
" Ahaha~ Well, you don't have to share the bed with me. You're gonna share the bed with Monika, while I sleep in my futon." Yoku stood up and pulled out a futon from under his bed.
" Ah! W-wait! No, I... fine, whatever. Go sleep on the floor like a dog. Hmph!" I stammer out these words before pulling the covers over myself to hide my embarrassment. I could feel my face turn red as a beet. Suddenly, I felt Monika hugging me from behind.
" Wait a minute, Monika... when did you get dressed in your pajamas? And why are you sleeping here in Yoku's place? I ask Monika with a curious tone in my voice. She smiled and patted me on my head.
" It's very lonely at my house since I live alone. Thankfully, Yoku lets me sleep with him when I feel like it. Teehee~" Monika had a smile on her face while Yoku lay silently in his futon, with his face red.
" Oh, I see... well, it's getting late. I'm gonna go to sleep now." I turned my back towards Monika and closed my eyes. But as I drifted off to sleep, the scent of Yoku's clothes made me feel lightheaded and dizzy. Jeez, why does my heart pound so much?
I woke up to the sound of an alarm, I looked at the time and saw it was still 5:00am. I looked around to see if they are awake, but I was greeted by the silence of an empty room. I made my way downstairs quietly and saw that Yoku and Monika are looking at a notebook. Strange, what could they be studying for? I cough lightly to get their attention. They turned their heads toward me in surprise.
" Natsuki, did we wake you up?" Yoku asked with a worried voice.
" Nah, your alarm did. By the way, what is that you're hiding from me? Your journal? Let me see!" I tried to grab the notebook but Monika just pushes it away from my grasp.
" Kinda... It's, hard to explain. Oh! Akami-sensei would pick you up later. He will drive you to school, cause it's safer than walking with us." I frown at this statement, but I know it's for the best of me. Yoku put away the notebook, and stood up.
" Now, we shouldn't miss the most important meal of the day, right?" Yoku smiled as he walked towards the kitchen.
" Bacon and eggs? Or do you prefer something else?" Yoku stood infront of the stove, infront of him are different ingredients.
" Bacon and eggs sound good." I reply to him as I took a sit.
" Ok, and French toasts and a cup of coffee for you, Monika?" Monika took a sit beside me and tilted her head slightly.
" Yup! Ahaha~ It seems you already know what I want, huh?" Monika has this smile on her face.
Monika and I began to talk about our plans for today's festival. It seems we would have no events for today, so we are free to go check on the other booths. As we continued to talk more about school, Yoku finished cooking up our breakfast and he began to serve it to us. He took a sit beside Monika and began to sip coffee from his mug.
" Eat up Natsuki, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Yoku said to me with a caring tone in his voice.
" Well of course, dummy. It has been a while since I had a proper breakfast, so I intend to savor this meal." I spoke loudly towards Yoku, who simply laughed at me.
" Well, okay, but you better hurry up. Akami-sensei is gonna pick you up at around 7, so you better be dressed by then." Yoku began to sip his coffee once again. I took a fork and began to take a bite out of the bacon and eggs on my plate. I don't know why, probably because of my unhealthy habit of skipping breakfast, but it seems this regular meal is filled with flavor.
They both looked at me strangely as I started to gulp down the meal before me. It was satisfying to finally eat an enjoyable breakfast for once. They were clearly amused and glad that I coyld finally eat something for once. Maybe, I might not black out or feel light headed later, after all I finally managed to eat something for breakfast. As we ate our breakfast together, we started to chat about Akami-sensei due to Monika asking me about my thoughts on him.
" Yeah, he is a nice teacher... no, he is a nice person." I mutter as I gulp down the mouthful of eggs and bacon.
" Hmm? How so?" Monika asks curiously, tilting her head and focusing the gaze of her green eyes towards me.
" Well... when he teaches us, he makes sure all of the students can follow and understand. If even one student fails to follow, he would either explain the topic once more in a more simpler, yet understandable way." I paused for a moment to eat the last slice of bacon on my plate.
" Oh yeah, he also does that in our English and Science classes. This one time, a classmate of mine approached him during lunch time to ask help in the topic. I heard Akami-sensei even bought him a meal while he taught the student about the hard parts of the lesson." Monika exclaimed before she took a sip of coffee.
" Yeah... he also bought me a meal once, when I was really hungry. And that one time, those alpha bitches in my class were about to start picking on me. Thankfully, Akami-sensei was there and managed to chime in just before it got serious. He made sure that I wouldn't get picked on again until I reached the clubroom." I smiled as I recalled the memory. How could such a teacher and kind being exist, I wonder.
" Yeah... he is a pretty nice guy... B-But I only s-s-see him as a friend and such! It's not like I see him as something else... So get that idea out of your heads!" They giggle in amusement while I bow my head in embarrassment due to what I just said. Suddenly, I felt a gust of wind from behind me.
" Awwww, I am flattered! Thank you for your compliments." I could feel the warm touch of hands on my shoulder. I look up to see Akami-sensei smiling warmly at me.
" What the hell?! It's still 6 in the morning! You aren't supposed to be hear until an hour later!" I exclaimed in surprise towards him. He laughed as he took a sit beside me.
" And how did you get trough the locked door?" I looked at the clearly locked door in the living room. He merely smiled and shrugged it off.
" Secret! Now, since you have already finished your breakfast, it's best if you take a bath and get dressed. But take all the time you need! No need to rush!" He smiled at me before I stood up and went upstairs to get a shower.
I finished taking a shower getting dressed when I looked at the time. It's already 7 in the morning and I have to get to school by 8! I hurry down the stairs to see that Monika already left and went home to prepare for school. Yoku and Akami-sensei were talking about some stuff about world building and codes, but I didn't pay attention to it. Akami-sensei noticed me and stood up.
" Shall we go? Just tell me if you don't feel safe going to school." He asks with a concerned tone in his usually cheerful yet calm voice.
" Yeah, I'm going to school. It would be lame if I just kept fearing my father." I wave goodbye to Yoku, who is about to go upstairs to take a bath. He smiled and wave in my direction before turning around.
Akami-sensei's car is parked infront of Yoku's house. It is a white Toyota 86 with tinted windows and its interior is pretty clean. I got in the back seat and after a while, we started moving. The ride to the school is silent yet soothing. I don't know why, but Akami-sensei has this air of calmness around him. We entered the school's parking lot and found a spot near the school's gate. But before I could hop out the door, Akami-sensei locked the door and glared outside the window.
" Natsuki... be quiet for a moment, and whatever you do, make sure you are not visible outside." His eyes began to follow the hum of a distant vehicle. I peeped my head just a little bit and I was petrified.
" T-that's, my dad's car... What the hell?!" I ducked under the window to hide myself. His eyes followed the vehicle for a moment before I heard it drive away.
" Tsk, this is gonna be hard. Natsuki, hear, wear this jacket instead of your blazer. I'll give it back later in the club room." He threw me a black jacket and I began to unbutton my blazer. I put on the jacket and I gave my blazer to Akami-sensei. He got out first and looked around, before letting me out and escorting me inside the school. Before we parted ways however, he bent down and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.
" This is a charm. If you are in trouble, hold this paper firmly and say this incantation. 'Help me God, hear my plea.', You got that?" I nod at him and he patted me on my head.
" Good girl, now go. The club room will keep you safe." I turned around and dashed to the place that has served as my sanctuary, the Literature Club.