12: Orca — Tachibana Makoto
He was a living irony: a gentle giant.

"Hey there, cutie! Didja mistake this for the middle school building?"

"I've been wondering. Do they let you on the rides at the amusement parks?"

"I feel bad for her. She's gonna need a booster when she starts driving."

Standing at a little less than five feet, most people towered over you, and you became subject to their constant verbal abuse. You'd think that after years of having to put up with the teasing, you'd become immune. Sadly, that was not the case.

The tallest of the basketball players in your grade — or rather, the stupidest excuse for a teenage boy — found amusement in poking at your vertically-challenged state. And today was like any other.

Since you had three quizzes in a row tomorrow to study for, he decided that stealing your book bag was a swell idea. You had to chase said idiot nearly halfway through the school, and upon arriving at the gym, he simply jumped and slammed your book bag on top of the basketball rim. To add to his list of achievements as the resident Asian Scumbag Steve, he had walked away, laughing at your misery. You found a chair nearby, but by all means, your fingers barely brushed the rim even when you jumped at full power.

You sank to the floor and began crying in frustration. Then you heard the gym's door creak, and Makoto poked his head in.

"Oh, it's you, [f/n]-san. Have you seen Haruka? I'm looking for him and- wait," He paused mid-sentence and opened the door wider, letting himself in. "Why are you crying?"

You tried to reply, but let out a hiccup instead. He rushed to your side and knelt, and he patted your back to try to ease your sobbing. You should've been intimidated by the guy; with his height and bulky physique, you could've easily earned a spot on the basketball team. But his soothing voice, friendly smile, and mellow demeanor, which heavily contrasted with his body type, made you feel at ease around him. Despite never going beyond a simple hello in class, the way he was consoling you at the moment made you just want to melt in his arms.

"Tell me, what's wrong?"

"My book bag..." You pointed at the basketball rim, and he frowned.

"Geez, those guys again? What jerks." He shook his head, and proceeded to stand on the stool. With ease, he grabbed your book bag, and turned to grin at you.

He really reminds me of a whale. Gigantic, but gentle.

Suddenly, one of the leg's chairs snapped into half, and he fell forward. He landed on you, and the abrupt pressure knocked the wind out of your lungs.

Too bad he weighs like one.

A/N:

I have this bad habit of ruining moments. Go on, hate me.

I actually typed this out with a different, much longer plot last night, but when I submitted the document, the server went yogo and WOOSH. Just like that, an hour's worth of brainstorming wasted. And I couldn't bring myself to retype it 'cause I became depressed right there. And CRIED. And every time I started typing it out again, I cringed and simply couldn't bring myself to. Oh, the things writing makes me do.

Review? Please. I'll lick a fat man's armpit if you do.

Okaythatwasdistrubing. -shudders-

No seriously. Review! You have no idea how much every single review means to me. -tears-

=Cafe Lolita