Episode 2: "The Isolation"
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[Scene 1: Morning Routine]
The sun rises, casting a faint golden hue over the apartment. Naruto groans as his alarm clock buzzes loudly, signaling the start of another school day. He squints at the time—almost late. Letting out a sigh, he sits up, rubbing his eyes.
Naruto (thinking):
"Another day of being ignored... just get through it."
He swings his legs over the side of the bed, heading for the bathroom. After a quick shower, the steam from the hot water fogging up the mirror, Naruto throws on his typical attire: simple jeans, a black t-shirt, and his worn-out jacket. As he ties up his shoes, he glances out the window, mentally preparing himself for the day.
Naruto walks out of his room, heading toward the kitchen. When he enters, he notices Zero Two and Rias already there, cooking breakfast together. Zero Two stands by the stove, her red school uniform accentuating her long, pink hair that sways slightly with each movement. She flips pancakes with a practiced ease, humming quietly. Rias, dressed in her signature white and black school uniform, is preparing scrambled eggs, her regal crimson hair draped over her shoulder. Both girls stop when they see Naruto, and their expressions immediately sour.
Zero Two (coldly):
"Oh look, the loser is up."
She rolls her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she continues flipping the pancakes. Rias, not bothering to mask her distaste, sighs dramatically.
Rias (sighing):
"I still can't believe we're stuck with him for this project. This is going to be a nightmare."
Naruto doesn't respond. He walks past them without a word, grabbing a hot waffle from the plate of food already on the counter. He places it on his plate, grabs a plastic fork, and walks toward the door, intending to leave the apartment without interacting with them further.
Zero Two (mocking, louder):
"Wow, didn't even say good morning. How rude."
Rias smirks at her comment but doesn't add anything, focusing instead on stirring the eggs. Naruto ignores them completely, shoving a piece of waffle into his mouth as he walks out the door.
As the door closes behind him, Zero Two and Rias share a look of irritation.
Rias:
"I swear, I don't know how we're going to get through this year with him."
Zero Two:
"Just stick to the plan. We do the bare minimum with him, then we'll figure out how to get with Issei and Hiro."
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[Scene 2: Lunch at School]
Naruto's morning classes pass by in a blur of routine—lectures, note-taking, and the usual whispers behind his back. By the time lunch rolls around, Naruto finds himself in the far corner of the cafeteria, sitting alone at a small table, away from the crowd. His lunch tray, a sad assortment of rice and vegetables, sits in front of him, barely touched.
Naruto (thinking):
"Same thing, every day… no one to sit with, no one to talk to. But it doesn't matter. Just get through lunch."
All around him, students are chatting, laughing, and socializing in groups. He feels their glances, hears their whispers, but tries to block them out as he pokes at his food. Across the room, Zero Two and Rias enter the cafeteria together, instantly drawing attention. Like always, the two girls are greeted with stares of admiration, students whispering as they pass by. Zero Two winks at a few boys, while Rias gives a graceful nod to her admirers.
They grab their food and walk confidently toward Naruto's table. For a moment, Naruto thinks they'll walk past him, but to his surprise, they sit down across from him, their trays clattering onto the table. They don't acknowledge him, though, not even with a glance.
Zero Two (smirking):
"So, Rias, how's your plan to get with Issei going?"
Rias lets out an exasperated sigh, stabbing her fork into her salad.
Rias (annoyed):
"I was going to use this project as my chance, but now he's paired with Akeno. It's so frustrating. She's always around him."
Zero Two:
"Same here. Hiro's stuck with Ichigo for this dumb project. I swear, Ichigo doesn't even like him, but somehow they got paired together. How are we supposed to get anywhere with our crushes if they're stuck with other people?"
Naruto, sitting directly across from them, listens quietly, still focused on his lunch. He's heard them talk like this before—about their crushes, their frustrations with the project, and how they wish they weren't stuck with him. He remains silent, trying to eat his food in peace.
Just as Naruto picks up his chopsticks, something cold splashes down onto his head, soaking his hair and running down his face. He freezes, feeling the sticky liquid drip down onto his clothes. He looks up, only to see Hiro and Issei standing above him, empty chocolate milk cartons in hand, smirking at him.
Hiro (mocking):
"Oops, didn't see you there, Naruto."
Issei (laughing):
"Maybe you should sit somewhere else, loser."
The entire cafeteria bursts into laughter. The noise is deafening, as students point and laugh at Naruto, who is now drenched in chocolate milk. Zero Two and Rias sit quietly, watching the scene unfold. They don't join in the laughter, but they also don't do anything to stop it. Hiro and Issei stand proudly, their arms crossed, reveling in the attention they've drawn.
Naruto clenches his fists, his blue eyes narrowing. But instead of reacting, he stands up slowly, his face expressionless as he picks up his tray. He walks away from the table without a word, ignoring the jeers and laughter echoing around him.
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[Scene 3: Back at the Apartment]
After leaving school early, Naruto returns to the apartment, feeling the weight of humiliation clinging to him like the sticky milk on his clothes. He immediately heads for the bathroom, stripping off his ruined clothes and stepping into the shower. The hot water runs over his body, washing away the chocolate and the day's misery.
Naruto (thinking):
"Why do I even bother? Every day... it's the same."
After his shower, Naruto wraps a towel around himself and steps out, heading to his room. He collapses onto his bed, exhausted and emotionally drained. The events of the day replay in his mind, but he forces himself to push them away, deciding that the best thing to do is to sleep it off.
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[Scene 4: The Night Confrontation]
A few hours later, Naruto wakes up to the sound of voices coming from the living room. He gets up, throwing on a fresh set of clothes before stepping out of his room. As he enters the living room, he sees Zero Two, Rias, Hiro, and Issei all sitting on the couch, watching TV. They're laughing together, clearly enjoying each other's company.
The moment Naruto steps into the room, they all look at him, and their laughter grows louder. Hiro, with his trademark smirk, leans back on the couch, glancing at Naruto with amusement.
Hiro (mocking):
"Hey, Naruto! How'd that chocolate milk shower feel earlier?"
Issei, sitting next to him, chuckles.
Issei (grinning):
"You looked pretty good soaked in milk, loser."
Zero Two and Rias exchange glances but don't say anything, though their smiles hint at their enjoyment of the situation. Naruto doesn't respond, his expression blank as he walks past them and heads for the kitchen. He pulls out a packet of instant ramen, ignoring the snickers and whispers from the group behind him.
Naruto heats up the ramen, the sound of boiling water filling the awkward silence as the others continue watching TV. Once the ramen is done, he takes his bowl and heads back to his room, closing the door behind him. But even through the closed door, he can still hear their laughter, mocking him, reminding him of his isolation.
Naruto sits on the edge of his bed, staring at the bowl of ramen in his hands.
Naruto (thinking):
"I'm used to this... It doesn't matter. I don't need anyone. Just get through the year."
He eats in silence, alone in his room, as the sounds of laughter and conversation continue to echo from the living room.
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[End of Episode 2]