Unexpectedly, the meeting was manipulated
Bullying is like a plague hiding in plain sight. It is not a recent problem nor unique to young people. It has existed since humans developed the ability to form groups and exclude individuals who don't fit in. But in schools, in that closed and hermetic microcosm, where every little detail of human interaction is amplified, bullying becomes more evident, although ironically, many prefer not to see it.
I have read, a first-person reader, enough to know that bullying is not just a simple conflict between a victim and an aggressor. It is a much more complex social dynamic. It is a natural reaction to the human need to establish hierarchies. In a society where everyone is fighting for their place, someone will inevitably end up being the scapegoat. After all, hierarchies don't work if there isn't someone at the bottom to show who's on top. It always takes a rung to see above you.
People talk about courage and justice, about how important it is to "report harassment," as if it were so simple. But the reality is that most won't do anything. Not because they don't care, but because they don't want to be the next target. That's the uncomfortable truth that no one wants to admit. Most are terrified that they might be the next outcasts to be targeted. So they prefer to stand on the sidelines, keeping quiet, maybe feigning sympathy for the victims, but never doing anything that will make a difference.
The most ironic thing is that even the adults, the ones who are supposed to intervene, behave the same way. Teachers, parents, school administrators...everyone talks about how action needs to be taken to stop bullying, but, when it happens, many prefer to look the other way. It's easier to turn a blind eye and move on than to confront the complexity of the problem. The truth is that the school system is not designed to solve bullying, because that would require admitting that there is something fundamentally wrong with how we educate children. And no one wants to do that. Pathetic.
As for stalkers, most people tend to quickly classify them as monsters. And while some seem to enjoy inflicting pain, most of them are just pawns of the same system. Like the victims, they are trapped in a cycle of behaviors they don't fully understand. Some do it out of fear of being rejected by the group, others because they believe it is the only way to gain the respect of their peers. In reality, the bully and the victim are two sides of the same coin: both are products of a social structure that values conformity and punishes difference.
But the darkest part of bullying is its impact on victims. Unlike physical wounds, the emotional and psychological scars it leaves can last a lifetime. Social exclusion is one of the most painful forms of abuse because it directly attacks a person's identity. It makes you feel that you don't belong, that you are not worthy of acceptance. And worst of all, most victims never talk about it. They learn to keep quiet, to endure in silence, because they believe that no one will listen to them or that, even if they do, it won't change anything. And unfortunately, most of the time, they are right.
As for me... well, I've learned to handle it. At some point, one gets used to being the cynical spectator of these daily tragedies. I learned that it's easier to keep an emotional distance from others, and to observe from afar because getting involved only leads to disappointments. If you don't expect anything from society, you can't be disappointed when it fails, as it always does. However, that doesn't mean I don't see injustice. I see it clearly, it just doesn't surprise me anymore. And perhaps, somewhere deep down, I feel some empathy for the victims, because I know what it's like to be the outcast. But I also know that, deep down, human nature is to blame. Humans are hardwired to form groups and exclude those who don't fit in. It's a bitter truth, but a truth nonetheless.
So how do we deal with it? The honest answer is that we can't eradicate it, at least not as long as society remains what it is. That's what I should say. We can mitigate it, sure, but it will always be there, lurking in the corners of human interactions.
However, if a former victim observes a current victim, he or she is likely to act. More so if you can do so.
More so if you give a shit about your reputation.
More so if you don't give a shit about your reputation or what others think of you.
The cycle of behavior that perpetuates bullying is a reflection of inherent flaws in social and human dynamics. Dynamics are difficult to distinguish at first glance, but people like Ryuuen, Arisu and Ichinose can surf in favor of their goals. In that sense, Class D is still a child in front of elementary school students as Horikita is just beginning to understand. Not to mention the superficial connections of Kyshida and Hirata. Even Hasebe maintains a more modest but sufficient circle as long as his pillars are firm.
That already carries a disadvantage. The solutions to their stratagems are as distant and intractable as the people in this imaginary room. Simple sentiments to break down like blind trust, and some not so simple like the pursuit of a violent victory; they only serve to highlight a unique characteristic. Even if they all have their weaknesses and strengths, they are still young. Any teenager, no matter how smart they seem, should be that way. However, the eyes looking at me serve as a window into the mind of a researcher. They are not at all different from those of his father. They are not only a sign of his past, but the stubbornness of his "no change" in the time I have known him.
Curiously, in this sort of white room, there were only two high school students, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and I, Hikigaya Hachiman. Two personalities in one container. However, Pokerface-san willingly relinquished control of his body to me after our first meeting. Scary.
It's even creepier when you feel that sense of control from him. Not like an authority to a subordinate, but like an ethologist in front of a new species.
And that brings us to this situation.
"So, this was what you wanted, Kiyopon?"
Ryuuen had just beaten me up, in the literal sense of the word. He didn't care about the declaration of video cameras and microphones planted left and right around the place, nor on my clothes; least of all the fact that he backed out of his 1 vs 1 fight and ended up in a 1 vs almost eight people. Considering his tyrant pride, I guess he stretched his description to the nth degree.
As much as I possess the body of a perfect human, in terms of cultivating the physique, I still have the same biological shortcomings as anyone else. My vagus nerve has no distinct position, my epiglottis does not disengage the airway from the digestive tract, and my pain tolerance limit is only slightly higher. My chuunibyou tendencies were the only ones rewarded in this situation.
So, it was just a matter of bad luck that I was sent flying off to who knows where. Even with the advice of this almost robotic voice, which is the original Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, I wasn't able to assimilate the information in time.
"To be more precise, I made it sound like we were dancing in the palm of his hand when, in fact, he's been dancing in ours."
"Yours you mean. I never foresaw this outcome."
I would never have agreed to such an unequal confrontation when I lack references in actual combat because, while I accessed a bit of Ayanokouji's information in the first meeting we had in this space; that doesn't mean I possess all of his experiences. Moreover, even in that case, I doubt I would be able to expose myself to this scenario where, although it is a battle arena with no surveillance beyond the one implemented by us, I was surprised by Ryueen's spontaneity. After all, he was betting too much without considering his main courses, Ichinose and Arisu, on an "interesting" X-subject which he downgraded when considering the priority order.
"We are two distinct personalities in one body. As much as we want to be individual we answer to the same person in flesh and blood."
"Well, then, have fun out there."
"Fun? What's fun about standing up for yourself?"
"Now it's your problem, I'm done for the day...Besides, we've known each other for over a year. I know your stone face shows no expression because you haven't genuinely experienced that. Hell, I felt facial paralysis when class started and I couldn't even show my discomfort at that teacher's attempt."
"¿And...?"
"Well look at you, a smile as creepy as yours I wouldn't even wish on Ryueen."
It is possible that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka started with a "mob A" plan where he remained with that poker face; however, the brain connections in his body have already experienced the different sensations imposed by Hikigaya Hachiman's "habit". The dead fish look, the apathy before the final exam, the satisfaction of avoiding an expulsion, the feeling of embarrassment at the thanks, the enthusiasm for Maxx coffee. All that now runs through the body. That naturalness should be enough to dig the small well of "natural emotion" in the personality known as Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. His surfacing is imminent even with such tight control as his.
"Don't say anything. Just get up. I've given Karuizawa enough worry."
"Thank you."
Before disappearing, his thanks along with that unnatural face on him only made me question my decision. I've released the Pandora's box. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep today.
With a sigh, I look towards the only wall in this room. It looks like we are going to wake up.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's body rose heavily. As if it was a new experience, the feeling of being in an infinite swim ended. The sensation on his skin, the heaviness of his body, the warmth inside him, the mobility of his muscles. Everything was so different and familiar at the same time. The air, the colors, the voices, the place around him. His whole body had changed and yet not.
With a trickle of blood splitting his face, a completely different world was revealed in front of his eyes. Truly, Ayanokouji was experiencing nirvana. His curiosity was satiated and fed with different questions in eternal instants.
Ryueen's face distorted, as well as those of Ibuki, Narioka, Albert, and Ishizaki. The reasons were different. Only Karuizawa's worried look remained throughout, perhaps because she was farther away.
Ayanokouji did not get up instantly. His head ached, he understood the pain. This physiological response of alertness was not new, but the sense of danger; that remnant left by Hikigaya Hachiman, still lingered. As if it were a new lesson he took his time to apprehend it. That precious memory replayed in the face of a sense of worry. Not a tactical response to the possible loss of a valuable
Ayanokouji found the answer. His face could now smile with uncontrollable naturalness.
PD: Good morning.
Here is your favorite procrastinator writer. A new idea came up (for the moment one-shot). I hope to update you soon. It's not long before finish university, I'm a bit anxious these days.
I hope you liked the fic, please leave your comments and I'll be glad to read them. Thank you very much