They say there are seven deadly sins.
Pride. Greed. Envy. Lust. Sloth. Gluttony. Wrath.
The first six of them are sufficiently lame. Pride makes one its pawn, making their ego extremely vulnerable to attacks from other people. Greed turns one into a slave to their material possessions. An individual prone to envy is just pathetic, wasting their time on being jealous of other people's belongings, features or talents. Lustful people are extremely pathetic as well. They are comparable to animals willing to go great lengths to satisfy their sexual needs. Sloth and gluttony both are the reason why many folks nowadays can't even walk on their own due to being overweight.
But wrath is totally different. I would say it's the only sin that deserves a certain degree of respect, mainly because of its purity.
Wrath makes people show their true colors. When one is fully overtaken by their fury and anger, all the masks are thrown off. They tell what they feel, do what they actually want to do and do not worry about the consequences. In other words, the wrathful people are the most honest people you can meet.
Besides, wrath is a human natural state. It's arguably a reason why human civilization raised to such level of technological advancement. Had we not always been so eager to wage war and fight each other out of genuine hate and anger, we'd probably still live in caves and huts. The majority of the most important inventions were initially made for war. It's a widely known fact.
With that said, it's even more pitiful that a high school seems the place that is totally devoid of any kind of wrath. Riiaju are abominably nice to each other. Always smiling, always polite and bland. Even their insults and mockery do not contain even a little bit of anger, which is rather vexing. And since I mentioned above that the wrathful people are the most honest people, we can come to a conclusion that the high school is also the most dishonest place.
I strongly detest liars. I prefer honesty above everything else, even if it's brutal. So it's unlikely for me to have some good memories of a place that is full of dishonesty due to riiaju stupid norms of behavior. So, for all the people who lie and not let their wrath show…
GO FUCK YOURSELVES!
Have you ever heard someone say that they get so angry they see red? Unlike many fancy phrases to use, this shit is actually true!
Source: me.
"Hikigaya-san, please! I get it now, I won't bother any-"
I punched the riajuu right in the jaw with my left, sending him on the dirty toilet floor. All I saw at that moment was bloody red, and I was barely keeping myself from kicking his ribs till I hear them fucking break. Instead, I grabbed him by the collar of his fancy shirt and punched him again, and again, and again…
A few teeth flew out of the riajuu's mouth, leaving the blood traces on the pile.
Oops, seems like I overdid it.
Suddenly hit with a post-violence clarity, I let go of the guy. He instantly crawled away from me, raising one of his hands as if to protect his face from another attack. His eyes were full of fear. I only had seen such look in horror movies before, when a protagonist was cornered by a big and scary serial killer.
Is that how people perceive me now?
Well, I probably shouldn't think about it right now. I closed my eyes and counted to ten, trying to calm myself down. It didn't work out well, to be honest.
The riajuu was mostly silent, I could only hear his loud rapid breathing. I opened my eyes and looked at him, which made him crawl even further away from me. Great.
I turned away from him and looked in the mirror. The blood stained my face, but not too much, just a few spatters there and there. Sighing, I turned on the water and started washing my hands first. They were also bloodstained, and it seemed I had gotten several abrasions on my knuckles.
Kami, how did it even happen? I thought I didn't even punch him that hard in the first place.
While washing my hands, I heard some noise behind me. The guy probably decided to use the moment to slip away. Nope, not happening.
"Fuckin' stay there!" I growled, not even turning to him.
The noise instantly stopped.
I washed my face, cleansing it of the disgusting riajuu blood. This had to be done very carefully. Last time Hiratsuka-sensei noticed the blood stains under my chin and I had a very fun time explaining to her how they had ended up there.
Satisfied with the cleanliness of my face, I turned to the riajuu on the floor and grabbed him by the collar once again. The ugly creature somewhere in my chest raised its head, consuming me with its heat.
"Now listen to me very, very fucking carefully, you aborted fetus." I spat, feeling my vision becoming red once again. "If you or one of your shitty friends try to take my or someone else's money, or if you just come near me, fuck, if I think you look at me the wrong way, I'll knock the rest of your teeth out and make you eat them. Got it?!"
"Yes, Hikigaya-sama!" The riajuu nodded so vigorously it was a wonder to me that his head didn't fall off. "I swear I won't bother you in any way again! Please, don't hit me again…"
Hearing the guy's pleading, the creature roared in satisfaction and fell asleep. My vision became clear again.
My hand slipped into his pocket and returned from there with a thick wallet.
Wow, our riajuu friend is sure not having financial problems. There's almost 13000 yen! Not bad, not bad at all.
"I'm sure you won't mind me taking this as the compensation for the blood I got on my hands?" I asked the guy, squatting down in front of him with the cash in my fist. "And for the time I wasted here with you, of course."
"No I won't, Hikigaya-sama!" The riajuu started nodding again.
I couldn't resist the urge to kick him in the guts, which made him empty his stomach. The sight of a retching riajuu wasn't a nice one, so I hurried out of the bathroom.
"Hikigaya-sama, thanks for protecting me."
Oh, I almost forgot about this guy.
I looked at the little first year, who was seemingly waiting for me outside the bathroom. His head was bowed so low his hair were almost touching the floor. He was short and skinny, which made him an easy target for various cunts like one that was currently lying on the toilet floor.
High school is a place utterly devoid of wrath, that was true. But it's sure as fuck isn't devoid of cruelty, despair and hatred.
I sighed, took 10000 yen and gave them to the first year, making his eyes go wide.
"Some of these are probably yours."
The first year took the money with trembling hands and bowed even lower.
"Words can't express how I'm grateful to you, Hikigaya-sama. You are the beacon of hope for the guys like me…"
Fuck, I almost regret helping him now. This first year is a total weirdo. Judging by his way with words, he's a new Zaimokuza in the making.
"Kindly shut the fuck up."
"Yes, Hikigaya-sama."
"And don't think I'll make a habit of getting you out of shit like this." I warned him. "I only helped you because I happened to be in a good mood today. Next time I might either not be around or too lazy to help you, so you had better learn to fucking stand up for yourself."
With that, I simply turned around and left.
The school day was over, so I took my bike from the parking lot and started driving home, rapidly sweeping through the streets of Chiba. The warm spring breeze was enveloping me in the falling leaves of sakura. For some reason, it was calming me down and even sending me in some weird reflective mood.
By the way, my name is Hikigaya Hachiman. As you could have guessed already, I have something that the normies call «anger issues» and I call «noble wrath».
My father once said: «Hachiman, I love you, truly, but sometimes it seems to me like you're one bad day away from beating someone to death in the parking lot.» And while it's hardly the best thing to say to your own son, my old man indeed had all the reasons to think so.
Since the age of ten, I've often felt this terrible heat inside my chest. It burns me up inside, making me scream in rage, throw punches and say hurtful words to other people. When this heat takes over, I'm pretty much unable to control myself. All I see is red.
I went in trouble for it throughout my whole life. In the middle school, my father had to visit school more often than any other parent. There wasn't a week when I didn't pick up a fight with someone or have a falling out with a teacher. Back then I wasn't able to control my anger at all, and every time something sent me off, I'go nuclear.
And there's a lot of things that easily can send me off.
Lies. Arrogance. Forced social interactions. Riajuu. Sukuna's Binding Vows.
The level of my wrath depends on the day. Sometimes I'm in relatively good mood and mostly ignore the sources of my irritation, aside from throwing a few curses at them. And sometimes literally everything is getting on my fucking nerves. The faces of the people on the subway seem especially punchable in those days, so I prefer to not leave my room much during them. And to not log into Rainbow Six Siege, yup.
Given my… rather original character and piranha eyes, it's no wonder people prefer to stay away from me. Not that I have any problems with that, actually. Those who walk the path of a loner don't need too much social interaction anyway.
Besides, if they fear me, they respect me, right?
…right?
«I'm home!» I declared, taking my shoes off in the hall.
«Oni-chan is back!»
Oh, there she is, the light of my life and the most beautiful girl in the world, my precious little sister Hikigaya Komachi. She was the only person that I couldn't be angry at. Looking into her pretty gray eyes, I understand that she's probably the only person in my life who'll love me unconditionally and not for what I can do fo-
«Did you buy something sweet for your cute little sister?»
Ah, nevermind, she also uses me.
«Here's your daifuku, Komachi.» I sighed, handing the sweets over to her.
«Oni-chan is the best!» Komachi grabbed the daifuku. Her smile was so bright I could go blind if I looked at it for another second. «Yeah, that's so high on Komachi points!»
Then she suddenly stopped grinning and narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
«Oni-chan, you didn't kill anybody for these sweets, did you?»
Well, I didn't kill that riajuu, just corrected his face a little, took his money and than used 3000 yen of them to buy the daifuku for Komachi, though I could hardly tell that to my suspicious sister.
She even tilted her head slightly. It was adorable.
«I'd kill anyone without hesitation to make you happy, Komachi.» I said deadpan.
Instead of blushing, tearing up and hugging her Oni-chan, my little sister seemed… disturbed?
«Oni-chan, that was downright scary.» She said hugging her shoulders in a defensive manner. «If you weren't my older brother, I'd run away and call the police.»
Who'd have thought that anime was not, in fact, a honest representation of a relationship between siblings?
«Whatever.» I simply shrugged. «I'll be in my room, Komachi.»
«Okay, Oni-chan!» Komachi didn't even look at me since she was busy opening the paper bag with daifuku.
I sighed for the thousandth time today and went upstairs to my room.
My room was my sanctuary, the place where I was free from any kind of communication with other people. Honestly, if I was presented with an opportunity to never leave these four walls again, I'd take it without hesitation.
There was everything I could possibly need. My computer, the bookshelf occupied with my favorite manga and light novels, Playstation-chan and of course, my bed, which I immediately fell on, letting out a satisfied puff.
There was also a big old punching bag in the corner. It was the legacy left of the time when I used to train in jujitsu. My father was done with me fighting other kids in middle school and decided to send me to the place where I could fight them legally. "You need to learn to use your anger in a more healthy way." He said.
His plan quite obviously didn't work out. You see, it isn't particularly wise to give an angry and edgy kid the means to hurt others in a more effective way. Though I've never been that talented in martial arts, I did learn how to fight well. And I didn't hesitate to practice my technique on any classmate that happened to piss me off.
During my middle school years father got so many calls from school that he just ultimately blocked the principal's number and started solving the problems directly with the parents of the kids I fought. I have no idea how he managed to get me off every time, but I never once got a real punishment for my actions.
Actually, that also wasn't probably a wise decision for my old man to let his son think he can get away with everything using his help, but I don't blame him. I got him into so many trouble back then that it's no wonder he ultimately gave up on teaching me to do the right thing.
It's a wonder however how he still loves me after all the mess I've caused throughout the years. I'd probably hate my child if they turned out the way I did.
Wow, those are pretty depressive thoughts even by my standards. Better keep myself busy with something before they got worse.
I got up from my bed with difficulty and started looking for my jogging suit. Nothing helps to get rid of the bad thoughts better than an evening run.
«And with that, our Modern Literature lesson is over.» Hiratsuka-sensei declared, closing her journal. «You're free to be wherever you want for the next hour, but remember to be back in time for Math.»
I stood up from my desk, yawning and cracking my neck. It was a long fucking lesson, but now I can go and enjoy my bento in peace and quie-
«Hikigaya, you stay. We need to have a talk in my office.»
And just like that, my plans got crushed by the cruel reality in the face of some middle-aged-but-still-single teacher who seemingly had nothing to do except bothering me.
Several minutes after, I was standing in front of Hiratsuka-sensei in her office.
Despite my jokes about her age, I got to admit, sensei is a very beautiful woman. The lab coat and the formal pantsuit she wears are not by any means revealing, yet she manages to look seductive. Were I a decent human being and was she not such an annoying woman, I'd have fallen in love with her years ago.
Thankfully, I'm still an asshole and she's an intrusive bitch, so this scenario is highly unlikely.
We were looking at each other for almost a minute in total silence. Her glare was disapproving, mine totally unfazed… At least I hope so.
«What am I here for?» I eventually averted my eyes, tired of this game.
«Hikigaya, you're perfectly aware why you're here.» Hiratsuka-sensei sighed exasperatedly, putting her cigarette out. «That yesterday's tantrum of yours was quite idiotic, to be honest. What did you even try to reach by doing it?»
Shit, who spilled the beans? Was that first year not as grateful as he tried to show? If it's so, him and I are gonna have an interesting conversation real soon.
«I'm innocent, you won't prove anything.» I said deadpan. «Ask the guy himself, he'll confirm it wasn't me.»
Hiratsuka-sensei blinked.
«I was talking about your essay, Hikigaya.» She said, tilting her head almost like Komachi yesterday. «Did you do something stupid besides that yesterday?»
Shit, I fucked up! I forgot about that damned essay already.
«Nope.» I quickly said looking away. «What makes you think so?»
However, Hiratsuka-sensei wasn't so easily fooled.
«The Akiyama from 2J-class. It was you, wasn't it?» It was a statement, not a question.
«I have no idea who you're talking about.»
I wasn't technically lying. I indeed had zero fucking idea who this Akiyama guy was. I had an assumption he might have been the riajuu from the toilet, but an assumption is just an assumption, right?
«Anyway, is something wrong with my essay?» Out of two evils, I chose the lesser one. It's better to be scolded for a couple of slurs in a stupid essay than to deal with the consequences of a school fight.
Hiratsuka-sensei sighed again, this time way more tiredly, but accepted the change of the topic begrudgingly.
«Aside from the fact that you outright told all the peaceful people to go F themselves? Well, your essay has nothing to do with the assigned topic, as well as the five essays you'd already written.»
Huh?
«I'd argue that they, in fact, matched the topic perfectly well. My opinion on so-called «happy high school days» is thoroughly explain-»
«And this opinion is as disturbing as your piranha eyes!» Hiratsuka-sensei interrupted me. «Besides, it covers only 1/5 of your average essay. The rest is you glazing wrath as the fundamental human emotion.»
Oh, I've just remembered another source of my annoyance. It's people interrupting me.
«Is there anything wrong with writing my views in my own god damn essay?» I hissed.
«Yes.» Hiratsuka-sensei said bluntly, not impressed by my flash of anger at all. «Rewrite it.»
Are you fucking kidding me? Again?
«Just use the first one I handed over to you last Monday!» I growled in irritation.
It isn't even like writing another essay is that hard. No, it hardly requires more than forty minutes of my free time. But it's a matter of principle at this point.
«Nope.» Hiratsuka-sensei even smirked, which made me even more furious. «Since you seem to have a lot of free time to waste it on writing the essays you know have zero chance of being accepted, please spend it on writing a decent work, Hikigaya. Make these piranha eyes useful at last.»
No! No more! That's it! I don't care!
I didn't care about sensei killing me for it, I didn't care if I live, I didn't care about anything.
«Well, sensei, you also seem to have too much free time.» I forced myself to say it calmly, though notes of rage were still slightly heard in my voice. «I'd say it's really surprising.»
«Huh?» Hiratsuka-sensei frowned in confusion. «What are you talking about, Hikigaya?»
«I mean, do you even have time to read all of my rewritten essays?» I scratched my head, pretending to be thoughtful. «Shouldn't you be home instead with your husband and kids? Why bothering with me instead? Oh, yeah, I remembered why! You got no husband and kids, because at the age of twenty seven you're still singl-"
Last thing I remembered before the darkness enveloped me was sensei's fist flying towards my face.
When I woke up, I was lying on the floor of sensei's office.
I opened my eyes with difficulty. My head was hurting as hell, and my vision was blurred for nearly a minute before it focused on the person towering over me.
It was Hiratsuka-sensei. I have never seen her this irate, she looked like an incarnation of Nemesis, her hair moving of their own volition like dark wings and her eyes burning with such concentrated rage that I immediately regained my self-preservation instinct and felt a sudden urge to crawl away from her.
If I looked like this for that riajuu in the toilet, that I totally get why he was that afraid of me.
«Hikigaya.» She said, her voice suddenly low and powerful like a deafening thunder.
«Yes, Hiratsuka-sensei?» My voice was more quiet than usual.
«Never joke like that again.» She warned, pointing her finger at me like she was gonna hi me with a lightning. «Never. Got it?»
«Yes, Hiratsuka-sensei.»
«Good.» Hiratsuka sensei sighed, and the image of Nemesis was gone.
I let out a sigh of relief and managed to get up from the floor, nursing my damaged cheekbone.
«Have I overdone it?» Hiratsuka-sensei asked, looking concerned.
Oh, so now she all of sudden cares about my well-being!
«I've had worse.» I responded. «You do know that hitting your students is illegal, don't you?»
«As well as beating Akiyama up.» Hiratsuka-sensei retaliated smoothly.
«You got no proof.»
«Same with you, Hikigaya. So, I guess tomorrow I can expect a rewritten essay on my desk?»
«Yes, you can.» I sighed in defeat. «I guess it's the only way to get you off my back, sensei.»
Hiratsuka suddenly stretched her lips in a mischievous smile.
«No-no, Hikigaya, you aren't getting off the hook that easily. Not after that joke. Follow me.»
Hiratsuka-sensei turned on her heels and walked out of the office. Confused, I followed her.
Upon some thinking, she's probably gonna make me help with rearranging the furniture in some classroom or carrying some heavy boxes as a punishment. Well, it could be worse, so I guess I got off lightly.
We were walking through the school hallways for quite a while before sensei stopped in front of some utterly unremarkable door and opened it with a loud bang.
Behind a door, there was a classroom. It was mostly normal, except for the fact that the desks and chairs were piled up along the wall, like the room was used as a storage. There was also a long table in the middle of the room, and some girl was sitting on the chair next to it.
She had long raven-black hair, which cascaded down her spine like a dark waterfall. Her blue eyes looked like two frozen lakes, and her perfectly ironed school uniform suited her slender frame.
The girl looked so perfect that I suddenly felt a wave of self-consciousness sweep over me. My own uniform wasn't even buttoned up, and the Slipknot t-shirt under it had known better days. And I also noticed that my white sneakers had little stains of blood on them, dammit.
Of course, I instantly recognized her. Who didn't know Yukinoshita Yukino, one of the two informal queens of Soubu High and arguably the most beautiful girl in the school?
The question is what is she doing here. Judging by her thin body, she's hardly capable of providing any serious physical assistance in moving the furniture or anything else. Maybe, Hiratsuka wants to put her in charge of me to make sure I'm not slacking off?
«Hiratsuka-sensei, I asked you to knock before entering many times.» Yukinoshita sighed, closing the book she'd been reading.
«You never answer even if I do knock.» The older woman waved her off.
«Because you never wait for an answer and open the door right away.»
Then Yukinoshita's eyes shifted to me.
«And why did you bring this scum with you?»
And just like that, I exploded.
«Who did you call a scum, you dumb cun-»
My genuine outrage was interrupted with sensei's fist landing in my solar plexus. While I was coughing and struggling to keep breathing, Hiratsuka-sensei went on talking like everything was totally normal:
«I see you already know him?»
«Hikigaya-san has earned himself very negative reputation.» Yukinoshita said calmly, fixing her hair. «Everyone knows him as the biggest rowdy in this school. And while I usually restrain myself from judging a person before knowing them better, I think this particular case doesn't need any further investigation.»
Fuck you too, YukinoShitty.
«Well, you're not wrong about Hikigaya being really troublesome.» Hiratsuka-sensei smiled. «But he isn't entirely hopeless.»
«Looking at his scary piranha eyes, I highly doubt it.»
«Why the fuck it's always the eyes…» I mumbled to myself tiredly, but a look from sensei made me shut up.
I'm a prideful man, but right now I'm feeling like my self-preservation instinct should prevail over my pride. I'm not keen on getting more bodily harm than I already got.
«I assure you, Yukinoshita, Hikigaya is not only capable of changing, but is willing to change as well.» Hiratsuka-sensei said, putting her hand on my shoulder. «That's why he wants to join Service Club.»
The fuck?