CHAPTER 2: Attention Seeker

Summer is over and classes are back… but I was still wondering about what happened in the woods… in that cave… that guy, and the gem I have now. Did he gave it to me on purpose? How did he know where me and my family were staying? I have a lot of questions to ask him, but for now they remained unanswered…

“Hikari, here’s your lunch money. Take care on the way!” My mom said as she waves goodbye at me.

“Byeee!”

I guess I have to walk to school… My dad left early for work and now here I am walking… alone. I don’t have friends or like… I didn’t really have anyone to talk to. It’s not that I’m having trouble socializing, I’m just completely transparent in class.

I continued to walk and finally got to my destination, the school.

As I travel towards my classroom, surrounding me were a bunch of gossips and rumors going around. Students chitchatting at the halls, especially the girls. They weren’t looking at me so it means I wasn’t the topic. All I heard that there’s a new transfer student, and it’s a boy. Of course.. the girls are really into this, especially they say that he is hot and handsome or whatever… I’m not interested.

Anyways…

I got to my classroom and sat on my seat. While my class were waiting for our teacher, they completely just did their thing… Talking, Playing, Sleeping or whatever they’re doing-. As for me, I went outside the classroom, walking towards the canteen. Until, I accidentally bumped into someone…

Of course I felt dizzy for a sec, so I rubbed my head where it hurts.

“Sorry-…” I said as I lift my head up towards the one who bumped into me.

To my surprise… it was the same guy… I met at the cave…

“You’re…”

The guy has his eyes also widened, maybe in shock that he met me here in this school as well. So ironic…

He blinked twice as he stared at me… We were like having a staring contest at the moment, as the other students surrounding us observed us.

“Hey- isn’t he the transfer student?”

“Yeah! And the girl is from Class 4-A-1, right? Kiyoshi Hikari.”

Some girls around us started talking.

Oh no…

Me and the guy both looked at the girls who spoke for a second, and then we both looked at each other once more.

“Stop copying me.” I said to him.

“I have to… go-“ He said as he walks away from the scene.

I got irritated by his manner. “Did he just ignored me?” I said to myself.

I didn’t shout or add anymore commotion since I don’t wanna look like a creepy stalker to others’ perspective or maybe even more… So I just kept quiet and let him go for now.

After that, the people that were around started to finally walk away and minded their own businesses…

“*Sigh…*”

Didn’t really had to make a scene… so he’s the new transfer student people are going on about? Hot and Handsome, huh? Oh please…

(After Class)

Finally… although, I have to meet Mrs. Yumi due to some reason… I don’t know what, but okay-. I guess I’ll go.

As I got to Mrs. Yumi’s Office, she asked me a favor to clean the storage room beside her office. Before doing so, she said to wait a little because she’s waiting for someone to help clean the storage space as well.

Minutes later, someone knocked at the door and as it opened, a girl with red eyes and brown hair came in.

“Alright! Thank you, Ms. Kaminari for coming over. I want you to meet Ms. Kiyoshi. I was wondering if it would be ok for the two of you to help me clean the storage room, because I have an urgent meeting to attend to.”

The girl just nodded with a non-chalant expression on her face.

“That settles then! Well, now if you’d excuse me, I’ll have to go now! Here’s the storage and office key, if you’re done cleaning you could lock it and give the key to the school guard, okay? Thanks again you too!”

And with that… she left.

An awkward silence was alive in the atmosphere we both were in. So, I decided to lighten up the mood by greeting her a hello.

“Hey there, I guess we should properly make an introduction?” I said with a bit of an awkward tone.

“No need, I already know who you are.” She said as she looks at me with a numb expression.

“You do?” I said as I blinked twice.

“Yeah… you’re Kiyoshi Hikari from Class 4-A-1. You made a scene in front of your classroom with a guy which is the new student, earlier before classes started.”

“You-… know me because of what happened earlier-?” I said with an irritated look in my face.

“Not really…” She said so fast.

“Then how?”

“We’re classmates…”

Her answer made my eyes widened-…

“Wait- WHAT-?!”

She nodded with her eyes closed making a fool out of me.

“Don’t believe me? I guess I should be the one who has to make a proper introduction.. The name’s Kaminari Raiden, and I’m from the same class as you.”

This girl-…

“Anyways, we should get started.” She added.

As she opens the door, surprisingly… the guy from earlier was just at

the other side of the door.

“Great… you’re here.” I said to him.

“I guess fate has been set for the both of you.”

“What-?” Me and the guy said at the same time.

“I-..” I startled.

“See…” Raiden said.

This guy again? I completely just wanna ignore him… but I’m still curious on what happened-… I just stopped going further earlier because people might think I’m a creep, trying so hard to get his attention. But whatever… I have a lot of questions to ask this guy.

“Hey, you!” I said as I point at him.

“What-?” He finally spoke..

“Do you know-“ I was suddenly cut off by someone that pulled the guy, taking him away from my sight.

“Sorry! Gotta borrow him for a sec!” The girl who pulled him shouted.

What the heck-…

Raiden chuckled as she saw me get humiliated…

I gave her an annoyed look and stared at her endlessly.

“What-? I’m still human. It’s not like I’m always numb, neutral and has an expressionless face.”

“It’s not that. Argh whatever! Let’s just get this over with.” I said as I walked towards the storage room.

(1 Hour and 17 Minutes later)

“It’s been 1 hour and 17 minutes since we started cleaning..” Raiden said out of nowhere.

“What the- were you timing us?”

“Yeah.. I’m the type to get my schedule and time properly.”

“Got a time management, I see\~”

“What’s with the tone of voice?”

“What do you mean? My voice was normal.”

She stared at me for a second and just ignored it.

“Nothing…”

Okay?.. that was uncanny.

A few seconds passed once more, she said something again.

“Hey, about that guy earlier… I’m curious. What were you trying to tell him?”

“Well…” Wait- should I tell her? She doesn’t seem the type to gossip around… although she’s always updated about it-

“Hmmm?”

“It’s… about this gem at my neck.”

She then looked at my neck.

“That’s..?” She said questioningly.

“Long story short… I met this guy in a cave. I saw this gem with him and then he knocked me out. The next time I opened my eyes, I was already at the house my family rented, wearing the gem in my neck.”

“Oh-…”

“You believe me?”

“No.”

“Then, what’s with the ‘Oh-‘…”

“I said I don’t believe your story but I believe you.”

“That doesn’t make any sense..”

“I’ll help you.”

“Wait- really..?”

“Yeah, sure.”

She said she’s willing to help but her face is really neutral like she doesn’t really mean it or something-… Oh well, whatever..

“So you want to help me… How exactly?” I asked her.

“You want his attention right? I gotcha.”

“What-?”

“Come on.. follow me.” She said as she pulled me along with her.

“Where are we going?”

“Remember the girl who took him? I know where they are right now.”

A few seconds later, we were heading to the student council’s office.

“The Student Council..? Why’re we here?”

She just ignored my question and walked towards the door. She was about to knock, until the door opened.

“See…”

“It’s the girl who pulled him…”

“Oh, you mean Hairo? He already left. He said he was going to the library.” The girl who pulled him earlier said.

“Is that so?”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Raiden said as she pulled me once more.

I guess, we’re headed to the Library, then?

We arrived at the place and searched for him.

“His name’s Hairo, right?” Raiden asks.

“I don’t know- how should I know?”

“The girl said his name earlier… not paying close to attention.” She said with an annoyed expression.

“Sheesh.. why ask me, then?” I replied with annoyance.

“Shhh! That’s him right.” She said as she puts her index finger to my lips.

I blinked twice, a little surprised to her sudden gesture and it gives me embarrassment.

“Y’know… we kinda look like a stalker right now-“ I said.

“Aren’t we supposed to be stalking him?”

“Wha-..”

“Come on, go talk to him now… he’s free and alone.”

“Don’t make it sound weird!”

“Go on…”

I gave her a look that would beat her up to death as I finally stood to approach him. Touch luck, until he was disturbed once again by someone.

“Oh well…”

“You were too slow.”

“Not my fault he’s cute and attractive that all the girls are surrounded by him.”

“Oh?\~\~ what did you just say?”

“He’s surrounded by girls?”

“No, before that.”

“That he’s cute and attracti-“ I blushed a little as I’ve spoken those words, seemingly embarrassed by it.

Raiden chuckles at my reaction, making a fool out of me again.

“Stop it!!-..” I said a bit loudly as I continued to stare at the guy, focused on him at some point.

(Moments Later)

After all that happened, we finally accomplished our task on cleaning Mrs. Yumi’s Office Storage.

“Too bad you didn’t got the chance to talk to him today.” Raiden randomly says.

“Don’t make it sound like I have a crush on him and is stalking him throughout the day.”

“I’m not implying it to be like it tho-.” She said that with a whole straight face.

“Are you for real-“

“What do you mean?”

“I seriously do not get this girl…” I said to myself..

“Well, if you weren’t such a noisy brat, then we wouldn’t have been kicked out in the library..”

“Whatever…”

We both started heading to the guard house, handing them the keys as per Mrs. Yumi’s orders.

As I was about to take my lead, Raiden greeted me goodbye before she walks towards the other direction I was heading to.

“Take care, Hikari. Bye.”

“Goodbye!”

Her words sparked me a little since no one has ever said or greeted me that way before. Guess I made myself a new friend, huh?…

— END OF CHAPTER —

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