CH 2

"Senpai! Open up, damn it! You know, you should be the one asking for forgiveness!" 

Having driven Hanabi from the infirmary, the slam of the door and Hanabi's subsequent yell drew the attention of the Nurses, as they rushed over. 

"What are you doing here, this is a hospital!" 

"I-I'm sorry. It's just that we had a bit of a fight... It's my fault. Senpai was feeling kind of bad and everything just became a blur after." 

From the hallway, I can hear the conversation going on. The shift in her tone of voice is very much palpable, now donning her cutesy honor student voice. Absolutely repulsive. She's putting on such an apologetic tone. I can feel a hint of flattery in there too. 

It's only with me that Hanabi acts like a complete bitch. Whenever other people are around, she puts up that fake front of hers. I'm sure there are other people just like her. On the outside, she seems so normal and nice. But only if everyone else knew her true nature. She truly is a psychopath. 

"I'll be returning home now. Sorry for getting in the way." 

I'm left with a bad mental image of her fakeness. Her disgustingness is certainly a sight to behold. 

She leaves afterwards and I notice my phone buzzing. Fuck off, why don't you. I can imagine my ignoring her is really pissing Hanabi off. Well, that cunt deserves it. 

Hanabi: Hey, we both acted a bit out of line. How about we make-up and get over this? Read 6:20 PM 

Hanabi: You read my message and didn't reply? Are you feeling so high and mighty now? You really are a dumbass. Read 6:55 PM 

Hanabi: You think you have any right to act like this!? Even an atom has more worth than you. If it wasn't for me looking after you, you would have committed suicide. You're so fucking ungrateful for everything I've done for you. Remember, you're just a pile of trash. Without me, you'd probably be a rotting corpse by now. Read 6:57 PM 

Hanabi: Fine, act like that. Have fun in hell for all I care. Read 7:00 PM 

Hanabi: For fuck's sake. Already read?!? And you said you wanted to break of our relationship and yet your still reading my messages? Are you still attached to me or what? What kind of wishy-washy pussy are you? Read 7:55 PM 

"Lingering emotions, huh..." 

After her heated messages, I gaze at them for a while. I'm so sick and tired of it all. Every single day, all Hanabi does is get angry and yell at me. I'm just so numb at this point, I can't even tell what I'm feeling. 

"That should take care of that..." 

I've made up my mind. 

I blocked "Hanabi Kisaragi". 

She can no longer contact me. 

"This feels so good. I think my stomach is feeling better already." 

I should have dumped her sooner. Well, better late than never. My hellish nightmare is finally over. 

"Looking back, I really was brainwashed." 

------Senpai really is pathetic. You're a waste of space and I'm the only reason why you're still around. 

------ How long will you continue being a disgrace to society? I guess never, though I think you already know that. 

Hanabi has always delegitimized every ounce of my existence, judging and sneering at everything I do. 

"For now, I should avoid Hanabi at all costs." 

For the first time in my life, I have a sense of liberation. It feels so empowering. 

And so, the next day arrives. After I leave the hospital, I head straight to the barber. I can finally cut these long bangs hanging over my eyes. It's all Hanabi's fault that I had to grow out my hair in this ridiculous way. 

"Hey Souma-kun, have you looked at yourself in the mirror." 

"Y-yeah..." 

"And you can look at yourself flinching?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I think you should really hide your face somehow. With that face of yours, you'll probably be teased so much." 

"...Wh-" 

"You don't even realize yourself own patheticness, how sad. If you actually looked at your face, you would have grown out your bangs to cover that monstrosity." 

"B-but, I won't be able to se-" 

"Did you say something?" 

"N-no, sorry." 

"You know, if you can't see anything, that means everyone else won't be able to see you either. and that's a good thing. You understand, you idiot?" 

This happened way before high school, back in Grade 3. Since then, I've always had these disgusting bangs covering my face. I've always wanted to cut them. They prickle my skin and it hurts like hell. It also blocks my vision so I can barely see anything. 

Also, ever since I started growing them out, people have been calling me names like "Mop Top" and "Curtain Boy'' thanks to this gross style. Well, I always had thought that I deserved to be bullied even without my terrible hair. At least the hair had let me hide from others. 

But things have changed now. I finally got my haircut and it feels like the world around me has opened up. Everything feels so bright and wonderful. It's all so fresh. I think I sort of understand the name "Curtain Boy''. With my hair, I was hiding myself from the world, shutting myself inside the darkness that is Hanabi. 

I didn't think it would have made much of a difference, but I was wrong. Walking into school the next day, I opened the door to the class and I started to hear some intense chatter. I can hear some of the girls whispering fiercely as I pass them to get to my desk. 

"Wait, who's that stud? I don't remember him being in our class." 

"Oh, oh, is he a transfer student? Oh my gosh!" 

"Ahh, he's so cool, I can't take it anymore!!!" 

Huh? Those girls were clearly looking in my direction. And there's no one else in the vicinity. 

...Holy shit, are they really talking about me!? 

And so, a rumour started floating around: "Hey, I heard Mop Top is really sexy underneath all his hair". I had no part in the spreading or creation of this rumour, but it was going around the school like a wildfire. Eventually, it seems it reached the ears of a student named Hanabi Kisaragi. 

I wonder how she thinks of it all... 

______

Translator's Notes:

Seems like we ended on a cliffhanger for this chapter. Can't wait to see what happens next! While this chapter release was a day after the first one, please don't expect constant daily updates. I'll do my best to not leave all of you guys hanging though.