I'm Going to Rise Up Again

After the fiasco, Eika went back to the dorms alone no matter how much Hikaru insisted that he'll accompany her. She fixed her collar and pretended that the bandages on her leg don't exist. She'll get through this, she thought to herself.

She opened the door to find that her roommate was studying, she quietly closed the door behind her careful not to make a sound but, even if she did her roommate shifted her head to Eika.

"It's you," She said bluntly, but when her she saw Eika's whole figure. She gasped but, her worried face was instantly gone. Eika thought she might have imagined it.

"I'm Jane Eika Miyamoto," She introduced herself with a handout but, her roommate didn't bother to shake her hand. She stared at her blankly and sighed.

"I already know who you are," She pointed at the bandages on her legs. "Everything is broadcasted. This is not a school for idols anymore," She said bitterly. Eika shrank from where she stood. She slowly sat down at her bedside and kept her knees together.

"I guess I must be this school's number one loser?" Eika said flustered having to think about her name being known all over the school before she had a chance to introduce herself in a better light.

"Ha, loser? Even worse than that," She clicked her tongue. She turned to face her stack of books and continued to read through them. Eika hugged her knees and secluded herself in the corner. Eika watched her roommate study and let the silence fill around them.

"What are you trying to study?" Eika asked awkwardly, not knowing how to continue a conversation.

"I'm learning how to avoid being a loser like you," Her roommate dropped the bomb. Eika got stabbed in the heart. She didn't want to hear anything anymore.

"I know a few things about this school more than you do, hell, I experience this sh*t every day," She said honestly, writing down a few notes she had seen from her books.

"You experience it every day?" Eika raised an eyebrow and, her roommate turned to her with a sarcastic smile that says 'I'm glad you dared to ask!'

"If you think dropping down to the #650th spot in the ranking is terrifying, how about the ones who are already out of this school with their hopes shattered? If you think that getting injured on your ankle is the worst, what about the ones who receive death threats for trying to govern a school? If you think being the school loser is the worst, what about the ones that students backstabs people for doing nothing?" Her roommate vented. She crumpled up the notes on her hand and tossed it at the trash bin like it was nothing. Perfect score.

"I can tell you went through a lot," Eika smiled weakly, and her roommate rolled her eyes. She took out her favorite milk carton under her desk and popped the straw to take a sip.

"I've been through hell and back," Her roommate squinted. "Also, you better get used to those things," She whistled at Eika's injury. "I would rename this school, Sabotage Academy if I'm ever the headmistress,"

"So... it's not an accident then," Eika said disheartened, and her roommate laughed out loud. She stared at her roommate laughing like she couldn't stop anymore. She blushed in embarrassment. She clutched on her skirt and lowered her head.

"Ah, how naive," Her roommate took a breather and squeezed the box carton to shoot it at the trash can but, it missed. She hissed and then turned to face Eika.

"Look, kid. This academy leads to a life of luxury and fame. The less competition, the better chance of getting your hands on that sweet, sweet golden crown," She smirked. She stood up from her chair and grabbed her jacket from the clothes hanger.

"But didn't the headmistress say that the crown never really mattered? As long as you perform on stage to people who you care for is the greatest honor?" Eika caught up with her, she climbed out of bed and approached her roommate who was about to leave her in the dark.

"Well," She paused. She shoved her hands in her pocket and coughed, "If the crown never mattered, why do you think there's a ranking system in this school, huh?" She glared down at Eika's glossy eyes and moved away from her.

"Kid, whoever did that horrible thing to your ankle. It's best to serve revenge cold," She left the dorm with a lasting impression on Eika. The darkness enveloped her and Eika went back to her bedside. She wrapped herself with blankets to reflect.

She looked over her roommate's stack of books. She saw what's written neatly, 'Jeong Hae Won, 2nd-year Prefect Officer,'

If Eika has made it so far at this point, she might as well hit back hard as she can.

She reached for her phone and saw the post made on A-zone about her incident. She ignored the comments and dialed Hikaru's number. She waited for him to pick up and when he did,

"We don't need to find the one who made me fall, " She said in determination as she looked over the speakers hidden away in a box. She gripped tightly on her phone. "I'll make sure to rise up again,"