I'm not one to be messed with

The tall fences of the boarding school stood imposingly in the morning light against the pastel sky. There were bars on the building's windows, making it even more difficult for the students to glimpse the outside world that they were so desperately longing for.

Natsuo gulped as he surveyed the massive tile facility where he had been sentenced to spend the rest of his high school years. He had been sent there as punishment for his inappropriate attitude and lack of respect for superiors - and now, for the very first time, remorse was beating inside of him.

The middle-aged man slammed the car door shut as a person emerged from the heavy doors, waving in their direction. She wore formal attire with a white shirt and black skirt, topped off by a blazer with a golden pin. Her dark hair was tied into a neat bun, completing her professional look.

"Dad, I..."

"Do not refer to me that way," Masashi grunted and adjusted his glasses as he stepped forward to greet the woman.

Natsuo swallowed his words, feeling sick to his stomach. The look in his father's eyes had made it clear that any attempt at conversation would be futile.

"Nakashima? I'm the headmistress. Follow me, and we will get all the paperwork done," she said with a formal bow, not addressing their future student who was on the verge of tears.

Natsuo's gaze shifted to the car, where his mother sat with her head down. The enraged fire within him was boiling and ready to burst.

"There was a reason you never became a real mother!" he screamed, his loud voice thundering on the otherwise silent property.

His father and the headmistress both turned their attention to him. A fearful look crossed his mother's face as she turned to look at him, finally looking into his eyes. The boy could feel his father's angry glare on him as he continued, his voice shaking with emotion.

"How could you watch him do that to me?!"

Masashi grabbed Natsuo's jacket, almost lifting him off the ground.

"That is enough! Do not speak like that!"

His grip broke and was followed by a powerful shove that sent the teenager stumbling back a few steps, but he managed to regain his balance.

"I apologize for his behavior. He won't be a problem," the surgeon said, bowing his head with a sour expression.

The headmistress sympathetically nodded.

"And how can you be a doctor when you beat your own kid?"

She raised her brows when the boy kept speaking, but didn't dare intervene in the face of the family's obvious conflict. Masashi slowly turned back toward the boy, who stared at him unyielding, his jaw clenched and his fists trembling.

The father's gaze toward his only child was unforgiving. Heavy tension hung between them, resentment and disappointment expressing themselves without words.

The man sighed deeply before continuing, composing himself and glancing back at the headmistress.

"Please let me know where I can sign that paperwork," he said in a heavy tone.

(Later that day)

The new boarding school student sat on his futon mattress in his room. Natsuo looked around the compact space, his eyes lingering on the only furniture - a small closet and a desk for homework. The walls were bare, and the only light came from the setting sun that shone through the small, barred window.

His hands squeezed the timetable, the strict schedule printed with what seemed like a million regulations. Classes would start early in the morning and last until the late evening, with activities and chores filling up the rest of the time. Natsuo thought he was locked in a prison - a place where he had no freedom, no control over his own life, and no chance of escape.

And then his mind wandered to the little ghost, the one who had kindled the strange flames inside him. His hand gripped the paper even tighter as he thought of him, making his heart race a bit faster.

At least in the closed environment and forgotten by everyone, no one would ever discover his secret - the one hidden deep within him, the dark truth he had kept concealed for so long.

The door was knocked. After being startled out of his thoughts, Natsuo ordered himself to ignore his former classmate who had just crossed his mind. He got up from his bed and opened the door. A figure stood in the hallway, wearing a sharp uniform with the school's emblem stitched onto the lapel.

"Good evening, Nakashima," the young man greeted and continued after a small bow.

"My name is Tanaka, and I'm your dormitory supervisor. Welcome to school."

The newly admitted student merely nodded back and stepped aside, allowing the man to enter the room. He watched as Takana inspected the small space, checking for any mistakes in the school's instructions that he would have already violated.

"I will bring you another one - we don't want you getting into trouble with the rules now, do we?" he said as he glanced at the wrinkled schedule on the futon.

He smiled graciously and excused himself to leave, only to return carrying a tray of modest food - a bowl of rice, miso soup, and a few slices of rolled omelet. The new student's stomach grumbled as the smell of the food reached his nose and reminded him of how hungry he was.

"Thank you," he murmured as the supervisor left his plate on the desk, explaining that he would eat with the other students tomorrow, but tonight he was being treated differently.

"Enjoy your dinner," he said before leaving.

Natsuo eagerly picked up the chopsticks and sat cross-legged on the floor, ready to start eating - only for the door to open again, making him think that the supervisor would give him another copy of the dreaded rules.

Three boys strolled into his room wearing the same uniform, but with the collar undone and their hair slightly messy, as if they had just come from a long and exhausting day. Their brown eyes held a glint of mischief and playful spirit as they observed the unfamiliar person in front of them.

"So, you are the new kid, eh?" the largest of them said, showing that his front teeth were missing as he flashed a wide smile.

"Shit, is Tanaka still there?" he questioned immediately, closing the door.

The two of his sidekicks were more slender, their hair cut short and their narrow eyes hidden behind thick glasses. Both of them were quiet, but mischievousness was still clear in their expressions when they saw Natsuo's confused face.

"Everyone talks about rules and so forth, but the real rule is - " the boy without his teeth continued, taking one of the omelet slices in his chubby fingers.

" - that I, Kohaku, are the real boss around here," he declared as he munched on the piece of food.

"Sorry for being rude, didn't you have enough to eat? I would be more than happy to share if you are still hungry," Natsuo asked, glancing at his round waist and exposed belly button.

Both boys seemed off guard by his response, but Kohaku just chuckled as the new student challenged him with his arrogant voice.

"Let's see if you - "

Then, in one swift motion, Natsuo snatched the miso soup and splashed it on Kohaku's face, causing his two companions to jump back.

"Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed it," he said wryly, smiling mockingly as he continued.

"Now, you might think you are some kind of king in your fantasy world, but I'm not one to be messed with."

Kohaku wiped his wet chin with his palm before sweeping his hand over Natsuo's uniform.

"I guess we will see each other tomorrow. Get a good night's rest, new kid. You will need it," Kohaku smirked before all three of them walked away, only their laughter left behind.