Chapter 10: First true friend

When Yuka finally found a moment, she approached Hayato and Misaki with a quiet, apologetic expression. As the class representative, she felt responsible, even though there was little she could do to prevent what had happened. Despite her desire to intervene, she had no concrete proof to accuse anyone, and the helplessness weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Both of them reassured her not to dwell on it too much. Hayato, however, spoke with a resolute tone, declaring that Misaki would never have to endure something like this again. If it were just him, he could bear it—it was fine, to a certain extent. But now, they were dragging someone completely unrelated into this mess, and as the one who unintentionally caused it, he saw it as his responsibility to put an end to it. He already knew what needed to be done and had no intention of relying on anyone else's help to handle it.

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The next day, Hayato woke up earlier than usual, determined to put his plan into motion. He left for school long before his usual time, arriving just as the gates opened for students. Heading straight to the shoe lockers, he positioned himself nearby, keeping a watchful eye on the area. From his past experiences, he knew the typical pattern of bullies: after tampering with a victim's desk, their next move was to hide the victim's indoor shoes, forcing them to face the humiliation of attending class barefoot.

Just as he anticipated, after a while, he spotted that girl approaching with a small group trailing behind her. The moment she noticed him standing near the lockers, her expression soured, and she audibly clicked her tongue in irritation before brushing past him.

Hayato smirked, his voice deliberately loud enough for them to hear as he muttered, "He is too predictable."

He caught the faint sound of her growling in frustration. What would they try now that their plan had failed? Would they resort to tampering with the desk again? If they dared, he was more than ready. The same fate as yesterday awaited her, and this time, he'd ensure the lesson left an even deeper mark.

Hayato stayed near the lockers until Misaki arrived. He wasn't willing to take any chances. As she approached, he quietly stepped out of sight, observing from the shadows. Once he saw her successfully putting on her indoor shoes without issue, he turned and headed to his classroom, satisfied.

Later, in the cafeteria, after buying his food, a random guy stuck his foot out, clearly intending to make him trip. Hayato noticed it immediately but didn't react the way they expected. Instead, he calmly stepped on the guy's foot, applying just enough force to make him wince. With a cheerful smile, Hayato said, "Oops, sorry about that. Didn't see your foot there—though it was in the wrong place."

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Yesterday, Hayato had taken precautions, bringing two small locks and handing one to Misaki. He had suggested she lock her shoe locker before heading home, explaining his reasoning. Misaki readily agreed, and with that problem addressed, Hayato no longer needed to arrive at school so early.

Today, he walked into school at his usual time, only to find his path blocked in the hallway by two slightly muscular second-year students. Their intimidating presence was clear, but Hayato had already guessed the reason behind their actions. With a calm smile, he asked, "How can I help you, seniors?"

Surprisingly, they played along with his friendly demeanor. "Can we trouble our junior to come with us for a second?" one said, smirking.

Hayato nodded without hesitation and followed them, letting them lead him behind the school to a secluded corner where neither CCTV cameras nor wandering eyes could witness them.

Once there, Hayato's smile remained unwavering. "Seniors, what do you want from me?" he asked again, his tone light and casual.

One of the seniors laughed mockingly. "You really don't get it, do you? Are you an idiot?"

The other chimed in, grinning widely. "You've upset our friend, so we're here to teach you a lesson on his behalf."

Feigning panic, Hayato stuttered, "T-That's... I was wrong! Is your friend here? I'll apologize to them!" He clasped his hands together, playing the role of a frightened student.

The two seniors burst into laughter, clearly amused by his display. "Of course, he's not here. He doesn't need to come personally to deal with someone like you," one sneered.

Hearing their words, Hayato's lips curled into a grin. His posture straightened, and the nervousness he had displayed vanished as if it had never existed in the first place. His eyes gleamed with confidence as he cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing in the secluded corner.

"Perfect," he said, his voice low but chilling. "So, there's no one around to watch us, huh?" He smashed his fist into his palm, the impact resounding with an ominous thud.

With a cocky smile, he stepped forward and declared, "Come at me, you trashes of a bigger trash."

Later that morning, before class began, someone passing by the back of the school stumbled upon an unexpected sight: two second-year students lying unconscious on the ground, groaning faintly as if they'd been through a nightmare. The buzz spread quickly through the school, but the culprit? Nowhere to be found. Hayato, meanwhile, seated peacegully into the class as if nothing had happened.

They tried everything they could think of—messing with their belongings, hurling verbal abuse, spreading nasty rumors, and even attempting to get physical. Yet, none of it worked. Hayato was always two steps ahead of them, his calm and calculated nature thwarting their every move.

After three more days, the bullies began to quiet down. Perhaps they were running out of ideas, or perhaps they were plotting something even bigger. Hayato didn't let his guard down, though, and his vigilance soon paid off.

By pure chance, he spotted the three girls Misaki considered her friends speaking to Sudo after school. On the surface, it seemed like a harmless conversation between classmates. But knowing their personalities Hayato's instincts told him otherwise. They were definitely up to no good. He'd need to stay even more alert now.

Honestly, that damn Sudo is too much trouble. His influence within the school was far greater than it should be. But, of course, that wasn't surprising. His father's friend was the school's vice president, after all. Really, what a pain.

Sunday wasn't much of a break for Hayato. Instead of relaxing, he spent the day cleaning yet another dusty, empty room in the house. Seriously, how many of these rooms does this place even have?

As he leaned against the doorframe, surveying the now-spotless room, a thought struck him: It's already been over a week since he came to this world. Time had flown by faster than he'd realized, and though he had adapted well so far, there was still much to uncover and even more to accomplish.

Sunday came and went, and before he knew it, Hayato found himself back at school the next day. Thankfully, Sudo hadn't tried to pull any tricks today either, giving Hayato a rare reprieve from unnecessary headaches.

The morning classes passed by uneventfully. As the teacher's voice droned on, Hayato shifted his gaze to the window. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and soft sunlight streamed through the glass, warming his face. The weather was perfect—the kind that made you want to laze around and take a nap under its gentle embrace.

He let out a quiet sigh and glanced at the clock. The class was almost over, and lunch break was next. With a small smirk, he decided to indulge himself just this once. 'A short nap wouldn't hurt, right?' he thought as he slumped on his desk, letting the soothing warmth lull him into a light doze.

"Ha... ha... what... this?"

Hayato's eyes fluttered open, his nap abruptly interrupted by loud laughter echoing through the classroom. He groggily peeked through his arms, and the first thing that caught his attention was Misaki. She was sitting frozen at her desk, her eyes on the verge of tears, her whole demeanor exuding despair.

His gaze quickly shifted to the source of her distress. As he had suspected, it was Misaki's three so-called "friends," laughing obnoxiously as they held a notebook—or was it a drawing book?

"Do you really like this anime stuff? How lame."

"You even drew them? Do you want to be a manga artist?"

"Really, Misaki, we never knew you were such an Otaku."

The scene unfolding before Hayato's eyes felt all too familiar—the mocking of what someone loved, the way Misaki's face looked like she might break into tears at any moment, and the idiots playing along with them. The absence of Yuka only added to the sense of déjà vu.

This was exactly like the scenarios he had seen play out in the anime. And it was the very reason Hayato despised those girls. They didn't hesitate for a second when it came to exploiting someone's weakness.

In reality, these girls weren't just being petty. They were jealous of Misaki. She was more beautiful than them, always cheerful, fashionable, and could easily attract others. To them, Misaki was someone impossible to compete with, which is why they had befriended her in the first place. They wanted to figure out her weaknesses, and once they found them, they would use them to push her off her pedestal.

However, something felt off. This wasn't supposed to happen yet—it was way too early. And the more Hayato thought about it, it became clear that this was all happening on Sudo's command.

Sudo had probably instructed these girls to find something they could use against Misaki, they probably agreed because their thoughts aligned. He couldn't break Hayato physically or mentally, so they would go after the one person close to him—Misaki.

Yuka wasn't here either, and he had been sleeping during this incident. That was the perfect opportunity for them to approach Misaki while she trusted them as friends. They had probably noticed the drawing book when Misaki had tried to hide it from them, at least that's what happened in the anime. And now, here it was, the mockery beginning all over again.

Hayato gritted his teeth, torn by hesitation. 'Should I really stop them?' The thought felt absurd, even to him. Of course, stepping in was the right thing to do, but a nagging doubt clung to his mind. If Misaki stayed in this school, she would only suffer more, constantly reminded of this betrayal every time she saw their faces. And who knew what fresh torment they might inflict on her next?

In the anime, this incident had led to Misaki transferring schools. After that, she was never seen again. Judging by her kind and cheerful personality, it was likely that she had eventually found new friends in her new environment.

But Hayato clenched his fists as his thoughts turned darker. 'You idiot, who are you trying to fool?' he berated himself. There was no way Misaki would have remained the same after this. A betrayal like this would leave scars. She might have given up on her dream, the dream she was so passionate about, and it was all too easy to imagine her developing trust issues that would follow her for the rest of her life.

'Then why am I hesitating?' Hayato asked himself.

Deep down, he knew the answer. He didn't want to see Misaki crushed by this, but he also wanted her to stand up for herself, to fight for her own dreams. However, judging by the scene in front of him, that wasn't going to happen—not without someone giving her the push she so desperately needed.

With a loud *bang,* Hayato slammed his desk, the sharp sound silencing the room and drawing all eyes to him. Rising from his seat, his cold, annoyed gaze fell on the three girls. His voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"Will you fucking shut your mouths? Your voices are beyond annoying."

The trio flinched faintly, but quickly masked their surprise with scoffs. One of them sneered, her tone dripping with mockery.

"Hmph, are you trying to be the prince on a white horse or something?"

Another crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Who do you think you are to talk to us like that?"

The third leaned forward, her voice laced with venom. "What's the matter? Are you her secret little otaku buddy? Do you also worship those 2D characters and call them your waifus or whatever?"

Their laughter rippled through the classroom, an obvious attempt to mock him. It was clear from their tone that they didn't like Hayato, though that suited him just fine—because he couldn't stand them either.

Hayato calmly walked toward the trio. Despite being a tad shorter than them, he didn't seem the least bit intimidated. His sharp gaze locked onto theirs as he spoke, his voice calm yet laced with venom.

"And what if I am? Those 2D characters are at least a thousand times better than nasty snakes like you."

The classroom went silent for a moment, the audacity of his words leaving everyone stunned.

Hayato suppressed a smirk, finding the irony amusing. The last anime characters he had genuinely considered waifu material were now alive, walking and breathing in front of him in this new world.

The three girls froze, unable to find a retort as Hayato used the moment to his advantage. With a swift motion, he snatched the drawing book from their hands and flipped it open, taking a good look inside. His eyes widened slightly in admiration—Misaki's skills were exceptional. Each stroke reflected her passion, and every detail revealed her dedication.

Hayato closed the book, holding it up for the class to see. His voice grew louder, sharp and clear, as he turned to the girls with a questioning expression.

"You lot were making fun of this? Look at these drawings! Each one is beautiful, brimming with effort and dedication. And you—" his gaze bore into them—"you were mocking someone's hard work and passion? Pathetic."

Meanwhile, Misaki felt a twinge in her heart. Her tightly held secret was out in the open now, and her worst fears had come true. It was true—she is an otaku, and she loved drawing anime characters. But she had always kept that side of herself hidden, afraid of being judged. Especially as a girl, she worried about being labeled as "weird."

To fit in, she had buried her true self under a façade—a fashionable, cheerful persona that everyone seemed to love. But now that mask had shattered, and the betrayal of those she considered friends stung deeply.

"But answer me!" His angry voice resounded in the classroom "She has a talent—a genuine talent for drawing. What talent do you have? Piling on makeup? Mocking someone else's passion? Or being puppets, dancing to someone else's words?"

Yet, here he stood—the one person Misaki never expected. At first, she had been drawn to the quiet sincerity he carried in his actions, something rare to see. That's why she chose to talk to him. He had been awkward and reserved at first, his words hesitant and unsure. But as time went on, he began to open up little by little. She learned more about him—his quirks, his odd habit of muttering to himself, and the way he often got flustered when teased. Yet, in a twist of fate, she found herself on the receiving end of his teasing once, and it left her speechless.

Without realizing it, they started acting like friends. Sitting next to each other as desk neighbors, their conversations came naturally, as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Yet, not once did either of them explicitly mention becoming friends—it simply happened, as if it were meant to be.

Even so, a lingering fear held her back. Misaki had never dared to share her secrets with anyone, convinced that revealing her true self would leave her isolated, rejected, and alone.

But she had been wrong.

The very person she least expected—the strange, Amane Hayato—had not only discovered her secret but had also stood up for it. He defended the passion she had hidden for so long and, to her surprise, even praised it. He was the first person outside her family to know about her love for drawing, the first to acknowledge and compliment her efforts.

"And you," Hayato turned to her, his voice sharp, his expression angry—not just at the girls but at her, too. "What are you doing crying like a baby? If you love something, then have confidence in it. Stand up for it! Who cares what anyone else thinks? Why are you bending over backwards to fit into their mold? There are billions of people in this world. If someone doesn't like you for who you are, so what? Move on. You'll find people who value you for you, people who can be your true friends and respect what you love."

His words hit Misaki like a lightning bolt. She had never thought of it that way. In truth, she'd always been too terrified to share her passion with anyone, too paralyzed by the fear of rejection to even try. But now, hearing his words, it all made sense. If she didn't have the courage to share her true self, how could she ever hope to find someone who would accept her?

She realized now that trying to please everyone was pointless. Not everyone would accept her, no matter how hard she tried to fit in, and that was okay. She just needed to focus on the people who truly respected her and her passions.

And standing right before her was the first person who did.

For the first time, Misaki felt a sense of liberation. She had found her first true friend—someone who didn't despise her for who she is, someone she could be open with, someone who would never betray her.