Chapter 3

### **Upcoming Nemesis**

Coming down the stairs, I yawned.

*Guess I've overslept. It's 5:15. Fuck it.*

Closing my eyes for just a few seconds, I shook off the heaviness. *I better move out quickly.*

As I walked down the stairs, the faint sound of a violin reached my ears. *What the hell is that play?*

It was coming from the music club. Peeking through the door, I saw a girl—completely absorbed in her playing. Her focus was so intense she didn't notice me standing there, watching.

*What's she playing? The tone is completely off.*

I stepped into the room and grabbed her hand, pulling the bow away from the violin.

"Calm down. Catch your breath before you break a string."

"Let go of me! And who the hell are you?" she snapped, her eyes blazing.

"Hananoi Tojiko. Second year. And you are?"

"Sakura," she replied, still glaring.

"Alright, Miss Sakura. School shuts at six. It's already close to five-thirty. You should leave now."

"No!" she shot back, her voice firm. "I still need to practice. I promised my senpai I'd stand beside her during the school violin competition in a few weeks."

I glanced at her. Dark bags under her eyes. Swollen hands from gripping the bow too tightly. *She's pushing herself too hard.*

"You haven't slept well these days, have you, Sakura-san?"

Her eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"I can tell. And by the way, have you made any progress?"

"Yes, I've gotten sharper and—"

"Nothing else, right?" I cut her off, my tone cold, hands still in my pockets. "I'm sorry to say this, but your performance is a pain to listen to."

Her face twisted in shock and anger. "Wh—what? Who are you to say that? Do you know how many days I've spent practicing without sleep? You think you can just pop out of nowhere and criticize me?"

Her shouting didn't faze me. "That's not practice. You're just straining yourself and tightening your own noose. What's the point of training if you can't enjoy it? Progress isn't easy, but if this is what you call practicing, you're wasting your time."

She lunged at me, grabbing my shirt like she was ready to throw a punch. I didn't flinch.

"I already knew you'd do that," I said calmly. "The person you admire—your senpai—she's great in your eyes, isn't she? Flawless, even. But you can't walk a path without understanding it first."

Her grip loosened, and she stepped back, tears welling up.

"She's so perfect… Everything she does is good. I just wish I could be like her."

*What a pathetic being,* I thought to myself.

I opened my bag and pulled out a notebook.

"Take this. It might help."

She stared at it, confused. "You…?"

"Yeah. I played violin at my previous school. I'd say I'm much better than you."

I turned to leave but paused at the door.

"Sakura-san, was it? Remember this: Be yourself. You're not her. You can only reference her life to fill in the gaps you're missing. No one is great."

I left the club room, my thoughts echoing.

*No one is great.*

People often challenge me anytime I say that, I believe no one is great nothing is new they're thousands of people greater than the great we know today, but destroyed by their society, monetary issues or their idea was laid first by another being, it's impossible to call a person perfect, being a genius only matters with the field you're in nothing more nothing less. To be considered great in a world of mediocrity takes endless practice and countless improvements. That's why it takes time for me to acknowledge anyone since you're not the first person to propound such idea. Perfection is an illusion. Genius is relative.

I arrived home, sleepless as usual. *Maybe I should find a nightshift job.*

The next day, I got to school early and took my usual seat. The sky was clear, and the faint sound of solemn music drifted through the air. I chuckled. *Guess she's finally letting her will take control.*

By the time the rest of the students arrived, I'd managed a few hours of sleep. The teacher walked in—but it wasn't the usual loud-voiced man.

"I'm Nakamura Yuki. I'll be your homeroom teacher from today. Your former teacher has been transferred to another class."

A collective groan rose from the class.

"I major in biology, and it's our first subject today. But before we begin…" She paused, scanning the room. "Who is Hananoi Tojiko?"

The question caught me off guard. *What does she want with me?*

Whispers spread through the class no one knew my name . I stood up slowly.

"I am. Please don't be my nemesis," I muttered under my breath.

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