"I can't believe we're doing this…" Nakai reprimanded me with eyes full of disappointment.
In contrast Issei looked concerned and nervous, "Are you sure what we're doing is even legal?"
"Legal? Most definitely. Morally correct or proper? Up for debate, now scooch over, otherwise we're gonna get caught." I replied making a gesture to move along.
The two of them slowly waddled through the branches and leaves trying to make the least noise possible and I followed along until we were just in the right angle to have a clear nice view of the field.
"Let me get this straight," Nakai said as he looked at me with an eyebrow raised, "A girl confessed to you in the rooftop-"
"Well actually it was more like a marriage proposal." I briefly interrupted.
"Right, a 'marriage proposal', with none other than one of the prettiest girl in the entire school, and you like an absolute mad man, ask her to declare her love for you, and in response, she drop kick's you… so your first response after that is to STALK HER IN A BUSH?!"
"During physical education class no less," added Issei while averting his eyes.
Well I couldn't deny their words, it was pretty much exactly what I was doing in a way.
"Yeah, your phrasing is… not the best… but I swear I have my reasons! Besides, I can only watch her during this class."
"Oh my god…" Nakai put his hands on his head, "my friend is a stalker and a pervert!" he exclaimed in a panicked voice.
"Now I see why you never had a girlfriend in your previous school…" Issei said while giving me looks of pity.
I should've probably done this alone.
The only reason I brought these two along is so they would watch my back but now I'm starting to regret this just a tiny bit.
"Don't do this Naoki!" Nakai exclaimed, suddenly grabbing me firmly on both my arms, "I know you're desperate but there are better ways to go on about this!"
"Ugh! It's not like that alright!!!" I replied in an annoyed voice, brushing off Nakai's hands.
"What other way could it be then?" Issei asked.
"Ha~" I let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll explain."
I turned to look at the two of them, and using a stick from a nearby branch I began to draw on the soft dirt below us.
"Let me ask you two, how do you expect people to behave after a public love confession?"
The two of them seemed caught off guard by my sudden question, however they soon began to think about it for a moment.
"Well I'm not too sure, but I guess with curiosity?" Issei replied first.
"I suppose people might snoop around to find out more," Nakai added.
"You're both right, that's the usual response, curiosity… at least when it comes to average looking people."
"Hey!" they both retorted.
"Now how do you think that changes when a person as popular as Tomiko is involved?" I said while drawing a small stick figure on top of the pyramid.
"Hmmm…" they both seemed to be thinking about it seriously.
"Well you would have your fair share of jealous people and that's about it."
"Maybe your occasional troublemaker going around gossiping?"
Tsk, tsk, tsk, I began to shake my head in disapproval.
"You both are still thinking about this too shallowly, we are talking of a level of obsession taken to a far new height."
I then began to draw many stick figures at the base of the triangle, putting a circle around a couple of the stickmen, "Listen, the time at the classroom and at the rooftop left it very clear that Tomiko has a lot of admirers. Within that group there are bound to be what I like to call crazies. Put simply, student's whose response tends to be… extreme."
They both looked at me with totally unconvinced gazes, clearly not believing my words.
"So, what? Are you saying that Tomiko's own admirers would bully or harass her or something?" Issei asked confused.
"Don't you think this is a bit too far-fetched Naoki?" Nakai added.
If only they knew the extent of a person's obsession. I know firsthand… how dangerous it can be.
"How long has Tomiko been attending this school?" I asked the two of them.
"Well uh, counting this year, two I guess." Issei replied.
"And how often are other students outside of her classroom?"
Nakai seemed to be thinking about it for a while before looking slightly concerned, "Almost always."
"Then… is my thinking really that far-fetched considering these people are willing to observe her from outside the classroom almost every day?"
With that simple comment they both realized that my line of thinking was not so crazy after all.
"Alright, I can see where you're coming from," Nakai said, "But then, all things considered, wouldn't it make more sense if they directed this hatred towards you first?"
"That would normally be the case… if I had confessed first." I replied.
As if a bulb had lit up in the mind of Nakai's head, he slammed his fist into his other hand, "I see! Since Tomiko made the first move…"
"They won't see me as the main problem." I replied.
"And instead they'll see her as the traitor." Nakai complemented.
Betrayal. Feelings that innocently start for someone, whether that be admiration, respect or trust, can easily turn into something twisted when their idea of that person is shattered.
Of course, this sense of betrayal is only something from their perspective. Had I or any boy confessed to Tomiko, then we would've been the intruders. But instead their princess ventured out and did something unthinkable.
"I get it know, so that's why we're here." It seemed Nakai had finally figured it out.
Issei meanwhile looked confused, clearly feeling that a big clue to a puzzle he didn't understand was being left out. "What. I still don't get it."
"Eh, I'll explain it to you later," Nakai replied.
He then turned to face me once again with a sympathetic look and began to pat me on my back, "So in reality you're just checking up on her well-being! Aren't you a cheeky one."
"We can say that."
More like I'm checking to see if my plan of shame by association is working.
Nakai finally let out a breath of air in relief, "So you're not a stalker after all! Thank God. And here I thought we would have to take you to the counselor or something."
It was a bit heartwarming to see that if I were indeed crazy, they would still want to help me out.
"Shh!" Issei suddenly urged us to stay quiet, pointing at the students who were coming out into the field in their track suit uniforms.
Of course, once again it was easy to find Tomiko standing out among her peers, even in something as simple as a track suit.
Almost all of the students casually chatted with each other, while others simply observed or sneaked glances at Tomiko who was standing by herself.
Did my plan fail?
A sense of worry grew in the back of the mind, had the princess of our school become an outcast because of my actions?
I definitely couldn't let a scenario like that repeat again. But for now all I could do was observe.
Soon the track teacher came out and everyone gathered up.
"Alright everyone! Today we are doing normal stretching drills so please find yourself a partner to stretch with!" He instructed.
While everyone seemed unbothered, Tomiko grew visibly pale and uncomfortable.
Everyone began looking for partners and Tomiko was no different.
But what was different was how people reacted whenever she approached someone to be her partner.
Some backed off quickly before she even got the chance to ask, while others responded with a 90-degree bow to turn her down.
In a way it was almost as if they felt intimidated by her presence.
Eventually Tomiko was the only one left without a partner in the class. So as a result, she ended up having to team up with the track teacher himself.
"Well… it doesn't seem like they are doing it out of malice… I think…" Nakai commented clearly unsure on what to make out of her situation.
Are they leaving her alone so she doesn't feel embarrassed over what happened on the rooftop? I wondered to myself.
We ended up observing for a while more without anything remarkable happening until eventually everyone returned to their changing rooms.
"We should probably get out of here." I said while beginning to slowly sneak away.
"Although we didn't do much, it's still kind of a thrill to be skipping class like this don't you think?" Issei replied innocently.
In response, Nakai looked at him with a sorrowful look, "Oh buddy… we gotta be more of a bad influence with you huh…"
….
After leaving the field discreetly, the bell rung, signaling the beginning of lunch.
It seemed the first part of my plan hadn't completely failed; making sure Tomiko wasn't being negatively affected by the confession on the rooftop.
Although I can't call it a complete success either… hopefully she hasn't become an outcast and her being by herself is just temporary.
Now I just need to make sure the second part is working.
"You are quite the lucky guy Naoki," Issei suddenly said as we walked in the hallways, "Having a girl confess to you on your first day of school? Many people only ever dream of that."
"I don't think many people consider getting kicked into the air as lucky."
"Depends on who you're asking," Nakai replied jokingly, "I know some guys who'd pay top money for that kind of treatment."
"Why do you know people like that…" I said while squinting my eyes.
As we continued walking, I could overhear some students whispering around us, saying things like "Hey, haven't you heard?" or "You won't believe what happened."
It seemed Issei and Nakai noticed it as well.
"There are quite a few eyes on us," Issei said while subtly looking around us.
Many of the students in the hallways were sneaking glimpses at us… or more specifically at me.
That's right, the second and most important part of my plan was upon us.
Public perception.
News always travels quickly, more so when one of the school's top beauties is involved. But the news itself weren't what interested me, rather the rumors that are most likely circulating by now.
The nature of those very rumors are what determine my next set of actions.
Judging by the expressions of all the students around me? The plan was working.
It wasn't the typical death stare or jealous glares that one would expect after a sudden confession.
Rather, the way people were looking at me? It was like observing a lunatic roam free. Like I had escaped from a psychiatric ward or something.
Now, you may be wondering how being seen as an insane person is a good thing? It's all in the details.
In this world there are several types of attention, and not all attention is created equal.
There's the gaze of admiration, where you're put on a pedestal and people look up to you.
The look of envy, where people resent you for daring to shine or be different.
And then... there's disdain.
I've been fortunate… or unfortunate I should say, to have experienced all three.
Which is why my plan of shame by association, has come to this.
The creation of a new look!
A mix and blend of all three!
A fourth gaze.
The look… of secondhand embarrassment!
Especially in a school setting where people value their reputation more than anything else in the world, standing out is the equivalent to social suicide.
If one can learn to correctly manipulate this type of behavior, then you create the perfect scenario where people don't exactly hate you, but they don't want to associate themselves with you either.
…in other words giving people the ick.
It's the perfect weapon to get the focus off the fact Tomiko confessed to me, and more so on how strange of a person I am, saving both of us a lot of potential trouble.
Now students won't bother me and I can resume having a peaceful life.
Untouchable. Unapproachable. Unbothered.
Genius isn't it?
Of course, it's a bit selfish to drag Issei and Nakai into this with me as they also get that stigma just by being near me.
Which is why this is where I temporarily part ways with them.
As the three of us got closer to the stairs leading to the rooftop, I stopped in my tracks, "You two head to the rooftop without me, I got something else to do." I said to them.
"You aren't going to stalk Tomiko are you…?"
Nakai looked at me with suspicion in his eyes as he said that, which was a bit hurting if I'm being honest.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to go look at her in secret or anything" I replied dismissingly.
I am, however, going to her classroom.
Nakai seemed hesitant but in the end didn't stop me. Instead he opted to sigh once again.
"Ha~ still I have to admit I'm quite jealous of you." He said as he stood midway up the stairs.
"Don't be, I actually have a suspicion that she might change her mind about me soon" I simply replied.
"Huh?" He said perplexed, "What do you mean?"
"It's just a gut feeling you know."
I turned around and walked towards Tomiko's classroom.