A new day had arrived, the sun had risen above the sky, it was 2 o'clock, everyone was walking after school. Haruto walked ahead of his group five guys, all with unbuttoned school jackets, backpacks dangling from one shoulder. They weren't a real gang in the full sense just friends who stuck together, smoked behind the school courtyard, and didn't bother anyone who didn't bother them. Peaceful, as Haruto liked to say. "We don't look for trouble," he repeated often, "trouble finds us on its own."
They were walking down the narrow alley behind the school the one that always smelled of cigarette smoke and fried takoyaki from the nearby stall. Haruto in the middle, hands in his pockets, lazy confident smile. He turned to the others, voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Yesterday, guys, I slept like the dead. Then woke up and… well, basically, there was this super hot chick. Long legs, cat eyes, and she started everything herself. I didn't even finish my coffee."
The guys laughed someone slapped him on the shoulder, someone whistled.
"Haruto, again?" Kenta snorted the tallest one. "Soon they'll put up a statue for you with stories like that."
Haruto just grinned wider and shrugged.
"What can I do if I'm irresistible."
They turned the corner and stopped. In the shadow of an old fence, against the wall, someone stood. White shirt, long purple hair falling past the shoulders, slender almost fragile figure. Standing with their back turned, but when Haruto's group got closer, the person slowly turned around.
One of the guys Ryu, the one who always joked the loudest elbowed Haruto.
"Hey, look, Haruto. Another one. You could definitely get to know that one. Purple hair that's the trend right now."
Haruto narrowed his eyes. The purple hair shimmered in the sunlight like it was dyed specifically for this light. He stepped forward, smile still in place.
"Hey, hi. You new here?"
The purple-haired person turned fully. Bright eyes, slightly mocking, lips curved in a light smile. Voice soft but confident.
"Not exactly new. And not exactly… a girl."
Haruto blinked. Once. Twice. Then smirked and extended his hand.
"Well then, hi, not-exactly-a-girl. I'm Haruto."
The guy looked at the outstretched hand for a second, then shook it palm warm, grip firm.
"Raiden."
Haruto laughed genuinely, without malice.
"Raiden, huh. Nice to meet you, femboy."
Raiden raised an eyebrow but smiled wider.
"You're direct. I like that."
The guys behind Haruto exchanged glances someone snickered, someone just shrugged. No one tensed up. Haruto clapped Raiden on the shoulder.
"Wanna come with us? We're not in a hurry anyway."
Raiden nodded.
"Why not."
They continued down the alley, laughter and chatter flowing again as if nothing unusual had happened.
Meanwhile, in the school courtyard, a teacher stood leaning against the gymnasium wall. Ms. Nakamura young, short black hair, tired eyes. Arms crossed over her chest, gaze drifting across the empty yard. Students had already gone to classes, the bell had rung long ago, but she wasn't in a rush to go inside.
She was thinking about what she had seen over the past months. About bruises that appeared on faces and vanished a few days later. About eyes that dropped to the floor when certain people walked by. About whispers in the hallways, about how some kids tried not to walk alone after classes.
She knew names. Knew who shoved whom in the shoulder "by accident." Knew who took money "just for now." Knew that this wasn't just childish pranks it was a system, small but harsh.
Ms. Nakamura sighed. Looked up at the sky gray, low, as if rain was coming.
"I have to do something," she thought. "But what? If I tell the principal they'll say I'm exaggerating. If I talk to parents they'll say their child 'isn't like that.' And the kids… the kids stay silent. Because they're afraid of becoming the next one."
She pushed off the wall, adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
"But I won't stay silent. Not today."
She turned and walked toward the main entrance. Her footsteps echoed across the empty courtyard.
To be continued…