STAY BY HIS SIDE!

"MY FATHER IS DEAD!"

I went ahead and said it. All my pent-up feelings, all the hatred, and sufferings, everything I had towards him, I've directed all of it in this way. Declaring the man who abandoned me as dead. I don't even know why? I don't even know what repercussions this action of mine will bring upon me.

But for the first time in a long while, I'm free.

Free of the chains placed upon me! I was no longer tied down. I could voice out something that held me down all this while, without worrying!

And all of that, just from one stare? Who? Who is he?

Meanwhile, everyone in front of me muted out. I could hear the breathing of each and everyone very clearly that, for a moment, it was unsettling.

"There you have it. Anyone still has anything to throw at her?"

A sharp, but shallow-pitched voice cut in from behind me. Nao, right? That's what I remember his name was.

"Figured. Piss off now! Or do you want to play a game of dodgeball with me? I'm pretty bored and could use one or two of you for target practice."

Everyone started to separate into smaller groups and headed in their own way. How was he even able to do that?

"Wait a minute!"

The guy with the nosebleed stood up.

"That doesn't make much of a difference. Oi, you..."

Me?

"How long is it been that your father's been dead? Yesterday, 2 days...No, right?"

"..."

"We've known you since elementary school, and there's no record of your father. That means what you said was a lie. A big fat lie!"

Tch! This bastard! After everything I've done, is this how it's gonna ned? Normally everyone should have ganged up on me by now, but why? They're frozen at their place.

"Oi, why have you all just settled there quietly? I'm right, ain't I?"

No one bothered to even turn back.

Yawning!

"Hey!"

"Wh-..., Agh!!!!!!!"

I could hear his screams, but more importantly, what did he do? I couldn't see what happened at all! He was quick, too quick! The only thing I can infer is, he kicked him in the gut, seeing how the other guy was agonizing in pain while holding his stomach.

"Oi, what's your problem? I've been observing for a while now, but you've been going belittling her without a break. Why do you hate her so much? And why are you so interested in her secrets?"

The way he carried himself, the way he spoke, everything felt strange, yet in a very special way. Did such a guy exist in our school?

He caught him by his neck and lifted him.

"Don't forget, we all have our secrets. You, me, her, and everyone here. We wouldn't want anyone else prying upon our lives. Like for example, how you confessed to a girl from Suzinoku High School, who happened to be a 3rd-year student, and created a ruckus when she turned you down, so much so that you started stalking her, and even sending her empty threats. Now, you wouldn't want everyone in the school to find out, do you? Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that out, was I? Sorry, silly me!"

He had a mischievous and playful smile on his face.

"Guys, sorry. Could you pretend to not hear that part?"

But it so happens that people had already started gossiping and some had even pulled out their flip-phones and pagers, and started spreading the word while walking away from the scene as normal pedestrians on a bustling road. Wow!

"Yeah, I tried!"

"Bhy...uuuu!"

"Ah? Sorry, I can't understand you..."

He let go of him and started to head away in his own direction.

"Naofumi, I'll make you pay for this!"

"Sure!"

He just walked away after accepting it nonchalantly! I thought that was the last time I'm ever going to see him. I wanted to talk to him, and learn more about him. But I couldn't. I was sure it was over. But fate had other plans.

The bully went and complained to his parents about what had transpired, and that, in turn, led to them getting involved with the school board, which called upon both of us, and our parents. It was a hectic meeting and lasted for a whole day, and the details that were laid out to the people in the room was well, quite surprising to them. My mother lost her patience and burst into an outrage. And in her defense, she had every right to. The way things had transpired and how her only daughter suffered, it was quite hard for her to take it all in and just accept it for what it was.

But Nao's mom talked her down, and after a while, things started to cool down. Adults really had their own way of handling people and conversations. Meanwhile, I and Nao were just sitting at the rear end of the room. Surprisingly, we were holding hands for a while now. Well, let me be clear. There's no special meaning. Actually, at the start of the meeting, I was really anxious. Super anxious! And I seemed to annoy him by continuously tapping my feet, and rubbing my hands, every now and then. I never noticed when started to hold hands, but that seemed to have done the trick.

Actually, now that I notice it, he's...he's actually fast asleep on my shoulder. Does he not see me as a girl? What's with him? I can't understand him at all! The meeting seemed to be arriving at an end. Oh, no! He's still asleep. I have to wake him up! Ugh, I'm so bad at this stuff!

I tapped on his shoulder, but he didn't even respond to it. Uhmmm...

"N...Nao!"

I whispered into his ear. He just moved his body and started to get into a cacoon shape.

"Nao!!!"

This time I whispered loudly into his ear.

"Hmmm..."

He woke up and moved around, and before I knew it, our faces were close to each other.

Close! Too close!

I moved back in an instant, and he stretched out slowly, being aware of the surroundings, and then sat quietly. How can be so calm? Even after all that? My heart's still racing...

The meeting ended and the school board called upon the bully, his parents, and apologized to us alongside them in unison. It was surprising, considering I didn't even listen to what had happened. I couldn't. I was...I was busy attending to other things.

"Haah! That was fun!"

We came out of the office and Nao was busy stretching out while exclaiming.

"Fun? You were asleep most of the time!"

"Oh? Was I? I have to admit, you were a nice pillow."

"What!"

"Oh, let me rephrase it. What I meant was, you're quite warm and comfortable, I felt like I was a cat welcomed with open arms to rest on your lap, like that kind."

Huh? What is that analogy? I get what he's trying to say but, how do I put it? Even a little kid can do better than that, I think.

But it was weird. We both were well in sync as if we had both known each other for ages.

"Hey?"

"Hmm?"

"Your mom, she's single, right?"

"Yes!"

"Hooh! She's really beautiful."

"Yes, right?... Wait a minute! Do you...do you happen to have feelings for my mother? Are you interested in her, as a woman? Do you plan to hit on her? Are you asking me to support you? Will you be my dad then? No, all of this is too soon for me to process! I'm sorry, but I can't see you as my father!"

The look of disbelief he had on his face, I knew I messed up. Big time!

"Well, I'm not going to deny, I do like older women..."

"What? You're not even going to deny that?"

"But...It's only like the elder sister kind, maybe 2-3 years older than me. That's it!"

"Oh, like that..."

"Sheesh! Stop it, will you? I agree your mom's pretty beautiful, and what you said was quite pleasing. But, your mom deserves better! Better than the likes of me..."

"Ahh! You're Naofumi, right? Thanks for saving my daughter. I hope you will continue being by her side."

"Ah, the pleasure's mine. You have raised her to be a fine woman! I'm really thankful that you have blessed me with the opportunity to meet such a woman and be by her side."

"Oh my, please! I haven't done anything."

"Well then ma'am! I'll take my leave!"

He bid his goodbye and went by his mother's side. It looked quite normal, but on closer observation, you can see, that they have an odd relationship.

"That kid...Hina!"

"Yes, mom?"

"Stick by him. Let him be your guidepost!"

"What do you mean, mom?"

"What I mean is..."

"..."

"STAY BY HIS SIDE, HINA!!!"

...

"It's our promise, Nao!"

"Alright, fine!"

Nao? Do you remember it? Our promise?!