.
.
.
As I stepped into the building, the sound of students gossiping filled the air.
"Kyaaa! It's Kireina!"
"Look, it's her!"
"Wow, she's so majestic—even just walking..."
"Did you see that handsome man outside? Someone said he's her father!"
"So her dad's really a hotshot CEO? I heard he's single too!"
"No way?!"
Most of the chatter came from female students, though a few guys joined in. Among them was one particular nuisance who occasionally tried to flirt with me.
"Aha! Kireina! There you are!"
An average-looking guy with tanned skin and dyed blonde hair approached. His blue eyes were clearly colored contacts, and he wore only the school's white shirt—no jacket. He was flanked by two thug-like companions, both known for bullying. One even sported a pompadour, like a walking stereotype.
This guy was Takeshi—an idiot who fancied himself "popular." It was the kind of popularity bullies manufacture by intimidating others and pretending it makes them strong.
