"Ayanokouji-kun, do you have a moment?"
She came. She's here. The she-devil as I've liked to call her. In my mind, Of course. No human would survive the ramifications. I'd been on my desk, head in my hands, feigning sleep during the break, pondering society's take on equality when the she-devil approached me. Mareux's The Perfect Girl Remix played in my head, music that captured the sense of loneliness and dystopia of what the world descended to.
Not what I had in mind...
Pondering my choice of music aside, I fully understand the gravity of my situation. I could feel the she-devil's burning stare on my head as if a predator waiting for its prey like a bear. Huh. If I were to hold my breath and enter the state of comatose borderline death and living, would she leave me alone?
Probably not.
My super computer-like brain immediately executed all the calculations to arrive at the next best answer I most needed.
Conclusion: I'd pretend to be really really sleeping. I had named this the "Indomitable Sleeping Strategy." Assuming she were a kind and thoughtful girl, she would then say something like, "Aw, well, there's nothing to be done. I'd feel bad to wake you, so I'll forgive you. (ﾉ≧ڡ≦) Teehee~" or "If you don't get up, I'll smooch you!" would also be welcomed if nothing else encouraged.
"I'm going to count to three and should you not cease this this act, I will punish you"
"What do you mean, 'punishment'?" I asked. In an Instant my back was straightened and looking the picture perfect of a role model student, abandoning my "Indomitable Sleeping Strategy" and yielding to her threat of force. Curse her! How could she beat my "Indomitable Sleeping Strategy" when it was...Indomitable.
"Hah! Like a dog!" I glared at the offending voice as they ignored my plead for help, heading to the front to chat with some girls.
Traitor!
Well, at least I offered some resistance by not meeting her witchy gaze.
"You just said something rude about me, didn't you?"
"No!" I answered too hastily. Pleasedontnotice pleasedontnotice
"So, you are not asleep after all, aren't you?" she sighs, looking like she's about done with my antics.
"I'm well aware of how much I could get away before you're angry."
"How I'm glad to hear it. Well then, may I have a little of your time?" Did she just-
"And if I were to say, refuse?"
"Well, even though you have no right to veto such a decision, I suppose I would be displeased, exceptionally so." She continues, "And when I am displeased, then I will prove a major hindrance to your school life, Ayanokouji-kun. For example, you'd find unexpectedly a great number of thumbtacks on your chair. Or, when you go to the toilet, a bucket of water magically appears over your head. Or I'd just stab you with the needle of my compass. Those kinds of little hindrances, I suppose." She nonchalantly and openly threatened me as if it was another Tuesday for her.
"That's nothing but harassment, or rather, that's straight-up bullying! And besides, that last one sounds strangely familiar, because you've already stabbed me before!"
Reluctantly, I stood from my desk and hovered my taller body over hers, in an effort to assert my dominance. A futile effort if I had to guess by the blank look of her intelligent eyes that framed her gorgeous face with silk-like black hair extending above her waist. Horikita Suzune, a student of Class D of the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, and my classmate.
"Don't worry. That's only hypothetical. I wouldn't splash water on you."
"You don't even bother covering it up at this point! What's more pressing are the thumbtacks and the compass needle! Look at this! There are still marks from when you stabbed me last time! Are you going to take responsibility if this scars me for life?" I bunched up my right sleeve and displayed my forearm to Horikita, visible dot lines in its place.
"Evidence?" she asked dumbly.
"Huh?"
"What evidence? Do you have any solid and conclusive proof that I'm the instigator of such a violent act?"
"What, you-?"
She raised an eyebrow to which I couldn't hold her accountable. She was right; there was no evidence. Even though Horikita was the prime suspect from the list of things, first and foremost by associating with me, I'd be hard-pressed to call that definitive proof.
Realizing I was played for a fool, I continued to the bread of our conversation.
"So, I'm required to help you? I've thought about it again, and, after a careful and thorough consideration—"
"Ayanokouji-kun. Would you prefer to regret while you suffer or regret while you despair? Which would you prefer? Because if you refuse me, you will force my hand and it will be your responsibility."
Is this what they meant by stuck between a rock and a hard place which in this case between Horikita's two absolutely absurd choices. And I'm definitely not looking at her boobs. Definitely. Letting out a deep breath, I accepted my past lapse of judgment; I gave up and could only obey. It's not smart to make a deal with the devil, especially a she-devil. Hey, I never was accused of being smart before.
"All right, then. What am I supposed to do?" I asked, holding up my arms as if they were locked and my head bowing down. If someone were to look at my figure, they would not be wrong to point out that I look like a prisoner being escorted out to my demise. I could already feel a few stares and some snickers around me.
Her requests no longer surprised me. I certainly didn't like how this situation had turned out, but… I thought back to the day I met this girl on the day of the entrance ceremony.