COTE: Ike Kanji - The Gremlin.

I was a bland character. Certainly not someone who had a great presence or someone people normally remembered.

I did not hate that. In fact I hate any and all kinds of attention that I unwillingly attracts instead.

I used to be quite popular back in the days, attracting all sorts of eyes to myself when I was an Idol.

But that also was not my desire.

I was happy to just blend in, unbothered while also not bothering anyone.

Maybe people will be suprised if they find out about my hobby, but I actually like snapping photos.

I like to spend my days like that, while I'd take pictures of flowers, shadows, or myself.

It puts me at ease.

One evening, while I was strolling around the place I frequented to, searching for a good spot to take a picture, I found four guys meeting at the corner of that building.

I thought it was weird, the place was an old building that was not used often, with no security camera, it was a very odd place to hang out.

Being myself, I immediately and unconsciously hid behind the wall, because I was shy, timid and also because it was my survival instinc.

I was so nervous I could even feel the heart that pounded in my chest.

In the beginning they were relatively calm with one of them being louder than the other three, but it looked like a normal conversation.

The only thing I want then was for them to leave.

While I did not own the place, I could not wait for them to leave so I could continue doing my thing.

And I don't think they enjoy being in that building either. Because that day was particularly hot and the building had nothing to cool it's inside.

But, to my suprised and what I feared most, the relatively calm communication between them turns into physical confrontation.

It was three against one, an unequal fight by all means.

And, I did not realise this at the start, but one of them was actually my classmate named Sudo Ken.

He had a very bad temper from what I could remember. But to my suprised, he was not the one to throw the first punch.

I have never been in a situation like that, as it was my first time being exposed to such a thing.

While scared, and even without my realisation, my hand moved on its own, right... There was something I could do.

I could only stayed frozen, with my back pressed against the wall.

I couldn't move.

I didn't even dare breathe too loudly, afraid they'd notice me.

As I mention, it was an unequal fight between almost an equally large group of guys, although Sudo-kun was just slightly in a better shape than them.

To my suprised he overpowered them and beat them up, it was still a one sided fight, but from a side that was completely unexpected.

Because I was a bit far away from them I could not hear what was said, beside the initial shouts by Sudo-kun.

When the fight was over and he was about to leave, I realise it was not good.

I could not leave, because if I do, sudo Kun will see me. And I don't want to involve myself.

While I was filled with inner turmoil.

Unexpectedly, one of the guys from the ground says something to sudo and they argued again.

While I took advantage of that moment to escape.

------

"Sakura-san, were you present at the incident that cause sudo to be punished. If so we would like your testimony." It was horikita San who'd ask me those questions with a sharp eyes not long after the incident.

"I—I don't know what you are talking about. Please excuse me."

I tried to make my exit, but she chases me down while asking all sorts of things that I could not answer.

Even if I could answer it would all have been a lie though.

If she ask me with a calmer tone, and not with those eyes I would have probably answer her properly, no that was a lie.

I was scared, I don't want to be involved.

I was scared to testify in front of the teachers and the student council members who would have been present if I do decide to testify.

Just Imagining the situation manage to make me weak in the knees to the point I could not walk.

Maybe because Horikita-san told other people that I was the witnessed, even though she has no evidence, all kind of people came to me, and ask me to testify.

As I said, I was timid. But even so it wasn't like I did not want to help sudo Kun.

It's just that, I was too afraid.

Maybe because I refused them so many times, at some point they give up and stop coming to me altogether.

Like that, the day for the hearing was almost up, and, I knew that without my help, they would most certainly fail to prove his Innocence.

"Horikita San, T—this, here is e—evidence, use it, but d—don't involve me."

Because I was filled with so much guilt, I ultimately decided to offer my prize possession.

I don't know what they'll do with it, and I don't want to know.

I did the bare minimum.

After the hearing, I don't know how, but it seems like they manage to prove sudo kun's innocence.

When Horikita san came to return my digital camera, I could feel she was not really amused.

While avoiding her gaze, I mutter a quick "Thank you," and ran off before she could say anything.

Maybe Horikita san, kushida san or sudo Kun talk about the event to our classmates, the eyes that trails me afterwards were really not kind.

I wanted to stay hidden, blend in with the surrounding. But it was so difficult to live like that.

Oh no, I was supposed to pick up dry woods.

While I was lost in my own world, Ike Kun has already returned and called out to me.

"Sa... Sakura san?" His voice was a bit hesitant.

"Uh um, um Ike Kun?"

"Sorry did I leave you for too long."

"N—No, I was just resting."

"Ha ha... I thought you would have been scared. Turns out you have more courage than Yamauchi."

"..." I try to look at him, and as I did, I realise his eyes were not really on me because he was looking around.

Maybe because he felt my gaze, he slowly return his eyes to me, and smiles bitterly as I look away.

"Guess what Sakura san?"

"W—What is it~?"

"No... You guess..."

"..." I look at him again, tentatively, trying to read his emotion.

"I was just joking." He blurted out. "I don't remember the way back."

"W—what?!"

"I was wondering if you knew."

"S—sorry, I didn't." I swiftly respond.

But a new dread filled me again.

"W—What will w... We do Ike Kun?"

Hearing my question, he closes his eyes and seems to appear thoughtful for a second.

"Hmm... Well, I guess it's not that difficult to trace our trail back."

"R—Really?"

"Well... I am quite excellent when it comes to hiking you see. You can trust me." He said, while smiling thinly.

"I... I see, Ike Kun is really reliable..."

"Sakura san?" He called out my name, opening his eyes and knitted his brows slightly, as he saw the bundle of sticks I carried.

"Sigh.... Can we take a break there?" He gestures with his chin, "I'm slightly tired."

Without waiting for my input, he immediately approach the place he gestured swiftly, putting down the bundle he carried and plopped himself down.

Because I was also feeling a bit tired, I follow him suit, also putting down mine, but sat at quite a distance away from him.

We both sat quitely like that for a while until he broke the silence again.

"Sakura san..." He spoke gently, while tearing off the leaf he'd pick up from the side. "Are you afraid of looking at people to their eye?"

I couldn't reply immediately, I thought of a way to avoid the answer, but realise there is no reason to not give the answer as most people have already known of it.

"Y—yes."

"Heee..."

I feel his side glance prickling to my skin, though it was subtle and non assessing, it was still making me feel horribly uncomfortable.

As a result, I stiffened up and curled myself inward, knees drawn to my chest.

Maybe he realise that I feel apprehensive because of his stare, he moved his eyes and continued.

"Have you considered why you are fearful of them?"

"... No."

"I see..." He kept to himself for a bit, choosing his words carefully.

"Then would you try to rationalize the reason?"

"Why?... If—If you, can answer."

He threw away the leaf he was playing with, smiling smugly to my questions and dust off his hands.

"There is a famous saying, 'When you understand the problem, you already half finished solving'...." He frowned, "Or something like that, if I remember correctly."

"I S—Suppose, I can T—try." I shut my mouth tightly and tries to think, but Ike Kun interrupted me.

"No, try to think loudly, internalising things is never good." He said.

"I, is that so?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sakura's monologue and dialogues are mad difficult to craft. I still felt unsatisfied.