Once again the school day was coming to a close. I had to tell my friends that I had another engagement with a teacher today as they wanted to hang out. I didn’t like lying to my friends but I also wasn’t the type of person to enjoy hanging out all the time anyway.

  My feet shuffled making my way to the gymnasium store room as the sounds ricocheted from wall to wall of the empty gym. Today was a warm sunny afternoon and as such the P.E clubs were outside rather than in the gym.

  Halting to a stop I was finally in front of the store room, I knocked twice to make myself known.

  “Coming in”

  I slid the door to the side and almost immediately I could feel the cold air attack me. Scanning the room you could see old dusty equipment and the room itself was blanketed in a gloomy darkness, there was a soft but dim light hanging from the ceiling already turned on. It didn’t do much good to illuminate the room, clearly it needed changing.

  Sitting on an old gymnastics mat was Saito-san, almost profound as if she had been waiting for years.

  “Shut the door”

  Doing as I was told I shut the store room door. The room was practically only illuminated by the faint glow of a dying light now.

  “So, what do you want?” I asked, genuinely curious. What was she going to do? What did she want from me? Given the stakes I wasn’t in a position to argue or refuse whatever she wanted but even so, if what she wanted was too outrageous I’d have to find a way around it.

  “You know Shiori-san, this attitude really suits you a lot better don’t you think?”

  This girl… She had a habit of not answering my questions which left me irked in the wrong way. It was very annoying.

  Furthermore, what was she even talking about? She preferred the real me? Sorry but I had no intention of ever letting anyone else see that. My entire life revolved around making sure people saw me as perfect. I knew the looks of disappointment and disapproval I would get if I wasn't. I couldn't handle that, not again. Not ever.

  Who even was the real me? I’d been living my life as someone else for so long I wasn’t sure there was much of me left.

  With that in mind I had to make sure that whatever this girl wanted she would be satisfied, otherwise she could ruin my life.

  I never noticed it before, but seeing her in this light made me realise, she had a pretty face. Her deep green eyes pulled your attention and her perfect long black hair that shone in the light was gorgeous. How is it she ended up like this, a total delinquent?

  A few moments had passed since she made her remark of my personality and lost in the maze of my thoughts I had forgotten to reply.

  “Well anyway…” She said getting off the mat and slowly walking towards me

  “I want you to fulfil one request of mine each day, and I want you to come here every day after school”

  What a ridiculous and selfish request, but I couldn't refuse, she had blackmail on me as frustrating as it was.

  “Hang on Saito-san, I am okay with the requests but I cannot come here everyday… I have activities and social relationships to keep intact. Not to mention that the clubs will be using the gym on some days.”

  “Hmm, that does seem fair. Fine then, you don't have to come here everyday, but everyday you don't complete a request I will add it to a total. How’s that? If not… well lets just hope it doesn't come to that”

  This was absurd. What kind of requests were these going to be anyways? Failing to find a more comfortable middle ground I would have to agree with her terms.

  Once again this girl's carefree attitude towards something that could ruin my entire life really irked me. Especially that smile she forced whenever I looked at her.

  “Fine then” After not too much contemplation I realised I couldn’t really fight this. I finally gave in.

  “Perfect!” She beamed at me with that forced grin

  “Oh but don't make the requests anything extreme or perverse-” I started, but was soon interrupted.

  “I don't think you’re in any position to make demands, plus you already agreed, didn’t you?” She was very close to me, our faces would be almost touching if not for the height difference. I was about a head taller than her but right now the presence she had felt towering. I felt beneath her.

  “That is true…” I sighed

  “Mmhm! That’s it Shiori-san”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Hearing that made me sick to my stomach, She really had a grip on me and everything she said either left me puzzled or feeling ill.

  “I’ll be going then” I turned to leave as we now had our arrangement set and I didnt want to linger in this crude room any longer.

  Just as I turned, a hand grabbed me by the arm and yanked on it.

  “Ow, what was that for-”

  Turning to face her I could see those eyes, those deep penetrating eyes that just sucked you in. She had a stern look on her face and mouth agape like she was about to say something.

  “Today's request…”

  “Huh”

  “Today’s request Shiori-san, or have you already forgotten?”

  Right. I had already forgotten, why didn't I even think that the requests would start today?

  “What is it?” I sighed, my displeasure visible on my tone and face

  “Show me who you are, Shiori-san” She demanded with a smirk, somehow I got the feeling that the grin on her face was more genuine than any I’d seen before.

  What exactly did she want me to do? She’d already seen the icy indifferent side of me. The cold and callus version of myself. She already knew my day to day life was mere pretend, so what on earth could she possibly want?

  Just as I was lost in my own thoughts, I could hear the echoes of her steps as once again, she inched closer to me. She arrived directly in front of me and before I could even begin to speak she reached her hand out and grabbed me by the collar pulling me down to her level.

  It was fast and violent. The jerky movement pulled on the back of my neck leaving burns and a sore feeling. It really hurt, was there any need for that? That really annoyed me. No, it pissed me off to be handled so violently.

  “Shiori-san~” She began to speak up but acting on impulse I didn’t let her finish.

  I was still livid from being handled so carelessly, my thoughts were too slow and my body acted on its own. I was pissed.

  Lost in my rage I pushed Saito-san back with more force than I intended. She stumbled a few feet backwards, her back hitting the wall with a thud. My outstretched arm was hovering to the side of her face as I leaned against the wall which she was now pressed against. Our faces were rather close. I couldn't quite tell what the expression I had right now was. No, deep down I knew, I was smiling.

  I wasn't the only one, Saito-san was also smiling, as if pleased by the turn of events. Her ludicrous antics in this situation brought me back to my senses and realising what I had just done, I started to back up and apologise.

  But before I could get any words out, I was on the floor.

  “Huh?!”

  What had just happened? Right, I was pinning Saito-san to the wall and then…

  Ah, this pain. She had hit me in the gut and pushed me down.

  After a short coughing fit and a bit of drool oozing from my mouth, she sat on my hips and pinned me to the ground. It was cold and hard, and rather unpleasant. Paired with the pain of being hit where I was, I would say this situation sucked.

  Why did I have to suffer through all this, all I’ve ever done is appease the people around me to avoid their looks of disgust. Was it really that bad, was wanting people to be happy such a crime?

  “See? You’re just like me, Shiori-san. I think we’re going to get along together just fine.”

  “Right…”

  I couldn't bring myself to argue. Somehow this girl, who is shorter than me by a whole head's length, had a special ability to make me feel so small.

  So we find ourselves here in this situation

  “So now what?...”

  ?

  And that is how we ended up here. That is how I had my first kiss. And that is how I had found myself under the thumb of some student I almost couldn't remember the name of.

  Katsumi Saito. I’d likely not forget now.

  The gloomy girl who had for the first time an expression of disgust had gotten off me and made for the door. She shot a final glance at me before leaving for good. I waited, listening to the sound of her footsteps bouncing around the empty gymnasium slowly fade away with distance.

  I lay there on my back on the uncomfortable cold floor for a few more minutes. Stewing in my thoughts. My lower torso is in pain from the hit I suffered at Saito-san’s wrath, she looked quite happy doing it too. And she says we’re the same. I'd laugh at the thought if it didn’t hurt.

  Letting out yet another sigh, I started to shift as I got up and made for the exit after her. It was time to go home, I had a lot to think about.

  ?

  After a short while I made it home and into the comfort of my bedroom. After flopping onto the squishy fluffy blanket on my bed I sighed and closed my eyes.

  “What a day.”

  I touched my lips softly with the tips of my fingers thinking back to how I had just shared a kiss with a stranger. I never really thought about my sexuality, it's not something that's ever crossed my mind. I’ve never had time to think about it. I didn’t dislike the thought of dating girls but it would affect the perfection I had made getting glared at all the time.

  I didn’t have too long to think about it before my phone lit up indicating I was getting massaged. This time it was just Haruka.

  “Hope you’re doing okay! <3” Along with a sticker of a cute cat holding a heart.

  She was always like this, always concerned about me and checking up to make sure I was doing well.

  “Yeah I am okay” I replied with a smile emoticon.

  I wasn’t in the mood to have casual chats.

  “Sorry Haruka” I mumbled to myself, turning my phone to silent and relaxing my eyes.