"I'm sorry! Please forgive me! You have to forgive me!"

Hachi was a blubbering mess first thing Tuesday morning. And the moment I'd entered the classroom, he swung his arms around me, squeezing me like a pancake.

"Ha-chi," I gasped.

"I appreciate you, Shiina. So, so, so much. You're amazing. And talented. And kind. And you hit amazing spikes and baskets. It's incredible how often you make my jaw drop."

I was flailing for oxygen at that point. "C-ca. . .n't—"

"What Rumi said was cruel and insensitive! Never listen to that jerk! He's a meanie to everyone, but that was especially uncalled for. You're not this class's hindrance—you're our important ally! And I love you so very much!"

As if questioning my silence, Hachi released my shoulders, innocently fluttering his eyelashes.

"Shiina?"

Collapsing stomach-first onto my desk, I inhaled, exhaled and wheezed to regain my respiration rate. Soon enough I'd forgotten how to properly breathe.

He straightened his posture, and after a pause, asked, "Did I kill her?"

"What're you so loud for so early? Nobody has no time for your idiocy."

Jin Narumi entered the scene. Glare cold as ice, skin, hair and attire quintessential to a class representative. He hovered over Hachi, sourly rubbing his ear.

"R-Rumi! I killed her! I killed Shiina!"

He hardly paid me a glance. "Who?"

"Don't kill me off," I puffed, hauling myself upright. Flattening my lips, I gingerly caressed my throat. "I'm still the protagonist of this story."

"Shiina!" Hachi exclaimed, slamming me into another embrace.

At least, he tried. I shoved his face before he could—at the exact same time as Narumi.

"Shut up!" Narumi snapped.

I didn't say it, but I was thinking it. In that regard, for the first time in history Narumi and I were on identical wavelengths.

It didn't last.

Upon releasing Hachi, and allowing him to crouch over in pain, Narumi faced me. Indifference seized every inch of his countenance. Then, recognition flashed behind his eyelids.

"Oh, it's you."

Whether it be the lack of witnesses in the classroom considering how early it was, or my bubbling dissatisfaction, I snapped, "I'm not happy to see you either."

I dropped my belongings into my seat. Sure I was a mess yesterday, but it seriously was embarrassing breaking down like that in front of everyone. Insults departed Narumi's mouth like clockwork—him calling me a hindrance to the class shouldn't have shocked me. It was a wonder how he completed his class rep duties or remained a teacher favourite across all subjects despite that.

He reminded me of a particular idiot. But unlike Igarashi, Narumi was impossible to unnerve—

"I apologize."

I blinked once.

Twice.

"Don't make me repeat myself." His scowl was rigid—a perfect complement to his 'Ice Prince' status. "I went a bit far yesterday. I hadn't anticipated waterworks, which is why I'll keep in mind you at least possess some human fragility in that beanstalk body of yours. I'll choose my words carefully from now on."

Did he admit to not seeing me as a human this entire time?

It was a superficial apology—undeniably—but what else was I expecting from Jin Narumi?

"Rumi!" Hachi said, clinging to his legs. "I knew you had a heart in there! It's really in there!"

"Stop grabbing me. Unlike you, I don't lack brain cells. Even I know when I've stepped out of line. However, an apology doesn't change anything." He extended his finger at me. "Shiina Kisaragi—so long as you remain the object of this class's ridicule, you are this class's hindrance. Cry about it all you want, but those are the facts."

I momentarily shut my eyelids and heaved a breath that relaxed my shoulders. Then, I seized his finger.

Appalled, he yanked it back and cradled it to his chest. "D-did you just try to break my finger?"

"Ice Prince?" I scoffed at his acclaimed nickname. "'Naru the Narcissist' sounds more accurate to me."

"Wh-what—"

"I said don't look down on me, you obnoxious son of a bitch. Especially at your height."

I'd caught him off guard, proven by the way he'd flinched. It was only by mere millimetres—a centimetre at most. But our height difference was enough for me to peer at him from above, chin high in scorn.

"Yesterday wasn't a good day for me for a lot of reasons, but try insulting me again," I continued, chilling glower in tow. "I'll end you."

The quiet in the room plummeted to an all time low. I caught a couple of people gawking, but the one most affected was the male whose poise was said to be cool and collected as ice.

Then there was Hachi eyeing me with utter stars in his eyes. He exploded into wild hysterics before long, slapping and hooting with utter mirth.

"Sh-she totally r-roasted you, R-Rumi! H-how do you l-live after th-that? I-I wouldn't even b-be able t-to show m-my face!"

Snickers and titters in the background resounded—from our classmates who shared his amusement. All the while I stood my ground, tilted my head, and urged the bastard to speak on. Yet, least to my expectations, red bled into every portion of Naru's face until he was a walking tomato.

He scowled up at me with the darkest animosity known to man. Then, a heap of tears swelled in his eyelids.

My heart stopped.

But before anyone else in the room could notice, or me point it out, he spun on the heels of his dress shoes and booked it out of the room.

Even after his departure, I had a hard time coming to terms with what had happened.

I think I just made him cry.

"Rumi really is sensitive," Hachi sighed.

He'd hoisted himself back onto his feet before I'd noticed, rubbing to rid the tears that'd appeared from his laughing fit.

I performed a double-take.

"Sensitive?" I hissed, wishing my ears were playing a trick on me. "The Ice Prince is?"

Hachi raised his arms, but his beam didn't fall. "Everyone calls him that—and Rumi plays into it more often than not—but if you ask me, he's the furthest thing. Yesterday after school, he couldn't stop crying about how he made you cry, and how guilty he felt."

Was I hearing this right? The Jin Narumi had emotions? Not only that—he cried? For me?

"People have different issues on their plate," Hachi added. "Not everyone is exactly as they're perceived by others. The same applies for me. And you, too."

Right then, Hachi's immense optimism disappeared. He was still smiling, but his gaze softened.

"But unless you're honest with yourself, you'll forever find the part of yourself that doesn't fit with others' perception, a burden. But it isn't, really. It's a hidden strength known only to you. And when you finally let others see it, you'll be surprised to find how many accept you for it."

Eyelids high, my mouth moved, wordlessly.

Hachi raised a finger, and all at once, confusion spilled across his countenance. "At least, that's what I read in a flyer recently. Not really sure what it means, though."

I blinked. Somehow, it hadn't startled me. That was too deep for someone like Hachi. Still...

Containing a laugh, I shielded my mouth with the back of my hand. "I'll do my best to be more honest with myself, then."

Hachi chuckled—radiant smile taking over his face. "Oo, Shiina's smile is always so, so cute!"

Somehow, the praise reddened my cheeks.

"I'll go find Rumi to cheer him up!" he continued, twirling around. "Oh, but Shiina. Keep Rumi's tears a secret. He'll get mad at me for running my mouth."

I pretended to zip my mouth shut. He winked and took off at that, leaving me with a warmth in my chest that left me a grinning mess.