Summer Carnaval

Pierrot

A/N: Sorry for the slow updates on both this fanfic and LBAT. Life's been hitting hard and I'm trying to get through it. I promise you'll see more frequent updates from me once that's done and over with. As an additional note, I don't plan to have this fanfic contain spoilers for Takagi-san movie. That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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In almost every situation, being teased is one of the worst things a child can face. Mocking voices can ring through their heads for years after the incident. Teasing is also a key component of incessant bullying, which can traumatize a child for life. But in the rare case, teasing may bring about a long-lasting, love-filled relationship. Who knows? The teased may even find themselves enjoying it.

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If there was one thing that Nishikata hated most, it was teasing. He could never understand why people had to make fun of anyone. The tightness to the chest, the sagging of the shoulders, and the eager smile turned upside down. He saw it all, especially in his elementary school days. As early as first grade, he saw his classmates get picked on for the red pimple on their nose, their weird figure collections, or slurs in their manner of speech.

His disdain for teasing was also fueled by his own experiences on the matter. At first, he didn't have too much of a problem with it during his Okayama days. But that changed when his male classmates learned about his rather divergent tastes in manga. Amid his collection of Dandy series and action-packed collections, a single manga stuck out like a sore thumb.

A quick glance at the manga's cover made clear its shoujo label, a series designed for lovestruck girls. For one, pink flowers filled many of his manga's book covers. At the center of the decorative front cover was the portrait of a wavy, blonde-haired girl with navy blue eyes. Clasping her hands together, it looked like she beheld the brightest, largest pearl she could dream of owning. A heart symbol also projected from her chest, as if her heart was popping off from the cover from where she stayed. Located above the girl was a set of red and bolded kanji scripts that formed the title of the manga series: 100% Unrequited Love.

The series had a special place in his room. With it still ongoing with its numerous editions, he had enough figurines, volumes, and DVDs to set aside an entire bookshelf in front of his bed for his collection. On most nights, he would walk up to his wooden shelf, take the volume containing one of his favourite chapters, and re-read it before dozing off to bed with his manga on hand.

The night before the Summer Festival was an exception to this trend. While Nishikata lay on his bed a few hours after dinner as usual, he didn't have the same ardour for reading his favourite scenes. Instead, he found himself staring at the cream-coloured ceiling while wearing his black sweat pants, dark blue T-shirt, and white socks. As he did so, a round of chortles seeped into his thoughts.

Oh Nishikata-kun! Are the shonen mangas too gory and bloody for you?

Aww don't tell me you're too scared to get into a real manga like Death Note!

Eww, falling in love is for wusses!

A quick shake of his head and a loud growl dispelled the jeers and laughs as quickly as they came. Ever since he moved to Tonosho Town, he imagined his former classmates as miniscule, mischievous trolls trying all their might to jeer at him wherever he went. They were annoying when they clung on, but were easy enough to brush off with a strong flick.

But he couldn't help but feel shunned every now and then. A few weeks ago, his history class covered the Meiji Restoration and how it helped modernize Japan by the dawn of the 20th century. Despite his gratefulness for the role the Meiji Empire played in the comfortable life he had, he felt bad for the brave Samurai who fought back against the empire's revolutionizing tide. In his opinion, all the samurai class wanted was to maintain their way of life even when society was changing around them. Despite making their requests clear, the Meiji Emperor had them eviscerated to make way for modernity. Sure, he wasn't facing physical violence or any threat of death for liking 100% Unrequited Love. Nonetheless, he couldn't escape the feeling of repudiation for liking something different from the norm.