7 Days

"I'm sorry…" I said.

I apologised to my mother in my heart, knowing that this decision I'm about to make will take a huge toll on her.

I stood by the edge of the school building after climbing up the fence. All the efforts I've made have turned to nothing. I've wasted years of my life because of a mistake.

6 years ago…

"I'm finally a highschool student! This is a big step in my life, and I'm beaming with excitement! Just thinking about taking one step closer to adulthood makes me so happy. I can't wait to see how this will turn out!" I thought.

Those were my ambitions. Then, those ambitions shattered, as my life in highschool wasn't how I thought it would turn out to be.

The image of a perfect highschool life was to have friends, study together and advance into the next year, after which, we would graduate and go to university. That wasn't the case.

On the first day of school, I was already the target of bullying. Though, I felt like it was my fault.

On the morning of that day, I stepped into the classroom, happy and motivated to start a new life. Out of the few students already inside the classroom, one caught my eye.

The female student in the middle of the classroom stood out from the rest. Her long and neat black hair with the face of an idol. Whose gaze was as cold as ice. Oddly enough, I was captivated by her. The impression she put out was so admirable.

Maybe I stared too long. Maybe that was my mistake. As I was enjoying the sight, a group of boys stood in front of me.

"Nice to meet you, boy. My name is Kota." Kota said as he put his hand against the wall beside me.

"N-Nice to meet you. My name is Ikamura Kenta. You can call me Kenta." I said, surprised by his sudden greetings.

"Kenta…" Kota said as he suddenly pulled me by the collar.

"You are not allowed to look at the girls. All of them belong to me, got it?" Kota asked.

I nodded in agreement, afraid of what would come next if I declined.

"Good boy! See you around." Kota said as he pushed me against the wall.

I yelped and fell to the floor. I hit my back and a surge of pain went through.

I was kneeling on the floor, gathering my thoughts when I felt a touch on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" A voice emerged, breaking through all the other voices in the class.

I looked up to see the girl I was looking at earlier. My face turned red after realising that it was her that was talking to me.

"Y-yeah." I said as I stood up.

"That's good." She replied.

All this happened while Kota was staring at me from his table, with anger and a touch of jealousy.

Slowly, we became friends, but not without a cost. After every interaction with the girl, who I later found out goes by Kanzaki Sakura, I would be threatened by Kota and even physically assaulted.

The worst was to come. 5 years and 6 months later…

Sakura and I have made a strong bond. Even though all the guys were fawning and drooling over her, no one else but Kota would get in our way. I would be beaten up almost everyday, and Kota would get suspended sometimes when he was caught in the act. This was the case up until now.

On this day, as I was talking to Sakura while walking down the hallway, when Kota stopped us.

"KENTA! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Kota said as he pulled me by the collar.