T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 22 - Becoming An Unusual Person

The classroom was empty, the only sound was the soft rustling of papers in the breeze that flowed through the slightly open window. The sun cast a warm glow inside, but the atmosphere in the room was anything but serene.

Six-year-old Mouri Ran stood there, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. She had plans for the day, plans that involved her best friend, Shinichi. Plans that had now taken an unexpected turn.

She never could have imagined that this argument would be the catalyst that changed the course of their friendship. In her mind, it was just another disagreement, something that would blow over quickly. She had wanted to meet Sonoko and have a fun lunch together, and she was planning to invite Shinichi along. After all, he was her friend, and her heart flitted with a secret crush on him.

But standing there, facing Shinichi's frustrated expression, she realized that this wasn't just another argument. The intensity in his eyes, the hurt that radiated from him, it was all too real. She had said things she never intended to say, things that had cut deep into their bond.

She remembered the frustration in Shinichi's voice, the way he had vehemently expressed his annoyance over the disruption to his soccer schedule, especially since Rokuro kept putting him as a goalkeeper. She had tried to be the voice of reason, to defend Rokuro's innocence, but Shinichi's irritation had been palpable even through the phone.

"He messed with my soccer schedule, Ran! How can I not punch him!?" His words echoed in her mind, a reflection of his exasperation at the time.

And she, in her naivety, had tried to mediate. She had attempted to be the bridge between her two childhood friends. But the more they had talked, the more the conversation had spiralled out of control.

"I am sure it is an accident! He can be careless to a fault—" Her words had been hopeful, her intention to calm the situation.

"Careless to a fault!? It's fine if it were one or twice, but 5 times is pretty clearcut malicious!" His retort had been sharp, cutting through her attempts like a knife.

In her frustration, she uttered words she would forever regret. "Kudo Shinichi! Are you even the Shinichi I knew since kindergarten!?" The accusation had hung in the air, a painful moment that she wished she could take back.

"Ran!" The hurt in his voice had hit her like a physical blow, the disappointment in his eyes had wounded her deeply.

Rokuro's poisonous whispers lingered in her mind, making her doubt even the closest relationships she had. It had been a manipulative strategy, planting seeds of uncertainty in her heart.

And then, her desperation to salvage the situation had led her down a treacherous path. "Shinichi, Rokuro is born with nothing! Why would he do this to you!?" Her plea for understanding had fallen on the ears that were already closed.

But the damage had been done, the manipulation had taken root. The doubt in Shinichi's eyes had been real, the disbelief in his voice genuine. "He clearly has some jealousy issues with me! He keeps falsely stating that I earn all of my merits through my privileged background! And I didn't do a thing to provoke him!"

The conversation had devolved into a mess of accusations and misunderstandings. And with each passing word, their bond had frayed further. "Well, that wouldn't have happened when you bragged to everyone that you were the only boy in the entire soccer club to be scouted professionally!" Her words had been laced with frustration, a reflection of her own hurt and confusion.

"Again, why would I do that?!" His question had held a mixture of frustration and genuine confusion.

"Because you are obnoxious, arrogant, and too smart for your own good, Kudo Shinichi!" Her final words had been an outburst of emotion, a culmination of the turmoil inside her.