WILDLIFE

Chapter 7

Okami PoV:

"Convex polygons are polygons," Mrs. Purumi droned, her voice a monotonous hum. My gaze drifted, my mind already miles away from the classroom.  I, myself, and I were lost in a world of our own.

Great. Math. The first thing on a Monday morning. I let out a sigh, my shoulders slumping as I rested my chin in my hand. My face remained a blank canvas, reflecting my utter lack of interest.

The last thing I wanted was someone to drag me back to this mind-numbing discussion. Despite being considered smart, I was never a fan of math. It was the reason why I had a love-hate relationship with academics, a 50/50 split between appreciation and utter disdain.

I excelled in every subject except math. Numbers were my kryptonite. They made me want to claw my eyes out.

Imagine sitting in class for three agonizing hours, listening to your teacher drone on about equations. When did math become a torture session? My internal monologue raged on, a constant stream of complaints, until the bell finally rang, signaling the end of my misery.

Time crawled by, each second feeling like an eternity. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.  Just as I was about to escape, our homeroom teacher made a surprise appearance, her words a death knell to my hopes of a peaceful afternoon. It was about the upcoming school festival..

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, sinking back into my seat. I tried to stay awake, but my eyelids felt heavy, my body screaming for a nap.

The meeting dragged on, each minute feeling like an hour.  Finally, it was over.  Exhaling deeply, I knew I was running on fumes.  I needed energy, and I needed it now.  I quickly packed my things, my movements fueled by a desperate need for a caffeine fix and a warm meal.

Even though I was exhausted, I could already picture myself curled up on the couch, a steaming bowl of cheesy ramen in my lap, and a marathon of my favorite crime series playing on the TV.  The thought of it gave me a surge of energy, and I picked up my pace.

But my newfound motivation was quickly extinguished when my seatmate squealed in excitement, her voice piercing through my tired haze.

I overheard my pick-me classmate and her gang discussing their shopping plans.

"Hey! Let's visit the salon, I need to get my hair done before the school festival," my classmate chirped, her voice full of excitement. "That's so true, I could really use a restocking haul for my makeup set. I'm running out of snail cream."

"OMG, I think I know where to start! Let's go to the shopping district near the train station. I heard they sell good bread and have entertainment."

"Entertainment?" One of the girls questioned, her voice laced with confusion. "Uhh, did you forget?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"That's where the infamous hot Umemiya is said to be roaming," another girl giggled, her voice dripping with excitement.  I scrunched my nose in disgust.

"So? We can't waste time, let's go," the first girl said, her voice filled with determination. She marched out the door, her group trailing behind her like a flock of eager sheep.

Damn.  It must be so annoying for Umemiya to be constantly chased by girls, even from my school.  I sighed, shaking my head in disbelief.  Finally, I placed the last of my textbooks in my locker, closing it with a slam before heading out.

Jo POV:

I let out a groan, my jaw dropping as I stretched a yawn across my face. "When will this torture end?" I muttered, my eyes fluttering shut.