The Story of the Seven

CHAPTER 9 - School Is Boring

Ugh. I forgot how much stamina is required for school. How come I'm getting so tired learning about ancient Chinese Kanji poems? Maybe I'm just mentally exhausted of this monotonous lesson.

I glance at Amane, who's seated in the back corner of the classmate. She's kicked off her shoes and is absentmindedly staring at the ceiling while chewing gum.

I'm pretty sure that chewing gum in school is a rule violation.

I think to myself while I force myself to scribble more notes in my notebook, when I feel a wad of paper hit me in the arm.

Meet me in the alleyway between the main building and the library during second period. -Amane

I gulped.

Was she telling me to cut class with her? And I have so much stuff to catch up...

I pondered on the benefits of attending class or meeting up with Amane.

Well, a lot of the stuff we learn in class is pointless memorization anyways, especially during the second period which is basically memorizing Kanji.

I might even finally figure out who "The Queen" is if I ask Amane.

With that in mind, I decide to cut class. I guess I'm not a good student, but oh well.

After a while later, the bell rings, freeing me from class. I promptly walk down the stairs and out the backdoor of the school, surveying my surroundings so I don't get caught by the teachers.

Once I reach the alleyway, I see Amane, chewing on what suspiciously looks like a cigarette.

"Do you come to the alleyway to smoke?"

"No, this is a chocolate cigar."

She's repeating the same lie Toukichi told me a few days ago!

"Since when did chocolate cigars produce smoke?"

"Don't sweat the details."

"You realize that it's illegal to smoke at your age?"

"Stop being such a buzzkill. Anyways, I heard from Toukichi that you were trying to find out who The Queen was."

"Do you know the answer? Or rather, are you going to give me the answer?"

"I was thinking I could give you advice so you can meet Her directly."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So I heard you already get along with Mafuyu quite well already?"

"What does that have to do with what we were just talking about?"

"Answer my question."

"Alright, it is true that I kind of get along with Mafuyu."

"Then beg her to let you meet The Queen."

"Why don't you just directly take me to The Queen?"

"Cause only the selected few know The Queen's residence, including Mafuyu's parents."

"Ah, if I remember correctly, her parents were really powerful in The Organization, right?"

"Exactly. And Mafuyu's father is soft on his daughter, so Mafuyu can easily pull some strings to find out The Queen's residence."

"You sure this is a good idea? I won't get kicked out of The Organization or anything?"

"The Queen is very generous, so I don't think that you will get executed for treason or anything."

Wait, what? Treason? And you can get executed?

Uh, The Organization might seem more dangerous than I thought.

"Why do you look so scared all the sudden?"

"Umm... don't you think it's reasonable for me to get a bit scared when you mention stuff like executed for treason?"

"Wait, did you actually take my joke seriously?"

"....... Joke, you say?"

"Yeah, of course it's a joke. What, did you really think that you might get executed?"

"Amane, please don't say stuff like that! You just shaved off 5 years of my lifespan!"

"You don't have much guts for a man."

"Please, just leave it. And thanks for the advice."

"No prob, now get back to class since you're a good boy."

"You know, why do I feel so upset when I hear that from you?"

Looking back, this may have been the defining point in my life – a defining point that threw me onto a wild jet coaster ride, a point that would forever change my life and my perspective on this world. Of course, at this moment, I had no clue on any of this.