Heart Strings

Chapter 2: Whoops!

The class was certainly an interesting one so far as Jaku is among many to head out and eat lunch. Once Jaku finds a comfortable spot he pulls out his bento and starts eating. It's a simple mix of rice and veggies sprinkled with soy sauce, and it fills him quickly. Once Jaku is done with, Jack disposes of the empty container and he decides to roam the hallways again. As he does this he fails to notice a wet puddle that had hadn't been cleaned up, and he quickly loses footing, slipping and falling hard on his back as if he were a cartoon character.

"ARGH! Oh my back!" Jaku shouts, and it attracts someone's attention.

"Ouch! You alright there kiddo?" A gruff voice calls out. Looking over him is a girl with short blue hair and an all white uniform different from the other students. An eyepatch covers one of her deep blue eyes and she has a student council armband on her left arm. She looks over Jaku before she extends her hand to help him get back up. "This is gonna be a main priority once cleaning time gets around. You good? Nothing broken?"

"Nope, I'm fine." Jaku replies as he gets up. "Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem kiddo." The bluenette says.

"Oh there's a student council here?" Jaku asks and the girl looks at him with a confused expression on her face.

"Wait, are you new here? I heard something about a new student coming here." The girl asks right back.

"Yeah, I'm that new student." Jaku replies. "I'm Jaku."

"Call me Aoi." The girl says. "Your old school didn't have a student council? I'm surprised!"

"We did, it's just that they were practically nonexistent." Jaku replies. "They didn't do anything to help us and I became a target for bullies."

"Damn, must have been rough for ya." Aoi says. "Well, I guess just watch your step next time, and if you need anything, stop by the council room. Seeya round kiddo." And with that Aoi walks off, hunched over and patrolling the hallways like a prison guard. As Jaku continues to walk around he decides to head outside. Sure enough as he nears the gardens, Uekiya is seen with other girls, presumably club members.

"Oh hello again!" Uekiya says. "Oh my... Are you okay? That rude boy didn't hurt you again did he?"

"No, someone must have spilled something and I slipped on the puddle." Jaku replies.

"Ouch..." One of the gardening club members says as she cringes.

"Yeah, I'm pretty clumsy." Jaku says. "I've fallen down stairs, I've fallen up stairs, I've even tripped on thin air."

"Heh, sounds like you and gravity don't get along very well, do they?" A voice calls out. Jaku and his senpai swivel their heads to see a familiar face.

"You're Gaku, that boy from the morning!" Uekiya says.

"Yeah, so what?" The boy asks.

"What made you think it was funny to knock this poor boy around?" Uekiya asks sternly. "It's only his first day!"

"Am I supposed to care?" The boy now known as Gaku asks. Jaku feels particularly relieved as Uekiya stands by his side and stares down Gaku. Eventually Gaku gives up and leaves Jaku alone, snickering under his breath as he walks away. "He can't even do anything without having a pretty girl baby him."

"I heard that!" Jaku shouts as Gaku vanishes around the corner.

"I wouldn't fuel it if I were you." Uekiya says as she sighs. "Gaku and the other delinquents are always around that corner blasting that awful music from their radio."

"Have they always been like this senpai?" Jaku asks.

"They had a leader but she was suspended for an indefinite amount of time. Now they walk around and act like untamed animals." Uekiya replies. "I would talk to the headmaster but he doesn't do much."

"He doesn't?" Jaku asks.

"Honestly all he does is sit around and do nothing. I know I shouldn't be talking this low about him but that's just the truth." Uekiya replies. "Well it is almost time for all of us to return to class." She adds, noticing her club members have already gone.

"Good point." Jaku says, but as soon as he and Uekiya begin to near the doors, Jaku decides to look up, and sees something rocketing down! "Senpai!" Jaku shouts as he pulls Uekiya back! A tub full of various weights crashes to the ground, causing a terrifying racket- had Jaku not looked up either he, Uekiya or the both of them would have been crushed to death. Another student council member quickly rushes over to make sure nobody has been hurt, her eyes wide open with shock. This girl has long ginger hair and two orange feathers behind her left ear. Her orange eyes look around worriedly before they focus on Jack and Uekiya.

"Is everything okay?! I heard someone yell and then I heard this!" The student council girl asks.

"He pulled me back just in time to save us. Thank you." Uekiya says as she breathes a sigh of relief knowing she's still alive. That's when the trio finally looks at the now destroyed tub and the weights inside.

"Are you the new student?" the student council girl asks Jaku, but he appears to be too focused on seeing if anyone looks suspicious to respond.

"Yeah, that's Jaku, the new student." Uekiya replies. "He's been a target for bullies which is why he decided to go here. Did you see anyone on the roof Akane?"

"Usually Aoi is the one to look up there." The ginger now known as Akane replies. "We must report this to the counselor, and you may want to talk with the rest of the council."