Shadow Gate to the Unstable World

One's True self

Yoshiko's POV

After my encounter with Riko, I've got this aching feeling in my chest. I've never felt this before so I choose to ignore this feeling. As I slept that night, a lingering warmth stayed on my chest.

Getting up the next morning, I reluctantly get out of the bed to start up my morning preparation. I did this kind of thing every day even though I'm not a morning person.

As I head out to school, I met the senpai yesterday with the gray hair in the bus stop. When she noticed me, she greeted me right away. "Good morning!" She exclaimed then she saluted.

"I-uhh.. good morning.." I answered meekly. The two of us ride the bus then I sat at the last row of the bus sitting near the window. Senpai took the sit beside me.

"How is your legs? You remember me from yesterday right?" She ask expectantly. "Yes, though it is kinda embarrassing." I answered.

"Glad your fine. My name is Watanabe You. Nice to meet you!" She saluted again. "Nice to meet you! The names Tsushima Yoshiko." I exclaimed copying her gestures.

"Hehehehe, you don't need to do that you know." She said happily. I rubbed my neck meekly in response.

The rest of the bus ride went quiet. Later on the orange hair senpai yesterday entered the bus waving at You-senpai.

"Hey You!" She shouted gaining some glares from the passengers. "Hey Chika-chan. I think you shouldn't be too loud. Come sit with us." You senpai patted the sit beside her.

The orange hair senpai, eagerly sat down and talk about hero stuff. 'She really is a big fan of heroes.' I thought to myself.

"Ahh!!" My thoughts were interrupted as I heard a scream from the orange haired senpai.

I look in to her direction to see her pointing her finger at me. "Your the girl yesterday who fell from the tree!" She exclaimed loudly. I cover my ears to protect my sensitive eardrum.

"Yes that was me." I answered nonchalantly. "My name is Takami Chika. Want to be part of my hero club?" She ask out of nowhere.

"I don't think I am fit to be a hero, and my name is Tsushima Yoshiko." I answered back.

"Ehhh?? Come on! You were so cool back then falling from the tree." She whined at me looking like an injured puppy. "Of course! Fallen angels are always cool!" I answered smirking.

"Huh? Fallen angel?" You-senpai and Chika-senpai asked at the same time.

Just then I realized, I let my angel persona slipped out. "Uhhh..I mean..." 'Oh no they're going to think I'm weird.' I thought to myself.

"Fallen angel...." I heard Chika-senpai muttered. "....so COOL!" she suddenly exclaimed, damaging my sensitive ears again.

"Chika-chan! I really think you need to lower your voice." You-senpai scolded.

"Ah! sorry." Chika-senpai immediately quiet down. "So back to the topic, you really need to join my club Yoshiko-chan." Chika senpai asked pleadingly. I look around to find an escape, just in time we arrive now at school.

I yelled an apology as I took off as fast as I could hearing Chika-senpai's faint voice saying "I'll definitely hunt you down!" Hearing that, I feel some chills run down to my spine.

I decided to ignore those words and went to class. I sat at my sit sighing a long sigh.

Zuramaru noticed me asking me "what's wrong?" I replied with a "Its nothing."

True to her words, Chika-senpai definitely hunt me down turning up on my classroom door during break time and chasing me down up to the roof during lunch break. I had no choice but to hide in shadows.

Feeling exhausted from our little game of hide and seek, I lazily walk along the corridor to hear someone shouting.

I followed the voice, so now I ended up in the student council's door.

I take a peek to see who was inside and I was surprised to see Chika-senpai and You-senpai getting scolded by the student council president? I think.

I eavesdropped even though I know it's none of my business.

"I've told you! You need to get at least 4 members to established a club!" The student council president shouted.

"Then if I can get four members, you'll approved my club?" Chika-senpai asked hopefully.

"No!" was the immediate answer of the student council president. "Eh?? Then what am I going to do?!" Senpai asked harshly.

"You'll need to defeat me of course." was again the immediate answer of the president.

"I need to test your abilities to know if your worthy of being a hero." She added before Chika-senpai could ask any questions.

"Then I'll take you on to it!" was the immediate reply of Chika-senpai.

Just then, I saw that they were heading to exit the room so I used shadow step to flee the scene. I walk in a steady pace until I came to a stop when I arrived at the school gates.

Getting to see the undying determination of Chika-senpai make me kinda jealous.

I wish I could also express my self like that. I can also be free from my insecurities and gain confidence.

This thoughts lingered in my mind until I was snapped out of it by a hand tapping my shoulder.

I turn around to see, yet again, Chika-senpai's pink eyes full of emotion and determination.

"What are you doing spacing out here?" You-senpai spoke first. "I was.. just thinking." I answered.

"Anyway since your here, I-" I cut off Chika-senpai sentence as I came to a conclusion.

"I want to join your club!" I said abruptly. "Eh?!! Really?!!" She said looking at me for confirmation and disbelief.

"Y-Yes. Seeing you so full of determination senpai lit my hidden passion, and I want to gain confidence for myself so that I can stop hiding from the shadows and face the light." I said opening up a little bit for them to see the insecurities within me.

"Oh! So I'm assuming you saw our little talk at the student council room?" You-senpai stated.

"Yes." I answered guilty. "Hahaha, so you saw that!" Chika-senpai laugh it off.

"You know, I hated being normal." Chika-senpai suddenly stated. "But now after I found out about heroes I suddenly think that being normal is fine. You just need to work for it to shine brighter so that people would see you as someone special." She said looking at me.

"Basically, You starts from knowing your self and explore the self that is also within you." She stated smiling at me.

At that moment, I started to see the world in a different light. With a more determined will I stared back at Chika-senpai's eyes.

"I'll be doing my best from now on without hiding. Thank you senpai for facing my cowardly self." I said bowing.

"Hehehe, it was nothing really." She answered rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yes, Chika-chan is always like that, encouraging people." You-senpai finally joined in.

"By the way Yoshiko-chan you can call me You without honorifics." Senpai added in.

"Yeah! Call me Chika too! We will be a team from now on after all!" Senpai stated happily.

"Then I will be accepting this contract little demon." I said finally loosing free my fallen angel persona.

They smiled at me warmly for I have finally expressed myself without restrictions.

I let out a smile as well. "Thank you, Chika, You!" After that we went home as we had form a new bond within us.

To be continued...