Kushida stood alone on the school rooftop, feeling the cool breeze of the late evening against her skin. The rooftop was supposed to be a place of solace, a sanctuary away from the suffocating facade she had to maintain constantly. She glanced around, ensuring she was truly alone. No one needed to witness what was about to happen.
<!-- Think: Finally, a moment of peace. It's so exhausting keeping up appearances all the time. -->
With a deep sigh, she let the cheerful mask slip from her face, revealing a scowl of frustration. She placed her bag on the floor, allowing herself the rare luxury of voicing her true feelings aloud.
"Ah—so annoying," she muttered to herself, the words dripping with venom she usually kept hidden.
<!-- Think: Horikita. That insufferable know-it-all. Why does she have to act so superior all the time? -->
"It’s really annoying, irritating. It’d be fine if she just disappeared…" she continued, her voice a low growl. Her mind replayed every interaction with Horikita, each one more infuriating than the last. Horikita was everything Kushida despised
<!-- Think: She acts like she's above everyone. It's unbearable. How dare she think she can outshine me? -->
"I hate those kinds of stuck-up girls that think they’re so cute. Why is she such a bitch? A girl like her can’t possibly teach me how to study."
The words poured out like a torrent, each one a small release of the pressure building within her.
<!-- Think: I can't let her ruin things for me. I have to stay on top. I'm the one everyone should adore, not her. -->
"Ah—the worst. She’s really the worst, the worst, the worst. Horikita’s annoying, annoying, so annoying!"
Kushida paused, her breathing heavy from the intensity of her outburst. In the quiet that followed, she felt a momentary pang of fear. What if someone heard her? But then, who would be here at this hour? She had made sure to choose a time when the rooftop was deserted.
<!-- Think: Calm down. No one's here. No one can see the real me. -->
Just as she began to regain her composure, a sound startled her—a faint thump from the stairwell. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned sharply, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a figure emerging from the shadows.
It was Du.
<!-- Think: How much did he hear? Damn it. I can't let him spread rumors. -->
"… What are you… doing here?" she asked, her voice a dangerous calm as she approached him. Her mind raced through possible ways to salvage the situation, to ensure that this accidental witness remained silent.
<!-- Think: What if… I grabbed his wrist, pulled it, and forced him to touch my chest, leaving fingerprints on my clothes? Then I can threaten him with this sentences: "if you tell anyone about this, I’ll say 'You tried to rape me.' to everyone ". If I say this immediately, he will be upset and have to agree, and then He’d stay quiet. This plan should work… Alright, let’s do this. -->
