Walking into class, I frown as the eyes of my classmates stares at me. One, two... Three! I count in my head. As soon as I had counted to three, one of the boys from my class stood up and walked over to me. What now? I wondered, never knowing what these boys were planning to do just to humiliate me. "Yabu, how are you doing this fine morning?" One of the international students asks me. I raise a brow at him questioningly. He has never been nice to me... Why has he changed now? I wonder, opening my mouth to respond to him.

"You care?" I carefully ask him, not wanting to trigger something to make him mad and then make him regain his nasty attitude towards me.

"Of course. I mean... I know we've never been friends, but... Can we try to be?"

"Um... Sure, I guess..." I nod. It's been so long since I've had friends, so it was nice. But, I didn't let myself get too comfortable with his proposal. Knowing this school, he could be luring me just to mess with me later on.

"Great." He smiles at me.

"If you two are done, I would like to start class now..." The teacher interrupts us. "Yabu, Cheolyong, sit down."

"Sorry..." We apologized, taking our seats. I heard whispering behind me. Cheolyong was talking to someone and I knew exactly who. Inoo Kei. One of my old friends. Actually, he was my best friend before. Now he hates me though. As we grew up, I didn't bother to make more friends due to fear of what happened with Inoo and the other guys repeating itself. I had to wonder what they were talking about though. Knowing Inoo, I could definitely guarantee that something bad would happen. Don't get me wrong, he's nice. Really nice. But only if you're his friend or if he doesn't really know you too well. If you're one of the people he hates, like me, then you should watch your back.

My instincts were proven right after our first class had eneded. I was the first one to get up and go out of the classroom behind the teacher. At least, I tried to. Somone tripped me. Looking up, I see Yuya smiling at me. Or rather, smirking at me. Just by that smirk, I knew that my instinct was right. This wasn't going to end well for me. And it didn't. At the snap of Inoo's fingers, the class threw a whole bunch of water balloons at me. A little childish, but I couldn't possibly think that this was it. There had to be more. Inoo was too smart to not think of more. "Alright, stop." I heard his voice tell the class. As soon as he said it, they stopped. When I looked up, he had his hand extended out to me. "Want some help up?"

"I would rather not..." I answer quietly so he wouldn't hear me, but refused his hand and got up myself. He takes his hand back and helps me pick up my stuff, making me give him a questioning look. "Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me."

"Oh, I do. But, this is just pitiful, Yabu..." He explains, handing me my books.

"Right... Thanks." I mutter, heading out of the classroom before something bad could happen again.

Unfortunately, today just wasn't my day. Inoo had put a tiny stink bomb into my binder. And as soon as I opened it, it exploded right in my face. "Class, what is that smell?" The teacher asks us. Everyone laughs as I try to sink away into my chair with embarrassment.

"Yabu." Inoo answers the teacher. "He ran into a skunk over lunch. Scared it pretty good, so it sprayed him!"

"Is this true, Yabu?" The teacher asks. I don't have the time to answer as she speaks again. "Nevermind... Go to the lost and found and get an old uniform or something... You seriously need one." I nod and stand up.

"Actually... Sensei? Can I help him wash his uniform right now?" Cheolyong offered.

"As long as he doesn't smell like that when you get back." She nods and Cheolyong stands up to go with me to the bathroom.

~ ~ ~

"Thanks for helping me..." I thank Cheolyong as we dry off my jacket after scrubbing it thoroughly with water and soap.

"You shouldn't be thanking me, Yabu." He answers with a monotone voice, giving me a bad feeling.

"Why...?" I carefully ask.

"One, because I didn't help you when everyone was throwing water balloons at you." I nod.

"Okay... Well, I'm not angry about that. It must be hard to stand up to one of the most popular boys at school."

"Right..." He nods in agreement. "Well, here's your jacket." He hands me my jacket and I take a sniff of it, cringing afterwards at the smell.

"It still smells so terrible!" I complain. "Ugh, how can Inoo do something this horrible to me?"

"Who knows?" Cheolyong shrugs. "Lets just go... I don't wanna miss too much class." I nod in agreement and we exit the bathroom. Cheolyong leads the way, but not to the classroom.

"Cheolyong, where are we going?" I ask.

"I'm kinda hungry... Even if we had lunch not too long ago. Do you mind?"

"No, I guess not..." He smiles at me and keeps going to the cafeteria. When we get there, I see all my old friends waiting there. Inoo Kei, Takaki Yuya, Arioka Daiki, Okamoto Keito, Yamada Ryosuke, Nakajima Yuto, and Chinen Yuri. Oh no... Please don't be a trap... But of course, luck wasn't on my side. Cheolyong ran over to them and the huge group of boys started to throw the cafeteria's left over food at me.

"Yabu, this might help your stink." Inoo mocks me, making the others laugh at the outburst.

"Or try this instead!" Yuya intervened, throwing a water balloon that was filled with soap at me. This just made the others do the same. Of course, I tried to dodge all of the food and the water balloons, but it's not that easy when it's one against eight.

~ ~ ~

"Why don't you say something to them? Honestly! They used to be your friends... Or at least tell a teacher!" My older sister scolds me.

"Don't you think I've tried talking to them? Inoo won't listen to me! Plus, the others are convinced that I'm at fault too! So, I can't do anything about it... As for the teachers... I don't want them to get into trouble, no matter how much they're torturing me."

"You have such a big heart, Kota..." She shakes her head at me.

"Isn't that what mom and dad wanted?" I ask her, referring to my name. She nods in agreement but then frowns at me.

"Still though, you have to stand up for yourself..."

"It's not a big deal... I can wash my uniform and take a shower. Don't worry about it, okay?" I ask, heading up to my room to change into something fresh and then start on my homework for the day.

A/N: There's the first chapter. And, I would have made the bullying worse, but I watched something recently that made me question everything, so yeah... Sorry about that. I hope you guys liked it though. Please comment.