Late for school

Ryuji led me down the narrow streets towards the real school. It was the exact same way as towards the castle.

"Is this for real?" asked Ryuji.

There was not a hint of the castle that had taken place.

I didn't know what to say. The things I've dealt with today are not the things I thought I've have to deal with on my first day of school.

"I'm sure we came the same way. What's going on here?"

"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you," said a irritated man, presumably a teacher, with his arms crossed. "We received a call from the police."

"That damn cop snitched on us after all!"

"It's not to see you alone. Where were you roaming around until this time?"

"Uh, a castle?" Ryuji answered, unsurely.

I shook my head in annoyance.

"So, you have no intention of giving an honest answer?"

"What's this about a castle?" said a familiar voice.

Kamoshida approached us, wearing a white shirt and black pants.

"Kamoshida!?" Ryuji exclaimed in shock.

"Didn't we lock him in that dungeon?" I asked. "How the hell is he here?"

"You seem so carefree, Sakamoto. Quite a difference from when you did morning practice for the track team." Kamoshida said with a teasing smile which easily set Ryuji off.

"Shuddup! It's your fault that-" said Ryuji.

"How dare you speak that way to Mr. Kamoshida!" said the teacher who's name I didn't know. "There's not much leeway left for you, you know?"

"He's the one that provoked me!" Ryuji shouted.

"Do you really want to be expelled? In any case, you'll have to explain yourself! Follow me!"

"What!? This is bullshit!"

"Come now." said Kamoshida. "I should have been more considerate, too. Let's just say we were both to blame."

"Well, if you say so." said the teacher. "Still, you're coming with me. It's undeniable that you're extremely late."

"Fine." sighed Ryuji, giving Kamoshida one final glance.

Kamoshida turned to me with a curious expression.

"By the way, you're that new transfer, correct? John Doe?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Have we met somewhere?"

"You were the guy who picked up that blonde girl I had sex with." I said.

"What!?," the gym teacher said. "She is mine!"

Kamoshida gave me an easy smile that put me on edge.

"Well, I'll overlook this just for today," his expression turned dark. "I'm sure you'd heard from the principal but cause any problem and you'll be expelled. Understand?"

"Can you overlook more?"

"Is that supposed to be a joke? I'm not laughing. At any rate, hurry up and go to the faculty office. I'm sure Ms. Kawakami's tired of waiting," Kamoshida motioned to the entrance doors.

"Will do." I nodded.

Kamoshida spoke once more with a taunting grin, "Good luck, trying to enjoy your new school life."

--

"The school turned into an old castle?" asked Sae. "A talking cat? Are you hallucinating from an overdose? I won't put up with you if you're simply joking around. I'm going to have you continue the story. The one who received a calling card from the Phantom Thieves was an olympic medalist. An alumnus from Shujin Academy, the PE teacher Suguru Kamoshida. It all came out in his confession. He was guilty of everything, the ****, the violations. But there should have been no connection between the two of you since you had just transferred. Why did you target him?"

"I'll tell you later." I said.

"That's unacceptable! Try and recall it once again!"

--

Might as well get this over with. I opened the door to the faculty office to find Kawakami sitting nearby, filling out paperwork.

"Unbelievable," Kawakami sighed. "Being over half a day late on your first day?"

I took a quick glance at the clock on the wall, 1:00pm.

"Can you explain yourself?" said Kawakami.

"I got lost." I said.

"How could you have been lost for this long?" Kawakami let out a pained sigh. "It's almost lunchtime. Well, it's probably true that you're not used to the area yet but you're still way too late. Will you pull yourself together? You were given fair warning yesterday. More importantly, I heard that you were caught with that Sakamoto-kun?"

"I didn't have a choice."

"Don't get involved with him, okay? He's nothing but trouble. He wasn't like that when he was devoting himself to track and field though. Anyway, break's almost over. Classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident. I'll have you introduce yourself when class resumes."

Kawakami motions towards the door, "Follow me."

I followed Kawakami into the hall to a room labelled "Class 2-D".

"By the way, when you introduce yourself, be serious about it even if you're lying to the class, okay?" said Kawakami. "Do NOT say anything unnecessary."

I went into the classroom.

"Being super late on his first day? He really is insane."

"He looks normal though."

"But he might slug us if we look him in the eye."

No one was even trying to hide the fact they were gossiping about me. I noticed the blonde girl I has sex with earlier. She was sat with her head propped on her hand, gazing out the window, indifferent to whatever was going on in fact. She glanced in my direction once before looking back out the window.

"Settle down," said Kawakami. "Well, I'd like to introduce a transfer student, John Doe. Today we had him attend from the afternoon on since he wasn't feeling well. Alright, please say something to the class."

"I'm John Doe." I said politely.

"He seems quiet but I bet when he loses it..."

"I mean, he was arrested for ****, right?"

Even Kawakami seemed uncomfortable with the rumours.

"Uh, so, your seat will be... Hmmm..." she muttered before pointing to the seat behind the sole blonde girl in the room. "Over there, the one that's open."

I nodded, just wanting to the day to end with as little issues as possible.

Kawakami turned to the other students around the empty seat, "Sorry but can the people nearby please share your textbooks with him for today?"

So much for making a good first impression. I walked over to my seat, trying to ignore the murmurs going on around me. This must be what Kamoshida meant when he wished me luck regarding my school life. This year's gonna be hell.

"This sucks."

"Lies," muttered the flashy blonde student.

I was about to say something when I heard Kawakami speak.

"Ann Takamaki!" said Kawakami. "As punishment for talking during class, you will strip naked and bend over the desk for a caning."

Deciding not to say anything, I shrugged as I sat down behind the blonde girl, Ann, as she stood up. She obediently stripped naked and walked in front of the class, bending over the desk, giving us all a view of her bare ass. Kawakami took a rattan cane out of her desk, a cane that seemed more proper for judicial prisoners than young students.

"You're going to count and thank me for each stroke." said Kawakami.

Without further ado, Kawakami pressed the cane against Ann's bottom and then pulled it back for a swing.

CRACK!

Kawakami did not hold back. Ann hollered as the cane cracked against her bottom.

"One, thank you, Ms. Kawakami." she said.

I saw the red welt left by the cane. Kawakami did not give Ann too much respite but did allow time for the pain to set in properly. I enjoyed watching Ann's are legs wriggle before Kawakami cut the cane into her backside.

CRACK!

The holler was just as loud and enjoyable as the first as Ann lurched several inches forward.

"Two, thank you, Ms. Kawakami."

CRACK!

The stroke left a bleeding welt that had Ann screaming her lungs out. The experienced teacher fell into a rhythm easily afterwards, making sure the cane squeezed out each ought of agony from Ann.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Ann screamed, showing dignity was not a concern for her as her jolted back and forth with each blow but remembered to count each one of them out loud and thank Kawakami. I would have tried to stop Kawakami if she did any real damage but this caning would not cause Ann any lasting harm. On the 8th stroke, Kawakami decided to pause. Ann didn't seem to realise this, her already lined bottom still quivered in anticipation.

CRACK! CRACK!

"Stand up." said Kawakami.

Ann ambled to her feet, unsteadily.

"Go stand in the corner, facing the wall." said Kawakami.

Still naked, Ann stood in the corner her striped bottom on full display to us. She did not dare cover herself. I had to admit, it did seem a bit harsh as everyone else was talking much more and I was half a day late. But the good news was that seeing Ann get punished with a rattan cane, got everyone to stop talking about me.

"Oh, right! The volleyball rally's in two days, "Kawakami saidy. "Everyone's just changed classes, so make sure you use that time to get to know each other. Well then, let's get class started. Who's on duty today?"

"Everyone, please rise," a solemn looking young man with bruises and a bandage on his cheek spoke up as he stood, prompting everyone else to stand as well.

Is that guy okay? I stared at the plain normal boy before focusing back on Kawakami. Not my problem.

Right now, I just want to focus on having a normal and relaxing school life so I can go back home to my family after my probation is over. Who am I kidding? Between what happened this morning and how everyone in school is badmouthing me and the only friend I'll ever have in this place, I'm screwed. After leaving the classroom, I briefly saw the school change into a castle.

"Hm, what's wrong?" asked Kawakami.

"Is this a school?" I asked.

Kawakami sighed.

"Are sure you're okay?" she asked. "Also, it seems like people are already talking about you but I'm not the one who told them. I can't even catch a break. Why do I have to deal with this? You should head straight home without stopping by anywhere. Sakura-san sounded pretty angry. Oh, and about Sakamoto-kun. Don't get involved-"

Ryuji walked by.

"Speak of the devil," said Kawakami. "What do you want? I heard police caught you cutting classes today."

"Ugh, it was nothing." said Ryuji.

"And you haven't dyed your hair back to black either."

"Sorry bout that. I'll be waiting on the rooftop."

"See? That's why I don't want you getting involved. Understood."

After Kawakami sighed and walked away, I saw Kamoshida come by with the principal.

"Why did let you a student like that to transfer here?" asked Kamoshida. "He's already started associating with Sakamoto. A student with a criminal record and the culprit of an **** case. At this rate it'll be pointless how much I contribute to the school."

"Now, don't be like that. This school counts on you, Kamoshida-kun. You are our star," said the principal kindly, trying to placate the man. "Still, a steady buildup is necessary behind such brilliance as well."

"Your troubles never seem to end, do they, Principal Kobayakawa?" Kamoshida sighed. "Alright, I understand. I'll continue to do my best to answer to your expectations of me."

I watched as the two staff members went their separate ways. If the principal's words were anything to go by, Kamoshida must have been a serious big shot. While part of me just wanted to go back to the Leblanc, Ryuji seemed eager to talk about something so I went up to the third floor and peaked through the double doors to the roof to see him alone perched on a discarded chair near a group of desks, using his leg to rock himself. I opened the door and stepped outside.

"There you are," he said. "Sorry for calling you up here like this. I bet Kawakami already told you stuff like, "don't get involved with him", huh?"

"She said you're trouble," I said with a shrug recalling the conversation I had with my homeroom teacher just a few moments ago.

"Heh, we're pretty much in the same boat," Ryuji said with a small grin. "I heard you got a criminal record. Everyone's talking about it. No wonder you were so gutsy. What was all that that happened? You know, how we almost got killed at a castle. It wasn't a dream, right? You remember it too, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, just cause we both remember it doesn't mean much though. I mean even if it was a dream, you saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah, thanks John."

"It was nothing."

"But man, that Kamoshida we saw there... You probably don't know about it but there are some rumours about him."

"Kamoshida?"

"You know, the guy you met at the school gates, the ripped one. That asshole who was all full of himself at the castle."

"I saw principal No-Neck kissing up to him back at the hall. How much of a hotshot is that guy?"

"Principal No-Neck? That's a pretty good one," Ryuji grinned. "But yeah, the prick's as big of a hotshot as you think. No one says anything against him cause he's some medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals. The way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt crazy real cause of that. I wonder if we can go back to that castle again."

I raised an eyebrow at Ryuji. He wanted to go there after we were almost killed. I wanted to stay as far away from that place as I could?

"Ugh, forget it. Must've all been a dream! It has to be!" Ryuji shouted in frustration.

"Sorry to drag you out here like this. That's all I had to say," he apologised as he stood up from his chair.

"Don't worry about it," I said. "It's fine."

"You know, we might be pretty similar. I feel like we're gonna get along fine as "troublemakers". I'm Ryuji Sakamoto."

"I'm John Doe."

"I'll come talk if I see your around. Don't ignore me, alright?"

"I'll try not to, Ryuji-san."

"See ya."

Nothing made sense but at least if someone like Ryuji is around, things might not be too bad. I went home.

"Hey, I got a call from the school," Sojiro's gruff voice was the firs thing waiting for me as I pushed by the door to the Leblanc. "I hear you ditched half a day on your first day of school."

"I couldn't help it." I said.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what everyone says when they're caught. Look, just behave yourself. One wrong step and your life is over. You do know what probation means, right?"

"I do."

"Good."

Sojiro's phone went off.

"Hey, what's up?" he said. "Yeah, I just closed up shop. I'll head over in half an hour, as promised."

He turned to me, "what're you standing around for? Get upstairs and go to bed, already."

He went back on his phone.

"No, it's a guy. I just hired a part-timer."

He spoke to me again, "Don't forget to lock the door and turn all the lights off, okay?"

I simply nodded my head at Sojiro's request as I headed up the stairs.

"Yup, I'm leaving now," he said on his phone. "I told you, he's a part-timer."

My body was sore and heavy as I reached the attic and collapsed on the bed face down. Maybe it was because of all that weird stuff that's been happening to me. It seemed weird that Kamoshida didn't recognise me from the castle. I let out a yawn. The actual school day had been worse than I had expected it to be, with what little I experienced.