The coffee dripped from my messy front hair down to my lips.

Bitter...

I realized that I forgot to put the sugar in. But, it didn't matter anymore.

With every pair of eyes shifted onto me, the students started to gather crowd around us. The students who sat beside me, scooted away. They formed a nice round circle, for observing purpose around Sasaki, her two followers and me. They avoided when I glanced at them. But, eyes remained stick close to the commotion.

Sasaki looked at me with a downcast gaze. Her lips curled in an upsetting way, not satisfied with my reaction. She leaned forward and did what I never anticipated.

She pulled my pendant in a swish, causing the exquisite chain of my necklace to broke and fell onto her grip.

I was staggered from the momentum she created.

She held it close to her sight and squinted.

"Hoo... this thing is nice! Can you give it to me?" She grinned at me, who started to scowl merciless.

I put my strength into my leg in order to stand up, but it was cancelled by Mika and Aya. They pushed my shoulder down in sync and constrained me on my seat.

"Tsk tsk tsk... look at you. I hate it when people glare at me you know?" Sasaki said.

She walked around with an arm folded on the chest to support her another hand while touching her chin.

“Ahh... you don’t like coffee? Maybe.... should I get you some milk?”

Mika handed her a glass of milk as she understood her intention.

Once again, the liquid was poured onto my unwavering head. I kept glaring at her.

I don't care if she bullied me. I don't care about that at all.

But I will not tolerate her for taking my pendant away. That pendant was the only article my parent left for me, which my father protected with his life. I couldn't afford to lose it. It was the pillar of my strength.

The next moment I know, she was about to swing my pudding toward my head.

Splasshhhh!!

Sasaki yipped as liquid was sloshed onto her back. Speckles of the liquid flew and landed on my face.

It is sweet

I tilted my head to the side as Sasaki blocked my line of sight.

I was surprised, to see Shiratsuki Yuu standing right behind her, with his hand holding an empty glass. He stood there unfaltering.

I didn't expect him to stand out for me. I knew he was bullied by Sasaki, so he was the last person I could ever think that will jump out to defend me.

Sasaki was infuriated. She ran her fingers through her soaked wet hair. Then, she screamed like a little child.

After throwing her tantrum around, she leapt away bumping through the crowd.

I was snapped out of my thought, wanted to chase her for the pendant, but she yelled as she waved the pendant.

“Afterschool. Rooftop!! You BOTH!”

Then, she stomped out from the canteen angrily.

Shiratsuki somehow came to ask me if I was alright, when I was definitely not. Maybe, he was just trying too hard to comfort me. Then, I realized, that if I wanted to get my pendant back. I have to ask him to come with me. Sasaki won't be as compromising if things didn't go her way. So, I gathered myself to ask him.

Surprisingly, he agreed without fuss.

After thanking him, I left the canteen going to the changing lockers. I remember that I have a clean PE cloth inside. So, I decided to get myself changed. While I was changing in the locker room, Shiratsuki waited outside.

At first, I wasn't aware about him following me. I wondered why would he do that.

Even though I appreciated him for defending me, it still pained me to see him. It reminded me of many unhappy things in the past and moreover about that incident happened yesterday. I knew it wasn't his fault. I couldn't help but resenting him for what I have experienced nearby his living district. However, he indeed defended me in the canteen. So, I brushed away the negative feeling. I decided to get some more information about him. I wanted know, what is he?

I walked out from the changing room and stopped right beside him. I called out his name and he was startled by it. Back to his sense, I lead him to the end of the hallway where nobody seemed to be around. I've made my mind to properly ask him.

I sat by the stair while he leaned his back on the wall. We had a small talk. But, then the silence struck again.

I brought the letter my father left for me subconsciously, for this purpose. The letter resided in my pocket. It took only a mere second for me to get it out. But, I couldn't muster the courage.

What if he denies it? He could be not the person I thought he is. The letter could be false. I could be hallucinating. I mean, there is no one able to prove what I felt and saw was true.

Instead of asking what I originally intended to, I thanked him again to break the ice between us. It was something so random and I didn't expect that made him blurted out that question.

“Yesterday... “ He paused briefly as I glanced at him.

“...Did you follow me?”

The question I feared before, came out from his mouth. He looked into my eyes searching for an answer. I became anxious for a second. Then, I remembered the plan I previously thought to counter this question.

“I-I lived nearby” I hope he didn't see me gasped.

“But, why did you have to ran away?” He continued bombarding me with another question, that I haven't thought about the counter-measure.

“...that was because.............”

Should I tell him? Should I ask? Arggghhhh-

I abruptly stood to his face.

“To be honest, I wa-“

Rrriiiiiiinnnnnnggggggggggggggg.....

The bell rang, somehow in the perfect timing. I excused myself and leapt away in a whoosh.

The rain had long ceased, as if Sasaki has the power to predict the weather. I proceeded to the rooftop as she told. We were in the same class, but she didn’t left after I did. She seemed to be plotting something with her followers before they caught up to me.

Sasaki pushed me to the side as she moved pass me, while grinning excitedly. Both Mika and Aya, respectively bumped on me as they followed Sasaki.

“Where is your boyfriend Kisaragi?” She bluntly asked.

What? Boyfriend?

I close my mouth tight, not giving her a respond.

She frowned.

Right at the moment the situation felt awkward. Shiratsuki came out from the door and walked toward us.

Then, he stopped right beside me.

Sasaki started her play.

“Hmm.... Would it break if I throw it from here?” She waved the pendant by the fence with a rather threatening tone.

Even with only one percent of chance that it would break from this height. I still hate the probability. Sasaki knew how anxious I was, she grinned from ear to ear.

“Please! Give it back to me!” I leapt forward but Mika and Aya blocked my way.

“If you want it back that bad...”

Sasaki took out a girl uniform, and threw it to Shiratsuki.

“Wear it!!” She commanded.

I was surprised with her demand. I could see a slight frown on Shiratsuki's face.

“No... You don’t have to do this!” I snatched the uniform from him.

The problem was mine from the start, I shouldn't let him sacrifice that much for me. For a boy to wear a girl's uniform. No man would accept that. Besides, we have only known each other from yesterday. Merely a day of acquaintance. Why would he do it for me.

Sasaki was not amused.

She moved closer to the fence again and raised her hand up high.

“Not doing it? Then I have no use for this!!“

“N-Nooooo!!” I cried helplessly knowing what she was about to do. I immediately leapt forward.

But.

Sasaki stopped midway as Shiratsuki yelled,

“Stop it! I will do as you say”

He unbuttoned his shirt by swiftly pulled it open. He snatched the uniform and really changed into it, not leaving the skirt too.

The uniform was surprisingly fit into him. He looked just like a normal high school girl. No. He shouldn’t be look that striking. But, he indeed has the charisma that would be charming to both gender.

Sasaki got even more irritated.

The request was fulfilled so Shiratsuki stepped forward and raised his palm.

“The pendant” He asked with a monotone voice.

Sasaki stared at Shiratsuki fiercely for a minute.

Then, she pulled out her phone aimed at Shiratsuki and flashed at him.

“A boy wearing a girl’s uniform as a hobby during his spare time.... How does it sound?”

Sasaki waved the phone at him. Shiratsuki was kind of taunted and swing his hand trying to reach for her phone. But, he failed.

Aya came and pushed Shiratsuki, causing him to stumbled to the back.

Sasaki continued her taunts, I could see that Shiratsuki was troubled by it. Even though he didn't obviously show it on his face. But, I can feel it.

I didn't know why.

Trouble always flocked around me. It had always been like that. I wanted to get my pendant back but in the same time, I didn't wish to make trouble for Shiratsuki.

I should've chase Sasaki back then when we were in the canteen. I shouldn't have asked Shiratsuki to came. If I came here alone, I think I will get my pendant by enduring one or two of her selfish request. I should've done that myself.

When I was feeling remorseful, Shiratsuki spoke.

“You are the ‘ugliest’ girl I’ve ever met”

He said that.

My eyes widened, my mind was clouded, I couldn't believe what I just heard. He never voiced out his thought. But, that time. He was different. I could feel the aura which normally radiated from him was clouded and flared unruly for a split second.

I was too shocked that the next moment I snapped out, was when Shiratsuki leapt forward and caught Sasaki's hand just in time before she threw my pendant over the fence.

The rooftop was thrown into chaos.

Shiratsuki's expression is something you would see from a silent serial killer. He was so furious that it actually scared me. He gripped Sasaki's wrist and forcing her to move away from the fence.

Both Mika and Aya joined in the ruckus, they pushed and bumped around the short fence. Sasaki was fighting back with all of her strength but she wasn't strong enough to fend of Shiratsuki.

But then, before Shiratsuki could pull Sasaki away from the fence. Mika pushed Shiratsuki on the chest when he was in the middle of stumbling, causing him to hit hard on the fence.

What happening next, was Shiratsuki's balance went over the fence. He was thrown out. Everyone knew what would happen next and panicked as they leaned forward with hand reached out trying to catch the impossible.

Shiratsuki will be dead.

No... No... No... NOO!! I won't let anyone die on me again. Not because the pendant, not because of me again!

The content of the letter my father left me flashed through my mind. Without further hesitation. I focused my mind on the little information I learned from it. I will try casting the spell.

It was stated in the letter that this spell... will activate an ancient magic.

It is a spell that only I can do it and it cost the caster's life for another.

But, I will not hide again.

I will not let the tragedy repeat.

I will save him.

I will not falter anymore.

"Tevatiac!! Turnreotginrioeht!!"

I yelled out a mouthful of sentence, but I mysteriously knew how to pronounce those unknown words. It came from deep within my heart. I felt like I knew what they are.

Power surged within me and it caused me to feel extremely uncomfortable.

A ray of grey blue light struck down from the sky in a split second. Stack of circles rose from the floor one by one. Those circles were engraved with unknown letters around them. They surrounded all the people here, except me the caster.

The glowing blue circles shrunk and wrapped Sasaki, Mika, Aya, who seemed to forget about Shiratsuki's falling. They were bewildered by the magical moment happening on themselves.

The magic circles vanished into their body once they had no space to shrunk into.

Sasaki and her bunch stopped moving.

It seemed like that, but the truth was their movement was extremely slowed down.

I know that because I can sense them moving.

Another magic circle rose again from the ground. But, this time, it surrounded me. It was an enormous dark murky colored circle which painted black on the middle. It was bizarre.

Then, a dark matter rose from where I stand. They engulfed me completely.

I felt weak, my conscious was gradually leaving me, but a voice can be heard.

Do you wish to return to the origin?

I didn't know what it mean. I simply want to save him. I didn't want to leave any regret. Like what I did ten years ago. I wished that father survived on that night. I wished that none of this should happen on me.

I wish to fix all the problem from the beginning.

That's what I wished for.