Chapter 31: The Weight of Actions.
The Principal's Office – Simon High School
The office was a sanctuary of old-world academia. Polished dark wood paneling lined the walls, interspersed with tall bookcases overflowing with leather-bound volumes and neatly stacked journals. A large, imposing mahogany desk dominated one side of the room, its surface a landscape of meticulously organized paper documents, a sleek modern computer monitor, and a few personal trinkets – a silver letter opener, a framed photo, a Newton's cradle. The air smelled faintly of aged paper, wood polish, and the subtle, lingering aroma of brewed coffee.
Hikari, still in his black t-shirt and white jeans, sat stiffly on one of the plush visitor's chairs before the desk. Beside him, Sera was perched on the edge of her seat, her small frame radiating tension. Opposite them, on another set of chairs, sat the three girls from the classroom. The physics teacher, Mr. Takeda, looking somber, occupied a seat next to Sera.
Silence, thick and heavy, filled the room. The only sound was the quiet, rhythmic tick-tock of an ornate grandfather clock in the corner. On the wall opposite the desk, a simple analogue clock indicated the time: 8:47 AM.
The three girls were a study in subdued fear. The one who had been holding the papers, her dark bob now slightly disheveled, sat in the middle. She held a wadded white handkerchief, stained with patches of crimson, pressed gingerly against her swollen nose. Her companions on either side, the girls with the light brown waves and the reddish ponytail, stared intently at the plush carpet, their earlier bravado entirely extinguished. They looked like wildcats that had been thoroughly and unceremoniously declawed.
Principal Ishikawa, a man with neatly trimmed short brown hair, piercing green eyes, and a well-fitted black suit, sat behind his desk, his chin resting on his steepled fingers. He observed them all for a long moment before finally breaking the silence, his voice a low rumble.
He sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "I cannot believe that one of my students was being subjected to bullying and physical violence without the news ever reaching me. This is truly a burden, and a failure on my part as the principal of this school."
His green eyes opened, shifting to Sera. They softened slightly. "I must apologize to you, Miss Sera Mimosa," he said, his tone sincere. "It was negligent of me not to have detected the psychological distress you were enduring."
Sera's hands were clasped tightly in her lap, her fingers twisting together nervously. "It's alright, Principal," she murmured, her voice barely audible, her fingers fidgeting. "I… I was just scared of burdening anyone with my problems. I didn't tell my family anything, including my brother."
Principal Ishikawa's gaze moved to Hikari, sitting silently beside his sister. "Despite that, Hikari, I cannot overlook what you did. Seriously, you never once caused any trouble during the entire three years you studied here. I can hardly believe what I witnessed today."
Hikari's voice was calm, devoid of inflection. "Sometimes, Principal, you can choose to give up your own personal right. But you cannot give up the right of someone who has no one else to champion them."
The Principal looked at him, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. Then, a ghost of a smile touched his lips. "You're right." He paused, his expression turning serious again. "But even so, that does not mean you should resort to such actions. It would have been enough to inform me. Hikari, you've always been exceptionally bright. I never imagined you would act so rashly."
"I did knock on your office door," Hikari stated flatly. "You weren't here. Then, while I was looking for my sister's classroom…" He glanced pointedly at the three girls. They flinched, avoiding his gaze as he continued, "I happened to overhear some girls plotting to do something… deviant to my sister."
The girls stared resolutely at the floor. Hikari's voice hardened. "I apologize, Principal, but I will take such action again, or even more severe action, if my sister continues to be bullied in this school. I urge you to deal with this problem more strictly. And if you are unable to do so, just tell me now, so I can take my sister to another high school. It would be far preferable to… roughing up these girls again."
A palpable tension filled the air. Principal Ishikawa felt it, a slight prickle on his skin. Still so calm, he thought, and he always knows how to choose the perfect word at the perfect time. I wish I could reprimand him more for his unlawful behavior in my school, but all the evidence points against these girls.
He turned his stern gaze upon the three culprits. "You three owe Miss Sera Mimosa an apology. Immediately."
The eyes of the two girls on the flanks darted upwards, then quickly down again. They bowed their heads low, their hair falling to obscure their faces. "We… we hope you can forgive our foolishness," one mumbled. "It won't happen again…" the other echoed.
The girl in the middle, still dabbing at her nose, slowly raised her head. Her green eyes, though red-rimmed, held a spark of defiance. Without uttering a word, she stood up and walked towards the office door. Her two companions looked at each other, then at her retreating back. They mumbled a hasty apology to the Principal and scurried out after her.
Mr. Takeda, the physics teacher, let out a long, weary sigh. "I can't believe she was being bullied since the beginning of the school year, and I never realized."
"It's not your fault, Sensei," Hikari said, his voice softer now. "I live with her in the same house, and I was far too late in noticing. All the blame falls on me."
The teacher offered a wan smile. "Now, now, don't say that. In a way, I'd say you acted correctly. However… they are all girls, and younger than you. I might have understood it more if they were boys… But… perhaps there was a better way to resolve this."
Hikari's blue eyes dropped to the floor. He had forced himself to act with such harshness after seeing his sister's tears, his actions fueled by a blinding rage. But now, as the image of him striking the smaller girl replayed in his mind, a sliver of… something akin to regret, perhaps, began to surface.
Principal Ishikawa smiled faintly, pointing a finger at Hikari with a hint of knowing optimism. "This is the Hikari Mimosa I know… You've just realized the extent of the mistake you made."
Hikari, still looking at the floor, replied quietly, "I don't know if we can even call it a mistake…"
"You are welcome in this office anytime," the Principal said, his smile genuine now. "If you feel the urge to apologize to that girl, I will be here."
Hikari stood up from his seat. "I apologize for the disturbance. I'd like to take my sister home today, without her completing the remaining lessons."
"That's quite alright," the Principal agreed.
Hikari gently took his sister's hand. "Let's get out of here, Sera."
They walked towards the door. Just as Hikari's hand closed around the cool metal of the doorknob, the Principal's voice, soft but carrying, stopped him.
"That girl… she doesn't have a brother, Hikari. Or a father."
Hikari's blue eyes flickered. His hand froze on the knob.
"There's no one who can take revenge for her," the Principal continued, his voice even. "How much do you think she'll cry tonight, with her nose hurting like that?"
Hikari gritted his teeth. Sera, her hand still in his, felt his fingers tremble, his grip tightening almost painfully on her softer hand. She looked down, a shadow crossing her own face. She understood. Hikari, in solving her problem, might now carry a burden of his own.
The sidewalk was a familiar stretch of concrete, the air filled with the distant rumble of city traffic, the occasional blare of a horn, and the faint, mixed scents of exhaust fumes and blooming jacaranda trees from a nearby park. Hikari walked beside Sera, heading home. She kept her gaze mostly on the pavement, her steps small.
"Hikari," she said softly, "I'm sorry…"
He looked straight ahead, at the bustling street. "For what?"
"For… for everything."
He glanced at her then, a rare softness in his blue eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm proud that you tried to solve your problems yourself. But… I wish you had relied on me for this. Do you want Mom and Dad to know about this?"
Sera shook her head quickly. "I hope that doesn't happen."
"Fortunately, the Principal is an understanding person and didn't escalate things by informing them," Hikari said. "Still… what he said at the end… it's like a thorn in my heart."
A gentle breeze rustled through the trees lining the street, playfully stirring Sera's blond hair. "You mean… about her not having anyone to defend her?"
"Yes," Hikari admitted. "I think… I should talk to her. And apologize. But only if I see that she hasn't hurt you or bullied you again."
"I won't hide anything from you again," Sera promised. Then, she added, a new thought occurring to her, "By the way… that girl, the one you… she had a Wystoria device even before you got yours. She talks all the time with the other girls about that game you play."
Hikari frowned. "Knowing the game, I suspect she'll be one of the villains there. Those who bully people in reality will do far worse in the game."
"Promise me you won't tell Mom and Dad what happened," Sera pleaded, looking up at him.
"How persistent," Hikari sighed, a hint of his usual dry annoyance returning. "Don't you trust me? Yes, yes, whatever. I won't tell them."
A small, genuine smile finally touched Sera's lips, illuminating her pale face, making her rosy lips curve upwards. "I never wanted you to see me this weak, you know. I always wanted you to be proud of me."
They reached a pedestrian crossing. The light was red, and a small crowd was beginning to gather, waiting. Hikari smiled, a genuine, warm expression this time, and placed his hand on her head. "You fool," he said softly. "You've always been weak and kind in my eyes, and that's what makes me proud of you. Don't try to be strong and handle everything by yourself. I think men were created to protect women, so leave some of your problems to me sometimes."
Her smile widened, warm and radiant. She looked up at him, a teasing glint in her tear-brightened eyes. "Heh, you finally sound like a university student."
"I am a university student," he retorted, a mock frown on his face.
Sera laughed, a clear, unrestrained sound that seemed to lift some of the remaining tension from the air. Just then, the pedestrian light turned green. Cars braked, and the shuffling sound of many feet spread across the asphalt as the crowd moved. Hikari smiled. They began to walk, side by side.
As they stepped onto the opposite curb, Sera leaned closer, her voice a soft murmur, just loud enough for him to hear, "Hikari-oniichan… thank you. For everything."
His smile was calm, peaceful. They continued their way home, a fragile but undeniable peace settling between them.
[A/N]
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