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Chapter 2: Introverted Etsu

(A/N: Reminder that I don't watch Index or read the LNs so I only know two members in Misaki's clique which is Junko and Misaki herself  😭 (also I've seen Kobayashi Satori but I didn't have a good grasp of her personality)

Recess time

Etsu: *currently putting his books inside his bag*

Junko: Unabara-kun, where are you eating at? *smiles*

Etsu was slightly surprised by the question coming from the girl beside him.

Etsu: I'm... Still deciding.

Some of the students who were near Junko and Etsu were surprised to hear the boy talk for the first time. But Junko acted as if it wasn't a big deal, and smiles sweetly.

Junko: Why don't you join me and my friends to have lunch together?

Junko's sweet invitation leads to urgent whisperings from the girls near her.

Girl A: Junko!! Are you crazy? Why'd you invite him to have lunch with us?

Girl B: Yeah, The Queen is gonna get pissed by your action!

Junko: Ah, in that case I'm gonna ask for her permission to let Unabara-kun join us for lunch. *gets up from her seat*

Girl A&B: No no Junko! She'll get mad, for real!

Junko: Why are you guys so freaked out?

Girl A: She'll definitely hate it to have a random boy who doesn't even belong to our clique be hanging around with us..

Girl B: And plus, that boy's disappeared already... See, he doesn't even care about joining us. Don't bother with him.

Junko: *turns around*

They're right. Etsu had already left the classroom without waiting or answering Junko.

Etsu's POV

I feel pretty rude for not answering the friendly girl's invitation in the classroom. But that's only because I didn't get the chance to answer, as she's already been grabbed by her friends, and even though they were being secretive as possible I can still hear their protests to the friendly girl for inviting me. Actually, I'd know they were protesting the idea even if I didn't hear what they whispered.

Truth to be told, I was happy someone spoke to me for the first time since showing up in the class. I can see through the little space between my bangs how everyone's reactions were. They were obviously not happy with the idea of having a boy enroll in an all girls' school. I think their contempt of me grew even more when Mrs Yukina said about me having a special pass because I'm grandma Unabara's relative.

That was why I expected everyone to ignore me. So for the friendly lavender haired girl to be initiating a conversation with me, I feel like I've been saved. The happiness was short lived however because her friends disliked me and tried to prevent her from engaging with me. I wasn't offended. I don't know if it's because I'm that insensitive or because I thought they had a valid reason to dislike me. Maybe both.

Anyway, even if the friendly girl's friends didn't prevent her from engaging with me, I probably would've still rejected her offer. It's just because I'm uncomfortable with people I'm not close to. I was happy when she talked to me, but we don't know each other yet so I'm sure it'd be awkward if I joined her to have lunch with her friends. I hope someday when I was able to get a little bit closer to her, and the uncomfortableness disappeared, I'd get the chance to join them. That is, if her friends accepted me, to which I doubt will happen.

So that's why right now I'm heading to the library. I'm planning to sit there and kill the recess time with books. I'm actually a bit hungry but not hungry enough to force myself to walk in the cafeteria and have half of the Tokiwadai students stare at me as I sit alone at a table. I hate being the center of attention, it's more uncomfortable than talking to someone I'm not close with. But I guess my fate has been sealed as I'm the only male student in this all girls' school. Hah. Sucks to be me. Also, the students in the cafeteria are probably gossiping and discussing about the news that a male student transferred in this school. If I just barged into the cafeteria, they'll be gossiping about me as they stare at me. That's just hell.

I finally arrived in front of the library. It's actually not that hard to find, since Mrs Yukina had given me a tour of the school prior to introducing me in the classroom. The library's not that far from my classroom, so that's a bonus since I love reading.

I quietly opened the door and some of the students brought up their face to look at me, and had a surprised look on their face seeing a male student with Tokiwadai uniform stepping inside the library. Man, I just hope no one had the wrong idea and accused me of stealing a girl's uniform, pretending to be a student here.

I walked towards a particular rack which had 'Horror' labeled on it. I have always been a fan of the genre. I don't know why, I gain amusement from reading horror books. It's also a good stress reliever.

I began searching through the books looking for something that piques my interest. Honestly it's hard to find good books that suits your type at a school library because they don't have a wide variety of collection, but this is Tokiwadai, one of the most prestigious schools in Academy City so I'm hoping they stepped up their game.

Suddenly I saw a horror manga with a rather terrifying cover, which had a smiling pale boy staring at the reader as he deviously jammed a nail inside a voodoo dool. Judging from the art style, I can conclude it's Junji Ito's work. I haven't read that many mangas, because I preferred novels. I love how authors can string jumbled up words and make it into something that has a meaning. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good artwork every now and then.

Guess today's the day I read Junji Ito's 'Souichi's Diary of Curses'.

As I grabbed the manga, one other hand coming from the opposite section to where I was standing does the same.

Eh.