10 Red Strings At Your Service - Chapter 2 - Social Hierarchy

As I’m making my way to my classroom, A sea of students are there giving off JoJo’s level of menacing stances. I decided to test whether my crowd-dodging skills have declined. Lately, I’ve been cutting it close, arriving at school just a few minutes before the first class started. One of the perks of living within walking distance from school was the luxury of those precious extra minutes in bed. Thanks to that, when I arrived at school only few students are loitering around. However, since I’m early today, thanks to my beloved little sister, the hallways were still bustling with students.

The corridors are filled with groups of friends chatting away, laughing, and generally loitering around and others, like me, that were simply trying to navigate through the sea of bodies to reach their respective classrooms.

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the task ahead. It’s been awhile, time to put my crowd-dodging skills to the test.

With ease, I started weaving through the crowd, turning my body sideways whenever necessary to slip through tighter spaces while keeping a close eye on my feet, ensuring I don’t accidentally step on anyone or trip over these red strings. It was almost like I’m dancing careful, calculated movement to avoid collisions.

But of course, most people were oblivious to their surroundings, too engrossed in their own conversations or thoughts to notice the human traffic jam they were contributing to. They barely spared a glance for anyone else, leaving the responsibility of avoiding collisions on my shoulders.

Sigh. This was precisely why I usually avoided coming to school early. Of course, it’s not because I want to sleep more, ok?

Still, I had to admit, there was a certain satisfaction in maneuvering through the crowd unscathed. It was like a personal challenge of reflexes and awareness. But if given the choice, I’d rather stick to my usual routine of breezing in just before the bell rang. This early morning hustle is definitely not for me. Why take the hard path when you can choose the easy one, am I right?

With one final dodge around a particularly oblivious pair of students standing right in the middle of the hallway, I finally made it to the door of my classroom.

Phew. Looks like my dodging skill is still in its prime.

—❀—❀—❀—❀—❀—❀—

As I slid the door open, the familiar sound of metal echoed loudly. Not that it mattered much since it was quickly swallowed by the noises of my surroundings.

Stepping inside, I glanced around. As expected, the class was still in their own separate world. Some students were standing in groups, chatting animatedly, while others were glued to their phones, completely absorbed in whatever was on their screens.

“Ohhh! Now this is a rare sight!”

Before I could even begin my usual long ass monologuing, a loud, voice pierced through the noise, reaching my ears.

“Yo, Akai! Good morn~! You’re surprisingly early today!”

The source of the voice was exactly who I thought it would be. Standing there with his usual grin was Youhei, his bleached blonde hair as messy as ever, perfectly matching his carefree, borderline rebellious attitude. His laid-back posture and that annoyingly familiar grin made it impossible to ignore him.

“You’re already so full of energy this early in the morning, Youhei. Anyway, morning.” I replied, my tone carrying a clear hint of exasperation. Knowing him, though, he’d probably take my word as an invitation to keep going.

“Heh, your standards for energetic are just low because you always look like a walking corpse.” he said back, grinning.

Okay, fair point. But still, his volume is way too much for this hour. Who needed roosters cries when you have this guy around.

“So, what’s the occasion? Did something special happen for you to show up this early?”

“Special, huh.” I guess you could say that punch was special. “But first, let me sit down.”

With that, I made my way to my seat besides the—seat besides the window.

Hah, you’re probably thinking I got the classic main character seat, right? Nuh-uh. Life isn’t that generous. I’m stuck in the seat next to it. Just one step of fulfilling my dream of gazing outside the window while pretending I’m lost in deep thoughts like a protagonist I am. When I started my second year, I thought I’d finally get to live out that cliché. But no, fate had other plans apparently.

As for the person sitting in the actual main character seat?

I paused at my seat, taking a moment to observe her. As usual, she was absorbed in her book, her slender fingers quietly flipping the pages with practiced ease, enough to know she’s been doing these for years. The way she seemed completely oblivious to the noises of the classroom was almost impressive. No matter how loud or rowdy it gets, she remained unshaken and keep doing her usual routine.

“Good morning, Class Rep.” I greeted her, knowing full well she wouldn’t notice my presence until she put down that book. Her attention was always focused on those letters so I took the initiative to say the greetings.

For a moment, her fingers froze when she’s about to turn the next page, and slowly lifted her head to meet my gaze. Perhaps she’s mad about being bothered while reading, for some reason, her eyes behind the lenses of her glasses are sharp and piercing, locked onto mine. I felt like I was being stab by hundreds of needles.

“Just how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me ‘Class Rep’?” she said her voice remaining calm and composed. Unlike my little sister’s loud, fiery anger, the calmness in her tone is giving off calm quiet warning.

I let out a dry chuckle. “Sorry, sorry,” I said, trying to sound remorse as much as possible. “Force of habit, you know?” Ok sorry, I was just playing dumb. I actually know that she will give me this glare if I call her that. I’m really playing with fire with this one.

She let out a soft sigh, probably concluded that a conversation with me is not worth continuing, with that she return to her book without saying another word.

Wait, she didn’t even say “Good morning” back!
Not that I could blame her. I’m obviously the one at fault here.

“I’m amazed you can still keep that casual vibe when talking to Kiritani-san” Youhei said following me from behind, his usual grin replaced by a more cautious expression. “Even I can tell she really hates being called by the title she was forced into doing.”

Youhei’s words carried a genuine consideration—or maybe fear. It seemed even he wasn’t immune to Class Rep’s intimidating aura.

“I’m not doing it on purpose, okay? It’s just really force of habit.” I lied as naturally as I breathe.

I sank into my seat, pretending not to notice the way Youhei giving me a knowing look. We’ve been seatmates for more than a month now, but still, some habits are hard to break, y’know?

“So, what’s the sudden occasion?” Youhei asked.

“Yeah, about that, hear me out…!” I replied, making my tone as dramatic as possible, even though I wasn’t all that upset about it. I begin my detailed explanation of the morning’s events, including my so-called worries about my little sister entering her rebellious phase.

“I’m gonna ignore the siscon parts, but yeah, sounds like a pretty hectic morning.”

Siscon? Which part of that is siscon, you tell me!? Those are perfectly normal worries for a responsible big brother like me! Tch, this is exactly why I can’t stand only children like him, they just don’t get it.

“Perhaps it’s time for you to start showing her that you’re a responsible big brother,” Youhei suggested, “so she’ll stop treating you like that.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you saying I’m not responsible enough as a big brother?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, I definitely wouldn’t call someone who always arrived in school a few minutes before class starts, responsible.”

I hate to admit it, but he have a point. Even if it was coming from Youhei, of all people.

I sighed, slumping into my chair. “I don’t want to hear something that respectable coming from you, of all people.”

While it’s not exactly my place to say, Youhei is definitely not someone you’d call a model student. One look at him, and it’s pretty obvious. His bleached blonde hair is the first giveaway. Then there’s his uniform, the top buttons of his shirt are always undone, giving him that cliche bad boy look. His tie is loosely knotted at best. He’s the kind of guy who spends more time pushing boundaries than following rules.

Despite all that, here he was, giving me advice about responsibility. But somehow, coming from Youhei, it almost felt… sincere. Even if his appearance said otherwise. Well, everyone has their own circumstances.

“Well, I don’t have any siblings, so I can say whatever I want.” Youhei added with a smug grin.

Just when I thought that he might be capable of genuine insight, he went and shattered it in an instant.

“By the way,” he continued, his tone shifting to something more casual, “have you heard the rumors?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Hm? What rumors?”

“Apparently, we’re getting a transfer student in this class.” he said, showing a slight interest towards the rumor.

“A transfer student?” I repeated, blinking. “Halfway through the second year? That’s an odd timing.”

Transfer students were rare enough as it was, but switching schools midway through the year felt even stranger. Were they moving because of their parents’ job? Or don’t tell me it’s gonna be related to…—no, I’m probably overthinking it. There’s no way something that cliche would happen.

Turning my head, I glanced at the person seated next to me who might know something.

“Class—” I caught myself mid-word, my voice faltering. I already used up my ‘Class Rep’ excuse for today. I saw her shoulders twitch a little bit to the word ‘Class’. Just how much do you hate it?
“Uh, Kiritani-san,” I corrected, trying to play it cool. “Have you heard anything about this transfer student?”

Kiritani-san, still absorbed in her book, slowly lifted her head, her glasses reflecting the light for a brief moment. Her gaze shifted toward me, calm and piercing, as though she was weighing whether answering me is even worth her time.

“Whether that rumor is true or not, I fail to see why it would concern you.” She replied, her tone as matter-of-fact as ever.

“Well, there’s your answer, Youhei” I don’t like the fact that she singled me out so I did what any self-respecting person in my position would do—threw my friend under the bus.

“Huh? Why are you dragging me into this?”
Youhei panickly replied. You thought you’re safe huh.

“Because you’re the one who brought it up,” I shot back, crossing my arms and leaning back in my chair. “You wanted to know about the transfer student, didn’t you? Congratulations, you got the answer. Whether it’s true or not, it doesn’t concern you, apparently.”

Kiritani-san let out a sigh, the kind that conveyed just how exhausting she found dealing with us. Poor girl, she just wants to read her book in peace, but too bad for her, such people like Youhei exist. Let me apologize in his behalf.

Going back to her book, she added. “If you insist on speculating about every rumor that crosses your path, you’ll never have time to focus on anything meaningful. But I suppose that’s hardly an issue for people like you two.”

Wait—two? Who’s the other person? I blinked. Surely she didn’t mean me, right? I mean, I’m a completely serious individual.

“Well, you heard her. Maybe next time, think twice before bringing up rumors.” I said, nodding, trying to look like I’m not included in the scolding.

Youhei sighed in defeat. “Man, I just wanted to lighten the mood, and now I feel like I got lectured by the class mom.”

“You mean ‘Class Rep’.” I retort, unable to resist that one last jab even if it meant risking my friendship with Kiritani-san (not that it existed in the first place).

“Hey, Youhei! Check this out!”

Just before Class Rep could give me another stare and Youhei fire back with another comment, a loud voice called out from the front of room, cutting our conversation short.

His usual carefree expression faltered for a split second, replaced by something that almost looked like hesitation. “Uhh… Yeah, I’m coming!” He shot me a quick, almost apologetic glance before turning on his heel and making his way towards the group.

The voice itself didn’t carry any obvious hostility, but there was an undeniable weight behind it—an unspoken authority that pressed down on the atmosphere. It came from a group of students, the so-called “leaders” of the class.

While I called them “leaders,” they weren’t anything like Class Rep, who was officially recognized and given a title to oversee the class. No, their authority wasn’t something written on paper—it was something unspoken yet widely acknowledged.

Every class had them. The ones who sat at the top of the social hierarchy, not because they were the best students or the most responsible, but because they dictated the flow of conversations, the mood of the room, and—more importantly—the invisible rules everyone subconsciously followed.

When they spoke, people listened. If they cracked a joke, the class laughed. If they decided someone was worth paying attention to, that person was immediately brought into the fold. And if they decided someone was irrelevant, that person might as well have been invisible.

It’s not bullying, not in the traditional sense at least. They simply existed at the center of the class’s social web, and anyone who didn’t fit their rhythm found themselves naturally pushed to the edges. Someone like me for example.

And Youhei—well, Youhei was the kind of guy who could drift between groups without much issue. The fact that he can go talk to me is a proof of that. He had just enough charisma to get along with them without getting caught up in their pull.

But even someone like him hesitated for a moment before answering them. That brief pause—that flicker of hesitation—it said a lot more than words ever could.

“Haha, you won’t believe this! Rihito got another love confession from an upperclassman—an older girl! And get this—she even broke up with her boyfriend just to confess to him! That’s so messed up, it’s hilarious! Hahaha!”

The loud guy who called him, put his arm around Youhei’s shoulders and started laughing like a maniac. His voice is carried across the classroom, like he doesn’t really care about his surroundings.

“But damn, Rihito, you’re pretty sinful yourself! That senpai went that far for you, and you still rejected her? That’s just cruel, man! I almost feel bad for her—only a little though, hahaha!”

At the center of all this, standing there with the natural ease of someone used to being admired, was the so-called main character of the class—Rihito. He exuded that effortless charm that made people naturally attracts toward him, his neatly styled hair and sharp features practically screaming “protagonist.”

“I really appreciate the feelings,” Rihito said, wearing a refreshingly handsome smile tinged with just the right amount of regret, as if he was truly troubled by the situation. “But I can’t go out with someone I don’t have feelings for. That wouldn’t be fair to her.”

It was the perfect answer. The kind that made girls sigh in love and guys begrudgingly respect him. The kind of response that solidified his place at the top of the social food chain.

But to me? It looked fake as hell.

Not that it mattered. Even if it was just an act, as long as it was convincing enough, it would work. That’s how things are. Reality didn’t matter—perception did. And right now, to almost everyone else in this room, Rihito was the manifestation of kindness itself.

“Oh, that upperclassman girl? Yeah, I’ve seen her before,” a casual voice joined in “Honestly, she’s pretty ugly. I don’t blame Rihito for rejecting her.”

That words came from the girl named Mia, one of the girls who positioned herself in top of class’s girl social hierarchy. She said that as if it were the most normal thing in the world, as if casually insulting someone’s appearance was just part of a daily conversation.

As she spoke, she was more focused on her own reflection, tilting her hand mirror slightly while fixing her lipstick. To her, calling someone ugly was just another thing to chat about, the same as commenting on the weather.

“Mia, it’s not nice to call someone ugly, you know.” Rihito said, his tone is so light, but I bet some people gonna take this as his way of scolding.

Scratch that—this wasn’t a scolding. It was just something he felt obligated to say. He wasn’t actually reprimanding her, he was just making sure he said the ‘correct’ thing so that no one could accuse him of encouraging her behavior.

“Sorryy~ I didn’t mean it that way, Rihito!” Mia responded immediately, with a playful innocence voice. She closed her mirror and made a small, exaggerated movement, as if to show remorse. “I just thought I’d be honest about it!”

Youhei stood there with a dry smile, his forced expression as the conversation unfolded before him. He wasn’t laughing along with the others, nor was he voicing any objections. He’s just simply there. There’s no hint of the Youhei who has been lively chatting with us few minutes ago.

It wasn’t that Youhei agreed with what was being said—far from it. But he also wasn’t in a position to challenge it. And Youhei, for all his faults, wasn’t reckless enough to pick a fight he couldn’t win.

So, instead, he stood there, wearing that same dry smile trying to look like he’s part of the circle.

I sat there, quietly watching the scene unfold before me, my expression void of any real emotion. The laughter, the offhanded cruelty, the fake smile.

I wasn’t reacting. I wasn’t speaking up. I wasn’t doing anything at all.

…Which meant, in the end, I was no better than any of them.

A heavy sigh slipped from my lips as I leaned back in my chair, tilting my head slightly toward the ceiling.

God, I want to go home.