My Girlfriend is a Death Row Inmate - Chapter 1: Execution

Chapter 1: Execution

Up until now, I couldn’t imagine the happiest ending.

I was a victim of bullying.

How credible are those words now? Adults always emphasize the importance of taking bullying issues seriously. But are they really taking it seriously? If those words were sincere, then why am I—Ryuma Sakisaka— constantly being bullied?

Of course, not all schools are like that. There might be other sincere schools out there. But this high school is crap. Without a doubt, it fosters a culture of concealment. How many times have I sought help? Eight times. I’ve consulted my homeroom teacher eight times. I’ve even talked directly to the principal. I’ve shouted it out to all the students and teachers. And yet,

“That’s not bullying.”

“If you keep yelling ‘bullying’ at every opportunity, you’ll just be disturbing the other students.”

“Maybe there’s a problem with you too.”

What terrible things to say. They’re only able to speak like that because I’m the one being bullied. What did I do that was so wrong? If there’s any fault with me, is it because I didn’t talk to my family first? Or is it because I got a reputation for lying after causing a scene at school previously? Because of that, even if I try to consult now, I’m just brushed off, labeled as a troublemaker, the typical modern “wolf boy”.

“Is it bullying if it’s us? Trying to snitch on the teacher again, huh?!”

“Ugh…!”

It seems they won’t understand unless I’m dead. Today, once again, I was being beaten up by three boys. By the way, the reasons were “because I tried to snitch” and “because the test scores returned today were failing grades.” They probably don’t even consider how I feel being used as a punching bag for such reasons. Because of their lack of empathy, they’ll forever fail Japanese.

Do you understand? Shuuya, Keisuke, Mizuki.

If you have time to bully me, then study instead. Dive into your studies and drop dead. Right now.

“What’s with that look? Want your face shoved in the toilet again?”

“P-please stop…”

“Oh? What’s wrong?”

“Stop… Please forgive me…”

“Why do we have to listen to your orders?! You’re so damn arrogant, you…!”

Keisuke is on the soccer team, but apparently, he has poor eyesight, mistaking me for a soccer ball to kick around. Drop out of the team and die in the hospital from a brain injury caused by a soccer ball.

“If you promise not to snitch again, I’ll stop.”

Mizuki is like the leader of the boys in the class. This class wouldn’t hold together without him, but such a class should fall apart, so drop dead.

“I promise… so please… stop…”

“But hey, this is the ninth time you’ve snitched, you know?”

“Oh, is that so? Well, let’s forget about this then.”

Shuuya. Have you already forgotten the favor I did by saving you from bullying? I can understand the logic of being bullied again if you don’t join in, but beating me with a bat is clearly excessive. Drop dead.

!
“――― When will this end?”

While cursing inwardly, reality only made me more frightened. I, a high school student trapped in a school hostage situation, felt a hundred times more pathetic than a brain-dead kid. Being bullied constantly… I’ve already forgotten. It doesn’t matter anymore. Even though I understand that my mind is heading in a bad direction, somewhere in my heart, I’ve given up on everything.

Habit is a frightening thing; I’m starting to feel like being a punching bag is inevitable. Maybe I was born for this. Perhaps, even without realizing it, I’m performing a good deed by being a punching bag.

They say it’s just a scratch if you don’t die, but even in this state—no, precisely because I’ve gotten used to it—I’m afraid of dying. If I could commit suicide multiple times, it might be different, but life only happens once. If you die, it’s all over. When the thought of committing suicide crossed my mind, my tears naturally flowed.

――― If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well take these guys with me.

How happy would I be if I could take them all with me in this abandoned factory?

“Hey, this guy’s smiling.”

“Ugh… creepy.”

Suddenly, I found a gun in my left hand. Without hesitation, I aimed at the heads of the three and pulled the trigger. The lead bullets will pierce their skulls and kill them instantly. They will rest forever on a pillow of splattered brains and blood. They won’t even have time to regret bullying me…

But saying that while pointing a finger gun doesn’t hold much persuasiveness.

“Hey, is anyone there? If you are, I need a little help.”

A soft voice echoed within the abandoned factory. It didn’t suit this place filled with dust and soot.

“Huh?”

“What was that?”

“…scary.”

Ignoring the confusion of the three, I stood up. My body, which had been tortured over time, was screaming in agony, but it’s just a scratch nowhere near death. Thinking like that, my body started moving smoothly. I might have gained a pathetic skill, but I’ve become sensitive to any sound, even to the extent of foreseeing when I’ll be bullied again.

The voice came from the depths of the abandoned factory. It seemed to be a door that was probably used as a storage room. Ignoring the three who were watching from afar, I opened the door without hesitation.

Inside was a woman dressed in blood-stained bondage clothes.

“Ah, thank you very much.”

It might be part of an S&M play or something, but it was a bit too much. I understood she’s not sane just from being imprisoned in a place like this. However, for the first time, I didn’t despair enough to push away the rescue hand extended to me. No matter what happens from now on, it will be okay. No matter what misfortune comes, it will be okay. I just want to escape from this situation.

Whether my thoughts were conveyed or not, the woman smiled and exerted force on her bound arms in front of her.

“Could you untie this?”

“Huh?”

“Untie it.”

Her arms were tied with the excess sleeves, with a belt tied over them.

“Hey! Stop it, Ryuma!”

“That’s seriously dangerous!”

“I’m gonna report you!”

Their voices couldn’t be heard. Aware of the danger, I approached the woman and hurriedly untied the belt.

“It’ll be bad if I get reported. Hey, can you tell me the full names of those three over there?”

“Their full names? Shuuya Atou, Keisuke Hanagasaki, Mizuki Nitta.”

“Thank you. As a reward, I won’t ask for your name.”

“Huh?”

I didn’t understand what she’s saying. Since I’ve untied the belt, next were the sleeves. They’re tied in a complicated way, but sleeves are sleeves. If the knot is this thick, it’ll come undone in an instant.

“――― Thank you. This is enough.”

As soon as I untied her arms, my face was pressed against her chest. Or rather, I was embraced.

“Now, as promised, let me help you――― Three, two, one.”

Crunch!

A sound like bones being crushed came from behind. And then, the voices of the three disappeared. When I was told “it’s okay” and turned around, what I saw were the decapitated bodies of the three bullies.

“――― Ugh!”

The enormity of what I had done only became apparent when it was too late to undo it. By the time I realized that I had unleashed a demon, it was too late.

“My name is Shizuku Nanagi. Thank you for releasing me. If you’re scared, you can run away. I won’t kill you, just you.”