Toshi steeled himself for the end of the fourth period.

 

 

 

This is when he would have to go eat lunch. This hour wasn't just about eating food. It could potentially devolve into a full-blown war. He had to be careful in navigating the various cliques while trying to find which group he wanted to associate himself with. Screw this up, his whole school career could end in flames. He'd already been down that road. He didn't want to repeat it.

 

The boy behind him tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey. Toshi, right?"

 

Toshi looked up from his notes. He was carefully organizing them in a list format. A habit he had picked up from his years on various projects in his former life, "Uh, yes?"

 

The student bowed his head slightly, "Yamaji Kenko. Nice to meet you. You got anyone to hang with for lunch?"

 

Toshi bowed in return, "Nothing planned, no."

 

Kenko jutted his chin at the door, "Want me to show you the ropes?"

 

Toshi nodded feeling no small amount of relief at this opportunity falling into his lap, "Sure! After I finish. Give me a few?"

 

Kenko nodded slowly, "Sure. Meet me at the lunch room?" Toshi gave a thumbs-up and went back to writing.

 

Very quickly the room cleared out except for Toshi and one other girl. She was on the far side of the room, sitting alone, and didn't seem like she was going to get up. In fact, it looked like she was just going to eat right at her desk.

 

Toshi finished reorganizing his notes and slipped them into his bag. He got up and headed for the door, but slowed down and eventually stopped as he saw the girl. She wasn't like any of the other girls. She lacked that aggression that Toshi had come to expect from females in this world. She seemed shy and reclusive. She wasn't bad to look at, but she didn't try very hard to look beautiful, either. What stood out was that in a school full of girls with contact lenses, she had a pair of nice, thick-rimmed, black, square glasses.

 

Toshi wavered while trying to decide if he should stop staring and leave, or try and strike up a conversation, ~God I love those glasses.~ A single heartbeat, ~She's half my age.~ Back and forth in his head he kept weighing these two facts. He wound up staring for far too long because she eventually slammed her hand down on her desk and snapped her eyes up at him, "WHAT???"

 

Toshi staggered back as her outburst shocked him, "I-I-uh... I..." He just stared back until he squeaked out, "Hi?" She looked quite angry. her lips were scrunched up as she glared at Toshi. This was the first time he had encountered open hostility from a woman since he woke up in this world. He was starting to get used to his looks getting him through any misunderstanding.

 

She folded her arms, "Wow. You are so rude. Can you even properly address someone?"

 

Toshi slipped back into his old habits and collapsed into himself. Most of his conversations with women fell into being treated professionally or ticking them off. He started mumbling an apology as he turned to leave.

 

She squinted as he turned to leave. As he reached the door she called after him, "Hold it." Toshi stopped and looked back. She got up from her desk and started walking over, "You. I know you. I've seen you... somewhere before." She walked up to him and got damn close. He turned to face her as he stepped back. She leaned in, "I never forget a face. I never forget anything." She squinted then held up a hand to block her view of Toshi's hair.

 

Toshi just glanced about, not quite sure how to handle this.

 

She dropped her hand and stepped back, "No way. NO. WAY." Toshi looked at her sideways out of the corner of his eye as he quirked a quizzical eyebrow. She stabbed a finger at Toshi's face, "You're Honey Whitefox!"

 

Toshi had taken the time to review his career. He didn't like it. In his old world he never really got into pop idols, and the very idea of him being one here actually turned his stomach. The sheer cringe of being called Honey Whitefox as a stage name was on a whole new level of embarrassment. He had deleted all his social media accounts and done his best to erase that persona. He had hoped that without the blond wig and makeup, no one would recognize him.

 

This was his worst nightmare made manifest.

 

He kicked the classroom door closed and leaped on the girl grabbing her by the head. One hand was behind her skull, the other pressed hard against her mouth. He shoved her backward out of the view from the door window and held her against the wall. She froze up at this, looking at him with wide eyes somewhere between surprised and terrified. Toshi's face was cold and devoid of emotion as he held her against the wall, holding her in place with his body to make sure she couldn't get away. He listened as the door to the classroom closed with a click and waited.

 

Nobody came in. Nobody in the hall was shouting his name. Chances were nobody noticed.

 

He slowly let go of the back of her head, but kept a hand over her mouth, "Okay. I'm going to take my hand off your mouth. I need you to keep calm and quiet. Understand?" She nodded slowly. He started to remove his hand.

 

"Oh my god you're Honey Whitefox you vanished two weeks ago nobody knows what happened or-" Toshi silenced her babbling by putting his hand back over her mouth.

 

"What part of 'quiet' don't you understand?"

 

She stared at him for a moment, then nodded. This time when he took his hand away, she said nothing. She only stared at him.

 

Toshi sighed and looked defeated, "Look... I-" He scratched his ear as he tried to think of how to fix this mess, "Something bad happened. I stopped breathing. I was in a coma for three days. Large chunks of my memory are gone. I can't remember how to sing and my career is over. I am moving on. New life. Honey Whitefox doesn't exist anymore. I would like it if nobody found out."

 

She tilted her head to the side, "What happened?"

 

He glared at her, "Something. Bad."

 

She opened her mouth, then shut it. She looked him up and down, "I'll keep quiet. But I want something."

 

He sighed and rolled his eyes as he rubbed his temples, "What? Money?"

 

She froze up, as if having second thoughts, then clenched her hands, "A kiss."

 

Toshi looked puzzled. She started to sweat and go pale as if she was deeply regretting her choice. Toshi on the other hand was thinking, ~God... you are fucking with me, aren't you?~

 

The girl opened her mouth to say something, but Toshi just leaned in and locked lips with her so hard he pinned her against the wall. He wasn't about to shortchange her on this and spent a good ten seconds massaging her tonsils. She went from eyes wide with surprise to half closed with ecstasy. She staggered when he pulled away, grabbing the wall for support. He held a finger up to her lips, "Deal?" Her skin was a bright red and she barely could hold herself up. Her legs were shaking as all the strength had left them. She stared at him and just nodded in agreement. He turned and opened the door to leave. Half in and half out of the room, he leaned back inside to ask a question, "By the way... who are you?"

 

She mumbled, "O...Okada Ruri?" It sounded like she wasn't quite sure who she was at the moment.

 

Toshi smiled, "Nice to meet you, Ruri-san. Please take care of me." Then with a wink, he slipped out of the room.

 

When the door closed, Ruri collapsed to the floor touching her lips, ~No one will believe this...~ She looked up at the exit.

 

 

 

 

 

~Honey Whitefox took my first kiss!~