- “…Getting close to me, to get me close to your friend. We were similar, we used means to reach ends, and that intrigued me. I noticed early on your intentions, but I never cared. It was too fun, seeing him believe he had a shot, and seeing you believe you were of use to him this way.”

- “Why? …” (Anger and tears).

- “Why not? If I could do it… Why not try? School is to have fun, right?”

- “I deserved this but not him!”

- “Deserve… This isn’t about deserving… Niokuruny… This isn’t some karma, this is just my scheming, just like you schemed. Things happen.”

- “Then why didn’t you just rat me out earlier? It would have been fun that way. Get me to be considered a creep, maybe a stalker. You could have perhaps, get me expelled.”

- “You want to know? (Gets close). You really, want to know?”

- “GHAS… (Wakes up). It was a dream…”

   More like a memory. One I do not want to relive…

I don’t know why… But I have a bad feeling about this.

- “Nio… Are you ok? I heard you scream…”

- “I don’t know what scares me the most… My nightmare. The fact that you are here asking that as if you were a mother worried for their child. Or the fact I never knew you wore a nightcap.”

- “And here I was worried about you!”

- “HAHAHA”

- “HAHAHA”

…

- “Ok class, are you ready to go to see the documentary?”

“Yes, Teacher!”

- “Today we will watch a documentary explaining Global Warming, in preparation for Earth Day!”

   The teacher kept talking, but as she spoke, I was more focused on my conversation with Shuzen.

- “As if we didn’t know what Global Warming was already?”

- “Yeah, especially since Earth Day is, all the way on April 22, and we’ve barely started March!”

- “Hey, anything to avoid regular classes today, yeah?”

- “HAHAHA!”

- “Mr. Toyohama, Mr. Kako… Do you wish to share your joke with the entire class?”

- “Sorry teacher!”

- “Yeah, sorry for interrupting.”

…

   We were on a bus heading for the theater, most of the students were on their phones, and some were playing or talking to each other, but we were all happy to be doing this instead of taking the class.

- “Teacher… Wouldn’t our time be better spent reading about global warming, instead of wasting precious class time on such a place filled with un-educational elements, and junk food?”

“SHUT UP GREG!”

    Greg has a point, I have a sneaking suspicion of why our teacher, really took us here, but like the rest of my group, I prefer this to the alternative.

- “Mr. Nishijima. (Hiding her annoyance). For weeks I’ve been preparing your class plan for the next months and grading your previous assignments, and all I wanted was to watch a movie on the weekend, but of course, I was called to cover for the third years teacher on the graduation committee. SO, WE WILL WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY, AND YOU WILL LEARN SOMETHING, WHILE I REGAIN A LITTLE OF MY SANITY.”

   Many in the class laughed under their breath. This was something common for this teacher to do, snapping at us that is, but it was mostly hilarious rather than threatening. Since I spend most of my time dealing with my shipping plans, you haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time on my class, trust me, this is normal.

…

   We finally arrived at the theater, and surprisingly, there was a huge amount of people parked, or in line. I didn’t even know the theater was open this early, I thought they opened at noon or something. Nyo decided to check online and commented that this documentary was so popular that every ticket was sold out almost immediately if they kept the normal schedule, so they opened more showing rooms for it, and made an earlier schedule as well.

- (Whisper). “Will we be able to get inside at all?”

- (With a slight tremble in her voice). “Don’t worry, Mr. Kako, yesterday I pulled an all-nighter to get Today’s tickets for all of you, I even paid them from my wallet!”

   I fear for our teacher’s sanity.

   Slowly, but surely, my class left the bus. We were told we could explore the theater and its arcade since we still had an hour to go before the movie started. While most of my classmates went to the arcade or snack bars, Shuzen and I decided we wanted to go see the ‘coming soon’ movie posters, to be aware of what to expect. His unimpressed face every time I found an anime rom-com movie and got giddy, was quite hilarious, it only happened twice, but that’s rare in on itself.

   I tried to notice which movies interested him due to his reactions, but in his current state of mind, he kept a normal poker face, although I could tell he was happy.

- “Ok, final poster hall. After this we could go play a little on the arcade or buy popcorn in advance, only for it to be gone even before we get to the showing roo-”.

- “Niokuruny?”

- “…”

- “…”

   Shuzen’s face paled, and he froze in place. That voice is one that neither he nor I would ever forget. But contrary to him, all I felt was pure anger.

   Yoen, Nina. My mistake from the past. The girl I attempted to ship with Shuzen. The girl I apologized to for what I did. The girl I begged to help my friend who was being bullied when it was all my fault. The girl who laughed at my pleas and claimed to have never cared, as she was being entertained.

- (Keeping a cheerful voice). “Let’s go, we still need to see that hall, I can see a couple of superhero ones by the end of it. Do you think they could be scheduled for the holidays?”

- “Niokuruny! It is you, come on! I know you heard me.”

- “…”

- “Look, it’s finally getting a sequel dude, I wonder if they’ll have to give it the same treatment, they’re giving this docu-”

- “I see you two made up. That’s great. Good to see you too Kako.” (Normal voice).

- “WHAT DO YOU WANT YOEN?!” (Raised voice).

    I couldn’t help my tone. She was one person I never wanted to see again in my life. I felt my fists clench involuntarily. Shuzen grabbed my arm with both his hands to hold it down. Understandable, I don’t remember fully, but I don’t believe he had ever seen me truly angry, so he is taking precautions.

- “Let’s just go Nio…” (Whispers with a trembling voice).

   As I look at his face, I can see his eyes are watery, but he refuses to let tears out. I will not risk another scene to occur putting Shuzen at the center of a mess once more. I simply nod, and we begin to walk away. But this is Yoen after all.

- “I was kind of hoping we could talk…” (Her voice was strangely light).

    My eyes were seeing red, I hadn’t even turned around to look at her, and I wasn’t sure I could turn around without snapping, but surprisingly someone else did.

- (Trembling voice). “L-like my friend a-asked… What do y-you want Yoen?”

- “Kako… Like said… I was hoping we could talk… I need to tell you and Niokuruny something…”

- “IT’S NIO! NIO!” (Loud).

   People turned to us, and I panicked. Had my emotions put Shuzen in jeopardy! Thankfully, the moment I stopped talking, people just continued doing their thing.

- “We have nothing to talk about Yoen. (Stern). I know what you did, I know what you told Nio when he pleaded. I knew how you schemed. There is nothing to talk about, so why don’t you leave?”

- “Please I need to speak to you both… It won’t take long… I need to apolo-”

    I spun fast and stared her in the eyes, I know I was furious, I heard her gasp, but what I saw was not what I expected. Her long brown hair was now short, and her flower barrette for a simple black one. And her face showed remorse and pain. It shocked me for a second. This was not the Yoen I expected to see. She didn’t look as changed as Shuzen, but her appearance showed something had occurred. She was still taller than me, even than Panchikiku, but she carried herself differently. She used to carry herself like she ruled and could get whatever she wanted, now she carried herself like she wanted to blend in or disappear. But frankly, I was struggling to care.

- “Is there a problem here?”

In the span of a second, I turned to see someone I didn’t expect.

- “Panchikikku?”

   She didn’t address me rather she decided to stand in front of Shuzen and me to glare.

- “I… I was just talking to them…”

- “Is that right? Because in the time I have known him, I have never seen Nio so angry, and the guy beside him doesn’t seem like he is happy to see you either.”

- “Nio! Are you ok, what’s going on?”

    Seconds later Gita appeared, a concerned expression on her face. 

   Shuzen stared at them in worry, and he, as well as me, stared as slowly the other began to appear. John was staring straight at Yoen, as if he knew her. He may not have seen her in his life, but I once told home of her, although I avoided the details, the anger in my text messages must have allowed him to know that only she could cause this anger in me. Kiken took to Shuzen’s side, hand in her pocket with a dead expression. Ao-sen also took a protective stance, while Mattari decided to stand by the corner and address here.

- “Eagle High’s third years have been placed on community service in the theater to get work experience before we graduate. And we have been given the authority to escort customers out if they are causing problems. Not only are you inconveniencing other customers, but one of them is my friend. So either you leave them alone, or we’ll show you to the exit.”

   Cool as ever Mattari, stayed composed showing no emotion when addressing her. I felt happy, happy that my friends were backing me and Shuzen up. He still looked uncomfortable but made no attempts to leave the area but for some reason, I could only notice Yoen’s pitiful expression

   She slightly backed away holding her hand with the other close to her chest.

- “I-I didn’t… I just wanted to apologize for something I did in the past.”

- “I don’t want to talk Yoen…”

- “I-I see… Well then…”

- “Wait…”

   My mouth moved before my mind could stop it. As I think more about it, I realize the reason is that despite my anger, I found myself in a similar situation once. Me and Shuzen surrounded by people as they accused us, while in my case I was completely responsible and guilty. Yoen, feels like I feel, surrounded by people that want her gone when she feels guilty, and knows she deserves it. 

   I hate her… I hate her… But…

- “I’ll hear you out…”

- “Nio…”

- “But don’t come near me or my friend again. Shuzen just heard you wanted to apologize, and he doesn’t want to talk, and I would do the same, but there is something… I need to know…”

- “I-I see…”

- “Nio… You don’t have to go with her.”

- “It’s ok, I’ll go and come back.”

…

   We found ourselves outside, on a bench. Mattari had decided to cover for me.

- “It’s been a while hasn’t it…”

- “Cut the small talk… Did you do really, do it just because?”

- “Yes… I did it just because…”

- “And why the change of heart… And just so you know, thanks to you… I have learned how to read people, and know when they lie to me…”

- “…”

- “Come on… Have at it then…”

- “I saw where my life was heading. My parents… They are just like me… A multitude of admirers, and as I walked with them to a gala, I saw amongst the cheering cloud, those who glared at them… And in those glares, for some reason, I felt the anger, sadness, and pain held behind them against my parents, because of all the ones they stepped on to reach their status. And my mind kept coming back to the day you pleaded and begged, the expression when I held your face, and all those before when you stood there, angry at what I had done. And my mind after that, never left those thoughts…”

 
 
   She spoke the truth. My anger didn’t want me to listen or believe her, but she was telling the truth.
 

- “I am sorry for what I did… I ruined Kako’s life, without a care, and I also ruined yours.”
 
- “It was my fault for believing you, and for doing what I did in the first place. You and I are both guilty of this, the only true victim being Shuzen. I understand what you did here, wanting to apologize, I did the same, when I found Shuzen once, as he ran from me. You want to make things right. But I am not Shuzen, I truly don’t feel like I can forgive you just like that. In all honestly, I want to punch you, what makes me stay here, is that I was in your place once, and Shuzen forgave me.”
 
- “I don’t expect you to forget, I can’t lie and say I don’t want you to forgive me, because I truly do, but I understand I don’t deserve yours or Kako’s. I just wanted you to know, I am truly sorry, and to move on from this. I know I will carry this forever, but I didn’t want to know that I had a chance to apologize, and I let it slip by.”
 
- “Please… Answer me this… Since you knew that I was trying to manipulate you back then… Why didn’t you rat me out? I want to know...”
 
- “In all honesty… I let you believe your ship was working, wanted you to say my name so badly, and didn’t rat you out, because in my wanting to get what I wanted at any cost… I wanted you…”
 
- “What?”
 
 
    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing… But as I stared at her, I saw the pain and honesty of her words.
 

- “I liked you… And I wanted to have you… By the most superficial reasons…”
 
- “Why?”
 
- “Because I found you small, and cute…”
 
 
   I didn’t hear more. I was at my feet, walking numbly. I couldn’t, I didn’t want to listen anymore. It was superficial, and it hurt, the only reason she liked me was that, and if she had ratted me out, my friend wouldn’t have suffered... She wouldn’t have played with his feelings. The only time a person liked me, and it was because I was small and she found that cute, and allowed that mess to happen, even if she could have stopped it, just because of that. I didn’t want to hear it anymore.
 
   So, I walked away.
 
 
…
 
 
Well, that happened. How will the shipper move on from this? That which he feels such a complex about (his size), was the cause of so much pain, that which he wanted for his friend and backfired, still haunts him. Next time, Nio is found by someone special. AND THEY GO ON A DATE? WHAT IS THIS?! Find out in “Protagonist is a Shipper” Part 3.