(Juwan's POV)
"Hey Juwan! Dude, you ok?"
I woke up from someone's voice calling out to me, my mind feels so foggy that all I can do is sigh. I covered my eyes with my hand, massaging my forehead.
"Y-yeah, what's up?" I said as I look up, my eyes started focusing again.
"Me and the guys are planning on going to the arcade later, you joining or nah?" Cedric said as he leans on his chair while talking to me.
"Nah, not today. Maybe next time." I replied, smiling like I usually do. As soon as Cedric turned around to talk to someone else, I let out a sigh.
I relaxed myself, pulling a notebook from my bag. Written inside was all the bills I paid and have to pay this month. I double check it everyday to the point that it becomes a habit now.
"Huh, so I'll have this much left? Guess it's something I can be thankful about this world." I uttered softly to myself before putting my notebook back inside my bag.
.
.
Time flies by fast as the last class for today ends. Some students leave the room immediately, and some chat with their friends before leaving.
"You seriously won't be joining us?" Cedric called out to me as I put my stuffs inside my bag. Without fail, I put up a smile while looking at him.
"Dude, you know I'm broke as fuck! I have to go to work." I said while laughing slightly before standing up to stretch.
"But you work almost everyday dude, I'm pretty sure you're loaded at this point." Cedric replied.
"Gacha."
"Ah, yeah you broke."
He, and the others, left the classroom while I wave them goodbye. As soon as they were out of sight, I grabbed my bag and fixed my desk. I was about to walk out the room but I can't help but stop and look at a certain someone before leaving.
Lovely Aerin.
A striking pink hair that seems so natural even though it's a mess. Someone who looks like she came out of a fictional story.
Because she did.
But it's none of my business. I went down the staircase slowly, it's only 3pm after all. I kept walking till I exit the school.
As I walk down the hill, I remember the job offer I saw online. They were looking for a barista for a cafe, the pay is big and there's not much requirements as well.
"Should I?" I asked myself while I wait at the bus stop. It's too good to be true...
The bus arrived, it's hovering slightly in the air, reminding me that this isn't the world I know. I entered the bus and pulled out my phone, searching for that job offer again.
Even if it's too good to be true, It's not like I'll lose anything.
.
.
As I arrive at my job site, I immediately went inside the designated area to change clothes, wearing my hard hat and all the personal protective equipments as fast as I can before going out to the construction area.
"Evening!" I said as cheerfully as I can to everyone.
"Kid? Well aren't you early?" One of the workers here, Mr. Kim, said as he smack me in the back in a friendly manner.
"Well, it's my last day so shouldn't I atleast be early?" I said as he laughs heartily.
"Wait, it's your last day today? You didn't tell us!" Another co worker said as they pretend to be so sad.
"Didn't the boss told you guys?" I asked while laughing, preparing to carry bags of cement.
"He did, we just didn't want to believe that you're actually leaving." Mr. Kim said while laughing as he gets some bags of cement as well as we go up the stairs.
"Noooo! We'll lose our favorite junior!" One of my co worker said as he prepare to weld metals together.
The sound of welding, hammering, and people chattering was all around me as I do all my tasks. I'll miss this place.
.
.
"Good work today as well." My boss told me as I was changing my clothes at the designated area.
"I just did what I had to do sir." I said with a smile as he gives me an envelope with money inside.
"Umm-- Sir I've already received my payche--"
"Take it. Think of it as a bonus." He said while cutting me off.
I can't help but stare at him with a weird happy expression before bowing as low as I can.
"Thank you very much!" I said as he leaves the area.
This is a lot of money even for me, I can even treat myself with good foods with how much is in this envelope! The moment I get home, I'll make sure to list it down on my notebook.
.
.
.
I fell asleep.
Apparently I pushed my body a bit too much so when I got home, I immediately passed out on the couch.
The good part about passing out is that I feel energized, as if all of the pains in my body are gone.
The bad part is I'm about to be late.
"Ah shit!" I told myself as I basically run as fast as I can uphill to reach my school.
I arrived at school, immediately going inside the building, removing my outdoor shoes to the indoor one and rushed at the staircase.
But when I reached the 3rd floor, multiple girls are standing there, blocking my way. Why are there so many girls?!
I noticed that all of them were looking at the same direction so I looked over that direction as well.
That's why.
The school's heart throb, Xavier Oxford Montefalco, came to school today and now the girls in each sections are trying to talk to him.
"Potaena!" I shouted out of frustration as I basically squeeze myself in this cramped space filled with women just to get in my classroom.
"Haa... haaa...! Seriously!" I said as I walk to my seat, putting my bag there before taking a deep breath.
I noticed Cedric was talking to someone so I walked toward him because I'm a nosey son of a bitch. As I get closer, I realized who he was talking to.
"Yo Cedric!" I called out to him, but my eyes are focused on who he was talking to, a certain girl with a striking pink hair.
"Dude, you're almost late again." Cedric said with a dumb smirk on his face. I sat beside him as I let out a big sigh.
"Well, it's what happens when a bunch of girls block your way." I said in an annoyed manner, placing my hand on my cheek.
"You're popular now? Damn, atleast treat me or something" Cedric said. This bastard, even though he knows completely well that I can't pull anyone with my looks.
"No dumbass, I got to school just a moment later than Xavier." I said while I point at Xavier who's just outside the room.
"Ah... Xavier, no wonder." He said as he looks at where I pointed.
"Man, I'm kinda jelly though, almost every girl I know have a crush on him." Cedric said as he smiles, his eyes lingering back to Lovely.
"It's the nonchalant rizz." I said smugly before noticing that Lovely was lost in her thoughts.
"I mean to be fair, he seems like he's every girl's type." Cedric said but his eyes aren't looking at Xavier or me.
They're focused on Lovely, he was smiling but it doesn't look like he's happy, more like he's anxious.
Ah. So that's how it is.
"How about you Lovely? Is he also your type?" I asked with a smug smile as Cedric turned his head so quickly looked at me with a weird flustered expression.
"Eh?! A-ah! Umm no!" She said as she was shaking her head and hand in denial. Her pink eyes stealing glances at Cedric.
"And umm.... I have someone I like so I don't get why they like Xavier." She said as she giggles, looking down at her desk.
"I see, I see..." I said while smugly looking at Cedric.
"Is that so... man, the person you like is so lucky..." Cedric said with a jealous expression. This dumbass can't even hide what he feels.
The bell rang, Cedric and I stood up to go back to our seats. I watch as Cedric took a deep breath before looking back at Lovely.
"Talk to you later Vely!" He said with a wide smile before going to the front row.
We sat down at our seats, I pulled out my textbooks and put it on my desk before looking at Cedric.
"Vely huh?"
"Shut the fuck up..!" He said as he hid his flustered face.
"There's nothing wrong with calling her Vely~." I teased him more as I grab my pen inside my desk.
Hmm?
There's something inside that's not mine, what's this? I pulled out whatever it is that I felt in my hand.
It's a love letter.
It's definitely a love letter, heart stickers and all. Who the fuck would give me a love letter?! I hid it immediately in my desk again.
I know this isn't the world I know before but-- is this my popular era? No no Juwan, let's think about this. There's no way that I'll get a love letter, right?
....But there's nothing wrong with hoping right? I opened it discreetly and read it.
[Please meet me at the rooftop at 4pm]
I stared at the letter, my brain fixed on the words written inside, as I question the logic of this world, I hid the grin I had on my face.
.
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The bell rang as the last class of the day ends, I wasn't able to focus at all. I packed my stuffs inside my bag and put the letter inside my jacket.
"Hey Juwan! We're going to eat at the usual place, wanna join?" Cedric asked.
"Nah, I have something to do." I said as I wave them good bye before leaving the room, immediately going up the stairs.
"4pm at the rooftop, 4pm at the rooftop, 4pm at the rooftop!" I told myself, chanting even, as I run as fast as I can.
Yes, 4pm at the rooftop, the time and place where I'd meet the only girl that would be weird enough to like me--!
But which side of the rooftop though? The rooftop here is wide as hell... ah fuck it 50/50 chance.
"Haa, haa..." I heard someone panting behind me. I looked behind and saw Lovely Aerin.
"Ah hello." She said as she bows slightly as she walks to the rooftop.
"The stairs are a pain in the ass right?" I said as she giggles.
"Yes, they are." She said with a gentle smile as the both of us reached the rooftop.
She walked to the right side of the rooftop while I continued on the left. Whatever she'll be doing here must be important since she seems like she's in a rush.
It's none of my business though, since I'm here to meet the person that gave me the love letter. My heart is about to burst out of nervousness.
God, I feel anxious. What if they're someone I've known even before the world changed? What if it's someone I don't even know? Honestly, at this point I should just wait.
So I waited.
.
And waited.
.
.
And waited.
.
.
...and waited.
Eh?
That's strange? It's already 6pm and there's still no one here. I looked at the love letter and sighed.
"Probably just a prank huh." I said to myself as I just put it in my bag and let out a sigh.
Oh well, it is a pretty funny prank. It's just, why me? Eh there's no reason to dwell on it now, let's just go home.
As I walk towards the exit of the rooftop, I saw Lovely Aerin slowly walking at the exit as well. She has tears on her eyes as she wipes them off.
Did something happen? Eh its none of my business. I waited for a bit so that I won't awkwardly encounter her later.
Suddenly, something flew past by me, something fast.
"What the...?" I looked back, thinking if my eyes were playing tricks on me because I swear to God I just saw a flying cat.
A flying... cat?
Suddenly, I remembered something from the book I've read before. A cat-like creature that was injured got saved by a young girl and in turn, that creature turned the girl into a magical girl.
Don't tell me it happens tonight--?!
I rushed down and saw black figures crawling and walking down the halls.
"Yawa--" I uttered. Suddenly every single one of them turned their head towards me. Well now I'm actually fucked--.
I ran as fast as I can as every single one of them chased me down. They were crawling on the walls, their arms are basically blades and they're using it to fucking crawl!
I jumped the railings of the stairs to avoid them as fast as I can, only to see more of them at different floors.
One of them, caught up to me as I barely avoided its blade that was aimed to cut my neck.
I grabbed the stair's handle and kicked the creature as hard as I can. It felt like kicking a statue, my feet hurts but the creature staggered, giving me enough time to keep on running.
I was about to go down to the second floor when I saw that it's basically flooded with them. I ran back up to the third floor, hiding in my classroom.
"God, fuck my luck, I swear--" I said as I take a short breather. I searched the place to see if there's something I can use.
Suddenly, the door flung open as these creatures screech. I immediately grabbed a chair and smacked one of them. As soon as I see them stagger, my eyes quickly scan the room again to see if there's anything I could us and saw that there's a tree just outside the window.
...Am I really gonna risk it?
No, there's no time to think, the creatures are flooding this floor every second I think.
I ran as fast as I can and jumped outside the window. Hitting the branch hard as I amost slipped down. Fuck that hurts.
I slowly went down, trying to recover since my chest hurt like a bitch from hitting the branch.
As soon as I got off, I immediately went to the school's exit.... only to find out that it's flooded by these creatures.
Suddenly, I felt something behind me as I ducked and rolled away, I looked back and saw a creature that just tried to decapitate me.
I almost lost my head--
It lunged towards me as I avoided it's blade and punching it in its face by instinct. It felt like I just punched metal.
I ducked again when it swung it's arm.
It screeched so I slipped under even before it swung it's arm. I was preparing to punch it again when it suddenly stop. It's head turning to the school's exit.
In an instant, a pillar of light appeared just near the exit. The creature that I was fighting immediately crawled towards that direction.
It's my chance to escape.
...But I might be a cat since my curiousity got the better of me. I followed the creature's track to see where it's going. As soon as I reached the area, I saw Lovely Aerin running as she was protecting that cat.
So it's this part huh. I took a deep breath and watched the scene unfold. This is the part where she turned into a magical girl after all.
.
.
Something's wrong.
Why isn't she transforming? That pillar of light is basically just a marking of where she is, she's a walking target at this point.
This is different from the plot that I've read, I started to jog towards her out of nervousness. She's supposed to be a magical girl right now!
Come on, what's happening?!
As I got closer, I realized that the card that's supposed to transform her into a magical girl is not yet completed.
She kept running.
I watched nervously as she gasp for air while trying to run as fast as she can. But the flood of creatures are behind her, creeping in faster than she could run.
But she kept running.
I felt every nerve on my body wanting to run over there and do something... but it's none of my business. Besides this is part of the plot, part of the story. But what if it doesn't go the way it's supposed to go?
Her legs gave up.
I watched as she collapsed on the ground, the flood of those dark creatures basically about to feast on her. It's none of my business, I keep telling myself that but my body was already running towards Lovely.
Lovely hugged the cat that she was holding as she closed her eyes. A shield made out of light appeared but it immediately broke due to the amount of creatures carving on it.
That's right, this part happens to, then she'll turn into a magical girl and destroy all of them, I remember now. I remember... but my legs won't stop.
I already know that this is part of the plot so why am I still running towards her? Why am I--?
"I don't want to die..."
I heard her.
I felt my heart pumping fast, my adrenaline going haywire as I rushed towards her, instinctively grabbing her with all my strength as I drag her away.
"Move! You dumbass!" I shouted as I throw her away out of danger.
I looked back at the oncoming flood of creatures, only to get crushed by the weight of all of them.
I felt their bladed arms scraping on my body as they move past by me.
It hurts.
My eyes crushed by each one of their steps.
It hurts.
My stomach turning into mush as I felt my organs popping.
It hurts.
Every nerves in my body tells me how painful everything is.
It hurts.
My mind starts to turn to mush as my head begins to crack.
It hurts.
Ah.
So this is what dying feels like.