Alex Brim, Hero for Hire

Chapter 4 – Fixing the mess

When the short break in the afternoon started, Sakamo left before Hangaku could catch him to ask what happened in the other classroom, and waited for Takechi in the corridor. As soon as he came, Sakamo signalled so that he would follow him. “We don’t have much time, but I had an idea, and we need to go talk with the Principal. What would you say if you could change to my class, considering that your classmates are a bunch of morons that don’t deserve your company?”

“I… don’t know. I was with most of them in Middle School. But… Yeah, they were never great friends. They always mocked me or laughed at my expenses, and because those three joined my class in this School, things became even worse. Do you think the Principal will let me join?”

“I think so unless he doesn’t worry about his students. Let’s go, we need to hurry.”

They walked as fast as they could without running, but with Sakamo politely avoiding the several girls that wanted to talk with him to introduce themselves, and even like that, they reached in time to the Teachers lounge where a few Teachers were talking and the same annoyed-looking woman was seated at her desk.

Sakamo went to her and made a slight bow. “Sorry to intrude, but I need to speak with the Principal, he is available?”

The woman quickly got up and answered while going for the office door, making the Teachers stare at Sakamo, wondering who was that student that deserved so much consideration, “Of course, Sakamo-san, I will warn him immediately! Just give me two seconds!”

Sakamo made a slight nod and a smile to the Teachers, while Takechi was fiddling with his fingers, too nervous to do or say anything. The Principal opened his door, and signalled them to enter, while the woman went to her desk again, making a slight bow to Sakamo and a forced smile. “Sakamo-kun, please go in!”

Sakamo pulled the nervous Takechi Hito and closed the door. He then sat on the empty chair in front of the Principal’s desk, with Takechi sitting on the other chair. Sakamo looked to the puzzled Principal that had an envelope in his hand. “Here, someone delivered this at the gate for you. He said it was your house key. Why the sudden visit, anyway?”

Sakamo spoke as he was putting the envelope in his pocket, “Thanks for this. We had a situation before lunch at the entrance of the cafeteria. Three students that belong to the same class as my friend Takechi-sama here, were bullying him. They forced him to get out of his classroom to extort his money, and even with Takechi-sama asking for help from his other classmates and Teacher, none of them did a thing to help. I want to know if he can change to my class, considering that today is still the first day of School, and he is not safe among those morons of class 1-C.”

The Principal stared at Takechi and slowly nodded. “I heard something about that. It seems those three delinquents were making a mess so soon. I was also informed that they went to the Infirmary, and the School Nurse had to call an ambulance to take them to the Hospital because they all had their left hand broken. Do you know something about that, Sakamo-kun?”

“I think they fell during our altercation when I went to help Takechi-sama. That’s one more reason why Takechi-sama should move to my class, because if those three mess with him again, they might fall again and break a leg or an arm, and the Principal could have some trouble explaining the several accidents those three would have.”

The Principal faced Sakamo with a serious expression. “In this School, cases of violence are not easily forgiven, no matter who the student causing it is, or how good his grades are.”

“I expected that much, but what is the policy of this School concerning bullying? Or cases when a Teacher sees one of his students pushed out of his classroom right in front of him and calling for help, and he doesn’t do a thing?”

“Those… are some serious accusations… can you prove that?”

“Sure, we can ask those three if they bullied Takechi-sama or not. I doubt they will deny it in front of me. We can also ask what happened to his classmates and Teacher. Or, I could make an official complaint to you, or I could call the Police to present criminal charges to the bullies and the coward Teacher.”

The Principal leaned forward and said with throbbing veins in his neck. “I don’t react well to threats, Sakamo-kun.”

“I wasn’t threatening, Principal, I was giving a fair warning. All this mess will be easy to deal with if my friend Takechi-sama is allowed to join my class where there are a bunch of students that like him, more than the ones he has in his actual class.”

“I see… I know who those three students are, and I saw the disciplinary process the Principal of their Middle School sent to me. I also saw their criminal record. You can have a lot of problems because of the way you dealt with them, Sakamo-kun.”

Sakamo answered while maintaining eye contact with the Principal, “I already took the necessary measures. They are not the only ones to have dangerous friends. If that group those three belong try to approach me, my friends will arrest them and throw away the key. They won’t bother anyone for a very, very long time. That is, if they don’t resist because if they do, we don’t need to worry about that group ever again.”

The Principal gulped at the seriousness that Sakamo was speaking. “You… are not a normal student, are you? Why… are you going to such expenses because of this student? He is someone important, considering that you keep on calling him Takechi-sama?”

“His name is Takechi Hito, and for me, he is extremely important. Can he move to my class today, or tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow… tomorrow will be easier. I need to take care of the transfer and warn the Teachers. At least it won’t be too much of a trouble, because this is the first day and there is room for another student in your class. I hope this is the first and last problem you caused me.”

Sakamo nodded and got up. “I will for sure try, Principal. I don’t like to cause problems for anyone. Thanks for your understanding, I owe you one.”

The Principal made a slight smile. “I think you owe me two because you made me look like a fool yesterday when I called your name at the reception, and you didn’t show up.”

Sakamo made a deep bow before leaving. “You are absolutely right, Principal, and I will pay you for those, one of these days.”

The Principal spoke when Sakamo was opening the door, making him look back a little puzzled, “I will think about something, don’t worry.”

Sakamo left with Takechi that did a deep bow before leaving. They both nodded at the Teachers and went to the corridor, walking to their classroom in a hurry because it was about time for the next class to start.

In front of Sakamo’s classroom, Takechi pulled his right arm. “I can’t believe you pressed the Principal to make me change classes! You are nuts, Sakamo-kun! And he agreed! Who are you really, Sakamo-kun?”

“If you let me, I will be your friend, Takechi-sama. I don’t have many friends of my age, and the few I have, I would like to keep them. You also make me laugh very easily.”

Takechi Hito made a proud pose with his chin high. “Of course I am funny. I may allow you to be my friend if you behave properly. Now go to your classroom and tell my purple Goddess the good news. We will meet when School ends to go home, right?”

“Sure, but who is your purple Goddess? Are you talking about… Tomiko-san?”

Takechi answered as he was leaving, “Yes, the most beautiful girl I ever met! Send her a kiss from me, ok?”

Sakamo waved at his friend and entered the classroom. In there, Hangaku Mae, Tomiko Hari, and Hojo Masako approached him with Hangaku asking with a worried look, while the others were looking nervously at him, “What happened in class 1-C? Where did you go in such a hurry?”

“I just made sure that my friend Takechi-sama didn’t have more problems with his classmates. We went to talk with the Principal about what happened to him at lunch and starting tomorrow, he will change to this class. Takechi-sama told me to give a kiss to his purple Goddess, the most beautiful girl he ever met, Tomiko-san.”

Tomiko Hari blushed, and she disguised a smile. Hangaku clung to Sakamo’s right arm and leaned her head on his shoulder and said while staring at him, “Sakamo-kun, if you keep doing sweet things like that, I will fall deeply in love with you!”

Sakamo gently shook his arm, trying to get free, and pretended to be annoyed. “We don’t want that, right? You should point your energy to your studies. No one likes a dumb girl!”

“Who told you I am dumb? I am not only pretty, I always had the second-best grades in our class in Middle School, right after Hojo-chan!”

Sakamo looked at her, almost kissing her inadvertently because she didn’t bulge. “Really? You will be an amazing girlfriend to one lucky boy, one day!”

Hangaku giggled with a cute smile. “I know, and if you play your cards right, you could be the lucky one! Hihihi!”

Sakamo averted his eyes, without knowing what to say to such a direct attack, and saw Hojo Masako biting her lower bit and looking to Tomiko. Hojo spoke, trying to sound casual but with a faint trembling in her voice, “It’s better if we go sit, the Teacher will arrive soon, and we are still here in front of the door. I guess the other girls also want to talk with Sakamo-kun, judging by the way they keep on throwing daggers at us.”

Tomiko slowly nodded with her cheeks still red since she heard the message about a kiss from Takechi Hito. Hangaku accompanied Sakamo to his place, making sure no other girl approached him, and she only went to her desk when the Geography Teacher arrived. She quickly whispered before leaving, “I will walk you home after School, I want to be sure no girl dares to get near you!”

Sakamo opened his mouth to say something, but she left before he had time. He mumbled in a low voice while grabbing his notebook, “She is even worse than that crazy Mermaid! She has no shame at all! But she is cute and funny.”

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