World War Zero『WWX』

Her sour story

With ten minutes left, tons of people have been sent out, and my page is still empty.

"Jeez! What am I going to do?" I pondered.

How am I going to scale through this? Man this is not good....

As I was pondering on the next thing to do, she walks up to me.

"Have I done something wrong?" I thought.

"Hello, are you having any problems?" She asks with a broad smile.

"Yes of course, why do you think everyone's staring at the ceiling, and chewing their writing pens?" I said Inwardly.

"I'm sorry, you say what?" I asked in the politest way, so as to prevent any problems. You know, it could get to her head, and she decides to send me out so, I must take the safest route in communicating with her.

"That's a bit rude." She says as she kept smiling.

"Okay that's creepy." I thought.

"Well no need to panic, my name is Leonard Iris. You can call me Iris." she says with no malicious intention.

"Sorry mam," I said, almost being sarcastic. "What do you want?" I asked humbly,

"Eh! You're really interesting. Didn't I just tell you, you were a bit rude and terse in your response and I still kept my calm, now you're calling me an old hag?" She says as she blinks her eyelids simultaneously.

"I'm sorr.." I tried to clarify myself but, she interrupts.

"I know what you meant but, I'm not yet a mam. I'm still a miss and around the same age as you." She says as she uses her index finger to poke my chest.

"Now! Back to business." She says with a gentle voice.

Huff! Back to business? Doesn't sound nice to me.

"Do you want me to help you?" She asks.

"I'm sorry I don't understand". I feigned innocence, when I already understood what she meant.

She heaves a silent sigh then resumes talking.

"I could help you to pass the test for free, without expecting anything in return." She says softly.

Finally! I've got a helping hand.

Wait! What if it's a trap, her smile is too gentle, and her emotional output is mild. Should I trust her, no! It must surely be a trap that one person falls into every year.

"No thanks, I'm okay." I said almost chewing my words.

"Are you really sure? Like, I'm really going to help you." She tries to persuade me but, to no avail.

"Nah I'm okay, I'll answer it in no time and besides, I'm just pretending to be ignorant of the answers." I lied.

Jeez, I never knew I was this good at lying.

Well, I wonder how I'll pass this test of a thing. But, I mustn't be fooled by this trick she's trying to use against me.

This scene reminded me of my past, when I was still in elementary, we we're having an exam that was very important because, it must be passed before you can move to the next grade.

It was very cold that morning due to winter, everyone had to be on sweaters, and on that faithful day we were having our final exams during that session. I can't remember the subject but, all I know is that it was one of the hardest. Especially for me, I struggled during the other sessions but, this time I couldn't even answer one. I just stared at the exam paper in misery.

One of the students seating beside me offered to help me, in which I accepted.

Oh! Only if I had chosen to fail.

I accepted, as I copied the paper he tossed to me.

I was very glad that a saviour has chosen to help me out but, I was just thinking ironically.

Few weeks later, the results were out and as usual, the teacher of our class who was a woman announced the results of everyone aloud.

The boy who offered to help me was the highest in the class, that was when I knew that he was the best student in our class.

I was filled with joy and delight because, when you copy and paste a document from a folder into another folder it stays the same.

But, like I said, I was ironical about the situation.

I was the last person to be mentioned, I thought it was because of the sequential order or because I performed best. But, it seemed like I wasn't myself.

"Kazumino Fujishimo, what a result I have here. This is so good...." The teacher said.

I wasn't aware but, the teacher seemed to sound sarcastic.

Other students were laughing already, and then I knew something was wrong.

I was humiliated by my students, I felt bad but, the matter worsened thanks to the so called Mr IQ.

He laughed out loud and said,

"He even tried to copy me foolish brat."

I felt so bad, I was so empty, I felt like I was a soul without a voice.

I cried bitterly, but I did it in my mind. As i tried to force a neutral expression as I was mimicked and nicknamed, and the worst part was that I repeated the class.

I cried bitterly in my room in which i was later consoled by my mum.

I expected her to scold me but yet, she was so gentle and she kept smiling, as she persuaded me telling me that it was just the beginning.

"Why can't everyone be like my mum?" I thought.

As I thought about this, I was already clenching my fists in frustration.

"Because everyone cannot be like you." A voiced echoed. I looked up and I saw no one, except from Iris and the other participants and it was definitely the voice of a man.

She smiled and told me,

"I don't know what you're thinking of but, always stay happy" She said with a smile.

I pretended like I didn't care but deep down that word touched my core.

"Well, how about I let you on a little secret." she said as she uses her index finger to touch her lips.

"Damn it! All I want is answers." I said inwardly. "Wait didn't I just reject her offer?"

I remained silent not responding, so she assumed it as a yes.

"Well you see.......* She pauses, before resuming almost immediately.

"Everyone has their own sour story to tell." She said.

"My father died in an accident when my mum was two weeks pregnant, my mum and elder sister we're informed that he was crushed by a truck while driving.

This scenery caused uneasiness in my mum's heart, she was a lively and happy person but after that scene, she became dull, hardly talked, and she only ate little.

Allegra, my elder sister tried to make her smile by saying funny things but to no avail.

She only smiles back to what Allegra says and sometimes murmur/whispers back at her.

This made Allegra a quiet and easy going person. Mum and Allegra, were now in a battle of our late father's property with his family because, he was very wealthy and his family opposed him, when he wanted to get married to my mum.

They tried different means, through the law, force and even used assassins but, they escaped all attacks until the day, when my mum was to give birth to me. After hours of struggling, she kick the bucket but, I was successfully delivered.

My sister was informed of the situation, and I was handed to her.

Still confused, she cries as she moved restlessly from one place to another, people looked at us in pity as some gathered around us in curiosity."

"Almost immediately, we were sent out of our own house, as my sister was not old enough to claim it. Since she was only twelve years of age."

Damn! I never knew a person beaming this much can have a terrible past like this.

"After years of struggling, my sister enrolled into the army in order to afford our expenses. Before she joined the army, we were treated like dregs. People stepped on our emotions, until she joined the army."

She was now speaking loudly that people could now hear her, so she cautioned herself.

"Anytime she's available, she hardly talks. I didn't know she joined the army until she told me. I was shocked as well as frightened so, she calmed me down and told me that, she's only joining temporarily, I can still remember her last words, before she went to the battlefront that day." She added.

"She said, "Don't worry I'll soon be back, I just have an unfinished business with dad's murderer, I'll be back as soon as possible.

After his mysterious death is solved I'll withdraw officially.

And she never returned." She said with a disturbed expression.

The lady that always smiles, even if she was pissed off, but was now frowning.

It might not be clear to other candidates but I could see the rage in her eyes. And it made my determination to be more solid.

"The killer of my sister, I do not know yet but, he or she's still alive and I'll find that person and exterminate his or her life, even if the killer was me. I don't mind if anyone sees me as a villain." She says, as she forces a smile

Even if she's a bit different from me, she had the same determination. So, I promised to kill her sister's murderer, even if it takes eternity. Although I didn't tell her of my promise.

"Sorry." I said subconsciously.

I stared at her blankly as she looked at me in awe.

I don't know but it felt like she was expecting me to pacify her, even though it was with just a word. It looked like joy had been restored to her heart, as she was smiling broadly in no time.

"Everyone submit." She said with authority.

Eh! Su... bb...... mi..mit? Is time over?