Aya Tanaka.
The day it all started was a regular school day.
I woke up at regular time, took a quick bath, got ready for school, packed my bag, had breakfast, kissed my mom goodbye and took off on my bicycle. My School was not that far from my house but I loved being early. Our school was located at a nature's spot. Hush green trees surrounded our school's high buildings. Birds chirped in our school garden/ playground. It was because of this that I loved coming to school earlier than everyone. The quite chill of early morning was really soothing and comforting. I stood in corner lost in this morning's amaze when my best-friend back-tapped me from behind.
" Okay, fine! Mrs. Perfect! I'll give it to you today for being a minute earlier than me!", Rin, my best-friend said while fixing his shoes.
"Did you run to School even when you knew I'll always be earlier than you, Rin?", I looked at him in awe as he was still wearing his shoelaces.
"Umm, Yes! Also because I get to have your free homework before our hungry classmates line up before you! Come on now, Take out your Math book fast, I want to copy your homework. It's the first period. If monster Fuji doesn't see the homework done, he'll beat the shit out of me. "
"You should have done it before hand, if you were so scared Rin!", I said while taking out the Math book from my bag. Rin and I became best buddies when my class teacher ordered him to sit beside me in order to help him. Even though Rin Nakamura is my best buddy, he is also a bit weak in studies. Especially Math. It's not even his fault though. Our Math Prof is really scary. So scary that we can't even look him in the eye. If we ever disobey Mr. Fujimoto, he'll make sure to show us hell on earth. He always carried a long wooden stick to discipline students, especially boys. We couldn't do anything since he was a very senior professor.
We spoke about few unimportant things when it was already time for our first class. We both returned to our class. I saw Rei and Akira standing by the door. As I was entering, they blocked me from going inside. They were the bitches of our school. Stupid bullies who thought bullying made them look cool.
As Rei put her leg in front to make me topple and fall, I took a step back leading her to fall in front.
"Rei, Akira! Why are you both blocking the door? Don't you both have any brains! Yes, it must be true what people say about your Mom, Rei. She really must be a Whore giving birth to a jerk like you.", Mr. Fujimoto yelled at them both. All the teachers looked at us in awe about what our Math teacher had just said.
Well, I must agree they both do deserve it. I had already sensed Mr. Fujimoto coming from the hallway. Hence, I remained quite and let them do their thing. Rin and I took our seats quickly to not enrage him further.
"Stand outside for the whole class!", He ordered Rei and Akira. Rei passed an evil glance along my side and went out of the class.
Mr. Fujimoto kept his books and his thick wooden stick on the teacher's table. It could be seen from his face, he really was very angry.
"Today will be a surprise test."
The classroom was silent except for the rhythmic scratching of chalk against the board. Professor Fujimoto, paused mid-equation, turning his piercing gaze toward the back of the room.
"Kenji," he called, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel. "Come forward."
The entire class turned their heads as Kenji, a typical high-school rebel with an attitude as sharp as his jaw, slouched in his seat, feigning ignorance.
"I won't repeat myself."
With an exaggerated sigh, Kenji stood and dragged his feet toward the front of the room. All classmates exchanged nervous glances, well aware that disobedience in Fujimoto's class never ended well.
The old professor reached for the long wooden stick resting on his desk—a relic from a different time, one he used often to "correct" his students. Without warning, the first strike landed across Kenji's knuckles, sending a sharp crack echoing through the room.
He hissed in pain, biting back a curse. His fingers trembled, but he didn't step back. He wouldn't give Fujimoto that satisfaction.
"Cheating on your test. Lying to my face." The professor's voice was low, vibrating with restrained fury. "Do you think I tolerate dishonesty in my class?"
Another blow—this time across Kenji's arm. The sting shot up to his shoulder, but still, he held his ground.
Fujimoto's nostrils flared. "Kneel."
Kenji hesitated. That hesitation cost him—another strike, this time across his back. He gritted his teeth and dropped to his knees.
The stick came down again. And again. Each strike was methodical, merciless. A metallic scent tainted the air as crimson droplets splattered onto the cold tiled floor.
A girl in the front row whimpered, her hands clasped over her mouth. Others looked away, their stomachs twisting with nausea.
Kenji's breath came in short gasps, his vision blurred by sweat and pain.
Kenji slowly lifted his head, his lips curling into something between a grimace and a smirk. Even as pain seared through his body, his eyes burned with something far more dangerous than defiance.
Hatred.
And hatred never faded easily.
I sit here, frozen, but my mind screams louder than the crack of that cursed stick against Kenji's skin. Every time it strikes, I flinch inside, though my body dares not move. I feel the sting of it too — not on my flesh, but somewhere deeper, somewhere raw and aching.
Finally, Fujimoto exhaled sharply, stepping back. "Let this be a lesson to you all," he said, tossing the bloodied stick onto his desk.
No one dared move. No one dared speak.
Professor's face is a mask of controlled rage — so calm, so calculated. His jaw tightens, his hand steady as he brings the stick down again, and again, and again. There's no hesitation, no flicker of remorse. Just an endless rhythm of cruelty.
And I hate him. I hate him with every inch of my being.
I hate the way his lips curl in disdain, how his eyes burn with a twisted sense of superiority. I hate how he paces like a predator, relishing the power he holds over us — over Kenji. How he pretends this is discipline when it's nothing but violence cloaked in authority.
Does he think we don't see the monster beneath his suit and tie? The rot behind his cold words? Does he think we're blind to the satisfaction flickering in his eyes every time Kenji's body jerks from the impact?
My fingers dig into the edge of my desk, nails biting into the worn wood. I wish I could scream, shatter this sickening silence — but I can't. No one can. We're all trapped, bound by fear, by the unspoken rule that his word is law, his actions justified.
But I swear, I see him for what he is.
He is not a teacher. He's a tyrant. A coward. A man who mistakes cruelty for control.
And one day — one day — someone will break free from this silence. Someone will stand up and shatter the illusion he's built around himself.
And I hope I'm the one who does it.
The next day, the school announced a sad news - death of our very own Prof. Fujimoto.
Cause: Suicide.