HYPNO BOY
CHAPTER 3 : "Unshaken"
The bell rang, echoing through the halls of Kanzaki High, signaling another ordinary day. But ordinary changed the moment he stepped through the gates,
Whispers stirred like wind sweeping through a field of gossip.
"Is he wearing the same glasses again?"
"Why's he always got his eyes shut? So creepy…"
"That buzzcut… like a middle-aged uncle!"
"Hah! He looks like he's from another century!"
But Hiroshi Hiroto walked unfazed, his expression unreadable, his signature half smile dancing at the corners of his lips like a silent enigma. The storm of voices swirled around him, but he was the calm within it,
Kaito-san, the infamous red haired tyrant of Kanzaki High, had arrived early today sensing fun, he spotted Hiroshi across the yard and lit up like a kid spotting a toy,
"There he is! Uncle freak's here!" Kaito barked, charging through the crowd with his crew, ""Oi, gramps! Lose your cane?"
Hiroshi didn't blink, not a word, . ot a twitch, just that same neutral stillness,
That irked Kaito and He grabbed Hiroshi's milkshake, popped it open, and without warning,
SPLASH!
Right over Hiroshi's head,
The courtyard gasped.
"Now that should do it", Kaito said smugly,
But still, Hiroshi just took a tissue from his pocket, calmly wiped the liquid from his face then turned and walked toward the building,
No rage no fear and no reaction,
Just… nothing again!
Inside, Hiroshi moved toward the bathroom, the milky residue staining his uniform, then that's when she stepped in front of him,
"Wait!" Emi-chan called out, blocking his path, her smile was soft, her eyes kind and she held a handkerchief out, "I don't know why they treat you like this, but… you're not alone, Okay? I'm here if you need someone",
Hiroshi paused.
Then, without a word, he walked around her and disappeared into the restroom,
Emi stood frozen, "Why won't you say anything…?", confusion roamed in her innocent mind.
Some days passed.
Every single one, a new prank, a new humiliation, confetti buckets, trip wires, chewed gum on his chair, mde Kaito's obsession grew, he wanted something or at least anything from Hiroshi, fear, rage, recognition or even to beg him to stop but Hiroshi never once gave it to him.
In class, he sat silently, at lunch, he ate alone.
During breaks, he stared out the window, his eyes always hidden behind those reflective glasses,
Emi-chan watched from afar, she approached him daily with a warm "Hello", a friendly question, or even a joke, but Hiroshi never responded, he never even turned his head.
To others, it seemed like he was mute.
But inside, behind those eyes he kept sealed shut…
A storm was quietly building and its not of anger, but purpose.
And soon…
The world would know what happens when the calm finally speaks.
The hallway buzzed with low chatter and the shuffle of feet until it shifted.
A small, unfamiliar figure entered the classroom, he looked like a lost elementary student… but his ID read otherwise,
Name: Tetsuya Genda
Grade: 10th Year
Age: 15
His limbs were short, his frame tiny, his face round and soft like a child's but his eyes, they showed the wear of someone who had been laughed at too many times, way to many times,
It didn't take long, for him to be seen and targeted,
"Hey, short stack", Kaito said, cracking his knuckles as he cornered the new student during lunch, "How about a little tax, yeah? Call it a Tall People Fee",
Kaito was rich, well his family was, and had enough but power got to his head, so he still took the little ones weak students had, he was a big jerk,
Tetsuya froze, clutching his tiny bento, fear filled his body, "I.....I don't have much...but… here",
He held out his coins that was barely enough for a soda,
Kaito's face dropped into a scowl, "The hell is this, chibi? You mocking me?",
"I swear, that's all I got!" the boy pleaded, still trembling in fear, then all of a sudden,
SMACK!
The slap echoed.
"Liar!" Kaito snapped,
Tetsuya fell to his knees, tears welling up in his wide, childlike eyes, and it made Kaito's gang howled,
"Yo, is this kid for real? Is he crying?"
"Haha! Freakin' baby man!"
"Diapers must've cost all his lunch money!",
But then…right there and then, someone was watching, someone who had tolerated all of his pain in silence,
But this?
This was different.
Hiroshi stood across the hallway, arms folded, his brow twitched ever so slightly, this wasn't about him anymore,
He stepped forward, calm and silent,
Kaito noticed him,
"Well, well, look who it is", Kaito sneered, he shoved Tetsuya toward Hiroshi, "Uncle freak! Found your twin? Both got ugly haircuts!!!",
Laughters erupted again,
But Hiroshi didn't even flinch, he bent slightly, offered his hand to Tetsuya, and helped him up then, still holding the boy's hand gently, he stared at Kaito behind his glasses and said his first words in days:
"Follow us",
Kaito blinked, he was so startled,
Did he just speak?
"What are you two gonna do, skip to the candy store? Haha! Alright, I'll bite, let's see where this goes",
He gestured to his boys, and they followed Hiroshi out the side hallway.
As they passed through the courtyard corridor, a new and young female teacher from the junior wing, Miss Akiyama, fresh out of university hurried by carrying books,
She accidentally bumped into Kaito, "Ah!!! I'm so sorry—!"
Before she could finish—
SHOVE!
Kaito slammed her to the ground,
"Are you blind, you stupid bitch?! Watch where you're going jeez!!!"
She was shocked, her books scattered and her purse spilled open, students nearby gasped,
Hiroshi stopped again, Tetsuya looked up at him, confused but Hiroshi's grip tightened protectively,
He was done watching, still holding the small boy's hand, he walked straight toward the school gates,
Kaito and his gang followed behind, laughing,
"Yo, what is this? A school tour?"
"Nah man, I think the old freak's finally snapped",
"Maybe he wants a private cry zone!"
But by the time they reached the schoolyard a crowd had formed,
Dozens of students, even some teachers, peeked out, the whispers grew more and more,
Something was about to happen and everyone could feel it,
The warm wind rustled across the schoolyard.
The circle of students had grown thick, Wlwhispers flew about and students shoving eachother gently to see whats going to happen,
Hiroshi stood still in the center, all calm and collected,
Beside him was Tetsuya, who was still shaken from being slapped,
Across from them was Kaito who was hrinning with confident, looking all cocky, his gang flanked him like vultures,
Then, without hesitating, Hiroshi gently let go of Tetsuya's hand and took a single step forward,
"You!" His voice was low, direct, firm.
"Step forward… alone",
Kaito raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Finally found your voice, freak?",
Still curious, he cracked his neck and strolled ahead, leaving his gang behind him,
Now face to face.
Hiroshi looked at Tetsuya, "Slap him back",
The boy's eyes widened in fear, as he shook like crazy, "What!? I… I can't, I'm scared....",
Kaito threw his head back laughing, "HAH! You hear that? I knew it!, Listen carefully, I'm the king of this place, kid! I make the hits around here, noboy hits me, especially losers",
He rolled his shoulders and clenched his fists, hyping himself up as his friends roared behind him, cheering him on,
"Let me show you how it's done!",
He stepped in, preparing to swing as he stretched him fists,
But Hiroshi…took off his glasses,
A cool quick breeze passed, his sharp, glowing blue eyes were revealed, and
Tetsuya turned to him and froze,
FLASH.
A pulse of hypnotic energy surged into the boy's mind, his pupils dilated,
his fists clenched,
Kaito cocked his fist about to hit him
But suddenly Tetsuya caught his wrist, hard and tight,
"Aghhhhh!!!!"
Then SNAP, He twisted it,
"AAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!"
Kaito screamed, enough for everyone to hear, and before he could react, the small boy reeled back and punched Kaito across the face, one hit after another, then another, then another.
He tackled him to the ground, punching over and over again, rage, strength, and raw energy behind every blow, the students gasped in shock, cause wasnt he the one that was shaking moments ago?
Hiroshi was in control of course,
The crowd was speechless, everyone watched attentively,
But then,
"STOP!!!",
Miss Akiyama pushed through the crowd, eyes wide,
"Stop this instant!!! Fighting isn't the answer, he's hurt enough!",
Her voice pierced the moment, and just like that Hiroshi blinked and the glow in his eyes faded,
Tetsuya snapped out of it as well, breathing heavily, he looked down realizing he was sitting on top of Kaito, whose face was bloodied and bruised, he also shakenly looked at his fists,
His eyes widened in horror, he scrambled back, panting, "Wh....what did I… what did I do?!",
Hiroshi calmly walked over and knelt beside him, he placed a hand on Tetsuya's shoulder,
"Calm down, you were brave",
Then he stood up and walked toward Kaito, who groaned, trying to stand up, Hiroshi looked down at him, his expression blank,
"Apologize… to Miss Akiyama",
Kaito grit his teeth, "No....Yo...you can't tell me what to—"
CRACK!
Hiroshi calmly stepped on Kaito's hand,
"AAARRRGGHH!! OKAY, OKAY!!",
He crawled over slowly to the teacher, tears mixing with blood, "I'm s....sorry, Miss Akiyama! I.....I didn't mean to push you, please forgive me!",
She looked down at the once proud bully now begging on his knees, her eyes softened and she slowly helped him up, "Let's get you to the nurse's office....."
But just before they left, her gaze met Hiroshi's, she saw his eyes,
Unnatural, Piercing, and there something strangly Magical about it,
She looked away quickly… her heart racing as she took Kaito to the school's nurse,
And Hiroshi, once again calm, quietly put on his glasses.
Hiroshi slid his glasses back on, the blue glow in his eyes faded but the air was still heavy,
He stood silently then suddenly—
SWOOP
He turned his head fast, way too fast,
the motion was so sharp and unnatural that everyone gasped in unison,
Even Kaito's friends, who'd been laughing just moments ago, took a step back, their faces pale and trembling in fear,
Hiroshi frowned, eyes narrowing behind his lenses, his voice was low but commanding, the kind that chilled spines,
"Bullying is prohibited from now on",
He paused… then slowly turned to sweep his gaze across the silent crowd,
"And whatever you saw today… stays within these school walls, have I made myself clear?",
The silence cracked,
"Y-Yes!" someone squeaked, heads nodded quickly, feet shuffled backward, not a single voice objected,
Hiroshi exhaled through his nose and turned his back on them all, hands in his pockets, he shot his eyes behind his glasses and he walked away without another word like nothing just happened.
A storm that passed… but left its mark,
The whispers began instantly, some afraid, others intrigued.
"Who the hell is he?"
"That wasn't normal…"
"His eyes… they glowed…"
The words mixed in the crowd as everyone wondered, who the heck he was or what he was.
SCHOOL HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
The hallway was quiet as Hiroshi walked alone, his footsteps echoed softly.
He stopped in front of a window, sunlight casting shadows across his face,
He clenched his fists and muttered under his breath:
"I broke my promise"
A flashback flickers, his grandfather, smiling gently.
"Hiroshi…always be smart and remember with great power comes with great responsibility", younger him never understood why his grandfather told him those words, but
Hiroshi shut his eyes, not opening them
"But I had no choice, I wasn't protecting myself this time…I was protecting someone powerless, vulnerable", he sighed under his breath,
The wind outside rustled the trees.
He opened his eyes again, once more but they were calm and cold,
But somewhere far above… another force was watching, him the same one that did, that same evening,
A dark silhouette steps forward, Smirking.
"Interesting…I cant wait to meet with him", the smirk remained stignant. . . . . . .