It was the coldest morning of the year.

Heck, the year just had started and so did school; the winter vacation was finally over- on the coldest day. Yeah, that made sense. She tugged on the warm scarf she was wearing and huffed.

Pedestrians walked about as if it wasn’t freezing cold. Lucky people were packed in their cars with heaters blasting. Oh, how Sumiko wished to sit in front of a heater warming her frozen limbs. Walking to school in such a weather was hardly her choice of commute. Familiar faces started to appear as she entered the large nightmare of a building, aka her “school”.  Ukito was hurrying up the stairs with an open book as he struggled to read while running. Behind him, Kenji walked with a scowl on his face. After a meet and greet with her friends, Yasami and Hoshiyo- to make sure that they were alive, Sumiko quickly picked her seat near the window. It was pretty cold outside but who wouldn’t love to enjoy the view?

The sky was covered completely covered with snow white clouds and the wind making the leaves rustle violently. The weather was lovely (ignoring the freezing temperature), as long as she didn’t had to go out. Hoshiyo sat with Yasami and Sumiko sat with her bag. Trios sucked. Of course, it was easy to hang out but someone was always left out when it came to seating arrangements.

The first class was physics, the usual hell. Numericals, equations and graphs whizzed past her head, it was as if she had accidently ventured in a different class, in a different country. What was going on? No idea. Something to do with the motion of something and its speed or maybe its velocity. Of course her teacher didn’t bother to warm up the concepts before launching into the lesson. The first three classes passed in a blur and pretty soon it was the 4th period. Fortunately, the teacher was absent. Unfortunately it was her favorite class, Biology.

Her dark black hair were a rat’s nest, thanks to her sitting next to the open window. Yasami hobbled behind Sumiko making a weird pony with her already short hair. Everything was going on smooth, except the comb through her hair. Sumiko tried to copy off notes from Hoshiyo who was now hanging out with Ukito and some guy- he had baby pinkish hair falling onto their eyes and hair long enough to tie in a proper pony tail unlike her.

“It’s Umi” said Yasami who seemed to be reading her mind, “Did you forget your own classmates just because you didn’t come to school for 2 weeks? Jeez, do you remember me?” Sumiko rolled her eyes, “Oh come on. How was I supposed to know? He has hair on his face-” Sumiko yelled in pain. “Stop! Leave my hair alone! Ughhh” She quickly yanked her head and shot up, waving her fist. “I’m going to break your teeth” Both girls ran outside the classroom- into the corridor while squealing like little kids.

Rumi sighed. She pushed her spectacles with her index finger. She had been observing both of them for a while.

She was about to approach Ukito and his friends for a chat, when she noticed Umi getting up and silently leaving the classroom. Umi, an old classmate of hers was a weird fellow.

Since entering high school, he had drastically changed but his middle school version was scary. He was rude, insolent and a troublemaker. He was the main reason Rumi’s self-esteem took a nosedive few years back.

But as for now he was much calmer, quieter and aloof. He hardly talked to anyone or replied in class. His grades had skyrocketed though, so it didn’t really matter to any of the teachers. Mischievousness danced in her ruby eyes as her brain formulated a plan.

She invited herself to Ukito’s table and gathered a few friends. Everyone huddled closely mainly, to hear the plan and partially because it was cold.

Ukito was too conscious about the crowd. He never hanged out with a lot of people and a crowd definitely scared him. Thank goodness Hoshiyo was there. He looked around and counted the people. Around 14.

Rumi had a charismatic aura. Very easily she was able to get the attention of the group. They looked at her expectantly. Her voice dropped an octave as she began. From the corner of her eye she saw Yasami entering the class and ushered her to join them. Sumiko was still missing and so was Umi.

"Remember when Umi was a jerk back in middle school?”

This line was enough to get everyone’s attention. “Yes, it’s about him.” she chuckled, “I don’t hate him, hell no. And this is not some meeting to gather and beat him up.” Someone groaned from back. Rumi continued, “I just plan to have a little prank with him.” Hoshiyo muttered, “It seems like you hate him. And cut out the drama, ginger-girl.” Ukito nodded. He knew Rumi was dramatic. And being in the theater club made her more extra.

Rumi dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand, “I just can’t accept that Umi’s pathetic apology after what he did to me during middle school. He was a bully. Don’t you remember? He shattered my confidence, you know” she murmured softly. Naruhiko added, “That’s true. He was an insolent idiot back then. But what now? You want revenge? You want him to get bullied as well so he knows how we felt?” Rumi flickered her eyes and looked at her girlfriend.

Miyuki nodded and spoke up, “Naruhiko, this is not some ‘an eye for an eye’ deal. Rumi just want Umi to be empathetic. A simple sorry isn’t retribution.” Miyuki carefully tucked her brown hair behind her ear as she looked around carefully, her face was sickly and pale, as if she hadn’t eaten a thing since days. Rumi took it from there as she warmly half-hugged Miyuki, “What I meant was, his sorry isn’t enough. He should at least be sincere with us, himself and Sumiko.

Rui was the first to speak, “We got your point. But what’s the plan?” Rumi smirked, “I’d need your help for this obviously. We’re going to humiliate and embarrass him. In a normal way.” Ukito’s deep blue eyes were filled with rage. “NO! I don’t know what kind of person he was before. And I don’t care. All I know is that he’s one of my first friends I made since I moved here and I won’t let any of you humiliate Umi.” Miyuki softly said, “Your friend…almost made me kill myself.”

“Alright, I’ll kick him and throw him off the school building.”

He cleared his throat, “I get it now. How are we going to embarrass him? Do we have to make a fool out of himself? Or catch him doing something humiliating?” Naruhiko snapped his fingers, “What about all of this? I write columns in school newspaper. I can definitely get something about him and write in the paper.” Rui clicked his tongue, “Sounds extreme but it’s cool with me, and the editor is a friend of mine. I’ll bribe him with cheese.”

“You bribe people with cheese?” Tsubasa shook her head with disbelief.

“Hey, it’s delicious!”

“I didn’t deny that but whatever sails your boat.”

“Why is Umi not coming back? Or- wait don’t tell me he’s eavesdropping on us from somewhere?!” shrieked Yasami. “He’s not outside” said a boy, blond hair matted with snow and a rose so red that Rudolph would be jealous.

“Um who are you again?” Yasami asked. “Akihide” he replied with a weird grin.

Akihide’s grin stretched, “I do know a thing about Umi. Embarrassing? Perhaps. Funny? Yes.” Everyone turned to the grinning blond who was busy dusting off snow from his blazer. He certainly was drunk, or high or maybe both, because he was a complete mess. His tie was loose, his un-ironed shirt was covered in dust, as if he lived in a dirty attic. His trousers were all crinkly and his stupid grin made him creepy. Yasami’s natural instinct was to hide behind Hoshiyo.

Rui huffed, “What’s the thing you wanted to say?” If Akihide could grin more, then he probably did, “It’s related to Sumiko. Umi simps on her.” He finished.

“What the-”

“He’s crazy.”

“No doubt about it.”

“Can someone take him to the medical room and get his head checked?”

“Someone send him home.”

“Dude, you right in the head?”

“Maybe you should go home early and take some rest.”

Akihide’s amethyst eyes sparkled, “Well, whatever. I don’t really care about this whole prank but if you ever need to use my advice. I’ll be free.”

Umi had at least clicked 6 pictures of Sumiko from the balcony on the second floor.

She was sitting on a bench with Takeru, oblivious to anything around. They seemed to be talking about something with Takeru laughing hysterically. He didn’t want his idiot brother to ruin his pictures so he cropped him out. The reason he clicked Sumiko’s photos? Simple. He kept it as his good luck charm. He didn’t believe in such things but for some reason he felt his days get better whenever he looked at her. So, he made a special folder in the gallery and also kept it as his wallpaper.

This may sound weird to most people but he reassured himself it was normal. Everyone had lucky charms, didn’t they? Similarly, his lucky charm were her pictures.

For the past hour he spent his time gazing from the balcony. Takeru had noticed his little Umi a while back but didn’t speak anything. He continued talking to Sumiko about something or the other. She suddenly asked, “Isn’t it your birthday today?” Takeru nodded, “Yes, I’m going to celebrate it with my buddies after school. We’re going to a mixer.” Sumiko gulped. She didn’t had anything to give it to him. Not that he asked, but still she wanted to give a gift. She took off her muffler- magenta with pink blossoms. She just bought it a day back or two. She strained a smile and said, “Happy birthday! This is for you!” Takeru raised an eye-brow. The used muffler was his gift? He chuckled as he accepted. “Thanks Sumi” he smiled in a slight teasing way. He asked, “So, are you free after school?” Sumiko thought for a while. “Yes, I think so. It depends if the teachers don’t give a lot of homework.” Takeru glanced at Umi sitting on the balcony edge, “Say, want to join my friends at the mixer? It’ll be fun. And don’t worry, none of my friends are criminals. I can talk to your mom.”

Sumiko perked up. A mixer? With the seniors? She hardly had what people called ‘social life’ that’s why she was super excited to join.

Takeru helped her find them as he laughed. So, her plans for the afternoon were decided and for the first time she was probably going to hang out with someone outside school. Takeru was good at convincing people. She dialled her mother and handed the phone to Takeru.

“Hello? Hi ma’am. Yes, I’m your daughter’s friend. Takeru Ikeda. Yes, yes…ah no, she’s very polite. Didn’t hit me yet, haha. Yes. Since it’s my birthday today- ah thanks, ma’am. I wanted to ask your permission if Sumiko could join a small party I’m hosting this afternoon at four o’clock. Yes…I’ll share my number with you. Really? Thanks a lot ma’am. I’ll escort her home. Don’t worry. By 7pm? Sure. Thanks again. Have a wonderful day. Haha. Bye.”

Takeru smirked, “Done. You’re coming with me. Wait outside the school gates after dispersal, we’ll meet up and head towards the mixer.” Sumiko folded her arms, “Who all are coming? I really don’t know a lot of people other than my classmates.” Takeru wrapped ‘his’ muffler, “Etsuo, Sousuke and Natsuki. Probably Ichirou, but he’s usually tied up with his student council work.”

Who were these people? She was going to a party full of strangers. Extremely dangerous. At least Takeru was there. She muttered a thanks and left for class. The day was going to be amazing, she just knew.