Alex Brim, Hero for Hire

Chapter 2 – First day of High School

In the morning, Sakamo Ryu grabbed his new School bag and left his house. His new School was only a six-minute walk, that was one of the reasons why he rented that house. The other one was that the real state agency also informed him that there was a nice family restaurant nearby and a small market.

In the street, there was a familiar man disguised in a municipal uniform, sweeping the floor. Sakamo Ryu made a slight nod, and the man returned it.

Ryu walked and looked left and right, trying to find a place where he could have breakfast, considering it was still early for School, and he couldn’t eat breakfast at home because he didn’t buy groceries for his new house.

He finally found the market. It was close to his house like the agency told him. He went in and checked the shelves, grabbing two pieces of bread, a juice, and an already prepared boxed lunch. After paying, Ryu continued on his path along the still empty small street that would end in the main street, eating his breakfast while walking.

Right at the corner, he saw the family restaurant, and looked to the window to check the menu. “A lot of tasty dishes. I think this will become my canteen every night if the food is well made. I can also cook from time to time, considering my kitchen is fully equipped.”

A woman’s voice called his attention, “No one ever complained about my dishes. At least, not to my face. Are you a new resident?”

Ryu looked to his left, and a petite old lady was smiling at him, next to a short and fat boy of probably Ryu’s age, with short hair and red cheeks. The old lady was dressed in a very simple Yukata, and the boy was wearing the same uniform that Ryu had. Ryu made a deep bow and smiled back. “Yes, I am. Nice to meet you, I am Sakamo Ryu. I moved yesterday to a house in the middle of this street.”

“Welcome to the neighbourhood, then. I am Takechi Hanpeita, but you can call me Grandma Takechi-san like everybody does. This is my grandson, Takechi Hito. It seems you both are attending the same High School, judging by your uniform.”

Ryu nodded. “Yes, Tokyo Metropolitan Nishi High School. I missed the reception yesterday because I had too many things to take care of with the moving and all, so I think I will be a little lost today.”

Grandma Takechi-san elbowed her grandson, and he spoke in a low voice, “I can help you with that. I have an extra map and I can point you to the places where you need to go, if you want.”

“Thanks, that would be a tremendous help. I saw some photos online of the School, but having a guide would be better.”

The old lady pointed to the grocery bag Ryu was carrying. “If I am not mistaken, that is an already made lunch box, right?”

“Yes, I didn’t buy groceries yesterday, so I couldn’t prepare one at home. I hope I have time to buy some things today, or I am going to have this kind of boxed lunch tomorrow again!”

Grandma Takechi-san winked. “Well then, you can’t eat things like that every day. What about if you come to our restaurant today for dinner? If you like my food, I can prepare a boxed lunch for you, and you can get it in the morning, before going to school. For a reasonable price, of course.”

“Really? That would be amazing! Home-made food for lunch, and eating at this pleasant restaurant at dinner? I think I will accept your offer.”

“Good, I will wait for you then, maybe at eight?”

“Yes, I think I can finish some reports that I need to read and after sending a couple of emails, I will come.”

The old lady made a puzzled face. “Today is the first day of School, and you already have reports to read? You are an excellent student, it seems.”

“I guess so. Now, if you excuse me, it’s probably better if we go. I need to have a meeting with the Principal before going to my class, to apologise for my absence yesterday and to introduce myself. I got an email from him yesterday, complaining.”

Grandma Takechi-san waved at them and went inside. While walking along the main street, Takechi Hito asked, “Why the Principal sent an email complaining, Sakamo-san?”

“He wanted to call me to do a speech at the reception yesterday, but I didn’t go, and I didn’t tell him. Like if I would know that he wanted me there! And call me Sakamo-kun. We have the same age, right?”

“Ok… In that case, I will allow you to call me Takechi-sama!”

Sakamo Ryu looked at Takeshi Hito, surprised by his answer, and saw him looking back with a smile and a proud pose, with his chin high and both fists on his waist. Sakamo laughed at the weird answer, “Ahahah! You are funny, Takechi-sama. If you allow it, then I shall call you like that, from this day onward! Guide me, oh Great One! Show me the ways and the intricacies of our new School! May your wisdom and caring be my lighthouse on this new chapter of my life!”

“I suppose I can find an opening on my extremely busy schedule to help you with that! Does this mean we are going and coming from School, every day, from now on? Because it feels awkward. We would look like a couple. Not that I think you are ugly. You are a very beautiful girl, but you are not my type.”

Sakamo Ryu frowned. “What are you talking about? The last time I check, I am a boy. You can also see that I am wearing trousers instead of the short skirt of our School’s uniform, right?”

Takechi Hito raised one eyebrow while checking Sakamo from top to bottom. “Really? Because you could fool me. You don’t have noticeable boobs, but a lot of girls develop later. You have a beautiful face, you are tall, with a good complexion, you have long hair tied in a pretty braid… are you sure you are not a girl? Because if you are a boy, the girls at our School will go crazy about you!”

“I am a boy, but I am flattered if you think I am beautiful. I am sorry, but you are not my type as well, so if your heart is beating stronger because of me, tell him to calm down. Or, and this is just an idea, if you think girls will go crazy because of me, you could help me out on making my School life easier by pretending to be my boyfriend. What do you say? Are you up for the task?”

“Nah, I pass. You did that when you were in Middle School? You pretended to be dating a boy so that girls would leave you alone?”

Sakamo Ryu shook his head. “No, I didn’t need to. I was homeschooled. This will be the first time I go to a School with boys and girls of my age.”

Takechi Hito disguisedly signalled with his head to the group of girls ahead of them on the sidewalk and lowered his voice, “Judging by the way those girls are giggling and looking back at you, you are going to be a huge success, I bet.”

Sakamo elbowed Takechi while they approached the School’s gates. “What are you talking about? They are surely looking at you, you pop-idol! Now, point me to the Principal’s office, ok? It’s still early, and if you don’t mind waiting for me, I could use a brief tour around.”

“Sure, I will wait outside the Principal’s office, like if I am some sort of delinquent, waiting to be punished!”

Sakamo thought for a moment that Takechi Hito was worried, but he was smiling a lot. He seemed happy with the idea of giving out a certain air of a bad boy. Then, Sakamo noticed another familiar man on the right side of the School’s gate, looking at him, dressed in a dark blue suit. The man made a slight bow and said, as soon as Sakamo and Takechi were near him, “Good morning, Sakamo-san. If you can be so kind as to lend me your home key, I will have some people taking care of the moving guys with your belongings. I will bring back the key as soon as everything is finished.”

Sakamo nodded and gave him the key, with Takechi wondering what was that about. When the man put the key in his pocket, Sakamo said, “What about my new training apparatus?”

“A delivering company will also deliver them today. I already looked at the plant of your house with your recommendations for the position of the several apparatus, so I am sure that when you return home, you will be satisfied. I also took care of hiring a cleaning lady and told her your requests. Do you also need a cook?”

Sakamo shook his head. “That won’t be needed. I took care of that, moments ago.”

“Very well. If you excuse me, I shall take my leave now.”

The man made another slight bow and left, entering a grey car that was parked nearby with a driver in a dark blue suit at the wheel. Takechi frowned and Sakamo shrugged, pulling him through the School’s gates.

When they entered the room that acted as a reception, Teacher’s lounge and meeting room, a middle-aged woman was there, turning on her computer. She looked up when she heard the door opening and raised one inquisitive eyebrow.

Sakamo smiled and after bowing, he said, “Good morning, I am Sakamo Ryu. I wish to talk with the Principal if that’s possible.”

The woman opened her face in a big smile that surprised Takechi Hito and said, “Sakamo-san, welcome to our School! I will warn the Principal if you don’t mind waiting for a moment!”

The woman left in a hurry to a door at her right marked with a sign with the name of the Principal, making Takechi wonder why so much reverence for a mere student. “Now that was strange. She looked annoyed when we entered, but when you said your name, she completely changed. Are you someone important or what?”

“Probably she thinks I am. I guess we can seat on these chairs, right?”

As soon as Takechi sat, the Principal barged out the door of his office and made a profound bow. “It is indeed an honour to have you attending my School, Sakamo-san! Please, come in, I was hoping I could talk with you before classes started!”

Sakamo got up and waved both hands. “Please, Principal, treat me like any other student. It will be difficult for me if you keep doing that!”

“Ok, but please, do come in.”

As soon as the door closed, Takechi asked the woman behind the desk, “What was that about?”

He got a shrug from the woman, who quickly returned to her annoyed look. Takechi went silent, thinking.

Inside the office, Sakamo sat on the empty chair in front of the Principal’s desk, who asked with a smile, “Well, if I can be so bold on asking… Why didn’t you come yesterday to the reception of the new students? I hoped you could make a speech to the other students, considering that you got the highest grade on the admission tests, this year.”

“I apologize for that, but I had a lot to take care of yesterday, because of the moving to my new home. I was living in a hotel while doing the admission tests for this School and to the others that I applied to, but only yesterday I moved to a house near this School.”

The Principal slowly changed his smile to an inquisitive look. “You applied to other Schools? This was not your first choice? And if I may ask, what was your score on the other admission tests?”

“I applied to every High School in Tokyo, public and private. I got the highest score on all of them, but I chose this one not only because of the classes and the Teachers but also because I liked the house that I found and this was the nearest School.”