Side Story, The Black Hole Sword (1)

It was just another day in Yuto's miserable life. As he dragged himself out of bed, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. The thought of going to that dreaded high school and facing his bullies made his stomach churn. Yuto had always been the odd one out, the only Asian student in a sea of white faces. It wasn't easy being the only one who looked different, and Yuto knew that all too well.

His parents had done their best to provide for him, but their average income meant that they could not afford to send him to a better school. Yuto couldn't really blame them, but he couldn't help but wonder what his life would be like if he were attending a different school. A school where he didn't have to constantly look over his shoulder, where he didn't have to endure relentless bullying.

Mentally preparing himself for another day of torture, Yuto glanced around his small bedroom. It was his safe haven, where he could escape from reality. The walls were plastered with anime figurines and wallpaper featuring his favorite hentai characters. But little did Yuto know that this small escape was just another ammunition for his bullies. The jocks had discovered his love for anime and had taken to calling him names like 'geek' and 'rice-bitch'. As if being different in terms of race wasn't enough, Yuto also enjoyed things that were considered 'nerdy' by his peers.

Yuto gazed at his reflection in the mirror, taking in his pretty features and forming a sense of resentment towards them. He knew that he was attractive, especially to a certain group of individuals. But they didn't see him as a human being, they didn't see the pain that he had to endure every day. Instead, they saw an opportunity to make his life even more difficult. Yuto felt a sense of disgust at the thought of how his bullies would mock him for something that was completely out of his control.

Just as Yuto was about to leave his room, his phone pinged with a notification. He dreaded opening it, knowing that it would most likely be another text from Jake, the main bully of the school. And sure enough, it was a message daring Yuto to come to school today. The bullies had planned to make his birthday one to remember, and not in a good way. Yuto couldn't help but sigh at the thought of what was to come.

He dressed in his usual hoodie and baggy pants, trying his best to hide his figure from the judging eyes of his peers. He knew that his clothes were just another target for his bullies, but it was the only way he could try to blend in and avoid attention. As he made his way to school, Yuto's thoughts were a mess. On one hand, he hated his life and wanted the torture to end, but on the other hand, he couldn't bear the thought of leaving his little sister alone.

Yuto's parents were always working, and he had taken up the responsibility of looking after his sister. He couldn't bear the thought of abandoning her, leaving her to face the same bullying and discrimination that he had to endure. So, Yuto put on a brave face and continued to endure the pain, both physical and emotional.

As he entered Nova High, Yuto could feel the tension rising within him. He knew that today would be worse than any other day, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread deep in his gut. 

During lunch, Yuto sat alone at his usual spot, hoping to blend in and avoid any attention. But Sarah and Crystal, the popular cheerleaders, walked up to him with smirks on their faces. 

"Hey, rice boy," Sarah sneered, taking a seat across from Yuto. "We heard it's your birthday. We were wondering, do Asians even celebrate birthdays? Or are you too busy delivering takeout?"

Yuto tried to ignore their hurtful words, knowing it would only make things worse if he reacted. But it was a lost cause. Sarah and Crystal continued their barrage of insults, laughing and taunting him until Yuto couldn't take it anymore. 

But before he could even reach his locker, Jake and his gang appeared in front of him, smirking with malicious intent. Yuto tried to walk past them, but Jake grabbed his arm and forcefully turned him around. The crowd around them cheered and laughed, eager to witness another round of humiliation for the Asian boy.

"Looks like the birthday boy has arrived," Jake sneered, his eyes filled with spite. Yuto knew that he had to endure whatever was coming his way, as he had no other choice. So, he braced himself and prepared for the worst.

"Hey, rice-bitch, what's up?" Jake sneered as Yuto opened his locker.

Yuto clenched his jaw and didn't respond. He knew that any words he said would only be used against him.

"Oh, that's right, it's your birthday today, isn't it?" Jake continued, a smirk forming on his face.

Yuto's heart sank. He had hoped that maybe, just maybe, they would leave him alone on his birthday. But clearly, he was wrong. Yuto's stomach churned with fear and dread. He had tried to avoid the bullies, but they always seemed to find him.

Yuto could feel tears welling up in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He couldn't show any weakness in front of his bullies. He slammed his locker shut and tried to walk away, but Jake grabbed him by the collar of his hoodie and shoved him against the lockers. 

"Where do you think you're going, chink?" Jake sneered, his friends laughing behind him.

But Jake wasn't finished. He shoved Yuto hard in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and hit the lockers. Yuto winced in pain, but before he could react, Jake had punched him in the face. Yuto stumbled again, this time falling to the ground.

"You're pathetic, chink," Jake spat, as he and his friends laughed and walked away, leaving Yuto on the floor, clutching his bruised cheek.

Yuto stayed there for a moment, trying to compose himself before slowly getting up. He could feel the hot tears starting to form in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. He couldn't let them see him cry. He had to be strong.

But the day didn't get any easier for Yuto. Everywhere he turned, there seemed to be another bully waiting to torment him. Some of the students would shove him in the hallways, others would knock his books out of his hands, and some even spit on him as they walked by.

Yuto tried to ignore it all, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He had been dealing with this for so long, and he was starting to reach his breaking point. He just wanted the bullying to stop.

During the second lunch break, he had to experience another round of bullying again. But as he was eating his lunch, a sudden pain in his back made him drop his food. He turned around to see Sarah and Crystal, the popular cheerleaders, standing behind him with evil grins on their faces.

"Oops, did I spill your food, Yuto?" Sarah said in a mocking tone.

Yuto didn't respond, too afraid of what they might do next.

"I heard you're a pervert, Yuto," Crystal jeered. "You like looking at hentai and other weird anime stuff. You're sick."

Yuto felt a pit in his stomach as he realized that Jake must have spread rumors about him and his interests. He felt hot tears forming in his eyes again, but before he could do anything, Sarah and Crystal had kicked him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

"Stay away from us, you freak," Sarah sneered. They both laughed before walking away, leaving Yuto gasping for air on the ground.

The rest of the day continued like this, with Yuto being physically and verbally bullied at every turn. He couldn't do anything about it. He was outnumbered and physically weaker than his bullies. He couldn't fight back.

That night, Yuto went to bed with a heavy heart. He couldn't escape the bullying at school, and even at home he couldn't find solace. He wished he could just disappear, but he knew he had to keep going. He had to stay strong for his sister.

With tears in his eyes, he muttered under his breath, "Happy birthday to me."

Suddenly, a strange sound caught his attention. It was a metallic humming, coming from behind him. He turned around to see a pitch black sword floating in the air, absorbing all the light in his room. The glow seemed to flicker and dance on the walls, causing his light bulbs to pop and shatter.

"What the fuck?" Yuto couldn't believe his eyes. This was some kind of sick joke. He cautiously reached out his hand towards the sword, unsure of what he was about to touch.

"Do you desire power?" a deep voice boomed from the sword.