I, who advocate giving up, feel like a disqualified person

What do you mean... Do you think my ultimate goal is for myself?

"I can't take this money." I handed the bag back.

"What's wrong?" The head teacher looked confused.

"Teacher, didn't you teach us that we should be honest? So I can't lie, and I can't accept this kind of thing."

"Hahahaha, Sheji," she seemed to have heard something very funny. It took her a long time to calm down. She looked at me with a mocking expression and said:

"Why do you think the milk from that company was problematic? Wasn't it because the person in charge had no conscience? Wasn't it because it was profitable? People are all like that. Given an opportunity like this, everyone wants to grab it. The head teachers of other classes all do it, so what's wrong with me doing it? Don't be so rigid. You'll understand when you grow up. When it comes to money, you can never have too much."

Seeing that I didn't respond, she added:

"I see you have a strong sense of justice and are very resistant to this kind of thing. You're not that young anymore, so let me tell you something: in this world, good people are destined to suffer. You said there's so much money, anyone can take it, so why should I be a good person? Even if I do, who will benefit me? So, you should just accept it. If you can't change the world, change yourself."

She pushed my hand back.

"Take it. This is the biggest concession you can make."

"......" I didn't say anything, threw the money on the desk and ran back to the classroom.

..............................

"So, does anyone have any questions?"

The head teacher asked again.

I raised my hand immediately, but unlike last time, this time many pairs of eyes were looking at me.

"Isaji, is there a problem?"

"Yeah." I stood up, but before I could say anything, a voice suddenly rang out.

"This guy just wants to be in the spotlight."

"......" I was stunned for a moment, but continued, "Actually, it's still the same thing as last time, because..."

"This is an old account from hundreds of years ago. Are you still annoyed by it?"

"Can't you be a little more creative when it comes to troublemaking the teacher?!"

"I can't stand this guy, he's such a show-off~"

What is this? Why are you saying this? It's obviously about your business, you...

"Don't you just want your money back? Just say it directly, and why are you saying it's for us?"

"What a way to flatter yourself!"

"Rubbish! Sit down and stop talking!"

"Who do you think you are? The monitor hasn't said anything yet!"

"Okay, I'm annoyed just seeing you. If you have nothing else to do, just sit down. We're still waiting for the get out of class to end!"

"..." "..." "..."

I don't care what they say anymore.

I don't know why, but I felt a smile on my face.

An extremely awkward smile.

I thought they would understand what I did, but unfortunately, I seemed to overestimate them and myself.

I feel like laughing for some reason.

I wanted to laugh so hard that tears came out.

................................

I don’t know how I got through that day, but all I know is that since that day, I realized that people who truly exist in darkness will never accept the light.

Because they are used to the darkness, they will defend the darkness.

In a darkness that even sunlight cannot dispel, what can a small electric light like mine do?

People and things that will eventually disappear

Chapter 16 [Memories] People and Things That Will Eventually Disappear

Ever since that incident happened, I found myself "sick".

Similar to face blindness and selective amnesia, I can't remember the faces and voices of those so-called "classmates".

But I am not surprised by this situation, because those people have nothing to do with me anymore, so why should I remember them?

So after that incident in sixth grade, I no longer have any other people's faces in my memory.

until that day.

I met someone I will never forget.

It also left an unforgettable face in my heart.

........【First Grade of Junior High School】.........

It has been more than half a month since I entered junior high school, but I haven’t made any friends and haven’t had any decent communication with others.

Very good, keep it up like this! Life without so-called friends is the best.

I was walking on the way to school, lost in thought.

Then, just as I was about to come to my senses, a huge force hit me, and I was knocked to the ground in shock.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" I couldn't help but moan while lying on the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, are you okay?" Along with this voice, I was helped up.

"How do you walk? That's so un..." I was about to vent my anger when I suddenly saw the guy's face clearly.

The fierce look in his eyes and the short brown hair made me swallow my words.

I actually ran into a bad boy? My luck is really good...

"I'm sorry for blocking your way. I'm the one who should apologize..."

When facing a bad boy who is a whole head taller than me, the best option is to temporarily surrender.

"You're such a weird person. I was the one who bumped into you. What do you have to apologize for?" He stared at me for a while, then seemed to suddenly realize something and said to me:

"Looking at our uniforms, it seems we're from the same school. And you look familiar to me... Which class are you from?"

"I'm in Grade 1, Grade 6..." The moment I said my class name, I suddenly realized that something was wrong.

I actually reported my class to the bad boys in the same school. Wouldn't it be easy for me to be found this way? Then I would be either beaten or blackmailed... Ah, what a mistake.

"Ah, what a coincidence! I'm also in Class 6. I just took a few days off from school."

"Hey? Taking a leave of absence? Why?" Although I was a little scared, I couldn't suppress my curiosity and asked him.

And it's not just a few days off from school, it's half a month.

"Because of my punishment, they said I was disobedient and talked back to the teacher, so I was sent home on the first day of school."

After saying that, he didn't forget to laugh twice.

"...I happened to be traveling that day and didn't attend the opening ceremony. Otherwise, I would have definitely left a very deep impression of you. So it's unlikely that we would have known each other."

"Oh, really?" He nodded. "But since we're so compatible, how about becoming friends?"

"No."

"Hey~ why? Am I not sincere enough?" He actually showed a puzzled expression.

Are you really a bad boy? Ah... He didn't seem to say that he was a bad boy.

"No, for some reason, I have decided not to make friends anymore," I explained.

"Hmm...I see..." He nodded thoughtfully.

"I understand," he said to me with a smile, "Since you have your own reasons, I can't force you to be friends with me."

"Yes."

It seems that he is a very reasonable person.

"Let's just be brothers!"

"well?"

It seems like we might as well be friends.

"Hey, hey, it seems like we don't understand each other. Is it really okay to make such a hasty decision?" I couldn't help but feel a headache.

"Oh, yes." He snapped his fingers as if he suddenly realized something.

"What's your name?"

"Israel."

"Well, my name is...

, just call me Archer, then we won't be strangers, right?"

...I didn't know how to refute it for a moment.

"Ugh."

I could only sigh helplessly.

"Well, it seems you agree." He turned around and picked up the fallen car.

"Come on, we seem to be late." He looked at the watch on his wrist as he got on the bike.

"Oh, okay," I said and got in the back seat.

"Okay, let's go."

....................

"By the way, Archer, why did you quarrel with the teacher?"

I asked about it on the way.

Because I think he has a good personality and he won't take the initiative to cause trouble for the teachers in the new school.

"Ah... because of my hair," he laughed. "It's naturally brown, so people mistakenly thought I dyed it. Plus, my hair was too long at the time, so they ordered me to cut it short and then dye it black. Of course, I disagreed. A short cut was fine, but why did I have to dye my hair black? So we had an argument."

"Then you don't have to miss school for half a month, right?"

"Ah, I was just being angry... The punishment was only for a week, and my parents explained it to the school."

"Ah..." I didn't say anything else.

..............................

So he used the bike that hit me to take me to school.

By the way, he named the bicycle "Sephiroth".

We entered the class together, I was in the second row, and because he was absent, he was placed in the corner of the last row when the seats were arranged.

"Ah, he's here." "Why is Yi Sheji with that guy?" "Do they know each other?"

I heard the discussion as soon as I walked in... How boring. Well, considering Archer's fierce face and the things he did, it's understandable that others have a bad first impression of him.

"Hey, Sheji, why are you walking with him?"

A boy next to me asked me in a low voice.

"We met on the road, what happened?"

"Are you asking what's wrong? He's a bad boy. I advise you to stay away from him."

"Well, I think he's a nice guy."

Then I couldn't help but think of the conversation I had just had with him.

"You know people, but you don't know their hearts. It's better to be careful."

"Well, thank you for your concern." After saying that, I turned around and looked at Archer. He seemed to be flipping through the book absent-mindedly, with empty eyes and I didn't know what he was thinking.