Chapter 31

                                    

                                          
Kaede had started her book about a year ago and was not even close to where she wanted to be. The chapters were relatively long because Kaede wanted to mention small details that would only be important later. She also wanted to describe her characters as well as possible so that the reader could empathize with each person.
Here she had a bit of an advantage when it came to Chika and Megumi. As Kaede had not yet been with them anyway, she had had enough time to get to know them better over the past year to be able to convey their characters better in the novel.
And of course, Chika was another person Kaede wanted to write about. He wouldn't be quite as relevant as the other characters, but he would be an important person in Chika's life. Kozume Kenma, who would of course be given a different name like all the others.
"Kaede!" Chika called into the hallway that Kaede was about to enter. Her brown-green eyes looked at the gray-haired girl, who was extremely panicked and out of breath. "Megumi...she..." the girl gasped and held her hand to her chest.
"Take it easy, Chika. What's wrong and what happened?" Kaede wanted to know when Chika had taken a deep breath. "She ran off crying earlier when her classmates laughed at her new glasses." the girl managed to get out, causing Kaede to automatically clench her fist. Class 2-2 was just like the year before!
"Where was Atsumu?" the Tokoyami wanted to know, as he was in the same class. "As I understand it, he's still at morning training."
Kaede nodded in understanding. She would take care of Atsumu later, who, according to his statement, wanted to take care of Megumi in the first year. But she didn't have time now and ran straight to the art room.
Close behind her was Chika, who still had some blemishes on her face, but no longer to the extent that the girls wanted to beat her up. There were always days like this, when she was being done up, but only when Kaede wasn't around.
Pushing the door open, Kaede could already hear loud crying from the corner. Megumi had made some progress in the last few months, but this was now being set back. Her insecurity and fear had put the black-haired girl in this state. She had immediately lost her courage because of the comments.

"Hey, Megumi." Kaede addressed her friend and crouched down in front of her. "Leave me alone!" the girl cried, wanting to be alone again like she used to be. That was what she did best. Being inconspicuous, not defying anyone and putting up with these comments as best she could.
"Forget it." came from Kaede's lips, who had touched Megumi's cheeks with her hands and lifted her head high. "I'm not going anywhere."
Kaede had really learned one thing because of Kazumi. To be persistent and not to be sent away. Kaede didn't want to make that mistake again. ""They...they have..."
"I know." Kaede breathed softly, pushing her glasses up a little with the back of her hand to stroke her cheeks with her thumbs so that she could wipe away the tears. "They don't even know how good you look in them. They're real airheads, as usual."
Megumi sobbed slightly and tried to calm herself down somehow, which hadn't worked out so easily and she suddenly found herself in her friend's arms. Her long brown hair tickled her face lightly as she simply soaked her white blouse with her tears.
"Do you want me to spank them?" asked Kaede, stroking her hair. Actually, Kaede did it just like her grandmother had always done. "You...usually only get into trouble..." Megumi, who had felt incredibly comfortable, sniffled. Kaede had become something like an older sister to her, while Chika had really become her best friend.
"You'd better leave it alone. Don't let it get out of hand like it did with me back then." said Chika, who wanted to leave the situation to Kaede. After all, she was still the strongest among them and knew exactly what to do here. 
"You know that I would do something like that if you asked me to." Kaede said, thinking slightly, which made Megumi laugh a little. "I know..."
Kaede, who had stopped stroking her black mop of hair, smiled softly. "Better?" "Yes..." Megumi nodded slightly and detached herself from the girl who had been snubbed because of her.
"Sorry and...thanks..." Megumi said immediately, which made Kaede smile. "Not for that. That's what I'm here for. And next time, you come straight to me. Okay?"
"Promise..." Megumt smiled gently, who had just been glad that Kaede hadn't left right away, but had stayed with her.