Chapter 4: Navigating the Storm

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Hange stood up, his hand still wrapped around mine. As we filed out of the classroom, the popular girls, led by Akane, fell into step beside us, their eyes fixed on me with a mixture of curiosity and hostility. Hange's grip on my hand tightened, and I could sense his tension, his body language a clear warning to the girls to back off. But Akane just smiled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, well, well, look what we have here," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The freak and her guardian angel." I felt a surge of anger at her words, but Hange just pulled me closer, his arm wrapping protectively around my shoulders. "Leave her alone, Akane," he said, his voice low and even. "She's not bothering you." Akane snorted. "Oh, I'm not bothering her? She's the one who's bothering everyone else with her...condition." She glanced at me, her eyes lingering on my face, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something else there, something that looked almost like pity. But it was quickly replaced by her usual sneer. "You think you're so special, don't you, Hange? You think you're some kind of hero for taking on this...freak as your girlfriend." Hange's expression didn't change, but I could sense his anger, his body tensing like a coiled spring. "I'm not doing it for anyone's approval, Akane," he said, his voice calm and steady. "I'm doing it because I care about her." Akane laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "You care about her? You don't even know her." I felt a pang of hurt at her words, but Hange just pulled me closer. "I know her better than you think, Akane," he said, his eyes glinting with a challenge. "And I know that she's not a freak. She's just...different." Akane raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Different? That's one way to put it." The hallway was filling up with students, and the noise level was growing, but I felt like we were in a bubble, isolated from the rest of the world. Hange's arm around me was a shield, protecting me from Akane's barbed words. As we turned a corner, I saw a flyer on the bulletin board. It was an advertisement for the school's upcoming festival, and it featured a bold headline: "The freak show is coming to town!" I felt a surge of anger and humiliation, but Hange just pulled me closer. "Hey, it's okay," he said, his voice soft. "We'll face it together." I looked up at him, and for a moment, I felt a sense of peace. With Hange by my side, I knew I could face anything. But as we walked away from the bulletin board, I couldn't help but wonder what other challenges lay ahead, and whether I was ready to face them. The hallway seemed to stretch out before us like a gauntlet, filled with obstacles and unknown dangers. But with Hange's hand in mine, I felt like I could navigate anything, no matter how daunting. And as we walked, the sound of our footsteps echoed through the hallway, a steady beat that seemed to pulse with a newfound sense of determination.