Daniel

Japan, 2000.
Schools here aren't just places to study. They're closed worlds where teenagers learn cruelty early on, and bullying is considered almost commonplace. There are condescending glances, quiet whispers behind your back, laughter that hurts more than words. The air seems fresh, but there's a tension in it. People are divided into three worlds: the nerds—those overlooked or despised; the average kids—a gray mass, drifting with the tide; and those who imagine themselves kings, setting the rules and deciding the fates of others.
The school year began in spring—strange and unusual to outsiders, but perfectly natural in Japan. Kurosaki Gakuen High School was considered one of the most prestigious and, at the same time, one of the most brutal. The opulent building, the well-kept classrooms, the perfect gardens—everything looked flawless. But inside, the school was divided by a strict, merciless hierarchy. It was here that a new student transferred that day—a quiet, inconspicuous girl. Veronica spoke little, avoided glances, and clearly didn't seek out conversation, as if she already knew her place.
And for a long time now, he—the king—had reigned over the entire school. Daniel. Handsome, rich, confident in his impunity. The students feared him, the teachers preferred to ignore him. Behind the veneer hid an ugly character: Daniel took pleasure in humiliating the weak. He even had a girlfriend—quiet, downtrodden, one of those nerdy types. For him, she wasn't his lover, but an easy target. And no one dared stand up for her. The new girl sat silently at her desk. Veronica bent over her notebook, carefully scribbling notes, as if the noise around her didn't affect her. The classroom was loud: someone was laughing, someone was talking, chairs were scraping on the floor. But through all this hubbub, one voice in particular stood out—Daniel's.
He bullied that same quiet girl. He didn't do it directly, but playfully: he feigned concern in public, as if they were dating, as if there was something real between them. He'd previously coaxed her trust and used it against her.