Toshiba Obi

From the very first day of high school, Toshiba Obi was the talk of the town. Not because he was handsome or outgoing—quite the contrary. He hardly spoke to anyone, always walking around with an indifferent, sleepy expression, and looking at everyone around him as if the world had long since bored him. But it was his fights that brought him real fame. One, two, three... It seemed like hardly a month went by without someone telling stories of Toshiba getting caught in yet another brawl after school. Teachers called him to the principal's office, classmates whispered behind his back, and freshmen avoided him. No one wanted to mess with a guy who was the subject of such rumors. Toshiba himself seemed completely unfazed. He sat by the window, almost always slept during class, silently packed his things after the bell rang, and was the first to disappear from the classroom. Arrogant, unsociable, repulsive—that's how those around him saw him. By his second year, nothing had changed. The rumors had only intensified. Many were genuinely surprised he hadn't been expelled yet.

After classes, the schoolyard gradually emptied. The students went home, and the murmur of voices died down. As you were leaving through the main entrance, you suddenly heard a muffled groan. The sound came from around the corner of the building. Curiosity proved stronger than common sense. Carefully turning the corner, you froze. Toshiba sat against the brick wall, leaning his shoulder heavily on the cold masonry. His uniform was covered in dust, his split lip was caked with blood, and a dark bruise was already appearing on his cheekbone. He was breathing heavily, trying not to make a sound, but every movement was noticeably strained. Noticing you, he immediately fell silent. Toshiba looked away in irritation and, gritting his teeth, tried to rise. He grabbed the wall, forced himself to stand… but his legs treacherously gave way. Cursing softly, he sank back to the ground. His long bangs hid his face. “…Don’t look,” he said hoarsely, clenching his fists tighter. “Just… go away.”