𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐶𝑂𝑁𝐶𝐸𝑃𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐵𝐸𝐺𝑈𝐼𝐿𝐼𝑁𝐺 ┊ 𝐻𝐴𝐽𝐼𝑀𝐸 𝐼𝑊𝐴𝐼𝑍𝑈𝑀𝐼

𝟮𝟳 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

┅ ┅ ┅

Iwaizumi didn't come to get Naomi in the morning. She knew perhaps time was running out for her and this situation, especially with Riko now knowing the truth.
She was able to return to school with a boot due to her broken ankle and a worried heart.

Other than Iwaizumi not being by her side, the day felt relatively normal.
The strange parts slowly started to appear as the hours passed.
Riko obviously was never going to talk to her again, but more and more people were beginning to use her name.
She'd hear it entering the classroom and passing by others in the hallway.
Her name was in everyone's conversations it seemed.
Their eyes watched the back of her head, making her legs tremble and her skin heat up at the intensity of their stares.
Naomi realized something was wrong.

When she started to exit the classroom, Riko and Oikawa exited quickly, while others around her desk gave her small glares before leaving themselves.
With a confused grumble, she left the room and began a slow descent down the stairs with only one foot. However, there was a group waiting in the stairwell for her who hindered her from continuing.
"Itsuwaru?"
She looked up, hand tightly grasped on the handle.
"Yeah?"
A few girls stood before her, arms crossed and faces of disgust plastered on them.
"Is it true?"
Naomi shifted her eyes between them.
"Is what true?"
"About you and Iwaizumi-Kun?"

Her throat clogged up, speaking thickly.
"I—I don't understand?"
"You don't like Iwaizumi-Kun, isn't that right?"
Naomi's eyes widened, the cold of the stair-handle burning her skin.
"Who—who told you that?"
"Uragiri-Chan," a girl replied, twisting her ponytail between her fingers, "so is it true?"
Naomi was tongue twisted. Riko? She told people?
"Geez. It's an easy question, bitch."
"It's obvious based on her silence."

Naomi tried to push past them, hand pale and shaking.
"You really thought Oikawa-Kun would like you?" They pulled her back, fingernails digging into her. She kept her eyes down, breathing shallow as they harassed her. "Have you seen yourself?"
"How could you do that to someone?"
"Are you fucking heartless?"
A slap hit her face, "look at me, bitch!"
Turning up her red face, Naomi started to cry.
"What are you crying for? You're a fucking monster."

She shook her head, trying to pull away.
"Stop it!" She jerked in their grasps. "Please stop!"
"Break up with him!"
"Stop toying with him!"
The girls surrounded her, clawing as she tried to get away.
"Hey!"
They stopped their taunts at the loud, booming voice coming from the bottom of the stairs.
"Leave her alone!"
"Iwaizumi!" One of the girls pointed to Naomi and her crying face, "you need to-"
"Shut up."

He climbed up to them, pulling Naomi to his chest.
"Do you girls believe everything you hear?"
They blushed at his stern face, his arm wrapped around his girlfriend's shoulder.
"But—she?"
"I'd appreciate it if you leave my girlfriend alone. She's injured and has had a rough week."
Before they could put another word in, Iwaizumi helped her down the stairs, accompanying her home before his volunteering.