Dandadan : Awkward Guy

[1st POV]

The restaurant was only a few minutes walk from the school gate so many students used to come here. It has become like a second cafeteria at this point, with the customers being mostly us students.

But at this time when it was already dark, it was rare to see students still wearing uniform dining. The restaurant was bustling with life, the main customers being office workers who had come to dine with their friends and co-workers for dinner.

They were quite loud as the alcohol brought out a wild side of the uptight Japanese men.

Amidst that atmosphere, we sat in one corner, looking a little out of place yet fitting right in. The second owner of the restaurant might as well be students so we were not nervous even with the adults.

"Man would you cut it out with the ice? It's getting in the way," one guy, a man with spiky green hair and glasses said while shoving the one sitting beside him.

"Why don't you go sit somewhere else if you were so annoyed?" the guy whom I just fought said with a mouth full of food. He was pressing an ice pack on his right cheek.

The one with glasses and dark green hair was Hakaru and the guy I fought was called Fujita. His hair was dark purple, looking almost black in certain angles.

"Look at Takakura, you beat him much worse and he ain't bitching like you," Hakaru snarked back.

"Oh please, we have an entirely different background. Can you imagine how my parents would react when they see me come home with a swelling cheek? They'd go right to the principal to complain," Fujita grumbled.

The place where we dined was in a hidden corner. It was their usual spot but since I had joined this time, the seats were more packed than on other days.

"How are you going to explain it to your parents?" another dude who sat on the other side of Fujita asked. He was a big fellow, bigger than even Fujita.

He had brown hair and was on the chubby side. He introduced himself as Po-chan and I didn't get his real name. It was a cute nickname for someone who looked like he could eat me.

"I'll just tell them that I fell while training football. But for that, I need to make the injuries look normal and not look like I got them from a fight," Fujita said, giving a clever smirk.

"What if they don't believe you and decide to investigate by calling the coach," the final dude who sat beside me asked. He was very skinny compared to the other two. He had black hair that reached past his ears.

His name was Megumin. And he looked as feminine as his name sounded.

There was also one guy who came to watch the fight but he went home early. I think the guy was not in the friend group and was just hanging around. They didn't look close.

In conclusion, they were the average male friend group. The fat guy, the nerd, the charismatic and the femboy.

"You don't think they would actually do that, do you?" Fujita asked.

"Well, that depends on how convincing you are. I think you should say someone hit you with the ball instead of falling down. It made more sense with the bruises on your face," Hakaru said while pushing his glasses.

"Really? You think that'd work better?"

"It's a better idea," Megumin said, "Should I hit you in the face with a ball to make it more convincing? You know, hide the injury from the fight with bigger injuries,"

"That's a horrible idea," Fujita said.

"Actually....." Hakaru said, sly eyes glinting behind his glasses.

"AcTuaLLy....no. I ain't doing that. I don't care what you say," Fujita mocked and denied before his friend could make a point.

I kept on watching in silence as the friends bickered amongst each other. I was not silent out of choice. My mouth was stuffed to the brim with chicken as I devoured the food in front of me.

They invited me to join them for dinner after we washed up on the school grounds. I was not very keen on being so friendly with them as although I did not want them as enemies, I also did not want them as friends.

But my opinion ceased to be important the moment they mentioned they would pay for me. Who cares about how you feel when you are offered free food?

Heck, I'll dine with Hitler for free food because honestly, I was tired of eating the foods I cooked. I was a horrible cook.

"Hey Takakura, why don't you say something? You were the one who caused me this problem in the first place," Fujita said.

I did my best to deadpan at him with one eye. My other eye was swollen and purple.

He was not really serious in his statement and only wanted me to join the conversation. His fake glare soon melted when he saw my bruised face and he laughed.

"That's not funny," I said.

During a fight, the injuries you get do not have time to show themselves. It was only after the fight that your body revealed the true extent of your injuries.

Now I looked exactly like how I feel. Like shit.

"Oh man, again, I'm sorry dude. I didn't know I caused that much damage. I thought you were fine since you kept coming at me no matter what I threw at you," Fujita said in dying laughter.

"You had the reach advantage and two weight classes above me. Of course, you caused damage," I said.

"Although you don't seem to have experience in fighting, your striking was pretty good," I complimented while wincing a bit when I took a big bite of my chicken.

"You didn't know? Fujita is a black belt in karate," Po the big fella said.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, I thought everyone knew since he kept on boasting about it," Po shrugged.

"Hey!! I never boast about learning karate," Fujita said, getting looks from his friends.

"My parents forced me to learn karate since I was a child that's all," he said while looking at me.

"Make sense then, how you fought so well while at the same time, you look like you've never been in an actual fight," I replied.

"Yeah, I thought I was hot shit until you beat my ass," he admitted.

"Ever watch the UFC?" I asked.

"No,"

"You should look it up. A fighter from UFC, Daniel Cormier was where I learned the technique I used on you. He was a small guy fighting in the heavyweight category. His opponents were always taller and had longer reach, so the same technique worked in our fight," I said.

"Interesting, I'll look it up," he said.

We engaged in a boyish conversation after that. We talked about fights, cars, girls, and anything that boys would share a common interest on. We still did not know each other well so we talked about those common topics.

While talking to them, I never once forget my main priority.

"More teriyaki chicken please," I said to the waiter. I was already beyond full at this point but I could fit more if I stopped taking deep breaths, probably..

"You are taking revenge on my wallet too huh," Fujita said with a chuckle but he didn't look like he cared that much.

I mean why should he care? Everyone knew he was a rich guy.

"At that point does it even taste good?" Megumin asked me from the side.

"There seems to be a misunderstanding. I eat for sustenance not to enjoy the food," I said in a serious tone that got laughter out of the boys.

"Is that why you only eat chicken?" Fujita asked and I nodded.

"More protein," I said, causing them to laugh more.

I was actually 80% serious even though they didn't believe it.

I have trained for three months and during this time I made phenomenal progress due to beginner's gain. But now that I was coming off that phase, it would be harder to gain muscles. I needed as much protein as I could get.

Like I said before, I was not given much pocket money to buy specific food so I was taking advantage of the situation.

"Man, you are actually a cool guy. I would've never guessed with how you behave in class," he said.

"You guys are not absolute douche either," I said with a nod.

They were horrible for the way they treated Okarun. But they probably never even thought about the gravity of the situation because Okarun never showed it.

They were dumb teenagers but not evil.

My order came to me again and I went back to eating. The guys already finished their food and waited a few more minutes for me to finish mine. Then we all left the restaurant together.

"See you tomorrow Takakura," they said and waved at me while I went opposite their path.

I ended the day on a good note.

..

..

..

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"Finally," I sighed, flopping on the bed like a corpse.

My room was brightly lit up and you could see many posters about sci-fi anime and alien posters plastered on my wall.

It looked like the average room with a computer, study table, cupboard, closet and all that. The only unique feature of the room was the telescope pointing out from the window, looking out at the night sky.

I remained unmoving on my bed. I haven't even changed out of my dirty uniform stained with blood and dirt.

I looked up at the ceiling and finally allowed myself to feel the emptiness in my heart.

After three months, the pain in my heart had turned empty and hollow.

An extreme sense of loneliness engulfed my whole being. It was different from being homesick or ordinary loneliness.

It was a feeling you could get only when you were realities apart from where you belonged.

I was so lonely.

More than I could put into words.

Before today, I busied myself in training and fixing the situation I was in. But now that I was finally done and my mind had nothing to be hyper focused on, it all came crashing down.

"..damn it," I muttered as I felt warm liquid spill from my eyes.

I missed them. I missed my home so dearly.

Unlike all the isekai protagonists I've read in the past, I had a wonderful life back home. I had families who meant everything to me and friends who would die for me.

I was hopeful for the future as well. There was this girl I really liked for years and we were chatting daily, our relationship getting closer and closer as something more buds between us.

I was studying hard for the final exams, having already picked out a college and aiming to get the required marks.

My life was just starting before I got thrown into this messed-up situation.

I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to leave them behind. What I had was priceless and I wouldn't trade it for a hundred wishes.

Now I have nothing.

..

..

"I'll get back," I said and closed my eyes to allow myself to feel every emotion spiralling in my heart.

I picked them out one by one and identified them, fear, anger, sadness, anxiety, and loneliness. I wanted to know exactly how I felt and dealt with the emotions accordingly.

Dandadan universe was supernatural. I'm sure if I turned this world upside down, I would find what was responsible for what happened to me.

And I'll find a way home.

I hoped so.

They said where there is a will, there is a way.

Let's put that to the test.

I opened my eyes and when I did, my eyes were focused on a goal. They held determination under the sadness.

..

..

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Note : Stones will be much appreciated🙏🙏