The One Who Kills Time

Please tell me, tell me...

I stop my alarm and instantly regret my action. Urg... I should have waited for the whole song to finish before turning it off... I pick up my phone from my bedside table and look at the time. 6:15am. Guess I have some time. I connect my earphones to my phone, choose "Unveil" on my music playlist and put on my earphones before preparing to leave for school.

You know, it would have been great if I had a little sister or something to wake me up in the morning. No, scratch that. Purify me of the imouto genre gaining popularity in anime! Even if that happened, that would just mean that I cannot listen to my anime songs first thing in the morning while laying in bed. Not that I managed to do that today. Slip-ups like these are a part of life, in the end, even if you can't do it in bed, you can do it while moving around. Wait, that sounded a little wrong.

Purify me, please!

I quickly brushed my teeth and changed into my school uniform. Man, it sure is convenient having uniforms. Not only does it make life easier by not having me choose which anime t-shirt and jeans to wear to school, but it also strips other students of their individuality. They are unable to needlessly show off their fashion sense. Just to defend myself, when I wear my anime t-shirts, it is purely to advertise my personal favourite anime, or light novel series such as "My Life Is Wrong As I Expected", also known as "Mistake". The main character in that series is indeed my role model.

I got out of my house, slipped on my shoes and headed for school. The place where students meet and gather to idle their time away talking about useless things such as romance and sports. Male students congregate to talk about soccer, games and other useless stuff like girls that they will probably never date.

I know boys are generally known to be perverted but do they literally have to always be commenting on a girl's body? Perhaps it's because I'm an anime fan but I really could not care less about a real 3D girl's physical appearance. I guess having seen anime female characters, it kind of puts everyone in reality on the same standard. The 3D standard.

I'm a perfectly normal and functioning human being. Do not question me.

On the other hand, female students talk about well... boys they like and other useless things? I've never really listened in on a conversation between girls within my one year in Junior College. Before entering Junior College, I was stuck in all-boys schools, so I had no previous opportunities prior.

Damn it! I can't rightfully flame girl talk because I don't even know what it's like!

Just kidding, I don't really care.

I mean, even now being in a co-ed school, I still talk to practically no one outside of work. The only times I talk to others is when they need help for something or when I need help for something. Mutually beneficial transactions so to speak.


Transactions in which gender doesn't matter.

You could say I'm at the forefront of gender equality here!

Anyways, the fact is, I've never really heard much of what girls talk about. Since coming to Junior College, classrooms are not fixed anymore so I could not just idle in class waiting for the next period while eavesdropping on others. Most of the time, I'm rushing from lecture room to lecture room while the rest of my classmates stroll to the next class giving me more time alone in the lecture room to prepare my things for the next class. Even though I say eavesdropping, it really is quite impossible to not hear what others are talking about when they are literally shouting at each other. Seriously, do they only have a maximum and minimum speaking volume with no in-between?

Honestly, that's why I end up spending most of my time in the library. At least in the library, students are forced to remain silent.

There are even isolated cubicles!

Perfect for someone who wants some peace and quiet to study. Or you know, watch an episode or so of anime...

Unlike most loners in anime, I'm not exactly that keen to observe others because I generally could not care less about others unless they make a direct impact on my peaceful life. Especially since I have things I want to-

Eek!

The bus I got on while I was engaging in my monologue jerked to stop at a traffic light.

Unfortunately, a girl did not lean against me by accident with the sudden jerk giving rise to a romantic encounter.

Well, even though I spent quite a bit of brain juice and time reflecting on my view of the gathering of young humans in the place called "school", I'm still on the bus heading to Ribbison Junior College. To be needlessly specific, I'm still half an hour away from school. Well... approximately. At least the bus isn't that crowded so I can still use my phone... to listen to music. Who am I kidding, at this time in the morning with everyone heading to work and school this crowd is something to be expected. At least on the bus, most people are quiet and likewise listening to their own music through their earphones. The fortunate ones who managed to grab a seat have the privilege of actually using their phones though.

Some of them watch k-dramas or Chinese dramas. Other shameless people like me watch anime too. Why shameless? Well, I love anime myself so to say such a thing hurts my soul a little. However, it cannot be helped because it takes resolve to watch anime in public where everyone can see. Anime just loves their fan-service you see, there is bound to be zoom-ins on girls breasts or butts no matter what anime you watch. Sometimes girls play with each other's breasts and there are scenes where the male protagonist always ends up on top of one of the female characters because of some "unfortunate accidents". Major respect to those who can watch beach/pool episodes on public transport. Even more to those who watch really old anime that have no qualms about showing uncensored nudity.

Of course, I'm not saying that anime does not have a fair share of good plot and great characters. For example, My Life Is Wrong As I Expected. Sorry, I'm really fixated on that series because it is seriously my all-time favourite. Let me think of how to explain why it's so good...

Ah!

It's finally my stop. I push my way through the crowd of office workers and students of other schools to tap out and exit the bus. Finally, I am free from the crowd and can exercise my legs that have been stationary throughout the hour-long bus ride. I check my watch, it is 7:20am. Luckily, I still have 20 more minutes before assembly. I stroll into school, walking past cliques gathered at benches scattered throughout the school as if to invite such groups to form.

By the time I reached the assembly hall where the principal and other teachers address the students in the morning, there was a fair share of people inside the hall already. I went to the seats allocated to my class and waited for my song to finish before keeping my earphones and phone away.

With perfect timing, assembly began.