The courtyard buzzed with the clatter of lunchboxes, but my moment of triumph with the Flying Dragon Leather was overshadowed by the vice principal's ear-splitting shrieks. Across the lawn, my former classmates from Class 1-20 picked at their meals, their faces sour as they stole glances at me, surrounded by Monaka, Akemi, and Shinobuko. Weiss, their self-proclaimed leader, polished his glasses obsessively, muttering to himself as if trying to erase the sight of me.
"I must be exhausted," Weiss grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "This new school, the workload, it's making me see things." He convinced himself Monaka's kindness was mere pity for a childhood friend, but Akemi's presence, her radiant beauty drawing every eye, defied his logic. "And Shinobuko, Monaka's protector, feeding him? It's a hallucination, plain and simple."
Beside him, Monsoon and Sheaves glowered, their jealousy practically steaming off them. "That trash is getting cocky," Monsoon hissed, his fists clenched as he fixated on Shinobuko, his dream girl, offering me a sausage. "Akemi-san ignores me, but fawns over him?" Sheaves whined, his voice thick with resentment. "I've tried everything, and she won't even glance my way!"
The girls in Class 1-20 weren't faring much better, their whispers sharp with indignation. "Leopin was obsessed with me back in our class," Carol spat, her eyes narrowing as she watched the three girls feed me. "He's my toy, and they're stealing him without permission!" Her friend smirked, teasing, "What, Carol, jealous?" Carol's face flushed as she snapped, "No! I'm just pissed he's acting so high and mighty!"
Weiss, sensing the class's fracturing morale, stood abruptly, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Enough gossip. We're going after the Flying Dragon Leather." Monsoon protested, "But what about the vice-eating mushrooms that Leopin warned us were poisonous yesterday? Also, the principal said it's magically disguised for a week!" Weiss scoffed, adjusting his glasses with a sage's arrogance. "That's for ordinary fools like you. I'll find it in a day."
The class rallied behind Weiss's confidence, mocking me as they rose. "Leopin thinks waving some random cloth makes him president," Sheaves sneered. "He's too dumb to realize how pathetic he looks." Laughter erupted, their scorn a familiar sting, but I ignored them, savoring the last of Monaka's chicken as they stormed off, oblivious that the leather was already mine.
Night fell, and Class 1-20's frantic search for the Flying Dragon Leather yielded nothing but sore feet and frayed tempers. Locked out of the school building, they slumped before the main gate, exhausted from scouring every corner. Weiss, undeterred, rallied them with a fanatic's zeal. "We can't enter the building, but the grounds and gardens are fair game. Keep looking!"
Carol collapsed onto the grass, her voice sharp with frustration. "I can't walk another step, Weiss! It's late!" Monsoon joined in, glaring. "You said we'd find it in a day, but you're making us search all night?" Weiss's eyes flashed with disdain. "I expected competence, not whining. If you can't keep up, you don't deserve to eat."
The class's mood soured, teetering on mutiny, until Sheaves intervened, flipping open his backpack with a grin. "Let's eat, then. I've got us covered." He revealed a pile of mushrooms, proudly declaring, "I foraged these in the forest yesterday—enough for a feast!" Carol's eyes lit up, and even Weiss relented, impressed by Sheaves's foresight. "Fine, a break for your resourcefulness."
Unbeknownst to them, the mushrooms Sheaves had gathered were the same toxic ones I'd warned them against during yesterday's hunt. As they prepared their ill-fated meal under the starlit gate, their laughter echoed, unaware of the danger lurking in their hands. Meanwhile, I sat back in the courtyard, the Flying Dragon Leather secure, wondering how long it would take for their reckless hunt to unravel.