The Ikemen's Saviors

Chapter One: The Meeting in Hell

It was a normal day in the assassination classroom, starting with a failed assassination attempt, a dull math lesson, some exhausting P.E., and a lesson of seduction. Finally, thank God, it was time for lunch, and the would-be assassins were defiantly ready for a break.

However, a certain class rep had, as usual, a meeting with the class representatives from A, B, C, and D. He was going alone, because 3-E's female class rep, Kataoka Megu, had a headache. When our dear Ikemen heard this, he insisted for her to stay and rest, while he went to the meeting. Megu tried to go against it, but Isogai was convinced she should stay.

This, my dear readers, was how Isogai Yuuma found himself in his situation.

Isogai ran down the mountain, cursing at himself for his tardiness. He had wasted valuable time convincing Megu-san to stay behind, and now he was late. The other class reps would be furious, no doubt. He would once again have to suffer through the terrible concoction they would make him drink, or horrible "game" they would make him play.

Not many people knew it—in fact, barely anyone who was not a representative knew what happened during those dreaded meetings—but the members of 3-E would often be forced to do some horribly demeaning "activity" for their amusement. Traditionally, Isogai and Megu, being the class reps, would take on the "challenge," and save their classmates the burden. Isogai, however, had a little secret of his own (apart from the one that got him kicked into Class E, and the one about him being an assassin, and the one about his home life, and, well, you get the idea). He told the other class reps, privately, to only make him suffer, and to leave Megu alone. He wasn't sure why, but they agreed to his demand, and only "played" with him.

Today, heading to the class meeting, and running late, with a pounding headache (a hypocrite, wasn't he?), he was one hundred percent certain that they would be absolutely brutal to him in their challenges. However, he had no choice but to submit to them, and "accept his duty." There was no way he could fight back, even if he wanted to, and, being the sweet kid that he was, he would never wish for the burden to fall upon his classmates, nor his fellow class rep.

Lost in his head, he wasn't looking at the path in front of him, and tripped the last few feet. Rolling down the mountain, he fell roughly onto the unforgiving ground, and felt searing pain run straight up his leg. Isogai almost sobbed when he realized his leg was broken, and he still had a meeting to get through, then climb back up the mountain, finish classes, and run back down to make it in time for work.

"I can't do this…" He whispered, a few tears rolling down his cheeks at the pain in his right leg. At least P.E. was in the mornings; he wouldn't have to fight hurt. Then, with a sickening feeling of bile rising in him, he realized they planned another assassination attempt after school. He really didn't believe he could make it through the day like this…

Slowly, painstakingly, he stood up and continued down the path. His leg ached and burned with every step, but he couldn't stop, couldn't slow down; 3-E was depending on him. He couldn't be weak; he couldn't depend on someone else, because everyone depended on him. He was the strong one, he was the leader, and he had to show everyone that he could do it, including himself. Isogai was crying as he ran—his leg hurt so, so much, and his head was pounding, and he couldn't breathe, and his lungs were burning, and his eyes were stinging, and his stomach was churning and threatening to rebel, and he didn't feel like he could take another step because every fiber of his body was on fire, his vision tinged black… And yet he kept placing one foot in front of the other, kept moving forward. He could do this; he had to do this.

Somehow, someway, he made it down the mountain, and sprinted to the meeting room, ignoring the jeering students, laughing at his disheveled appearance. Isogai, even in his bad state, managed to look put-together, and when he finally opened the door that haunted his nightmares, he was calm and collected once more.

The sight that greeted him was terrifying, demons sitting in the chairs in place of the students, all smiling viciously, and laughing like hyenas, watching him with beady, selfish eyes.

"So glad you could finally join us today, Isogai-kun. Where is Megu-chan?" Asano Gakushuu purred, looking as dangerous as both a snake and a tiger.

Swallowing his fear, Isogai replied firmly, "Kataoka-san has a headache; she sends her apologies for missing the meeting." He said nothing about his tardiness, as Asano ignored that completely. If Asano did not want to talk about it, he would oblige, and hopefully, they would forget all about it.

Alas, luck was not on his side today, nor was it ever, as Asano asked, "And of your appearance, Isogai-kun? You are late for our important meeting."

"I apologize, Asano-san, but I was waylaid by Megu-san's sickness," Isogai answered, hoping Asano would not press the matter.

Class C's female representative, Rumatsu Asami, leaned forward, her pretty features obscured by the light. "Isogai-chan, but why are you so disheveled~? You look horrible…" She hissed, coiling up like a snake, ready to sink her fangs into her helpless prey.

"Rumatsu-san, I beg your pardon for my looks, but the path I had to take was very unstable and dangerous. It took me awhile to arrive at the main building safely." Isogai said, cringing at the pain in his leg, as well as the embarrassment that enveloped him for saying such things.

"Well, if your looks are anything to go by, I think you look much better now than before. You always were a hideous creature!" Hamaya Katsumi, the Class A female representative, laughed. Her statement invoked laughter from the other reps, causing Isogai to flush.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please, calm down," Asano's words hushed the room, shocking Isogai. Was he defending him? "It's not his fault he is so stupid he was sent to E class—oh, wait, it is."

Isogai turned an even brighter red, as the room absolutely roared with mocking laughter, taunting him from all sides. How could he have as stupid as to think that Asano, the person who wanted to bring him down the most of all, would defend him? Even worse, his vision chose that moment to tinge black, as pain washed over him, crashing into his entire body like a tsunami, the source of pain being his leg. He stopped himself from stumbling, just barely, and managed to calm down enough to ignore the pain by taking deep, controlled breathes. Isogai tuned back in to the conversation, just in time for it all to go to hell.

"PAY ATTENTION TO US WHEN WE ADRESS YOU!" A voice yelled, and a hand slapped him across the face, causing him to fall backwards, landing badly on his broken leg. His vision blacked out, and he cried out from the pain. Blood rushed to his face, and he cupped his cheek, hissing at the sting. Isogai had no time to adjust, because a hand grasped at the front of his shirt, and tugged him up, choking him. He scrabbled in the tight grip, trying to get away, but his efforts were in vain, and all he managed to do was get a punch to the stomach, making him cough up some blood.

'Ishiko Dai, class B, captain of the martial arts team. He's a big guy, and absolutely hates class E, so I'm his number one target.' Isogai thought, his head pounding, making his mind scramble up, and nothing made sense anymore but the pain that was attacking him from all sides, and the taunting, high-pitched voices of the girls, mixed with the boy's angry yells.

"You little jerk—" Amaya, C's female rep, shrieked in a voice identical to a banshee's, as she slapped him across the face.

"Stupid, dumb idiot—" Marui, also from Class C, was a nerdy, mousy boy, but that didn't mean his words didn't scar Isogai just as much as the pain of physical attacks.

"Can't believe it—" Shinga Aoi, Class B's female rep. Her reputation was horrible, and the things he had heard about her made him cringe.

"Wasn't listening—" Ishiko once again punched him harshly, cursing at him all the while. Isogai thought he heard something crack, and he was sure he had, at least, a few broken ribs by now.

"To us—" Asano had decided to get his hands dirty as well, Isogai realized, because who else had violet eyes at this school?

"Thinking he's better than us—" By now, they were all yelling, and screaming, and Isogai's whole body hurt so, so much, and why didn't anyone hear the commotion? Couldn't they hear the taunting, the cruel words? Couldn't they hear his begging? Couldn't they help him, couldn't they save him?

Did they even care?

Isogai's last conscious thoughts were, 'Koro-sensei? Karasuma-sensei? Bitch-sensei? Hiroto? Help me; please help me! I don't want to die…'

Then his whole world went black, and he sank into the darkness with ease, as the dark promised peace, it promised tranquility. The darkness promised an end to all his pain, it promised a new beginning. He welcomed the darkness, if only to end his pain and sorrow, to forget his broken heart, and shattered soul, and to become numb to the constant pain, as his bones creaked and cracked, and his fragile skin ripped. He welcomed the darkness, if only to forget all of his problems, and tune out all the mocking words that scarred him on the inside, and the punches that broke his bones, and the slaps that bruised him, as his spirit slowly gave up. Isogai Yuuma sank into the darkness, giving up all control.

Still, he didn't want to die…

Help me, please…

Someone…

Anyone…

Hiroto…

Please...

Then it all went black, and Isogai Yuuma knew no more.