Chapter 52: Chapter 12:(Mistake. Don’t Unlock)

In the dim corner of the old gym storage room, far from the watchful eyes of teachers and security cameras, a small group of male students huddled together.

The single flickering bulb above them cast long, jittering shadows across their faces, giving their whispers a sinister weight.

Their voices were low, rough with nervous excitement as they discussed their plan.

"Taking Suzune won’t be easy," one of them muttered, his tone filled with irritation. "That bastard Kageyama Seijirou is always around her. The moment we even get close, he’s glaring like a damn hawk."

"Yeah," another added, cracking his knuckles. "We’ll need a distraction. Someone’s gotta keep Kageyama busy. If we’re lucky, we can corner her when she goes home. But she’s got sharp instincts, one wrong move and she’ll break our bones. So we need more people."

They all knew Suzune’s reputation. She wasn’t just a pretty face or an ordinary gyaru student.

She was dangerous. Even the delinquents stayed clear after rumors spread about her knocking out two upperclassmen who tried to touch her.

"Still," a third voice said, quieter but laced with unease, "is she really... suitable to be a miko?"

At once, the mood shifted. The air in the cramped room turned cold and several pairs of eyes snapped toward the speaker with contempt.

"What the hell are you saying?" one of them snarled, standing up so fast that his chair scraped against the floor. "Are you doubting His Holiness? Are you questioning our beliefs?"

"N-no, that’s not it," the boy stammered, backing away, sweat forming on his forehead. "I—I just meant... every miko before her was a virgin. Suzune’s... she’s different, right? She’s always with that guy, Kageyama. She clings to him every day. You really think he hasn’t already—"

He didn’t finish. Another member raised his hand and slapped it to his cheek, leaving a hot red hand print.

The boy couldn’t even react, the slap came hard and fast, echoing across the room. Feeling the pain, he immediately fell silent, clutching his cheek, his body trembling.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then one of the older ones, clearly the leader of this group and also the one who slapped the boy, exhaled slowly and leaned forward.

"Whether she’s pure or not doesn’t matter," he said calmly, though his tone carried a dark edge. "Suzune’s just an offering, she’s not the chosen one. At best, she’s a side dish, an extra."

A murmur rippled through the group.

"That’s right," another said, realization dawning on his face. "Our true miko... is Tachibana Rei."

At that name, silence filled the room. Even the flickering light seemed to steady for a moment.

Tachibana Rei. The bright, cheerful first-year girl who smiled at everyone, who greeted strangers without fear, who always stayed late after school to help clean up.

She was beautiful, radiant even, a complete contrast to the grim ritual these boys whispered about.

But such radiance is something they all love to taint. To see a once bright and innocent maiden fall into depravity...there is no more greater pleasure than that!

Their breathing quickened as the thought of her filled their minds, her laughter, her gentle tone, her kindness.

To them, it was proof that she was destined for their "holy purpose."

The leader finally smirked, his expression warped in the dim light. "Suzune will just be our appetizer. But Rei... Rei is the one the holiness truly desires."

Their whispers turned into low, fanatic murmurs.

And as the light above them flickered one last time before dying completely, the dark room was filled with nothing but their heavy breathing and the sound of something, someone, chuckling quietly in the shadows.

*

*

*

The bell rang, sharp and echoing through the hallways, signaling the end of another dull day of classes.

Without waiting for anyone to move, Seijirou Kageyama stood up from his seat, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked straight out of the room.

His classmates barely got a glance, with a few whispering as he passed, but he didn’t care. His focus was elsewhere, his mind a constant hum of calculation and awareness as he thought of Suzune.

The hallway outside was already crowded with students.

Voices overlapped, laughter bounced off the walls, and the faint scent of sweat still lingered in the air.

Seijirou weaved through the chaos effortlessly, his steps silent and precise.

As he turned down one of the quieter corridors, he felt the usual relief of escaping the crowd, until he collided with something heavy.

The impact wasn’t much, but the sound that followed was. Papers went flying everywhere like white birds startled into the air, fluttering across the polished floor.

Seijirou stopped, blinking once before his gaze dropped. On the ground, groaning as he tried to gather himself, was none other than Vice Principal Aguri Basuta.

The man was exactly as unpleasant as Seijirou remembered: short, round, balding in patches that reflected the hallway lights like oily glass.

His cheap suit strained against his belly, and sweat glistened on his forehead even though the corridor wasn’t warm.

For a moment, Seijirou just stared down at him, his expression unreadable.

Then the thought crossed his mind—What the hell is this? A romcom bumping cliché? His cheek twitched.

The scene looked straight out of one of those trashy anime introductions, except this version had the worst possible casting.

Basuta chuckled nervously, brushing dust off his pants. "Ah—Kageyama, my apologies! I didn’t see you there."

Seijirou said nothing.

He just watched as the man bent over, wheezing slightly as he picked up his scattered documents one by one.

Papers covered half the corridor, some slipping under lockers, others sticking to the damp tiles.

"Vice principal, let us help."

Immediately, various students gathered and picking up the papers slowly and stacking them up. Their numbers blocking the way.

Basuta thanked them as he continued, breathing heavily each time he crouched down, with his round stomach pressed against his thighs.

The sound of rustling papers mixed with the faint squeak of his shoes.

Seijirou’s brow twitched. If he walked now, he’d step all over those papers and would even have to push these students who had helped him aside.

But if he waited, he’d be wasting time watching this pathetic scene unfold.

He exhaled quietly, turned on his heel, and started walking the other way.

Help him? Not a chance.

That disgusting bastard could rot for all he cared. A man like Basuta, with his fake smile and greasy tone, didn’t deserve an ounce of sympathy.

Seijirou had seen enough of this guy in the game. And even in real life, he hated those who hid their filth behind politeness.

As he rounded the next corner, his steps suddenly halted.

A sharp chill ran down his spine as his instincts flared, warning him like an electric jolt.

In that split second, he ducked.

A metallic whoosh sliced through the air where his head had just been, followed by a deafening clang! as a metal bat slammed into the wall beside him, cracking the plaster.

The air vibrated from the force, and dust drifted down from the ceiling.

Seijirou’s eyes narrowed as he straightened, gaze flicking toward the attacker.

Whoever it was... they hadn’t come to play around.

In the dim corner of the old gym storage room, far from the watchful eyes of teachers and security cameras, a small group of male students huddled together.

The single flickering bulb above them cast long, jittering shadows across their faces, giving their whispers a sinister weight.

Their voices were low, rough with nervous excitement as they discussed their plan.

"Taking Suzune won’t be easy," one of them muttered, his tone filled with irritation. "That bastard Kageyama Seijirou is always around her. The moment we even get close, he’s glaring like a damn hawk."

"Yeah," another added, cracking his knuckles. "We’ll need a distraction. Someone’s gotta keep Kageyama busy. If we’re lucky, we can corner her when she goes home. But she’s got sharp instincts, one wrong move and she’ll break our bones. So we need more people."

They all knew Suzune’s reputation. She wasn’t just a pretty face or an ordinary gyaru student.

She was dangerous. Even the delinquents stayed clear after rumors spread about her knocking out two upperclassmen who tried to touch her.

"Still," a third voice said, quieter but laced with unease, "is she really... suitable to be a miko?"

At once, the mood shifted. The air in the cramped room turned cold and several pairs of eyes snapped toward the speaker with contempt.

"What the hell are you saying?" one of them snarled, standing up so fast that his chair scraped against the floor. "Are you doubting His Holiness? Are you questioning our beliefs?"

"N-no, that’s not it," the boy stammered, backing away, sweat forming on his forehead. "I—I just meant... every miko before her was a virgin. Suzune’s... she’s different, right? She’s always with that guy, Kageyama. She clings to him every day. You really think he hasn’t already—"

He didn’t finish. Another member raised his hand and slapped it to his cheek, leaving a hot red hand print.

The boy couldn’t even react, the slap came hard and fast, echoing across the room. Feeling the pain, he immediately fell silent, clutching his cheek, his body trembling.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then one of the older ones, clearly the leader of this group and also the one who slapped the boy, exhaled slowly and leaned forward.

"Whether she’s pure or not doesn’t matter," he said calmly, though his tone carried a dark edge. "Suzune’s just an offering, she’s not the chosen one. At best, she’s a side dish, an extra."

A murmur rippled through the group.

"That’s right," another said, realization dawning on his face. "Our true miko... is Tachibana Rei."

At that name, silence filled the room. Even the flickering light seemed to steady for a moment.

Tachibana Rei. The bright, cheerful first-year girl who smiled at everyone, who greeted strangers without fear, who always stayed late after school to help clean up.

She was beautiful, radiant even, a complete contrast to the grim ritual these boys whispered about.

But such radiance is something they all love to taint. To see a once bright and innocent maiden fall into depravity...there is no more greater pleasure than that!

Their breathing quickened as the thought of her filled their minds, her laughter, her gentle tone, her kindness.

To them, it was proof that she was destined for their "holy purpose."

The leader finally smirked, his expression warped in the dim light. "Suzune will just be our appetizer. But Rei... Rei is the one the holiness truly desires."

Their whispers turned into low, fanatic murmurs.

And as the light above them flickered one last time before dying completely, the dark room was filled with nothing but their heavy breathing and the sound of something, someone, chuckling quietly in the shadows.

*

*

*

The bell rang, sharp and echoing through the hallways, signaling the end of another dull day of classes.

Without waiting for anyone to move, Seijirou Kageyama stood up from his seat, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked straight out of the room.

His classmates barely got a glance, with a few whispering as he passed, but he didn’t care. His focus was elsewhere, his mind a constant hum of calculation and awareness as he thought of Suzune.

The hallway outside was already crowded with students.

Voices overlapped, laughter bounced off the walls, and the faint scent of sweat still lingered in the air.

Seijirou weaved through the chaos effortlessly, his steps silent and precise.

As he turned down one of the quieter corridors, he felt the usual relief of escaping the crowd, until he collided with something heavy.

The impact wasn’t much, but the sound that followed was. Papers went flying everywhere like white birds startled into the air, fluttering across the polished floor.

Seijirou stopped, blinking once before his gaze dropped. On the ground, groaning as he tried to gather himself, was none other than Vice Principal Aguri Basuta.

The man was exactly as unpleasant as Seijirou remembered: short, round, balding in patches that reflected the hallway lights like oily glass.

His cheap suit strained against his belly, and sweat glistened on his forehead even though the corridor wasn’t warm.

For a moment, Seijirou just stared down at him, his expression unreadable.

Then the thought crossed his mind—What the hell is this? A romcom bumping cliché? His cheek twitched.

The scene looked straight out of one of those trashy anime introductions, except this version had the worst possible casting.

Basuta chuckled nervously, brushing dust off his pants. "Ah—Kageyama, my apologies! I didn’t see you there."

Seijirou said nothing.

He just watched as the man bent over, wheezing slightly as he picked up his scattered documents one by one.

Papers covered half the corridor, some slipping under lockers, others sticking to the damp tiles.

"Vice principal, let us help."

Immediately, various students gathered and picking up the papers slowly and stacking them up. Their numbers blocking the way.

Basuta thanked them as he continued, breathing heavily each time he crouched down, with his round stomach pressed against his thighs.

The sound of rustling papers mixed with the faint squeak of his shoes.

Seijirou’s brow twitched. If he walked now, he’d step all over those papers and would even have to push these students who had helped him aside.

But if he waited, he’d be wasting time watching this pathetic scene unfold.

He exhaled quietly, turned on his heel, and started walking the other way.

Help him? Not a chance.

That disgusting bastard could rot for all he cared. A man like Basuta, with his fake smile and greasy tone, didn’t deserve an ounce of sympathy.

Seijirou had seen enough of this guy in the game. And even in real life, he hated those who hid their filth behind politeness.

As he rounded the next corner, his steps suddenly halted.

A sharp chill ran down his spine as his instincts flared, warning him like an electric jolt.

In that split second, he ducked.

A metallic whoosh sliced through the air where his head had just been, followed by a deafening clang! as a metal bat slammed into the wall beside him, cracking the plaster.

The air vibrated from the force, and dust drifted down from the ceiling.

Seijirou’s eyes narrowed as he straightened, gaze flicking toward the attacker.

Whoever it was... they hadn’t come to play around.