Chapter 55: Chapter 14

Seijirou reached the front gate of the school, his breath steady but his eyes sharp, scanning every corner of the quiet campus.

The sky had darkened into deep indigo, and the last rays of sunset had long faded beyond the rooftops.

The school that was once alive with laughter and noise now felt eerily silent, as if something unseen was holding its breath.

Then he saw her.

Standing in front of the gate was a girl with long black hair tied neatly into a ponytail, the faint moonlight glinting off her hair like silk.

Her uniform was that of the student council, crisp and immaculate, the badge of authority gleaming faintly on her chest.

Her blue eyes were thoughtful, her brows slightly furrowed in uncertainty.

Kobayashi Rindou.

The Student Council President.

And the same woman he had just spent the afternoon with, in an encounter that should never have happened.

"Rindou," Seijirou called out, his tone calm but firm.

Rindou blinked, startled at first, then her expression softened as she turned to face him.

The moment her gaze met his, a faint, almost shy smile bloomed on her lips, one that carried a hint of the intimate tension that still lingered between them.

Her hand brushed her hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture that betrayed the memory of what had transpired in the student council room earlier, the warmth of his hand, the weight of his gaze, and the taste of his lips that still lingered faintly on hers.

"Ah, Seijirou," she greeted softly, voice gentle. "You came back? Did you also forget something?"

"I could ask you the same," he replied, his tone neutral but his eyes cautious. "What are you doing outside?"

Rindou glanced back at the school building, her brows furrowing slightly.

"I... think I forgot something in the student council room," she said slowly, her voice uncertain. "But... for some reason, I don’t really feel like going back in to get it. I don’t know why."

Seijirou’s eyes narrowed. That instinctive resistance, that irrational hesitation, wasn’t normal.

It was subtle, but he had felt something similar before. His mind immediately connected the dots.

A Karyoku. Probably related to mental power.

Someone was manipulating perception, planting suggestions to repel those who might approach.

He didn’t waste a second.

"Rindou," he said curtly.

She looked at him in confusion, but before she could speak, Seijirou stepped forward and grabbed her hand.

Her breath hitched, a soft gasp escaped her lips, her cheeks coloring instantly. "W–Wait— Seijirou, what—"

"I need your help," he interrupted, his grip tightening slightly, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument.

Before she could even process what he meant, he had already started pulling her forward, dragging her through the gate.

She stumbled at first, caught off guard by his sudden urgency, but the seriousness in his expression silenced her questions.

They passed through the entrance easily, too easily. But the moment they crossed the threshold, the air behind them shimmered.

The school gate rippled like disturbed water before solidifying into a wall of black mist, dense and opaque.

The air grew cold.

Seijirou turned and reached out to touch it and his hand met resistance. It was definitely not a fog, but something solid, as though the mist itself had become a barrier.

A dull hum vibrated through his fingertips.

Rindou flinched at the sight, eyes widening. "What... what is that?"

Before he could answer, she blinked suddenly, her pupils dilating.

"Wait—" she whispered. "I remember now. I did forget something. But... why did I not want to come back in earlier?"

Her voice trembled slightly, confusion warring with an unseen pull in her mind.

"Because something or someone doesn’t want us here," Seijirou said flatly.

Rindou turned to him, her expression a mix of fear and curiosity , but when she met his eyes, that fear faded.

Instead, she smiled faintly, that soft, almost tender look returning to her face.

"You’re acting strange today, Seijirou," she murmured, trying to lighten the tension.

He ignored it.

"Rindou," he said, his voice cutting through the silence. "Suzune might be in danger."

The moment he said that, Rindou froze. Her playful tone vanished. The warmth in her eyes hardened into focus.

"What happened?" she asked immediately.

"I don’t know yet," he admitted. "But I can feel it. Something’s wrong inside the school. I need to find her, and I’ll need your help."

Rindou didn’t hesitate. She nodded sharply, straightening her posture. "Understood."

She didn’t ask any questions, nor did she harbor any doubts.

It didn’t matter what had happened earlier between them, what boundaries they had crossed or what emotions lingered.

Right now, Seijirou was asking for her help, and that was enough.

For Rindou, that alone was reason enough to act.

"Lead the way, Seijirou," she said, her voice steady.

Seijirou gave a small nod and turned toward the school’s darkened halls.

The once-familiar building now loomed before them like a labyrinth swallowed by shadow.

The air inside was unnaturally still, heavy with the scent of old dust and something metallic.

As they stepped inside together, the sound of their footsteps echoed faintly through the corridor, a sound that seemed far too loud for a school that should have been empty.

Somewhere deep within the school, something stirred.

*

*

*

Blood smeared the tiled floor as Suzune steadied her stance, her back pressed against the trembling Rei.

Her uniform was torn at the shoulder, her arms trembling from fatigue, but her eyes, sharp and defiant, were still burning.

Her breathing was ragged, each inhale scraping against her lungs, but she refused to fall.

The hallway lights flickered weakly above them, casting long, shifting shadows over the fox-masked men that slowly tightened their circle.

Their shoes echoed against the floor, rhythmic, predatory. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, mixing with the acrid stench of sweat and fear.

Suzune spat to the side, tightening her grip on the iron bar she had ripped from a broken locker earlier.

It was bent and dented from the fight, but it was still enough to cave in skulls if she swung right.

Rei clutched her sleeve, trembling, her pale face streaked with dirt and tears.

A man stepped forward from the group, his mask cracked across the cheek, revealing a sliver of his smirking mouth.

His voice was calm but cruel, "You’ve fought well enough, but this ends here. Come quietly, both of you. Our master doesn’t want you harmed. In fact, he promised... you’ll find the experience pleasant."

Suzune’s lips curved into a dark smile and her eyes glimmered with disgust and mockery. Then, under their eyes, she lifted her middle finger high.

"Pleasure? Is that what you bastards call rape these days?" Her voice, though hoarse, carried venom.

"Sorry, but my body’s already reserved for Seijirou. So why don’t you all—" she tilted her head with a grin, "—go eat shit and die."

The man’s smirk vanished, his fist clenched.

"Get her!" he roared.

The circle closed. Suzune exhaled once, low and steady, and shifted her footing.

The floor beneath her seemed to hum as she braced herself, veins throbbing at her temples.

The first masked man lunged with a knife, she sidestepped, slammed the iron bar into his ribs, and spun, striking another across the jaw.

Sounds of cracking bones filled the hallway.

But for every one she felled, two more advanced.

Her strength was waning, her vision starting to blur. Yet she kept moving, gritting her teeth, forcing her muscles to respond.

Behind her, Rei whimpered, "Suzune... please..."

"Shut up and stay low," Suzune growled, blood dripping from her chin. "Seijirou’s coming, I’m sure of it. I just have to hold them off till then."

Her words carried no doubt, only defiance, burning bright against the dark hallway.