CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 6

Suzune walked through the crowded hallway, her shoulders stiff as a strange chill crawled down her spine, a sense of unease prickling at the edge of her mind.

She felt as though a pair of unseen eyes were watching her every move from somewhere she could not see, hidden behind the walls or from beyond the corners where the light of the hallway lamps could not reach.

She stopped, turning her head slightly, scanning her surroundings with a quick but deliberate glance, yet there was nothing unusual.

They were all just the usual noise of students chatting, lockers slamming, and shoes squeaking against the polished floor.

She let out a small breath, trying to laugh it off, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear while thinking that maybe she was just imagining things again.

It was probably because she hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night; her mother had dragged her into one of those late-night cleaning sessions that seemed to have no end, and by the time she had finally crawled into bed, the sun was already threatening to rise.

Her eyes still felt heavy, and her body ached slightly from exhaustion. She muttered under her breath, blaming her mother for her current state of fatigue.

All because she had come home a little late last night, and because of a little fight. What’s so bad about that? She could be doing drugs! Don’t you know how lucky you are, mom!

There are way worse thing that your daughter could be doing! Can’t you give her some slack!?

She thought with mild annoyance that her mother always overreacted, always treating her like a child despite her being perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

"...Suzune-chan, are you okay?"

A soft, timid voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Suzune turned her head and saw Fujiwara Touka standing beside her, clutching a book close to her chest.

The girl’s long bangs almost completely covered her eyes, giving her a quiet, mysterious air and her tone was calm but filled with genuine concern.

Suzune blinked, then forced a small smile as she nodded.

"Yeah, I’m fine. Just didn’t get enough sleep, that’s all. I’m kind of cranky today." She gave a small, apologetic laugh before asking, "Sorry, what were you saying again?"

Touka tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable beneath her fringe. "Ah, I was just saying... a kind person has been visiting our family’s café lately. He came by again this weekend."

"Oh?" Suzune grinned, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "A kind person, huh? Let me guess—it’s a boy?"

Touka paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. He’s very polite. We talked for a while. He also likes books... I’ve seen him in the library a few times."

Suzune’s grin widened, and she leaned closer, her teasing tone slipping out naturally. "Ohhh, sounds like someone’s got herself an... enthusiastic ’friend’. What’s his name?’

Touka blinked, not seeming embarrassed at all. "His name is Tadano Taro. He’s from Class 1-A."

Suzune froze mid-step, her eyes blinking rapidly as her brain processed the name. "Class 1-A... wait, isn’t that... the same class as Seijirou?"

Touka blinked quietly, her voice calm as ever as she asked, "Is it?"

Suzune shrugged, forcing a light laugh, though her mind was now whirring with mild curiosity. "Yeah. Why don’t we go visit them when we have a chance?"

The two continued walking, their footsteps echoing softly as they made their way toward the cafeteria.

The conversation shifted from Touka’s mysterious admirer to casual talk about class assignments, annoying teachers, and what they were planning to do over the weekend.

Touka mostly listened, occasionally adding a quiet comment here and there, while Suzune did most of the talking, her expressive hands waving as she complained about her mother, her classmates, and life in general.

When they finally reached the cafeteria, the noise hit them immediately, a mix of chatter, laughter, and the clatter of trays and utensils.

The room was nearly packed, students filling almost every seat.

Suzune scanned the crowd, her sharp eyes darting from table to table until she spotted an empty spot near the corner, big enough for about six people.

"Let’s sit there," she said, pointing toward the table. "You go grab us a seat, I’ll get the food."

Touka gave a small nod, obedient as ever, and walked toward the empty table, her steps quiet and composed.

As Suzune turned toward the counter to get their meals, that uneasy feeling brushed against her again, like a shadow grazing her neck.

Her steps faltered for a fraction of a second, and she glanced around once more, this time slower, her instincts telling her something wasn’t right.

But once again, there was nothing—no one was looking at her, no strange figure lurking nearby, no odd movement among the crowd.

She clicked her tongue softly and shook her head.

"I’m really losing it," she muttered to herself.

Behind her, somewhere deep within the cafeteria, a faint mechanical click echoed, so quiet that it was swallowed by the noise of the crowd.

A camera lens zoomed in.

And through that camera, a pair of unseen eyes watched Suzune closely as she walked toward the counter, completely unaware that her face was now frozen in digital frames, captured again and again by someone she didn’t know.

The photographer’s gloved finger lingered over the shutter button, trembling with quiet excitement as the device clicked once more.

"Target confirmed," a low whisper murmured, almost inaudible over the cafeteria’s din.

Suzune ordered food, paid, and made her way back toward Touka, forcing her mind to focus on something normal, on the mundane rhythm of school life.

But deep inside, a small, irrational part of her couldn’t shake off that creeping chill that refused to fade, that feeling of something unseen just beyond her reach, waiting.

She sat down, smiling lightly at Touka as if nothing was wrong, unaware that somewhere far beneath the school, her photograph had already been displayed on a screen lit by dim, flickering light, alongside the photo of another girl—Tachibana Rei.

The sound of low laughter echoed in that dark room, a voice dripping with satisfaction.

And far above, as Suzune took her first bite of food, that same laughter seemed to hum faintly through the walls.

*

*

*

Class 1-A.

The bell had just rung, signaling the start of lunch break.

The chatter of students filled the room as groups began forming—some rushing out to the cafeteria, others staying behind to talk or play on their phones.

Amid the faint buzz, Seijirou quietly gathered his things, slinging his bag over his shoulder and preparing to head out.

He thought back to their earlier presentation, the way Hana-sensei’s eyes practically glowed with approval as she announced that their group had done "exceptionally well."

The memory made him sigh. He knew it wasn’t purely because of the quality of their work.

Hana-sensei’s bias toward him was notorious, and though Seijirou wasn’t the type to complain, he could already hear the whispers from jealous classmates muttering under their breath.

He adjusted his tie lazily and muttered, "Perfect score, huh? Figures."

Just as he reached for the door, it slid open from the other side with a firm, deliberate motion.

Standing there was a tall girl with a commanding presence that immediately silenced the room.

Kobayashi Rindou—the student council president.

Her long, straight black hair shimmered faintly under the classroom’s fluorescent lights, flowing down to her waist like a dark waterfall.

Her posture was composed yet regal, and her clear blue eyes swept across the room like a queen surveying her subjects.

She was known for her intelligence and authority, and even more for her unapproachable demeanor.

The moment she stepped in, conversations halted, laughter faded, and all eyes turned to her.

Rindou’s gaze locked on Seijirou and her expression softened slightly, her eyes brightening with a hint of familiarity that made some students exchange puzzled looks.

"Kageyama-kun," she said in a composed, gentle tone that carried across the quiet room, "would you please accompany me for a moment?"

For a few seconds, no one moved or breathed.

The air felt heavier somehow, thick with curiosity and shock. Seijirou blinked, staring at her with mild confusion.

The student council president rarely interacted with anyone outside her circle, let alone addressed someone so directly in front of an entire class.

"Eh? Rindou-senpai?" someone whispered from the back, barely containing their excitement.

"What’s going on? Are they... close?" another murmured.

"No way, right? Kageyama’s just... dangerous."

Ignoring the background noise, Rindou waited patiently, hands folded neatly in front of her, a faint smile tugging at her lips as though she didn’t even notice the collective tension in the air.

Seijirou frowned slightly, studying her.

He wasn’t the type to be easily rattled, but Rindou’s sudden appearance was unusual.

She was beautiful, yes, but more importantly, she was the type who never acted without reason.

If she was here, it wasn’t for idle talk.

"What is it?"