The familiar chimes echoed through the school building. The students in the hallways of Raizen High said goodbye to their friends and stretched on their way to lessons that were about to start as they entered their classrooms.
“Whoops! Already time for homeroom? We’re just in time.” Flying through the school gates in the nick of time, Shido sighed in relief as he took the scarf wrapped around his neck and fanned himself.
The road to school was as cold as ever, but because he’d started running along the way, he was sweating lightly.
“Mm. That was close,” Tohka said, crossing her arms. “I mean, it’s because you went and tried to get inside Shido’s coat on the way here, Origami.”
“I have reflected on that matter sincerely. I have no words to express my shame. If there is a hole, I want to get inside of it.” For once, Origami admirably bowed in contrition.
But in the next instant, she dropped down low and stuck her head under the hem of Shido’s coat.
“Eeaaah?!” he shrieked.
“H-hey! You didn’t reflect on anything at all!” Tohka yelled accusingly.
“There was a hole, so I simply attempted to enter it,” Origami said. “There is no issue here.”
“There’s nothing but issues!”
Tohka and Origami began to bicker once again, and Shido sighed.
About a month after everything with Mukuro, the damage from the battle had been completely recovered, and normal everyday life had returned to the city of Tengu. Even Tohka, who had inverted, and Origami were stable now.
Naturally, having lost its base, Ratatoskr was still working to rebuild its organization, and DEM was still after the Spirits, the same as ever.
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But the city had regained a peaceful enough face that they could enjoy carefree days like this one.
Mukuro had been worried about fitting in with everyone, but thanks to her initial baptism by Miku—“Aaaw! She’s so cute, cute, cuuute! So teensy and plush! A totally new tyyype!”—she had found her place with the other Spirits even sooner than Shido had expected. Or rather, they sympathized with her… The empathy of the victim, perhaps. Well, Mukuro did seem to be a little on guard against Miku.
“Come on, simmer down,” Tohka insisted. “We gotta get to class. We just barely made it. You don’t want to make us late, do you?”
“Mm,” Origami agreed. “Fine. I won’t cause trouble for you, Shido.”
“Roger that.”
When Shido stepped in between them, Tohka and Origami obediently sheathed their swords.
The truth was, although they argued about every little thing, they actually got along pretty well. In fact, there was a part of both of them that accepted and deeply respected the other.
It was a pleasant turn of events that he could never have imagined back when Tohka appeared with a spacequake and Origami tried to beat her back in the AST.
Surely, Mukuro—or really, any Spirit should have been able to understand and get along with the others. As he looked at Tohka and Origami, this dreamy yet certain thought sprouted in his heart.
“Mm?” Tohka asked, her brow furrowed. “What’s wrong, Shido?”
“You’re not going inside?” Origami said.
“Huh?” He shook his head and flashed them a smile. “Oh, no, it’s nothing. We better hurry.” Winding up the scarf in his hand, he opened the door to the classroom of Grade Eleven Class Four.
“…Huh?” He stopped abruptly.
The air inside of the classroom felt somehow different from usual. Everyone seemed restless, unable to settle down as they turned their attention to something new and unexpected.
Shido learned why soon enough.
A girl was sitting at his desk.
“Wha—?” He gasped, and, as if noticing his presence there, the girl looked at him with delight.
Inky black hair like it had been painted with darkness itself. Porcelain skin nearly transparent. Her immense beauty could send shivers down people’s spines.
“You’re—,” Shido said, his voice trembling, and the girl turned cherry-colored lips up in the shape of a smile.
“Hee-hee-hee!” she giggled. “How have you been, Shido? It has been positively ages.”
“Wha—!”
“Shido.”
Tohka and Origami reacted immediately and stepped forward to protect him.
The girl didn’t react to this; she simply smiled happily. “Oh my, oh dear,” she said. “Whatever is the matter? You must realize that homeroom is about to start, yes?”
“Shut your mouth!” Tohka snarled. “What do you want?!”
“Why are you here?” Origami demanded, glaring at the girl cautiously.
The girl stared at Shido as she gestured bewitchingly with a hand. “Hee-hee-hee. As of today, I am making my return to school. I’m looking forward to being a part of your class again, Tohka, Origami. Shido.” A gentle, slightly mad smile appeared on her face as she spoke. The most evil Spirit of all, Kurumi Tokisaki.