“THIS hallway leads to the library. The separate building you can see from the window houses the cafeteria, also known as the dining hall. If you go straight down this hallway and enter the room at the end, you will be at the library. Students can borrow as many books as they like, but be sure to return the ones you are done with… I think that covers all the main places. Is there anywhere else the two of you would like to go?” Youta asked.
“I’m good. Thanks, Youta.”
“……”
“Azusa?”
“Ah, it’s nothing! Don’t worry about me! Thank you, Youta!”
“Get your head out of the clouds, Azusa. You need to properly listen to Youta who has kindly taken time out of his afternoon to show us transfer students around the school,” Tsukiharu said and patted her on the shoulder. Azusa shuddered, getting him to whisper, “You’re cute when you’re scared, Azusa.”
I’m scared. I’m really scared. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack all day today. I want to go home as soon as physically possible! Azusa internally moaned.
Azusa went weak in the knees upon seeing who had transferred into the same class as her. Tsukiharu Hiragi—the boy who over a month ago had not only abducted and locked her up, but fought a gruesome battle against Kouya and had flung several knives at her. Just remembering that day caused her stabbed shoulder to throb—even though Kouya cleanly healed the wound without leaving any marks.
The second she saw him she wanted to run out of the classroom back to Kouya, but the classroom was full of students who knew nothing about what happened between them. Having deduced how unnatural it would be to dash out of the room like a madwoman, Azusa decided to wait for the school day to end. She waited and waited, every tick of the secondhand moving too slow for her racing heart.
Finally, homeroom ended, signaling the time for everyone to go home, when Youta called out to her.
“I was planning on showing Tsukiharu around. Would you like to join us, Azusa?”
Tsukiharu smirked as he ran his index finger across his neck behind Youta—a complete threat he was going to kill him. It was clearer than day that Youta would be Tsukiharu’s next victim if she left them alone together. It felt like she was leaving a sweet angel to be victim to a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Azusa wanted to cry. No, she was already sobbing internally.
And here they were now, touring the school.
“Wow, what an awesome sunset. Guess we should head home. I’ll walk you home, Azusa. I’ve got stuff to do in the same direction,” Youta offered.
“I’ll head home too then. I was thinking about dropping by the CD shop on the way back. Do you know where a good one is, Youta?” Tsukiharu asked.
“It’s in the same direction as Azusa’s place, so let’s go as far as the shop together!”
“Whaaaat?!” Azusa couldn’t hold in her scream at Youta’s careless invitation.
I thought I would finally be free of him too!
Tsukiharu pouted like a puppy abandoned in the rain. “Oh, I’m sorry. Would you rather be alone with Youta, Azusa? Am I the third wheel here?”
“……”
“What? Is that true? Did you not want Tsukiharu to come with us, Azusa?”
“…I never said that,” Azusa answered mechanically.
She could have chosen to go home on her own, but there was no guarantee Youta would come back in one piece if she did. It would be hard to drag just Youta back with her without some sort of misunderstanding about her wanting to be romantically involved with him. While she had several choices, she really only had one.
She submissively walked the road home with the two boys.
Azusa clenched her aching shoulder as she walked beside Youta. The school gate was in sight. In other words, she was dead-exhausted before even getting off campus. She honestly doubted she could get home in one piece at this rate. She roughly rubbed at the tears welling from fear.
I can’t cry because of this guy! She fiercely told herself.
Someone stood alone by the school gate. They were leaning against the wall as if they were waiting for someone. Black hair swayed in the wind. Their back was turned toward Azusa, but she couldn’t mistake that silhouette.
“Kouya!”
“Oh, Kouya.”
Azusa spontaneously ran for him. Kouya turned around in response to her voice and caught her when she leapt into his arms.
“What’s wrong?”
“KOUYA! I was so scared!” Azusa said with her face buried in his chest. Kouya scowled at the nasal twinge in her voice.
“Are you crying?”
“I’m not crying.”
Bewildered, Kouya pat her head as she pushed her face deep into his shirt.
“There’s no reason for you to be so scared, now is there, Azusa?” Tsukiharu purred. Kouya’s gaze turned from Azusa and locked onto the boy casually strolling up to them. Kouya instantly pulled Azusa from his chest and hid her behind his back.
“Long time no see, Akaoni. Glad to see you’re well.”
“Why are you here?” Kouya snarled.
Youta finally caught up to Tsukiharu and stood beside him, looking curiously from him to his brother.
“Do you know Tsukiharu, Kouya?”
“Go home first, Youta,” Kouya warned.
“Why? I thought I could stop by and see Ichi—”
“Go to the mansion then. Just go on ahead, will you?”
“Ah, okay. Sure.” Youta reluctantly walked by them to return home alone.
Tsukiharu let out a slow laugh once he was out of sight. “Hmm, so Youta is the Akaoni’s little brother. I’ve benefited from befriending him.”
“I’ll ask you one last time… Why are you here?”
“I transferred to this school. From a human school. I wanted to become Azusa’s classmate.”
“What are you after?”
“The answer is obviously Azusa. I can’t snatch her away on a whim since she went and contracted with you, and you would be able to detect if I poisoned her, right? So, for now, I thought the best plan of action would be to become friends. Once I learned she was going to attend this school, I decided it would be fun to start by attending school together. Great plan, right?” Tsukiharu grinned. Kouya’s scowl only darkened.
“Too bad for you. Now that I know you’re here, she won’t be attending school anymore.”
“…I see. Too bad, indeed. I had hoped my new friend Youta and our other classmates would live longer.”
“…!”
“There’s no need for this school without Azusa, right?”
Kouya’s grip tightened on Azusa’s arm.
“You’d hate for them to all die too, wouldn’t you, Akaoni? Going to fight me then? In the middle of town? All the poor, innocent bystanders who would die in the process saddens me. But if that’s what you want.”
“……”
“I’ll repeat this as many times as I need to: I’m a pacifist. If possible, I don’t want to hurt a soul. So let’s make a deal. I won’t harm a single hair on anyone’s head. Not even a scratch. Including you, Azusa. I won’t kidnap you or take you somewhere without consent. I honestly won’t do a thing. I swear. I promise not to hurt you mentally or physically in any way. In return, Azusa, become my classmate. I want to become good friends with you.”
“I refuse.”
“I’m not asking you, Akaoni. Azusa has the right to decide.”
“……”
Tsukiharu grinned at Kouya’s soured expression.
Azusa raised her voice from behind Kouya’s protective back, “You really won’t do anything? You’ll just be a classmate?”
“Hey!”
“I’ll be just a classmate. I really won’t do anything.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You know the answer.”
“…!”
“You don’t have to listen to someone like him. We’ll handle anything he might try. Don’t worry,” Kouya said to convince Azusa, but she was thoughtfully looking down.
“I won’t tell you to decide now. You can give me your answer tomorrow. I’ll attend school as normal in the morning. Our deal will be set in stone if you show up to class. If you don’t come, I’ll obliterate the school and everyone in it. How’s that sound?” Tsukiharu casually walked toward Azuza and Kouya.
“See you at school tomorrow,” he said as he walked by them and headed home.