Chapter 2: The Last Bell

The sharp cracks of gunfire echoed through the school grounds, shattering the peaceful afternoon. At first, most students mistook the sound for something else—maybe a prank, or the track team setting off a starter pistol. But as the shots continued, followed by the piercing screams of students and the chaotic stomping of feet fleeing in terror, reality set in. Something terrible was happening.

I stood frozen on the football field, my heart pounding in my chest. My mind struggled to process the horror unfolding around me. Natsumi, Kaito, and Daiki were close by, their expressions shifting from confusion to fear as more shots rang out.

"This... this can't be real," Daiki muttered, his usual confident demeanor crumbling in the face of the unfolding nightmare.

Before I could even move, a new sound ripped through the chaos—shouted commands, aggressive and terrifying. I whipped my head around and saw them: a group of armed men storming into the main courtyard, their faces partially covered with masks. Six, maybe seven of them. Each one holding a weapon like they knew exactly what they were doing. In an instant, our prestigious school had turned into a battlefield.

My mind, usually tangled in trivial worries, suddenly snapped into focus. I watched the way they moved—precise, disciplined, like a trained unit. This wasn’t chaos. This was coordinated. But then… what was their objective?

Think, Haruki. What could a group of armed men possibly want from a school?

Money? No, there are easier targets—banks, armored vans. Random violence? Doesn’t fit. They’re too calculated, too prepared. Maybe revenge? But even that felt too personal to explain this scale of coordination.

Unless... unless this isn’t just about one thing. What if it’s both? A statement. A ransom. Revenge. All rolled into one sick display?

I was grasping, desperate to understand. But nothing made sense.

I scanned my surroundings for a clue, anything to ground the swirling thoughts—and then I saw her. The new girl. The CEO’s daughter.

She stood near the edge of the field, slightly apart, eyes wide and jaw clenched. Her long, dark hair lashed in the wind. Around her, students cowered, but she stood rooted, defiant and exposed.

They're here for her.

Beside me, Natsumi caught the tension in my body and shot me a sharp look. "What?"

Rumors I'd heard clicked into place—the whispers about how she transferred in so suddenly, how her father was loaded beyond belief. This wasn’t random. They were targeting her. This was a kidnapping.

Flashback: A week earlier, in the cafeteria.

"Did you hear?" a girl whispered at the next table over. "That new transfer—her dad’s the president of a tech company. Like, ultra-rich. Bodyguards, limos, the whole deal."

I hadn’t cared much at the time. We’d had our fair share of rich kids parade through this school—sons and daughters of CEOs, government officials, even celebrities. But this girl had a different vibe. Not just rich—guarded. Isolated. Always watching everyone around her, like she didn’t trust a single soul.

I remembered that day clearly. She sat two tables down, alone, sipping from a thermos while skimming through a thick textbook. Her eyes never left the pages, even as half the cafeteria buzzed with whispered rumors and stolen glances in her direction. She didn’t react—like she was used to it. Used to being watched; used to keeping herself guarded. Every motion was deliberate, controlled, but never relaxed. There was always a quiet tension in her body, like she was bracing for something unseen. That should’ve been my first clue.

Some days, a man in a dark suit would stand at a distance near the entrance, pretending to be a school official, but it was obvious to anyone paying attention—he was a bodyguard. Discreet but present. Another sign. Another warning I failed to notice.

End flashback.

That had to be it. They were here for RANSOM.

One of the men, the one who seemed to be leading them—a tall guy in his late thirties (if I had to guess), with a cruel smirk—lifted his weapon and fired a shot into the air. Students screamed and ducked in terror.

"Alright, listen up!" he barked, his voice booming across the courtyard. "We’re not here to kill all of you! Stay out of our way, and you might just live."

His words made my skin crawl. No hesitation, no remorse. It was just a job to him.

A teacher stepped forward, an older man with graying hair. His hands trembled as he raised them. "P-please! This is a school! These are children! If it's money you want, we can—"

A gunshot tore through the air.

I watched in horror as the teacher’s body jerked, then crumpled to the ground. Blood pooled underneath him. Another gang member, younger and wearing a twisted grin, casually lowered his gun.

"One less idiot to deal with," he muttered.

I could barely breathe. My stomach twisted painfully. This wasn’t just a threat. They were serious. They would kill us without blinking.

One of them stepped forward—a kid, barely older than me, maybe. His hands shook slightly as he clutched his gun, but the rage in his eyes burned hot.

"This school rejected me!" he shouted, voice cracking. "Me! But they let some rich girl in because of her last name!"

The truth slammed into me like a punch.
This wasn’t just about ransom.
It was revenge.

The leader placed a hand on his son's shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips. "That’s right. Now we're going to show the world what happens when the rich trample on the hardworking." His gaze shifted to the CEO's daughter. "Come quietly, sweetheart, and this won’t get messy."

To her credit, the girl didn’t scream or sob. She clenched her fists, her jaw tight—but fear flickered in her eyes. And that was all they needed.

"Time’s ticking," the leader warned. "Come with us, or we start shooting again."

I felt my hands ball into fists.
This wasn’t some story on the news.
This was happening right in front of me.

And I had no idea what to do.

For a second, my body refused to move. But then instinct kicked in. I saw the new girl—the CEO’s daughter—sprint first, cutting through the paralysis that gripped us all. Without thinking, I reacted too. I grabbed Natsumi’s wrist.

"Haruki?!" she gasped, stumbling after me.

"Just run!" I shouted over my shoulder, heart pounding against my ribs.

Behind us, chaos erupted as others followed suit.

Other students caught on, panic spreading like wildfire. Some hesitated, frozen in place, but when they saw us sprinting toward the gym, they broke into chaotic movement too.

"They're running!" one of the gang members roared. "Stop them!"

Gunfire exploded behind us. Screams filled the air.
I didn’t look back.
I couldn't.

I could hear the sickening thuds as people hit the ground, but I focused on running, dragging Natsumi with me. Every breath burned in my chest, my legs screaming in protest.

Then it happened.

Another sharp crack—another gunshot—and Natsumi gasped.

She stumbled.

I felt her hand slip from mine.

I turned just in time to see her collapse, clutching her leg.

No. No, no, wait—this can't be happening.

I dropped to my knees beside her, my heart pounding like a war drum.

What do I do?

Panic clawed at my throat, but I pushed it down.

Without thinking, I scooped her into my arms, cradling her in a desperate princess carry.
She trembled, her breathing shallow—but she didn’t protest.

Running on nothing but adrenaline and sheer willpower, I pushed myself into a sprint.

"Hang on," I whispered fiercely.

The gym was only a few meters away.
Her weight pressed down on my burning arms, my legs screaming with every step as I wove through the chaos.

The heavy steel doors loomed ahead.

Almost there.
Just a little more—

I slammed into the doors, kicking them open with everything I had left.

We burst inside.

I rushed her to the nearest wall and gently lowered her down, my chest heaving, heart racing.
Blood stained my arms. Her leg.

But she was still breathing.

I knelt there for a moment, frozen—unsure what to do next.
But the chaos outside hadn’t stopped. I could still hear it—the screams, the shots, the panic.

I had to help.

Forcing myself to my feet, I leaned down and whispered,
"Natsumi… I’ll be right back. Just try to stay calm, okay?"

More students began pouring in behind us, their faces pale with terror.

I rushed to the door and held it open, my hand trembling.
I couldn’t even scream—my voice was gone—
So I waved them in, frantically gesturing for them to hurry.

Just as the last group stumbled through, I started to pull the door closed—

CRACK.

A deafening gunshot split the air, and a white-hot pain exploded in my left shoulder.

I staggered back.

Wait—what?

My fingers pressed against the burning spot instinctively. When I pulled them away, they were stained a crimson red. My blood.

I stood there, frozen, the world around me muffled and distant.

Did I just get shot? Am I going to die? I don’t want to die.

CRACK.

Another shot shattered the silence. The world snapped back into focus.

Shit, the door!

Clenching my teeth against the pain, I forced my arm to move. I slammed the door shut and twisted the lock with shaking hands. Only then—only then—did I let out the breath I’d been holding.

I stumbled back, gasping, clutching my shoulder. My vision blurred.

And then I saw her.

Natsumi.

Her wide, tear-filled eyes locked with mine. “Haruki… you’re hurt,” she whispered.

I gave her a shaky, crooked smile. “Yeah… but at least we’re inside.”

But something was wrong.

Her legs were trembling.

And then I saw it.

Blood. Dark and spreading fast. Soaking through her skirt. Pooling beneath her.

No.

Panic surged through me.

No no no NO—!

My hands shook violently as I ripped at my sleeve, tearing it into strips. I dropped to my knees beside her, fumbling to wrap the cloth around her thigh. My fingers were slick, clumsy, useless. The knot slipped once. Then again.

“Come on—come on!” I growled under my breath.

If I couldn’t even do this… how the hell were we going to survive?

On the third try, the tourniquet held.

I looked up.

I expected her to be angry. Or to push me away with that usual fire in her eyes. But instead—

She was crying.

Not from pain.

But because she was scared. Because it felt like the end.

“Natsumi…” I whispered, my voice trembling. I wrapped my arms around her, as gently as I could. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

Even if I didn’t know how.

Even if I was lying.

I still had to say it.

She bit her lip and gave the tiniest nod, trying so hard to believe me.
Even though we both knew the truth.

I turned away, even though I was just as shaken as she was.
My thoughts were scattered, still struggling to grasp the reality of the situation.
I paced in circles, heart pounding, panic clawing at my ribs—until a flicker of light caught my eye.

It came from one of the gym windows.

I moved toward it, squinting through the glass—and what I saw made my blood run cold.

Six students were still in the courtyard, lying on the ground.
One of them was Daiki.

I clenched my fists, a storm of rage and helpless sorrow rising inside me.
Below, the gangsters spread out, their leader’s son barking orders:

"GO LOOK FOR HER! We need the CEO’s daughter! If we don’t get that ransom, this whole thing’s for nothing! Injure anyone who stands in your way!"

They split up, fanning across the campus.
One of them turned toward the gym, loading his weapon with a metallic clack.

I ducked back from the window, my breath hitching.
My chest tightened.
I was hyperventilating.

I had to move.
I had to act.

But my body wouldn’t respond. My thoughts were stuck. Heavy. Drowning.

Then—everything stopped.

Time slowed to a crawl as memories surged through me:
Family dinners.
Laughing with friends.
Lazy afternoons with a manga in my hands.
The scent of spring, the warmth of sunlight—

What is happening? Am I… seeing my life before I die?

And in every one of those memories…
In every single happy moment…

She was there.

Natsumi.

And as luck would have it, I felt her hand crawl into mine. Warm. Trembling. But real. I opened my eyes wide.

"Haruki," she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes, "this... this might not be the best time but... I love you."

And before I could say anything, she kissed me.

I froze—heart hammering harder than ever before.
The world shrank down to just us.

I could see it—feel it. It wasn’t panic or desperation. It was real. It had always been real.

Memories crashed over me.

The times she stood by me.
The way she laughed.
The way she looked at me when she thought I wasn’t paying attention.

I had been so blind.

I swallowed hard, tightening my grip around her hand.
My vision blurred, the sting of tears threatening to spill.

“Natsumi… I love you too. And I swear, I’ll protect you. No matter what. We’re getting home—safe, and together.”

Then I kissed her back—this time with certainty.

Her eyes widened in surprise… but she smiled through the tears.
A real smile.

And for a moment, the world disappeared.
No gunfire.
No screaming.
Just the two of us.

But reality slammed back in like a wave.
We didn’t have time.

I pulled away, breath unsteady, and scanned the gym.
I needed something. Anything.

My eyes locked onto the baseball gear near the storage racks.

I sprinted over and grabbed a bat—familiar, solid, worn smooth by years of use.

Then I turned back toward Natsumi. Toward the other students huddled in fear.

Because no matter what happened next—I wasn’t going down without a fight.