Chapter 02 — Hana Allen

Even after Jerry’s exchange with Yamato, the lecture hall remained thick with unease.Whispers darted through the air like restless spirits—curiosity and fear intertwining.
At the far side, Hana Allen crossed her arms, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.【Interesting… finally, a man in this place with a backbone.】
A boy raised his hand hesitantly.「I—I’ve got a few questions. Well… a few, actually.」
Jerry, now reclined in his chair as if the confrontation had drained him of interest, tilted his head lazily.
「Sure. Let’s do rapid fire. But first… name? Helps to know who’s talking.」「Ah—Hanada Renji. So uh, where are you from? Who are you? And what do you actually do?」
Jerry’s lips curved faintly, the barest trace of amusement flickering across his face.
「Hanada-san…」 he said flatly, 「classified. Classified. Classified.」
A ripple of gasps swept across the hall.Even Professor Tachibana stiffened, unsure whether to reprimand or stay silent.Then, Hana raised her hand.Jerry’s black pupils—void of warmth or malice—shifted toward her.
「Yes, lovely lady?」「Explain what you mean by classified.」
He leaned back, one arm resting over the backrest of his chair. His tone was casual—yet his words carried weight.
「Means you only get my first name: Jerry. And maybe…」A subtle grin played across his lips. 「…who you are, lovely.」Hana exhaled sharply. 【Flattery? No—there’s no emotion behind it. Just testing me.】「Allen Hana,」 she replied, meeting his gaze without hesitation.
Jerry blinked once—then froze.A flicker. A pulse of crimson flashed across his pupils.The air shifted.He raised a hand to his face, as if suppressing something that clawed beneath his skin.
「Allen… your father. What’s his name?」
The question hit her like a blade.Hana’s voice wavered despite herself. 「…John. John Allen.」
For a heartbeat—silence.Then—A low chuckle escaped him. It grew, twisting into a sharp, unhinged laugh.
「Hah… hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA!」
The sound tore through the room like a shriek of metal.Students froze. Even Hana took an involuntary step back.
【Is he… insane?】
The crimson glow in his eyes burned brighter—then abruptly dimmed.The laughter died. His pupils returned to black.Jerry—had regained control.He exhaled slowly, as though nothing had happened.
「Sorry… that name just reminded me of someone. Compared to him, normal snipers? Pathetic.」Professor Tachibana’s grip on the podium tightened. 【That name… John Allen… how would he—no. It’s impossible.】
Jerry’s gaze drifted toward him, calm yet piercing.「You look nervous, Sensei. Strange for a man who’s supposed to lecture, not tremble. Do you know me?」Tachibana hesitated. His throat went dry.【If I lie, he’ll know. If I admit it…】「And… if I said I did?」 he forced out.A faint smile ghosted across Jerry’s lips.「Then that would be inter—」「Stop it!」 Hana’s voice cracked through the tension like lightning.
Jerry blinked. Then—his posture shifted.His hair darkened to a warm brown. His pupils followed.The pressure in the air eased, replaced by something sharper—commanding.JJ had taken the surface.He crouched slightly, eyes locked on Hana’s.
「You’re challenging me, are you?」Hana straightened, refusing to back down.「Duh,」 JJ murmured, a teasing edge in his voice. 「I forgot—average height here’s about five-two. You’re five-three, right?」His grin widened. 「Do something.」
Without hesitation, Hana’s hand whipped across his face.SMACK.The sound echoed through the lecture hall.Gasps rippled across the students. Even Yamato sat frozen.JJ’s head tilted slightly from the impact—but his expression didn’t change.Then, almost casually, he pulled her into his arms.
「U-Unhand me, you brute!」 Hana’s voice wavered, cheeks flushed scarlet.JJ’s brown eyes flickered dangerously close. His tone dropped to a whisper.「They’re around you.」「…What are you talking about?」He smirked faintly. 「No. I won’t let go. You’ve got something I’ve been looking for in a woman.」Her pulse quickened. The heat of his words collided with the chill of his tone.「Meaning?」 she demanded.JJ’s gaze sharpened.「You’re not afraid of me. Even if I killed a hundred people—you’d still try to stop me. Wouldn’t you?」Hana’s eyes hardened, her voice firm.「Yes. I would. I’d even kill you for saying something like that.」
The hall fell deathly silent.Dozens of eyes watched—fascinated, horrified, entranced.
Hana could only whisper under her breath—「Who… what is he?」
Jerry. JJ. Psyc.Each name carried a different soul.And somewhere beneath them all—something darker stirred, watching the world through borrowed eyes.