Chapter 62: The Empty Desk

Monday.

6:00 AM.

I am awake. I am staring at my phone.

It is silent.

No "Good morning, Aoi" text.

I am panicked. Bloody Twilight does not panic.

But I am panicked.

"Your Highness?"

It was a dream. It had to be. A stress-induced hallucination. Brought on by my dad yelling "Marry Him."

Yes. That is it.

Fuji is weird. But he is not a Prince.

He is just asleep. He forgot to text.

I am lying to myself.

7:45 AM. The School Gates.

I am waiting. I am pretending to read a manga.

He is not here.

Rika and Toujo find me.

"Aoi-chan!" Rika chirps. "You're early! Waiting for your prince—"

"SHUT UP!" I roar. Everyone flinches.

Toujo is wearing a neck brace. A fake one. For sympathy.

"Wow, Twilight is back," he mutters. "What's wrong? Honeymoon phase over already?"

"He's not here," I grunt.

8:00 AM. The Classroom.

His desk... is empty.

The teacher walks in.

The Fuji Kenji Fan Club is whispering.

"Where is Fuji-sama?"

"He's never late!"

The teacher clears her throat.

"Good morning, class. Before we begin... I have an announcement. As of this morning, Fuji Kenji has withdrawn from our school."

...What?

The classroom explodes.

I don't hear it.

Withdrawn.

The Fuji Fan Club wails.

The Bloody Twilight observers gasp.

Everyone... is staring at me.

"Did she... do something to him?"

"Bloody Twilight finally succeeded!"

"She drove him away. I knew it!"

I am frozen.

He is gone. He transferred out. He left me.

Without a word.

Toujo and Rika are staring at me. Their jaws are dropped.

"Aoi..." Rika whispers.

I stand up.

CRASH. My chair falls over.

I walk out of the classroom.

"Isuzu-san! Class is starting!"

I don't care.

I walk out of the school.

He lied.

It was a lie. All of it. The penguin apron. The study date. The confession.

He ran away.

My eyes sting.

I am not crying.

I am furious.

I am Bloody Twilight. And I have been played.

I get to the school gates.

My phone is silent.

It is real.

He is gone.