In the library, the air was thick with unspoken words. Meiyu looked at the "Observation Paper" one last time before looking directly into Reikou’s eyes.
"I appreciate you," she said softly.
Reikou blinked, his brain stalling. ‘Appreciate? Is that a thank you or a "goodbye"?’ He felt a wave of frustration. Why couldn't she just speak normally?
Meiyu noticed his confusion and decided to tighten the trap. "You guessed correctly that I don’t smile much. But you’re late, Reikou-kun. I broke that rule myself. I smile now... and I laugh too."
"What are you even saying?!" Reikou asked, leaning in. He felt like he was chasing a ghost.
"You fool," Meiyu whispered. "You can’t even understand simple language. I thought you were looking for a way to fix the video scandal, but you were just watching me... were you trying to get close to me? Is that it?"
Reikou’s face twisted with frustration. "No! You’re getting it wrong!"
"Is it wrong?" Meiyu’s voice took on a sharp, bitter edge. "I see boys like you all the time. I have fame, money, and a reputation. Everyone wants a piece of the Sazanami name. Is that your goal too?"
Reikou looked down, then slowly looked back up. He didn't look angry. Instead, he had a small, sad smile. ‘She’s finally saying it,’ he thought. ‘The true feelings she’s kept locked away from everyone. She thinks everyone is a predator.’
Suddenly, Meiyu’s phone buzzed again. She read the screen, and her face went ghostly pale. She stood up abruptly, her chair screeching against the floor.
"Just enough," she snapped, her mask of ice returning. "Talking to you is like talking to a wall. Don’t come near me anymore. Hide yourself, Reikou-kun. If you don't, you'll have to face problems you can't imagine."
Before he could utter a single word, she swept out of the library. Reikou stood frozen. ‘Hide myself? Does she... does she hate me now?’
Back in the classroom, the atmosphere was much less dramatic, but equally tense.
"I’m a friend by name only," Ryuuto muttered, staring at his desk. "Kiyoshi-san is out there losing, and I'm sitting here in a math lecture."
"We'll go see him after school," Shiori whispered. "Don't worry."
"YOYO TEAM ASSEMBLE!" Ryuuto shouted suddenly, forgetting where he was.
"LAST BENCH! STAND UP!" Yinglan-sensei roared, his chalk snapping in half.
Ryuuto stood up, but his survival instinct kicked in. "Sir! We aren't the only ones! Those two rows over there were talking about the football score!"
"ALL OF YOU! STAND UP!" Sensei screamed. Half the class rose, sending murderous glares toward Ryuuto.
Amidst the chaos, the door slid open. Meiyu walked in, her expression blank.
"Why are you late, Sazanami-san?"
"I was in the library, reviewing my test mistakes, Sensei," she replied coldly.
She took her seat. Shiori noticed a faint, almost invisible smile on Meiyu’s lips. ‘Wait... why is she smiling? Did Reikou actually do it? Did he propose?!’ Shiori shook her head, trying to clear the thought.
Meiyu looked out the window, her hand supporting her chin. ‘I have a reason to smile now,’ she thought. ‘But the storm is already here. I hope he listened to me. I hope he’s hiding.’
In the library, Reikou remained at the table, staring at the dust motes dancing in the sunlight. The room felt peaceful, like a hidden garden.
‘Hide myself? What was she so afraid of?’
That peace was shattered instantly.
Two men dressed in high-school security uniforms but with eyes far too cold for simple guards burst into the room. Before Reikou could react, one jammed a gloved hand over his mouth while the other grabbed his arms.
"Mmph!! Mmmph!!"
Reikou struggled, his legs kicking out, but these weren't ordinary guards. They were professionals. In seconds, they had him shoved into a chair in the back corner of the library, his hands zip-tied behind his back and a heavy strip of tape silenced his shouts.
[End of Chapter 16]
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