The next morning, the sky was a paradox. Golden sunlight pierced through a soft, silver drizzle, making the world look like a scene from a fantasy novel. Reikou walked under the canopy of his umbrella, the rhythmic tip-tip of his shoes hitting the puddles echoing the steady beat of his heart.
As he approached the school gates, a familiar figure stood waiting. It was Meiyu’s handler, Akihiro-san. The man stood straight, his usual stoic aura present, but as he spotted Reikou, he moved forward with uncharacteristic speed.
‘Why is Akihiro-san coming toward me like that?’ Reikou wondered, coming to a halt.
Akihiro-san stopped and offered a formal, respectful bow. "Good morning, Reikou-kun."
Reikou’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. For the first time, the handler hadn't used a cold title or ignored him he had used his name. "Go-Good morning, Akihiro-san!"
Suddenly, Akihiro-san grabbed Reikou’s hand in a tight, firm grip. He looked like he wanted to say something perhaps a warning, or perhaps a thank you but the words seemed trapped. Instead, he surprised Reikou by pulling him into a brief, rough hug before dashing back toward the black sedan.
"See you later, Reikou-kun!" Akihiro-san shouted as the car sped off.
A slow smile spread across Reikou’s face. He turned and sprinted toward the school building at his full "Donkey Speed." He burst into the classroom with a fancy, over-the-top entry that made the door rattle on its hinges.
The room went dead silent. Everyone stared not because of the cool entry, but because of Reikou’s signature "Scary Face."
"How is he here?" one student whispered, horrified. "Wasn't he suspended for two days?"
Reikou didn't explain. He simply leaned over the student’s desk, his face twisting into a terrifying grimace. "What was that? You have something to say?"
"Eeeek! Mommy, help me!" The student scrambled away in terror.
"Oiii, Reikou-kun!" Shiori-san shouted from her seat. Beside her sat Yueko-chan and Meiyu-sama. Behind them, the power duo of Ryuuto and Kiyoshi were grinning like idiots.
Reikou rushed over, ready to tell his grand story of justice, but the group waved him off. "Stop, we already know everything," Shiori said with a smirk.
Reikou felt a wave of pure warmth. He looked at Meiyu, who sat there with her eyes closed, a soft, genuine smile gracing her lips. She looked truly happy. Reikou slid into his seat, his gaze lingering on her.
"Oiii, Reikou-san," Ryuuto whispered, leaning in. "We know what you did with Sazanami-san yesterday."
"What do you me—"
"I told them everything that happened at your house," Meiyu interrupted, her voice calm but her cheeks slightly pink.
Before Reikou could react to the "perverted" grins his friends were giving him, the classroom door slid open again. The atmosphere curdled instantly. Kaoru Renzhi had arrived.
Reikou’s fist clenched instinctively. Meiyu reached out, her hand hovering near his, shaking her head slightly as if to say, 'No, don't let him get to you.'
Beside them, Kiyoshi nudged Ryuuto. ‘Our buddy really pulled the Sazanami Princess, didn't he?’ He wore a wide, teasing smile.
"What’s with that creepy look, Kiyoshi-kun?" Yueko asked, though she looked like she was trying not to laugh herself.
"Nice to see you, Reikou-the-Failure," Kaoru sneered, stopping at Reikou’s desk.
Reikou didn't get angry. Instead, he made a confused, weird face and pointed a finger at Kaoru. "Who are you again? Some kind of jerk?"
The YOYO Team lost it, bursting into muffled laughter. Kaoru’s cool mask shattered. "You fool! Did you already forget what I did to you yesterday?!"
"Nah, doesn't ring a bell," Reikou said airily. "Introduce yourself, Jerk-kun."
"I am Kaoru Renzhi! The sole heir to the owner of LINEAR! The most popular social media platform on the planet!"
Reikou turned to the class, his voice loud and teasing. "See? He’s the son of the LINEAR owner, and I don't even recognize him! How embarrassing!"
"Hahahaha!"
Reikou let out a loud, "evil" laugh, his face contorting into a mask of pure mischief. Kaoru actually flinched. ‘What is wrong with this guy’s face? It’s terrifying!’
"Good morning, students," Yinglan-sensei announced, entering the room and cutting through the tension.
"GOOD MORNING, SENSEI!"
As the class settled, Kaoru took his seat beside Sayomi. She pointedly ignored him, focusing on her book. Kaoru’s eyes burned with resentment. ‘That failure... I’ll destroy him later.’ He tried to glare at the back of Reikou’s head, but Reikou, Ryuuto, and Kiyoshi all turned around at the same time, making "Scary Faces" in perfect synchronization.
"Hmph." Yinglan-sensei cleared his throat. "As you know, the Sports Festival is next week. Start your preparations. Now, turn to page 142 of your Math texts."
Halfway through the lecture, a staff member called Sensei away. The moment the door closed, Ryuuto leaned over. "Hey, let's go to the Fireworks Festival tomorrow night!"
"That’s a great idea!" Yueko chirped.
"Sazanami-chan, will you come?" Shiori asked hopefully.
Meiyu paused, then gave a slow, soft nod. "I would like that."
From the back of the room, Kaoru listened to every word. A dark, devilish smile spread across his face. If they wanted fireworks, he would make sure they got a show they’d never forget.
[End of Chapter 29]
Please sign in to leave a comment.