Evil

~Kaito’s Perspective~

The next day.

I've stopped eating lunch in the cafeteria. Instead, I've found an isolated bench near the edge of the courtyard as a place to eat lunch alone.

Every time I see Reina talking to Asano, a mixed feeling of dread and anger goes through me.

I sat on the bench, a cheap, store-bought sandwich from the local convenience store in hand, chewing slowly as I read up on the subject I accidentally slept on during class.

It was a desperate attempt to look busy, to look unaffected, but the words were just blurring together.

"You should really eat more than just a sandwich for lunch, y'know."

I closed my textbook, snapping my gaze up. Standing besides the bench was a girl with short brown hair who I didn't recognise in the slightest.

Her uniform was perfectly tailored, almost the same way as Reina's: the same neatly ironed blazer and the same silk blouse.

She looked every bit the part of the academy's upper echelon, yet her posture was relaxed, completely lacking the rigid, unapproachable aura that Reina always had.

"Mind if I sit?" she asked. Before I could give an answer, she already slid onto the edge of the bench. Her head leant back slightly, tilting slightly towards me with a warm, open smile that felt entirely effortless.

"Sorry, but... who are you?"

She let out a bright, genuine laugh, completely unfazed by my bluntness. "I'm Megumi. Megumi Hasegawa, from Class 1-B. We're in the same year."

"Right..." I mumbled, my voice rough as I lowered my half-eaten sandwich back into its plastic wrapper. "I'm Kait—"

"Kaito Akizuki from Class 1-A."

"How do you already know my name?"

"Who doesn't? You've become a bit of a celebrity in the academy ever since the photo started going around."

"...What photo?" I said, looking away at her.

"Don't play dumb, Akizuki.The one where you and Kujo were in a boba shop together?" She said, showing me the photo on my phone. "People are saying there's something going on between you guys."

The mention of the photo felt like a physical twist in my chest. I felt a cold sweat break out on the back of my neck, but I forced my expression to remain completely blank.

"There was nothing going on between us," I said, my voice flat and tightly controlled. "We aren't in a relationship. It was just a rumour."

"Oh? Is that so?" Megumi hummed, a slow smile blooming across her face. "Well, I guess that makes sense. Especially considering the guy Kujo has been seen with lately."

I just kept my eyes fixed on the closed textbook next to me. "You mean Tatsuya Asano."

Megumi froze, her  smile faltering for a fraction of a second. "Oh... you already knew?"

"Everyone knows," I said, my voice flat, completely devoid of any emotion. "He's a second-year heir from Class 2-A. His father is a politician and they own a company with close ties to the Kujo conglomerate."

Megumi recovered quickly, her eyes widening with a fresh wave of curiosity as she tried to gauge my reaction. "Well, if you already know all that, then you must see how pointless it is to get caught up in her orbit."

She looked away, averting her gaze to the flowers in the courtyard, "A girl like Reina Kujo always has to align herself with someone of her own stature eventually."

"Like I said, Hasegawa. There's nothing going on between us," I muttered, opening up my textbook.

"If she can't see your value, then that's her loss," Megumi whispered while smoothing down her pristine skirt, standing up with a bright, flawless smile.

She extended her hand, and a premium bottle of iced white peach tea entered my field of view. "Anyways, you shouldn't push yourself so hard," Megumi said softly, her expression shifting to one of easy, gentle comfort as she nudged the cold bottle into my hand, forcing me to take it. "I noticed you didn't have a drink with you... You can take mine, okay?"

"...Thanks, I'll pay you back tomm—"

"There's no need for that, Akizuki. Just drink the tea before it loses its chill. See you around, Kaito." She walked away, her steps light and elegant, leaving me alone with the quiet rustle of the trees.

I leant back against the concrete bench, holding her expensive peach tea in my hands as I sighed.

Just a few more hours before the bell rings and I get back to my shift at the konbini. And only a few more months before I could give Reina a part of the money I owed her...

~Tatsuya's Perspective~

The dirt path behind the old gymnasium was a dump, with rusted iron and overgrown weeds everywhere. I checked my luxury watch, tapping my loafers against the gravel with a sharp hiss of irritation.

“Why did she even choose this place to meet up?" I muttered to myself.

I’ve been secretly coordinating with this girl for the past week now, but actually meeting face-to-face like this always felt a bit surreal. She was the one behind the anonymous photo that spread all throughout the academy forums.

After arriving at the spot, I waited for fifteen minutes before the quiet rustling of the nearby greenery signalled her approach.

"Hey, Tatsuya!" she called out, instantly beaming with a bright, sunny wave as she stepped into the clearing. "Thanks for waiting! Sorry I’m late; the professor asked me to deliver papers to the faculty room."

"Listen here, we agreed on a specific time to meet up," I snapped, adjusting the collar of my club jacket. “I excused myself from practice just for this.”

“Wow! You really did that for me?” she gasped, tilting her head with a starry-eyed expression. But within milliseconds her face completely changed to something terrifying.

“I don’t care if you have practice," she said, locking eyes with me. From my perspective it was like looking into the void with how dark it was. “If you want to get back to your precious practice, better start talking. Any new developments?"

"Of course, I’ve been chatting her up, walking her towards the gates... she even let me open the sedan door for her yesterday!" I said, a smug smirk breaking through as I crossed my arms. "I reckon that by the end of the month, she'll be completely head over heels for me."

"And how exactly is the scholarship rat reacting to all these developments?" she asked, her voice dropping into a flat, brutal drone. "Has Kaito backed off?"

"Oh, him?" I chuckled dismissively. "I already handled it. I cornered the guy in the hallway yesterday and told him to get a hint and stay away."

"Is that so? Good job, Tatsuya!” she said, but the expression on her face didn't match her tone, “Then would you ever so kindly explain why he didn’t seem all that affected when I talked to him during lunch?"

"...What? Trust me, after the look on his face, I'm sure he's going to back off now. He knows his place."

"You absolute moron..."

My blood boiled. I stepped directly into her personal space, glaring down at her. "You've got some nerve insulting me while I’ve been doing all the work.”

She left out a quiet, mocking laugh. “Oh please, you wouldn’t even have the opportunity to even get close to Reina if it weren't for me."

"I'm telling you, Megumi. I broke the guy!"

"You didn't break anything," she whispered, stepping right back up to me without a single trace of fear, poking a finger hard into the centre of my chest. The impact actually forced me back a half-step. "In fact, you probably just inspired him more. And once their little show is over, Reina will drop your arrogant ass in a heartbeat."

She pulled her hand back, letting out a sharp, exasperated sigh as she reached into her pocket to pull out a small notebook, flipping it open with an annoyed, aggressive snap. "Since I am the kindest underclassman, let me give you the actual data so you stop embarrassing us," she muttered, her tone suddenly switching back to a casual, blunt drone.

“Reina hates loud, arrogant gestures. She values quiet environments. She likes classical literature, prefers black coffee with two sugars, and absolutely despises unprompted physical contact." 

She leaned back on the wall of the gymnasium, "Do as you please with the information, but I’d prefer you start using your head a little."

I stared at her, a cold sweat breaking out across my neck. When I first received that anonymous letter weeks ago, I never could have guessed that Megumi Hasegawa, the sweet, gentle underclassman everyone adored, was the one behind the rumours.

It was honestly terrifying how different she was when the mask came off. Standing here, I realised Hasegawa was a literal wolf in sheep's clothing.

"You're terrifying, you know that, Hasegawa?" I muttered, shaking my head. 

"Aw, but I'm just a helpful underclassman looking out for her favourite upperclassman!" she giggled, clapping her hands together with a sweet, mocking chirp that made her look like a television idol. Then, within a millisecond, the warmth vanished again, her eyes turning stone-cold. "Anyways, this whole slowly winning her over plan is taking too long; we need to do something big."

"What do you suggest?" I asked, my ego bruised but my practical instincts kicking in.

"The library. Tomorrow afternoon," Megumi purred, a slow, wicked grin spreading across her face as she bounced on her heels like she was suggesting a thrilling school trip. "Kaito always sits in the back rows during study hours, watching her from a distance like a sad, broken puppy."

“You are going to walk right up to Reina’s table while he's watching. Lean in super close, block Kaito’s view of your faces, and you know the rest."

“You want me to kiss her?”

“Bingo," she snapped, "how smart of you, Tatsuya."

"But in reality Reina will probably slap you or back away," Megumi laughed, a sweet, musical sound that felt entirely wrong given the absolute toxicity of the plan. "But that little gesture will completely crush whatever lingering hope he has left, and he'll leave her alone for good."

I let the sheer, calculated cruelty of the trap settle into my brain. It was vicious, underhanded, and absolutely perfect. A slow, appreciative smirk broke through my initial shock.

"You’re crazy," I chuckled,  adjusting my jacket. 

"Then it's settled," she said, already walking away...

But as I looked at her, there was one huge thing that didnt make any sense...

"Megumi, what exactly you’re getting from all of this?"

She turned arround and tilted her head, her bright, sunny smile returning in full force "No need to worry that pretty head of yours about it."

"Now you best get going; the team needs the star player, right?" she chirped vaguely, her eyes glittering with an unreadable, dark amusement. "See you tomorrow in the library. Don't mess up."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and dissolved into the path, leaving me alone in the quiet shadow of the gymnasium.

A wolf in sheep's clothing...