A/N: Please check out Chapter Six: Prepare for the Worst before reading this chapter for added context. Thanks, and enjoy your read.

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How could this have happened?

They were all gone.

The servants, her lifeline, had vanished.

Earlier that day, the police had stormed the mansion and arrested her father on charges of corruption.

Mei struggled with the thought that her father could be guilty. Or could he? The uncertainty was paralyzing.

For months, they had led a charmed life, and now it had been shattered by the morning's news.

She had been sitting on her bed since dawn; now, it was early afternoon.

Her eyes, usually bright and full of emotion, were now dulled by despair and a profound sense of loss.

She recalled the expressions of the servants as they absorbed the news: their eyes, once kind, now pierced her with contempt and scorn, their looks tinged with a strange, cruel satisfaction.

It was the first time Mei had ever been subjected to such gazes, and it chilled her to the core.

In the past, these same people had regarded her with warmth, tending to her every need with a gentle hand. But time had turned harsh, and their departure had been abrupt and merciless.

She stared down at her own hands, feeling utterly lost.

Pulling away the blanket, she surveyed her room. Though everything was in place, pristine and untouched, the air felt heavy, almost suffocating.

She glanced toward the door, half-expecting a familiar face to appear and offer a comforting "hello." But the room remained eerily silent.

"I'm useless..." she whispered to herself, a sentiment that felt more real with each passing second.

Her father's words echoed in her mind: "You have the purest of hearts, capable of bearing the world's weight."

Once, these words had filled her with pride. Now, they rang hollow. If even the servants despised her, what would her peers at school think?

She glanced at the clock—it was already well into the afternoon, far too late for school.

Hunger gnawed at her, reminding Mei of her new reality. With no one left to care for her, she realized she'd have to fend for herself.

A wave of lethargy washed over her, urging her to stay in bed.

But she needed to eat. Summoning what little will she had, she decided to do just enough to get by—for today, at least.

She had no energy left for anything more, and as Lyon often said, "Tomorrow's you can handle tomorrow's problems."

Unbeknownst to her, her eyes took on a purple glow, illuminating the surroundings of her mansion with the intensity of the brewing lightning outside.

---

Lyon arrived at school with a troubled expression.

"Damn it, old man. Was this the crisis you warned us about months ago?"

His morning had started normally enough, getting ready for school, when an emergency news broadcast interrupted his routine. The headline flashed—a report on Ryoma's arrest—and immediately, Lyon's thoughts turned to Mei.

Rushed and with his clothes unironed, he hurried out of his studio and made his way to school.

As he entered the school gates, he noticed some students already gathered. Their stares mixed with various emotions as they landed on him.

A senior girl he didn't recognize approached him, flanked by a small entourage.

"Are you the infamous Lyon who's friends with Miss Raiden?"

Her tone carried a hint of scorn, and Lyon understood instantly. These people were turning against Mei.

Yet the question demanded an answer, and in such tense times, honesty might hurt, but evasions would only complicate things further.

He replied with a casual smirk, hand resting on his hip, "Yeah, that's me. Why do you ask?"

His response seemed to confirm their suspicions, and their expressions twisted into disgust.

"A dirty fool like you dares to come to this school, knowing the CEO is a corrupter?"

"Where's your princess? Too ashamed to show up with you?"

The female student raised her hand to silence the others. She cleared her throat, "I apologize for the noise from the student council members. They've been quite upset since the news broke this morning. I assume you've only just heard."

Lyon scrutinized her; despite the turmoil, she remained eerily composed.

"Indeed, I just found out. Not much I can do about it now, is there?"

The girl blinked, confused. "He doesn't know...?"

A student from the group stepped forward, agitation clear in his tone. "President, do you really believe this fool is innocent? He's associated with ME Corp! I bet they're all corrupt, just like their CEO."

Lyon was taken aback, not by the truth of the accusation, but by its sheer absurdity.

"Wait a minute... You think just because one person committed a crime, everyone in the company is guilty? What's wrong with you?"

The student sneered, "I am the son and heir of th—"

"I don't care who you are. That's a ridiculous assumption. Sure, the CEO may be corrupt, but those working under him are just trying to make a living."

The female student, now revealed as the president, appeared conflicted as she glanced between Lyon and her group member, the former angered and the latter shrinking back.

The student body seemed wary of Lyon's next words, sensing the weight they carried.

Lyon, seeing their looks of resentment and jealousy, snapped, "Enough, I've got classes to attend."

The group parted, allowing him to pass, but Lyon paused to address the president.

"Hey, president."

She responded tentatively, "Y-yes?"

"Keep your council in check, will you? I'd hate to have to get physical."

With that, Lyon headed to his class, the corridors echoing with the whispers he left behind. He couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get worse.

---

Several hours into the school day, Lyon found himself confronted by a familiar but unwelcome sentiment.

The judgmental glares he received were reminiscent of his first days at the school. Although these looks were mostly just irritating, they were becoming increasingly bothersome.

Exasperated, he called out, "Hey, focus up! There's a blackboard up front meant for notes, not for staring at me. It won't help with whatever you think you're accomplishing."

The whispers around him grew, and Lyon sighed inwardly.

Idiotic teens... Oh, wait. He was one too.

Idiotic classmates, then. That sounded about right.

The teacher, catching Lyon's drift, chimed in, "Class, focus on your studies. As crass as Lyon's words may be, he's right. Your education should take precedence over unresolved personal issues."

Lyon hummed in agreement, a smirk of vindication spreading across his face as the teacher validated his point.

The teacher gave Lyon a thumbs up and a nod, which Lyon returned.

It was reassuring to know some adults understood the situation.

Then the bell rang, signaling the start of lunch.

Lyon's earlier comment seemed to establish that he wasn't affected by their attitudes. At least, he hoped it did, and he wished it would remain that way until the gossip died down.

But he had his doubts, especially given the propensity of the wealthier students to fuel the rumor mill relentlessly.

Standing up, he made his way out of the classroom, pondering, 'It's going to get worse for Mei... If this is how they treat me, what about her? I hope she's managing okay.'

A part of him held on to some optimism, though he knew it might be unfounded.

Heading towards Mei's classroom to check on her, he knocked and then opened the door. The students inside turned in surprise.

Lyon scanned the room and realized Mei wasn't there. It wasn't long before he noticed the state of her desk.

Rarely did he visit Mei's classroom except to meet her for lunch, so he knew exactly where she sat. What he saw appalled him.

Her desk was vandalized with crude drawings and vulgar messages.

Maintaining his composure, he addressed the students, "Vandalism isn't the most honorable activity, is it? Weren't you taught that?"

One student, pen in hand, sneered, "Shut up, idiot. You don't know what she's done!"

Lyon looked up, his patience wearing thin. He was going to hear this a lot, wasn't he?

"You call me an idiot while you waste your time defacing someone's desk with this trash?" He gestured to the vulgar drawings, which detailed harmful intentions towards Mei.

Seeing some students ready to defend their actions, he confronted them, "Instead of acting like the privileged kids you are, you choose to wallow in victimhood and project your vile fantasies?"

A bold student approached him, "That's not fair! Mei's connected to her father; she deserves to face consequences for benefiting from his theft!"

Lyon raised an eyebrow, "So you're saying you're jealous of the funds Mei had, which let her live comfortably here?"

As the student advanced, Lyon caught his wrist. "Trying to attack me with a pen? You do realize that can get you detention, right? A pen is a weapon in the wrong hands."

The student struggled against Lyon's firm grip. "Let go of me!"

Lyon shook his head, "Nuh-uh, you tried to attack me, so let's see how you like being on the receiving end."

With a swift motion, Lyon tightened his grip until a cracking sound filled the room.

"AGGGGHHHHH!!!"

The student's cries of pain echoed through the classroom as Lyon continued, "This is self-defense. Maybe it'll teach you to think before you act."

"Stop! It hurts!"

Lyon's grip intensified momentarily before he released the student, who collapsed across the desks.

As other students rushed to help him, Lyon took the moment to make his point clear, "See what happens when you mess with someone I care about? Now, clean up your act and start behaving like decent human beings."

With that, he left the classroom, the sound of the student's continued sobbing trailing behind him.

---

Lyon strolled through the school hallways, his hand casually tucked in his pocket.

As he made his way, he noticed the students' eyes on him, filled with a distinct wariness.

'Hmm, looks like word got out about that altercation earlier. Good, maybe they'll think twice now...'

These students often behaved like social media trolls, hiding behind anonymity to spout nonsense—except, in reality, their identities were no secret.

He rubbed his eyes, 'It's already draining dealing with this. Now it feels even lonelier around here...'

Eventually, Lyon made his way to the cafeteria, his stomach reminding him of its needs.

Usually, Mei would share her extra bento with him, but today, her absence was palpable, and he found himself without his usual meal.

He muttered to himself, "Good thing that old man wired some money... Oh right—"

He patted the card in his wallet, a wave of guilt washing over him.

'I shouldn't feel guilty about this, yet here I am, a millionaire overnight because the CEO of a major company—who, in a twist of fate, has just been arrested, gave me his money. Talk about karma catching up...'

Though he wasn't directly implicated, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow part of the problem.

Shaking off his thoughts, he approached the counter to purchase a simple meal.

Just then, a commotion nearby caught his attention. Turning to look, Lyon saw a white-haired girl flinging a chair at another student.

"I must be seeing things..." He blinked hard and looked again. "Nope, definitely happening."

Choosing to ignore the bizarre scene, he bought his food and headed to an empty table, the crowd parting to let him through without interference.

Sitting down, he inspected his meal. It was average—nothing like Mei's home-cooked delicacies, but it would have to do.

"Beggars can't be choosers," he remarked dryly.

But no sooner had he begun eating than the white-haired girl approached and plopped down opposite him. She wasn't in uniform and looked famished as she eyed his food eagerly.

Lyon sighed and pulled out some cash. "Here, go buy yourself something."

The girl's mood instantly brightened. "Hehe, knew I spotted a good one. You kinda look like a rebel, you know."

'And you look like trouble,' Lyon thought as he pushed the money toward her. "Just go eat, okay? I'm not up for games today."

The girl shrugged and took the money. "Alrighty, thanks, Mr. Could-be-a-teacher!"

She scampered off, and Lyon shook his head. "I do not look that old... right?"

Soon, she returned with a tray piled high, clearly having spent every cent he gave her. She settled in as if the chair were the softest cushion and rubbed her hands together with glee.

"Hehehe~ Got myself my first meal of the day! Yippee!"

Her enthusiasm was palpable as she devoured her food with an intensity that bordered on disturbing.

Lyon watched, bemused yet unable to judge. When hunger strikes, manners often take a backseat.

"So, what's your name? Haven't seen you around before," he asked, curious despite himself.

She paused her frenzied eating just long enough to burp and reply with a pork chop in hand. "Heh, name's Kiana Kaslana. Just transferred here to... uh, Class 1-something."

Her casual demeanor reminded him of someone else for a moment.

'Kaslana? That's an unusual name.'

Lyon introduced himself as he resumed eating. "I'm Lyon, no last name. Guess I'm sort of a senior to you, even though we're the same year."

Kiana's eyes lit up. "Oh! I've heard about you. You're the guy who put a student in the hospital with one punch!"

"What."

"Yeah! That kid ended up with a broken wrist. Gotta say, I admire that. Who needs words when you've got fists, right?"

Lyon didn't quite know how to respond to her brazen approval.

'She's definitely not one for thinking things through...'

A girl who gets it?

'Could be interesting to hang out with.'

With a smirk, he said, "Kiana..."

She looked up, mouth full. "Nyeah?"

"I think we're going to get along just fine."

Kiana grinned, food forgotten for a moment. "Heck yeah! Let's rock this place, Lion!"

"It's Lyon, damn it!"

Kiana chuckled, and Lyon couldn't help but exhale a weary sigh, his thoughts drifting elsewhere.

'Mei, I hope you're okay, wherever you are...'

Watching Kiana devour her meal with sheer joy, Lyon's concern for his first friend deepened.

'Starting tomorrow, I need to get to school early, just in case Mei shows up too.'

The events of the day had heightened his worries about Mei's safety, especially since they were in different classes.

Lyon knew he could handle himself, but Mei? She was physically strong, yet emotionally delicate. He couldn't bear the thought of her gentle spirit being crushed.

His expression hardened with determination; he had to be ready to protect her.

But first...

"Hey, Lion. Can I have some more cash? I'm ready for round two!" Kiana's request snapped him back to the present.

Looks like he'd have to manage his new friend's insatiable appetite first.

End of Chapter