You glared out the window nearest to you, a piece of interest building up gradually, eventually becoming a bit more than partial curiosity.

"I heard a noise outside.. is it just the rain?" Something made you think more deeply. "But Iisei is out there... maybe I should check on him..? What if he didn't leave yet?" Recalling that strange noise which had occurred only minutes ago, you couldn't help but grasp a sense of worry.

"I'll go and see, just in case.."

Now approaching your door, you slipped on your shoes at ease. But while in the midst of opening it quite calmly, your phone vibrated in your pocket.

'Ah, this is Iisei's number, right? I completely forgot we all exchanged numbers in case we got lost at the amusement park..' This revelation urged a pink color into your cheeks. 'We'll be texting each other from here on out now..!'

Just as you thought this, you opened your phone, glaring towards the message on your screen.

>Sei<

Four eyes! Is typing...

>Sei is trying to<

He began typing again, until abruptly he stopped. Meanwhile, you started to open your door which led outside. The instant you closed it behind you, Neiji would have sent you another message.

>Sorry about that. I'm fine.<

His reassurance calmed you. "Okay.." Would have been your simple response. Still, it all felt strange. Sneaking a glance, your eyes laid on Seiichiro's door. Curiosity got the best of you.

After a short approach, you stood right in front of Seiichiro's door. Tension was at it's peak. You don't know why... but you felt extremely nervous. Part of you still looked back on Neiji's message.

Clearing your throat followed by a knock, you patiently waited, yet to no avail. Seiichiro didn't seem to be home during the moment. Just to be safe, however... you knocked again.

Still quiet.

"It is getting late... he must be sleeping.." Taking one final glance at your cell phone, your final decision had been made. However, your concern over Neiji hadn't ceased.

>[Time: 9:02 PM]<

With your daily routine out of the way, you could finally relax on the comfort of your bed. Your hand towel slipped from your hair after throwing your back against the mattress, a satisfied sigh leaving you.

Closing your eyes for only a mere moment, you laid there for minutes. Flashbacks suddenly breached your mind, leading you to finally open them to glare at your ceiling.

Wait.

It wasn't the reminisce you had that forced your eyes to open; it was a familiar noise. A strange creek above you.

"Seiichiro told me to ignore it, but the more I hear things, the more uneasy I get..." It was like something was toying with you, but you just didn't know what it was. 

Still staring at the ceiling motionless, the noise had stopped, granting you the opportunity to spot something which had not been there days prior.

A hole.

There was a hole in your ceiling.

It wasn't a large one, it was rather small... Even so, it was enough to cause you to speculate. "How did that even... get there..?" The moment you asked that question, you felt a chilling shiver sweep down your spine, as if it was demanding you to put the subject down. "In... any case.. I.. I should go to bed."

You moved up to shut off your bedside lamp, ignorant about the hand towel beside you. Soon slipping underneath your blankets, you turned to position your body away from the ceiling.

'..I hope Iisei is alright..' Your thoughts cleared, and you dozed off into slumber. Light snores passed your lips, unable to realize that your consciousness slipped away.

Monday, November 18th. 

>[Time: 8:32 AM]<

As you sat in another class session, you felt.. empty. Bored. As if you had been missing something.

Ah.

That's what it was.

Neiji wasn't at school today.

Realizing you had been staring at his desk, you looked back down at the textbook against your desk, flipping another page calmly.

What happened to him?

That thought didn't cease from your mind. And with curiosity taking hold of you, your next words practically dug a grave for yourself.

"Hey, Seiichiro.." You mumbled, still looking down. The male beside you looked over in an instant, halting the notes he had been taking. "Yeah?" As he waited for your response, you quietly glanced at his left hand holding his pencil.

"It's about Iisei... do you know where he is? He sent a really strange message yesterd-"

"Where do you think he is?" Asked Seiichiro, whose voice descended to a low murmur. He cut off your sentence, causing you to meet those glacial, distant eyes. His previously content look vanished beneath a steely, murderous expression.

You shivered involuntarily, grasping onto your left arm. In that moment, you felt goosebumps attack your skin.

"Well?" He spoke, snapping you back into reality. You reverted your shaken [E/C] gaze down towards your book, clearly afraid of the recent change in his persona. "Ne.. Never mind..." Your heart was racing from fear. As you were now in bare-witness to his malice, you had gave yourself second thoughts on your outlook towards Seiichiro.

What if he was the reason behind Neiji's absence?

Your body suddenly jolted from your seat, immediately causing everyone to glance over. Sensei Iki lowered her book which had been in her hand, while her other hand that held a piece of chalk remained against the board. She watched you in confusion. "[L/N]? Is there something wrong?" In a split second you nodded, and then clenched your skirt. 

"I need to use the restroom. May I..?"

Iki exchanged glances with you. "Certainly.." She spoke, though the hesitance had been vivid in her tone. "Be sure to return quickly." As soon as you gained confirmation, you proceeded to leave your desk, until suddenly; other chairs had been pushed aside signalling that others had stood up as well. You looked back, and then widened your eyes in surprise. 

"Y... Yatsouba?!" She and her friend, too, asked to use the restroom. And due to your encounter with her last time, you couldn't help but get a little nervous. The teacher decided to allow the three of you to leave together, however all of you had to return in under six minutes. 

You decided to leave before them, arriving in the bathroom only to go into the stall. Locking it, you sat there for a moment, eventually hearing your other company enter. You listened to her footsteps, hearing as they stopped near the aligned sinks. "Hey you, I know you're not actually using the bathroom in there. Come out, we need to talk."

Kirigiri's cold voice had startled you, and you obeyed obediently. Biting your tongue, the door unlocked and you opened it slowly, stepping out with an oddly distressed look. "I mean no harm, Yatsouba... I came here to get my mind off a few things.." You whispered, stroking your arm gently. The girl had rolled her eyes before approaching you. 

"I know you don't, but I do. That Iisei interrupted us last week... But now, you're about to get what you deserve." You took a step back, alarmed by her words. She spared you no time to evaluate, however, and pushed you against the bathroom stall you last exited from. Yelping, your back forcefully hit the glass toilet, earning an aching feeling within.

The breath was choked out of you in an instant.

You tried to stand but it was too late for you, as you noticed Kirigiri coming in close with what looked to be scissors. 

"He-Hey!! What.. do you plan on doing with that??" During your words, she grasped onto a lock of your hair, a smirk spread across her lips. "Your hair is so pretty! I wonder how it'd look if it was a bit shorter!" Immediately, her actions would be as clear as day. 

You kicked and squirmed, shouting with every fiber of your being. She cocked her head back towards her companion, who held an surprised look. "Help me out here!" Reluctant, she nodded, and approached you quickly. Pinning down your legs, she gazed at you with clear guilt, meanwhile Kirigiri was written with satisfactory. 

You became mildly invigorated and continued your endless struggling, this only caused Kirigiri to grow frustrated. "Stop moving, damn it! I'm just going to cut a bit off!" You failed to understand the reasons behind her actions. Your eyes pinched closed, and you finally gathered enough strength to speak. "..A-Are you attacking me because of Seiichiro?! What are you, crazy?? He's not mine! I don't even like him!" After you shouted so suddenly, it unexpectedly lowered their guards. 

Kirigiri pursed her lips, quiet for a second, until they parted while she lashed out in anger. "I said stop moving! You don't understand anything!" In that moment, she uncontrollably forced your head to the side, causing it to meet with the rims of the toilet seat. 

A loud thud echoed through the room.

You were too slow to catch up with anything.

Your mind blacked out the moment you felt pain, however you could hear loud screaming fill your ears. 

"Di-Did you kill her?!"

"I don't know! Let's bring her somewhere else, I don't wanna get expelled!"

The more you listened, the more things began to fade. But eventually, you had went unconscious, limp from any touch. The girls made both a crucial, and pressuring decision to relocate you on the staircases, fabricating the situation to make it seem as though you fell down the stairs. From there, they created a story to keep them from having trouble on their end. 

>[Time: 5:23 PM]<

Your eyes shot open and you threw yourself upwards, panting heavily. This abrupt awakening urged an agonizing headache. Forcing your hand against your skull, you failed to recall anything that might've shed light on your current situation, that was until you noticed where you sat. 

On an infirmary bed. 

"When.. did I.." Cut off from your muttering, you felt warmth around your hand. You looked over to the right of you and spotted a familiar face resting his head against the edge of the bed with your hand held close against his cheek. His grip was tight, and as you moved, it only made it tighten. 

"Seiichiro? Why is he here..?" You'd ask aloud. Your voice had been an instant trigger for the male's awakening. He opened his golden eyes and then shriveled his them up towards you, groaning as he nuzzled against your soft skin. "You're... awake.. Are you alright...?"

The fact that he seemed genuine, and affectionate made you smile... wait a second! You can't forget about earlier! Slipping your hand away, an look of discomfort scouted you. "Please don't do that... can you tell me why I'm here?" Seiichiro sat up and then leaned back in the chair he sat in, taking his eyes off of you momentarily. "You fell down the stairs..."

"Se-Seriously?? When!? I don't even remember.." Grasping onto a lock of your hair, recalling past events seemed impossible, everything was a heavy blur. You realized that bandages were wrapped around your head and had then groaned. "I must've caused so much trouble... What time is it?"

The male with golden eyes glanced toward the clock, it was now 5:25 PM. "It's late, I'll tell you that. Do you want me to walk you home? You're unwell." He'd suggest, gently reaching up to feel against his unkempt bangs. During the entirety of your discussion, you weren't the primary weight on his mind.

It was the one who hurt you.

He will make them pay.

"Actually, on second thought." Seiichiro would say, standing from his seat. "I need to catch up with a friend. Get home safe, and text me once you get there." He stood up without further notice, and felt slight disappointment as you didn't even stop to postpone him.

The room was full of silence aside from Seiichiro's tapping shoes nearing the door. As he opened it, his narrowed gaze had been distant and harsh, void from any glisten...
He didn't even realize there had been an eager, yet twisted disposition in his grin. 'Even an amateur would know that it was you..'

He reached to take out his phone, eventually dialing a number saved in his contacts. Seiichiro would use his left hand to raise it to his ear, his pace slowing while seconds passed.

"Hello? Kirigiri? Could we meet for a sec?"

[Chapter END]