Chapter 24. When did Tsukino Kazuya arrive? ...
Hajime Hyuga: "This... isn't how it is."
Hyuga Hajime knew that Ouma Shokichi's speculation was not without merit.
Huang Yinggongyi, who currently teaches undergraduate courses, also works as a headhunter for Hope Peak Academy. Therefore, the appearance of such a person in the preparatory course naturally sparks speculation, wondering if another "Ultimate Student" is about to be discovered by Hope Peak.
But... that's not the case.
Hajime Hinata had no idea why Professor Sakura, an undergraduate student, would suddenly appear here—he had initially thought that the professor had come to the preparatory course specifically to ask him about his thoughts on the "Kamikura Izuru Project." However, upon actually meeting the professor, Hinata keenly realized that this might not be the case.
Perhaps due to her personality, Ms. Huang Ying seemed eager to leave work and go for a drink, and didn't interact much with Hinata Hajime.
He simply asked Hinata Hajime about his current thoughts on the Kamukura Project, and after receiving the answer "still considering," he didn't say much more. He quickly told Hinata Hajime he could leave, and then, just as the student was about to leave and close the door, he couldn't wait to take out his small bottle of liquor and start chugging it down.
...And then, by chance, Hinata Hajime caught a glimpse of that scene. Now that I think about it, Professor Huang Ying is probably still enjoying a drink in the conference room right now.
However, in short, although their conversation was so brief that he unexpectedly ran into Tsukino again before she had gone far, Hyuga Hajime still vaguely realized from this conversation that the teacher Huang Ying, whom he was meeting for the first time, did not seem to fully agree with the plan to artificially create the God Throne of Hope.
She simply didn't say much, and despite expressing some disapproval, Professor Huang Ying had no intention of influencing Hinata Hajime's final decision. Hinata, in fact, understood why his teacher was hesitant; ultimately, human experimentation was a sensitive topic…
...
But now it seems...
Hajime Hinata was thinking rapidly in his mind.
If he heard correctly, Wang Ma Xiaoji had clearly said something like, "This route looks so familiar. And now you're here... Could it be that you're also going to see Teacher Huang Ying?"
So, it means that Tsukino and he really did go to see Professor Huang Ying before, right? There's a good chance that the folder he had, which contained some unknown information, was taken from Professor Huang Ying.
Unlike himself, who simply said a few words and left, Tsukino, who had stayed since after school and had only just left, seemed to have had a rather long conversation with Ms. Kizakura.
So, Tsukino and him... could it be...?
An awkward silence hung in the air, a result of Hinata's earlier refusal and denial.
Just as Hinata Sou was about to say something to break the somewhat unpleasant atmosphere, Ohma Kokichi seemed to have been reactivated from the previous silence, his eyes shining brightly as if he had thought of something.
"Looks like something unexpected has happened~ But it's also made things more interesting. Hey, this student who also saw Teacher Huang Ying, what were you doing just now? Tell me the inside story~ In exchange, I'll allow you to join my organization!"
...In a sense, Wang Ma Xiaoji's seemingly oblivious attitude towards the awkward atmosphere does indeed resemble someone who missed a part of the story after a power outage and was suddenly reconnected.
That said, what kind of development is this? Hyuga Hajime had rarely encountered such a unique individual in his lifetime, and for a moment he felt a little confused: "What organization are you referring to?"
"Hehe, don't you know?" Wangma Xiaoji said his often-quoted line, "The reason I became the 'Ultimate Leader' is because I'm the head of an evil secret society with over ten thousand members!"
For a moment, Hyuga Hajime was taken aback: "Ten, ten thousand people?"
Is it for real? But this purple-haired, baby-faced boy doesn't look like the leader of such a large organization at all. However, Hajime Hinata also knows the saying "don't judge a book by its cover," and besides, Ouma Kokichi is indeed the "Ultimate Leader" certified by Hope's Peak... No, no, even so, an evil secret society with about ten thousand members is still too exaggerated, isn't it?
And they even specifically emphasized "evil"... Won't they get called in by the police?
Tsukino and Chiya didn't hold back at all, bluntly remarking, "So it seems Hinata didn't get any benefits at all?"
Having successfully grasped the key point, Ohma Kokichi suddenly realized: "Oh, it's Hinata!"
Hajime Hinata initially thought that the nickname "Little Tsukino Kazuya" came from the fact that the two were very familiar with each other: "Little, Little Hinata?!" Isn't this a bit too familiar?
"Mmm, this is my pet name for my favorite Hinata~"
Despite it being their first meeting, Wang Ma Xiaoji delivered such an obvious lie with ease and without batting an eye.
"Although I really want to play games with Kohinata, it's a rare time after school, and it wouldn't be fun if we got stopped by the teacher. So I have to go now, but before that... as a greeting gift, I have something to tell Kohinata."
Wang Ma Xiaoji's smile deepened: "It's best not to stay at school too late these days. If that happens..."
"—Who knows what terrible things might happen."
After Shen Sheng finished speaking those words, which sounded like both a warning and a threat, the purple-haired boy's face cleared of its previous gloom, and he waved to Hinata Hajime quite cheerfully.
"This is rare advice from the evil mastermind, so remember it well, Hinata. Bye-bye~"
Wang Ma Xiaoji clearly had no intention of waiting for anyone; his main goal was to catch people off guard. After leaving behind his last words, he ran away as nimbly as a rabbit.
"Hey, wait a minute..."
Hyuga Hajime wanted to ask what was going on, but the person in front of him had already disappeared without a trace, vanishing so quickly that it was as if he had dug a secret passage in the school, just like a character in a manga.
However, Tsukino and Chiya did not seem surprised by Ohma Kokichi's sudden departure. He promptly nodded apologetically to Hinata and then chased after him.
Hajime Hinata was left staring at the now-silent corner of the campus, a question mark slowly forming on his mind: "What is all this...?"
However, we can still see Tsukino Kazuya tomorrow, so we can ask him any questions then.
That said, the fact that the undergraduate student was so adept at running away shows that he must have been to and from the preparatory course area many times and knew the way inside and out.
It seems unrealistic to try and catch up now. Wangma Xiaoji is clearly an unconventional person in a physical sense; he's taken some shortcut and sped off with Yueye.
Hajime Hyuga shook his head helplessly, shaking off the jumbled thoughts in his mind.
Ultimately, the questions I had about meeting these two people today are still unanswered, and I might run into Tsukino and... again in class tomorrow morning. So I'll just keep it to myself for now and not think about it too much.
He had no intention of taking shortcuts and followed the most ordinary route towards his dormitory in a very methodical manner.
It was still quite early before it got really dark, but since it had been a long time since school let out, there weren't many people still lingering at school.
There are some students who stay at school simply because they have nothing better to do, but not many. Most of the students who are still in the preparatory course buildings at this time are there because they have other things to do on campus.
For example, the person that Hinata Hajime happened to meet on his way back—
"Damn it, damn it! What do they take me for?! Who's so bored?! I haven't offended anyone, have I?!"
Perhaps blinded by anger, the classmate who looked somewhat familiar to Hyuga Hajime couldn't suppress his voice for a moment.
"They're messing with me like this right after the start of the semester? Do they have a grudge against me? I'm never going there again! ...Uh?"
At this point, the student, who was filled with anger, finally noticed that Hyuga was still nearby, and his movements visibly froze.
Perhaps worried about losing face, he then shut his mouth with a displeased expression and quickly left without saying a word.
Hyuga Hajime also remembered who he was.
Is this... a classmate from the next class?
Hajime Hinata wasn't familiar with him because they weren't in the same class, and they hadn't spoken a single word to each other since the start of the semester. However, Hajime recognized the face.
Once, during a break between classes, in the school corridor, Hinata Hajime was casually chatting with his classmates when, halfway through the conversation, one of the classmates suddenly said, "Look at that person."
Hajime Hinata didn't understand at the time, but he subconsciously followed his classmate's gaze and looked over there—and then he saw that face.
Hinata's classmates even provided a very thoughtful commentary: "That's him! Hinata, you must have heard about him, right? The guy who received a love letter just a few days after school started. Tsk tsk tsk, other people's youth is really different from mine."
At the time, Hajime Hinata didn't take this little incident to heart. Later, he heard that the boy from the next class had waited for a while at the address given in the love letter, but no one came, and then he received another love letter with the same handwriting the next day.
As it turns out... judging from his expression just now, he probably got stood up again, right?
No wonder he looked so upset; it was definitely a terrible prank. I wonder who would play such a trick on someone so soon after the start of the semester.
Hyuga Hajime didn't think much of it, nor did his gaze linger on the classmate he had only met a few times by chance but had never spoken to, and he left just like that.
*******
Not long ago, in a conference room of the preparatory course.
"Tsukino-kun, let's talk. — About Hope's Peak Academy's request to you."
The initial disappearance occurred near the end of the previous semester, close to the holidays.
At that time, Hope's Peak's preparatory course only had one class of students, and the first student to go missing was one of them.
Then it was two people, three people... and then the holidays came. It wasn't that no students applied to stay in the dormitories, but after the holidays, no more students staying in the preparatory course dormitories went missing.
Just days before Hope Peak was about to start the new semester, one of the two security guards who patrolled the preparatory school building at night went missing, while the other seemed to have suffered some kind of shock and was still in a daze, recuperating in the hospital. Although his life was not in danger, he was unable to provide any useful information or clues.
Then the start of the new school year arrived, and if similar incidents continued to occur one after another, it would certainly not be a good thing for Hope Peak Academy.
So Hope's Peak then approached Tsukino and Chiya.
Having heard that Tsukino and Chiya were experts in this field, they decided to invite them to investigate whether the incidents that occurred in the preparatory course were related to something less scientific.
Moreover, it is perfectly normal for students to have activities on campus, so his investigation would not attract much attention, and the exposure of the situation would not push Hope Peak into the eye of the storm in public opinion.
Tsukino and Chiya knew that Kizaki had omitted a lot of information when giving a general account of the situation.
For example, Hope's Peak wouldn't have immediately linked the disappearances to the paranormal. How did they investigate beforehand? Did they report it to the police? If so, what did the police investigation say? There's no news of "people disappearing one after another at Hope's Peak" appearing on social media. What methods did they use to suppress information detrimental to the school? Why did you choose me?
There are many similar problems.
However, Tsukino and Chiya did not ask. He knew that even if he did, he would most likely only get answers like, "Just focus on the investigation, don't worry about anything else that is not related to the investigation."
Tsukino and Chiya accepted the request... or rather, it was because he accepted the request that he came to Hope's Peak to study.
If he accepts the case, Hope Peak will allow him to attend school with a full tuition waiver to facilitate his investigation. Of course, the cost of a single dormitory room will also be waived.
Is there really such a good thing?
While running away from home and trying to save money wherever possible, Tsukino and Chiya felt they had no reason to refuse. Although they weren't exactly experts... they weren't completely ignorant about paranormal events either, and because of the mark, they were actually following these kinds of events.
As for why it took a week after he accepted the commission for someone to come and discuss the matter in detail, that's why...
Well, it doesn't really matter whether you know it or not.
*******
"...That's pretty much how things were back then."
Tsukino and Chiya did not hide the matter of the request from Hope's Peak Academy from Ohma Kokichi.
He believed it was completely unnecessary.
"...Uh, another missing person."
Wang Ma Xiaoji took out a document from the folder and clicked his tongue in amazement at the missing persons list marked on it.
"In that case, Hope's Peak's concerns weren't unfounded. Wasn't the 'Ghost Painter' incident similar?"
He laughed and said, "Those killed by the monsters all disappeared, and that's the truth behind the so-called 'disappearances.' Am I right? So that's how they all are?"
“That’s how I know it,” Tsukino and Chiya said with certainty. “Indeed, sometimes people who are killed by strange beings disappear. Although they don’t disappear immediately but rather after a short period of time… in the end, they all disappear.”
“I have a bit of a sadistic feeling about this,” said Wang Ma Xiaoji, whose thinking was different from others. “‘People killed by the supernatural will disappear after a short period of time’... If there is such a conclusion, it means that someone must have witnessed the scene of the body disappearing.”
"This is practically deliberately designed to scare people. Why not just disappear completely? Instead, they have to use gruesome corpses to give the living a real fright. It's awful! It's like some kind of horror game with a 'scaring the player' metric."
Chiya, who had witnessed a corpse disappear, nodded: "Generally speaking, most anomalies don't have the rationality to deliberately scare people... no, they just don't have much rationality. Deliberately scaring people... maybe it really is possible? After all, anomalies that hate the living really enjoy human fear."
"Eh... there really is a possibility that it was intentional." Wangma Xiaoji casually tossed the missing persons list he had just pulled out onto the table. "Oh right, right, Kozukino just said 'most' to you, right?"
"So, in other words—there are actually strange beings with normal rationality in this world? Beings possessing inhuman, terrifying power, and minds that can push people to the brink of despair..."
His purple eyes curved into a smile: "That's really scary~"
At this very moment, the two people having a conversation that could easily be mistaken for paranormal enthusiasts are in the dormitory building of the preparatory course, in the room belonging to Tsukino and Chiya.
This was Wang Ma Xiaoji's first time here. The dormitory supervisor had obviously noticed the purple-haired boy who wasn't wearing his preparatory course uniform, but he didn't say anything and tacitly allowed him to follow Tsukino and Chiya in.
After entering the single room, Wang Ma Xiaoji showed no signs of restraint. He casually pulled out a chair in front of the desk and sat down quite comfortably, listening to Tsukino and Chiya talk about the "commission".
...and then the scene described earlier occurred.
The only chair in the room was occupied, so Tsukino and Chiya sat directly on the bed next to them: "But that kind of situation is rare. If those kinds of strange beings with clear minds were common, the world would have been in chaos long ago."
“That makes sense~” Wangma Xiaoji nodded, looking very much in agreement. “Otherwise, wouldn’t everyone have a mark on their body? Under such a shadow of death, society would become chaotic.”
What Tsukino and Chiya didn't say was that they might have already witnessed the "terrifying monster with a mind."
The "terrifying and bizarre" thing he was thinking about was the exquisitely crafted, girl-like doll they had encountered in the mansion the night before—a doll so delicate that it looked almost identical to a human at first glance.
However, this is just speculation. Whether the puppet is friend or foe, and what its purpose is, cannot be determined at present due to the limited information available.
The doll issue is important, but it's not the most pressing matter right now. What's more urgent is what Wang Ma Xiaoji just mentioned—
“The mark…”
Tsukino and Chiya murmured to each other, as if they were sighing.
Just yesterday, Tsukino and Chiya, together with Ohma Kokichi, resolved the strange situation with the Ghost Painter. As a result, the mark left on Matsuda Jinpei by the Ghost Painter, which had been left by mistake, also disappeared.
However, the marks on Tsukino, Chiya, and Ouma Kokichi still remain, which means that the Ghost Painter is not the strange creature that left the marks on them.
That being said, dealing with the ghost painter who didn't leave a mark on them doesn't mean their efforts were in vain.
The unpleasant feeling of "dying at dawn" that had emanated from the mark vanished with the defeat of the Ghost Painter. Now, another night is about to arrive, and they have successfully survived to see this dawn... Many more dawns await them.
It seems that, like the experience of the former seal carver and now the owner of Kujo-kan, Yashiki Kazuo, the solution to the strange phenomenon that left marks on them could not make the marks on their bodies disappear, but at least it could extend their lives from time to time.
"Although it's unclear why the Summit of Hope misunderstood me as a paranormal expert and thus made this request to me."
Tsukino and Chiya stood up, quickly walked to the table, and picked up the missing persons list again.
“But since you just mentioned the mark… I must say, this commission is indeed a great opportunity that we can’t waste, so I’ll accept it.”
In order to prolong their lives and completely get rid of the marks on their bodies, the two of them inevitably had to actively search for strange traces... but how could that be easy to find?
But now Hope Peak Academy has proactively and promptly offered a request that seems to be related to paranormal events, which is truly a timely help.
"So now we're off to investigate yet another disappearance. It's so frustratingly busy, it's like reliving the days when I was the mastermind of evil, strategizing day and night."
Wang Ma Xiaoji's tone gradually became more intense, starting with complaints.
"There's no other way. Even I don't want to die in confusion at the hands of some monster whose true nature I don't even know. I don't want to die! So, to survive, I have no choice but to go through fire and water! I'll do anything you ask! Give me whatever you need me to do right now, I'll do anything!"
Tsukino and Chiya's gazes swept over the detailed descriptions of the missing persons on the list, and then they looked at Ohma Kokichi, who had taken out other case files from the folder and was examining them.
"With Hope's Peak's permission, it will be much easier to carry out some operations at the school... Um, I'm planning to explore the preparatory courses tonight, do you want to come along?"
"Ugh... forget about that. My sleep is very precious. I stayed up until the early hours of the morning because of the ghost painter, so I'm definitely going to get a good night's sleep today! I'm the kind of kid that the neighbor auntie praises for having a good sleep schedule!"
Who was it that just said, "I'm willing to go through fire and water and I can take on any task"?
“I understand,” Tsukino and Chiya said, “Well then, before we part ways, I have one more question.”
"So..." he asked, "why did you come to see me today?"
"Huh? What? You and Tsukino are so young, yet you've developed a bad memory?" Ohma Kokichi said in surprise. "Didn't I already answer that question before? I already said it was because I missed you~"
“Is that so?” Tsukino and Chiya casually tidied their braids that hung down to their chests. “If that’s really the case, I’m very happy.”
Wang Ma probably sensed something was going on from the undergraduate students. After all, Huang Ying Gongyi was Wang Ma's homeroom teacher, so it was easy for him to get in touch with her. And the undercurrents that others might not notice were not something Wang Ma was unaware of.
"Huh? Is this what happiness is? I can't tell at all."
Upon hearing what Chiya said, Ohma Kokichi, who had been sitting casually as if he were at home, suddenly sat up straight.
The purple-haired boy chuckled and said, "Little Tsukino is so cunning~ This way, your true emotions are entirely up to you, right? After all, no one else can tell~ Hey, Little Tsukino, what do other people have to do for your expression to change?"
Tsukino and Chiya: "Um, maybe..."
"Shhh."
Qianye had just opened her mouth when she was interrupted by Wangma Xiaoji.
"Ah, don't misunderstand, I wasn't asking Kozuki about that just now. After all, it's rare to come across such an interesting game, and it would become boring if I got the answer beforehand. That's what games are all about..."
"It's more fun to play without a guide!"
*******
The next day, everything was as usual.
Hyuga Hajime overheard some classmates talking about the unlucky student from the next class who got stood up twice – he waited for someone twice in a row, and now everyone who heard about it knew that the student from the next class had been completely fooled.
It's still unclear who committed such a terrible prank, which also means no one knows why the student next door was pranked. Some say he's just unlucky, encountering something like this so early in the semester; others say the person must have offended someone in the past and is now getting revenge at their new school, implying that the person being treated this way is probably not a good person.
Ultimately, without concrete evidence, these are just speculations from other students. Few are truly concerned; most students remain indifferent, treating it merely as a minor anecdote in their ordinary campus life.
Hyuga Hajime had only heard about the incident and hadn't paid much attention to it. Although he had happened to run into the victim of the love letter prank yesterday evening, it only stirred up memories of the event. More important than that at the moment was…
He turned his head to look at the empty seat to his right—he had arrived at class quite early today, before Tsukino's usual arrival time.
Tsukino and...
Hajime Hinata recalled his experience of encountering this classmate twice yesterday evening.
Tsukino also met with that Ms. Huang Ying yesterday afternoon. So... could he also be involved in the God Throne Project? Or, as that Ohma classmate said back then, was Tsukino discovered to have some talent and then invited to the undergraduate program?
If it's the latter, that's great... I should congratulate him.
But deep down, he had a feeling that things weren't quite like that.
For some reason, Hyuga Hajime recalled the last few words that Ohma Kokichi had said yesterday, words that sounded like a warning, like a threat, but could also have just been casual remarks.
Don't stay at school too late these days, or you might encounter something terrible... What does that mean?
Hyuga Hajime was lost in thought for a moment.
It was at this moment that Tsukino and Chiya, who had stopped staying up all night reading comics, came to class.
Tsukino carried her bag in one hand to her seat, casually greeting her friend sitting next to her with "Good morning, Hinata," before pulling out a chair and sitting down.
Hyuga Hajime immediately snapped out of his reverie about the question he had been pondering without finding a solution: "Good morning, Tsukino Kazu."
He wasn't actually the kind of person who was particularly shy or timid. But ultimately, everyone in the world has a psychological vulnerability, a flaw, to varying degrees. And for Hyuga Hajime, if there's anything that represents that vulnerability right now…
That must be "talent".
It was precisely because of his yearning for the "Ultimate High School Level" and his conflicted hesitation about the secretive God Throne Project that Hajime Hinata's mood had been rather poor lately. This also made him more prone to overthinking when it came to matters involving "hope" and "talent."
"What's wrong?" Tsukino and Chiya suddenly asked.
Hyuga Hajime was taken aback: "What?"
"Hinata, you look preoccupied," Tsukino and Chiya asked after explaining. "Are you thinking about what happened yesterday?"
"Well, I guess so..." Hyuga Hajime hesitated for a moment, but in the end he didn't hide it, "Because I didn't expect to run into Tsukino and you at that time yesterday, and you and that undergraduate teacher... no, I guess I should just forget about it..."
"There's nothing I can't say."
What I'm about to say involves undergraduate professors, and it might cause some trouble if other students overhear. Qianye lowered her voice slightly: "Um, Professor Huang Ying didn't intend to invite me to the undergraduate program when we met yesterday. I was just there to pick something up."
“I see… Oh, right.” Hinata Hajime remembered the ambiguous words of the undergraduate student he met yesterday, “Actually, I also wanted to ask what your friend meant by what he said before he left yesterday.”
This time, it was Tsukino and Chiya who were slightly taken aback. Looking at the black-haired boy in front of them who didn't answer immediately but seemed to be thinking about something, Hinata Hajime couldn't help but wonder if he had unintentionally said something wrong. Just as he was about to ask, he heard Tsukino finally speak again, but what he said seemed to be off.
Tsukino and Chiya pondered, "Hmm... friends?"
Hyuga Hajime hadn't expected that the other person was struggling because of such a word: "...Did I say something wrong?"
Yesterday they seemed to get along very well, but it turns out they weren't friends after all?
“No, you could say that.” Tsukino and Chiya shook their heads. Although the topic had shifted, their voices remained soft. “About what Ohma said yesterday…”
Qianye recalled the information about the missing persons in the documents she had received yesterday—the two security guards had been on night patrol when the incident occurred, and the students had all gone missing after school. In this light, Wang Ma Xiaoji's advice to "not linger too late at school" wasn't entirely wrong.
However, at that time, Ouma Kokichi had not yet seen the information that Chiyo had just obtained. Although he only knew that Hope's Peak had such a request, he was not clear about the specific details, so the statement at that time was indeed...
"Well, I'm not sure either. Maybe he heard something from somewhere or did some research." Tsukino and Chiya didn't fully ascertain the truth of what he said. "Of course, he might just be joking with you."
Hinata Hajime recalled the purple-haired boy's overly familiar behavior yesterday: "I see..."
What scary things might happen if you stay at school at night?
So... what I said back then was just a joke, right?
Hajime Hinata didn't have the habit of lingering in the school building after school. Although yesterday's warnings made him feel a little uncomfortable, as if something terrifying was hiding in an ordinary school, they didn't cause him any real trouble.
They chatted for a few more minutes, but the topic had nothing to do with yesterday's events. Before long, it was time for class, and their conversation ended temporarily.
During their free time afterwards, Hyuga Hajime didn't ask Tsukino and Chiya any further questions about their meeting with Kizaki Kouichi. After all, it was a personal matter, and Tsukino Kazuya simply said, "It was to retrieve something." Since he didn't ask Hyuga why he was there, Hyuga Hajime wouldn't ask him for more details.
Is it a secret...?
Sitting by the window, Hajime Hinata glanced at the undergraduate school building opposite the preparatory course building, then quickly looked away and returned to his class.
*******
Soon it was time to get out of school.
Hajime Hinata wasn't on duty today, but he had promised someone he would help organize the books in the library, so he lingered in the school building a little longer than usual.
The words that Ouma Kokichi said before leaving yesterday kept echoing in his ears. After uncontrollably recalling that scene again, Hyuga Hajime, who had finished helping and was about to leave the school building, shook his head, trying to shake off the random thoughts in his mind.
His voice carried a hint of helplessness, as if he were mocking himself: "What am I even thinking about?"
While the security at the preparatory course campus isn't as strong as at the undergraduate level, it's about the same as at any other regular school. And although it's getting late, it's still quite a while before it gets completely dark. There aren't many people in the school buildings, but they're not empty either. There are people on duty, on patrol, or working for clubs or student councils…
What could possibly happen at school?
Hyuga Hajime walked down the stairs and quickly returned to the first floor from the floor where the library was located. But before he could even step out of the teaching building, he was suddenly bumped into by someone coming from the opposite direction.
That person was the classmate from the next class that Hinata Sou had bumped into yesterday. Hinata remembered that his surname was... Natsukawa?
Unlike his furious appearance yesterday, Xia Chuan now looked panicked and stumbled towards Hyuga's direction, as if something extremely terrifying was chasing him.
But Hyuga Hajime could see clearly that there was no one behind Natsukawa.
"I have to go, I have to go, I have to go..."
Faced with Natsukawa rushing towards him in a panic, Hyuga Hajime, though not quite sure what was going on, instinctively dodged to the side... but even so, his arm was still bumped by Natsukawa.
"Wait a minute, Xia Chuan! You..."
Hinata Hajime tried to call out to the other person, but Natsukawa seemed not to hear him at all, continuing to mutter "I have to go" as if he had lost his soul, then ran across the corridor and headed straight for the stairs.
"...You dropped something, hey!"
After the collision, Xia Chuan lost his grip on what he was holding, and a black notebook fell to the ground. Logically, the loss of something should have been immediately noticed, but Xia Chuan seemed oblivious to it.
Hyuga Hajime stood there for a second or two, then picked up the notebook that had fallen to the ground and chased after them.
Although Xia Chuan ran, he was distracted and almost tripped a few times while going upstairs, so he did not fall too far behind Hyuga Hajime who caught up later.
"Excuse me, could you please move aside?"
Hinata Hajime passed by several classmates on the stairs. They all seemed to be preparing to leave, and some of them were talking about something upstairs as they went down together. Hinata overheard a few words as he passed by—it seemed that they had also noticed Natsukawa's strange behavior, but since they didn't know him well, they didn't follow him.
Natsukawa didn't try to hide his heavy footsteps. Hinata Hajime followed the sound and soon saw Natsukawa stumbling but not stopping... Could this guy be heading to the rooftop? If he were allowed to go straight to the rooftop in this state... Fortunately, this thought only flashed through Hinata Hajime's mind for a moment before he saw Natsukawa, who had been climbing the stairs, finally stop and turn towards the top-floor corridor.
The distance between them had become very short. At this rate, once Hyuga Hajime reached the top floor, he would be able to catch up with Natsukawa.
...
Where are they?
Having reached the top floor, Hyuga Hajime looked around. The corridor was empty; there was no one else there besides himself. Natsukawa, who had turned right after reaching the top floor via the stairs but whose figure had been obscured by the wall, had completely vanished.
The classroom closest to the stairs was empty, and the door was locked, so Xia Chuan couldn't possibly be inside.
Upon realizing this, Hyuga Hajime felt a chill run down his spine, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave in such a bright and hot day.
Something's not right.
But it wasn't just because Natsukawa disappeared out of nowhere that I felt something was wrong.
For some inexplicable reason, Hyuga Hajime felt as if he were being watched by something extremely terrifying. That gaze was like an invisible net, encompassing his entire being. He felt like a flying insect tightly bound by silken threads, with nowhere to escape, firmly locked onto by the owner of that gaze.
Why...? This is just an ordinary school corridor, isn't it? But what is this feeling of tension, like alarm sirens blaring in my brain, triggered by some intuition? What is watching me? Is it some invisible entity? Is it something lurking in the shadows?
No, actually... that intuition that was constantly warning me had already led me in the right direction.
Hyuga Hajime turned around stiffly.
Then, he saw a pair of black eyes that should have become familiar, but now seemed strangely unfamiliar.
She appeared out of nowhere, standing quietly behind me...
It's Tsukino and Chiya.
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