The second day of my new life had begun.
I woke up later than usual. For once, I had slept so soundly that I hit the snooze button three times without even realizing it. A peaceful sleep… uninterrupted. A first.
By the time I finally opened my eyes, it was already late.
Too late to catch Senpai at the school gates—unless I hurried.
I jumped out of bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and rushed down the stairs two, three steps at a time. While descending, I wrestled with the hair tie in my hand, quickly pulling my hair up into a high ponytail. I let two locks of hair fall freely over my shoulders, framing my face.
But the moment my foot touched the final step—
Ryoba:
"Good morning, sweetheart! You woke up late today. Is everything alright?"
My mother stood in the hallway, getting ready for work—as always—with my father at her side. They both worked for the same place: Saikou Corporation.
She was busy closing her handbag, and my father behind her was fumbling with his tie in front of the mirror.
Ayano:
"Yes. Better than ever, actually."
My mother knew me better than anyone else ever could. Around her, I didn't need to fake anything. I wasn't pretending. I wasn't trying. I was just… myself.
She glanced at me, eyes scanning my expression, posture, body language—brief but precise.
Then she smiled.
Ryoba:
"I see… and to be honest, it's very obvious, sweetheart!"
Was that an implication? Maybe. I didn't stop to wonder. There was no time. I had to go—I wanted to follow him. Walking to school behind Senpai felt like the only right way to start the day.
I grabbed my school bag, threw it over my shoulder, and reached for my shoes.
Ryoba:
"So quick to run out? Aren't you going to have breakfast?"
Ayano:
"I don't feel hungry. Maybe later."
My voice was cold—but it was the truth. I didn't feel hunger. Not in my stomach, at least. My heart was too full for that.
Ryoba:
"Alright, darling… but don't forget to eat. I have a feeling you'll need plenty of energy in the days ahead..."
Another implication. But again, I didn't ask. I only nodded—then turned and opened the door.
As I stepped outside, I heard her voice one last time from behind me:
Ryoba:
"Oh, my… our little girl is growing up so fast, isn't she? I hope she's finally found a boyfriend~"
Jokichi:
"That... would be the last thing I wanted."
---
The moment I stepped outside, I picked up the pace.
Sharp. Focused. Silent.
Every step had one purpose—to find him.
Senpai.
My eyes scanned the street like a hawk circling its prey.
And then—around the corner—I saw him.
But he wasn't alone.
She was there again.
Osana Najimi.
Walking beside him like nothing had happened.
Of course I didn't expect to break them apart in one move.
They were childhood friends.
Years of memories tied them together.
Severing that bond would take time.
Effort.
Precision.
I followed them at a safe distance.
Close enough to hear.
Far enough to disappear if needed.
Osana:
"You still haven't apologized, Senpai. What you said about my cooking yesterday… was really rude!"
Her voice was sharp with frustration.
There was tension in the air—obvious, even from where I stood.
My plan had struck true.
Taro:
"Seriously? If I hurt your feelings, I'm sorry. But… if that bento wasn't a joke, Osana… please don't ever bring me food again."
Perfect.
She stiffened.
Eyes wide in disbelief, then burning with fury.
The first crack—visible now.
Osana:
"Oh, really?! Fine! After your rudeness, I wouldn't dream of making you anything again!"
Taro:
"Osana… you don't understand. Food poisoning can be serious. I could've died."
Osana:
"That bento was fresh! There was nothing in it that could hurt you!
Even if you didn't like it, you could've said something nice!
Instead, you just tore it apart!"
Senpai fell silent.
He turned his gaze forward.
They kept walking—quietly.
Then he spoke again.
Taro:
"Okay… whatever.
But what about that key thing?
Did you really take it without permission?"
Another blow.
This one cut deeper.
Osana flinched like she'd been slapped.
Anger twisted her features.
Osana:
"How dare you ask me that?!
I didn't steal anything!
You… you should've been the last person to believe that!"
Taro froze.
So did she.
For a moment, her hands trembled—her eyes filled with tears she refused to shed.
And then, without another word…
She turned.
Stormed off.
Her twin orange ponytails whipped through the air like angry flames.
Senpai stood still.
He knew he'd said too much.
But he didn't chase her.
He simply lowered his head… and kept walking.
And I?
I followed.
Silently.
Steadily.
Like a shadow.
It wasn't the end.
But it was the beginning.
A fracture had formed.
And I knew…
Destruction often begins with a single word.
---
As I shadowed Senpai all the way to school, I kept my distance—close enough to follow, far enough not to be seen.
The school gates came into view, but something made me stop.
Osana and Raibaru were standing beneath one of the young cherry blossom trees that lined the path leading up to the entrance. They were talking—intensely. I quietly slipped behind a nearby tree, close enough to eavesdrop.
Osana's voice was strained, bitter.
Osana:
"I don't even care that they think I'm a thief. What hurts is that he believed it.
The boy I love... my childhood friend..."
She was holding back tears, gripping the straps of her bag tightly.
Raibaru:
"Maybe that's exactly why he asked, Osana. Because you're childhood friends. He trusts you.
Maybe he just wanted to hear the truth from you directly."
Osana blinked—silent for a moment.
That made sense to her.
Her shoulders relaxed, just slightly.
And that... was exactly the problem.
Raibaru wasn't just comforting her—she was undoing the damage I had caused.
She could mend the cracks, heal the wounds.
If I left her unchecked, she'd repair every blow I struck.
I couldn't let that happen.
From that moment on, I no longer saw Raibaru as a bystander.
She was an obstacle.
And I had to remove her.
But I didn't know how.
Not yet.
---
That's when I remembered the messages I'd received from that mysterious informant—
Info-chan.
I opened the strange app she had installed on my phone. Among her long list of disturbing "services," there was one that stood out:
If I sent her a clear photo of a student's face, she'd tell me everything she knew about them.
That kind of information could be invaluable. Especially now.
Without hesitation, I opened my camera.
Carefully… silently… I zoomed in on Raibaru's face and took the shot.
Then I sent it.
The moment it was delivered, it was marked as "seen."
It was as if she had been waiting for it.
For some reason… I had the strong feeling she was a girl.
I don't know why—I just knew.
Info-chan:
"I can give you everything I know about this girl.
But first... you'll have to do me a few favors."
Of course.
She had made that clear from the start. Nothing came for free.
But I still didn't trust her.
Ayano:
"I still don't trust you. How do I know you won't screw me over once I do what you ask?"
Info-chan:
"Her name is Raibaru Fumetsu.
She and Osana met this semester and became inseparable almost immediately.
It's nearly impossible to spot them apart.
That's all I'll give you for now.
Whether you trust me or not is your decision.
But if you complete this favor, you'll get much more."
It wasn't persuasive.
But something inside me—a quiet, persistent urge—pushed me toward acceptance.
Ayano:
"What do you want me to do?"
Info-chan:
"I need you to plant listening devices in two places: the student council room and the meeting room."
Ayano:
"You're asking me to bug them?"
Info-chan:
"Exactly.
You'll find the devices outside the school, hidden behind the statue of the headmaster—
right below the window of the third floor newspaper club room.
Take them.
Place them."
Interesting.
The newspaper club had been shut down months ago. That room had been empty ever since.
And just below its window—outside the building—stood the towering statue of the headmaster, Kocho Shuyona.
If the devices were really hidden there...
This wasn't just a new mission.
This could be my first real clue—
A hint about where Info-chan was hiding.
---
There were thirty minutes left before class started. I moved quietly around the school, careful not to attract any attention. The listening devices were hidden behind the headmaster's large statue—right below the window. They weren't really well hidden; they had just been dropped there.
I didn't know who had sent me to do this. I didn't trust them. But what they promised could be useful. I needed to use this opportunity without revealing myself or giving them any leverage.
The meeting room was on the ground floor. All the club leaders gathered there every Friday. It wasn't hard to guess why they wanted to bug this room. I slipped inside unnoticed and placed the small listening device under the table at the head of the room. Then I carefully left.
Next, I went upstairs to the Student Council room. The room had a rustic atmosphere. I placed the second device under the desk by the window, took photos as proof, and left quietly.
---
Info-chan:
"Perfect. Thanks a lot — I owe you one."
Ayano:
"You definitely do. So get talking. Tell me the most important things about Raibaru Fumetsu."
Info-chan:
"Raibaru Fumetsu was the leader of the Martial Arts Club last year. She was undefeated— until one of her own students, Budo Masuta, finally managed to beat her. After that, she stepped down from the club and decided to focus on her hobbies instead. She met Osana this term, and ever since then, they've been inseparable. Seeing them apart is practically impossible."
Not bad.
But not what I needed, either. I wasn't looking for history — I was looking for weaknesses. Vulnerabilities. Cracks I could exploit.
Ayano:
"I don't care about her track record. What about now? Does she have any weak spots? How do I get rid of her?"
Info-chan:
"Budo Masuta may be the current club leader, but he's still seen as inadequate by some — especially the older members. Raibaru respects him a lot. If you talk to Budo and convince him to pull Raibaru back into the club, she might get distracted. And most importantly… pulled away from Osana. At least for a while."
I paused for a moment.
It made sense.
Budo Masuta.
I'd have to meet him.
---
After ending my chat with Info-chan, I quietly put my phone back into my pocket, eyes drifting away from the screen. No thanks, no goodbye. There was no room for unnecessary words in this business.
Just then, the school bell echoed thickly through the walls. The first lesson of the day was about to begin.
I started walking silently toward the first floor. The hallways were still not crowded; some students hurried to their classrooms, others still buried in their phones. No one noticed me. This was the most natural state for me.
I gently pushed open the classroom door and took my seat. Light filtered through the window, falling onto my desk—but my focus wasn't on the sunlight; it was on the darkness swirling in my mind.
Raibaru Fumetsu.
The undefeated fighter.
But now just a club alumnus.
A bond—her loyalty to Osana.
A weakness—her respect for Budo.
Names, relationships, possibilities… all started to come together in my mind.
Throughout the lesson, the teacher's voice echoed like a hum in my ears, but the words didn't reach me. I didn't write a single word in my notebook. What I needed to note was somewhere else.
When the bell rang a second time, the whole class suddenly stirred. The sound of pens, scraping chairs, hurried footsteps…
But I was slow. Calculated.
I stood up from my seat. Without haste, I put my books into my bag.
And I set out to find the Martial Arts Club.
---
[End of Chapter 5]