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Chapter 32 - War 3 V-II: Three Years in the Past (3)

Akira's pov

We step into the hideout, my mind still running over what happened earlier. Those Housen idiots weren't just there to stir up trouble. They were searching for something—or someone. And if they're desperate enough to step foot into Sensō High's turf, then whatever they're looking for must be important.

Kuro shuts the door behind us, rubbing the back of his neck. "Damn it, that was annoying. What the hell were they after?"

King flops down on one of the chairs, his arms crossed as he stares at the ceiling. "Tch. Who cares? They got what was coming to them."

I lean against the wall, my arms folded. "No. This isn't over. If they had the guts to come here, they'll be back. And I don't like not knowing what my enemies are up to."

A deep sigh escapes Kuro as he moves to his usual spot by the window. He cracks it open, letting in the morning breeze. "We'll figure it out. For now, let's—"

His voice suddenly stops. His eyes widen slightly, and then he turns his head toward the couch.

That's when I see it too.

A girl.

She's curled up on our couch, sleeping peacefully like she owns the place. Long black hair spills over her face, her chest rising and falling in slow, steady breaths. Her uniform, though slightly wrinkled, stands out like a sore thumb—the pristine white fabric with a faint touch of gold embroidery.

Housen High.

King immediately bolts upright, his body tensing. "The hell?!"

I feel the same shock run through me, but I keep my expression neutral. A Housen student? Here?

King doesn't wait. He moves toward her, reaching to yank her up by the collar.

But before he can, Kuro's hand shoots out, gripping King's wrist firmly.

"Oi." Kuro's voice is calm, but there's a sharpness in his eyes. "Let her be."

King glares at him. "Are you serious? She's one of them, bro."

Kuro sighs, letting go of King's wrist. Without another word, he reaches for his own blanket and drapes it over the girl.

I raise a brow. "You're awfully soft today."

"She's asleep," Kuro replies simply. "And if she's here, she's already out of options."

King clicks his tongue, taking a step back but not relaxing completely. "Tch. She better start talking when she wakes up."

I glance at the girl. She doesn't look like the typical Housen thug. There's no bruises, no rough edges, no signs of someone who lives for fights. Just... quiet breathing and peaceful sleep.

Still, I'm not letting my guard down.

Kuro moves back toward the window, resting his arms on the sill. The morning sun filters through, casting a golden glow over the room. I step closer, standing beside him while King leans against the wall, arms crossed.

Kuro doesn't look at us when he speaks, but his voice is firm. "We wait. She'll wake up soon enough. Then we'll get our answers."

I stay silent for a moment, then exhale sharply. "Fine."

We watch the outside world from the window, but my mind is elsewhere.

Who is she? And why the hell is a Housen student sleeping in our hideout? But if she's in here and so was the Housen bastards, then there's only one scenario.

She must be the one they were looking for.

It's the first thought that crosses my mind as I glance over at the girl still peacefully asleep on our couch. If those Housen idiots were so desperate to find her, then she must be someone important. My gut tells me this isn't just some random student who wandered into Sensō High by accident.

"If they're that eager to find her," I murmur, leaning back against the wall with my arms crossed, "she must be special."

Kuro, standing by the window, lets out a sigh. "Special? Maybe. But more likely, she's someone connected to the high rankers of Housen."

I shoot him a glance. "Connected how?"

Kuro stretches his arms before shoving his hands into his pockets. "Unlike Sensō High, which is divided by factions and led by the top faction, Housen operates differently. They aren't separated into groups like us—they function as a whole unit, under a strict ranking system that everyone follows. And at the top sits Ryuuji Kanzaki. They call him Housen's Red King."

King scoffs from the other side of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "Tch. Red King, huh? Sounds fancy, but he's still just another punk who thinks he runs the place."

Kuro doesn't react to King's usual bravado, his gaze fixed outside the window. "Don't underestimate him. Kanzaki isn't just strong—he's smart. He didn't get to the top just by beating people up. He's methodical, strategic, and knows how to keep Housen in check. That's why their school doesn't have the kind of chaos we do here. Their system might be brutal, but it works."

I absorb Kuro's words, letting them settle. Housen's ranking system... the Red King... if this girl really has ties to them, then we might have unknowingly dragged ourselves into something bigger than just a street fight.

A movement on the couch catches my attention. The girl stirs, shifting slightly before letting out a soft groan. Slowly, she sits up, rubbing her eyes, still half-asleep. Her long black hair is a little messy from sleep, but her uniform remains pristine—white with a touch of gold embroidery. A clear sign of Housen.

Her gaze is hazy at first, unfocused. But when she finally blinks and registers her surroundings, her body tenses. Her eyes dart from me to Kuro, then to King.

I smirk slightly. "It looks like the sleeping beauty is up."

The girl blinks a few times before a bright smile spreads across her face. "Good morning!" she greets, her voice light and cheerful, as if she didn't just wake up in the middle of an unfamiliar hideout surrounded by three guys who could easily be called thugs. "You guys sure have a comfy couch. Oh, and thanks for the blanket! That was really sweet."

Kuro and I exchange glances. This girl... is way too carefree for someone in her situation.

She suddenly chuckles to herself, a soft giggle that catches both me and King off guard. What the hell is she laughing about?

Kuro, ever the gentleman, walks toward her with an amused smirk. He reaches out and ruffles her hair, and to my surprise, she leans into it like a pampered cat, her eyes shutting in pure contentment.

"You're an interesting one," Kuro muses, still messing with her hair. "Didn't expect you to be this lively."

She hums in response before looking back at me, her expression still bright and relaxed.

I take a step forward, crossing my arms. "Alright, enough of that. Mind telling us what you're doing in our hideout? Are you the one those Housen bastards were looking for?"

She meets my gaze, her smile not faltering in the slightest. "Yep! That would be me."

King scoffs from his corner. "You're awfully honest."

She shrugs, unbothered. "No point in lying. You guys don't seem like the type to fall for bullshit anyway."

Kuro finally pulls his hand away from her head, and she pouts slightly before shifting her posture, getting more comfortable on the couch.

"So? Why the hell is Housen High looking for you?" I press, wanting to get to the point.

Her smile dims slightly, but she doesn't hesitate. "I ran away."

"From Housen?" Kuro asks, tilting his head.

She nods. "More specifically, from Ryuuji Kanzaki."

The name makes the air around us tense.

"Housen's Red King," Kuro mutters, narrowing his eyes. "What did he do?"

Kyouko's fingers grip the fabric of her uniform as she exhales softly. "He's obsessed with me. Kept forcing himself on me, wouldn't take no for an answer. It got to the point where he locked me in a room just to keep me under his control. Every day, it was threats, harassment—he wanted to own me. I couldn't take it anymore, so I escaped."

King, who had been leaning against the wall, suddenly tenses. "That's a pretty serious accusation. You sure you're not just exaggerating?"

Kyouko turns to him, her playful demeanor fading. "I wish I was." Her voice is steady, unwavering. "But I'm not. Every day in Housen was hell because of him."

King stares at her, searching for any sign of dishonesty, but she doesn't flinch under his scrutiny.

Kuro sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "Tch. What a mess."

Before anyone else can speak, a low rumbling sound interrupts the conversation. We all freeze for a moment before realizing the source—Kyouko's stomach.

Kuro and I blink, then exchange glances before bursting into laughter.

Kyouko's face turns bright red. "I-I'm not hungry!" she insists, folding her arms and looking away. "I just... haven't eaten since last night, that's all."

She pouts, clearly embarrassed, which only makes Kuro chuckle. "Yeah, that's called being hungry."

Kyouko grumbles something under her breath, still avoiding eye contact.

Kuro turns to King. "Go get some food for her. We finished everything in the fridge already."

King sighs dramatically, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah... Fine, big bro."

I smirk, watching King walk off with an annoyed expression. Kuro just shakes his head with an amused grin.

Kyouko, on the other hand, looks between us in confusion. "Big bro?"

Kuro shrugs. "Long story."

Kyouko tilts her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes, but she doesn't press further. Instead, she leans back on the couch, her smile returning.

Something tells me things are about to get a lot more complicated.

Kuro smiles at Kyouko again, his expression softer than usual. "Rest for a while and wait for the grumpy guy," he says, glancing toward the door where King had left. "He'll bring you some food."

Kyouko giggles at the remark, her lively energy momentarily easing the tension in the room. But I know Kuro too well. When he acts like this—calm, almost casual—it means he's already made up his mind about something. And sure enough, he moves toward the window, looking out over Sensō High's territory with that thoughtful expression of his. Without turning back, he signals for me to come closer.

I walk over, standing beside him as he keeps his gaze locked outside. "What?"

He exhales slowly before finally speaking. "I want her to stay here."

I blink. Did I hear that right? "What?"

Kuro finally turns to look at me, his face unreadable. "At least for the meantime."

I stare at him, waiting for him to say he's joking. But of course, he isn't. This is Kuro we're talking about. Once he sets his mind on something, there's no changing it.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Kuro... do you even understand what you're saying? Keeping a Housen student here, under our noses, is basically begging for a war. Housen and Sensō High already hate each other's guts. If they find out we have her—especially if Kanzaki finds out—we're screwed."

Kuro doesn't flinch. "I know."

I clench my jaw, trying to keep my frustration in check. "Then why?"

His eyes flick to Kyouko, who is still sitting on the couch, her expression unreadable. "Because she has nowhere else to go."

I let out another sigh, shaking my head. "That's not our problem, Kuro. You're talking about risking everything. If this slips out, it won't just be a few Housen goons showing up at our gates—it'll be Kanzaki himself. Do you get that? If Housen wants a war, they'll have a damn good reason to start one."

Kuro finally looks at me fully, his gaze steady. "And if we throw her out, then what? Do you think she'll make it back without Housen catching her? If they do, you know what happens to her, right? She told us herself—Kanzaki locked her up, harassed her, made her life hell. If we let her go, we might as well hand her back to him on a silver platter."

I grit my teeth. Damn it. He's not wrong, and that pisses me off even more. But my gut is screaming at me that this is a mistake.

"And what happens when she gets found here? When someone sees her and the rumors spread?" I press. "Do you really think we can keep something like this quiet? If someone talks, even by accident, we're done. It won't just be Housen—we'll have our own people questioning us. You think the other factions in Sensō High will just be okay with us harboring a Housen student?"

Kuro remains silent, but I can tell he's already thought about all of this. He knows the risks. He knows what this could turn into. And still, he's willing to do it.

I exhale sharply, rubbing my temples. "This is going to be a mess. A huge fucking mess."

Kuro smirks slightly. "Yeah, but when has that ever stopped us before?"

I shoot him a glare. "This isn't just some street brawl, Kuro. This is different."

He shrugs. "Maybe. But I've already made my decision. If you don't want to be part of it, I won't force you."

I close my eyes for a second, inhaling deeply. Damn it. Damn it all. I already know how this is going to end—chaos, bloodshed, and a whole lot of shit we don't need right now. But I also know that Kuro isn't backing down. And if I refuse, he'll just do it on his own. That would be even worse.

I finally sigh in defeat, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Fine. Do what you want. But when this all goes to hell, don't say I didn't warn you."

Kuro grins, looking way too satisfied for my liking. "Noted."

I glance out the window, my mind already racing through the possibilities, the consequences. This is reckless. This is stupid. But it's already too late.

As I watch the morning sky, a single thought lingers in my head.

This will be a big mess.

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