The next day during lunch break, Haruto was getting ready to head to the cafeteria when he spotted Miki standing right outside the classroom door. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, looking like she'd been waiting there for a while. The moment their eyes met, she straightened up and gave him a small wave.
"Haruto-kun," she called out softly.
He could practically feel the eyes of every student in the hallway turning toward them. Great. Just what he needed – more attention. Some of the guys were already starting to whisper and elbow each other, and he caught a few girls shooting curious glances their way. The last thing he wanted was to become the center of some stupid romance rumor that would spread through the school like wildfire.
"Come on," he said quickly, grabbing Miki's wrist and pulling her away from the crowd. "Let's go somewhere we can actually talk."
He led her through the corridors and out to the school courtyard, where there was a quiet spot under some trees away from the main pathways. Most students stuck to the cafeteria or the indoor areas during lunch, so this corner of the courtyard was usually pretty deserted. They sat down on a bench beneath the shade, and Haruto was about to ask what she wanted to talk about when something completely insane happened.
A translucent blue screen suddenly materialized in front of his face, like something straight out of a video game. Text started scrolling across it in neat, glowing letters:
YANDERE DETECTED: MIKI SATO
AWAKENER RANK: D
YANDERE AFFECTION LEVEL: 40%
What the actual hell?
Haruto stared at the floating screen in complete shock, his brain struggling to process what he was seeing. Miki? Sweet, innocent Miki was a yandere? The girl who always smiled politely and helped teachers carry books was apparently some kind of obsessive, potentially dangerous romantic interest? And what was this about awakeners and favor points and EXP? Was his life turning into some kind of twisted RPG?
"Haruto-kun?" Miki's voice snapped him back to reality. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He blinked rapidly, and the system screen disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Miki was looking at him with genuine concern in her eyes, and he noticed a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She was fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, and there was something in her expression that he hadn't noticed before – a brief flash of something intense in her eyes before it quickly disappeared behind her usual gentle demeanor.
"I'm fine," he managed to say, though his voice sounded a bit strained. "Just... tired from yesterday."
She nodded sympathetically, but then her expression grew more serious. "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Those guys who fought with you yesterday – they're not just regular bullies, Haruto-kun."
He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Miki glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in closer. "I'm an awakener too," she said quietly. "I've been investigating them for a while now. They're part of an underground organization called the Black Serpent Syndicate."
The name sounded like something out of a bad action movie, but the serious look on her face told him she wasn't joking.
"They're involved in all sorts of illegal activities," she continued. "Underground gambling rings, human trafficking, assassination contracts, stock market manipulation – you name it. They've been recruiting awakeners from schools all over the city, either through bribes or threats. Anyone who refuses to join or gets in their way tends to... disappear."
Haruto felt a chill run down his spine. "And you think they're after me?"
"I know they are," she said, her voice taking on a harder edge. "They don't like awakeners who operate independently. They see you as either a potential recruit or a threat to eliminate."
She reached into her bag and pulled out what looked like a business card, sliding it across the bench toward him. "That's why I'm here. I work for a government organization that deals with awakener-related incidents. We call ourselves the Supernatural Regulation Agency – SRA for short. We monitor dangerous awakener activities and protect civilians from supernatural threats."
Haruto picked up the card and examined it. It looked official enough, with an embossed logo and everything, but it could have been fake for all he knew.
"We've been watching the Black Serpent Syndicate for months," Miki continued. "They're planning something big, and we need all the help we can get to stop them. More importantly, joining the SRA would put you under government protection. They wouldn't dare touch you if you're officially registered as one of our agents."
She was sitting closer to him now, and he could smell the faint scent of her shampoo – something floral and sweet. Her eyes were locked on his with an intensity that made him slightly uncomfortable, like she was trying to read his thoughts.
"What would I have to do?" he asked cautiously.
"Basic training at first. Learning to control your abilities, understanding the legal framework we operate under, that sort of thing. Eventually, you might be assigned to field missions, but nothing too dangerous while you're still in school." She paused, then added with a slight smile, "Plus, we'd be working together. I could keep an eye on you, make sure you stay safe."
There was something about the way she said that last part that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The system's warning about her being a yandere suddenly seemed a lot more relevant.
Haruto stared down at the business card, his mind racing. On one hand, having government protection from some dangerous criminal organization sounded pretty appealing. On the other hand, getting involved with secret government agencies and underground syndicates sounded like a fast track to a very complicated and potentially short life.
"I need some time to think about this," he said finally.
Miki nodded, though he caught a brief flash of disappointment in her eyes. "Of course. But don't take too long, Haruto-kun. The longer you wait, the more dangerous it becomes for you."