Kyujaki and Ray crossed the vast academy field, their footsteps cutting through the open grass as they approached the grand entrance of the academy building, a structure that looked more like a palace than a school. The towering doors stood ahead of them, dark wood framed with heavy ironwork. Just as they were about to reach the steps—
"You two."
The voice was deep and firm.
Kyujaki and Ray immediately stopped. Both of them tilted their heads slightly back and to the left, turning to see who had called them.
Standing a short distance behind them was a man in a sharp black suit. He was noticeably taller and broader than either of them, his posture straight and commanding. His hair was short and black, neatly trimmed, and his eyes—white sclera with dark black pupils—watched them with calm authority.
He placed his hands in his pockets and spoke again.
"Where do you think you're going, hm?"
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
Kyujaki and Ray exchanged a quick glance before giving a faint, awkward smile.
"Hehe…"
For a moment, the air between them held a strange mix of tension and familiarity, as if this encounter was something they had both expected… yet still couldn't fully explain.
The man in the black suit stepped forward, closing the distance between them, his presence suddenly heavier, more imposing. He stopped just a few paces away, his eyes narrowing as he fixed Kyujaki and Ray with a quiet intensity. "Did you… do it again?" he asked, his voice polite but edged with unmistakable weight.
Kyujaki and Ray exchanged dim, hesitant looks before Kyujaki replied, his tone low, "Nope, sir." Ray echoed with the same faint denial, both trying to mask their unease.
The man's gaze shifted downward, landing sharply on Kyujaki's hands—the bottle he still clutched from earlier. His posture stiffened, his polite tone evaporating into something more dangerous. "What's that?" he demanded, eyes flashing with a barely contained rage. The air around them seemed to tighten, the academy's quiet field suddenly feeling smaller, the sunlight harsher.
The man in the black suit placed the flat of his hand firmly on Kyujaki's left shoulder, his gaze unyielding, eyes sharp and unclouded. "What's that bottle for?" he asked, voice low but piercing.
Kyujaki's legs trembled slightly under the weight of the question. He didn't answer at once, his hands tightening around the bottle. Finally, his head turned slightly to the right, avoiding the man's gaze. "I… I don't know," he muttered.
"Do not lie," the man said, his glare darkening, the polite edge gone entirely.
Kyujaki's mouth opened, as if to protest—"Oh, I am—"—but before he could finish, Ray shifted his weight, stepping backward toward the palace doors.
The black-suited man's head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing and voice rising sharply. "Where are you going, kid?!"
The tension in the academy courtyard thickened, the sun casting long shadows over the three figures. Kyujaki's grip on the bottle tightened, and Ray froze mid-step, realizing that whatever authority this man held, it wasn't something to test.
The man in the black suit surged forward, his long strides closing the distance toward Ray. Reacting instantly, Ray bolted, sprinting toward the academy's first-floor corridor, Kyujaki right on his heels.
"Let's go!" Ray shouted over his shoulder as they ran, adrenaline coursing through their veins.
"I'm gonna get you two!" the man yelled, his voice echoing through the vast hallways, sending a shiver of urgency down their spines.
They reached the first staircase, racing upward in a blur. Step after step, they climbed, ascending three floors in what felt like seconds. By the time they reached the third floor, their lungs burned, and sweat dripped down their faces. They skidded to a stop, backs pressed against the cool wall, trying to catch their breath.
"Phew… we made it," Kyujaki muttered, chest heaving as he leaned against the railing, relief flickering across his face. Ray wiped his forehead, giving a shaky laugh. For now, at least, they were safe—at least temporarily—from the black-suited man's relentless pursuit.
Kyujaki and Ray moved cautiously down the long, winding corridors of the academy, their footsteps soft against the polished floors. The hallways were framed with a combination of glass panels and dark wooden panels, giving the space a sleek, almost ethereal quality. Sunlight filtered through the glass, casting sharp patterns across the floor as they walked. Eventually, they reached a long corridor that ended in a solid-looking door. Above it, words were etched clearly: "A – 3." Ray paused for a moment, his hand hovering over the door handle, before pressing against it and pushing it to the left. The door slid open smoothly with a quiet metallic whisper, revealing whatever lay beyond—a new space waiting to be discovered.
Stepping through the door, Kyujaki and Ray found themselves in a spacious classroom. A large board dominated the wall at the front, while rows of benches and chairs filled the room. Students—mostly girls, with boys noticeably fewer in number—chattered quietly among themselves, the soft hum of gossip filling the air. At the very front, a little girl sitting on the first bench noticed the two newcomers. Her eyes lit up with recognition, and a faint, friendly smile spread across her face. "Welcome," she said warmly, her voice small but clear, carrying just enough cheer to make Kyujaki and Ray feel slightly at ease.