Masanori finally arrived to the downstairs office. He pushed through the Alpha students standing outside, ignoring their cries.
"D-Don't go in there Imada-kun! Akagi-kun is…!"
"He called me here! I won't ask again - get out of my way!!"
He pulled open the door into the office.
"Where is he!"
Naoto was slumped over at his desk with his head down. Masanori slammed his hands on the desk in front and shouted.
"I know you're not sleeping when you're pouring out pheromones like this! Get up!"
When Naoto didn't respond Masanori's anger dipped as he realized something was wrong. He moved around to the back of the desk to shake him by the shoulder.
"What's wrong? Are you getting sick?"
Naoto glanced up. The next moment he leaped up and jumped him. Caught by surprise he was pinned to the ground.
Though at first glance Naoto looked entirely cognizant of the fact he was there, his eyes didn't align to meet with Masanori's, instead seeming overtaken by some other means.
Masanori's fist balled, his teeth clenched. "Hey! What's going on with you!?"
Naoro leaned down and began to sniff at his neck. That's when it clicked, that the look in Naoto's eyes were that of instinct.
It was then that Masanori lost it.
Masanori's nails dug into Naoto's side and he exploded with fury.
"HEY!GET OFF!!"
Forced to use his pheromones Naoto pulled away, wheezing as if he became hard to breathe. When he lifted his head, his voice came out with a groan.
"Ugh… fuck. Huh? Masa?"
He shook his head. "Sorry. I was out of it."
Masanori sat down and rubbed his hand over his face. With a sigh, he could look at Naoto again.
"By what? Don't tell me Takeshita-san did something…"
Naoto shook his head. "Your omega didn't do anything. Not on his own at least. I was waiting for it to wear off, then you had to show up with your scent and confuse me…" He shook his head again, dizzily. He was still disoriented, but not entirely without Masanori at fault.
Masanori frowned. He had let some of pheromones out by accident. Actually, a lot. It was no wonder then.
"Good thing I'm not an omega then." Masanori said firmly, rubbing his nose and looking around the room, if only to hide the akwardness he felt.
"Yeah, I know," Napto stood up again akd seemed better. "That damn paint, the Omegas are insane pulling this. Don't breathe it in too much."
"Really? I don't know what this is, but if you're better then… where's Takeshita-san?"
Naoto sat back down at the desk chair with a dismissive shrug. "Huh. Asking stupid questions already? At least calm down first."
A striking air filled the room as Masanori began to glare.
"I won't ask again."
Naoto looked askance to the side.
"....he ran off."
Masanori made a stumble back. "A-And you let him go!? In the Alpha's Dorm! You just said-!"
"Hey, just calm down! You're overthinking this. There's no way he'll go into heat now, and no one's stupid enough to attack him here! By now, he must have found some hole to crawl into to hide."
"Easy for you to say!" Masanori whirled away. He pulled out his phone, beginning to call Yukihiro.
But even as he already pushed the call button, he quickly gave pause. An idea formed, to do something. Did Yukihiro know that HE knew Takeshita was here? He could do a test to see if he'd tell him.
But knowing him he already knew, if he were watching the cameras. Something like that put his body on edge suddenly when it normally didn't before.
This thought process was cut through when the phone was picked up, but Yukihiro's voice didn't reply, neither did Yukihiro's assistant.
"Senpai?"
"Huh? Tamura-san? Wh-Where's Yuki?"
"Ah, excuse me; sorry for picking up Yukihiro-Senpais's phone like this, but he's not available right to talk. Some of the Alphas here are starting to get sick, so he retired to his room and left his phone and other things by accident."
'He left his phone behind?' Masanoro thought with disbelief. 'He must be really out of it like Naoto was to completely forget it…'
"Oh! But he did mention something," Tamura continued over the phone. "He said if Masanori-Senpai asked, that the omega he's worried about has been safely kept away, so no worries!"
"H-He got him?" Masanori then clutched the phone like it was his lifeline. "Where is he!"
"He didn't tell me, sorry. And I'm too swamped here to go ask myself! But If I were to guess? Hm… it would have to be in a room on the top floor, since all the Alphas were told to head to the ground floor before. I bet Nemura-kun would be able to help you. He's around here somewhere…"
"Where? Which room?! I'm going to look, right now!"
At that, Tamura sighed.
"Hey, Masanori-Senpai? This might be rude to say, but as your equal being on the student council, I REALLY need to be honest with you. Do you really think that omega is a priority right now? We're minutes away from a potential disaster that this school has never seen before. Whatever your relationship is to them, reconsider that time is of the essence."
Naoto nodded, overhearing the conversation.
"He's right. You're here ready to go run over to this omega instead. Think a little and forget Takeshita. Someone's gotta find the Kunodanshi so we can stop the omega's extremists from destroying the Alpha dorm."
"Exactly what he said. Well you two seem to have it figured out so I'll keep holding things up on my end." said Tamura, and he hung up. Masanori just sighed.
"Well what are we going to do?" Naoto asked. "Since you went and locked us in here you must have a plan."
"I do," He looked up from the phone, eyes burning into him. "Akagi-san, please apologize to the omega's below."
Naoto angrily stood. "You want me to what!? They're the ones attacking us!"
"This isn't the time to care about our pride. This entire school could go up in flames if this incident gets out of control. We should nip this in the bud with a formal apology for our actions as student council members this term. And it's not like you haven't been saintly to the omegas as of late so they deserve an apology."
Naoto's anger didn't subside so easily.
"Then why don't you apologize to them? You broke into the dorm!"
"You know why. As the school's director's son, I have a reputation to keep. If it gets out what I did, it'll reflect on the entire school."
Naoto sat back down.
"...what a pain. Fine."
Masanori gave a nod of approval. "You're doing a good thing. Let's go, I'll unlock the main door."
Masanori opened the office door to leave. But there stood Nemura Piko, uneasily darting his eyes between them.
"P-Pardon me Masanori-sama. I waited for you to finish… a-and I've come to apologize for tricking Takeshita-san."
"Oh… no, it's fine. He might have caused other kinds of trouble otherwise. Come with me and I'll let you out of here."
"T-Thank you!" happily exclaimed Nemura as they left out down the hall.
…
Nagi's posture sharpened and he once more took on the opposing figure of a Yankee leader.
"Teru's weakness? Yeah, I know it. I found it out looking for a way to get back at those assholes for threatening me! Oh and I found somethin' alright! I figured it, but Hinaguchi is no saint. He-!" Nagi suddenly stopped. He then leaned down and whispered in Ren's ear.
As he whispered, Ren soon went flush. He soon pulled back, mouth hung open in bewilderment.
"H-He did that!? In middle school!?"
"Gives me chills. That has to be how he was sent here."
It was a story he never expected to hear from someone like Teru. Apparently in middle school he used to lure Alpha students into breaking some kind of school rule in order to expose them and get them expelled. The exact methods he used, Nagi one described as "Preying on an Alpha's natural instincts", which left Ren breathless in anticipation for what that could mean.
Still, at first in hearing this it was a shock to imagine, but soon it made a lot of sense.
'So even back then when he was given this secondary gender Teru hated Alphas… I would too if I was forced to become a stupid omega over an Alpha! Though I guess that's the situation right now…'
While Ren was thinking, Nagi happened to linger too long around in Ren's proximity.
At a moment's notice he recoiled away.
'That scent is… A-Akagi Naoto?? What was he doing before he came here?'
"Nagi-kun" Ren finally spiked again. "So you're saying what we need to do is… give him someone to target? But he's already targeting every Alpha here now."
Ren sighed. 'How can I use a weakness like that?'
Nagi just backed away. 'A-Are the rumors true about him??' Good thing I didn't do nuthin'to him after all this time…'
"...did you look into me maybe?" Ren suddenly asked, and Nagi jolted.
"No! I didn't look into anything! I've got nothing to do with you!"
"Huh, really? But I thought, you know, because you looked into people that messed with you I'd be included."
"Mess with me? Y-Yeah right! That was just some little pranks! D-Don't be so sensitive." Nagi grit his teeth fearfully.
Ren narrowed his eyes as Nagi's suddenly skittish behavior.
"So nothing at all? Am I that unimportant?"
"N-No! That's not-! I-I mean, yeah I admit it, I did. I did some digging, but that's when I started to get those letters… s-so I didn't get anything on you!"
"Hm…" Ren wondered what that meant exactly, but he didn't have time to waste on himself for much longer.
"Then if that's what we need to do then I need your help!"
Ren took a step closer.
"Nagi-kun, lower me out the window!"
Nagi recoiled back through a shocked gasp. "What!?"
…
As Naoto and Masanori made their way over to the front entrance, students passed by carrying others in stretched out blankets, covered in paint.
"What's been going on?" Masanori looked over concerningly. "Did the omega students get inside?"
"No, someone planted stinkbombs in the kitchen so we had to open some windows!" Naoto growled. "Its been a mess. And where have you been holed up this entire time?"
"Thinking that it wasn't this bad, He replied. "It was my mistake to think it would solve itself if I focused on keeping others out of it. If I had known… it seems I'm constantly missing something these days. I wonder why that is…"
Naoto shook his head disapointedly. "I don't think that- hey!"
Up ahead down the hall someone suddenly walked past and stopped in the middle of their path.
"Hey there, what are you doing? You should heas to your dorm room and wait this out." Masanori said, and began to walk over.
But then, Naoto unexpectedly rushed ahead and pushed him back. "Move away! He's-!"
The student shuffled towards them, groaning with slumped shoulders. Naoto collectively recoiled away.
"He… He reeks…!!"
Then around the corner came a large crowd of students, smelled before they quickly rushed over to them. Not just of students rising in a chorus of huff and growls, but a roaring rush of pheromones that said more than any of them had the means to express.
The Alpha students were on the hunt, and they were zeroing on someone in particular.
The first student looked to Naoto with tears in their eyes.
"H...Help!"
Naoto stepped in front of the student and quickly let out some pheromones to keep them at bay.
"Ugh! What's wrong with him!?" Masanori shouted.
"Th-Thee paint, it makes him smell like an omega." Piko said, also holsing his nose. "The smell is so powerful..."
"And they've turned into wolves because of it! Damn it - What the hell is going on in this dorm…!" Naoto seethed. "Nemura, grab that guy"
Piko grabbed the slumping student then pushed them into the closest dorm room Naoto had opened using his key.
"Stay in there no matter what!" He ordered and slammed the door. Now that the student was gone, the hoard began to calm down.
"Now are you fuckers settled? Don't make me use any commands on you to get you to head back to your rooms right now." Naoto demanded.
At first they seemed to understand and take heed. But then, they caught a new scent. Suddenly, they set their sights instead on Masanori. Caught off guard Naoto had to step back and grab Piko to escape, setting off to a run.
"They'll attack anything that smells like an omega then!? They're seriously crazy!" said Naoto.
Masanori stopped, turning back. "This is an emergency! Then I'll make them-!"
"No that might make it worse! I can't believe I'm saying this but keep that shit in! We don't know what your pheromones would do to them in this state! Let's just run!" said Naoto.
With a hesitant but clear nod from Masanori, the three began to run away until they lost the hoard.
But an army of Alphas were greater than just one, and they picked up their scent again quickly.
"Stop it, what the hell is wrong with all of you! It's like they can't hear us!"
"Of course they can't!" Naoto growled. "Their minds have been turned to sludge from their bodies being covered in the fake pheromones! What a bunch of weak ass idiots!!"
"Can that actually happen?" asked Piko. "Obviously such inferior Alphas would have weaker resolve, but to become such animals..."
"Stop asking stupid questions! Of course it can happen!" Naoto said, clenched his teeth. "Yeah! They've been sex starved for weeks after the last party bust: of course they lost their minds like this!!"
"I don't think that's as normal as you make it out to be," Masanori then furrowed his brow in thought. "But there has to be something we can do."
Naoto nodded. "We can get everyone out of here so they aren't trapped breathing in these fumes."
Masanori sighed. "If I had known, I wouldn't have locked us all inside. I keep on missing these things…" Masanori lamented.
Naoto grunted. "But you haven't missed something. You hesitated in calling Hirabayashi earlier didn't you? Because of his behavior."
"...We can't let this escalate any further than this." Masanori changed the subject.
Naoto gnashed his teeth. "I should have forced Watanabe to do something instead of giving into his stupid demands! He-"
He suddenly stopped then turned to Piko.
"Hey, what room did Hirabayashi say he was in?"
"What is it? He didn't say, just somewhere on the top floor." Masanori replied.
Naoto's lips pursed. "Exactly, the top floor too. I'm asking him. It can't be… How did you lure him up there?"
Piko gulped. "… I didn't see what happened after, I just led him there and Yukihiro-sama said he would handle the rest."
"Where to? Was it Watanabe Nagi?" He pressed.
Piko didn't answer. Then he did a very low bow. "It's true… but Yukihiro-sama would never put him in any danger!"
Naoto glared. "Tch! So that's what it is! Up there is Watanabe Nagi's room - he should still be there waiting for us to find the omega's ninja for him. If you put those two together…!"
"Were you planning to do with the delinquents?" asked Masanori.
"Forget that! I suddenly have a feeling…!"
Masanori sighed. "Calm down. Watanabe Nagi is many things, but not someone so stupid. Unless he has a death wish, he won't do anything."
Naoto suddenly grabbed his shoulders.
"Are you listening to yourself!?! Is this why he's been able to do all the things he's done so far?! Get a grip!"
"You get a grip! Yukihiro isn't wrong! I have to focus on fixing this. Think carefully: Takeshita Akira doesn't even have an omega's scent - it's unlikely he'll be spurred into anything just based on his looks. Have more faith in your fellow Alphas."
"...But he does."
Masanori jumped up in alarm "Huh!?"
"It's the paint! He still has it on his clothes, and now it makes him smell like an omega in heat. I don't trust that bastard's intentions. I don't think you do either! If that smell gets stronger and something happens, will you live with that!? Get it-!"
Naoto stopped speaking when Masanori pushed him away. Masanori then tossed him the keys then raced away.
Naoto gripped the keys in his hand tightly, a puff of air pushing out between his teeth. "At least he's finally doing something! Come on Nemura! stick by me - I won't let the Alpha hoard get you!!"
Piko lightly coughed. "I-I don't think they would be after me though. Who has more of an omega like scent on them right now anyway?"
Naoto focused ahead, clearly trying to look cool but failing due to becoming embarrased.
"J-Just roll with it, and forget that!! I've got some pent up anger to let out anyway - so don't get left behind!"
…
The wrapped blankets secured around his waist, Ren pulled open the window and looked down at the ground below. The small garden path down below was empty, only the flowers and foliage was there to catch his fall.
Ren swallowed anxiously. 'Was it always so high up? It's a good thing he had enough sheets in his room between him and his two roommates. But it's the only way to get out! I'll get lowered to the ground floor then go get help for Nagi, then I can find a way to utilize Teru's weakness to stop the paint assault!'
Still he hesitated.
'The blankets here are so thin though…'
"This is secure right?" Ren turned to ask.
"Why wouldn't it be? You're light enough to throw across the track field." said Nagi with a roll of his eyes.
'Don't rub it in…'
Ren began to get lowered out the window with Nagi's help, facing the side of the building, he used whatever he could grab onto to scale down. Clamoring down the wall of red bricks that over the years had begun to loosen, Ren's confidence began to rise that he could make an easy descent.
Sploosh!
Suddenly a jet of water hit Ren in the back, and he was quickly soaked from head to toe.
Ren turned and managed to turn his head to avoid the stream. The Kunodanshi now stood on the path, holding in their hand a garden hose.
"Hey, stop that!" Ren shouted down, but they didn't respond. Eventually, Ren had a thought.
"I…Idoru-kun?" Ren called instead.
They paused. They finally lowered the hose then pulled down their mask.
"Sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen. Just climb back up before something worse occurs."
Ren gasped. "Idoru-kun, it IS you! You… you're the traitor! How could you!? All this time…!"
'Going against Teru I kinda get! But this feels like… he's chosen to side with the school instead! Was everything he told me before a lie?'
Idoru grit his teeth. "Yeah well, that's your fault! So what?! Everyone's out of their mind with their crackshot plans and schemes - I'm sick of playing games just to live peacefully!
Teru's been out of his mind ever since Imada got the dorm, now he's going to ruin the lives of everyone for his cause, everyone! You can both be stupid and reckless and destroy your own lives, but I draw the line at lying to others to ruin them too!!"
"If it's you then it's all your fault Teru did this! Can't you see you're hurting everyone too!?" Ren wailed.
"It's not that, idiot!" Idoru hollered back. "Like you would understand…!"
Ren was then yanked up. Nagi suddenly pulled him back in.
"Not even I could hold on for much longer!" Nagi huffed. "Then you stsrted waving around for what? My arms were going to snap! Who is that you're screaming at, huh??"
Ren sagged, cold and wet. 'Idoru-kun… why? How could you… you work with the school? For how long? It's obviously just another trick to get you to listen to them! He's being manipulated, just like everyone…!'
Nagi covered his nose and went back a few paces, the scent of Akagi still lingering.
Ren noticed for sure this time he was acting strange and started getting annoyed at him.
'Why is he acting so weird? It's like there's something I'm missing here.'
Ren suddenly sat up straighter.
'Or… Wait, could it be…!'
Ren grabbed Nagi and pulled at his arm.
"Hey! Are you actually the secret council member?!" He shouted.
He had completely forgotten when he was startled by being led to Nagi, but it suddenly hit him that maybe there was another reason Tamura had taken him there. Yukihiro had said that the secret member would come to him, but what if the reality was that another student would lead him TO the secret member?
But Nagi backed away with a vicious shout.
"Hell no! I'm trying to stay away from those psychos!"
Ren sagged again, head shaking in sorrow.
'Aw dang it. Then where the hell are they then?'
As Ren shook his head disappointedly, Nagi suddenly stiffened. He finally noticed the other smell.
He leaned in closer. "Hey, this other scent is…"
Bam!!
Masanori had burst into the room, slamming the door so violently it nearly cracked the nearly 8 centimeters thick wooden door off its hinges.
He locked onto Nagi.
He reached out and grabbed at his throat, pulling him away from Ren and up against the window.
"Masanori-kun!" Ren gasped.
Masanori froze. For a moment, he seemed to be trying to shake the fog from his eyes.
Nagi made the mistake to try to push him away, and Masanori pushed back. Nagi barely grazed the window pane as he fell back out the window.
Ren rushed over to look down in horror. "Nagi-kun!"