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Chapter 8: The Crack Beneath the Smile
Kuro showed up the next day with a bandage across his cheek, barely hiding the long, thin scar beneath it.
It wasn't there yesterday.
And it looked fresh.
No one asked.
And Kuro didn't offer.
He just smiled like he always did—bright and warm and almost believable. His hoodie was the same, his tone just as lively, but Jason noticed his fingers were twitching more than usual. Sera caught the way his laugh paused at odd moments. Riku said nothing, but kept stealing glances when Kuro looked away.
Eve, though...
Eve stared at that cheek.
The scar.
The truth beneath it.
She didn't need him to say anything. She could feel it.
Something was getting worse.
---
Lunch.
The group was at their usual table in the back corner of the cafeteria, laughing at a dumb story Riku made up about a vampire who became a kindergarten teacher.
Kuro was animated, grinning wide as he re-enacted a scene with a squeaky voice.
Even Jason cracked a smile.
Even Eve… leaned just a little closer.
Then it happened.
They showed up.
Three of them—seniors. Rich. Loud. Cruel.
Grimvale's favorite predators.
The tallest one, the one with the gold chain and smug eyes, led the charge. They strolled over like they owned the place, eyes locked on Kuro and his friends.
"Well, well, if it isn't the school's personal psych ward," the leader sneered, eyes flicking from Sera to Jason, then to Riku. "Still holding your therapy sessions back here?"
No one responded.
"You," he said, jabbing a finger toward Riku, "still wearing lip gloss? Cute."
To Jason: "Still pretending music makes you deep?"
To Sera: "Bet you still write poems no one reads."
Then... he looked at Eve.
And smiled.
"Did your mom ever wake up? Or is she still rotting in a coma while you pretend not to care?"
The cafeteria didn't go silent, but the air tightened.
Kuro stopped laughing.
Completely.
His face stayed still for a beat too long.
His fingers curled slightly against the table.
Eve didn't flinch.
But something in her jaw tensed.
Her eyes dropped.
Just for a second.
And that was enough.
Kuro stood.
No warning.
No words.
Just a swift, sudden step forward—
And a fist across the bully's jaw.
The sound was sharp and real.
Gasps scattered across the cafeteria as the gold-chained bully stumbled back, clutching his face. His lip split open, eyes wide with shock more than pain.
"The hell, man!?"
Kuro didn't say anything.
Just stood there, shoulders rising and falling.
His hoodie shifted.
His hands shook.
But he smiled.
Not wide. Not soft.
This time, it was thin.
Cold.
Fragile.
"He can talk about me. About my hands. My scars. My family. My life."
Kuro's voice was quiet, but clear.
"But you don't talk about them."
The other two bullies started forward, but Sera stood up.
Jason stood too.
Even Riku moved to block Eve, who hadn't looked up yet.
It was over before it escalated further. A teacher had seen. The bullies were dragged away with threats of suspension. Kuro didn't resist when he was told to follow.
But as he turned to go—
He gently reached back.
And briefly touched Eve's shoulder.
Just for a second.
A quiet apology.
Then he left.
---
The cafeteria buzzed with whispers.
But none of the five friends said anything.
Until Eve finally looked up.
And whispered, her first words in weeks:
"Something's… hurting him."
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To be continued…