Monday morning came early for Mochi, Miyu, and Zeke, who met up in front of the campus of S University, located in the neighboring city, sixty kilometers away.
"Nyaa~..." yawned Mochi for the third time in less than a minute.
She had to wake up much earlier than usual to get ready, take the train, and arrive on time. Sleep still weighed on her eyes, and her feline ears twitched lazily with each yawn.
"Senpai, with that makeup you look more mature! So beautiful! It looks amazing on you!" exclaimed Miyu in her usual enthusiastic tone. Apparently, waking up early hadn't affected her in the slightest.
"Oh… really? I'm glad I did it right," replied Mochi, blushing slightly.
She wasn't used to receiving that kind of compliment. Usually, people described her as "adorable" or "cute," but not "beautiful" or "mature." The comment caught her by surprise.
Both fell silent, caught in that awkward moment. Miyu didn't seem to have expected Mochi's reaction either, and her cheerful expression turned hesitant. She blushed as well. The silence lingered for a few seconds that felt eternal.
"Ahem..." Zeke cleared his throat, breaking the tension like someone throwing a stone into a pond. His firm voice brought them back to reality. "What do you say we focus on the objective? It's time to head in."
The intervention came just in time. Mochi and Miyu nodded quickly, trying to cover up their discomfort.
"I've got this for you," said Zeke as he took off his backpack and began rummaging through it.
Metallic clinks, the tinkling of glass, and other strange noises came from the bag, making Mochi frown, intrigued by what he might be carrying.
"Here they are," he finally announced, pulling out two folded sheets of paper and handing one to each of them. "These are your class schedules. The three of us will be in different classrooms to cover as much ground as possible."
Both took the papers as Zeke continued speaking:
"Remember, you're newly transferred students. Try to socialize, make a friend or two. That'll be the best way to gather information."
With that, he gave them a brief smile and waved before heading into the campus.
"S-socialize..." Mochi repeated with an uncertain tone.
She had never been afraid of interacting with others. In fact, she always considered herself optimistic, friendly, and a good conversationalist. She didn't have any obvious bad habits. Even so, making friends had always been difficult for her. If it weren't for Miyu, her only friend would probably still be Haruka.
"Senpai, don't worry," said Miyu with a big smile, taking Mochi's hand. "Everything will go great, I'm sure of it. People will line up to meet you!"
Together, they began walking into the campus.
The view before them was completely different from their old school. This place was full of life and movement: students walked in all directions, others sat in groups chatting animatedly under the trees or in front of fountains.
The atmosphere felt relaxed. But they didn't have much time to explore; the time for their first class was quickly approaching.
Once inside the main building, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them, they ran into their first obstacle.
"Miyu… do you know where our classroom is? My sheet says 'Room 7,' but it doesn't say where that is."
"No idea. I'm in Room 12. There's no other choice—let's try this hallway," she replied, confidently pointing to the right. "I'm sure we'll find them quickly."
It didn't take long before they found Miyu's classroom.
"Sorry, Senpai, but I have to go in—it's almost time. But don't worry! I'm sure you'll find your classroom soon!"
Now Mochi was alone in the hallway, walking back and forth with growing desperation. But no matter how hard she looked, she just couldn't find Room 7.
What do I do? What do I do? It's almost time… I can't be late to my first class! she thought, clutching her head, on the verge of panic. Zeke, curse you! You left us behind and vanished! If I'm late, it's your fault!
"Excuse me, are you lost?"
The voice made Mochi spin around immediately. Behind her was a young man, maybe ten years older, watching her with a calm expression. His appearance caught her attention at once: he wore a black leather jacket, jeans with decorative chains, and his dark hair partially covered one eye.
A goth! she nearly said out loud, barely holding it in.
"If you're lost, I can guide you," the guy said kindly.
"Hi, I just transferred to this university. I'm looking for Room 7," Mochi replied, trying to sound composed.
"Oh, what a coincidence. That's my class too. Come, I'll show you the way. By the way, my name's Sam."
"Thanks for the help. I'm Noa."
Thanks to Sam's guidance, Mochi made it to the classroom just in time. She thanked him with a slight bow and a grateful smile before stepping in.
The classroom turned out to be very different from the ones she was used to. It was built like an amphitheater, with tiered rows of seats, each one higher than the last. Upon seeing it, the first thing that popped into Mochi's head was:
I want to sit all the way at the top!
Without hesitation, she climbed the steps with determination, her tail swaying side to side with each step. Though she tried to keep a calm expression, a small smile curled her lips. Several heads turned to look at her—some curious, others indifferent. When she reached the top of the room, she picked an empty seat and settled in, looking around with childlike curiosity.
Not long after, the professor entered and began the lecture. The topic: classical literature. Within minutes, Mochi was already losing focus. From where she sat, the professor looked distant, and his voice—monotonous and heavy—sounded like a sleep spell. Mochi didn't understand a thing. It was as if he were speaking an entirely different language.
They were three of the longest hours of her life.
Fwaaah...
As soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Mochi stood up immediately and stretched her back with a long yawn. Then she slowly began descending the stairs, wondering what to do next.
I should meet up with Miyu so we can have lunch together, Mochi thought as she pulled her phone from her pocket. She quickly typed out a message:
"Wanna have lunch together?"
Brrr... Brrr...
Only a few seconds passed before her phone vibrated with a reply.
"Yes!! 😆🙌🍜💖 I'm so ready to eat! 🎉🍱✨"
Miyu's messages are just as expressive as she is... thought Mochi with a smile, letting out a soft giggle.
"Noa, would you like to have lunch with us?" she suddenly heard Sam's voice.
Turning around, she saw him standing next to a girl who looked like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine: long, straight blonde hair, large bright blue eyes, long and toned legs, and a prominent bust. On her head were two drooping ears that resembled those of a deer.
Whoa, she looks like a model! And she's a Cervid... it's the first time I've seen someone like her... Mochi thought in awe as she looked at the girl in front of her. Cervids—also known as deer-people—were an extremely rare race. She had a natural elegance that stood out even among the bustling campus crowd.
"Hi, Noa. My name's Ami. Sam told me about you—he said you just transferred here. Would you like to have lunch with us?" she introduced herself with a warm smile and a clear, almost musical voice.
This is the perfect chance to get closer to them! Maybe I can get some information... Mochi thought, though she immediately remembered something important.
"Yes, of course!" she answered cheerfully, but her excitement faded right away. "Ah, sorry, I had already planned to have lunch with a friend... she also transferred today."
"If it's okay with you, you can invite her to come with us too," Sam offered kindly.
"Yes, yes! The more, the merrier," Ami added enthusiastically.
"Really? Awesome! I'll send her a message," said Mochi, quickly pulling out her phone.
Miyu's reply came instantly, as if she had been eagerly waiting for it:
"Awesome, Senpai! ✨ I knew it wouldn't take you long to make friends 😊💕 I'm on my way! 🏃♀️🍱💨💖"
"She said yes. She's on her way," announced Mochi.
It didn't take her long to arrive. As always, Miyu burst in with her contagious energy, greeting everyone as if she had known them forever. Mochi introduced her to Sam and Ami, and the four of them headed together toward the campus cafeteria.
On the way there, Mochi watched Miyu with admiration.
Miyu really is amazing... Even though she just met them, she's already talking like they're old friends. Thanks to that, we already know a lot more about them.
It turned out Sam and Ami had been childhood friends—they met when Ami moved from America. Ami wanted to be an actress and was studying in the performing arts department. That last bit of information made Mochi's ears perk up.
All the students who committed suicide were from the performing arts... That means Ami might have useful information. I just need to find the right moment to ask her...
Lunch passed in a pleasant atmosphere. The food was delicious, and the conversation flowed naturally. After eating, the four of them sat around an empty table, enjoying the moment.
While Mochi was trying to figure out the right way to approach the topic, Miyu, with her usual boldness, took the lead.
"The food here is delicious, and the prices are pretty good, but... the place is almost empty," she commented innocently, glancing around.
At her words, Ami and Sam looked at each other for a few seconds. It was a brief glance but full of meaning, as if they were silently debating what to do. Finally, as if they had come to an agreement, they began to speak.
They explained what they knew. However, to Mochi's disappointment, they didn't say anything new that she hadn't already heard. The details were vague, the causes unknown, and the situation remained shrouded in mystery. The conversation grew increasingly somber, until Sam decided to change the subject, saying they'd talked enough about dark things for one day.
With that, lunch came to an end. Each of them returned to their respective classes, and Mochi, still frustrated by the lack of information, continued her struggle against sleep for the rest of the day.