The next day.
Viola sat at her desk as usual, staring blankly out the window. Morning light filtered through the thin curtains, but her thoughts were drifting far away.
The classroom atmosphere was worse than yesterday. Whispers echoed in nearly every corner. All the students were talking about the same name—Kirara, the girl rumored to have mysteriously disappeared the night before.
Some students looked frightened, their faces pale and uneasy. Others chuckled quietly, treating it as nothing more than an exaggerated rumor.
Then the classroom door opened.
Jota entered, but instead of beginning the lesson as usual, he stood at the front and looked at his students one by one.
"You've heard the rumors about Kirara?" he asked casually, as though discussing something trivial.
The classroom fell silent.
Most of the students looked tense. Yet there was no concern for Kirara's safety—only fear for their own.
Jota slammed his hand on the desk.
BANG!
"Pay attention to me," he said firmly, cutting through the unease spreading through the room.
"Relax," Jota suddenly spoke from his seat. "Kirara isn't dead."
His tone was calm—almost too calm.
The students exchanged glances. Some raised their hands, confusion written across their faces—how could Jota possibly know that?
But Jota only smiled faintly.
"That's not something you need to know."
Without further explanation, he turned around and began writing the day's lesson on the board.
"Alright," he said, as if nothing had happened.
"Let's begin class."
---
Break Time
After several long-feeling hours, the break bell finally rang.
The classroom slowly emptied. Viola remained seated, looking down quietly. Only Wils stayed behind, sitting beside her.
"Hey," Wils said, nudging her arm lightly. "Let's go to the cafeteria."
Viola was about to refuse—an excuse already forming in her mind I'm full—but before she could speak, a voice interrupted.
"Well, what are you two talking about?"
A male student stood near them.
Leon.
Viola immediately remembered Jota's words—she needed to get close to Leon, befriend him, and investigate further.
"Just talking about trivial things," Viola replied quickly, trying to sound casual.
Leon gave a faint smile. He stepped closer… and closer… until there was almost no distance between them.
Then he whispered into Viola's ear, his voice low and sharp:
"We should be good friends, shouldn't we?"
Without waiting for a reaction, Leon turned and walked away, leaving Viola frozen.
Her heart pounded violently, as if trying to escape her chest. A chill spread through her body. Fear crept in.
"Viola?" Wils looked at her, puzzled. "What did Leon just say?"
Viola took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"He said he wants to be friends," she answered briefly.
But that answer only made Wils more curious.
On Sunday.
A day off at the Royal School.
In a quiet room at James's residence, Jota, Viola, and James gathered together. Notes and fragments of information were scattered across the table.
The three of them began discussing two matters—
Leon's background, and Kirara's disappearance.