It didn't take much for Keisuke to catch him. Despite being a conduit, Naoto was unbelievably slow. His skinny body didn't support him in any way. Keisuke cut him off and stood intimidatingly. Despite his shorter stature than Naoto, he was practically the vision of a scary monster to Naoto. Keisuke grabbed his collar and stared up into his brown eyes with so much intensity, he wondered if he was going to beat him to pulp or still maintain his purpose.
Naoto looked down at him with terror as the situation was just about a punch away from knocking him out cold. For a while, the two were still. Kae caught up with them and grabbed Naoto by the shoulder, her grip strong enough to bruise him.
"Where is it you creep?" Kae interrogated.
Naoto just stammered, looking down at her until the unexpected happened, His pants slipped off. As if a higher power was helping Kae, she found her answer.
Naoto had been wearing it the entire time.
Keisuke stared in disbelief, humor, and disgust. Kae, on the other hand, was completely shocked and disgusted. Letting him go of him, she and Keisuke looked at him before Keisuke burst out laughing. Kae looked at him, confused in anger.
"This isn't funny; what he's doing has to be a crime!" She shouted.
Keisuke slowly stopped laughing and finally collected himself and caught his breath.
"He's Useless!" Keisuke gestured to his lower back.
Kae looked at him in further confusion before walking around and seeing it. His mark was practically invisible. Naoto had no percentage of resonance; it would be easy to assume he hadn't even made a contract. If anything, the guy was just a vessel holding the mud Ikon. Keisuke couldn't help but bark out in laughter again as he left Naoto in the middle of the hall with his pants down. Kae looked at Keisuke walking away, and Naoto was embarrassed in the hall, then decided to follow Keisuke. Once they got some distance, Kae looked at Keisuke with lingering anger, not at the situation but rather why Keisuke didn't punish him. Keisuke glanced at her for a moment.
"What's wrong?" he prodded.
"Why'd you let him go? He was creeping on that poor girl and even wore her underwear..." she clarified.
"He's being punished as is; not only is his reputation completely gone, but he's ass out in the middle of the hallway with spectators. Not to mention the fact that he can't use his abilities." He calmly said.
Kae couldn't say anything and pressed her lips together. He was right, and hurting him does nothing.
"Plus, we don't need him. He's useless in the effort..." Keisuke added on.
That gave Kae some peace in the matter; she didn't need to work with him to any degree, and that alone was good enough. Before she turned to other matters, a thought popped up.
"What about the hooded man? Won't he kill him?" she asked.
Even though she definitely now hated him, he was still a human being. Keisuke turned his head towards her and smiled.
"You said it yourself, he was only after him because he thought he was a potential threat. There is no potential until his resonance grows..." he softly reassured her.
It was a comfort for her, but still it didn't sit well in her heart. Choosing to ignore herself and trust Keisuke, she nodded.
"Plus, I think it's you I'm worried about. You'll make his list once he finds out you betrayed him," Kiesuke added.
Kae looked at him, thrown off by his comment, but quickly gathered herself.
"It's fine, I have you guys..." she replied.
"That's right," Keisuke smiled and patted her back.
"Especially Yuma," He smirked.
Kae looked at him wide-eyed, her cheeks reddening at his name. Before she could ask why, he mentioned him specifically
"He's one of a kind, and I know he will end this all..." Keisuke continued, slightly quieter than his original tone.
Kae quickly retracted her reaction and sighed softly, relieved. Keisuke, however, didn't waste a second to catch her off guard with her reaction.
"You thought differently when I mentioned him, huh?" he teased.
Kae looked at him, flustered.
"W-wh-what?" Kae stammered out.
"I saw how you looked at him when we talked after they left to plan that day you met us," Keisuke explained.
"You like him, don't you?" He stated, more so than asked.
Kae's blush grew brighter after being called out.
"Was it that obvious?" she whispered softly.
Keisuke shook his head softly.
"Not to him. Funny as it is, he notices often but is somehow blind when it comes to him," Keisuke answered, a little too happy.
Kae didn't answer and decided to walk in silence, trying to come down from the rush of embarrassment she felt talking about it. The two made it to the front of the school and silently agreed to part ways for now. Just as Keisuke walked away, Kae called out to him.
"Um... before you go, please don't tell him..." She quietly pleaded.
Keisuke gave her a small smile and nodded.
"I wasn't planning to and I never will... Just be sure to say it before it's too late." Keisuke softly advised her.
He left with a wave, heading his own way to his class. Kae simply looked at his back as he grew smaller and smaller, then disappeared up the stairs. With a soft sigh, she left for her own class.
***
Taking the rest of the day off from school to breathe, Yuma returned home late afternoon to change out of his uniform. Entering the house, the silence was deafening. The once lively house turned into a dying one, no longer filled with even half his family. Tossing his bag on the floor next to the door, he dragged himself through the house to his room. Every step brings back memories one after another, some going as far back as before he lost his father and brother. He hated every second of it, his home a hallmark of torturously joyous memories. Once in his room, he stripped off his uniform and changed into a more casual outfit. A simple white shirt, black hoodie, and black jeans. Ironically dressed in the colors of a funeral. After he had changed, he no longer wanted to spend another minute in his home and left more quickly than he had entered. Just as he was about to cross the front door, however, he turned to look at his home one more time. This time, seething hatred filling his heart, it seemed like losing his father and brother wasn't enough, but now his mother was added to the list. Gripping his fist into a tight ball, he gritted his teeth with something akin to a vow on his mind.
'I'm going to avenge them and kill him; I won't return until I do.'
Yuma grabbed the door and slammed it behind him, putting more force than he meant. With nothing left to do, he walked away, heading off to where Akira told him to meet him afterwards. The sun slowly dipped into the horizon, leaving Yuma to walk in the evening light. As he walked, a sulphur-like smell permeated the air. The presence he felt behind him was unlike anything he felt; not even Akira had the strength he felt.
It was a conduit.
Turning around, he saw him.
The hooded man.