Staring at the ceiling, I woke up from my sleep.
I walked into the quiet living room and glanced at the wall clock. It was already eight.
"Looks like Dad's already gone," I muttered.
After getting ready, it was time to leave.
I opened the door and stepped outside, squinting as the yellow sunlight hit my eyes.
I walked the same route as every morning.
The same traffic noise.
The same bus.
The same, same, same.
Everything was always the same.
I hoped today would be different.
From a distance, I could see the gates of Aoyama High School standing silently.
I entered the school casually along with the other students.
Their faces varied—some looked exhausted, others full of energy.
I walked down the hallway toward my classroom, Class 11-C.
Students were chatting along the corridor.
"Hey, did you see that new girl earlier?"
one of them whispered.
I entered the noisy classroom and walked to my seat in the back corner.
After putting my bag down, I sat and rested my head on the desk.
The classroom was loud, but for some reason, I felt bored.
Nothing special.
The bell rang throughout the school, signaling the start of class.
The teacher entered, and the noise gradually died down.
"Before we begin," the teacher said,
"I'd like to introduce a new student."
"Yui, please come in."
The classroom, quiet as a grave moments ago, suddenly burst into noise.
"Yes."
The student stepped into the room.
Her footsteps echoed clearly.
Her short blonde hair looked neat and elegant as she stood at the front.
"My name is Yui Nagato. I look forward to working with you."
The room grew even louder, making me uncomfortable.
And for some reason…
She kept looking at me.
"You can sit over there," the teacher said.
"Everyone, quiet down. We're starting the lesson."
Damn it.
Why did her seat have to be right next to mine?
Yui walked toward her desk.
The entire class stared at her without blinking.
Just before sitting down, she leaned toward me, as if whispering.
"Hey… can you meet me behind the school during the first break?"
She sat down calmly.
Too calmly.
And then—
"Wait, she's sitting next to him?"
"Seriously?"
"Wow…"
Whispers spread everywhere.
Hey, wait—why are they all looking at me?
The bell rang again, signaling the first break.
Thinking about it, I could've stayed in class.
Eat lunch quietly. Pretend everything was normal.
But of course, that didn't happen.
For some reason, I found myself walking toward the back of the school, following the request of a new student I barely knew.
Why was I even doing this?
Honestly, I didn't know.
I imagined all kinds of things she might say.
All of them sounded ridiculous.
Yet somehow, I smiled.
"Hah… maybe today won't be so boring."
Damn it.
No one was there.
Just me.
I arrived too early.
She was the one who invited me—shouldn't she be here first?
I thought about leaving.
Why was I even hoping for anything?
"Heh…"
"You seem pretty excited. Wanting to meet me that badly?"
My steps froze.
I turned around.
She stood in front of me, breathing heavily, like she had run here.
With her pretty face and striking blonde hair, she smiled.
"Do you believe in cursed devils?"
Seriously, who wouldn't get excited being called behind the school by a pretty girl?
Wait.
She brought me here… just to say that?
All my expectations shattered.
Why did I even hope? Damn it.
Where did my confidence go?
Why was she the one looking confused?
I should be the confused one.
Devils?
Curses?
What was she even talking about?
"Do you believe?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Yuki Kitahara."
She stepped closer.
Too close.
She stopped right in front of me and stared into my face.
This was the first time I'd ever been this close to someone.
My body stiffened.
Nervous.
Our eyes met.
Too long.
As if time itself had stopped.
"Those eyes…"
she murmured.
"They're the eyes I've been searching for."
I stepped back.
Not because I was scared.
Okay—maybe a little.
This girl was seriously weird.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," I said.
"But if you're asking whether I believe…"
I sighed.
"I don't believe in stuff like that."
"Devils? Curses? You're joking, right?"
I turned around, ready to go back to class.
"I should just stay in class.
I don't need to deal with someone like her."
"Hey, wait."
"There's still something I want to talk about."
I glanced back.
Her sweet smile had turned into a pout.
Still… she was cute.
Idiot.
Why am I thinking that?
She kept calling me, but I ignored her.
Still, leaving her alone made me feel slightly guilty.
Break ended.
The next class began.
As usual, boring.
The teacher's voice sounded more like a lullaby.
I glanced at Yui.
She still looked mad.
"So boring…"
I looked out the window.
The weather had turned bad.
Rain poured down. Thunder cracked the sky.
"Rain, huh…
and of course, I didn't bring an umbrella."
Suddenly, the power went out.
Not just our classroom—the whole school went dark.
The quiet class turned noisy.
Rain and thunder made everything feel… wrong.
Then Yui stood up.
Without warning, she grabbed my hand.
"Hey—"
She dragged me out of the classroom.
"Can you come with me for a bit?"
I didn't know where she was taking me.
The hallway was dim and shadowed.
Her grip was tight.
Like she was afraid I'd run.
This was the first time I'd ever held a girl's hand.
Honestly, that alone was kind of pathetic.
Her steps quickened.
Too fast.
Like she was chasing something.
"We're here."
She stopped.
"Please help me with your eyes."
My eyes?
She pointed to a dark hallway.
"You can see it, right?"
I looked.
Nothing was there.
Just darkness.
But the air felt cold.
Oppressive.
"Enough already," I said, pulling my hand away.
"What are you trying to show me?"
She looked confused.
"I'm sure it's there."
I turned to leave.
"I'm sure you can see it."
"See what—"
I turned around.
Red eyes glowed in the darkness.
A tall pale man in a soaked black robe approached silently.
One eye burned red.
The other was shut.
He smiled.
Too wide.
My body trembled.
The air grew colder.
A stench filled my nose.
Yui didn't notice anything.
She grabbed my hand again.
"Look over there," she said, forcing me to face the empty hallway.
Behind me—
It was getting closer.
"I'm sure you can see it," she said.
I swallowed.
"Yui… can we leave? Please."
"I can see it," I said quietly.
"But it's not there."
"It's… right behind us."
Too late.
A hand grabbed my neck.
Cold.
Tight.
I couldn't breathe.
My vision blurred.
Then—
"Finally…"
Yui whispered.
Light gathered in her hand, forming a glowing katana.
She swung.
The creature dodged.
But its arm fell.
I collapsed, gasping.
"Where is it now?" she asked.
"On your… right."
"Thanks, Yuki."
She moved faster than my eyes could follow.
A flash.
A sound.
Thud.
The katana pierced the creature.
Its smile vanished.
Its body dissolved.
"The cursed devil of White Day…"
"…has been exterminated."
She turned to me, smiling softly.
"Yuki Kitahara."
"Do you believe now?"