CHAPTER VII
~Secrets on the Third Floor~
Inside Yuzuki’s home, the morning was alive with urgency. Hana’s voice rang out from the kitchen, “Misss!!! Hurry up. It’s going to be 7:50 AM soon! You need to be on your way noww! Hurry!” She bustled around, arranging a traditional Japanese breakfast—steaming rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and pickles—on the table.“Comingg!” Yuzuki called back, her voice bright as she dashed down the stairs. But instead of heading straight to the table, she made a beeline for the oven. Slipping on a thick oven mitt, she carefully pulled out a tray of freshly baked choco chip cookies, their sweet aroma filling the kitchen.
YESS YESS YESS! This is exactly how I wanted them to turn out!!! YAYY!! It’s my 2nd time and I can’t believe I excelled!!!Yuzuki thought, barely containing her excitement as she set the cookies aside to cool. Hana, already anticipating, laid out a clean cloth to wrap the cookies for gifting.
Yuzuki quickly sat down and ate her breakfast, savoring the familiar flavors but keeping an eye on the clock. As soon as she finished, she slipped on her shoes at the entryway.
Hana appeared, handing her a neat handbag containing Kaito’s freshly laundered clothes and two furoshiki-wrapped bundles—one packed with more cookies than the other. “Don’t forget to give these to Kaito-kun and his family!” Hana reminded her.
It was already 8:00 AM; class began at 8:30, and the walk to school took fifteen minutes. With everything in hand, Yuzuki dashed out the door, her arms full of gifts and her heart racing, determined not to be late.
At 8:24 AM, Yuzuki finally reached her classroom, a bit breathless as she stepped inside, her school shoes squeaking slightly on the floor. From the doorway, she spotted Reina surrounded by a lively group of classmates, her laughter carrying easily above the morning chatter.
Ah... right, Yuzuki thought as she entered. Reina-chan’s popularity is really something else. As the daughter of a top social media influencer, Reina’s presence always drew attention—far more than even the School President could command. Reina had just returned from her trip, and with yesterday’s rain, her usual crowd hadn’t swarmed her—perhaps they hadn’t known she was back. Though Reina was her best friend, Yuzuki sometimes felt more like one of the many admirers than someone truly close to her.
The moment Reina noticed Yuzuki approaching to take the seat behind her, her expression shifted to one of intense worry. “YUZUKI-CHANN!” she cried, launching herself into a tight hug. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling and texting you non-stop! You didn’t pick up, you weren’t online—did you block me? I’m so sorry for leaving you the other day, I should’ve walked you home!” Her voice trembled, and she nearly teared up against Yuzuki’s shoulder.
“Oh-oh. I’m so sorry for worrying you, Reina-chan. I didn’t block you or anything. My phone was dead, and I was caught up with chores, so I couldn’t contact you,” Yuzuki explained gently.
“For two whole days? HOW? I even called your sisters—they didn’t answer either! I was so worried!” Reina exclaimed, still clinging to her.
“Uh—about that! I have something to share with you,” Yuzuki replied, gently taking Reina’s arms and guiding her to their desks. All the while, Reina’s fans watched with narrowed, mocking eyes, whispering among themselves.
Reina turned to them as she sat down, offering a quick, “I’ll catch up with you guys later. See you!” The girls smiled and dispersed, leaving the two friends in peace.
Yuzuki placed her handcarry bag on the desk hook, then pulled out the furoshiki-wrapped bundle with fewer cookies and handed it to Reina. “I made these for you!”
“OH MYY!!” Reina’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly unwrapped the bundle and immediately tasted a cookie. “Yuzuki’s baking is the BEST!” she declared, beaming.
“Hehe, but I really am sorry for making you worry,” Yuzuki said, her smile apologetic but warm, grateful for the reunion.
“That’s alright,” Reina said, her delight clear as she munched on the cookies. “Anyways! Tell me, what were you saying earlier?”
“Uh—yeah...” Yuzuki started, lowering her voice. “So apparently I got locked in with Kaito-kun—”
“KAITO-KUN?!” Reina blurted, her voice echoing across the classroom. Heads turned instantly, curious eyes locking onto the two girls.
“Shhh!” Yuzuki hissed, shooting a glare. “Keep quiet, or everyone will misunderstand.”
Luckily, the usual suspects—Takasago Himari, Tsukimoto Sayaka, Kisaragi Ayaka, and even Kaito himself—weren’t in the classroom and were probably roaming elsewhere, giving them a rare moment of privacy.
“Sorry, sorry,” Reina whispered, leaning in closer, her curiosity piqued. “Go on!”
“So, as I was saying, we both got locked in the classroom just minutes before the thunderstorm hit. Luckily, Suzuki-nee taught me how to pick a lock, so we escaped. But here’s the weirdest part...” Yuzuki lowered her voice even further, glancing around.
“Kaito-kun confessed again?” Reina whispered back, her eyes wide with anticipation, as if bracing for a dramatic twist.
“UGH! No!” Yuzuki groaned, rolling her eyes. “I saw a tall boy with black hair and a black outfit inside the school, right by the last stairwell before we escaped. I saw him in a flash of lightning. My biggest question is—what was he doing in the school during such a storm?”
Reina’s brows drew together, her lips pursed in genuine thought. She tapped her chin, then leaned in, her voice low and intense. “What if he wasn’t just a student? Maybe he was someone who knew about the storm and wanted to use the chaos for something—like sneaking around, or maybe even looking for something hidden in the school? You know well how our school is famous for having secrets that have never been uncovered.”
Yuzuki blinked, surprised at the suggestion. “That... actually makes more sense than being stunned by thunder. No wait. That doesn’t. Well, nonetheless, when we got locked in, I checked outside and there wasn’t a single soul on campus. It was less than half an hour after the bell.”
Reina nodded, her eyes sharp. “I left as soon as the bell rang, so I didn’t see anything. But if he was there after everyone left, that’s definitely suspicious.”
“Exactly! That’s why I wanted to tell you,” Yuzuki said, her voice earnest. “Anyway, I was thinking of informing the Headmaster—if he’s even at school.”
“Tell the prefects too,” Reina urged, her tone serious. “If something weird is going on, they need to know.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Yuzuki agreed.
🎶🎵Ding—dong—ding—dong | Ding—dong—ding—dong🎵🎶
The bell rang, signaling the start of class. Students rushed back to their seats, the room filling with chatter and the scrape of chairs.
“And then what happened?” Reina pressed, her eyes shining with curiosity as the teacher still hadn’t arrived.
Yuzuki leaned in, lowering her voice. “So, Kaito pulled me to his house, and I stayed there for the past two days.”
Reina’s jaw dropped, her voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. “WHAT? You stayed at Kaito-kun’s house? For two days?!”
“Yeah... surprise, surprise! But the most suspicious thing is, both Kaito and his father go out late at night and only come back in the morning. Even during the storm, they left!”
Reina’s eyes grew huge, her hands flying to her mouth. “Seriously?! NO WAY!!!!!!! Why would they do that? That’s so off!”
Yuzuki opened her mouth to reply, but just then the teacher entered, cutting off their conversation. Reina shot her a look that promised more questions later, her curiosity far from satisfied.
By the time the fourth period rolled around, the clock read 11:40 AM. The classroom buzzed with the low hum of students anticipating a free period. Suddenly, the door slid open and the PE teacher strode in, clipboard in hand and whistle hanging from her neck.
“Everyone, please get changed into your PE uniforms and head down to the school grounds,” she announced, her voice brisk and commanding. “We’ll be starting class outside today, so don’t dawdle!”
A collective groan rose from the students, but they began gathering their gym bags and heading for the changing rooms. Yuzuki exchanged a glance with Reina, both girls rising from their seats and joining the flow of classmates, ready to change and head out to the school grounds for PE.
The class quickly changed into their crisp white T-shirts and navy blue shorts, the standard Japanese PE uniforms. The girls tied up their hair, tucked in their shirts, and slipped on their gym shoes, while the boys did the same in their own changing room. The air was filled with the chatter of students, some complaining about the humidity, others excited to finally get outside after days of rain.
Once everyone was ready, they filed out onto the school grounds. The rain had finally stopped, leaving the grass damp and the sky overcast but bright. The PE teacher stood at the edge of the field, whistle at the ready, clipboard in hand.
“Alright, everyone! Line up!” she called out. The students quickly formed neat rows, boys and girls in separate lines, standing at attention.
“Today, we’ll start with warm-up stretches!” the teacher announced. She led them through a series of traditional Japanese calisthenics—arm circles, toe touches, trunk twists, and jumping jacks. The class moved in unison, the familiar rhythm of the exercises bringing a sense of routine and energy.
After the warm-up, the teacher divided the class into two groups for a game of dodgeball. The students’ competitive spirits ignited, and soon the field was alive with shouts, laughter, and the thud of balls skimming across the grass. Reina, always energetic, dodged and weaved with surprising agility, while Yuzuki found herself laughing more than she had in days, the tension of recent events momentarily forgotten.
On the sidelines, the teacher watched with a satisfied smile, occasionally blowing her whistle to keep the game fair and safe.
After several intense rounds of dodgeball, the PE teacher blew her whistle sharply. “Alright, everyone—water break! Five minutes!” she called out, gesturing toward the benches where students had left their bottles.
Yuzuki and Reina jogged over, cheeks flushed and hair sticking to their foreheads. Reina grabbed her pastel water bottle and took a long drink, sighing in relief. Yuzuki reached for hers, only to realize her hands were empty.
“Oh no, I forgot my water bottle in the classroom,” Yuzuki muttered, patting her gym bag in vain.
Reina paused, lowering her bottle. “You want some of mine?”
“It’s okay, I’ll just grab mine from class,” Yuzuki replied, flashing a grateful smile.
She jogged over to the teacher, who was checking her clipboard. “Sensei, may I go to the classroom to get my water bottle? I forgot it.”
The teacher looked up, nodded briskly, and said, “Go ahead, but be quick. Don’t run in the hallways.”
“Thank you!” Yuzuki replied before heading off at a brisk walk.
Inside the building, the cool air was a relief after the humidity outside. As she reached the second floor, she saw the janitor mopping the staircase, the floor slick with water.
“Ah, excuse me,” the janitor called out, pausing his work. “This staircase is wet. Please use the other one for safety.”
Yuzuki nodded politely. “Oh! Okay. Thank you for letting me know! I’ll use the other staircase.”
“Thank you and be careful,” the janitor replied, giving her a friendly smile before returning to his work.
Yuzuki turned and made her way to the alternate staircase, her footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway as she hurried to retrieve her forgotten bottle.
Yuzuki hurried up the alternate staircase, her footsteps echoing softly as she entered the quieter Headmaster’s corridor on the third floor. Just as she was about to pass the Headmaster’s office, a sudden, sharp bang resounded from inside—a fist slamming against a desk. The noise made her heart leap, a chill prickling down her spine.
Then, a furious voice thundered from within:
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FAILED TO SEAL THE GATE? YOU’RE TELLING ME, YOU’VE BEEN COMING TO THE SCHOOL GROUNDS JUST TO EXORCISE THEM?”
Yuzuki froze, pressing herself closer to the door, her ear straining to catch every word. That voice—she was certain—it belonged to the Headmaster.
A second, more measured voice replied, “Calm down…, Sir.”
Before Yuzuki could identify the speaker or hear more, the sound of approaching footsteps and the casual conversation of two teachers about the next semester drifted from the adjacent corridor. Panic flared in her chest; she spun on her heel and hurried away, her pulse racing.
She didn’t stop until she reached her classroom. There, breathless, she grabbed the doorframe for support, one hand braced on her knee as she tried to steady herself.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT—her mind raced, eyes wide with shock, the echo of the Headmaster’s words ringing in her ears.
Still shaken, Yuzuki quickly grabbed her water bottle from the desk, took a long, steadying drink, and secured it in her bag. Without wasting another second, she hurried toward the exit.
As she neared the corridor she had used earlier, she spotted a large group of students streaming out—likely heading to music class. The sudden crowd made her hesitate; blending in wasn’t an option, and she didn’t want to risk being delayed or noticed.
Thinking quickly, Yuzuki veered toward the closest corridor and staircase near her classroom. The hallways were quieter there, allowing her to slip out more discreetly. She descended the stairs swiftly and emerged onto the school grounds, the fresh air filling her lungs as she resumed her run back to join the PE class.
Yuzuki hurried back onto the school grounds, slipping her water bottle into her gym bag as she approached the field. The PE teacher, arms crossed and whistle ready, caught sight of her and called out, “Mikazuki-san, why are you late?”
Yuzuki stammered, “S-sorry, Sensei! I had to use the alternate staircase because the usual one was being cleaned and was wet.”
The teacher gave her a firm look but nodded. “Next time, don’t take this long. Be quicker.” She raised her whistle and blew sharply, signaling a pause in the dodgeball game so Yuzuki could safely rejoin her classmates.
With a grateful nod, Yuzuki slipped back into the group, her heart still thumping from both her hurried trip and the unsettling encounter upstairs.
To be Continued...
ns216.73.216.65da2
