Eyes in the Dark

On Wednesday night, dark clouds obscured the moon, and the entire campus sank into deep darkness.

Third floor of the Boys Dormitory, Ryuen Sho's Room.

He hadn't turned on the lights. He sat by the window, gazing out into the night. The faint glow of his phone screen illuminated his face, which wore a sinister smile.

"Hanyu Xiuyi..." he murmured, repeating the name. "You think refusing Nagumo will keep you safe? How naive."

A faint knock came from behind him.

"Come in."

The door opened, and someone stepped inside—it was Ibuki Mio. She wore casual clothes, her short hair slightly disheveled, her expression as cold as ever.

"What did you call me here for?"

Ryuen turned around and looked at her. "I have a job for you."

Ibuki said nothing, only watched him.

"On the day of the Midterm Exam, I want you to do something." Ryuen took a small slip of paper from his pocket. "This has the exact time and place. You'll need to be there."

Ibuki took the note and glanced at it. Her pupils contracted slightly.

"This..."

"What's wrong? Afraid?" Ryuen's smile turned menacing.

Ibuki was silent for a few seconds, then said, "It's not that I'm afraid. I just don't understand. What do you stand to gain from this?"

"Gain?" Ryuen laughed. "I'll make Hanyu Xiuyi lose the thing he values most."

He stood and walked to the window, looking out into the night. "Hanyu's greatest weakness is that he cares too much about his friends. He's willing to take risks to protect them. So..." He turned to Ibuki. "If you get hold of his friends, you'll have him in your grasp."

Ibuki fell silent.

"Go." Ryuen waved a hand. "You'll get your reward once the job's done."

Ibuki nodded and turned to leave.

Once she was out of the room, her expression changed instantly. Beneath that cold mask, her eyes burned with fury.

She hurried to the stairwell landing, pulled out her phone, and quickly sent a message:

"Ryuen's going to make a move on the day of the Midterm Exam. His target is Karuizawa Kei. I'll send the exact time and place later. —Ibuki"

After sending it, she deleted the message and walked downstairs as if nothing had happened.

At the same time, on the second floor of the Girls Dormitory, in Karuizawa Kei's Room.

She was lying on her bed, scrolling through her phone. She had an English Quiz tomorrow, but she couldn't concentrate on her studies. Hanyu Xiuyi's face kept appearing in her mind.

"What's wrong with me..." she murmured.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. It was an Anonymous Message:

"Someone plans to hurt you on the day of the Midterm Exam. Be careful. —A friend"

Karuizawa froze. Hurt me? Who?

She replied at once: "Who are you? What do you mean?"

But there was no response.

She stared at the screen, her heart racing. Hurt me... Could it be Ryuen?

She thought of what Kushida had told her, of Hanyu's warning, of the dangers lurking in the shadows.

She picked up her phone to message Hanyu, then hesitated.

What if it's a prank? What if someone's just trying to scare me?

But what if it's real?

She bit her lip, then finally sent a message:

"Hanyu, someone warned me that somebody's going to hurt me on the day of the Midterm Exam. Do you know anything about this? —Karuizawa"

After sending it, she clutched her phone and lay awake all night.

On Thursday morning, when Hanyu Xiuyi woke up, he saw Karuizawa's message.

He stared at the screen, his brows knitted.

Ibuki had messaged him last night too, saying Ryuen was going to make a move on Karuizawa on the day of the Midterm Exam. Now Karuizawa had received a warning as well.

What exactly was Ryuen planning?

He immediately replied to Karuizawa: "I understand. Let's meet after school today. Until then, be careful and don't go anywhere alone."

Then he messaged Ibuki: "Got it. Thanks. Keep an eye on things and let me know if anything comes up."

He barely paid attention in class that morning. His thoughts remained fixed on Ryuen's plan.

Make a move on the day of the Midterm Exam... The target was Karuizawa Kei... But how? Where? What exactly was Ryuen planning?

During lunch break, he called an Emergency Meeting of the Core Members. This time, they gathered in a secluded spot behind the Gymnasium, where they were less likely to be noticed.

Those who attended were Horikita Suzune, Hirata Yousuke, Ken Sudō, Kushida Kikyo, Karuizawa Kei, and Ayanokoji Kiyonaga. Yukimura Teruhiko had to prepare study materials and couldn't attend; Matsushita Chiaki and Hasebe Haruka hadn't been notified either.

"Ibuki sent word," Hanyu said without preamble. "Ryuen's going to make a move on Karuizawa on the day of the Midterm Exam."

Everyone's expression changed.

"Me?" Karuizawa's voice trembled. "W-why me?"

"Because you're the perfect target," Ayanokoji said. "You're at the center of the Girls Group, and if something happens to you, the whole class will be affected. Besides..." He paused. "You have a past you don't want people to know about."

Karuizawa turned even paler.

Kushida Kikyo took her hand. "Don't be afraid. We're all here."

"What's Ryuen planning?" Ken Sudō clenched his fists.

"We don't know yet," Hanyu said. "But Ibuki said he'll let us know the exact time and place. For now, we need to prepare in advance."

"How?" Hirata asked.

Hanyu looked at Ayanokoji. Ayanokoji considered it, then said, "First, Karuizawa shouldn't go anywhere alone starting today. Wherever she goes, at least two people should accompany her."

Karuizawa nodded.

"Second, we need to have people keep an eye on her discreetly on the day of the exam," Ayanokoji continued. "But we can't make it too obvious, or Ryuen will notice."

"I'll do it!" Ken Sudō immediately volunteered.

"You're too conspicuous," Horikita said, shaking her head. "Ryuen will notice you wherever you go."

"Then who'll do it?"

Ayanokoji looked at Kushida. "Kushida, you go."

Kushida was taken aback. "Me?"

"Yes," Ayanokoji said. "You and Karuizawa are already close, so no one will find it suspicious if you go together. And you've experienced Ryuen's threats, so you know how to handle him."

Kushida hesitated, then nodded. "All right. I'll do it."

"I'll go too," Hirata said. "I can pretend I'm heading to the Exam Hall, then follow behind."

"I'm going too," Sudō insisted. "I won't feel at ease otherwise."

"Then I'll go too," Horikita said.

As Hanyu looked at them, a complicated feeling rose in his heart. He was touched and relieved, yet also a little worried.

"All right," he said. "That's the plan. On the day of the exam, Kushida and Karuizawa will walk ahead, while Hirata, Sudō, and Horikita follow behind. If anything seems off, act immediately."

He looked around at them. "Remember, don't be impulsive, and don't alert him. Our goal isn't to catch Ryuen. It's to protect Karuizawa."

Everyone nodded.

After the meeting, they gradually left. Karuizawa was the last to go. She walked up to Hanyu and lowered her head.

"Hanyu... Thank you."

"You're welcome," Hanyu said. "You're one of Class D, so protecting you is only right."

Karuizawa lifted her head and looked at him. There was gratitude in her eyes, along with something else.

"Hanyu, I..."

"What is it?"

Karuizawa opened her mouth, but finally shook her head. "It's nothing... I'm going."

She turned and left, leaving Hanyu standing there alone.

The wind blew, ruffling his hair.

He watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.

Friday afternoon, the last day before the Midterm Exam.

The Class D classroom was filled with tension. Yukimura Teruhiko was writing tomorrow's exam schedule on the blackboard, while Horikita Suzune went over the final key points with the class. Everyone listened with rapt attention, afraid they might miss a single detail.

Hanyu Xiuyi sat at his desk, appearing to listen, though his thoughts had wandered far away.

Tomorrow was the Midterm Exam. Tomorrow, Ryuen would make his move.

He looked at Karuizawa Kei. She was studying the blackboard intently, her blond hair tied in a high ponytail. She looked as usual, but Hanyu noticed her hands trembling slightly.

He looked at Kushida Kikyo, seated beside Karuizawa. She glanced at Karuizawa from time to time, concern in her eyes.

He looked at Ken Sudō, Hirata Yousuke, and Horikita Suzune. Each of them was in their place, doing their own thing.

This was his team. These were his friends.

He wouldn't let anyone hurt them.

After school, Hanyu called out to Ayanokoji Kiyonaga, who was about to leave.

"Ayanokoji, wait a moment."

Ayanokoji stopped and looked back at him.

"Is something wrong?"

"I want to ask you something," Hanyu said. "Do you have any thoughts about Ryuen's plan?"

Ayanokoji was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I do."

"What are they?"

"I think Karuizawa might not be Ryuen's only target."

Hanyu stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"He wants to create an incident," Ayanokoji said. "An incident big enough to shake all of Class D. Karuizawa is only the spark. The ones who'll truly suffer are the entire class."

Hanyu fell silent. The analysis made too much sense. Ryuen was never content with hurting just one person. He wanted to destroy the entire class.

"Then what should we do?"

Ayanokoji looked at him, his eyes seeming especially deep in the glow of the setting sun.

"Prepare in advance," he said. "But not to protect Karuizawa. We need to prepare for a Greater Storm."

He turned and left, leaving Hanyu standing there alone.

The sun sank below the horizon, and the sky glowed crimson.

A Greater Storm...

Hanyu clenched his fists, determination flashing in his eyes.

No matter how fierce the storm was, he would stand in front of them.

Because he had promised to protect them.