Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, student dormitory.
Her head throbbed as if it were about to split.
Kushida Kikyo's consciousness felt as though it had been thrown into a giant washing machine. Amid countless shrill ringing sounds, it spun violently at the boundary between darkness and light.
"If I apologize to Amasawa Reigetsu... will this nightmare finally end?"
That was Kushida Kikyo's unrealistic fantasy before she lost consciousness, and the only lifeline she could cling to now.
Kushida jerked her eyes open and gasped for breath. Cold sweat soaked through her pajamas, clinging clammy against her back. An unfamiliar ceiling came into view, and a faint, cool fragrance lingered in the air.
This room again...
"Hahahahahahaha..."
Kushida Kikyo was sure she had gone insane.
"You're awake."
A man's voice! Not Ayanokoji's voice!! It was Amasawa's!!!
"Amasawa... Amasawa!"
She nearly tumbled off the bed in her haste, her knees slamming into the floor with a dull thud.
Kushida Kikyo wanted to hold on to hope!
Her voice was hoarse beyond recognition, thick with sobs and quivering uncontrollably.
Amasawa Reigetsu sat on the edge of the bed, black hair falling over his forehead. His pale gray eyes calmly watched as Kushida Kikyo threw herself at his feet with all her strength.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry! I was wrong. I really know I was wrong!"
Tears poured from her eyes, dripping onto the floor and spreading into dark stains. Kushida Kikyo clung tightly to Amasawa Reigetsu's legs, like someone on the verge of drowning.
"Please... forgive me..."
Kushida Kikyo raised her head, but didn't dare look Amasawa Reigetsu in the eyes. Her once-delicate, lovely face was streaked with tears, twisted by overwhelming fear and sobbing.
She struggled to force out a smile more pitiful than a cry, her eyes full of ingratiation and flattery as she trampled on the secret and dignity she had once fought desperately to protect.
"I was too foolish. I thought I knew better... I shouldn't have kept things from you or had such filthy thoughts..."
"I'm a hypocritical liar, trash who can only hide behind a mask... You were right, Amasawa. I'm a disgusting woman..."
As she cried, she rubbed her cheek against Amasawa Reigetsu's knee, like a stray dog begging its owner for forgiveness.
"I understand now... apologizing to you is the only right thing to do... Please, save me from this nightmare. I'll do anything... Master."
Kushida Kikyo's voice had dwindled to a thread. The severe psychological trauma had left her body unable to keep up this outpouring for much longer, but she still struggled to undo the buttons at her collar.
"From now on, Kikyo will only obey her master's orders. I'll be the most obedient... dog."
Amasawa Reigetsu bent down and patted Kushida Kikyo on the head. She shuddered all over at the first touch, like a frightened puppy, but when she realized it wouldn't hurt, she leaned into his hand.
"Did you have a nightmare, Kushida?"
Amasawa Reigetsu's voice was gentle, as if it could soothe the turmoil in her heart.
She had finally woken from that damn nightmare—
Kushida Kikyo scrambled to her feet and threw herself into Amasawa Reigetsu's arms. The warmth she had missed for so long made it impossible to stop herself from greedily wanting more.
"Waaaaah—"
She burst into tears.
"Looks like Kiyoko went too far..."
Amasawa Reigetsu gently patted Kushida Kikyo's back to comfort her, conveniently shifting all the blame onto Ayanokoji Kiyoko.
Maybe Kushida Kikyo would've had it even worse if Kiyoko had been the one to deal with her? No, if it had been Kiyoko, she wouldn't have taken things this far just because she thought it was fun.
"Want me to walk you back to your dorm?"
"Master, puppy is scared... Can you please not leave puppy behind?"
Kushida Kikyo's head remained buried against Amasawa's chest, and her words came out muffled.
"Good girl."
The next day, Kushida Kikyo took the day off.
Messages checking in on her made her terminal vibrate nonstop like a detonator, which actually made things easier for Amasawa.
Time passed quickly. With the past exam questions Kushida Kikyo had given Class D, the library was filled with a peaceful atmosphere, as though everyone could get through the midterms without a hitch... or could they?
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, library.
"Morishita, I think you've betrayed me."
After finishing one of Sakayanagi Arisu's practice tests, Kamuro Masumi looked at Morishita Ran's score of ninety-one, then at her own score of seventy-eight, and couldn't help feeling that fate was unfair.
Kamuro Masumi: If you want to hurt me, have the law punish me. Don't make me study here.
Sakayanagi Arisu: Oh?
Kamuro Masumi: I forgot—I really have broken the law before.
Morishita Ran: The law? I've been crying this whole time.
Amasawa Reigetsu: Crying until you somatize it, until your tears won't stop.
Morishita Ran: The law?
Amasawa Reigetsu: The law!
Sakayanagi Arisu: Get out!!
Sakayanagi Arisu chased the last two goths from Class A out of the study group. The atmosphere immediately became far less niche.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Class D's study session was underway, while Ryuen Kakeru, the "tyrant" of Class C, and his underlings closed in like sharks that had caught the scent of blood.
Amasawa and Morishita happened to see it as they passed by.
"Damn, that guy!"
Morishita Ran's voice boomed through the quiet library. Everyone immediately turned to look at her, then shifted their gazes to Albert.
At the same time, several sharp gazes landed on Amasawa Reigetsu, who stood off to one side. One of them came from somewhere unknown in the library and burned with fierce intensity.
"Fuck you!"
Albert raised his middle finger at Morishita Ran and charged at her—
As a master of traditional martial arts, Morishita Ran had nothing to fear. But she decided to give Amasawa a chance to show what he could do.
"Albert—"
Ryuen's voice wasn't loud, but it was full of authority.
Albert gritted his teeth, but ultimately stopped.
"Amasawa, I've heard so much about you. Shiina from our class is always going on about you."
Ryuen Kakeru paid no attention to the commotion just now. His eyes fixed on Amasawa Reigetsu like a hawk's.
"Class A and Class C have no reason to be enemies... at least not right now, do they?"