[That evening, the orange-red sunset of the twilight hour stretched the shadows along the street.]
[The school bell had barely rung when Megumi Fushiguro packed his schoolbag as quickly as he could.]
[There was no other reason-with Nanako and Mimiko joining them, Tsumiki and the twins now seemed to have endless things to talk about on the way home from school every day. The chatter of the three girls together had grown exponentially louder.]
[For Megumi Fushiguro, who had liked quiet since childhood and was somewhat mature for his age, being surrounded by that clamor was quite a headache.]
[So, as usual, he chose to make himself scarce. Carrying his little single-strap schoolbag, his hands in his pockets, he avoided the crowds and walked home alone along the quiet sidewalk.]
[He had not gone far, however, when a low, steady engine rumble came from behind him. A luxury black sedan, utterly out of place in the ordinary neighborhood around it, approached the sidewalk like a silent ghost at an oppressively slow pace, eventually matching Megumi Fushiguro's steps.]
[With a faint whir of the motor, the dark, reinforced rear window slowly lowered. The dim light inside met the sunset outside, revealing the figures within. The occupants had turned their heads and were staring fixedly at him.]
[Megumi Fushiguro's young but cold little face showed no change. His steps did not even falter, but his perception, far sharper than that of his peers, had clearly noticed the car following him long ago.]
[He tilted his head slightly, his emerald eyes openly wary as his cold gaze met those of the people inside.]
[The first person he saw was a young man reclining against the leather rear seat.]
[He was a man with hair dyed golden brown at the tips, his handsome face