Bang!
Da da da da!
The battlefield echoed with the relentless exchange of gunfire. The sharp crack of Wakamo's sniper rifle cut through the air, while the rapid bursts from Lina's handgun peppered the space between them.
Lina's face was calm, her expression a mask of unwavering focus. Her movements were sharp, calculated, as she dodged Wakamo's deadly shots while retaliating with her own. But deep inside, her thoughts were a storm of frustration and fatigue.
"Why won't she stop already?! That last beam almost took everything I had!"
Her fingers tightened around the handle of her handgun, her aim steady, but her mind was racing. "I can't afford another big move... I need a break! Just one minute! But if I stop now, she'll think I'm giving up... and I'll never live that down."
Lina pushed herself forward, gritting her teeth. The image of Wakamo standing winning on the other end of the battle only fueled her stubbornness.
"No," she thought, firing another round of bullets. "I won't let her beat me. Not here. Not now."
But the cracks in her resolve were starting to show, even if only to herself. Each shot, each dodge, each second of this grueling standoff chipped away at her strength. Her breath was heavier now, her movements a bit slower.
Meanwhile, Wakamo, crouched behind the remains of a wall, was just as relentless. Her rifle barked with precision, each shot aimed to wear Lina down. Her crimson aura still flared like an unquenchable flame, the sharp gleam of her fox mask catching the light as she shifted positions.
"You're persistent," Wakamo growled under her breath, her voice laced with irritation.
Suddenly, a bright flash of light exploded between Lina and Wakamo.
"Ah, come on!" Lina shouted, shielding her eyes.
The flashbang blinded her for a few seconds, enough time for the third party who threw it to make their move. Before she could recover, she felt herself being hoisted up and carried away.
The ringing in Lina's ears from the flashbang was still fading...
"Hey! Let me go!" Lina shouted, thrashing lightly before her vision cleared enough to see her rescuer.
"Yuuka...?" Lina blinked, recognizing the familiar face of Hayase Yuuka, her former schoolmate.
Yuuka glared down at her, her sharp eyes filled with both frustration and concern. "Now you decide to call me by my name, huh? What were you even thinking, fighting someone like that? You do realize Wakamo is one of the Seven Prisoners, right?!"
Lina squirmed slightly, but Yuuka tightened her grip, making it clear that she wasn't letting her go until they were far away from the chaos.
"Uh... she started attacking first," Lina muttered defensively, though her voice lacked the usual fire.
"Really?" Yuuka raised an eyebrow skeptically, already anticipating the excuses.
"Yes! After I said, like... a thing, then she went berserk on me!"
"A thing?" Yuuka repeated dryly. "And what kind of thing could possibly justify a full-blown battlefield?!"
Lina looked away awkwardly, her cheeks reddening slightly. "I-I don't know! It just... escalated, okay?"
Yuuka let out a long sigh, clearly trying to hold back her frustration. "You should be glad no one got seriously hurt because of your ridiculous fight. Do you have any idea how much collateral damage you caused?!"
Lina avoided her gaze, suddenly the ground look very interested for her.... "I mean... the buildings were mostly empty..."
"Mostly?! Lina!" Yuuka's tone was sharp, but the worry in her voice was evident.
Lina grumbled something under her breath, giving up her protests and letting Yuuka carry her farther away from the ruined battlefield. For once, she couldn't bring herself to argue.
Arriving at a safer spot, Yuuka finally set Lina down. She crossed her arms and gave Lina a stern look.
"You stay here, and *don't* go anywhere, got it?" Yuuka ordered firmly.
Lina, rubbing her arms, looked up at her for a moment, then gave a reluctant nod.
"Good," Yuuka said, nodding back in satisfaction. She turned to leave, but Lina hesitated, her voice stopping Yuuka in her tracks.
"By the way, Yuuka..." Lina began, her tone uncharacteristically soft.
Yuuka turned back, tilting her head slightly. "Hmmm?"
Lina hesitated further, her eyes darting to the ground. "Have you... met an adult near there before?"
"An adult?" Yuuka repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Lina said quickly, her tone picking up with urgency. "An adult wearing a suit... His face is... uh, quite handsome... short black hair, black eyes... he..." She trailed off, trying to keep her composure while vividly describing Sensei.
Yuuka's face shifted into one of confusion. "You're describing him in so much detail..," she remarked, giving Lina a sly look.
"Just answer me!" Lina blurted, her cheeks reddening. "Did you see him? Is he fine? Did he get injured? Is he still there? Did he escape?"
Yuuka blinked at her outburst. "Calm down, Lina. He's fine. He's dealing with someone right now."
Hearing this, Lina sighed in relief, her tense shoulders relaxing. "That's good... he's fine..." she muttered to herself.
Then, as if realizing what she'd said, her cheeks turned redder. She quickly shook her head and scoffed.
"No! Who cares about him!" she declared loudly, crossing her arms and looking away.
Yuuka began walking away to assist her team but paused, looking back at Lina with a seemingly innocent smile.
"Oh, yeah, Lina. Please explain to me after all this is over why you didn't come to the student council meeting this morning and why you keep ignoring my calls."
To Lina, that smile wasn't innocent—it was downright terrifying.
"Uh… uh… I did?" Lina stammered, trying to feign ignorance.
Yuuka's smile widened, her tone sharp. "You did!!"
Lina gulped, already dreading the inevitable conversation.
---
Wakamo, who had shut her eyes tightly due to the flashbang, slowly opened them, blinking away the bright afterimage.
She froze on the spot.
Standing before her was none other than Sensei.
"Long time no see, Wakamo," Sensei greeted, offering a gentle smile. His stance was cautious, feet firmly planted, as though he were walking a tightrope between provoking her or calming her down. He didn't move forward or back, trying his best not to cause any misunderstandings.
"…"
Wakamo stood silent, stiff as a statue. Her red animal-like ears twitched slightly, but her voice was stuck in her throat. She couldn't find the words to respond, her mind swirling.
From Sensei's perspective, the mask made it impossible to gauge what she was feeling. Was she shocked? Angry? Something else entirely?
Still, something about her posture and behavior seemed… different. It wasn't the hostility he had prepared himself for, nor the fear he had feared she might show.
Instead, it felt like… something else was holding her back.
"Wakamo?" Sensei called again, his tone soft, as though trying to draw her back to reality.
Still, she didn't answer. Her hands trembled slightly, but her eyes remained fixed on him, unblinking.
"Uh, does my current distance make you uncomfortable?"
Sensei's voice was calm, his eyes carefully observing the girl before him. Wakamo stood frozen, her demeanor stiff and uneasy—so different from the ruthlessness she'd displayed earlier when firing at Lina. She looked more like a frightened rabbit, ready to bolt at the slightest movement.
"Do you need me to step back a little?" he asked, trying to ease the tension.
"No, no, no!" Wakamo waved her hands hastily, her anxiety spilling into her words. "None of this has anything to do with you, Sir! It's all, all my fault!"
There was a slight tremble in her voice, and then she blurted out, "It would be better if you could get a little closer."
A sudden burst of laughter escaped her, warm and flustered, contrasting with the air of tension that lingered moments before.
Sensei blinked, staring at Wakamo in disbelief. Her halo seemed to shimmer faintly, as though filled with glowing pink bubbles. His right eyelid twitched violently, and an unsettling premonition began to form in his mind.
This was… unexpected. He had prepared himself for hostility, for aggression—but not for this.
"If possible," Sensei said carefully, maintaining a polite tone, "could you please not address me as 'sir'? I feel unworthy of that title. You can just call me Sensei."
He knew better than to ask why she seemed so happy—it would only lead to more confusion. Instead, he decided to stick to his original purpose for approaching her.
Sensei bowed slightly, his voice sincere. "In the alley below, you were the one who saved me from those three thug. Thank you very much. Otherwise, I don't know how bad things would have turned out."
He straightened back up, watching Wakamo's expression carefully, hoping his gratitude wouldn't prompt yet another unexpected reaction.
Wakamo's ears twitched at his words, her cheeks glowing faintly under the mask. She waved her hands even more fervently, as if trying to shake off any credit.
"No, no, no! That wasn't anything special. I was just passing by!" she stammered, her voice high-pitched and flustered. "Anyone else would've done the same!"
Sensei couldn't help but sigh, his expression softening. "Regardless of your reasons, you saved me. And I wanted to thank you properly for that."
His sincerity seemed to catch Wakamo off guard. Her trembling hands slowly lowered, and her usual defensive posture softened, if only slightly.
"You… really mean that?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course," Sensei replied gently. "Even if you think it wasn't a big deal, to me, it meant everything."
For a moment, Wakamo was silent. Her red ears twitched again, and her mask dipped slightly, as if she were hiding her face.
"...You're too kind, Sensei," she murmured, her voice unsteady.
"Kindness is free," he said with a small smile, trying to ease the tension.
But then Wakamo straightened, as if remembering something, and her demeanor shifted slightly. Her pink-tinged halo seemed to grow brighter.
"Then…" she began, her voice regaining its usual sharpness, "…does that mean I've left an impression on you? One you'll never forget?"
Sensei blinked, startled by the sudden change in tone. He took a cautious step back, sensing the shift in her intensity.
"Well, I…" he started, trying to think of a neutral response.
Before he could finish, Wakamo clasped her hands together, leaning forward slightly, her ears perked up. "Because if that's true, Sensei, I think this might be fate!"
His right eyelid twitched again, and the sense of foreboding grew stronger. "Fate…?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with both determination and a hint of something far more dangerous. "Fate brought us together. I saved you once, and now it's my responsibility to always protect you! From now on, you'll never have to worry about anyone hurting you again!"
The intensity in her voice sent a shiver down his spine. "Wakamo, I appreciate the sentiment, but—"
"No buts!" she interrupted, her eyes glinting with a feverish resolve behind the mask. "Sensei, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. No one can take you away from me!"
"...What?"
And just like that, Sensei's bad premonition had come true.
--------------------------------------------------
IF
Drops of rain fell steadily, tapping softly against the ground, creating tiny ripples in the puddles that dotted the sidewalk. The street was quiet except for the muffled sounds of passing cars and the rhythmic patter of water cascading from rooftops.
There, on the cold, damp pavement, sat a girl. She was alone, her knees hugged to her chest, her lifeless eyes fixed on the wet ground beneath her. Her clothes clung to her small frame, drenched and heavy from the unrelenting rain. Strands of soaked hair clung to her pale cheeks, her expression unreadable—hollow, as if all the light in her world had been extinguished.
People walked by, their umbrellas shielding them from the rain. They glanced at her briefly, some with pity, others with indifference, but none stopped. Their hurried footsteps echoed against the pavement as they passed her, leaving her behind like an afterthought.
The rain grew heavier as time went on, its cold touch seeming almost merciless. Streams of water began to flow along the sidewalk, yet the girl didn't move. She remained rooted in place, unbothered by the chill or the wetness that soaked her to the bone.
The city blurred in the background, shrouded by a veil of rain....
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed softly through the rain, distinct against the rhythmic drumming of water against the pavement.
Step, step...
A tall man in a black suit stopped in front of the girl, his figure looming over her like a shadow. His umbrella cast a shield above her, shielding her from the relentless downpour. The rain traced thin streams down the edges of the umbrella, dripping onto the already soaked ground.
His face was dark, completely obscured as though shrouded by an unnatural void. Cracks ran across it, glowing faintly white, like the fractured surface of glass radiating an ethereal energy. From his head emanated a bright, glowing light, casting an otherworldly aura around him amidst the gray, rain-soaked street.
The girl—Lina—did not respond, her hollow eyes slowly lifting to meet his. For a moment, the two just stared at each other, the rain creating a soft symphony around them.
The man spoke, his voice deep yet oddly calm, cutting through the cold stillness.
"Are you perhaps a student called Lina Astra?"
Lina's gaze remained on him, her expression unreadable, her lips slightly parted, but no words came out.
The man tilted his head slightly, as if unbothered by her silence. After a pause, he added, "Oh, my bad. Let me introduce myself."
He stepped back slightly, his glowing cracks pulsing faintly as he bowed ever so slightly.
"You can call me... Black Suit."
(A/n: Imma focus writing this fic until this Wednesday ig?)