A Shifting Atmosphere
For the rest of the day, something had changed.
People still talked to me.
People still smiled at me.
People still acted as if nothing was wrong.
But I could feel it.
The shift in their energy. The way their eyes lingered on me a second too long. The way their laughter seemed forced, their conversations just a little too carefully controlled when I was nearby.
It was the kind of fake kindness that wasn't meant to be reassuring.
It was meant to make me lower my guard.
They were watching me.
They were testing me.
And if I wasn't careful…
I would be next.
---
Lunch Break — A Silent Warning
I didn't want to eat in the classroom.
Not with them around.
So I took my lunch and went to the rooftop.
I expected to be alone.
But I wasn't.
Shirakawa Mayu was already there, leaning against the railing, staring down at the schoolyard. Her silver hair swayed slightly in the wind, but she remained motionless, her arms crossed over her chest.
She didn't even turn when she spoke.
"You're being watched."
I sat on a nearby bench and opened my lunch.
"I noticed," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "It's annoying."
Mayu finally looked at me, her cold violet eyes scanning my face.
"They won't do anything right away," she murmured. "But you've put yourself on their list."
I raised an eyebrow. "Their list?"
She nodded slowly, her gaze darkening.
"People who dig too deep don't last long in this class," she said. "Some transfer. Some drop out. Some just… disappear."
Disappear.
The word felt heavier than it should have.
I placed my chopsticks down, my appetite fading. "Disappear?"
Mayu didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked back at the schoolyard, as if debating whether or not to tell me more.
Then, finally, she spoke.
"Two years ago, there was an incident in this class."
My fingers twitched.
I had suspected Class 2-B was hiding something dark.
But hearing it confirmed sent a cold chill through my spine.
"Who?" I asked.
Mayu shook her head. "I don't know. No one talks about it. The teachers pretend it never happened."
I clenched my fists. "That doesn't make sense. If a student went missing, wouldn't the police—"
"Don't."
Her voice was sharp.
I frowned. "What?"
She finally turned to face me fully.
"Abe."
For the first time since I met her, I saw it—
Mayu looked afraid.
"If you start asking too many questions… they will deal with you."
I felt my pulse quicken.
If even Mayu was scared, then just how deep did this secret go?
---
After School — The Pressure Increases
I stayed in class longer than usual, pretending to organize my desk.
I needed to see if anyone acted strangely once they thought I was alone.
And sure enough…
As soon as most students left, I noticed a small group lingering near the door.
Riku.
Renji.
Two others.
They were talking quietly. Occasionally glancing my way.
It wasn't casual conversation.
It was about me.
I grabbed my bag and stood up.
The moment I moved, their conversation stopped.
Their smiles returned instantly, as if nothing had happened.
"Leaving already, Abe-kun?"
Renji's voice was lighthearted. But his eyes were sharp.
I kept my tone neutral. "Yeah."
Riku leaned against the wall, flipping through his notebook.
"You know," he said, "you're pretty interesting, Abe-kun."
I didn't respond.
He smiled.
"You should be careful, though."
He turned a page in his notebook, tapping the paper with his finger.
"Being too curious isn't always a good thing."
A threat.
That was a threat.
I met his gaze, refusing to show any reaction.
"I'll keep that in mind," I said.
Then, without another word, I walked out.
But even after I left the school grounds—
I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
---
Walking Home — A Final Warning
The entire walk home, the sensation never left me.
Someone was watching me.
I glanced over my shoulder multiple times.
Nothing.
No one.
Just empty streets and fading daylight.
But the feeling only grew stronger.
Was it just paranoia?
Or had I already crossed a line I wasn't supposed to?
As I turned onto my street, my phone vibrated.
A message.
I pulled it out, unlocking the screen.
Unknown Number:
"Stop looking into Class 2-B."
I froze.
I didn't recognize the number.
And that message…
It wasn't a warning.
It was a command.
My grip on the phone tightened.
They were getting serious now.
And that only meant one thing—
I was getting closer to the truth.