January 8th, 1900—School had begun on January 4th after winter vacation, but Mion hadn't shown up at school yet... Manabu got ready on time, prepared his breakfast as usual, dressed for school, locked the house, and left.
Since the tragic incident on December 25th, he had spoken less with Mion. She rarely left the house, wouldn't pick up calls, wouldn't hang out. Sometimes Manabu brought her food and snacks; sometimes Taiju and Mai did the same. She had locked herself in her room, lost all hope, not caring if she existed or not—silent and empty since the murder.
"I couldn't help but hope she'd show up today, even if just to sit there," Manabu thought as he recalled the events from the past.
He still hadn't recovered from the sorrow. "After the autopsy, we went to the mortuary to see the bodies. When we arrived, I saw Naomi's and Futaba's lifeless bodies. My eyes were filled with tears, but I didn't cry. Mion stood there, crying silently, but she said nothing. Taiju stayed strong, but I knew even he hid his true feelings. Mai didn't want to enter the mortuary at first, but she struggled to gather the strength to say a final goodbye to her friend… At the funeral, almost all the students and teachers from school were present. This was how we had to say goodbye to Naomi and Mr. Futaba, forever. In the past few days, I've learned a lot. I've confined myself to the house, reading books all day. I remember a book from long ago; there was a line—*The day we die, everyone will cry. By the next day, they'll get used to it, and by the end of the third day, they'll move on.* I tried to move on too…"
Manabu arrived at school, unable to shake the faint hope that Mion might appear, even if unwillingly.
As he entered the classroom, he heard students talking about Naomi. When he looked at Naomi's desk, he saw notes left by students:
"Always be missed by us."
"Rest in peace."
"No matter where you are, this place won't be the same without you."
"Good people die, but their good deeds remain."
Manabu gave a soft smile upon reading these notes and sat down in his seat. Mion hadn't arrived yet.
Mai entered the class to greet him (she's from the Commerce section).
She smiled softly. "It's been a long time," she said.
Mai asked Manabu if he was alright, and just then, Mion walked in. Her face was long, eyes hollow—not a smile, not a word. She'd come unwillingly, dragged by routine, her spirit gone.
Still, Manabu was relieved to see her after so long. The school bell rang, and Mai ran to her class. "I have to go. See ya!"
Class began as the principal entered the room with some officers by his side.
Principal Hojo spoke, his voice commanding attention. "Good morning to all of you. I know this has been a difficult time for many of you. Most of you already know, but for those who don't, one of our classmates, Naomi, and her father, Mr. Futaba, your physics teacher, have passed away… But no matter what, we must strive to keep ourselves composed and stay strong. We were all born into this world, and one day, we will all leave it. That is the truth… Death is the only certainty. Therefore, we cannot let it break us. And… you may have heard of the 'Mr. Santa' case, which might be connected to these murders, but the police are investigating it thoroughly, and justice will prevail."
Mr. Kenzo stood outside the classroom, arms crossed. He walked in, stood on the platform, and wrote a phone number on the board. "Here is the department's contact number, and this is my personal number. If you have any issues or are facing any troubles, don't hesitate to call. We'll handle everything immediately."
He paused, let out a long breath, and smiled. "I wish you all a happy new year and many more good wishes for the day ahead."
Mr. Hojo then informed the students that for the next few physics classes, a substitute teacher, Ms. Kazuha, would take over, and arrangements for a permanent teacher would be made soon. He left with his wishes.
Days passed, one after another, and finally, on January 17th, the principal introduced their new physics teacher.
As the students settled down, the principal gestured toward the doorway and said, "Come in." A towering figure entered the classroom—a man standing approximately six feet tall with a broad, muscular frame.
His deep, authoritative voice resonated through the room as he introduced himself. "How's it going, kids? I'm Daima, your new physics teacher."
Mion immediately recognized him; she had seen him before at the mall. Her eyes widened slightly as Daima's gaze landed on her. "Oh, you're the young lady. You remember me, don't you? We met at the mall last time," Daima said with a knowing smile.
Mion nodded in acknowledgment, her voice flat. "Yes, sir, I remember."
Curiosity sparked among the students, and one asked, "Sir, where are you from?"
Daima chuckled, folding his arms. "Well, I actually live in Joppo, but originally, I'm from Lafiaza. My wife, however, is a Feropian citizen." The students found him fascinating; his demeanor exuded a perfect blend of authority and warmth.
As chatter filled the classroom, the principal raised his hand, signaling silence. "There's one more thing," the principal announced.
"From today onwards, Mr. Daima's son will be joining your class." He turned to the doorway and introduced the new student.
"Everyone, meet Leon." The room fell into a hush as the classroom door creaked open, and Leon stepped inside.
All eyes turned to him. The first thing they noticed was his dark, inky-black eyes—so deep they seemed almost otherworldly. His jet-black hair framed his pale, almost luminous face. Standing at 5'11", his presence was undeniable, an aura that made him seem like he didn't quite belong in this world.
There was a strange charm about him, something enigmatic, something… unsettling. Leon's lips curled into a faint smile. "It's good to see you guys. I'm Leon."
As days passed, Leon quickly became one of the most talked-about students in school. He excelled in academics and athletics alike. It wasn't long before students discovered he was fluent in six languages—not only understanding them fluently but speaking them with ease.
In short, Leon was soon labeled a genius. Everyone's attention was grabbed by his charm and looks… But what grabbed Manabu's and Mion's attention wasn't his academic skills or feats.
He was also kind—like Naomi. That's what struck them even more deeply. Taiju was quite impressed by him too. Leon was a skilled martial artist and became his training buddy on the school campus.
One day, Leon learned about the tragedy that had befallen Naomi and her father, Futaba. It affected him deeply. He understood that Mion couldn't shake the weight of it—her silence, her emptiness. Wanting to help, Leon tried to befriend Mion, hoping to offer her some salvation.
He tried speaking to her directly, but Mion didn't acknowledge him at all, shutting herself off completely. Well, Leon didn't give up so easily.
He tried several times but failed every time. However, instead of giving up, an idea struck him while learning about the school and other students. He heard a rumor about Manabu and Mion dating—"I guess I have to approach Manabu."
Leon went up to Manabu after the lunch period and asked directly, "Are you Mion's boyfriend?"
Manabu, caught off guard, furrowed his brows and replied with a puzzled expression, "Eh!? Boyfriend? Whose boyfriend? Who told you that?"
Leon sensed the awkwardness, realized Manabu was unaware of the gossip and rumors, and said, "Nah, I was kidding. Anyway, do you know when Mion's birthday is?"
"February 27th. Why?" Manabu wondered, still unsure of Leon's intentions.
Leon's eyes lit up. "Let's arrange something for her birthday. Maybe it'll cheer her up." Manabu thought for a moment.
"That's a good idea. But what do you plan to do? Where would we even celebrate it?"
Leon shrugged. "Do you know any place she likes? Or anything she's fond of?"
Manabu scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "No, I don't know." Being friends for so many years and not even knowing her favorite place was quite embarrassing.
They were both stumped.
Realizing they wouldn't get any useful information from their classmates either, Leon concluded, "The only way to find out… is to discover it ourselves."
They spent a lot of time thinking and coming up with a plan. Thus, the four of them—Taiju, Mai, Manabu, and Leon—devised a plan. They decided that Manabu would take Mion on a date and try to learn more about her interests. Despite his reluctance, the group pressured him into agreeing, and they scheduled the date for January 28th.
On the day of the date, Manabu stood waiting for Mion, feeling uncomfortably self-conscious. A small microphone was discreetly clipped to his collar so that Mai, Taiju, and Leon could listen in from a distance.
When Mion finally arrived, Manabu's heart skipped a beat. It was his first time going on a date. She looked… beautiful, though her eyes still carried that hollow weight. A faint blush crept onto his face, but he quickly tried to shake it off. Mion gave him a small, tired smile. "Let's go."
They walked together through the streets, wandering around the town until Manabu asked, "So… where do you want to go? Like, your favorite place?"
Mion paused for a moment before saying, "Come with me. There's a place…" She led him to a cozy little cake shop named "Sweet Bakery."
As they stepped inside, Mion and Manabu sat down at a corner table. Meanwhile, from a safe distance outside, Mai, Taiju, and Leon observed them closely.
Mion stared at the table, tracing patterns on its design with her fingers before speaking. "When my parents died, I didn't really feel anything… I was too young. I don't even remember their faces. I had an older brother who used to assault me, and when I resisted, he'd force me or beat me."
Manabu remained silent, listening. "I used to pray for his death—*Die! Die! Die! Die!*... And one day, he did. A car accident crushed his head. I was happy… satisfied. But I became an orphan, left all alone in this harsh world. Then Naomi and Mr. and Mrs. Futaba came into my life. They treated me like their own—Naomi as my sister, Mr. Futaba as my father, and Mrs. Futaba as my mother. They took care of me. They became my family. After a few years, Mrs. Futaba died of heart disease, and Dad—Futaba—took care of the family on his own."
Mion's gaze drifted to the counter where cakes were displayed. "Every year, Naomi and Dad celebrated my birthday here—I still remember my 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th… 17th. But this time… they won't be here, not anymore."
Manabu frowned. "You're not alone. I'm here. Taiju is here. Mai is here."
But Mion looked at him with a sad, empty smile. "I know… but the people I truly needed, those who gave me a new life… they're gone."
Manabu knew exactly what Mion was feeling inside, but there was nothing he could do to take away her pain completely.
After spending some time together, they all went their separate ways around 6 PM, heading home. But now, they knew what they had to do for Mion.
For her salvation, Leon took charge, creating an online group that included not just their classmates but also a few teachers. Together, they meticulously planned a surprise birthday party for Mion. Everyone contributed ideas, and excitement filled the group chat as the day drew closer.