The morning sun barely illuminated the narrow corridor.
Hiroki stepped out of his room, pulling the door open to start the day.
A sudden weight slammed right into him.
"Huh?"
A dull thud ran through the wooden floorboards.
After a brief pause, Hiroki looked down to see what had hit him.
A pile of messy papers and notes fluttered to the ground. Beneath the scattered sheets lay a thick, familiar cover—the Golden Book.
Hiroki glanced briefly. He didn't say anything.
Miyu sat on the floor, rubbing her forehead with a pained expression. "~Itatatata…" Her eyes seemed slightly more exhausted than usual.
Hiroki crouched down immediately, gathering the papers into a neat stack.
"You okey? Have you been working all night?"
She looked at him for a moment. "Hiroki-kun…" She clearly hadn't expected to run into him like this.
Miyu then let out a soft groan and took his offered hand to stand up.
"Yeah… It was kind of complicated, but it's a really interesting thing to do."
"I see." He replied.
Hiroki handed the stack back to her, making sure the heavy book was safely hidden at the bottom of the pile.
"You need to be more careful about this. You don't know who might get their hands on it. Then we'll be in trouble."
"You also need to get some rest. This isn't a race after all." He added.
Miyu adjusted her grip on the papers, looking up at him.
"S-Sure…"
Then she looked at him with a hint of mild, concerned kindness.
"How is it going with the PHG group? Did you all get back to official outsider missions yet or not?" She leaned forward slightly in question.
Her shoulders slumped just a fraction, a bit colder than she had been.
"So it is…"
Hiroki noticed her slightly gloomy tone.
"You okay?"
Miyu perked up, forcing a bright smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine! Anyway, we have to go to the canteen now. I'll just put these in my locked mailbox first."
She then tried to turn and walk, but the uneven weight of the heavy books and loose papers shifted. She wobbled unsteadily on her feet.
"You sure you're fine? Need help?" Hiroki reached out.
"D-Don't worry about it… I—weeeeah!"
The stack slipped. She leaned forward to catch them, completely losing her balance, once again.
She tumbled straight into Hiroki, her full weight hitting his chest. Her head pressed firmly against his shoulder as he instinctively caught her by the arms to keep them both steady.
The hallway was silent for a fleeting moment, although there was no one there from the start.
Miyu raised her gaze slowly, noticed Hiroki, and then realized the position. Her face flushed a deep, bright red.
She scrambled backward instantly, clutching the papers tightly to her chest.
"I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to…"
Hiroki raised his hands, trying to ease her sudden panic.
"It's fine. Here, you dropped this."
He reached down to pick up a small, open notebook that had slid across the floor. His eyes naturally fell on the first page.
"Personal Diary?"
Miyu's face changed instantly, looking like it was about to burst into steam.
Her right hand flew forward in a blind panic.
"D-DON'T TOUCH THAT!"
She immediately and unconsciously took a book that was next to her hand and threw it directly at him, hitting his nose. A soft smack resonated in the hallway.
Hiroki stumbled back, covering his face with both hands.
Miyu froze. A few moments passed before she realized what she'd done, staring at her hand with growing panic.
"H-Hiroki…? Are you alive?! S-Sorry, I really didn't mean to!"
Hiroki lowered his hands. A thin line of blood trickled down his upper lip from his nose.
"I'm omkey…" he replied, his voice blocked and nasal.
"I'm so sorry about that! Hold still, Hiroki!"
Miyu frantically pulled a small white handkerchief from her pocket, stepping close to carefully wipe his face.
Hiroki just let her clean it, watching her panicked but gentle movements.
"Despite almost breaking my nose… she really is too kind. I wonder how did she keep that kind of innocence, even with everything that's happened, even before I ever met her…"
Hiroki remained in that position until she finished and slowly stood up. "That will be enough."
"Sorry for worrying you. Thank you for your concern," Hiroki replied gently, a small smile tugging at his lips as he stayed where he was for a moment.
Only then, footsteps approached slowly from the stairs. Kenji dragged his feet down the corridor, letting out a massive, lazy yawn.
It didn't take much time before he spotted the two of them. Kenji paused mid-yawn, blinking at the chaotic scene before him.
"Oh… What happened here? Did you do something that made her want to kill you?"
Hiroki forced a slight smile, running a hand through his hair. "Eh…"
Miyu's embarrassed expression morphed into instant annoyance as she looked behind.
"Stop making it worse! It's not like I did it on purpose."
Kenji grinned, approaching casually.
"Oh, so I was correct?"
Miyu squeezed her eyes shut, her face entirely red.
"Shut up, you stupid, fool, dumb!"
She had no choice but to puff out her cheeks in an adorably annoyed way.
"Calm down a bit. I don't want to be the next victim." Kenji raised his hands slowly, slightly nervous about her reaction.
Hiroki just stood there, just watching. Things happened quickly, unexpectedly, and chaotically.
The three of them eventually made their way to the loud, bustling canteen.
They were walking side by side towards their usual spot. Miyu was walking more cautiously than usual.
Yoru was already sitting at a corner table, waiting for them. Her eyes narrowed as they came into view. She locked onto Hiroki's slightly swollen nose, then glanced at Miyu's awkward posture.
"You've already gotten here before us," Kenji said casually to Yoru.
"Hoy… Did something happen?" Yoru ignored Kenji's words, focusing on Hiroki.
Hiroki pulled out a chair, keeping his tone casual.
"It's no big deal. I just slammed into a door on the way here."
Miyu's eyes widened slightly. She looked at him with genuine surprise, followed by a very faint, appreciative smile. Then, after his words, she finally managed to sit down in her chair.
Kenji, in turn, relaxed in his chair, as a slight hint of mischief appeared on his face.
"Nah, it's just Miyu smashed Hiroki's nose on purpose."
"…"
"Eh?"
Miyu's gentle smile vanished instantly. Her expression flatlined into pure, unamused shock.
Yoru regarded Miyu with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh… What are you now, a street thug?" "
"IT'S NOT!" Miyu yelled, completely flustered. "Did you really have to open your mouth, Kenji?!"
"Well, it was an accident. For some reasons…" Hiroki added, trying to calm Miyu's anxiety.
Yoru stared at him for a moment, then let out a long sigh, turning her face away.
"Oh… So it is."
Miyu sank lower into her seat, covering her blushing face with both hands.
A faint, unconscious smile crossed Hiroki's lips before he let his gaze drift to some empty point in the distance.
"Cute…"
Meanwhile, Kenji was stuffing his face with a massive piece of bread, his cheeks puffed out.
"You… should start… eating… before it… gets cold," he mumbled, his voice barely audible over the food in his mouth.
Yoru glared at him with half-lidded eyes.
"Man, stop talking while eating. Can't you have some manners?"
"Heeeh? It bothers you that much? Ever heard the saying, 'Hot food waits for no man'?"
He added a crooked, sarcastic smile as soon as he managed to swallow.
Yoru responded only with a slightly annoyed frown right in his face.
"And who said that?" Hiroki chimed in.
Then, Kenji scratched his head helplessly.
"Actually… I'm not sure. But there's no doubt he was right."
Yoru sat there with her arms folded and eyes closed, sighing at the whole situation.
Miyu looked at Kenji with puffy squirrel cheeks.
"You really do say nonsense sometimes."
"Really…? I'd take it as a compliment if it came from you." Kenji smacked his nose with a hint of vanity.
Miyu simply sighed at his behavior.
Hiroki then leaned back in his chair, a light glow of calm on his face. He glanced ahead at the distant empty chairs in the cafeteria, then looked up at the ceiling for a moment.
"That boy…" He remembered Kaito, the white-haired man. "He hasn't been here these past few days. I wonder what happened."
Then he rested his chin on his hand, observing the crowd.
"I wonder what Ayuri is doing now. She's unusulaly late."
Then he closed his eyes quietly for a moment.
"Maybe she overslept because of her night shift. She might act composed, but she's still human afterall."
A few quiet seconds slipped by, but then, a loud creak cut through the cafeteria.
The sound made Hiroki open his eyes again, slightly curious.
The small wooden door designated for the staff swung open.
The surrounding noise dropped almost instantly.
First, Ryuuji's small, elderly assistant stepped out, the kind of man who never seemed to smile.
Then, right behind him, slowly walked Ryuuji.
Recruits at the nearby tables started whispering.
"Hoy, what is happening?"
"The guild master?"
Hiroki straightened his posture, his eyes locking onto the man.
"Ryuuji? What would bring him here?" Yoru asked, slightly surprised.
That moment, Hiroki recalled the brief conversation in the corridor yesterday.
"So, this what you were talking about…" Hiroki murmured, just loud enough for Yoru to flick a glance his way.
Ryuuji stood firmly on the raised platform at the front of the hall. His presence commanded the entire room, radiating quiet authority and overwhelming pressure.
He looked out over the silent crowd.
"Everyone, your attention please. I have a very important announcement to deliver."
[TO BE CONTINUED…]