And so, Haruto advanced toward him, perhaps to see how Kai would react.
But Kai remained impassive, unmoving, as if completely unaware of Haruto's intentions.
It was a silent battle of minds.
If Haruto truly was the same person who had orchestrated Yuna's kidnapping, he might be trying to gauge whether Kai suspected him.
The slightest reaction could confirm his suspicions.
Haruto was no fool.
He had spent enough time in the criminal underworld to become a keen observer of people.
His sharp eyes noticed every detail, every subtle shift in posture, the smallest flicker of emotion.
Each step Haruto took echoed in Kai's ears like distant thunder, growing louder with every inch he moved closer.
But just as Haruto was close enough to stand face to face with him, the door to the school rooftop creaked open, and Naomi appeared.
Both boys turned their attention toward her, the tension between them palpable.
Kai felt his heart skip a beat.
Naomi, the girl who had been kidnapped, now stood face-to-face with the person Kai believed to be her captor, or at least, the one who had ordered it.
Haruto, on the other hand, showed no particular reaction, though his eyes briefly flickered with a hint of surprise, as if to say, What is she doing here?
Naomi's face was flushed, a slight embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she stood there, seemingly unaware of the tension hanging in the air.
Kai felt a surge of confusion. Naomi didn't seem frightened at all. In fact, she seemed… almost comfortable around Haruto.
"Eh… S-sorry for the interruption—" Naomi said in a soft, almost apologetic tone, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her eyes briefly met Kai's before she continued, "Kai, the principal wants to speak with you about your absence and the upcoming festival. Could you come with me for a moment?"
Haruto chuckled lightly, breaking the silence with an almost teasing grin.
"Looks like you're in trouble, Kai," he said, his tone playful, though it carried an undercurrent of something darker… like he was relieved to escape the tension.
Kai sighed, though it was unclear whether it was from relief or frustration at being pulled out of the uncomfortable situation.
Deep down, he still wasn't sure whether the Haruto standing before him was the same person behind Yuna's kidnapping.
He needed more time to confirm his suspicions, more evidence to solidify the growing certainty in his mind.
"Alright, Naomi. Let's go," Kai replied with a forced half-smile, masking his unease.
Naomi nodded in response, her expression softening as she turned to lead the way.
But before Kai followed, he shot a cold, almost threatening glance at Haruto—a silent message that said, You got lucky this time.
Haruto, surprised, flashed his usual friendly smile, the same one he always wore when they used to hang out as friends. But now, something was unnerving about it—something Kai couldn't quite place.
As the two walked away from the rooftop, Naomi clutched her books tightly against her chest, almost as if she feared losing them.
Her eyes darted around nervously, unable to settle, as though she was being watched or followed.
Her pace was hurried, as if she was trying to escape something, or someone.
Kai, on the other hand, walked calmly beside her, completely indifferent to their surroundings.
He seemed unfazed by the whispers and stares they received from the other students in the hallway.
It was strange since Kai had always been invisible to his peers, a nobody in the crowd. But now, something had changed.
People were paying attention to him, and it wasn't for the right reasons.
Kai noticed the strange murmurs and glances being thrown his way.
His time spent with Hina had made him more perceptive, more attuned to subtle cues. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he didn't let it bother him.
He was too focused on Naomi's odd behavior.
Why was she so anxious? Her face was flushed, her steps quick and deliberate.
And, perhaps most concerning of all, she hadn't said a word to him beyond the initial explanation.
The walk to the principal's office was short, yet it felt agonizingly long.
The distant murmur of voices and footsteps created an irritating background noise that only heightened the tension in the air.
Finally, they reached the door to the administration office.
Naomi stopped just outside and turned to face Kai.
"Kai, the principal is waiting for you inside. She personally asked me to fetch you and escort you here," Naomi explained, her voice now steady and back to its normal tone.
Kai blinked, taken slightly aback by the sudden shift in her demeanor.
"O-oh… Okay. Thanks, Naomi," he replied, flashing her a genuine, friendly smile in return.
Naomi smiled back, her face lighting up with warmth for the first time since they had started walking together.
She gave him a small, respectful bow before quickly excusing herself, probably to tend to her duties as part of the student council.
Kai watched her disappear down the hall, her hurried steps echoing behind her. As she left, a sinking feeling settled in his chest. Something wasn't right.
Naomi had been kidnapped, threatened by dangerous criminals, yet she had shown no fear or hesitation around Haruto, someone Kai was almost certain had orchestrated the entire ordeal.
Could it be that Naomi was hiding something? Or had she been so traumatized that she had blocked out the experience?
Kai didn't know what to think, but one thing was clear: this was far from over.
The door to the principal's office loomed before him.
Taking a deep breath, Kai turned the knob and stepped inside, bracing himself for whatever awaited him next.
Kai was expecting everything and nothing at the same time.
The turn his life took could lead him into any situation, even the strangest, where he wouldn't have known whether he could make it out alive.
After he opened the door, right in front of him stood the school principal, a middle-aged woman with black hair, a formal work dress, and a very serious look on her face.
"Pardon the intrusion-" Kai said, with a formal tone while entering the office.
The woman greeted Kai with a smile.
"Oh, Suzuki-Kun. Welcome back to school." She said with an almost friendly tone. "Please, take a seat." She added.
"Thank you, Mrs. Kurosawa," Kai said with a bow before sitting down in front of her.
After that, the school principal started to talk.
"Well, Suzuki-Kun, I think you know the reason why I called you here, right?" She asked, trying to be as formal as she could.
Kai nodded his head.
"Yeah. Naomi told me. It's due to my absence and the school festival, right?" Kai asked.
Kurosawa nodded her head in agreement.
"Exactly. We have been worried about your health. Your family told us that you weren't feeling well and about your issues. We were already finding a substitute for you at the festival." The principal said.
What a revelation.
Kai's eyes widened a little after hearing the principal's words.
What did she mean by "Your family told us about your health issues"?
Kai remained silent for some seconds before speaking again, trying to calm and compose himself.
Mrs. Kurosawa noticed his reaction and looked at him with confusion and worry.
"Are you okay, Suzuki-Kun? Would you like some water? You seem flustered." She asked, with a worried tone.
Millions of questions and answers flooded into Kai's mind.
He remembered what he did to skip school, but he didn't know that the school had been informed directly by his family.
Was he missing something? What?
Kai immediately shook his head and snapped back to reality after hearing the principal.
"N-No. I'm fine, thanks. I was just worried that you would've substituted me. Haha…" he said while scratching the back of his head.
"Oh. Okay… then-" Mrs. Kurosawa then picked some paper sheets from the bag on her right and handed them to Kai.
The young man gently took them and analyzed them.
"Organization for the school festival" was the title of the first paper.
"Don't worry, Suzuki-Kun. I know that there is a lot, but luckily I made sure to have someone help you with everything." She said.
Kai turned his attention back to the principal.
"Oh? And who's with me?" He asked.
"It's…-" the principal's voice got interrupted by the sound of a door opening behind Kai.
Kai looked back.
"Oh, she's already here." The principal said.
Kai didn't expect something like that.
"She's Hina Ishikawa. She's a brilliant student from another class, and she'll help you with everything. I hope you get along." The principal said.
Kai didn't know whether he should feel scared or relieved.
Staying with Hina gave him a sense of protection, but at the same time he didn't know what she would've done…
"Nice to meet you, Suzuki-Kun," Hina said with a lovely smile…