Chapter XCVIII: Gaslight
Kota stirs in his bed, blinking in the dark. A sense of unease settles over him, lingering from the dream that had just jolted him awake. His breathing is shallow, and he feels the remnants of the strange images that had flooded his mind: the black ant and its love, the colony turning red, and the glass of water shifting to blood with just one drop. He sighs, knowing the day ahead would be challenging.
The next morning, Kota heads to school, still carrying the weight of his dream. As he arrives, his phone vibrates in his pocket. It's a message from Akiko:
"Hey Kota, I can't make it today. I'm sick. :("
Kota frowns, his heart sinking a bit. He types a quick response.
"Hope you feel better, Akiko. Get well soon my Ai. Take care. I'll see you soon."
By the time he reaches his class, the atmosphere feels strained. It's been tense ever since the incident with Dr. Yamada, and today feels no different. As the final bell rings for the end of physics class, their teacher dismisses them, but before anyone can leave, Tengen's voice cuts through the quiet.
"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk" Tengen says, with a sly grin.
"What a funny Messenger note, Do You Hear the People Sing? More like Do You Hear MY ASS!"
Kota stiffens, trying to ignore him. He mumbles under his breath, hoping Tengen would let it slide.
"What did you say?" Tengen snaps, standing up from his seat.
Kota stands too, his heart racing. Before he can speak, The class rep, and Toshiro, quickly step between them.
"Back off, Tengen," Toshiro says sternly.
"Kota didn't do anything." The Class Rep seconds it.
But Tengen isn't having it. His voice rises, and soon the entire class is watching.
"Everyone knows," Tengen sneers,
"Kota's the one who started the whole Dr. Yamada mess in the first place."
He then points at Kota.
"You're such a bloody, disgusting, LIAR!"
Kota's eyes widen in disbelief.
"That's not true!" he shoots back.
Before things escalate further, Asahi, Gin, and Enmei take hold of Kota and guide him toward the door.
"Come on, man, let's get out of here," Enmei says gently.
Toshiro, meanwhile, turns toward Tengen and slaps him. Hard. The sound echoes through the room, silencing everyone.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Tengen?" Toshiro growls.
"Why are you acting like this?"
Tengen tries to defend himself, but Toshiro cuts him off.
"You know this isn't right," Toshiro continues. "Kota's done nothing to deserve this."
Outside, Kota's composure breaks. Tears stream down his face as he leans against the wall, shaking. Asahi, Gin, and Enmei surround him, offering quiet words of comfort.
"It's alright, bro," Asahi says. "Don't let him get to you."
"I… I don't know why this keeps happening," Kota whispers, his voice trembling.
Asahi pulls out his phone and video calls Akiko. Kota is reluctant at first, but when Akiko's face appears on the screen, the tension in his chest loosens slightly.
"Kota, are you okay?" Akiko's voice is soft, but full of concern.
He wipes his eyes and nods, though he knows she can see right through him.
"I'm fine now," Kota says, though his voice cracks.
"No, you're not," she says gently.
"But it's okay. I'm here. It'll pass, okay?"
Kota just nods. Her words are a balm to his wound, even from a distance.
Inside the classroom, things have only gotten worse. Enmei brings Ms. Soumei, who enters just in time to see Tengen trying to defend himself again, this time with Hanako chiming in.
"What is going on here?" Ms. Soumei's voice slices through the chaos. She glares at Tengen, who shrinks under her gaze.
"Tengen, can you explain yourself? What's with this shenanigan right now?" (Ms. Soumei)
"Ma'am, as you can see, that guy over there, HE is the one who started the incident!" (Tengen)
"MR. ANASUI! You're in a classroom! A place for learning and not to rip one off! Just shut up with your lame excuses because none of those are true ok?!", Ms. Soumei berates him.
Tengen goes silent but still has a mischievous look on his face.
"Kota didn't do anything. If anyone has an issue, you better keep it to yourself from now on."
The room goes silent. Tengen and Hanako exchange a glance, their whispered conversation continuing despite the teacher's warning. Kota reenters the classroom, still feeling fragile but comforted by the knowledge that he isn't alone.
Later that evening, Kota is home, still recovering from the day's events. He leans back in his chair, his phone lighting up with a video call. It's Akiko again.
"You hanging in there?" she asks, her voice light but laced with concern.
"Yeah, barely," Kota replies, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks for checking in."
"I'll always be here for you, silly," she teases, her tone playful now, trying to lift his spirits.
"Besides, if anyone messes with you again, they'll have to answer to me."
Kota chuckles, feeling his face flush.
"I know… thanks, Akiko. I love you"
"I love you too and so much my Ai" (Akiko)
As the call ends, Kota feels lighter. For now, the shadows of his dream, Tengen's cruelty, and the uncertainty ahead can wait. He'll face them with the people who stand by him, no matter what.
The next day, heavy rains filled the atmosphere over the region, and Class 3-A isn't advised to go to school for the day.
Tengen and Hanako sit together, huddled over their phones. The room is dimly lit, the only light coming from their screens. The mysterious chat head they had been confiding in for weeks finally responds with a new directive:
"It's time to escalate. You need to be more harsh. They need to break."
Tengen reads the message aloud, glancing at Hanako, who nods, her expression grim but determined.
"I guess this is it, then," Tengen mutters, his fingers typing quickly.
"We need something big, something that will hit hard."
Hanako's eyes flicker with agreement.
"What about… that? We've been holding back too long. If we do this, they won't see it coming."
Tengen smirks darkly.
"Yeah, and after this, they'll wish they never crossed us."
The two continue plotting, ideas swirling in their heads, each more brutal than the last. Whatever they had in store, it was clear it would be their next move—and it wasn't going to be easy for anyone involved.
Meanwhile, Kota receives a video call from Akiko, her familiar smile lighting up the screen.
"Kota! Have you seen the latest episode of Shadow Masters yet?" she asks excitedly, referring to the anime they've been following.
Kota scratches his head, a little embarrassed.
"Not yet, I've been… you know, busy with everything."
Akiko giggles.
"Well, how about we watch it together? I'll play it on my side, and we can sync up."
He smiles, grateful for the normalcy and her support.
"Yeah, let's do that."
They both start the episode, watching it in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging comments. As the episode wraps up, they talk about the plot twists and characters, but their conversation soon shifts to something more personal.
"You know, Kota," Akiko says softly, her face slightly serious now,
"whatever happens—no matter what Tengen or anyone else does—we'll face it together. I'm here for you."
Kota feels warmth spread in his chest at her words.
"Same here, Akiko. I won't let them break me. Not with you and the others by my side."
They exchange reassurances, their bond solidifying even more through the shared comfort. Kota knows that as long as she's there, things might not seem so overwhelming.
Later that night, Kota's phone pings with a group chat notification. It's from Asahi.
"Yo, Kota, you good? How's everything?"
Enmei and Gin quickly chime in too, sending similar messages of concern.
Kota smiles to himself, feeling reassured by the trio's support. He types back:
"I'm fine. Thanks, guys. I appreciate it."
Asahi responds almost immediately:
"Just making sure. You know we're here if you need anything."
Enmei follows up with a thumbs-up emoji, and Gin adds a simple,
"We've got your back."
Kota leans back, feeling a little more at ease. Even though Tengen and Hanako might be planning something, he knows he isn't alone. Akiko, Asahi, Enmei, and Gin—his friends are his strength.
He logs off for the night, feeling ready for whatever comes next.