Could anything be worse than a girl in the bloom of her youth being murdered and dismembered, her bones made into a chair and sent to her own father's office?
But Hayato didn't speak. He just waited.
"Do you know what those father and daughter did?"
Akizono, possessing Kawasaki's body, revealed a cold smile. Even now, he remained filled with resentment and anger.
"After being hired as the school's art teacher..."
"I worked diligently, did my job properly, fulfilled my responsibilities as a teacher, and taught art classes to the best of my ability."
"But half a year after starting, a rumor about me and Yuuko began spreading throughout the school."
"A teacher-student romance."
Just as he'd thought—a teacher-student romance.
This topic had always been sensitive.
Universities might be more lenient, but high school? Even in Japan, the vast majority of people couldn't accept teacher-student relationships.
"Me, dating Yuuko? Hahaha, what a joke. I'll admit she was beautiful. In that entire school, there was no girl prettier than her. In my twenty-plus years of life, the number of girls I'd met who were even more beautiful than her could be counted on one hand."
Recalling that cold, aloof face, even Akizono had to admit the ice queen's beauty had a way of touching a man's heart.
"But I was a teacher! I knew my position and standing. More importantly, I had a girlfriend I loved. We'd already gotten engaged and were about to be married soon. How could I possibly have a teacher-student romance with her?"
His eyes brimmed with a crazed intensity.
The strong emotions of joy from reminiscing about the past mixed with anger, continuously climbing.
Hayato watched calmly.
He'd already guessed how this would develop.
"I thought if I just ignored those rumors, everything would be fine. Nobody would believe such nonsense. But I underestimated people's hearts. The rumors only grew fiercer, spreading constantly among students. Even walking down the hallways, I could feel the piercing stares from students and colleagues, hear their whispered conversations."
That suffocating, piercing feeling—just recalling it now made Akizono grit his teeth, filled with rage. His hand gripped his chest tightly.
"Worse yet, during my classes, students would directly question me out loud. Do you understand? Do you know what that feels like?"
Seeing Hayato didn't answer, Akizono actually laughed.
"Those days lasted for several more. I repeatedly told students and teachers it was all nonsense, that nothing like that was happening, hoping the gossiping students and teachers would stop."
"During that time, I thought she would speak up. I figured the rumors must have affected her too."
"But she never said a word. She just maintained that same cold, aloof demeanor as always."
"Maybe in her eyes, these rumors were nothing at all. I imagine from childhood on, she'd experienced countless rumors and gossip. Beautiful girls are always the subject of gossip and endless scandals. She'd gotten used to it."
Unlike Akizono who cared deeply, Yuuko had completely ignored it all. No matter how much students discussed it, she simply didn't care. She just ignored everything.
In terms of mental fortitude, Yuuko was on a completely different level than Akizono.
"My fiancée somehow found out about this. She confronted me. I denied it. I said I didn't have any teacher-student romance. At first she believed me, but eventually even she started to doubt me."
"The school stepped in and publicly addressed it. At the school's request, the student council also began consciously guiding student opinion."
"The rumors gradually died down. Students discussed it less. Daily life started returning to normal. I returned to my regular work routine. I thought it would end there, but guess what happened?"
Akizono closed his eyes.
He recalled that day.
It was a day of endless drizzling rain when he was called to the chairman's office.
"The school chairman, her father Kanoe Yuuichi, had someone contact me."
"He hoped that after a while, once the rumors had completely died down, I would voluntarily resign."
"Resign? Why?! Why should I resign when I did nothing wrong?"
"Just because the rumors involved me and affected the school's reputation? Weren't they also related to his daughter?"
"Fine, I'll resign voluntarily. But his daughter should also withdraw from school. As long as he could make that happen, I'd resign immediately."
"But Kanoe Yuuichi knew that if I resigned right then, the rumors would be confirmed. The quieted gossip would flare up again."
"So he compromised. He didn't make me resign."
"But what followed was a series of small harassments. I don't know who was behind it all. Maybe Kanoe Yuuichi, maybe the department head targeting him, or maybe someone else entirely. But unable to identify who for certain, I could only blame Kanoe Yuuichi."
Crack crack crack...
Akizono's finger joints cracked continuously as he clenched his fists.
"I did nothing wrong. I just wanted to teach properly and live a happy family life with my fiancée after marriage. But even this small wish couldn't be realized? Had to be taken away?"
"In the end, even she left me..."
At this point, Akizono slowly exhaled.
"If that's how it is, then... explode! Destroy! All of you can go to hell!"
He spread his arms wide.
"I want to make Kanoe Yuuichi understand the consequences of all this. What it feels like to lose his beloved daughter."
"His precious daughter was always by his side. When Kanoe Yuuichi learned this truth, he must have been so happy, so excited!"
"His missing daughter had never left him at all. She'd always been right there beside him. Hahaha!"
"I'd been looking forward to that moment for so long. And after waiting, I finally saw it. After learning the truth, Kanoe Yuuichi jumped to his death. Hahahaha!"
Akizono laughed excitedly, his whole body trembling with laughter.
In the end, he'd succeeded. He'd viciously taken revenge on the Kanoe father and daughter. The daughter died horribly, the father committed suicide, and this high school that spread rumors was eventually shut down after Yuuko became a vengeful spirit. Everything that had affected him was destroyed completely.
This was the background story of this scenario.
All tragedy.
Whose fault was it? Everyone's, probably.
But...
"Nothing to say? After learning the truth, you have nothing to say?" Akizono actually asked about Hayato's feelings.
"You killed the wrong person."
Akizono: ???
"Who spread the rumors?"
"Some students and teachers."
Yes, some teachers were included in that scope.
"Who discussed you privately and looked at you strangely?"
"Some students and teachers."
Still the same answer. He couldn't think of anyone else. Vaguely, he sensed what Hayato was getting at.
"Who wanted you to resign?"
"Kanoe Yuuichi."
"Who do you think was targeting you most?"
"Kanoe Yuuichi."
"From start to finish, did Yuuko participate at all?"
"..."
No.
She hadn't spread rumors, and she hadn't forced him to resign.
"But she didn't clarify anything!"
"She didn't care, so naturally she wouldn't speak up. And in her eyes, the more you explain, the more it looks like you're covering something up, right?"
Akizono froze. That did seem to be the case. After he'd started explaining, the rumors had actually escalated further.
He swallowed hard. Being entangled in rumors, he'd lost his composure, which had only attracted more gossip and speculation.
"In her mind, just ignoring things like this was enough. All rumors would dissipate with the passage of time."
"I also..."
"But you didn't completely ignore it, did you?"
Akizono was speechless.
In the end, he'd still been affected by the rumors, growing increasingly concerned about them. When had he started caring? Probably from the moment his fiancée brought it up.
"You could have killed Kanoe Yuuichi. You could have killed the students who spread rumors at school. Even if you'd killed them all, I wouldn't say a word about 'killing the wrong person.' But Yuuko alone, you killed the wrong person. She was innocent."
Akizono fell deathly silent.
He wanted to argue back. He wanted to prove he hadn't killed the wrong person.
But... it seemed... maybe... he really had taken revenge on the wrong person.
"Her father..."
"Right. You killed the girl I liked, so I killed your fiancée. No problem with that, right?"
That rhetorical question silenced Akizono once again....
He... he really had been wrong.
"..."
The art room's atmosphere grew oppressively heavy.
"What about Miyata Chiharu?"
"I strangled her."
"Reason?"
"Betrayal. Betrayal of one's lover."
Such a shame she died.
If she'd firmly chosen to follow him like Kazuya, she wouldn't have ended up killed.
"People who want to kill can always find reasons."
Things had come to this point. Further words of condemnation were meaningless.
"I'll give you two choices."
Hayato said to Akizono.
"First, come outside with me. As for how to deal with you, she'll decide. Though I imagine she'll return the pain you inflicted on her a hundredfold."
No matter how cold and emotionally detached she'd been toward the outside world when alive, transforming into a vengeful spirit wandering the school building proved she now had an emotion called 'resentment.'
She definitely wanted revenge.
"And the second?"
"I beat you down until you're on the ground, then drag you outside and hand you over to her."
Akizono laughed.
"Just you?"
"Just me."
"RAAAAH!"
Suddenly, Akizono lunged forward, his face transforming into a pale, terrifying visage.
THUD.
But he found himself hit hard with several punches, his body flying sideways.
He had no idea how Hayato had done it.
"In your current state, you can't handle me."
Maybe if Akizono was in full spirit form, Hayato wouldn't be able to effectively deal with him. But right now he was possessing Kawasaki's body, which meant Hayato's fists could land effective attacks.
"You think if you bring me to her, you'll be spared? You think you can successfully leave here alive?"
"That's not your concern."
Hayato watched him.
After a few seconds, he slowly spoke.
"Looks like you're unwilling. Makes sense. Deep down you're still afraid of death, afraid of her revenge. Even knowing you were wrong, you won't admit it or accept it. You definitely won't say the word 'sorry.' In some ways, ghosts and humans really aren't that different."
Hayato walked closer step by step, his footsteps echoing in Akizono's heart.
"I can go outside with you, but... you won't get the result you want."
Akizono supported himself with one hand and slowly stood. He actively walked toward the art room door and opened it to walk out.
The instant he stepped out, he felt the bone-chilling killing intent from the left side of the hallway.
Hayato also followed out of the art room and casually closed the door behind him.
"Hayato-kun!"
Fujibayashi Ryou from the right side of the hallway called out the moment she saw Hayato appear.
"Don't come over yet. You two just stay there."
He signaled for Fujibayashi Ryou and Kazuya to stay where they were.
Hayato said to Akizono:
"Go forward."
Akizono moved.
The two of them came to a position three meters from Yuuko.
"I see."
Akizono suddenly understood.
"No wonder you weren't attacked. You don't feel any fear."
Walking this far, Yuuko hadn't changed at all. This made Akizono understand Hayato's situation.
Only someone who didn't feel fear wouldn't be attacked or harmed by Yuuko.
Otherwise, Hayato should have been killed by Yuuko long ago.
"Just say what you need to say."
Hayato said with a cold expression.
"You don't feel fear, so she can't hurt you. And I'm the same. She died by my hands. I can still remember her cries before death. Having become a vengeful spirit myself, I can't possibly feel any fear because of her anymore. She can't hurt me either."
Akizono laughed once.
"She and I are stuck in this stalemate. Neither of us can eliminate the other. I can't leave this school building, and she guards the chairman's office, dealing with fearful visitors who wander in by mistake."
"You thought if I left the art room and came to her active area, she could take revenge on me, return the pain inflicted on her in life ten or a hundred times over. But that's impossible."
This was reality.
He was the murderer. Maybe as a human he would have feared the vengeful spirit Yuuko, but now he'd become a spirit himself. Though weak, facing Yuuko, he felt no fear at all.
"Apologize."
Hayato said.
"Like I said..."
But Hayato mercilessly cut him off.
"I want you to apologize. And in return, I guarantee you'll get to experience Yuuko's revenge. I'll let you taste bloody, cruel, painful suffering."
Akizono froze.
Make him taste fear? And experience Yuuko's revenge?
Hahaha, impossible. Absolutely impossible.
"If I can't do it, you can return to the art room, take the complete bones, and leave this place. I absolutely won't stop you."
Hayato made a direct promise, which delighted Akizono.
If Hayato really wanted to stop him, he genuinely couldn't leave. This guy was too strange, and he had no idea how to deal with him.
"Fine."
He immediately agreed.
Akizono looked at Yuuko.
Compared to how he remembered her, the one before him now was truly ugly and grotesque. Blood-soaked and twisted, hideous beyond words.
This had been the result he'd longed for. The ice queen losing her stunning beauty. But now he felt a hint of regret.
"Yuuko, though I really don't want to accept this, I did make one mistake. He made me understand that I took revenge on the wrong person."
"I could have killed your father Kanoe Yuuichi. I could have killed every student in the entire school who spread and promoted those rumors. But you alone... were innocent. Yet I killed you, the one person I absolutely shouldn't have killed."
"I... took revenge on the wrong person."
"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry."
He bowed deeply.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. If you can take revenge on me, I'm willing. Please, go ahead!"
Maybe he was just putting on an act. But there was also a bit of genuine sincerity mixed in.
Yuuko watched quietly, making no movements.
Akizono straightened and looked at Hayato.
"This is reality. She won't change at all because of my apology."
He knew what Hayato was hoping for—that his apology would give Yuuko release. But that was impossible. The way to give Yuuko release would be letting her personally take revenge on him!
Besides that, he couldn't think of any other method.
But how could she take revenge on him? He didn't fear Yuuko at all. How could Yuuko possibly take revenge on him?
"Alright, according to our agreement, don't stop me from leaving the school."
Akizono urged.
"Wait."
But Hayato stopped Akizono.
"She reacted."
He raised his left hand, revealing the bracelet on his wrist.
"It told me she reacted."
Akizono frowned slightly.
That should be a bracelet made from Yuuko's hair, right?
"Oh! So what?"
"Ready to taste fear?"
"Hm?"
Akizono looked confused.
He saw Hayato take two steps back, making more space. Then Hayato's right hand covered his forehead.
The next second, when his hand moved away, Akizono saw a gem-like glass bead had appeared on Hayato's forehead.
What was that thing?
He wondered, though deep inside, an ominous premonition surfaced.
No way... it couldn't be!
"Fujibayashi-san, turn around and cover your ears."
"O-okay!"
Fujibayashi Ryou obediently turned around and immediately covered her ears without a moment's hesitation.
In that moment, Akizono's bad feeling intensified, and even a trace of fear emerged—not fear of Yuuko, but fear of Hayato.
What was that thing? What was he planning to do?
"Fall into a fearful illusion. Taste the flavor called fear."
Glint...
The black gem released an eerie black luster.
Akizono instinctively wanted to flee, but it was one step too late.
His eyes quickly grew unfocused. The next second, "AHHHHH!" screams tore from his throat.
"Don't come closer!"
"You don't come closer!"
"Don't cling to me!"
"Help! Let me go!"
"It's all you and your father's fault! You... deserved it! Don't come looking for me!"
Akizono collapsed to his knees, screaming and shouting, his hands wildly batting around as if trying to escape and evade. His eyes bulged more and more, bloodshot veins spreading. Pitch-black, despairing fear was eroding his entire heart.
And Hayato looked toward Yuuko. In this moment, the previously calm Yuuko's black hair danced in the air.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
The next instant, countless strands surged forward like a tide, wrapping around Akizono. Strand by strand slowly piercing through.
"AHHHHHH!"
His screams grew even more intense.
Whether it was from the fearful illusion, or the possessed body being struck, or perhaps the hair was causing severe damage to his spiritual form as well—hard to say.
Drip drip drip...
Blood slowly flowed down. A faint bloody smell was spreading.
The howling continued without a moment's pause.
Kazuya was already scared stiff. Even though Fujibayashi Ryou covered her ears, she still heard those soul-piercing screams.
She was curious and wanted to look, but didn't dare. In the end, she just stood in place with her ears covered and eyes closed.
The night deepened.
The evening wind blew, growing increasingly cold.
Hayato stood to the side watching, his heart also unconsciously trembling. He'd seen people killed before, but witnessing torture was a first.
And this wasn't ordinary torture either.
But this guy deserved it. He was reaping what he'd sown, just tasting the pain he'd once inflicted on that girl.
Hayato didn't interrupt or try to stop it. He just quietly watched and waited.
Resentment and anger accumulated over who knows how many years—this moment was finally the release. He believed Yuuko would cherish this opportunity.
Crack crack crack...
The sound of bones breaking.
"AHHHHH..."
Screams, howls, and pleas for mercy alternated continuously.
Finally, accompanied by one last piercing crack, everything ended.
The blood-stained black hair slowly withdrew.
All that remained was a lump of flesh barely maintaining human form.
Seeing this, Hayato could only say that Kawasaki had suffered alongside Akizono even after death.
"I'll retrieve your bones and skull."
Hayato returned to the art room, placed the mannequin's head on the chair, and carried it all out.
She watched quietly, gave Hayato a slight signal, then walked ahead toward the stairs.
"Fujibayashi-san, come downstairs with me. This will be over soon."
Fujibayashi Ryou and Kazuya immediately followed Hayato to Year 2, Class F classroom.
Yuuko came to her seat.
Unable to communicate verbally, Hayato could only guess.
He thought for a moment and asked:
"Do you want me to restore it for you?"
He pointed at the chair.
The bracelet twitched slightly.
"I understand."
He looked at the other two.
"Fujibayashi-san, Honda, help out. Move these desks aside. We need some space."
"Understood."
The two immediately moved the desks while Hayato tore open the black leather chair, carefully and reverently removing the bones one by one.
But how should he arrange them?
Hayato had no experience with this.
He looked at Yuuko.
"Um, how should I place these?"
Yuuko's black hair pointed to a position.
"Alright."
"Hayato-kun, let me help too! I'm a nurse. I know how to arrange them."
"Good."
With Fujibayashi Ryou's help, the cleaning and arrangement work proceeded quickly. After about ten minutes of joint effort, a complete human skeleton was assembled.
"Done."
After Hayato and Fujibayashi Ryou stood and stepped away, Yuuko looked at the completed skeleton. Her hair quickly wrapped around it. After a few seconds, the skeleton completely disappeared, as if it had never existed.
"I've fulfilled my promise to you."
Hayato smiled.
Honestly, facing the bracelet's curse back then, he hadn't been completely confident. But faced with the girl's tragic experience and the allure of a supernatural object, Hayato had chosen to accept.
If something had a fifty percent success rate, it was worth gambling on. What's more, he'd been eighty percent confident in this promise!
Yuuko slowly walked to stand before Hayato. Her originally blood-stained, twisted face gradually recovered with each step. That cold, stunning visage appeared. Her pupils were pure and proud like snowflakes, her graceful figure perfectly proportioned.
The real person was even more breathtaking than the video or portrait, utterly unforgettable.
No wonder the rumors back then had shown no signs of stopping.
This wasn't just the gimmick of a teacher-student romance. Some people had wanted to use it to destroy Yuuko. But unfortunately, Yuuko remained unmoved. Or rather, she'd already seen through it all and chose to ignore it.
But the other person had been brought down.
The tragedy still occurred.
"Thank you."
A voice calm as still water, with a tone as melodious as a nightingale.
She spoke.
Hayato was startled.
Since Yuuko had never spoken this whole time, he'd subconsciously assumed she couldn't speak.
"With my bones complete, I can speak now."
Having lost her skull, which had always been in the art room she couldn't enter, she'd lost the ability to communicate verbally. Her rationality and thought had been reduced to mere fragments.
"Is there anything else I can help with?"
Hayato looked into Yuuko's eyes.
"I originally thought I'd need to help bury your bones, let you rest in peace. But seems like that's not necessary now."
She shook her head slightly.
"Not necessary."
"Then... anything else? Before I leave, anything I can help with, I'll do my best."
"Me... me too."
Fujibayashi Ryou also spoke up nervously.
For this girl, though she didn't know the specific details, she also wanted to help.
And Kazuya even more so.
But given the ice queen's current demeanor, he'd absolutely be willing. He'd even become a total simp if needed.
Yuuko paid no attention to Fujibayashi Ryou and ignored Kazuya completely. Her eyes right now only reflected Hayato's face.
"No matter what, we're friends now, right?"
Hayato raised his left hand, indicating the bracelet woven from Yuuko's black hair on his wrist.
"Stay... would you?"
That cold voice echoed.
Class F fell into silence.
Even Hayato seemed briefly caught in a mental short circuit.
She wanted him to stay here?
Fujibayashi Ryou realized something, her gaze moving back and forth, her heart filled with unstoppable shock.
Kazuya was so envious!
As expected of Hayato-san! Even ghosts fall for him!
So damn envious!
He wanted that too!
But recalling Hayato's performance from start to finish, he knew he absolutely couldn't do it. No way to replicate it. Because he was scared! Impossible not to feel fear.
After a while, Hayato came back to his senses. He vaguely understood the girl's meaning. She'd even revealed her affection for him.
What a wonderful feeling!
It made him feel like everything he'd done was worth it.
Not just completing the mission, but helping the person he wanted to help within the mission scenario.
"You want me to stay here?"
Hayato asked directly, like a total guy.
Fujibayashi Ryou didn't know what to say anymore. You can't be so direct when asking a girl! Girls will be very embarrassed!
"..."
Facing the gazes of the three people present, Yuuko looked away. After a while, she gave her answer.
"Yes."
Calm as still water, yet permeated with that uniquely girlish pink embarrassment.
She actually answered!
Fujibayashi Ryou stared at Hayato, anxious about what decision he'd make.
He... wouldn't agree, right?
If he agreed, they'd be separated by life and death.
But...
Looking at Yuuko's beautiful, cold, captivating face, Fujibayashi Ryou thought Hayato might actually agree.
In this moment, Fujibayashi Ryou felt especially nervous, her heart pounding wildly.
Hayato's eyes reflected Yuuko's stunning visage. Her black hair floated gently.
After ten seconds of deep thought, he gave his answer:
"I'm sorry, Yuuko. I... can't accept your request. I'm ultimately not from here. I... need to go back."
The classroom suddenly turned bone-chillingly cold.
The temperature plummeted.
Kazuya shivered.
Hayato-san! Could you phrase that more gently? What if she gets angry and forcibly keeps you here?
Keeping you here, you'd probably be thrilled, but if we can't leave, that'd be bad!
He wanted to cry.
"If I get the chance to come again, I'll visit you here. I hope you won't mind then."
After a while, Yuuko closed her eyes and withdrew her gaze. When she opened them again, her eyes held only calm depth.
"I'll see you out of the school."
She led the way ahead, leaving Hayato with a lonely back.
Hayato followed behind. Fujibayashi Ryou stayed close to Hayato's steps, while Kazuya lagged a few steps back, maintaining a bit of distance.
The dim environment permeated with unknown auras gradually dispersed under Yuuko's guidance, revealing the path to the school gates.
Soon, the school gate appeared.
The large characters 'Kyoto Private Elite High School' were clearly visible, covered in weeds and dust, silently proclaiming decay.
"Goodbye, Yuuko."
Hayato waved farewell and slowly stepped backward.
But just as Hayato turned to step through the school gate, Yuuko suddenly rushed forward, grabbed his wrist, pulled him into her embrace, and in the next moment, leaned down and kissed his lips.
Fujibayashi Ryou's mouth opened slightly in surprise, feeling both excited and strangely unhappy, her emotions very complex.
And Hayato was shocked. His first kiss was gone!
"Yuuko..."
But before he could finish, a force pushed against his chest, shoving him out past the school gate.
"■■"
In his ear, he vaguely heard one more sentence.
A sensation of weightlessness suddenly appeared. He kept falling downward.
When Hayato regained consciousness and opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in the hallway outside the movie theater screening room.
A few people walked past ahead, apparently just having finished watching a movie.
He'd returned. Returned to reality.
The mission was over.
But Hayato unconsciously touched his lips with his right index finger.
The lingering soft sensation remained. A bit cold, but like jelly, making him unable to help feeling nostalgic.
He never expected his first kiss in this life and the previous one to be taken like this.
Hayato couldn't help but sigh.
But it wasn't bad.
He didn't dislike it.
"If I'd chosen to stay, I probably would've gained a beautiful black-haired girlfriend, right?"
Though she was a vengeful spirit, she was gorgeous!
But was she in the mission scenario world a real existence?
Hayato pondered.
Also, what had she said at the end?
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