Chapter 6 - Game 5.5: Extra; Hikari and Sakura, And Shizuru.

Around the time Glen vanished into the light, the rooftop fell eerily silent. Not a trace of the boy remained—his phone, his belongings, even the faint warmth of his presence was gone. All that lingered was a girl with teary eyes, clutching at the emptiness he'd left behind.

Hikari's legs felt like lead as she took an unsteady step forward. Her vision blurred, and her breaths were shallow. With trembling hands, she picked up Glen's belongings before making her way to the rooftop door. Every step down the staircase felt heavier, her knees threatening to buckle with each movement. The echo of her footsteps ricocheted through the silent halls, a ghostly accompaniment to the chaos of her thoughts.

When she entered the classroom, the teacher's voice was already carrying on about something mundane, the kind of droning words that typically passed unnoticed. But the moment Hikari appeared in the doorway, the atmosphere shifted.

"Miss Hikari..." The teacher's voice faltered, tinged with surprise and concern. "You're late. Where have you been all this time?"

Hikari didn't respond. Her dark, lifeless eyes stared ahead, unseeing. She moved forward in a daze, like a marionette whose strings had been cut, her once impeccable composure fractured. Gasps and murmurs filled the room as the students watched their role model—the epitome of discipline—do the unthinkable.

The teacher froze mid-sentence, rendered speechless by Hikari's behavior. She wasn't known for breaking rules, let alone outright ignoring authority. Yet now, she walked past without so much as an acknowledgment, leaving behind a room heavy with disbelief.

Hikari didn't care. Her thoughts were consumed by a single purpose: to find Sakura and tell her what had happened.

The air outside felt thick as Hikari approached the Kurokami Residence. The imposing gates stood ajar, and beyond them, a figure came into view. A woman with long, flowing black hair that shimmered like silk in the afternoon light. Her features were strikingly perfect—sharp yet delicate, exuding an air of effortless elegance. As she turned, her crimson eyes locked onto Hikari, gleaming with an intensity that seemed to peer into the depths of her soul. This was Sakura, Glen's older sister.

"Hikari," Sakura began, her voice steady and resonant, "where is Glen?"

The weight of her question made Hikari falter. She clutched Guren's belongings tighter, her lips trembling. "Sakura… big sis… Glen was…" Her voice cracked under the strain.

But Sakura didn't need her to finish. Closing her eyes, she let out a soft, resigned sigh. The silence that followed felt endless, but when she opened her eyes again, they burned with resolve.

"I see," she said, her tone low but firm. "So that load of bull about the 'Fated Day' has already come, huh?"

Hikari's composure shattered further. She dropped to her knees, her voice breaking into a sob. "Yes… Lady Sakura, I'm so sorry! I couldn't even warn him about this… I failed as his Overseer!"

The words spilled from her lips in a lifeless, guilt-ridden monotone. She called herself an "Overseer," but what that truly meant was shrouded in mystery.

Sakura knelt before her, her movements calm and deliberate. Resting a hand on Hikari's shoulder, she said softly, "It's okay, Hikari. We both knew this day would come eventually. This isn't your fault."

"Lady Sakura…" Hikari whispered, her voice frail.

Sakura rose gracefully, her crimson eyes narrowing with steely determination. "Brace yourself, Hikari. From now on, nothing will be as simple as it once was. The real trials are about to begin."

Hikari wiped her tears, nodding fiercely despite the weight in her chest. "Yes, Lady Sakura!"

The air between them seemed charged, heavy with unspoken implications that only they could fully understand.

***

Meanwhile, back at school, the faculty office was far from calm. The quiet hum of papers and soft chatter was interrupted by an overwhelming presence.

"Hmph," a sultry, confident voice mused. "The time has come, hasn't it?"

The figure behind the desk leaned back, her arms crossed, an aura of dominion radiating around her. Long locks of purple hair framed a striking face, her sharp amethyst eyes glinting with something akin to mischief. A faint, knowing smile curled on her lips as she picked up a photograph of Glen from her desk.

"Better not let my Glen get hurt…" she muttered, her tone dripping with possessiveness. Her crimson nails tapped against the desk rhythmically, a stark contrast to her elegant demeanor. "If even the smallest part of his skin is harmed, whoever's responsible will regret it. Completely."

The beaming smile that followed was unsettling, almost predatory. And in the shadows of her office, Shizuru's commanding aura seemed to fill every corner, leaving no space for doubt: no one would escape her wrath.