Later that evening, deep into the night, Yasushi sat alone in his office, poring over a stack of documents that Yinhaie and Yunxue had handed him. These weren't just any files — they were sensitive records and compiled information, exposing troubling details about the council city members.
They'd directed particular attention to one councilman, someone both Yinhaie and Yunxue suspected played a central role in underhanded dealings within the Department of Housing.
Yasushi hadn't forgotten the man. The memory of their first encounter still stayed in his mind: the councilman seated confidently near the head of the table, a fixture of authority and control when Yasushi first entered that room many weeks ago. There was something about the way he carried himself that day, something Yasushi now recognized as smug assurance.
The documents laid bare questionable activities, backroom deals and unethical arrangements that painted a clear picture of corruption. Yasushi knew these revelations would eventually provide powerful leverage — potentially the very means to bring the councilman down.
But that moment hadn't arrived yet. For now, Yasushi lifted his wristband, and stored the files safely within it.
Just then, the door swung open. Jingliu entered, her figure softened by the loose folds of her nightgown. She stepped inside, closing the door with a soft click, then made her way over to him, her expression searching.
"Yasushi," she murmured, standing close to his side. "Can we talk about tomorrow?"
"Sure thing. What's up?" he asked, turning his chair to face her.
Jingliu paused, her expression thoughtful, before speaking. "Yinhaie dug up something about Selene. She found… let's just say, a few things that raise some questions. Though maybe you've already figured it out."
Yasushi kept his eyes on her, listening closely. Jingliu continued, "Selene isn't a bad person, not in any obvious way. But she's got this strange habit of zeroing in on certain people or certain things, like she becomes fixated. And this time, it's on you. She's already on her last warning from the college. One more incident, and she'll probably be expelled."
He nodded as she spoke, absorbing her words. Yasushi had his suspicions long before tonight, but he hadn't voiced them in front of his friends. The way Selene behaved, the way their peers reacted to her — it was all there. People avoided her, kept their distance, even dismissed her outright.
He'd taken pity on her at first, which was why he hadn't shut her out when she started conversations with him. He'd entertained her questions, answered her when she reached out, and tolerated her attention, mostly out of a sense of sympathy. But the situation had changed now. It seemed she'd mistaken his politeness for something else, something far more personal.
"We're changing our approach. We'll just quietly inform the school, but we'll ask them not to expel her. Instead, we'll suggest they either transfer her or assign a caretaker to keep things in check, alright?" Jingliu said, looking directly at him.
Yasushi sighed, rubbing the back of his head, then nodded. "I get it, it's probably the best call. But let's just hope this doesn't backfire like some of our decisions did before," he replied, his expression showing his worry.
"She doesn't mean harm, Yasushi. She's just… wired differently. Maybe this'll finally give her the help she actually needs," Jingliu answered as Yasushi stood and made his way back toward their room for the night, hoping to unwind.
Both of them felt the weight of uncertainty about what the next day would bring. They could only hope that their plan would go off without any unexpected reactions from Selene, but neither could be sure of how she'd take the news.
+-+
When the next day arrived and enough time had passed, Yasushi's friends gathered, anticipating the confrontation they'd all expected. They waited in the small park near the school, sharing lunch, some with a rare day off from lectures, others with schedules that just happened to line up.
"So… when are we going in for, you know, the fight?" Furuya asked, shooting a look at both Yasushi and Jingliu.
"We're taking a different route, so it's not happening…hopefully. But you never know," Yasushi replied, leaning back as he spoke. "I'll explain it, and Yunxue, Jingliu, and Layena can help fill in the blanks."
The group leaned in, listening as Yasushi recounted what had changed. He told them about what Yinhaie had dug up on Selene — the details that had shifted their entire approach. From her mental and physical conditions to the isolation she'd been under for who knew how long, and the way she carried herself — by the end, it wasn't anger or frustration they felt, but pity.
"Well, put that way, yeah…I guess pity's unavoidable," Furuya muttered, a frown forming. "Down syndrome and everything that comes with it…life must throw them so many challenges, right?"
Yasushi nodded, reflecting on the details he'd kept to himself yesterday. Selene had Down syndrome, and he'd grown familiar with people like her back in his former life in England, where they were part of his high school and worked in many local shops.
But here, in Japan, he hadn't encountered many people with the same condition. When college started and he saw Selene in his classes, he recognized what was likely ahead, which gave him an understanding of how to connect with her. And Selene, in turn, had latched onto him almost instantly.
Meanwhile, others in their lectures had struggled. Many avoided her, perhaps feeling awkward or simply not knowing how to approach her. Some tried, but the effort seemed too much for them to keep up, and Yasushi couldn't entirely fault them for it.
"So…are we just waiting now? Or has she already been called in?" Xinyi asked, her eyebrows raised. Then, as if realizing something, she added, "Hold on — no one told me about anything happening this morning." Her expression soured as she looked at them.
Jingliu didn't miss a beat. "In the mornings, you're basically a zombie until you get some real food in you," she said, giving Xinyi a knowing look that made her chuckle, though a bit uneasily.
Xinyi muttered something under her breath before falling quiet, the playful frustration fading from her face. Not long after, a man approached their group, dressed formally enough to stand out, his face carrying a no-nonsense expression that quickly put them on alert.
"Yasushi Futakao and Jingliu Yang?" he asked, his tone sharp.
Both of them responded in unison, looking at him with intent.
After a slight pause, he continued, "I'm Lee Sujin, and I represent the college administration. The student Selene has been addressed as per your reports and concerns." He straightened, as though bracing himself to deliver a long-awaited decision. "She's been removed from the campus. Based on the evidence you brought to us, along with additional accounts and reports from other students, she's been relocated to a different institution — one equipped to provide her with the resources and care she requires."
He went on, "We'd like both of you to come along so we can go over this matter in greater detail. With any luck and, of course, if we can secure funding, we're aiming to improve our support systems by next year to make the environment better suited for students in situations like Miss Selene's. To be clear, we've rarely had students with her particular needs, and that's on us."
Their agreement came after a brief pause, each of them processing this unexpected openness. Yasushi and Jingliu gave a nod to their friends before parting ways, letting them know they'd keep everyone updated in the group chat.
+-+
Yasushi and Jingliu sat together in a small café known as "Buwolugo." The place had a history in that part of the city, favored by locals for years. Each of them held a coffee in one hand, a sandwich on the plate before them. Jingliu leaned into Yasushi and released a long breath.
"That was... something," she murmured, finally breaking the quiet that had settled around them. Yasushi let out a laugh, the sound bringing a hint of lightness.
"Yeah. Didn't expect that outcome from such a short meeting," he replied, casting his gaze upward at the snow descending softly against the dark night sky. "Well, it makes for an interesting way to end Valentine's Day — even if we're a day late."
Jingliu gave a small nod and lifted her cup, taking a sip. "True…but I just hope everything ahead for Selene is positive now. We're fortunate nothing serious happened back there."
"Yeah. And knowing she's now in a place that can support her better…it's a relief." He paused, reflecting on the dean's unexpected apology. "Honestly, it's rare to see someone in his position admit they lacked the right setup for a student."
During the meeting, not much actually happened. They were mainly asked to go over the events that had led up to what might have been a troubling incident.
Yasushi had been the one in the center of it all, having been in most of the classes they shared with Selene. So, he gave the details, explaining what had happened without holding back.
By the end of it, Yasushi requested that no punishment be given to her. He understood that people with Down syndrome often act without harmful intent and believed that was the case here.
After some extended discussion, the administrators ultimately agreed to allow her to transfer to another school, doing so without drawing unnecessary attention to the matter.
What truly surprised Yasushi and Jingliu was that Selene herself reached out to the school, taking a moment to thank him and apologize. She expressed gratitude for his understanding and explained that she had settled in at her new school. She shared that it actually aligned more with her interests and goals, making the move beneficial for her overall.
Her apology came with a genuine tone, as she took responsibility for the trouble caused, even though it had already been put behind them.
After everything, it wrapped up in a way Yasushi had hoped for — a decent outcome, free of resentment or complications, with no harm left behind. They'd gotten through the recounting, detailing each moment as they'd been asked to, so when it finally ended, there was a quiet sense of relief between them.
With the meeting finally behind them, Yasushi and Jingliu walked to a nearby restaurant, seeking a place to let the day settle and enjoy a meal. It felt like a fitting way to close out the experience before they'd head back home.
+-+
A few days later, Yasushi was back in his society's building. Jessica sat off to the side, engrossed in a book, tucked into a random corner when the door swung open, pulling their attention up in unison. Neither recognized the figure stepping inside.
A man stood there — a trench coat wrapping around him, dark glasses hiding his eyes, and short black hair framing his face. He exuded a strange vibe, and his presence felt more than a little out of place. His gaze flickered around the room before locking onto Yasushi. After a beat, he made his way over, Yasushi watching him without a flinch or any visible reaction.
"Yasushi Futakao?" the man said, his voice sharp. Yasushi gave a single nod. In response, the man pulled a letter from inside his coat, pressing it into Yasushi's hand without another word. He turned, heading out the door without a backward glance, leaving Jessica and Yasushi staring after him in confusion.
Jessica's eyes lit up, unable to hold back the excitement bubbling up. "Oh! It's like one of those Men in Black moments, right? Maybe they're here for aliens, the supernatural? Or — wait — you're not secretly the long-lost brother of a crime lord, are you? Or is it unpaid taxes?" She grinned but didn't budge from her spot, waiting for any answer or even a hint of a reaction.
Yasushi let out a quiet laugh, glancing over at Jessica. "You really know how to spin a story." He shook his head, then broke the seal on the letter, drawing out the folded page and giving it a quick scan.
"Sup Yasushi,
Shiva here. So, that little 'test' of yours in Shirakawa-go? Yeah, turns out you're in for some real work. Recently, things went completely sideways there. Locals don't want to set foot near the place ever since the owner's son took over and made a mess of things.
I gave him my word I'd get things running again, make it like it used to be, so I expect you to handle this properly. Remember, this is part of that 'test' set up by Jingliu's father, so keep that in mind.
And don't think you're off the hook just because those two others he sent are out of the picture. This test isn't over.
Oh, and heads-up — when summer break starts, Nandini'll be back to join you over there. I've got her handling some tasks on my end right now.
- Regards,
Shiva, Lord of the Universe."
Yasushi read the letter twice more, taking in every detail, then gave a deep sigh and slipped it into his pocket. The news was unexpected, but he was ready to take on the challenge ahead.
He knew the real battle would likely be dealing with the owner's son, who was the reason the place had declined. But he had a feeling there was more to it than just that, so he'd need to dig deeper once he arrived in the summer.
He wasn't going in alone either. With Jingliu, Xinyi, Yunxue, Layena, Catherine, Yinhaie, and Nandini joining him, he felt more than confident that they'd be able to handle whatever waited for them.
Actually, this wasn't just confidence; he realized he was looking forward to it, the thrill of it already stirring within him. He was also surprised that Liang Yang's test hadn't ended yet. He'd thought it would wrap up once Bhaqui and Alicia headed back to China, but he was clearly mistaken.
Jessica watched him closely. "Something up?" she asked, her voice carrying an edge of worry.
He shook his head. "No, it's nothing. Just something I've got planned for summer break," he replied, a hint of satisfaction crossing his face.
Yasushi folded the letter carefully, sliding it back into its envelope before tucking it securely in his pocket. This summer break held a new kind of challenge, and he found himself more than ready for whatever awaited him.