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I hope everyone enjoys the chapter. Powerstones are greatly appreciated, and so are reviews and opinions on the story thus far.
We hit the goal. I didn't think we were going to because this book has never reached that high, but I'm a man of my word, so here you go.
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"It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom." ~Edgar Allan Poe
***Light Yagami***
Sitting across from Karuizawa at the Pallet Cafe, I couldn't help but notice the subtle changes in her demeanor. "I wish every day could be like this," she whispered, her voice barely rising above the clatter of dishes.
I observed her closely. Some time had passed, and finals were coming near. She tries to hide it, but each day that passed, the light in her eyes seemed to dim ever so slightly—a clear indicator that my plans were progressing smoothly, even if it meant her life was getting worse.
"What do you mean?" I probed, feigning ignorance.
She hesitated, her gaze lingering on the slice of cake before her. Then, the sharp chime of her phone cut through the moment. "Ding," it echoed, and she snatched it up with an urgency that betrayed her calm facade.
"I-I'm sorry, I have to go, Yagami," she stammered, rising abruptly from her seat.
"But what about your cake?" I inquired, my tone laced with concern. "You mentioned you haven't eaten today, and it's just arrived."
"I'm sorry," she replied, her voice a mere whisper.
Standing, I reached for her hand, offering a semblance of support. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes lit up momentarily, not because of my gesture but because of the tears that threatened to spill from them. "I am, but I really have to leave now. Just promise we can meet again another day, then I'll definitely be okay," she said, managing a brave smile.
"Of course," I assured her, masking my own satisfaction with a smile. As she departed, I settled the bill and followed her as she ran.
Ryuk, ever the observer, floated beside me. "Light, I get that the bullying isn't physical, but she's probably reliving a lot of her past trauma. Aren't you pushing her too much? She might do something drastic," he cautioned.
"She won't," I asserted confidently. "She still has me. I just need to apply one final push to ensure my influence is forever etched into her psyche. Quick victories are meaningless, Ryuk. I could accept her as she is now, but that's not my desire. Don't mistake my actions for heartlessness. I despise bullying and harm, but this is a necessary evil. I think of all this differently; she will feel happier than ever after all this is over."
"Why hasn't she sought help?" Ryuk inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"Because the second years have followed my instructions perfectly for the most part—they haven't laid a finger on her or at the least have restrained themselves, making them difficult to punish. At most, they've blackmailed her, leaving no room for intervention. And as you've seen, Karuizawa is doing everything in her power to conceal her predicament from others. Even if someone were to uncover the blackmail, it wouldn't matter. They wouldn't know the full extent of it, and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to prove anything because, for Karuizawa, it's more advantageous to deny those allegations. After all, making such information public would be counterproductive for someone intent on keeping secrets, wouldn't it?" I explained, my voice steady and analytical.
***Kei Karuizawa***
Most people avoid their fears, but I'm forced to run to mine.
-Message-
Second year Yumekui - Hurry to the deserted building east of the school. Miss the 5-minute mark and kiss your school life goodbye.
That text shattered my brief peace, the fleeting slice of joy in my day, the rare moment where I wasn't thinking about my future. That's the moment they ripped from me.
"You're finally here. A few seconds more and your little secret would've been broadcast to the whole school," Miyo, one of Yumekui's cronies, sneered.
"Hand over your phone," Yumekui demanded, and I complied, head bowed, "Now that the messages are gone, we can begin."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yumekui's hand flew across my face, knocking me to the ground. It was a first; she roughed me up before but never struck me directly, and it stung more than I expected.
"Get up," Yumekui ordered. I rose to my knees, eyes fixed on the dirt beneath her feet, not daring to meet her gaze.
"Well done," she mocked, clapping. "You must be worn out from the run. Lucky for you, Miyo, Suzuki, and I brought you a gift." "Miyo, the bag, please."
Miyo approached and handed Yumekui the bag. She pulled out three one-liter water bottles, stepped toward me with one, and said, "Open wide. Finish it in one go, and you're free. Fail, and you've only got yourself to blame."
"The whole thing? But that's... impossible," I stammered.
"Don't talk back. If you can't manage, that's on you. Now tilt your head back, and no cheating," she snapped.
Tears started to drip from the corner of my eyes; I was scared.
It's true, then. There's no one else to blame but me.
I tilted my head back, and Yumekui wasted no time in pushing the bottle's opening against my mouth, puncturing the bottom to allow air to flow.
I gulped down the water, trying my hardest. I really did, you believe me, right?
"Gulp,"
Is this really all my fault?
"Gulp,"
Why's changing myself so tough?
"Gulp,"
Why's it so hard to find friends who actually care?
"Gulp,"
Why are people so self-centered?
"Gulp,"
Will I ever meet someone who's different?
"Gulp,"
Do I even deserve someone like that?
"Cough, cough, cough," I choked, water spilling from my mouth as I collapsed.
"Ha, she barely made it halfway!" Yumekui cackled with her friends.
She then grabbed another bottle, walked over, and drenched me with it. I lay there, soaked and muddy, but it was almost comforting—this feeling was becoming my norm.
Yumekui pulled out her phone, likely to record, "Now, Karuizawa, if you want to maintain your facade here, start undressing."
Her words froze me. I've lost so much already, and yet the world keeps taking.
"Move it, I'm losing patience. You know what'll happen if you don't. You're filthy anyway, and the sooner you're done, the better. You want this to end, right? Because I can keep this up indefinitely if you don't listen."
It doesn't matter. What matters is if I do what Yumekui says, maybe things can return to normal, even if just for a little while longer.
***Light Yagami***
"Just a bit more," Kei muttered, her fingers fumbling with her bowtie, then moving to unbutton her shirt.
"Speed it up, I don't have all day!" Yumekui barked, making Kei's hands shake even more, leaving her standing there, shirtless, "Now, the skirt," Yumekui demanded.
That's when I stepped in, my anger barely contained, "Enough, what in the world do you think you're doing?!" I snapped, phone in hand, ready to record.
They'd picked a secluded spot, hidden at the back of a construction site, away from prying eyes and cameras, surrounded only by tools and the raw materials of a building yet to be.
At the sound of my voice, the three girls jolted in shock. I saw Kei's eyes widen, tears brimming.
"Who are you?" Yumekui stammered.
"Light Yagami, student council member," I declared.
"We can explain; this is all a misunderstanding—" they started.
"No need. I've seen enough," I cut them off, stepping forward.
"You can't do this!" they pleaded, fear replacing their earlier bravado, "You don't understand!"
"What is it that I don't understand?" I asked, my tone firm.
"We were forced into this! It wasn't our choice," Yumekui lied, desperation clear in her voice.
"If that's the case, this changes things," I said, extending my hand, "I'll need to see your phone."
"Why?" she questioned, bewildered.
"Are you kidding me? You were capturing inappropriate images of a student. Do you realize the consequences? You could ruin both your academic and personal futures. Hand over the phone; let me erase whatever you have there; god knows what you planned to do with it," I demanded.
Tears streaming down her face, Yumekui handed over her phone. After ensuring all was deleted, I returned it.
"Leave. Report to the student council, and I'll do the same," I instructed, turning to Kei as the three girls scurried away.
I loosened my grip and approached Karuizawa, who had been silent since my arrival. Kneeling down, I gently touched her hair, "I'm sorry. If I had known sooner, I could have helped."
Karuizawa brushed my hand away, tears streaming down her face, "Don't. I'm filthy, worthless… I don't deserve this…"
"Nobody deserves to be treated like this," I replied, reaching out to her once more.
"NO!" She recoiled, "You don't understand," she cried, breaking down.
Her vulnerability gave me the opportunity to comfort her, "Do I need to understand? Does it matter? I care about you, perhaps more than you realize. Do I need to watch you suffer, believing you don't deserve help?"
At my words, Karuizawa looked up as if they were a lifeline.
"Remember when you said you felt out of place with your classmates?" I asked.
She nodded, and I continued, "Perhaps you couldn't trust them, or maybe your experiences being near expulsion changed your view. But Karuizawa, know this—even if you think you can't trust the anyone, you can trust me, okay?"
Before Karuizawa could answer, Ryuk laughed chaotically, "Hehehe, you're quite the hero, aren't you light?"
"I do, I know," she said, embracing me while hiccuping. After a moment, we parted.
"Should I take you to the nurse or the dorms?" I asked.
"Not the nurse. I don't want to talk to anyone else right now, and I don't want to be seen like this on the way to the dorms either," she explained, her voice slowly steadying. As she spoke, I could tell just how tired she was. She spoke like someone who had just woken up from sleep. This must've really driven her to her limits.
"Understood," I said, removing my shirt and offering it to her. "You can wear this for now. Let's go to my office in the student council. We'll ensure those three are held accountable. The president should still be there."
Ryuk once again spoke up, "But light, aren't you forgetting something? They likely have your classmate's number saved, and they definitely have the transaction logs from when you paid them to bully the girl."
"They can be expelled?" Karuizawa asked, a tiny spark of hope in her voice.
"Absolutely, I have video evidence, so they will never bother you again; no one will know this situation ever happened."
She nodded and stood up. As she did, I noticed a scar on her side. I made a mental note of it and helped her into my shirt, opting to wear just my red jacket.
"It suits you," I said with a reassuring smile.
She blushed slightly, "Thank you… Can I hold your hand?"
"Of course," I agreed, "Let's go. You must be tired."
And with that, while struggling to walk, the exhausted Karuizawa wrapped herself around my arm and rested her head on me as we headed to the student council office.
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I think some of you can see why I felt a bit messed up writing this chapter now. But no more bullying it's over, at least for Kei.
Give me your thoughts. I appreciate them, as always, and I wouldn't say no to more Powerstones or a review.