Kai awoke the next morning feeling oddly light, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The night before was a blur of intensity, the violence in the back alley with Dorian and his lackeys still playing in the back of his mind, but as usual, Kai pushed it aside. No use in dwelling on it. The past was the past, and today? Today was just another day to get through with a smile.
He stretched lazily, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced around the room. Yukio was already up, getting dressed for class, and Kai could hear muffled voices coming from the other side of the dorm, likely Alya and Asiha arguing about something trivial.
"Morning," Yukio said without looking up, buttoning his shirt.
Kai grinned, his usual carefree demeanor sliding back into place. "Morning! Ready for another day of learning all the things we'll probably never use?"
Yukio snorted. "Yeah, just can't wait for more lessons on magical herbology. Because who doesn't love learning about plants?"
Kai hopped off his bed and stretched again, grabbing a wrinkled shirt from a nearby chair. "Hey, you never know. One day, you might need to brew some obscure potion to save someone's life. Or, more realistically, I'll need to brew a potion to pass an exam."
"That sounds more like it," Yukio replied, shaking his head. "You're never going to change, are you?"
Kai flashed him a grin. "Why fix what isn't broken?"
Yukio raised an eyebrow. "You? Not broken? You're a walking disaster."
"Maybe," Kai said with a wink, "but I'm a fun disaster."
The door to their shared dorm space opened, and Alya appeared, her hair slightly frazzled and her expression exasperated. "Kai, can you please, for once, not leave your stuff lying around? I nearly tripped over your shoes again."
Kai gave her an innocent smile. "Ah, my bad. But hey, at least it wasn't a sword, right?"
Alya rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile on her lips. "Honestly, how do you function?"
"Pure charisma," Kai said, patting himself on the back as he walked past her toward the kitchen.
Asiha appeared behind Alya, holding a cup of tea, clearly more amused than annoyed. "You guys are like an old married couple."
Alya shot her a look. "Don't start."
Kai turned from the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a smirk. "See? Even Asiha gets it."
Yukio sighed, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "Are we seriously doing this again? Every morning?"
Kai nodded sagely. "Routine is important. Keeps us grounded."
"Yeah, sure," Alya muttered, but she was smiling now. "Let's just get to class before we're late. Again."
The walk to class was filled with the usual banter, Kai's jokes keeping things light. It felt good to laugh, even after everything that had happened the night before. None of them knew what had transpired in that alley with Dorian, and Kai intended to keep it that way. He wasn't about to let something like that ruin the vibe.
They arrived at the main building, students milling about, some chatting in groups while others hurried to their first class. The atmosphere was normal—almost too normal, considering what Kai had done the night before. As they entered the classroom, the usual hum of conversation filled the air.
"Hey, did you hear about Dorian?" one of their classmates whispered to a friend nearby.
Kai's ears perked up, but he kept his expression neutral as he took his seat beside Yukio.
"No, what happened?" the other student asked.
"He's missing. Like, no one's seen him since last night."
Alya, who had been sitting in front of them, glanced over at Kai, raising an eyebrow. "You think he's just hiding after all that drama?"
Kai shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe. Probably licking his wounds somewhere. You know how these noble types are—always making a big deal out of everything."
Asiha, ever the thoughtful one, frowned slightly. "I hope he's not planning anything worse. Dorian's not the type to let things go easily."
Kai waved it off. "Nah, he's probably just off brooding in a dark corner, plotting his next 'revenge.'"
The door to the classroom swung open, and the professor walked in, looking more tired than usual. He set down his books and cleared his throat, silencing the students.
"Alright, everyone," he said, his voice a little rough. "I hope you're all ready for today's lesson. But before we begin, there's been an important announcement from the Student Council."
A murmur spread through the classroom as everyone exchanged glances. It wasn't often the Student Council made announcements during class, especially not at the start of the day.
"The council president will be addressing the school in the courtyard after first period," the professor continued. "So, make sure you attend. It's mandatory."
Kai's grin faltered slightly, his mind racing. The council president? That could only mean one thing: something serious was happening. And judging by the way the students were buzzing with speculation, he wasn't the only one thinking that.
After the first period ended, the entire school gathered in the courtyard, the chatter of hundreds of students filling the open space. The weather was cool, with a gentle breeze blowing through the trees that lined the area. At the front of the courtyard stood a raised podium where the Student Council usually made their announcements.
The council president, a sixth-year named Renji Sato, stood tall and composed, his eyes scanning the crowd. He was known for being calm, collected, and one of the most powerful students at Valewood Academy. Renji was the kind of guy who could walk into a room and command attention without even trying. His reputation as a fair but firm leader had earned him respect from both humans and vampires alike.
Kai leaned against the wall at the edge of the crowd, Yukio, Alya, and Asiha beside him. "What do you think this is about?" Alya asked, her voice low.
"Probably something boring," Kai replied, though his gut told him otherwise.
Renji stepped forward, and the crowd immediately fell silent, all eyes on him. He held the microphone with steady hands, his expression unreadable as he began to speak.
"Students of Valewood Academy," Renji's voice rang out clearly, "I regret to inform you that last night, Dorian Markov and three others were found dead."
The crowd gasped, a wave of shock rippling through the students. Kai felt his heart skip a beat, but he kept his expression neutral, glancing sideways at Yukio and the others. They were just as stunned as everyone else.
"Dorian and his companions were found in an alley just outside the market district," Renji continued. "There were no witnesses, and at this time, we do not know who is responsible."
Murmurs broke out among the students, and a few teachers at the edge of the crowd exchanged worried glances. The tension was palpable.
Yukio's eyes widened as he turned to Kai. "Did you hear that? Dorian's dead."
Kai kept his face impassive, though his mind was racing. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Crazy, right?"
Alya frowned, her arms crossed as she scanned the crowd. "I mean, Dorian wasn't exactly the nicest guy, but... dead? That's intense."
"Do they think someone here did it?" Asiha asked, her voice filled with concern.
Renji's next words answered that question.
"I want to make it clear," Renji said, his tone firm, "that the administration and the Student Council are working together to find out what happened. But until we have answers, we urge everyone to remain calm and avoid speculation. We will not tolerate rumors or accusations without evidence."
The crowd buzzed with nervous energy, students whispering to one another as Renji stepped back from the podium. It was clear that this was just the beginning of something bigger—something that could shake the very foundation of the academy.
Kai let out a slow breath, his mind still processing the announcement. He had known there would be consequences for what he'd done, but he hadn't expected things to escalate so quickly.
"Man," Yukio said, running a hand through his hair, "this is... a lot. I can't believe Dorian's really dead."
Asiha nodded, her face pale. "It feels unreal. Even though he caused so much trouble, I didn't think something like this would happen."
Alya glanced at Kai, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You seem awfully calm about this, Kai."
Kai shrugged, forcing a grin. "What can I say? I didn't like the guy. Maybe the universe just balanced itself out."
Yukio chuckled, though it was more out of nervousness than anything else. "Still, this is going to stir up a lot of trouble. If they don't find out who did it..."
"It'll just make things worse," Asiha finished, her expression grim.
As the students began to disperse, a tall figure approached the group, catching their attention. It was Renji, the Student Council president himself. He moved with a quiet authority, his sharp gaze settling on Kai for a moment before turning to the others.
"Kai. Yukio. Alya. Asiha," Renji greeted, his voice calm but serious. "I just wanted to check in. I know Dorian had some... issues with you guys. If anyone's been bothering you about this, let me know."
Yukio blinked, surprised. "Oh, uh, thanks, Renji. But we're fine."
Renji nodded slowly, his eyes flicking to Kai again. "Good. Just... stay out of trouble, okay?"
Kai grinned, his usual playful demeanor slipping back into place. "Trouble? Me? Never."
Renji didn't smile, but there was a faint glint of amusement in his eyes. "Right. Just remember—this is serious. If you hear anything, don't hesitate to come to me. We need to get to the bottom of this before things get worse."
"Got it," Yukio said, nodding. "Thanks, Renji."
With a final nod, Renji turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving the group standing in stunned silence.
"Well," Kai said after a moment, "that was... interesting."
Yukio glanced at him, his expression serious. "You sure you're okay? You seemed... weird during that announcement."
Kai waved him off. "I'm fine. Just didn't expect to hear about Dorian's death today, that's all."
Alya frowned, but didn't press the issue. "We should head to class. I have a feeling this is only going to get messier."
As they walked back toward the academy building, Kai's mind raced. He knew he'd have to tread carefully from now on. The secret of his demon heritage was a dangerous one—and it was a secret he intended to keep, no matter what happened next.