The boys burst onto the rooftop with a mix of excitement and desperation, the night breeze hitting their faces as if mocking their questionable mission. The city lights in the distance twinkled like they were laughing at them, and not a single star graced the sky above to give them any sense of divine support.
Gakuto led the charge to the roof's edge, his fervor palpable as he leaned over to survey their target below. The others followed, crowding behind him like a pack of particularly idiotic hyenas.
"Hold up…" Shingo squinted, his excitement fading fast as he pointed downward. "The window's, like, four meters down. How are we supposed to peep from here? Fly?"
Andre, who had been quietly vibrating with anticipation, let out a mournful sigh, his towering frame drooping like a deflated balloon. "I thought… tonight would be the night…"
Kiyoshi, on the other hand, felt a spark of relief deep in his chest. Finally, a way out. "Oh no, what a shame!" he said, trying to sound devastated. "Guess we'll have to call it quits, huh? Back to the dorms?"
But Gakuto's glasses glinted ominously in the moonlight. "Quits? Never!" He whipped out two phones like a magician revealing his best trick. "Behold! The fruits of my genius!"
Kiyoshi stared at the phones, dread pooling in his stomach. "Wait… those do video calls, don't they?"
"Exactly!" Gakuto's grin stretched to unsettling proportions. "One phone goes down on a rope; the other stays with us! We'll have front-row seats to paradise!"
Kiyoshi tried one last feeble protest. "This is insane! What if someone sees us? Or, you know, we drop the phone?" He was really thinking about pushing the boys to protect Chiyo, he wouldn't let them see her. His gaze finally fell to one of the dorm's windows.
In one of the alleys, Kiyoshi spotted Chiyo walking leisurely. His mind instantly switched sides, if she wasn't here, he didn't have to worry about getting caught!
"Risks are the price of glory, my friend!" Gakuto declared, pushing his glasses up with dramatic flair. The others, already entranced by the idea, nodded in unison, their eyes glimmering with misplaced determination.
With trembling hands, Gakuto began lowering one phone toward the target window below. The screen displayed a dim, unimpressive view of a notice plastered on the wall, which the boys collectively ignored in favor of waiting for "better scenery."
Just then, Gakuto paused and turned to him. "Kiyoshi-dono, since you're the most trustworthy among us, the honor of holding the rope is yours."
Kiyoshi's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? Me?!"
"Of course! It's your phone after all."
"My what ?!" Kiyoshi's voice hit an octave he didn't think was possible. He looked at the dangling device and realized with growing horror that Gakuto had indeed commandeered his phone for this absurd operation.
Before Kiyoshi could protest further, the rope slipped slightly in his hands, and the phone plunged downward, coming to an abrupt halt against a ledge.
"Kiyoshi!" Gakuto screeched, clutching his head. "You've doomed us all!"
"I doomed us?! You're the one who stole my phone!" Kiyoshi shot back, grabbing Gakuto by the front of his shirt. The two looked ready to devolve into a rooftop brawl when Shingo stepped between them.
"Guys, focus! The phone's still down there! Someone's gotta get it before..."
"Before what?" Kiyoshi snapped. "Before we get caught and expelled? No thanks!"
"Expelled and labeled as creeps," Shingo added unhelpfully. "Don't forget that part."
With a defeated groan, Kiyoshi grabbed the rope. "Fine! I'll get that stupid phone."
The others steadied the rope as Kiyoshi lowered himself down, muttering curses under his breath the entire way. He landed with a soft thud in the bathhouse, his eyes darting around the room like a nervous criminal. The place was empty, rows of lockers and mirrors giving off an eerie stillness.
"There it is," he whispered, spotting his phone nestled against a potted plant. He scooped it up and held it to the camera. "Mission accomplished. I'm coming back."
The others cheered softly from above, but their excitement turned to panic in a heartbeat. "Kiyoshi! Behind you!" Gakuto hissed, his voice a mix of terror and disbelief.
Kiyoshi froze. Slowly, he turned his head, only to find himself face-to-face with Chiyo. She stood in the doorway, her pink pajama top unbuttoned just enough to reveal a plain white shirt underneath. Her sleepy eyes widened as she took in the scene: Kiyoshi crouched on the floor, phone in hand, guilt written all over his face.
"Who are you…?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.
In that moment, Kiyoshi's life flashed before his eyes. This is it. My reputation. My school life. My love life. My entire future. Gone. All because of these idiots.
No words came out of his mouth, he was petrified. His social life was completely destroyed, he wouldn't be able to stay here quietly anymore. Akihiko was right, if only he would have listened to him earlier...
From above, Gakuto's frantic whisper broke the tension. "Kiyoshi-dono! Bail out! Bail out!"
"Oh, it's you Mayumi." Chiyo seemed relieved to have confirmed her friend's identity.
"I took off my contacts, so I've been stumbling around bumping into everything." She said with a little embarrassment as she turned back to look at her supposed friend "Mayumi".
All the boys including Kiyoshi were shocked at this statement. Wasn't he found out?
SHE IS VISUALLY IMPAIRED?!! Kiyoshi had his jaw wide open, which means he hasn't been spotted yet.
The moment seemed to stretch for an eternity as Kiyoshi, utterly paralyzed, couldn't look away despite the endless alarms going off in his head. His mind raced, a chaotic mix of panic, guilt, and... something else. He swallowed hard, his throat dry as sandpaper, trying to think of a way to divert this impossible situation.
She's going to realize I'm not Mayumi any second now! I'm dead! DEAD!
But Chiyo, blissfully unaware of Kiyoshi's internal meltdown and the voyeuristic audience on the roof, continued without hesitation. Her delicate hands reached for the waistband of her panties, and the tension in the air grew so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"Wait!" Kiyoshi blurted out suddenly, his voice cracking as he scrambled to think of something, anything, to stop her. He had made sure to keep his voice low so she wouldn't realize it was him.
Chiyo paused, her hands freezing mid-motion as she tilted her head toward him in confusion. "Hmm? What's wrong, Mayumi?"
Sweat poured down Kiyoshi's face like a faucet, his heart hammering in his chest. Desperate for a distraction, he awkwardly began to pull the bodysuit further down, pretending to adjust it. "Uh… I think I left my, uh, towel… over there!" He gestured vaguely toward the far side of the changing area, keeping his eyes firmly averted from her.
Chiyo blinked, then gave him a soft, understanding smile. "Oh, you can grab it once we're done. No need to rush, right?"
No need to rush?! Kiyoshi screamed internally. I NEED to rush, or I'm going to have a heart attack right here!
Meanwhile, up on the roof, the four boys were on the verge of exploding. Their faces were plastered against the screen, their expressions a mixture of furious jealousy and overwhelming disbelief.
"He's ruining EVERYTHING!" Shingo hissed, gripping the phone so tightly it was a wonder it didn't crack.
"He's RIGHT THERE, and he's pretending to look away?!" Andre growled, his frustration building.
"I swear, if he doesn't at least peek..." Joe began, his voice tinged with desperation.
"SHUT UP!" Gakuto barked, his eyes bulging as he waved his hands frantically. "You're going to get us caught!"
Back in the changing area, Kiyoshi's panic levels peaked as Chiyo, apparently satisfied with her decision, returned her hands to her panties.
This is it. There's no way out of this! I'm done for!
And then, salvation arrived in the form of the worst possible thing: a loud creak from the roof above.
Everyone froze. Chiyo looked up sharply, her expression shifting to one of confusion. "Huh? What was that?"
Kiyoshi's blood ran cold as his eyes darted toward the ceiling, where he could practically feel the collective terror of the boys above. The creak turned into a groan, and for a split second, it seemed like the entire operation was about to fall apart, literally.
"Uh… probably just the wind!" Kiyoshi said quickly, trying to sound calm even as his voice cracked.
Chiyo frowned, glancing back at him. "The wind? Indoors?"
Crap! Think, think! His brain scrambled for an excuse, but thankfully, she seemed to shrug it off, shaking her head as she turned her attention back to her task.
Just as she hooked her fingers around the waistband of her panties again, Kiyoshi blurted out, "Wait! You... you have something on your… back!"
She froze once more, looking over her shoulder with a puzzled expression. "My back?"
"Yeah!" Kiyoshi nodded furiously, desperate to keep her from going any further. "I-I think it's, uh, a bug or something! You should check it before… you know, undressing further!"
Chiyo's face twisted in mild alarm. "A bug?!" She quickly spun around, trying to look over her shoulder, her movements unintentionally giving Kiyoshi almost a view of her exposed upper half.
Kiyoshi immediately clamped his eyes shut, mentally screaming at himself. This is the worst but also the best day of my life!
"I don't see anything," Chiyo said after a moment, turning back to Kiyoshi with a curious look. "Are you sure?"
"Y-Yeah, maybe it flew away!" Kiyoshi stammered, inwardly begging for divine intervention to get him out of this alive.
Chiyo gave him an odd look but shrugged. "If you say so…" after finishing putting the towel around her body, she came to grab Kiyoshi's hand "Let's go Mayumi before it's too late"
For one, it was just going to a public bath. For the other, it was heading to Valhalla.
-----
The chaotic scene on the roof was nothing short of a disaster, though it began with Gakuto's misplaced sense of admiration for Kiyoshi.
"Kiyoshi-dono," Gakuto muttered, voice full of reverence as he adjusted his glasses, "your bravery is akin to that of a noble samurai, plunging into enemy territory for the sake of glory."
The other boys nodded in solemn agreement, the gravity of the situation completely lost on them as Joe, always the quiet observer, suddenly raised a critical point.
"Wait," Joe began, his voice flat but with an edge of curiosity, "why are we letting him go in alone? Shouldn't we… share in this?"
His suggestion landed like a spark in dry grass, igniting a collective wave of enthusiasm among the group.
"You're right," Shingo declared, fists clenched as he nodded resolutely. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. We're not gonna let Kiyoshi have all the glory!"
The decision was unanimous. Moments later, all four boys began stripping off their clothes with reckless abandon, standing in their bare-skinned glory as if they were warriors preparing for battle.
But their moment of camaraderie was short-lived.
"Hmm? Andre-dono," Gakuto said suddenly, his tone shifting to one of bemused curiosity, "you seem to have a crow on your head."
Andre froze, his expression contorting in confusion before he reached up and felt the unwelcome weight of the bird perched atop his noggin.
"FUCK!" Andre bellowed, flailing wildly as he tried to swat the crow away. The bird, unimpressed by Andre's clumsy efforts, simply squawked and hopped nimbly out of his reach before taking flight.
Shingo's jaw dropped as he pointed at Gakuto with wide eyes. "Dude! There's one on your… junk!"
"What?! Crows?!" Gakuto screeched, glancing down in horror to see the feathered fiend latched onto his most sensitive area. "Gah, crows!"
He flailed with reckless abandon, but the bird seemed to taunt him as it squawked and evaded every slap before fluttering away in triumph.
Meanwhile, Joe, usually the calmest of the group, stood frozen, his gaze fixed on the sky. "C-Crows…" he murmured, his voice trembling with dread.
The others followed his line of sight, their collective jaws dropping as they beheld the dark swarm of dozens—no, hundreds of crows circling ominously above them.
"What the hell is this?!" Shingo yelled, panic rising in his voice.
The flock of crows, as if sensing their terror, began to descend. Their once graceful flight turned into a terrifying dive-bomb assault aimed directly at the naked boys.
"AAAAAAAH!"
Screams erupted as the crows attacked with ruthless precision, their sharp beaks pecking relentlessly at exposed skin. The boys scrambled, yelping and crying out as they curled into fetal positions on the cold stone roof, clutching desperately at their vulnerable areas.
"Please, stop! We surrender!" Shingo howled, flinching as a crow tugged at his hair.
"I-I'M SORRY FOR EVERYTHING!" Andre wailed, shielding his ample backside as best he could.
"Mercy!" Gakuto begged, voice breaking.
After what felt like an eternity, the crows abruptly stopped, their assault ceasing as the rooftop grew eerily quiet. The boys hesitated, still trembling as they dared to peek out from their defensive positions.
Their relief was short-lived, however, as the sound of deliberate, sharp heels clicking against the pavement echoed toward them.
The boys froze once more, their blood running cold as they turned their heads toward the approaching figure. Every step sent a jolt of terror through their battered bodies.
"W-Who is it?" Andre whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Whoever it is," Joe muttered grimly, "we're doomed."
-----
Meiko stormed out of the building, her chest heaving as she ascended to the top floor, her sharp heels echoed through the dimly lit stairwell. When she reached the rooftop door, her breath came in short bursts, her body glistening with perspiration.
BANG !
The door swung open with a loud crash, and Meiko's sharp gaze swept across the pitch-black rooftop. For a moment, the scene was obscured by shadows, but as the clouds drifted away, she could see all the crows in the sky.
"Oh, Meiko. I see you're just as punctual as ever," came Mari's calm, detached voice.
The scene before her was as bizarre as it was gratifying. Mari sat elegantly atop a pile of unconscious male students, her posture regal and unshaken. The faint cawing of crows echoed in the distance, and several of the black birds landed intermittently on the groaning bodies, pecking at their tattered uniforms.
" You already knew... No surprise coming from her," Meiko said, her lips curling into a tight smirk as she stepped forward, her boots crunching on the gravel beneath her. "I see you've already dealt with these animals."
Mari rested her chin lightly on one hand, her expression unreadable. "It's hardly a challenge when they reek of desperation and filth. My crows picked up on their intent long before they could even act. Such creatures don't deserve to tread the same ground as us."
Meiko's eyes lingered briefly on the pile of defeated boys, her disdain palpable. "Filthy indeed. They're no better than vermin." Her fingers twitched as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "But… aren't there two missing?"
Mari's eyes narrowed slightly, though her calm demeanor didn't falter. "Yes… one of them is caught by my crows" Her expression stiffened as she thought of the last one.
"And for him, I felt his presence nearby earlier." She stood gracefully, descending from her perch as her long hair swayed in the moonlight.
Meiko hesitated, recalling the image of that man. Her teeth clenched as she fought to suppress the irritation bubbling inside her. That smug, infuriating presence still lingered in her mind. "I didn't see him with the others, but…" She trailed off, her brow furrowing as she searched for the right words.
Mari raised a hand, cutting her off with a gesture that was as sharp as her words. "It doesn't matter. He's not important right now. We will deal with him in due time."
Without waiting for a response, Mari strode past Meiko, her movements fluid and commanding. "Prepare the announcement," she said over her shoulder, her voice cool and authoritative. "The entire school will know of their disgrace by tonight."
Mari was lost in her thoughts during this time, the last boy was not with them, it was probably even him who warned Meiko. He seems rather different from his friends. But a man remains a man, and especially him, she needed to find an excuse to imprison him.
He didn't stop them, it's an indirect contribution, isn't it?
An amused smile formed on her face thinking of Akihiko's decomposed face. She's the one who will win, this man is only a pawn that his father added to this school.
That's weird, my crows lost track of him. Is he no longer in the facility? Or did he leave? Confusion quickly struck her as she realized that Akihiko was no longer here.
Meiko watched her go, her jaw tightening as the breeze brushed against her flushed face. Her fists clenched, and she turned back to the pile of unconscious boys. The sight of their pitiful state brought her a flicker of satisfaction, but it was fleeting.
"That man…" she muttered under her breath, her expression hardening. Something about him felt different, and that unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
"I swear you're going to suffer like them too, I can't let such a dangerous guy walk around the same school as Mari."
-------
On one of the roofs of the beautiful city of Tokyo, there were 2 silhouettes, one of which had one knee on the ground.
"Report. Preparations are complete." Said the kneeling man, showing clear respect and politeness in his voice.
"Go tell people to get ready, no one must survive tonight." The man who was standing there with his gaze fixed on an imposing skyscraper.
He was wearing an uniform in black, a striking blend of stealth and elegance. The hood draped low over the wearer's face, concealing his identity. The fitted leather tunic, reinforced with subtle armor plating, hugged the body for ease of movement, while the long, flowing tails of the coat flared out dramatically with each step. Intricate silver embroidery traced along the edges, catching faint glimmers of light, a silent testament to the craftsmanship behind the outfit. The bracers, equipped with hidden blades, gleamed faintly against the dark material, and a sturdy utility belt carried pouches for weapons and tools.
The man in black turned slightly, his voice cold as he spoke again.
"Tonight, we write our own history. Let the city remember nothing but ashes."
With that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving the kneeling man to rise and disappear into the night as well.
As the city buzzed unaware, the whispers of a storm were already gathering.
"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."