(2/3)
Yoko Okino had barely slept all night.
Her mind kept replaying what had happened.
She never imagined that a man she had only dated for a single month in high school, someone she hadn't seen for over seven years would suddenly try to strangle her to death.
When she finished giving her statement at the Metropolitan Police Department, she also learned why they had broken up all those years ago.
Back in high school, she had been scouted by an entertainment agency, which had immediately arranged for her training and preparation for debut.
At the time, her boyfriend had been seen as a liability.
So, without her knowledge, the agency had paid him off to leave her.
If she had found out back then, she probably would have been furious.
But after struggling in the idol industry for years, she had come to understand how the business worked.
For female idols, image was everything.
The industry favored pure, untarnished girls, those who seemed innocent and untouched.
No matter how talented someone was, once they were labeled as a "scandalous woman", their career would be permanently limited.
And once someone took that route, there was no turning back.
Looking at it from her current perspective, that relationship had been so short.
It hadn't even lasted a full month.
And in high school, they had been too young and immature to have done anything serious.
Because of her own self-discipline, she hadn't made any mistakes that could come back to haunt her.
---
Now, she couldn't understand that man at all.
Even if her breakup had been arranged by her agency, he had accepted the money and left.
It was just a one-month high school relationship that had ended over money.
So why was he acting like this now?
Was he pretending to be a heartbroken lover?
Or was this about money again?
Yoko Okino had no idea.
After all these years, the first thing he did when they met again was try to kill her.
She sighed.
"I should be thinking about how to thank that boy."
Dwelling on that man's twisted reasoning was pointless.
She needed to focus on the person who had actually saved her.
---
If that boy hadn't stepped in last night, she might have ended up in the news.
And not in a good way.
If things had gone differently, every newspaper in the country would be running headlines about how she was murdered by her high school boyfriend.
The thought alone made her shudder.
She glanced at the time.
She had been so shaken that she hadn't dared to go home, staying at the police station all night instead.
"8:23 AM."
"High school students should be in class by now."
"Well, I'll wait until the afternoon."
"I need to properly thank him."
Teitan High School – Faculty Office
Meanwhile, at Teitan High School, Kaguya was discussing something with a teacher.
"You want to start an occult research club?"
The teacher was a little surprised by her sudden request.
"Yes."
"I, Sanzenin, and Saginomiya are all very interested in the occult. We frequently discuss related topics."
Shinomiya.
Sanzenin.
Saginomiya.
That combination of names made the teacher break into a nervous sweat.
These girls weren't just students.
They were heiresses, the kind every teacher in the school had to be mindful of.
But if they only wanted to start a club, that was perfectly reasonable.
"…Alright. There's no issue with your request. The club will be approved soon."
"Thank you, sensei."
Kaguya gave a polite bow.
Seeing that, the teacher visibly relaxed.
Despite their status, these girls weren't difficult to deal with.
The club application was quickly submitted and just as quickly approved.
They were even given a spacious classroom with great lighting to use as their clubroom.
---
The Occult Research Clubroom
By the time the clubroom was ready, it was fully furnished.
The setup was nothing like a normal classroom.
It had elegant décor, and in the center of the room was a massive U-shaped sofa.
Three large bookshelves lined the walls, filled with manga, novels, and various reference books.
There was also a collection of fine teas and teacups.
On the opposite side of the room stood a giant flat-screen TV, with multiple gaming consoles neatly arranged below it.
Rather than a clubroom, this looked more like a high-end entertainment lounge.
Considering that Shinomiya and Sanzenin were behind it, it wasn't surprising that they had managed to set this up in just one morning.
"…This is a clubroom?"
Ran looked around, completely stunned.
The size, layout, and atmosphere of the room felt out of place in Teitan High School.
It was a far cry from the usual dingy clubrooms most students got.
"This doesn't feel like a club at all."
"That's normal."
Sonoko wasn't fazed at all.
"Shinomiya and Sanzenin both invested in Teitan High School when they transferred here."
"With that kind of influence, it's only natural that the clubs they start wouldn't be treated like normal clubs."
"Besides, as club members, we now have a perfect excuse to take breaks from class."
"The reason? Club activities."
Club activities…
Ran's eyes widened in realization.
"Wait… the school actually lets you skip class because of this?"
Sonoko laughed.
"Sounds crazy, right?"
"Yeah."
"The school allowed it for two main reasons."
First, because Shinomiya and Sanzenin financially support Teitan High School.
And second—
"All three of them are prodigies."
Ran was stunned.
"Sanzenin and Saginomiya both skipped grades at Hakuou Academy, which is an elite school for nobility."
"The way they think is completely different from normal people."
"Meanwhile, Shinomiya has been ranked second in Shuchiin Academy for two years in a row."
"These three are just… built different."
Ran slowly nodded, glancing at the trio.
Kaguya had flawless etiquette and a commanding presence.
Nagi and Isumi were petite in both age and stature but despite their size, their intelligence was undeniable.
Setting aside the mystery of the diary, these three were truly exceptional.
Thinking about it that way, it made sense that the school gave them so much freedom.
"They probably don't even need to worry about academics…"
Ran sighed.
Meanwhile, the only boy in the club, Ren looked genuinely troubled.
Unlike these overachievers, he wasn't particularly good at studying.
He didn't have some supernatural talent or a genius-level IQ.
So being surrounded by these academic monsters was giving him a headache.
"Pfft~"
Sonoko grinned, amused by his distress.
"Well, it can't be helped."
"If you fall behind, Amamiya, you'll just have to get Shinomiya, Sanzenin, or Saginomiya to tutor you."