Saturday – Summer Fall High – Rooftop – Lunch Break
Kiharu sat alone on the rooftop, a place where he could escape the judgmental stares of others. Beside him was his homemade bento, neatly packed in a simple black lunchbox. Inside, there was soft white rice, now slightly cold, arranged neatly in one corner. Next to it, thinly sliced carrots and boiled cabbage sat in small compartments, their colors still vibrant. Golden-brown fried potatoes gave off a faint crispiness, and a few slices of pickles were topped with a drizzle of mayonnaise.
This was where he always ate—away from the eyes of his classmates. People often stared at him as if he were some kind of freak. But who could blame them? He was a man with delicate, feminine features, someone who didn't quite fit the mold of what others expected.
He just wished society was a little fairer to people like him.
But today, something else weighed heavily on his mind.
"What should I say to him?"
In his hand, his phone screen glowed faintly. A number was displayed on it.
Ezakiel's number.
His fingers hovered over the screen, trembling slightly. His grip felt weak, his chest tight with hesitation. He didn't know what to do—whether to call, to text, or to simply stare at the screen, hoping the words would come to him.
He wanted to talk to him. To tell him everything he felt. To thank him—for coming into his life, for giving him the strength to stand up for himself, for making him feel like he wasn't alone.
But he couldn't.
With a quiet sigh, he set the phone down beside him, the number still glowing on the screen. His gaze drifted upward, watching the clouds move slowly across the sky, casting shifting shadows over the rooftop.
Then his view was blocked.
A figure stood above him, casting a shadow over his lunch.
It was none other than Nagisa Mizaki.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, eyeing him with suspicion.
Kiharu looked up, meeting her gaze. "Eating… my lunch," he replied, gesturing toward the open bento beside him as he slowly got up.
The rooftop was kept off-limits to prevent students from attempting suicide—or, in some cases, to stop someone from pushing another student off. It was a grim reality, but one that couldn't be ignored.
"I got permission from the principal to eat here," Kiharu answered calmly. "As long as I don't cause any trouble, I'm allowed to be here."
"And why would the principal allow that?" Nagisa questioned, narrowing her eyes. "Even someone like me, a student council member, isn't permitted up here unless it's extremely important." She let out a short breath, shifting her weight to one side. "How did you get special treatment just like that?"
"Because I told her about my situation," he replied. "I explained how I'm treated in this school. She didn't really care, but at least she allowed me to be here. It keeps me out of sight and prevents unnecessary commotion, which is best for everyone."
"I see..." she said with a nod, placing a hand on her chin, as if deep in thought.
Kiharu watched her, unsure if he should say anything or let her continue thinking. After a few seconds of hesitation, he finally spoke.
"If you don't mind me asking... what are you doing here?"
"Oh, me?" she said, taking a few steps forward before spinning around with a smile, arms spread wide. "I'm here for this..."
Before he could react, she drove her hand straight into his stomach.
A sharp, unbearable pain shot through him as her fingers twisted inside, tearing through flesh. His body jerked, his breath caught in his throat, and blood spilled from his mouth. His legs trembled, barely able to hold him up. Warm blood poured from the wound, soaking his clothes and dripping onto the rooftop floor, forming a growing pool beneath him.
"I was just waiting for the right moment and place for this," she whispered into his ear. "And luckily, you gave me the perfect opportunity."
Then, with one swift motion, she pushed her entire arm through his body.
A sickening squelch filled the air as more blood gushed from both the front and back of his body. His vision blurred, the metallic scent of blood overwhelming his senses. The pain was unbearable—his body convulsed, his strength fading rapidly.
"Here's a gift for you," she whispered. Then, pressing her lips against his, she kissed him.
As she pulled her arm out, his body collapsed onto the cold rooftop floor with a dull thud. Blood pooled beneath him, his lifeless form sprawled out, motionless.
Nagisa stood over him, watching.
Slowly, the gaping wound in his torso began to close. Flesh reformed, knitting itself back together. Blood, once spilled, seeped back into his body as if time itself were reversing. Even his blood-soaked clothes repaired themselves, the fabric slowly stitching back to its original state.
"It won't be long before you regain consciousness," she murmured, her eyes fixed on him. "So I need to do this now."
She moved quickly, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it off before yanking his pants away, leaving only his underwear.
His chest was now bare.
Raising her hand, she conjured a small, pulsating seed, its surface shifting unnaturally as if it were alive. Then, her hand began to vibrate at an inhuman speed.
She pressed her palm against his bare chest. Her hand phased through skin and bone as if they were nothing, slipping deep inside. She guided the seed directly into his heart, embedding it within before smoothly pulling her hand back.
No external wounds.
No visible trace.
The process was complete.
She exhaled, a smirk forming on her lips. "Now... it's only a matter of time."
Then, without any rush, she began dressing him back up, carefully buttoning his shirt and pulling his pants back on.
"I feel like I'm dressing up a doll," she mused, running her fingers over the fabric before smoothing it out. His skin was impossibly soft, unnaturally smooth. "No wonder those girls were jealous of him... Such a shame this beauty of his won't last long."
As she finished, her gaze drifted to the phone lying nearby. Curious, she picked it up and glanced at the screen.
Her smirk widened. "Oh? Now, this is interesting," she murmured, staring at the name displayed.
"I wonder how this guy has Ezakiel's number... I'll keep this for myself." A glint of amusement flashed in her eyes. "Saves me the trouble of getting it from our dear old principal's records without getting caught..."
Then, her expression slowly twisted into something depraved, her smirk stretching unnaturally. "And I can't wait to see the looks on Mari and Tsumi's faces." A low chuckle escaped her lips. "Those two really think they're the only ones who know about Ezakiel's mysterious nature?"
She tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with a dark thrill. "They must have forgotten about my ability."
She turned her attention back to Kiharu, watching his unconscious body with an amused glint in her eyes.
"Anyway, the seed I planted in his heart should work perfectly as an alarm system," she murmured to herself. "The moment he gains his monster powers, I'll know. And more than that... I'll finally understand how a unique monster is born—or how a human becomes one."
She let out a low, delighted chuckle, her face twisting into something unhinged.
"And it's all thanks to Ezakiel… for this gift of knowledge."
Her fingers twitched with excitement as a dark, depraved thought curled in her mind. I wonder how his mind would taste.