The sun hung low on the horizon, casting an orange glow over Fujimi High School. Morning announcements droned through the intercom as students shuffled into Room 3-B, their conversations subdued. Haruka Yoshida's death still lingered heavily in the air, her empty desk a grim reminder of the tragedy.
Aoi Nakamura tapped her pen against her notebook, glancing at her classmates. No one seemed to be in the mood for their usual banter. Even Daichi Kobayashi, normally the loudest in the room, sat quietly, scrolling through his phone.
"Did you see it?" Keiko Mori whispered from the row behind her.
"See what?" Aoi turned, confused.
"The new chapter of The Class Reaper." Keiko's voice dropped even lower, her eyes darting nervously around the room.
Aoi frowned. "Wait... there's a new chapter already?"
Keiko nodded. "It was uploaded late last night. And... it's about Haruka."
Aoi froze. "What?"
During the lunch break, the students huddled in small groups, their phones glowing as they read the latest chapter of The Class Reaper.
The second chapter depicted Haruka Yoshida in chilling detail: her short hair, her silver bracelet, the rainy rooftop. The panels showed her fall, frame by frame, as if the artist had been there to witness it.
"This is... insane," Daichi muttered, scrolling through the pages with wide eyes. "It's exactly what happened to Haruka."
"It's just a coincidence," Hikaru said, though his voice wavered.
"Coincidence?" Keiko snapped. "You seriously think someone just guessed what happened to her?"
Aoi sat silently, staring at the final panel: Haruka lying lifeless on the ground, rain pooling around her body. The detail was so vivid it sent a shiver down her spine.
"Whoever's making this manga..." she began, her voice trembling. "They know something. They have to."
Ryota's Mask
Across the room, Ryota Takashi sat at his desk, his face calm and expressionless. His classmates were too engrossed in their phones to notice him.
He listened quietly to their whispers, their rising fear. Each comment, each gasp of shock, fed a dark satisfaction deep within him.
At the edge of his desk lay a small notebook, filled with sketches and notes for the next chapter. His pencil rested on an unfinished drawing of Daichi Kobayashi.
"One by one," he thought, his lips curling into a faint smile. "They'll all read it. They'll all see."
By the end of the day, the atmosphere in Room 3-B was tense. The students exchanged nervous glances, their conversations peppered with speculation about The Class Reaper.
"Maybe it's someone from another school," Daichi suggested, his voice shaky. "Someone who knew Haruka."
"Or..." Keiko hesitated. "It's someone here."
Her words sent a ripple through the room. No one said it aloud, but the thought had crossed everyone's mind.
"Come on, that's ridiculous," Hikaru said, laughing nervously. "No one here would..." His voice trailed off as his gaze swept across the room, lingering briefly on each of his classmates.
That evening, Ryota sat in his dimly lit room, his desk covered in papers and ink-stained tools. He leaned back in his chair, staring at his computer screen. The third chapter of The Class Reaper was nearly complete.
The final panel showed Daichi Kobayashi, his usual confident grin replaced by a look of terror. In the background, a shadowy figure loomed, their face obscured.
Ryota smiled to himself as he added the finishing touches.
"Tomorrow," he whispered. "They'll see what's next."
Daichi's shaking hand reaching for a door handle, unaware of what awaited him on the other side.