Hina's Perspective
The classroom slowly settled into its usual morning rhythm.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long rectangles of light across the desks. The quiet murmur of students talking filled the room while Ms. Temi finished organizing papers at her desk.
Everything felt… normal.
Too normal.
I sat beside Yuki while she whispered excitedly about the upcoming class elections.
"I think you should run for class president," she said.
I shook my head immediately.
"No way."
"Hina, you're literally the most responsible person here."
"Exactly why I don't want the job."
Yuki laughed quietly.
Across the room, I could feel someone staring at me.
I didn't need to look.
I already knew who it was.
Hanato Hamagi.
When I finally glanced back, he was leaning back in his chair with his feet crossed under the desk, lazily tossing a pencil into the air and catching it.
His left eye still had a faint bruise.
Good.
He deserved it.
He noticed me looking and smirked.
I immediately looked away.
Idiot.
Hanato's Perspective
I caught Hina staring at me again.
She quickly looked away the moment our eyes met.
Wow.
Subtle.
I leaned back in my chair, spinning my pencil between my fingers.
Man, she punched hard.
The bruise around my eye was still sore.
Totally worth it though.
Shouji sat beside me, quietly reading through the class schedule.
He glanced at my face.
"You really shouldn't provoke her so much."
"I didn't provoke her."
"You put a pie in her locker."
"That was a harmless prank."
"You got punched."
"She escalated the situation."
Shouji sighed.
"You two are impossible."
Across the room, Yuki leaned toward Hina and whispered something.
Hina immediately turned red.
Interesting.
I leaned forward slightly.
"What are they talking about?"
Shouji shrugged.
"No idea."
At that exact moment, Yuki suddenly turned around and pointed at me.
"Hanato!"
Great.
Now what?
"Yes?" I said cautiously.
Yuki smiled mischievously.
"Were you really crying after Hina punched you?"
The classroom instantly became quiet.
Several students looked at me.
I stared at her.
"...Excuse me?"
Hina slammed her hand on the desk.
"Yuki!"
Her face was bright red now.
I grinned slowly.
"Oh wow."
I turned toward Hina.
"So you were thinking about me after school?"
"I was not!"
"You talk about me a lot then?"
"Shut up!"
The class burst into laughter.
Even Shouji covered his mouth trying not to laugh.
Hina looked like she wanted to throw a desk at me.
I leaned back in my chair again, satisfied.
This day was getting better already.
Near the front of the classroom, Lilie Shiniki sat with her arms crossed.
She looked extremely annoyed.
"This classroom is unacceptable," she complained.
A girl nearby blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"My father specifically asked the school for a more advanced class."
She flipped her hair.
"And yet I'm surrounded by idiots."
The entire class went silent.
Someone whispered in the back.
"She's the mayor's daughter."
Ah.
That explained it.
I whispered to Shouji.
"I give her two weeks before someone punches her."
Shouji sighed.
"Please don't be the one who does it."
"No promises."
Attendance
Ms. Temi finally stood up at the front of the room.
"Alright everyone, let's begin."
She picked up the attendance sheet.
Students slowly returned to their seats.
The classroom quieted.
"Akagi."
"Present."
"Hanzaki."
"Present."
"Hamagi."
"Here."
The attendance continued normally.
Until Ms. Temi paused.
"Reno?"
Silence.
She looked up.
"Reno?"
A girl in the back raised her hand.
"He hasn't arrived yet."
Ms. Temi frowned slightly.
"That's unusual."
Before she could say anything else—
A strange noise echoed through the hallway.
Metal scraping against something.
Then heavy footsteps.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Everyone in the classroom looked toward the door.
The footsteps stopped.
For a moment…
Everything went quiet.
Then—
BOOM
The classroom door exploded inward.
Wood splintered across the room as something massive forced its way inside.
Students screamed.
Standing in the doorway was a creature unlike anything anyone had ever seen.
Its body was enormous.
Covered in dark metal-like scales.
Razor-sharp spikes ran down its back like blades.
Its glowing red eyes scanned the room.
And its long tail ended in a spear-shaped blade.
The monster opened its mouth and spoke in a deep, distorted voice.
"Lilie Shiniki."
The classroom froze.
"You will pay."
Lilie slowly stood up.
Her face went pale.
"...Reno?"
The monster smiled.
"I told you I would get revenge."
Before anyone could react, the creature lunged forward.
It grabbed Lilie in one massive claw.
Students screamed.
Desks were thrown aside.
And in the next instant—
The monster smashed straight through the window.
Glass shattered across the classroom as the creature leapt into the open air.
Carrying Lilie with it.
Silence filled the room.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
And then the panic began.