"You've got to help me!"
Yugen stared at him, momentarily taken aback by the sudden desperation in Renjiro's voice.
He glanced over his friend's somewhat disheveled appearance, messy hair and slightly rumpled uniform, before looking down the hallway from which Renjiro had come. Whatever had happened, it clearly seemed to have left him in a state of complete panic.
"Hey, calm down first," Yugen said, placing his hands gently on Renjiro's shoulders in an attempt to steady him. "What's going on?"
"It's Saito-senpai!" Renjiro cried, his voice trembling with urgency.
"Saito-senpai?" Yugen raised an eyebrow.
"What about him?"
"A demon is following me!"
"What? A demon..."
"And then he... he looked like a demon! He was chasing me all over the campus, and I-I-I..."
Renjiro blurted out, struggling to put his thoughts into words. His explanation dissolved into frantic jumble of half-finished sentences.
He gestured wildly with hands, occasionally glancing over his shoulder as though Masato might appear around the corner at any second.
The more he tried to explain himself, the more tangled the words became, until Yugen could barely make sense of what he was saying.
Yugen's brows knitted together. "Renjiro, slow down. I can't undertsand you."
He gave the boy's shoulders a gentle squeeze, hoping the reassuring gesture would help him settle down. Whatever had happened between Renjiro and the upperclassman, Yugen needed to understand the situation before he could do anything about it.
"What's going on, Ren?"
Renjiro fell silent for a moment.
He straightened his back and lifted a head, trying desperately to regain some semblance of composure. His breathing was still uneven, and his expression remained tense, but at least he had managed to stop babbling long enough to collect his thoughts.
He looked directly at Yugen, his eyes filled with the seriousness of someone about to deliver a life-changing warning.
"I THINK I'M CURSED BY THAT DEMON! I'M TELLING YOU. HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!!!"
His voice thundered through the hallway with such extraordinary force that Yugen nearly recoiled on the spot. For a brief horrifying second, he genuinely wondered whether his eardrums had just been shattered by the sheer volume of Renjiro's sudden scream.
"...."
Silence followed.
The tension slowly drained from his face as embarrassment crept into his expression as he realized. Scratching his cheek awkwardly, and offering a sheepish grin that looked painfully out of place after dramatic declaration.
"Oh, sorry..." Renjiro mumbled, glancing away. "Guess that was a little too much."
Yugen remained motionless for another moment, apparently trying to process both the warning and the deafening delivery that had accompanied it.
"It's..." he began, blinking slowly, "fine..."
Yet the bewildered look on his face suggested that he was anything but that.
A few minutes later.
"So, tell me what's going on. You mentioned Saito-senpai, what about him?"
Yugen's firm question made Renjiro stiffen slightly. The two had resumed walking together down the hallway, and now that his initial panic had finally subsided, Renjiro was beginning to realize the gravity of his earlier actions. Worse, he had nearly revealed something that wasn't his business to share in the first place.
Oh, crap... he thought, feeling a wave of regret wash over him. I almost told him about that demonic senpai.
The realization made him wince internally. Renjiro already decided that he wanted nothing to do with any romantic entanglements involving that demon of an upperclassman.
"Um... well, it's nothing," Renjiro replied, forcing an awkward smile as he scratched his cheek. "Just forget I even said anything to you."
Yugen stopped walking for a moment and gave him a suspicious look. "Nothing? You practically screamed at me a few minutes ago looking all a mess, and now you're telling me it's nothing?"
"Well, when you put it that way..." Renjiro muttered, his smile growing even more strained.
He hurriedly looked away, hoping Yugen would somehow accept his flimsy excuse and drop the subject. Unfortunately, his friend didn't seem particularly convinced, he could practically feel Yugen's questioning gaze boring into the side of his face. And the longer the silence stretched between them, the more uncomfortable it became.
He just needed to say something—anything—to divert Yugen's attention before the conversation took a turn he desperately wanted to avoid.
Then, with a sympathetic look that seemed strangely out of place on his usually expressive face, Renjiro gently patted Yugen's shoulder. It was an oddly solemn gesture, almost as though he were offering his deepest condolences for some terrible misfortune that had yet to occur.
"Just be careful, okay?" Renjiro said, filled with genuine concern as he gave a small encouraging nod. "And don't let your guard down."
"Huh?" Yugen blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected advice.
The latter suddenly Renjiro leaned closer and gripped both of his shoulders. The change in his demeanor was so abrupt Yugen instinctively stiffened. Renjiro's eyes were wide with urgency and looked as though he were about to reveal a terrible secret that could determined the fate of the world.
"Especially around third years," Renjiro warned in a hushed but intensely serious voice. "It doesn't matter if they're your seniors or how nice they seem. Never—and I mean absolutely never—trust them too easily. You get me dude?!"
"Okay, now you're acting weird, Ren."
Yugen replied slowly stared at him in silence and expression growing increasingly uneasy.
He wondered whether Renjiro had somehow hit his head when he fell earlier. Perhaps the impact had been harder than it looked, and was now suffering from some sort of concussion. That would certainly explain why he was suddenly acting strange.
"I'm not acting weird!"
"You're gripping my shoulders and warning me as if I'm going to be attack. And with third years?"
Well, just only one particular third year.
"Calm down, will you?"
Yugen's voice remained calm, but there was a noticeable hint of frustration beneath it. He had been patient enough to listen to his friend's nonsensical warnings, yet his friend continued to dodge every question behaving as though Yugen were about to walk straight into a trap.
Renjiro, however, seemed unwilling to give up. He tightened his grip on Yugen's shoulders, face turning grave once more as he leaned forward to deliver what he apparently considered the most important warning of all.
"Just tell me what's really going on—"
"Protect your chastity and innocence, Yugen!"
"MY WHAT NOW?!" Yugen finally shouted in surprise, his patience reaching its limit. "YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE."
"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY!"
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY WHEN YOU WON'T EVEN EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?!"
Their voices rang throughout the hallway, drawing the attention of several students who happened to be passing by.
Yugen was uncertain whether this supposed impending disaster was really going to be concern about or his friend was simply losing his mind.
For a moment, the two stood facing each other, both breathing a little harder after their outburst. Yugen stared at him in utter confusion. Meanwhile, Renjiro could only look back with a troubled frown already in his own thoughts
I'm sorry, Yugen, he lamented inwardly. I want to save you from that demon, but I can't exactly tell you why without getting involved in his business!
And so, with conscience warring against his survival instincts, he decided that the best course of action was to remain silent and walked away. Unfortunately, judging by the murderous glare Yugen was now directing at him, that decision was probably going to make everything a whole lot worse.
He hates being left out about something. That Yugen really... Renjiro thought to himself as he saw the back of his friend oozing an upset aura.
"Guess I'll have to coax him eventually." Renjiro exhaled outwardly in slight distress. And quickly gasped as realization dawned at him.
"But that would mean I'll need to tell him about that!"
"Arggghhhhhhh!"
A few more days had passed since Renjiro's rather unfortunate situation and ever since then, he had been taking every possible precaution to avoid bumping into the troublesome upperclassman. He wasn't about to surrender so easily, and was determined to put an end to this ridiculous situation. If only so he could finally have some peace of mind.
Yugen is still upset about it. I can't talk to him right now, or he'll never stop pestering me until he finds out the reason.
Renjiro exhaled softly as he made his way toward the schoolyard, keeping his eyes open for any familiar faces along the way. He had been avoiding Yugen for much the same reason with Masato. It was only a matter of time before the he get cornered once again.
Despite the exhausting days of constantly looking over his shoulder to find a hiding place, Renjiro had managed to discover one reliable source of comfort that never failed him: reading his favorite BL manga. No matter how troublesome real-life circumstances became, there was always something relaxing about immersing himself in a fictional romance between two boys.
The characters, their relationships, and even the dramatic misunderstandings were enough to take his mind off his own problems. In fact, one of his favorite serious had recently released its highly anticipated third volume, an installment that fans had been eagerly waiting for. Naturally, Renjiro was among those who couldn't wait to get their hands on a copy.
Acquiring it, however, had been a little troublesome. The academy maintained rather strict policies regarding certain reading materials, and bringing such manga onto school grounds wasn't exactly something students could do without worrying about getting caught. Renjiro had initially struggled to figure out how he could obtain the latest volume without attracting unnecessary attention.
But that certainly wasn't going to stop him from getting his hands on it. After all, where there's a will, there's always a way.
Online shopping had proven to be his greatest ally. He had discreetly placed an order and finally secured the precious volume.
Normally, Renjiro would've chosen the comfort of his dormitory or perhaps a quiet corner inside the library. However, a certain demon was currently lurking somewhere around the school building, neither option seemed particularly appealing anymore. He could already imagine Masato casually approaching him and finding yet another excuse to strike up a conversation.
After giving it some thought, Renjiro decided that the schoolyard would be the perfect place to settle down. It was considerably larger than the indoor facilities, with plenty of trees and secluded corners where one could spend their free time. As long as he chose his spot carefully, he could enjoy the manga without having to worry about an unexpected visitor interrupting him.
That demon would have a hard time spotting me anywhere in this place.
A mischievous smirk gradually crept across Renjiro's face as he surveyed the spacious yard. For once, he felt as though he had the upper hand.
"Finally! I can have this peace all to myself...!"
Renjiro practically beamed at the thought, clutching the manga a little closer as he continued searching for the perfect spot. Little did he know, that his hard-earned peace might not last nearly as long as he hoped.
He was completely absorbed in the romance, particularly now that he had reached one of the most anticipated moments in the story.
The main couple have finally overcome their misunderstandings! I'm so happy... they're confessing their feelings to each other in the most tender and intimate way.
With his eyes glued to the pages, Renjiro practically forgot about the world around him. He was so deeply immersed in the blossoming romance that even the occasional breeze passing through the bushes barely registered in his mind. However, just as he reached the climax of the scene, faint rustling sound suddenly caught his attention.
Rustle.
Renjiro's eyes shifted toward the bushes nearby. His ears seemed to twitch instinctively, and his entire body went still. Slowly, he lowered the manga and cautiously ducked behind the bushes, peeking through the gaps between the leaves as he scanned the surrounding area. His eyes darted from one direction to another, carefully examining every possible hiding spot.
But no suspicious movement, no approaching footsteps, and certainly no familiar upperclassman lurking around to ruin his afternoon.
Renjiro remained crouched for a few more seconds before finally releasing the breath he had been holding.
"Phew... guess it was all just my imagination after all," he mumbled to himself, shoulders relaxed.
He shook his head slightly, realizing just how badly Masato had gotten into his head. And managed to leave such a deep impression on him that even the slightest rustling sound was enough to make one suspicious.
Seriously, that guy is giving me unnecessary paranoia.
With that thought, Renjiro settled back into his comfortable position and returned his attention to the manga. He carefully flipped to the next page, only to have his eyes immediately land on a rather intimate illustration.
He stared at the page with an almost impressively composed poker face, as though simply reading an ordinary textbook. He turned to another page and the intimate scene continued, his concentration only intensified.
Eyes followed every panel with remarkable attention, unwilling to miss even the smallest detail. While his face remained unchanged, his mind was anything but that calm, as thoughts practically exploded with excitement.
Oh my goodness~~ look at them! They're so gentle with each other!
Renjiro was practically overflowing with happiness. He silently praised the author for the beautiful illustrations, the carefully written dialogue, and the way the couple's relationship had developed throughout the previous volumes. Even the intimate moments were handled so wonderfully that he couldn't help but appreciate every single panel.
He wanted to roll around in the grass and scream about how adorable the two characters were. Only his lips betrayed him, quivering as he struggled to suppress the delighted smile threatening to spread across his face.
"Wow... that looks intense."
Renjiro nodded absentmindedly, his eyes still fixed on the page. "Oh, it's more than intense alright~"
[...]
[...]
He slowly stopped turning the page. That voice hadn't come from his imagination. Fingers froze against the edge of the manga, and strange chill crept down his spine. For a brief moment, he couldn't bring himself to move, as though his body had already recognized the impending danger before the mind could process it.
Then, with the stiffness of someone expecting the worst, slowly turned his head over the shoulder. And there was Masato crouching right beside him, leaning casually over his head with face surprisingly close.
Their eyes met
[!!]
Masato's lips curled into a playful smile.
"Boo! I found you."
"KYAAAAAAAAAA!!"
Renjiro jolted upright so violently that he nearly dropped the manga. His scream came straight from the depths of his lungs, rising into an extraordinarily shrill pitch that could probably be heard from the other side of the schoolyard.
"DEMONNNNN!!!"
He scrambled away, clutching the manga against his chest as though it were the only thing protecting him.
"W-W-W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
Masato blinked at him for a moment before smoothly shifting into a usual charming smile. It was almost impressive how effortlessly he could maintain such a pleasant expression despite having just scared someone half to death.
"Same as you, I suppose." he tilted his head slightly, looking rather amused by Renjiro's reaction. "What are you doing here, Koizumi-kun?"
Renjiro could barely process the question. He distance between himself and the upperclassman as the limited space allowed. His expression was one of the absolute horror, as though he had just witnessed a ghost emerging from its grave to haunt him personally.
How...? His mind went completely blank for a moment. HOW DID HE FIND ME HERE?!
Renjiro looked around trying to make a sense of what had just happened. He had even taken the time to insprct the area before settling down.
This spot was hidden. There's no way he could've found me here!
A wave of frustration mixed with overwhelming disbelief washed over him. Unfortunately, he had very little time to contemplate dozen of questions.
Masato had already straightened himself and was now standing directly in front of him. He looked at Renjiro with an almost dangerously playful grin, seemingly delighted by the fact that there was nowhere for the boy to escape to.
Renjiro was completely cornered.