The hallway of the school building was almost empty.
The white light from the ceiling lamps reflected off the polished floor, spreading a cold glow across the corridor.
The silence felt heavy, broken only by the sound of Aoi's footsteps.
Tac… tac… tac…
She walked alone.
Ahead of her, at the end of the hallway, the elongated shadows of a few girls disappeared around the corner leading to the girls' restroom.
Aoi didn't run.
She didn't speed up.
She simply walked.
Following the shadows.
Each step was quiet—yet firm.
When she reached the end of the hallway, the sound of a door closing echoed softly.
The girls' restroom.
Aoi stopped in front of the door.
She took a deep breath.
A small sigh escaped her lips.
Then she pushed it open.
The scent of cleaning products mixed with a faint metallic smell lingered in the air.
The restroom was spacious, its white tiles reflecting the cold light from above.
As the door opened, a girl was standing right at the entrance.
Heavy eyeliner.
A slightly worn uniform.
A skirt shorter than the school rules allowed.
She looked at Aoi with disdain.
"Closed."
"Go to another one."
Aoi lifted her gaze and looked straight at her.
Her eyes didn't waver.
"This is where I want to be."
For a moment, the girl said nothing.
Then a crooked smile formed on her lips.
"Oh yeah?"
Suddenly, she grabbed Aoi's arm and pulled her inside.
Clack.
The door shut behind them.
The girl shoved Aoi toward the center of the restroom.
Aoi stumbled—but managed to stay on her feet.
And then she saw her.
At the back, sitting against the wall, hair messy, eyes wide open—
Misaki.
"S-Sakamoto…?!"
"What are you doing here?!"
One of the girls laughed.
"Trash always finds its own kind."
Aoi completely ignored the comment.
Her eyes were only on Misaki.
"I came to get you out of here."
Misaki's eyes widened even more.
"You're…
crazy."
At that moment—
THUMP
One of the girls kicked Aoi in the stomach.
The air left her lungs in a muffled gasp as she dropped to her knees.
Even so, she kept looking at Misaki.
"Misaki-san…"
She struggled to breathe.
"I really wanted to thank you… for what you
said at the hospital."
Misaki looked completely confused.
"You're still talking about that?!"
Aoi tried to stand—
But another kick sent her body crashing against the door.
THUD
Her head hit lightly.
Even so…
She stood up again.
Step by step.
Walking toward Misaki.
One of the girls grabbed her hair.
"What are you staring at?"
She laughed.
"You're practically crawling!"
She lifted her leg to kick again—
But the moment the attack came—
Aoi stepped back.
A quick, sharp movement.
SLAP
The sound echoed through the restroom.
The girl spun from the impact and fell to the ground.
Silence.
The girl touched her cheek, eyes wide.
"Y-you…"
Everyone stared at Aoi.
Even Misaki.
Aoi was breathing heavily, looking at the girl on the floor.
Another girl clicked her tongue.
"You're just gonna stay down there, Megumim?"
Megumim stood up slowly.
Her face red.
Her eyes filled with rage.
"You're dead."
She raised her hand—
Aoi closed her eyes and raised her arm to protect her face.
Waiting.
But the impact never came.
Instead—
Megumim screamed.
"What?!"
Her arm was suddenly pulled back, and her body slammed into the floor.
THUD
Aoi opened her eyes.
"M-Mio?!"
Kanzaki Mio was on top of Megumim, completely locking her arm behind her back.
She smirked.
"And I used to say I didn't need self-defense lessons."
Behind her, Hina was holding her phone, recording everything.
"Got it!"
She raised the phone.
"All recorded."
She pointed at the girls.
"If you don't leave Aoi and Misaki alone…"
A sharp smile.
"I'll post your faces online."
Megumim turned pale.
The other girls exchanged glances.
One by one, they left.
In silence.
Megumim quickly got up—
And ran away too.
The restroom became quiet again.
Aoi slowly exhaled.
"Aah…"
She gave a small laugh.
"Miracles really do happen."
Mio sighed.
"You shouldn't be laughing, Aoi-chan."
Hina looked at Misaki.
She was still staring at the floor.
Aoi spoke gently.
"Misaki… are you okay?"
Suddenly—
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
Misaki shouted.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
But also anger.
"Why did you get involved?!"
Mio muttered dryly:
"Wow. No 'thank you'?"
Misaki clenched her fists.
"I'm serious!"
Her voice trembled.
"I… did bad things."
She looked away.
"I deserved this."
Silence fell.
"I used to be one of them," she said.
"I was part of that group."
After a few seconds, Aoi spoke.
"Your eyes were asking for help."
"I don't know how to explain it…
but I saw myself in you."
Misaki stayed silent.
Hina spoke softly.
"It's like back then… when we were kids…"
Aoi nodded.
Misaki murmured:
"But you didn't hurt people…"
"I have to pay for it."
Mio crossed her arms.
"Being humiliated like this won't fix anything."
Aoi tilted her head slightly.
"Do you want to talk with us?"
No answer.
After a few seconds, Misaki asked:
"Why risk yourselves for me?"
A tear fell from her face.
Hina answered quickly:
"Aoi went first."
"We just followed her."
Misaki looked at Aoi—
And froze.
Aoi's eyes felt empty.
Deep.
Almost lifeless.
"S-Sakamoto…?"
Aoi stepped closer.
"What are you going to do now?"
Misaki wiped her tears.
"I don't know…"
"They'll get revenge."
Hina crossed her arms.
"We already expected that."
Mio smirked.
"I know self-defense."
Aoi nodded.
"Well… we'll deal with that later."
She looked directly at Misaki.
"But I have something more important to ask."
Misaki frowned.
"More important?"
Aoi answered calmly:
"Yeah.
It just came to me."
Misaki swallowed.
Then—
Aoi asked:
"Do you want to be our healer?"
Silence.
Hina's eyes widened.
Mio facepalmed.
Misaki blinked.
"…What?"
A few minutes later, the tension had almost completely faded.
"Healer?" Misaki asked. "That sounds like an RPG."
Hina's eyes sparkled instantly.
"YES! It is an RPG! Do you play?!"
Misaki thought for a moment.
"I used to watch my brother play…
I tried it a few times."
Hina grinned.
"We play Eternal Aegis Online!
We have a party—but we need a healer!"
Misaki sighed.
"…How did we even get to games…"
Mio checked the time.
"We've been here too long. Fifteen minutes left."
All three looked at her at once.
Suddenly—
Aoi widened her eyes.
"M-MY BENTO IS STILL ON MY DESK!"
"I need to buy an anpan!" Hina said.
Mio sighed.
Aoi then looked back at Misaki.
"I think you're okay now… right?"
Misaki looked at her for a few seconds.
Then took a deep breath.
"I… want to."
"…To be your healer."
Aoi's face lit up.
"Really?!"
The four of them left the restroom together.
Aoi asked:
"You were watching me get beaten and didn't help?"
Hina started sweating.
Mio replied:
"I tried… but Hina insisted on gathering evidence."
Hina bowed quickly.
"Sorry, Aoi-chan! I wanted to make sure they'd never—"
Aoi interrupted:
"It's okay. But next time, help me, okay?"
Mio sighed.
"There won't be a next time, Aoi-chan."
Aoi smiled faintly.
When they returned, Souma was waiting in the hallway.
"Is everything okay? I was worried!"
Aoi smiled softly.
"We have a healer now."
Souma blinked.
"A healer?"
"Misaki," Aoi said.
Souma looked into the classroom, then back at her.
"…Amazing."
"You're amazing, Sakamoto."
Aoi waved her hands quickly.
"N-no, it's nothing!"
She laughed awkwardly.
"I don't even know why I asked that."
Souma took a breath.
"Can I ask something?"
"What?"
He hesitated.
"Can I call you… Aoi?"
Time seemed to pause.
Aoi turned red.
"N-no! I mean—yes!"
"It's just… we're not really—"
"Not what?" Souma asked.
Before she could answer—
The classroom door slammed open.
Hanae stood there, clearly irritated.
"We're trying to eat in here."
"Take that atmosphere somewhere else."
Aoi and Souma looked at each other—and laughed.
Then they went inside.
Now, the party was complete.
Tank.
warrior.
Mage.
And now—
A healer.