Reina had been following Rin when she suddenly sensed something and moved instinctively. Before she knew it, she had the other person in her grasp, and her eyes searched the pink-haired stranger for answers.
The pink-haired stranger had a face that could easily captivate anyone. And her violent eyes were striking enough to put anyone under her spell.
But behind those masks, Reina saw the monster hidden beneath them. And the only reason she was able to sense it was because she was of a similar breed of human.
Those soft pink lips opened, and sugary words poured out of that sinful mouth.
"Do I know you? I am sorry, but I am not too fond of strangers. Now, if you would excuse me, I need to get to my class—"
Reina's hand remained on top of that strange girl she had noticed in the hallway. Her grip was tight enough to bruise, yet the shoulder beneath her hand felt stiff and strangely powerful.
Her instincts told her that she was facing a dangerous animal and that she needed to be careful.
But Reina was not without claws of her own.
She was also observant enough to notice the possessive way this girl had looked at Rin.. It was obvious what she wanted, and things started to fall into place.
"Are you sure you do not want to talk to me? Even if it's about Rin—"
Those violent eyes flashed in anger instantly, and the message in them was clear—'Do not say Rin's name.' Reina did not have to say anything else to get that reaction.
"So, are you ready to talk to me now?"
She asked in the same sweet tone. as before, and the pink-haired stranger gritted her teeth before forcing herself to calm down.
It was honestly impressive how quickly she was able to shut her emotions down.
"Fine, let's have a talk. There are things I want to say to you as well."
Reina nodded and led the way. She took them outside where they wouldn't be seen, and she closed the door behind them once they entered the shed.
The pink-haired girl immediately attacked, not even waiting to hear Reina out. And it was only because of Reina's fighting experience that she was able not only to dodge this attack, but also to counter in a way that left the pair in a stalemate.
"Hmm, that was not a very nice greeting. But I will forgive your rudeness this time and introduce myself first. My name is Reina Swan. But I have a feeling you already knew this. Now, about your introduction—"
The pink-haired, soft-looking girl decided to attack again instead of giving an answer. And this time, Reina felt like it was a close call.
She had been in many street fights over the years, but for the first time, she felt like she was outclassed by someone smaller than her.
The pink-haired girl's words were just as soft and sweet as before, but the meaning behind them was not very nice.
"We won't need an introduction after I'm done with you. And after you, your sister will be next."
The thought of her sister being in danger forced Reina to react, and she gained sudden strength to fight back against the pink-haired girl.
"Don't you dare hurt my sister. Just what do you want from me? Is this about Rin—"
That flash told Reina that she had hit the jackpot. This pink-haired girl was here because of Rin, so the way to stop her would be Rin as well.
If so, then—
"Don't you want to know what Rin talked to me about? You won't be able to know anything if you continue like this."
That momentary hesitation was all Reina needed to land her own counter.
She had more body mass than the pink-haired girl and also more combat experience. Combining those two allowed her to regain the upper hand and push the pink-haired girl down.
The first thing Reina did was to make sure her opponent couldn't move, and only then did she start her questioning.
"Alright, now that we have settled down, shall we talk? And before you get the wrong idea, there is nothing going on between me and Rin. The only reason we meet is because of my sister… Don't get worked up. There is nothing going on between Rin and my sister either. He's just in charge of giving her the paperwork since she's sick. I doubt they have even talked until now."
Reina's words were sincere. But unfortunately, she was speaking to someone who had no intention of listening.
"Stop lying to me. Rin would never make friends with anyone else while he has me. You must have approached him and seduced him—"
"Hey, Missy, who said we were friends? At most, we are just using each other. I have no interest in Rin… at least, not yet. And I doubt I ever will. He's not really my type (that was a lie). The reason he approached me was to use me. He told me this himself. But I have a feeling you already know that."
Reina's confidence did not sit well with the pink-haired girl. But her words did help her calm down.
"So… you and Rin are not close?"
"Well, I won't say that. But our closeness won't be a threat to you. In fact, I can help you keep others away from Rin. But in exchange, you will have to promise to protect my sister in the future as well."
The pink-haired girl's face calmed down, and she took a whole minute to think before she nodded.
"I don't trust you fully, but I am willing to give you a try. My name is Shelly Penrose, and I am Rin's childhood friend. It's nice to meet you."
Childhood friend was… not the right thing to say. Shelly felt closer to an obsessed stalker. But it was not Reina's place to interfere.
As long as her sister was kept out of danger, she did not care what Shelly did or how she stalked Rin. But a small part of her—minuscule, even—felt irritated at the fact that this girl had the audacity to stalk someone she was interested in.
Nothing showed on her face, and the feeling barely registered, but Shelly immediately looked at her with those piercing eyes.
"Hey, we have a deal, alright? As long as you do not cross your line, I will not cross mine. But if you dare betray me, then consider our deal off."
There was no hint of emotion left in Shelly's tone. This was a warning—and one she intended to follow through on.
Reina had looked Rin up and discovered that he was not a normal person. So naturally, those who hung around him could not be from normal backgrounds either.
Making an enemy at such a time was likely not a good idea.
"Don't worry. As long as my sister is involved, I won't betray your trust."
Shelly still did not look convinced, and Reina did not try to convince her further either. The thing that finally distracted Shelly was her phone. She looked at it and made an irritated face.
"Tsk, it seems like I need to go now. But don't you dare forget what we talked about today."
Those words reminded Reina of what Rin had said to her not too long ago. As strange as it was to admit, she could see similarities between Shelly and Rin. It made sense in her mind how these two were friends in the first place.
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