"Ow- Careful with- Ouch-!"

Prodding and poking at me with her long nails, sticking small plasters practically all over my face, the nurse attends to me for what feels like an eternity. Each little prod uncovers the stinging sensation of a cut I didn't know I had. I'm sure I'll be leaving this room with more scratches than I started with. My only form of protest is to remind her to be gentle, but that evidently falls upon deaf ears, as she carries on while humming a sweet tune to herself. Must be nice to have so little awareness, no cares in the world.

"My, you had quite the tumble, didn't you?" She finally addresses me, although it's the typical sort of blame-y thing I'd expect from an adult. "You must be more careful next time. Do you know what could've led to this? Any stresses lately?"

I follow her movement with my eyes; she trots over to the little desk beside the bed I'm resting in, retrieving a clipboard and pen. I'm still in a bit of a daze, so my memory of everything that's happened the past couple days is blurry. "I'm not sure what happened..."

She flicks her questioning glance to the green-headed girl sat near my bed. "You were there, weren't you? Surely you must've seen what happened."

"Um, well..." Gumi lightly rubs at her cheek with a finger, at a loss for words. "You see, it all went down so fast. One minute we were talking to Kaito-san, and the next, he just crumples to the floor!"

That sounds as vague as my explanation of events, which is kind of odd. She saw the whole thing, didn't she? I hope there's not some sort of cover up going on here… "Yeah, that's the best you're gonna get… Sorry," I flash an apologetic smile, although it's painful to even smile properly right now. "I guess I've been a little stressed over these Talent Trials, though."

I can see that look in the nurse's eyes. I'm sure she's been made aware of my supposed foul play in the events. Me being 'a little' stressed probably seems like a huge understatement to her. But, she's here to help, not judge. She gives a little grin, before nodding. "Yes, well… It's nothing serious this time." She scribbles some things down onto the clipboard, and I can only wonder what judgemental things rest on that piece of paper. Best I don't find out. "Oh, by the way, we've gone ahead and phoned your parents to update them on a few things. You should be hearing back from them pretty soon. In the meantime, rest up for a couple hours, okay? We'll get you signed out formally later."

With a deep sigh, my head flops back onto the pillow. Not the most comfortable thing, but it's good enough… Especially with the horrible aching all over my body. It's like it's more mental soreness than physical… Like something more than just a fall happened. It's strange to think about, and whenever I try to recall it over in my head, that unsettling feeling within me only grows.

The nurse heads out of the room, presumably back into the main office to take more phone calls or something. Some of the tension fades away once she's gone. Too many questions and far too much poking.

I have no choice but to let go of my anger from earlier. At least for now. I turn my slow, tired gaze over to Gumi, who's still sitting beside my bed. "Why are you here?" That question comes out a lot more sourly than I intend, but at this point, I'm fed up. Exhausted and grumpy; no desire to fight and lash out, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up.

"I… I didn't want to say anything while the nurse was here, but..." There's a flash of a nervous expression on her face. Something is different. The entire time these Mahogany Creek kids have been here, they've been nothing but hostile and always trying to pick a fight. Gumi in particular hasn't been my biggest fan. But now there's actual depth to her? "Actually, I didn't want to say anything while Len-kun was still around. Back then, in the music room, I… I don't even know what happened. I can't explain it."

Narrowing my eyes, I urge her to elaborate. "Len-san? Why him specifically?" Literally everyone except Len's friends and Neru has seen the problem with the guy, so it's a bit surprising to hear that Gumi wants to hide a certain detail from him. That's why I focus on that point first, rather than the other.

"I..." She still seems to be struggling to get her words out. That's when I notice her skin has grown a shade lighter, pale as can be. She fixates her eyes on her quaking palms, as though remembering something she's tried hard to shut out.

Concern wells up in my chest. I don't like Mahogany Creek kids. I certainly don't like Gumi. But I'm not a total asshole – she's going through something unpleasant right now to say the least, and I'm the only one she trusts to expose this to. I have to do my best to ease her worries, no matter how I feel about this whole cheating thing. "Hey..." I weakly lift an arm, extending it out to rest my hand on top of hers, which are icy to the touch. I suck in a pained breath, not wanting to let her know how difficult it is to move. That one touch alone… The moment that connection is made… It's like I'm seeing her in a totally different light.

Gumi's shaking lessens significantly, and she tilts her head up to stare at me with wide eyes. It's weird to be making such intense eye contact with someone I previously pretty much despised. She gulps down her fear, and is finally able to get more words out. "In the music room… I'm not sure how to prove it, and I'm probably going to sound crazy saying this, but… I'm convinced he was somehow responsible for you blacking out like that."

Doubt doesn't cross my mind for a single second. After all, I remember earlier… I suspected Rin and Len being behind a whole load of suspicious things. Perhaps it's only Len, but it still checks out. "Do you remember what really happened?"

Gumi slowly shakes her head. "I… I think I was in a trance or something… I can only remember this weird floaty feeling, like a… a daydream," she pauses a few times to verify things in her mind, and the best she can come up with in the end is something akin to a daydream. "I saw Len-kun approaching you. But… But not all fast, just… Small steps. Whispering something. I couldn't hear. I couldn't take my eyes off his back. It's like I wasn't even in control of my body."

A chill runs down my spine at the thought. I definitely don't remember anything like that happening, but with that cold tingling down my back… My gut tells me it's close to the truth. It terrifies me to think too hard about it, so I don't. "What about Rin-san? Or… Or Gakupo, or Neru-chan?"

She releases a shaky breath, one she's probably been holding for almost too long. "I'm not sure. But since they were silent the entire time, I assume they felt the same. But I don't think they were aware of that daydream in the same way I was," she says, although in a quiet tone, perhaps worried that someone will be listening.

I can't help but instinctively trail my eyes once over the room. This is a small, private cubicle. I'm sure nobody will be able to get close enough to hear what we're saying.

"It actually gets a bit… weirder," she shyly mumbles.

"As if it isn't weird enough?" I raise a brow. With a huff, I pull my hand from hers, and let her continue.

"Heh," she lets out a half-hearted laugh. "The only reason I can sorta remember that daydream thing is 'cause I ended up snapping out of it. I… I heard a voice… I don't know whose voice it was, but it didn't belong to anyone I've ever met." She averts her eyes as she admits this.

"A voice, huh…?" I mutter, thinking out-loud. Reminds me of the library. I wonder if this is the same sort of thing. "Was it… a woman's voice?"

"Huh?" Gumi darts her glance back to me, blinking rapidly in confusion at how easily I go along with it. "N-No, but… You've…?" Shaken by my honestly unintended revelation, she can't even finish her sentence.

"Ah..." I give a nervous chuckle. Perhaps I shouldn't reveal that just yet. It might freak her out even more. "Not exactly."

"Well, uh… No, it wasn't a woman. I think it was a young man," she responds. So maybe my library experience had been a prank after all. I don't even know any more. "Confident, bold… Like a leader… But pained. There was like, a desperation in his voice..."

"Hmm..." I can't help but let out a long, thoughtful hum. Though it's not a very optimistic thought.

"It seemed like… ugh, I don't know… not a memory. But a voice trapped in the past? Almost like it was another life or something," Gumi softly explains. Geez, this whole 'other life' or 'past life' thing sure likes to follow me around. "But at the same time, it's like he was speaking to me directly. Ordering me… 'Get away…! I'll take care of this, don't get involved!'." The way she re-enacts it in that tone full of fear and confusion, yet echoing that hint of desperation perfectly… Makes the knot in my stomach grow a bit tighter.

Lifting my hand up, I run my fingertips over my forehead to wipe away the sweat that's starting to form there.

"When the voice said that… I can't remember what happened next. I probably fell back into that daydream, until I found myself with Mrs. Prima in the room, and you collapsed on the floor." She releases a heavy breath, glad to get all that off her chest.

I guess she's telling me because I'm the one who supposedly fainted. "That's a… a lot to take in," I grumble. Where do I even begin to process this? On top of all the bullshit I've had to endure already? "Gumi-san, if you're being honest with me, then please… Please tell me if you and your friends are involved with framing me for cheating." That's all I'm interested in knowing.

Gumi falls silent for the longest time, as though contemplating the best thing to say.

"I just..." I sigh, running my palm down my face, utterly tired. "I need to know. Maybe you got roped into it by Len-san… If you're being sincere and honest with me, then admit it, and I won't hold it against you." It seems like the most possible scenario at this point. She's been manipulated by Len… Right?

"I don't know..." She finally pipes up, and it's a bit of a let down.

Opening my mouth to push further, I'm swiftly cut off by the loud ringing of my phone out of nowhere. "Ah..." It's resting on the bedside table. Looking over at the screen, I simply see 'Mother'. Uh oh.

"We'll talk about this tonight, okay? Before the music show," Gumi suggests. Ugh, I'd much rather deal with this now and make my parents wait until later. She shuffles in her seat, straightening out her posture a bit with a small stretch, before picking herself up. "I'll probably be in one of the drama dressing rooms at around 7, okay? We'll sort it out then."

"Alright, alright," I give in, waving a hand dismissively. With that, she takes her leave, which means I have to face the inevitable and prepare for a very, veeeery angry Mrs. Shion.

…

"I cannot even begin to put into words how disappointed and furious I am at you, Kaito!"

Not sure what physically hurts more. The aching in my chest and the sharp, throbbing pain in my head… Or the endless rant on the other end of the phone from my mother. I can't take much more of this. I haven't been able to get a single word in so far; it's like she missed the part where I literally fainted, and instead she wants to skip right to blaming me. No idea where my father is in all of this.

"We did not raise you this way! It's those friends of yours- What's her name, Neru Akita? She's such a troublemaker, I bet she helped you with scheming and tormenting those poor Mahogany Creek Academy children."

At least she can't see me roll my eyes pretty hard right now. I'm sure I'd get a swift smack if I had done so in her presence. But seriously, those poor Mahogany Creek children. The only semi-decent kid from there is Gumi, and even then, that's pushing it.

"Mom. You're not listening to me." She's probably going to kill me for talking back to her, or for interrupting her. I'm too tired to deal with her accusations for much longer. She has to hear my side of things for once.

"Don't you interrupt me while I'm telling you off, young man. You are only sixteen years old, don't forget! I'll pull you right out of that school and ground you until you're eighteen if I have to," Mom hisses from the other end of the phone, laying down the law.

Honestly, is it even a bad thing to be removed from this school any more? Whoever's framed me has already ruined my life plenty. Okay, maybe I'm overreacting a small bit, but damn it. "I… I'm sorry, Mom. But please, listen to me. I don't know how I can prove my innocence, but I didn't cheat…!"

"The Principal has told me everything I need to know. I'm sure you think you can worm your way out of it and lie to me and your father, but it won't work," Mom continues on, not easing up in the slightest. Hey, why is it that nobody believes me…? My parents have always been quick to jump to conclusions though, so I guess I can't really blame them… But do they really have that low expectations of me? Ouch. "Why would you do something like this, Kaito…? We tried everything to make sure that… that you wouldn't..." At that moment, her voice breaks. There's a crack of regret in that stern lecture of hers.

"Mom..." I whisper. It's as though my heart is shattering. She's incredibly disappointed in me, and it sounds like she's on the verge of tears. "I swear to you, I did not cheat. What reason would I possibly have to even consider such a thing? I know my friends aren't saints, but… They hate me right now. Do you think I'd throw that all away for petty revenge?" I can't help but momentarily chew on my lower lip, hoping my words will get through to her. It's like everyone else has failed to think about me being guilty for more than a second. They haven't considered all the reasons I wouldn't do this.

"Oh, Kaito…" Mom lets out a heavy sigh into my ear. That one sigh alone carries the weight of years of responsibility, where she had to make sure she raised me well enough to not mess up this badly. I can hear that weight… and that sadness along with frustration… As she tries to figure out how to approach this. It's probably been harder for her and Dad than I could ever imagine. "I was terrified I'd failed you as a mother."

"Hey… No need to be so down…" I reassuringly mumble, though in hindsight I should've said something not as dumb as that. "I was… with a, uh… a friend, at the time that I'd been reported to the Principal. I wasn't anywhere near my bedroom. The other team never kept any notes lying around that I could easily copy. I know it's hard to believe, but please."

"No, I… I believe you," she says, at last. I suppose the panic got the best of her. It happens a lot, so I can't fault her for it. "It's like I said, sweetie. When your principal told me the bad news, I had a flashback to a… a difficult time..."

"Mom…?" There's a hint of confusion in my voice as I mutter that. It's strange to hear her opening up in such an emotional manner. She usually vents to Dad about all that, not me. I'm used to her being strict and uptight. Well, she's super caring, too. Always happy. "Did you… um… go through a hard time, when you gave birth to me?" I can't believe I'm coming out with such words, really. I've never had a heart-to-heart with my mother before, not that I can recall, anyway. But since she had mentioned 'failing to raise me', my first guess is about my birth.

"I think we should save this conversation until we're face-to-face, hun."

Ugh, seriously! Again with 'later'? An uncontrollable groan passes my lips.

Mom giggles sweetly, switching back to her upbeat self. "Don't complain. It's a personal matter."

"Yeah, I get it..." I slowly shake my head. "There's just a lot of things I've had to wait around for lately, so this is yet another."

"Well, why don't you come home this weekend?" Mom proposes. Yeesh, that feels like forever away, despite it being just a few days. "You can explain everything that's happened, too. I'm sure we can work a solution out. But Kaito, please don't try to do so on your own. You'll only get into more trouble."

Oh, if only she knew about the trouble I've already gotten myself into. "Alright. Thanks for believing me, Mom." It's nice to know I still have at least two people on my side.

"Hmm… Yes, I feel much better after phoning you," Mom says. Yeah, all that shouting really clears your system, doesn't it? "See you in a few days. Bye-bye, darling. Love you."

Ahh, I'm gonna suffocate with all this love. Mothers are so embarrassing. "Okay. Bye, Mom. Love you, too." Exchanging a few more 'bye-bye's before hanging up, Mom finally lets me go. I slide my phone back down onto the bedside table and plop into a more comfortable position.

Not as bad as I thought it'd be… I'm just glad I could convince her to not execute me. Allowing my eyes to slip shut, I take in a deep breath, hoping to shake off some of that pent up tension. My mind isn't as clouded as it has been lately… I'm too sore to feel any more anger burning inside. Maybe the blame is all on Len, after all. He's a damn good mastermind, I'll give him that… It's going to be hard to pin it on him. He's tricked Gumi, Gakupo, Neru… Ms. Yuzuki and Mr. Hiyama… Maybe even Xingchen and her group of friends. He can trick a whole lot more if he wants.

Think, Kaito, think…! Don't stop thinking…! There must be some way out of this. Fuck… "It's impossible," I moan, pressing my palms to my face, covering my eyes and blocking out the world. They're going to win tonight. Then they'll leave, go back to their stupid school, and never have to think about my miserable existence ever again. They'll leave a trail of misery behind them, letting me pick up the pieces in their place.

I hope Gumi can help me come up with something. She's smart, I'll admit. She has to be able to get me out of this, if she really has a heart in there somewhere. I think she's my only hope now.

…

The nurse forced a bit of food on me about half an hour ago, after I'd waken up from a short nap. The nap kind of helped to ease the aching in my body, but I can't stomach much food. Especially the bland trays of 'food' they serve in here. The cafeteria is usually packed full of delicious meals, but it seems like this place gets its food from elsewhere, which is a damn shame, because now my gut is turning more than ever.

I'm given a few more general health checks, and then I'm finally set free. The nurse is reluctant to let me go since I barely ate anything, but I'm out of there faster than she can change her mind. Wincing lightly, I step out into the halls. A blast of cold air rushes my way, and while it's much needed, it's almost too chilly. I want this day to be over with already. I want to accept defeat and crawl into bed, and be known as a quitter or whatever for the rest of my days. But… I guess, Gumi is waiting for me… I hope my faith in her won't prove to be misplaced.

Glancing around to get my bearings, I recall the drama classrooms being to my left somewhere. It's not like I go there often or anything, but I know they're a block or two away from the music room. I decide to take a bit of a leisurely walk, taking in the silence around me, appreciating this as a short break from all the chaos. Sure, every step I take is awfully agonising, but… I also wonder what happened back there. All I remember is storming over to Gumi and her friends in a rage. I wouldn't be surprised if I got too confrontational, and one of them whacked me good. I think that's the least I deserve.

With a heavy sigh, I soon find myself nearing the narrow corridor which leads toward a row of small dressing rooms. As I draw closer, I catch sight of someone standing just outside one of the doors, their back turned away from me. Squinting, I'm able to tell it's definitely not Gumi. But it's… Not a total stranger either?

"G-Gakupo?" I call out, my voice coming out all raspy and strained, along with a hint of bemusement rolling off my tongue. It makes sense he'd be here, I suppose…?

The purple-haired male immediately spins around to face me, and I can see an equally bewildered expression cross him, along with a glint of worry in his eyes. "Kaito-san…!" Rather uncharacteristically, he makes a short sprint to me, closing the distance between us – which for him, is from the end of the hall all the way to where I stand at the other end. He shoves his phone into his pocket as he hurries over to me.

All I can do is stop in my tracks, tilting my head to the side ever so slightly. Is he worried about me or something? Or could he possibly… have more bad news…? Oh great, it's more bad news, isn't it. Alright, deep breath. If I can bring myself to trust Gumi, maybe Gakupo isn't a lost cause, either. "Hey, slow down. What's up with you?"

"It's- It's Gumi-chan-!" There's a certain panic to his voice, and his breathing is shallow… Almost like he's been for a run and is now out of breath. He lets out a huff, running his palm across his forehead. "I can't find her anywhere. She isn't answering any texts, nor is she picking up the phone…!"

"Ah…" I mutter. I can't help but feel slightly relieved to discover it's not as serious as I expected. I mean, I guess it's a little cute that he's so worried about her… And yes, I am totally going to ignore that small pang in my chest at the fact that he cares about her a lot. Dumb Kaito. "D-Don't worry, uh… Maybe she's having dinner with Rin-san or Neru-chan and lost track of time?"

Gakupo shakes his head, instantly dismissing that possibility. Raising a brow in silence, I give him a challenging stare, pushing him to at least explain why I'm wrong. "We were supposed to meet up to get dinner together about fifteen minutes ago," he says.

Alright, that makes sense. Still, just because they made plans… Half jokingly, I make a remark in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Well, it's not like she's your girlfriend or anything, right? She doesn't have to stick to those plans if she doesn't want to, or if she lost track of time with someone else." Personally I think he's blowing this way out of proportion. There's also the fact she made plans with me and hasn't bothered to show up, so he's not the only one who's been let down.

That typical, up-tight grimace pulls at Gakupo's lips. Oh, how dare I make a joke at his expense. Geez, please crack a smile every so often. Sneering down at me, he responds in the most offended manner possible. "She may not be my girlfriend yet, but she and I have a connection that someone like you and your ex could never begin to understand."

Lightly folding my arms over my chest, I roll my eyes as a reflex. And we're back to low blows. "Cool, so if you're just going to piss me off like you always do, I'm gonna take my leave." Just as I'm about to turn on my heels, I'm stopped before I can make any sort of movement; Gakupo grabs at my shoulder and yanks me back into position.

"Not so fast!"

"Hey, ow-! Be careful, you asshole!" I growl, cutting him off and scolding him for so carelessly forgetting about my injuries from earlier. I wriggle myself free of his grip; rolling my shoulder back only causes me more aching. "Ugh..." I hiss under my breath, screwing my eyes shut for a moment. "You can get so fucked if you think I'd ever willingly help you again, Kamui!" Snapping back less than a second later, I open my eyes and unleash that pent up fury from before all onto him.

He blinks a few times, seemingly caught off guard by the toxicity spewing from me. Breathing heavily, I await his answer, which I hope is him tucking his tail between his legs and moving on. "I… I'm sorry."

I don't think I heard that right. He's… being nice…? Lowering my arms to my sides, I let out a soft sigh, averting my eyes as the silence hangs between us. He's doing pretty much the exact same thing. This whole thing has got to my head. Not just mine, but his, too. We need to drop this petty rivalry, and in this sincere moment that we're sharing right now… That's when I finally acknowledge it, and let my anger fade. Actually hearing an apology from him pushes me to realise I've been just as bad as him.

"Gumi-chan means a lot to me. And… I know Miku-san means a lot to you, too. I shouldn't have made that dumb 'ex-girlfriend' jab," Gakupo softly mutters, and although neither of us are brave enough to make eye contact in such a vital turning point, I know his words come from the heart.

It's just like earlier with Gumi… Something told me to trust her. Now the same voice is urging me to trust Gakupo, without any more doubts. Sucking in a breath, I tilt my head back up to sneak a peek at him. He's rubbing at the back of his neck, gaze still averted to a wall off to the side. "Well, I'm sorry, too..." It takes a lot just for me to push aside my pride. But it's only fair. "I understand Gumi-san is important to you. I should've offered to help look for her, rather than brushing it off." Ignoring the weird tingling of jealousy in the pit of my stomach, of course…

Gakupo flicks his glance back at me, and when our eyes finally meet, he plasters on a small grin. "We can work on apologies later, okay?"

For once, that's something I can agree on with him. Giving a nod, I can't help but break out into a little smile. That beam of his is actually pretty infectious, damn it. "Yeah..." I say, and with that, I put my mind to use for a change. "Gumi-san wanted to meet me in one of these dressing rooms. Did you catch up with her after she left the Nurse's Office?" Time to brainstorm where she could possibly be.

Letting a thoughtful, deep sigh pass his lips, Gakupo turns his back to lean against the nearby wall. Propping a foot up, he folds his arms and gathers his thoughts for a couple moments. "Mmh… I got a text from her saying she was going to see you after dinner, but that's about it..." He offers a light shrug.

"Well, I just decided to come over here early on the off chance that she'd be early, too. I didn't know she had plans with you or anything," I simply say, rubbing at my cheek with a finger. "By the way, did she… tell you about earlier…?"

Raising a brow in curiosity, he shakes his head. "Not really. It's like I said, we only exchanged a few texts up until she stopped responding out of nowhere."

"I… I guess she can tell you herself, once we find her." I make sure I choose my words as carefully as possible – to be as optimistic as I can, for Gakupo's sake.

"If it's about what happened in the music classroom, then yeah, I need to hear about it from her," he sighs. "I have no clue what went down, honestly."

So, Gumi and I aren't the only ones. Rin, Len and Neru were there as well, though… With that in mind, I suggest we go find them and see if they're with Gumi.

…

The music event will be starting shortly. It's weird. I had been sort of excited for it when everything was normal and we were rehearsing without a care in the world. But now that it's almost here, I dread the thought of it. Even if Lily and her gang aren't completely musically challenged, I doubt they'll be good enough to beat the likes of Gumi and Gakupo's group.

Groaning in my head, I push those thoughts aside for now. There's nothing I can do any more, except focus on proving my innocence. I know my mother told me not to, but what else am I supposed to do? Besides, she doesn't have to know every little thing I'm doing tonight…

The cool night air outside sends an unpleasant tingle down my back. It's almost like an ominous warning or something. The pressure to fix everything and track down Gumi is weighing down on my chest, crushing me. Makes it hard to think straight. The two of us don't really talk much on the way over to where the event is being held; it's at the heart of the campus, the largest space that's available to host such a prestigious thing. Mr. Hiyama doesn't like to go small, after all. If our school loses, at least we have a kick ass arena, right?

The sky is slowly being enveloped by a thick blanket of darkness, covering up the last remaining mix of warm, reassuring colours. I know we're getting close to the event area when we're greeted by the ridiculously blinding stage lights that stretch out toward us from a decent distance away. Grimacing, I squint my eyes to ease the uncomfortable burning sensation caused by this over-the-top display. There are a few younger students starting to crowd in front of the outdoor stage, which I find is a lot bigger than I pictured it once we close in. On the stage itself, there are numerous helpers – mostly familiar Oak Valley faces – carrying various bits of equipment on and following teachers' orders. A few other students are in charge of setting up white fences around the perimeter.

"Wow..." Gakupo breaks the silence, letting an impressed whistle slide from his mouth. We momentarily stop in our tracks; he must want to admire all the hard work going into this setup. Propping his hands on his hips, he glances around.

I suppose it's a nice view from near the crowd. It's not all that impressive to me, though. I've passed this stretch of campus probably a thousand times already. Although I guess I can't say I've ever stumbled upon such a massive concert setting. Why can't our school try this hard for every Talent Trials event? Yeesh.

"And I thought Mahogany Creek put in some good work," he softly laughs.

"Hmm… You're saying this is better than your school's concerts?" I wonder.

"Well… I wouldn't say 'better'… But this sure lives up to Mahogany's standards." Gakupo chuckles once more. It's odd to hear compliments from this guy. I have to get used to that. "Anyway..." That brief moment of peace is far too short-lived. By the way he huffs that single word out, he must wish it could last a bit longer, too.

Taking another look at the stage, I scan my eyes over the structure so far. "Hey..." I tap him on the arm with the back of my hand, gesturing my head to behind the stage. "Looks like they've set up some tents as a sort of backstage or prep area."

"Oh… Good eye," Gakupo praises me. I figured he'd be more observant, honestly. He lowers his hands from his hips before continuing. "Let's go see if we can figure out where Neru-san and Rin-san are. Maybe Len-san will be with them, as well."

It's a shame we can't have more low-key moments like that. Shrugging it off, I follow after Gakupo as he heads over to the tents. They're a short distance behind the stage, and as we get closer, I notice each of them have little pieces of paper crudely stuck to the outside.

"Huh?" Gakupo snorts, reaching out to lightly grab hold of a random tent's sticky-note. He tilts the note up to get a closer look at it. "It's a schedule. You guys are oddly efficient when it comes to this whole planning thing."

"Nah, I doubt it was us," I wave a hand in dismissal. "Ms. Yuzuki probably came up with this extra crap."

"Well… This one's for a whole bunch of unfamiliar students. Let's go check out a few more." He sets the note down; it falls back into place, albeit with one or two more crinkles than it previously had.

There's certainly life in a few of these tents. They're all a standard dark grey-ish colour, reasonable sizes for multiple people to fit in at once, but it's not hard to miss the lights shining within, signifying that they're occupied. Plus there's some idle chit-chat and giggles here and there, while sweet melodies drift out from others.

It takes a while, with there being so many damn bands performing… But Gakupo finally comes across the tent that his group should be occupying now. "Schedule says we're supposed to be in here to prep for a while. And it looks like we're one of the first bands up. Great..."

"Ugh," I sigh. That means less time to figure things out. Gotta move fast, it seems.

Gakupo subtly rolls his eyes before pulling the zip to the tent down. It opens up to reveal that only Rin and Neru are sitting inside, appearing to be in the middle of a serious conversation. Well, that's my guess, from the sorrowful, teary-eyed look on Rin's face. "Hey… Um, is everything okay?" He crouches down a bit and squeezes himself into the tent, finding a small cushion to plop himself down onto beside Neru.

"O-Oh, Kaito-san… You're okay…?" Rin sniffles, turning her attention to me rather than answering Gakupo straight away.

"Ah..." I rub at my arm, feeling sweat start to form at my brow. I can feel Neru's cold glare piercing right into my soul… They're probably nice and warm in there… And I'm standing out here in the freezing night, like an awkward, bumbling idiot. Not really sure if I'm welcome to just barge in, though.

Neru tuts under her breath, pulling her eyes from me. Ouch.

"C'mon, get in here, Kaito-san." Gakupo casually ushers me in, which leaves me with no room for doubt.

It's a bit difficult to lean down. Gritting my teeth together to stop myself from whimpering like a pathetic injured dog, I clamber into the tent and spin around to close the zip for now. Once I'm actually inside, it looks a bit more roomy. Not the most glamorous or spacious, but there's a sizeable mirror, some swirling makeup and hair chairs, as well as some comfy cushions on the floor. Yes, there's even a makeshift floor covering the grass. I slowly lower myself onto the chair near the mirror, turning myself around to face the others. I don't want to risk lowering myself that far down onto the ground, just in case I burst something inside me…

"Y-Yeah, I'm still kickin'," I scoff, in a half-hearted joking manner. "What about you, though?" I'm able to get a quick look at the stinging red bags under Rin's eyes.

"I… I can't find Len-kun anywhere..." she admits, a pout pulling at her lips.

Without really thinking, I dart my glance over to Gakupo, at a loss for words. His eyes meet mine for a moment, and before I can get a word in, he speaks.

"This isn't sounding so good. Kaito-san and I can't find Gumi-chan..." He breaks the news, and that gets an emotional reaction from Neru, whereas Rin is more verbal.

"N-No… Not Gumi-chan, too…! Oh, no. Wh-What if… What if something…?" She's understandably shaken. I feel the same way. She seems like the type to crack under pressure though, and I can't blame her for that.

"Hey, don't think like that," Neru is quick to come to her new friend's aid, resting a firm but friendly hand on Rin's shoulder. Neru's always been level-headed, most of the time. She's good at helping people calm down. It's nice to see that she's recovered from her run-in with Lily the other day. "I'm sure they're both fine. Right, Gakupo-san?" She tosses a wary glance to the male over her shoulder, one Rin won't be able to see. That flicker of worry… Maybe I assumed things too soon.

Gakupo pauses to think. "Right… You know what Gumi-chan is like. She always wants to get in some extra practice on her own, to be one step ahead. Len-san is the same way, isn't he?"

Rin gulps down her fears of the worst, before slowly nodding. "M-Maybe..." Though she isn't entirely convinced.

"The Talent Trials are a big deal to them, as well..." I add. They're trying to make Rin feel better, so I have no other choice but to play along with them. Despite my bad feeling about Len himself… It's Rin's brother. Can't take it out on her. "Maybe we should make a quick stop over to the music studios. They might've lost track of time." It's the same thing I told Gakupo, but… Well, it's the next logical step to take. Look somewhere familiar.

Neru gently rubs Rin's back, wordlessly reassuring the girl as she holds back her sobs. "Kaito-san is right," she bitterly mutters. Wow, sounds like that's painful for her to say. How lovely. "Come on. You're brave, Rin-chan. Aren't you? We'll go over to the studios and we'll find Len-kun."

"And Gumi-chan," Gakupo slyly cuts in, reminding Neru about the existence of another missing person besides her precious boyfriend.

I'm sensing some unresolved tension between these two. Ouch. I don't even want to go there. Speaking of 'ouch', I don't think it'll be a simple task to stand up from this chair. Watching as Neru and Rin make their way out of the tent, Gakupo stands up soon after. I press my palms against the arms of the chair, sucking in a deep breath, anticipating the undoubtedly unbearable pain that will follow once I decide to move.

"Uh..." Just as he's about to step out, he sends a slightly confused head tilt my way. "You good there?"

Blinking a few times, I realise he's referring to me. "Eh? Y-Yeah, just… just getting myself ready to stand up," I flash a confident grin, although it's quite a pathetic one. I hope I'm not that easy to read. Look, I'll tolerate this purple-haired devil, but I don't want him to bend over backwards helping me. I've pressed my palms quite hard against the chair, but I still haven't been able to get up.

Tutting, Gakupo trots over to me, calling over his shoulder to the girls waiting outside. "One sec, you two. Gotta help the patient over here."

"H-Hey- It's fine, you'll just make it worse-" That insult sort of slips out on its own. I think my mind is still on 'hate Gakupo' auto-pilot. "Uhh… I mean…"

That familiar devilish smirk pulls at his lips as he leans down to my level. "It'll take more than that to offend me. Don't worry about it. I promise I won't drop you or yank you up super hard. Here..." He holds his hands out to me, replacing that punchable smirk with an admittedly heart-warming smile of an angel. Wait… Did I really just…?

Immediately setting those trash thoughts alight, I try my hardest to ignore the growing warmth at my cheeks and make a swift grab for his hands. At first, I don't really think about it all that much… Y'know, the whole, making actual skin-to-skin contact with Gakupo… But when he starts to tug and gently ease me up from the chair, it only just kicks in, and for some reason I lose my mind completely.

"Heh, you know… It'd be helpful if you… put in the slightest bit of effort," he huffs in a strained voice. Yeah, I'm essentially dead weight right now. Too busy focusing on every little detail now that he's so close to my face. Is that weird?

"A-Ah…!" I'm being a creep again, oh my god. What is wrong with me…! Gasping lightly, I jolt up from the chair without any prior thoughts about my poor condition… And poor Gakupo doesn't see it coming at all. With the sudden weight transfer from him yanking at me with all his strength and me being like a sack of potatoes, to me suddenly jumping up… "Shit!" I stumble forward just as he stumbles back.

"Wh-Whoa… I gotcha…!" Like an absolute champ, he grips my hands tighter in that dazed moment of losing balance; he keeps his footing the best he can while I foolishly fall right into his chest.

"Ouch…!" The bridge of my nose takes the hardest blow, really. Right into his chest. Yes, my face is buried in Gakupo Kamui's chest. My entire body is leaning against his, as I lost all control of my balance thanks to me being weird and losing my train of thought. "Mmh..." I groan. It only just hits me that Rin and Neru saw the entire thing.

"Don't mind us, boys..." comes Neru's exasperated sigh of impatience.

"Hehe..." Rin only lets slip a short, teasing giggle.

"Shit, sorry!" I gasp, pulling back from Gakupo in a flash. The only contact that remains is that we're still joined at the hands.

"Aha… It's..." He trails his glance down to our connected hands. Is… Is that a hint of shyness in his tone…? "I-" Without warning, his words are cut short by an unexplainable sensation beneath our feet.

"H-Huh?" Instinctively darting my eyes around the area, I try to pinpoint the source of what's going on. Eyes growing wide, as it's something I've never felt in all my life. A light rumbling, which only lasted a split second…

"Whoa, what the fuck was that?" Neru is the first to ask the obvious, bewildered. The two girls outside are gawking up at the sky, maybe trying to catch sight of a plane or jet. But that's impossible, right?

"Shit, hold onto something, girls-!" Gakupo barks an order at the two, before throwing an arm around me out of nowhere and keeping my fragile body steady under his support.

"G-Gakupo?" There's too much going on to process right now. But not long after he shouts that, and the two girls can do nothing but duck onto the ground… Another light rumble follows. But this time, it's far more intense than the last. "Ah!" I hiss, my sense of balance being thrown off yet again. My whole perception is being shaken around, by the violent tremor that seems to last forever. I cling onto Gakupo who's doing his best to keep the both of us safe. My heart is pounding in my chest – it's such a strong shaking that I'm growing terrified with each long second that passes. I simply screw my eyes shut and wait for it to pass.

"F-Fuck…!" Neru curses in shock.

It finally passes after a few seconds. Whatever it is, it had been so intense that even now it's stopped, it feels like my body is still vibrating. Slowly, unsure and worried, my eyelids flutter open. "Wh-What… what the fuck was…?" I hadn't realised how breathless I am. I've felt minor earthquakes in my life before. But that… No, that's unlike any earthquake I've experienced before.

"Is it over?" Rin quietly whimpers, palms clamped loosely against her ears.

Gakupo releases a heavy breath, pulling away from me. "Kaito-san… Didn't you hear that? During the earthquake?" He releases his hands from mine. I can see his shoulders still shaking lightly.

I shake my head, wondering what on earth he could've heard during all that. "What do you-?"

"Yo, what the fuck!" Neru yells out some more expletives, this time sounding nothing but thoroughly freaked out. "Everyone is still walking about and doing their own thing like that shit didn't even happen!"

"Nevermind," Gakupo mumbles. "Come on..."

Right. There's still more to do. My head is spinning… Despite that, I follow Gakupo out of the tent, at last. Neru is pacing back and forth just outside the tent; seems like she wants to be much more vocal about wrapping her head around the sudden tremor.

"I… I'm so confused…" Rin softly says, following Neru's frantic movements with her eyes. Back and forth. Back and forth… Girl is going to get dizzy in a minute.

"There's no way they didn't feel that," Gakupo says, in disbelief. Trust me, things are so much better when you stop thinking about them. It's probably bad that I've adapted that way of approaching things, but I'd be a bundle of stress and anger if I faced things head on these days.

"Ah! Th-There's Miku-san and Dell-san!" Rin interrupts our collective stunned confusion, pointing over a few feet away.

"Mi-chan…?" A huge wave of relief washes over me just by hearing her name. But wait, why is she and Dell coming over to the tents? When I flick my glance to where Rin is pointing, I can indeed catch sight of Miku and Dell. I bite down on my lower lip, gulping down the urge to rush over to her.

"Ugh, you have got to be fucking kidding me." Not so subtly, Neru releases an over-dramatic huff and turns her back to the two as they come closer.

"Yikes..." Gakupo grunts, rubbing at the back of his neck.

I can't take my eyes off Miku the entire time. Maybe it's weird, but fuck it… I hadn't realised how much I need her until now. Dell doesn't look too happy to be here, though. His arms are crossed over his chest, and his stance in general conveys perfectly that he's not here to forgive me.

"K-Kaito-kun..." Miku stops just a couple steps in front of me. Dell, pretty much mimicking Neru's childish ways, stops in his tracks a small distance from Miku and doesn't bother to face me. This is… ridiculous.

"You're… speaking to me?" I lightly rub at my cheek. That's the most cowardly way I could've phrased that. Talk about beta male, geez. Ugh, fuck it, I can't help feeling utterly miserable that Miku cut me out of her life without even giving me a chance.

"I… I was coming to watch the music show being set up, but then I… well, Dell-kun included… we both felt this horrible shaking beneath us," Miku's words come out as a jumbled mess. She can't pace herself well enough, and while it's intelligible, it's rather fast. More importantly, she felt the trembling. "A-And it was so weird, but… I swear I heard your voice… You were calling for me, and when I looked in the direction of that voice, I saw you here. I just had to make sure you were alright…!"

"H-Hold on, slow down," I hold my hands up to put a stop to her rambling for a moment. This is a lot to take in. "First of all, did anyone else feel that earthquake?"

Chewing on her lower lip, she quickly shakes her head. "It's like they weren't bothered by it at all. Luckily Dell-kun was there to stop me from falling over..." She sends a soft smile his way, and while he looks over his shoulder, that cold, empty stare is directed mostly at me.

"Okay, and… A voice?" Gumi mentioned the same thing. Actually…

"I heard a voice, too." Gakupo takes a step forward, piping up with his own input.

"It's weird because I didn't hear a single thing," I sigh. "Well, other than my heart about to burst out of my chest. It was scary." A sarcastic, bitter laugh rolls off my tongue, as I poke fun at myself.

"I… I'm so sorry for not believing you, Kaito-kun..." To my surprise, Miku utters those words. Ones I hadn't expected to hear at all. I thought she'd be mad at me, well, forever. "That experience and tremor was so powerful… And I know it sounds crazy… But it brought me back to you. I was so scared, and I was even more scared that you'd been hurt during it, so I… I came to you to ask for comfort, and forgiveness..."

"W-Wow," I softly chuckle. I've never heard Miku so mature and sincere before. Well, she's been sincere, of course… But mostly childish and over-the-top. I'm not sure what's going on here, yet I won't complain if some weird force has brought us back together.

"Aww… you're so sweet, Miku-san!" comes Rin's cheer of support from behind us.

Miku lets out the purest little giggle. "Well?" She extends her hand out to me.

"Of course I forgive you. I should be the one asking for forgiveness," I say, gently gripping her hand in mine, taking a step forward and lifting my free hand up to caress her cheek. "I don't know how I can prove my innocence, but… I promise you, I didn't cheat." I drop my voice to a whisper, murmuring words that only she can hear. She's the only one who needs to know.

"Wow, how lovely!" The sickening sounds of the most sarcastic clapping ever rings out from behind us, cutting the moment short.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I wordlessly apologise to Miku and pull away from our little embrace. Of course, Neru has to be the only one who has a problem with this. At least Dell has the decency to keep his toxicity to himself, even if he's only waiting until we finished making up to protest. I slip my hand from Miku's, instead standing at her side to raise a bored brow at Neru. She's already decided to face us, her face void of any emotion.

"If you don't mind, we have much more important things to be doing here," the tomboy's blank expression soon forms into a scowl. "I couldn't give a shit about your lovey-dovey romance. People have gone missing!"

"W-Well, she kind of has a point, but…" Rin awkwardly butts in.

"Oh, no… You're right, Gumi-san isn't here… And Len-san?" Miku blinks, glancing around our small group. "I'm sorry, Neru-chan. If I had noticed sooner, I-"

"When has your air-headed, small brain ever noticed something before the rest of us?" Neru saunters closer to the two of us, her speech patterns mirroring Lily's. The same intimidation tactics being put into play. It's disgusting, and before I get a chance to jump to her defense, I'm too late.

"If you're so worried about your boyfriend, how about you stop wasting precious time bullying us here and fuck off to look for him?" Dell snaps, and while I'm glad he's sticking up for us, it's not in the most peaceful way.

"I-If we could just..." Rin tries multiple times to calm Neru and Dell down, but once the two butt heads, it's going to take more than that to keep the peace.

"Yeah…!" Miku nods in agreement with Dell. "Why are you wasting time intimidating us and talking down to us, when you could be out there looking for Len-san? I'm growing so sick of your attitude lately, Neru-chan! You're like a completely different person!" The assertive hint in her tone makes me feel immensely proud, to be honest.

"This is who I've always been, you dumb bitch." Neru sneers, taking another step forward. Inching closer to Miku.

Again, I barely have any time to react or help, as Dell shoves his hand right against my shoulder to shove me aside; he takes the front line and blocks the gap between the two girls. "H-Hey..." I hiss, but it falls upon deaf ears.

"Back away, Akita." Uh oh, big boy pants are on.

Her confidence remains; she's even bold enough to narrow her eyes and stare him down. "Or what? Whatcha gonna do, Honne?" She challenges him with a witch-like snicker.

"Oh… Oh my..." Rin slowly backs away, unable to handle the growing conflict.

Even I'm not sure what to do. It looks like Dell wants to take the brunt for us. That, or he's just really itching to take his anger out on someone. Either way, it leaves me looking like a wimp. Not that I could fight with my injuries, anyway… While the two hurl insults at each other back and forth, with Miku occasionally voicing her frustrations, I'm taken out of the moment by a light tap on my arm.

"Hey..." Gakupo hisses, grabbing my attention. Literally. He wraps a hand around my wrist and carefully pulls me aside, away from the heat of the argument.

"Huh? What is it?" I quietly ask. I don't know why we're whispering but I guess I'll go along with it. Those three are lost in their argument, still going on and on about petty matters, whereas Rin is cowering in the corner somewhere. Gakupo leads me a good distance away from the whole thing, and no one notices that we've slipped away.

"I… I really didn't feel like getting my head ripped off by Neru-san or Dell-san, so I turned to you instead," Gakupo chuckles. "Now, you have to promise not to freak out. No yelling, no panic. Okay?"

"O...kay?" See, now I'm curious. And not gonna lie, I will totally freak out regardless.

"Okay," he repeats a final time, taking in a light breath, and with a slight shake in his movements, he extends a finger out to point to somewhere in the dark distance.

"Um..." I squint my eyes, attempting to follow along where he's pointing. It's a bit of a lost cause at first, since it's way out at the back of campus, past the tents and across a stretch of nothing but trees and grass. Basically a dead-end where there's barely any light. "I don't..." But then, it clicks into place like the last piece of a puzzle. Once I see it, it's incredibly difficult to overlook. There's a faint red light right next to the trees. Not just one light… But what appears to be a gathering of something. My blood runs cold the second I recall the library.

"I know what you're thinking," Gakupo says, quickly hushing me. "Don't freak out. But… This might be real."

I slowly shake my head, refusing to believe in such an absurd thing. I ran away from giving a solid answer in the library. I avoided it because it had been easy to brush off as a prank. I mean… Who the fuck wants to accept the responsibility of saving an entire planet? Or even worse, the whole world? No, that bullshit can't be real, it can't…! I can feel the panic welling up in my chest, as though someone's inflating a balloon so much that it's close to bursting. But it doesn't burst, and it causes a terrible friction and uncomfortable sensation within.

"Kaito-san?" Gakupo repeats my name in the darkness, and it snaps me back to reality.

"Gakupo… Please tell me this is a dream," I whisper in a weak tone.

"Don't panic. You suggested it was a prank, remember?" Ah… I did, didn't I? I'm glad he reminds me of that. Although with everything else that's been going on… My mind is racing again. "Seems like the work of our good buddies… They might be playing a nasty trick on Gumi-chan and Len-san. We have to go put an end to it."

"Shit," I hiss. Those four girls with the weird necklaces… "Th-That's right. They locked us in the library, maybe they did the same to Gumi-san and Len-san, except in a different location." Still doesn't explain the earthquake and the voices. Ugh. One thing at a time, right?

Wordlessly, Gakupo nods in agreement. He urges me to follow him, and for some stupid reason, I accept. Well, I already avoided the library situation. Now is my chance to redeem myself. I hope I didn't judge Len too quickly. These girls might be the ones behind it after all.

Careful to avoid making too much noise, and being as light-footed as possible, Gakupo and I tiptoe closer to the source of the lights. I can't help but shake the gut feeling that we're walking into another trap. They must know that at least someone will investigate these bright red lights. Just have to watch our step, and we'll be fine.

It doesn't take long to cross a patch of grass, edging closer to the trees near the back of the campus. The darkness swallows up the lights from the music event behind us, but the brand new light before us guides us. Conveniently, there are some bushes spread around the area, so once we're nearing their line of sight, Gakupo pulls me down alongside him to crouch and watch from over the hedge.

"I know you'll be sore, but… Just try not to focus on it." Great advice, thanks Gakupo.

Gritting my teeth together, I force a pained smile and poke my head over the bush. The red light is so strong that it exposes their shadows, yet from our perspective, that's the best we'll be getting. I can't see their faces, but I know their general shapes. Besides, no other students wear glowing gems.

The girls are gathered in a circle, holding their gems together like some sort of weird sacrificial ritual or something. Fuck, even if this is an elaborate prank, this is undeniably creepy… Especially with the darkness closing in on us. The only thing I can hear is the whistle of the wind, and since we're not so far away from the girls, there's even an almost inaudible humming coming from their necklaces.

"What the ever-loving fuck are they doing?" Gakupo hisses, sticking his head over the bush just enough to see some of their movements.

"The tremors were at their strongest here," one of the girls speak up. From the serious, mature tone to her voice alone, I can tell it's either Xingchen or Merli.

Gakupo and I immediately exchange glances when 'tremors' are mentioned.

"D-Does that mean the book was right after all…?" I recognise that timid voice. It belongs to the blue-haired one, Una. I know that for certain. But that's interesting… A book? There's too many similarities between the library and this situation. I really hope this is a sick joke.

"Don't be scared. If there are any traces of energy, it's of no threat to us," another girl answers. She doesn't sound as mature as Xingchen or Merli; it's rather a mix of sweetness yet slightly stern, so it must be Aoki.

"But… Didn't the book say there could be recent traces…?" Una questions Aoki's knowledge.

There is silence for a short time. They're saying the exact same thing that's been brought up in the library. "I..." I flick my glance to Gakupo, but it's hard to read his expression with it being so dark back here.

"That tremor was nowhere near strong enough to have been a recent burst of energy." That voice comes from Xingchen, I think. It's hard to differentiate between her and Merli, especially since I'm not on familiar terms with the girls. She speaks in Aoki's place regardless, and she apparently knows her stuff. I mean that lightly, obviously.

"Shh, shh." A sudden hush comes from one of the girls. The tear-drop gem drops down from being held up. I recall that belonging to Aoki. It shakes, the light it's releasing vibrating ever so slightly as she spins from left to right. "Did you hear that? Someone is here."

I draw in a deep breath, instantly disguising my presence. I slowly trail my glance over to Gakupo, who's doing the exact same. There's no way they heard either of us. We've been breathing, sure, but not that loudly… And we've barely moved.

"Th-The gems are flashing slightly!" Merli squeaks, drawing the others' attention to the gems, including mine and Gakupo's attention. The red light is indeed flashing, but not at too much of a fast pace.

"My, my… What have we here?"

I struggle to keep my breath held in at the sudden eerie, unrecognisable voice coming from somewhere off to the right. Gasping for air, my heart sinks in my chest; I clamp a palm over my mouth.

"Kaito-kun..." Gakupo mutters, gripping hold of my wrist, as we continue to kneel behind the bush. Somehow, I'm able to understand what that single gesture means. If things get ugly, we have to sneak away together.

"Who's there?!" Xingchen roars out fearlessly into the unknown, which is quite startling.

"You girls have been messing with things you don't understand for far too long… Heh..." A hiss of a snicker echoes out across the area. With that one spine-tingling laugh, I swear I can feel a light shake under my feet.

Oh, no. This is… this is serious, isn't it…?

"Show yourself, coward!" Again, Xingchen takes charge and demands that the voice belonging to a strange young male show himself.

"Xingchen..." The growing urgency in Una's voice grips her friend's attention once more, and that's when I notice the flashing has picked up the pace.

"We have to leave. Now," Aoki orders.

"We can't leave now, fool!" Merli lashes back. "We're the ones who found these gems and these books, so we're the ones who have a duty to face whatever evil comes alongside them, to protect the innocents here!" Even though she wants to be brave, her voice wavers ever so slightly. She's hiding her anxiety with anger.

"You should listen to your sister, little girl..." The voice mocks Merli.

"I-I agree, we should go!" Una whimpers.

Gakupo tightens his grip on my wrist, sending me a single nod, to signify that we should also take our leave. Even so, it really sounds like those girls are in trouble…

Stupidly, I shake my head and pull myself up from behind the bush. "Hey, you girls really need to get out of here…! Let us take care of this creep!" Oh god, where did this sudden sense of leadership and bravery come from?

"H-Huh?!" The girls yelp out in unison, shining their gems toward me to see who I am.

Gakupo groans and pulls himself up as well, throwing his arms up to show we mean no harm. "Moron," he grunts to me, before facing the four.

"Y-You… Kaito-san?" Xingchen is bewildered at our unwanted appearance. "It's not safe here. You must leave it to us."

"Hmm… An interesting twist of events," the voice rings out, in a sing-song tone, and this time it sounds like it's coming from somewhere to the left. I should be able to recognise that voice, but for the life of me, I can't. "I was going to teach these girls a lesson, but it seems like you and your friends are overdue a punishment, too. Hehe.~"

What a fucking weirdo. "I dunno who this guy is, but I'm sure me and Gakupo can sort his shit out."

"Oh, of course you can. I'm sooo scared. Hyahahaha!" A twisted, demonic cackle follows a line of fake anxiety; even though it's only a voice, it feels as though it coils its way around my body, threatening to cut off my airways.

"Wh-What the…?" Gakupo clenches his fists, apparently also struggling with the strange sensation.

"I've waited so, so long to get my revenge on you… And now that the time is here, it's so sweet! Hyahahahahaha…!" As the intensity of the voice's cackling grows into unbridled insanity, those gut-wrenching tremors come back with a vengeance, although this time there's no warning and no chance to hold onto something.

"Run, Kaito-san! Gakupo-san! We'll… take care of it…!" Aoki cries out, again demanding that we leave… But it's incredibly difficult to keep upright.

"G-Gakupo..." I make a reach for his hand, but my feet are wobbling all over the place. It's impossible to catch him. My fingertips brush against his for the slightest moment, and while Aoki's pleas of desperation turn into chilling, genuine screams of pain, I realise there's nothing I can do. The voice's laughter rings out repeatedly, taunting me, wrapping tighter and tighter around my chest… My vision grows blurry, and it's a struggle to keep my already aching body standing.

Unable to take much more, terrified, my last thought is that while we felt these tremors, nobody else did. And then I realise… Miku. I lose control of my weakened body. My only view being the path beneath my feet trembling, rapidly coming closer and closer to my face, until it all goes black.

…