Once the meeting ended, the room emptied like a deflating balloon, everyone eager to escape the stifling atmosphere. Yuki, closest to the door, slipped out first, but she paused to wait for Masamichi. She stood against the wall, her back pressed against the cool concrete, her arms crossed protectively over her chest.
Principal Gakuganji exited last, his head held high and his eyes narrowed in disapproval. He didn't bother to acknowledge Yuki; his lips were pursed in a thin line.
Masamichi followed, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He turned left, heading towards the room where Hanako was being held. He didn't notice Yuki at first, but then she cleared her throat, her voice sharp and clear.
Masamichi whirled around, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw her. Yuki stood before him, her chin raised defiantly. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires, and her lips curled into a challenging smirk.
"Ms. Tsukumo," he said, his voice laced with caution. "Are you still here?"
"You can drop the formalities," she said, resting her hand on her hip. "Just call me Yuki. Mr. Yaga."
Masamichi hesitated. He was used to addressing her as Ms. Tsukumo, but he could see that she was determined to be treated as an equal. "Very well, Yuki," he said. "Is there something that you need?"
"You're on your way to release Hanako, is that correct?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Very well," she said. "I would like to accompany you. I want to meet this girl for myself. Give her the good news, if that's alright with you."
Masamichi hesitated again. He wasn't sure if it was wise to let Yuki meet Hanako, but he couldn't deny that she was the one who had persuaded the rest of the higher-ups to release her. "You know that the higher-ups are not happy about this, and I doubt they would become happy knowing you went down to speak with Hanako," he said.
Yuki shrugged. "I don't care," she said. "I'm going to meet her anyway."
Masamichi sighed. "Very well," he said.
She walked past him, her hips swaying confidently. Masamichi followed her, his mind racing. He couldn't believe that he was actually going to let her meet Hanako. But somehow, he knew that it was the right thing to do.
Yuki's tone of voice turned playful as she said, "So, in the meantime, while we walk there, how about you tell me what kind of woman is your type?" She walked along with him and winked at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Masamichi raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
...
Yuki and Masamichi's footsteps echoed through the empty hallway as they descended the long, spiraling staircase to the basement level of the school. Yuki playfully nudged Masamichi and said, "You want to have a race to the bottom?" Her mischievous grin lit up her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Masamichi shook his head, chuckling nervously. "No way; you'd definitely beat me. I'm not the fastest runner."
Yuki shrugged, her laughter echoing through the hallway. "Well, it would have been fun to see you try."
They continued walking down the stairs, Yuki's laughter echoing through the empty hallway. Her laughter was like a beacon of light in the darkness, dispelling the shadows and creating a sense of warmth and camaraderie.
In the basement, Hanako was chained to a chair in a dimly lit room. The only light came from the flickering candles surrounding her, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Her wrists were raw from struggling against the chains, and she could feel the blisters forming. Her ankles were also bound, and the chains were cutting off her circulation.
She was so exhausted that she kept falling in and out of sleep. But the noises coming from outside the door kept waking her up. She could hear distant voices approaching, and her heart raced with fear. She began to panic, fearing that her executioners were coming for her.
Her breathing became shallow and rapid, and her chest tightened. She tried to calm herself down, but it was no use. The fear was overwhelming.
As the voices got closer, Hanako's heart pounded in her chest. She could hear the footsteps echoing through the hallway, getting closer and closer. She closed her eyes and prayed for it to be all over.
The door creaked open, and Yuki and Masamichi stepped inside. "Hanako?" Yaga called her by name.
Hanako's face relaxed as she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze drifting to the door. Her amber eyes landed on the man she had met earlier, and she felt a flutter in her stomach.
Next to him stood a new face: a tall woman with long, flowing blond hair and piercing pink eyes. Her athletic build was accentuated by the dark blue jeans and black turtleneck she wore.
Yuki took in Hanako's appearance, her gaze lingering on the chains and bindings that held the girl to the chair. Hanako's long, dark brown hair cascaded around her shoulders, unkempt but still beautiful. Her amber eyes met Yuki's pink ones.
Her lips were chapped and cracked from dehydration, and her skin was pale and translucent. The dark circles under her eyes had deepened, casting a shadow over her once-bright eyes.
Hanako remained silent, her eyes wide with fear. Masamichi approached slowly, and Yuki stood sentinel in the doorway. His stern expression softened as he reached out a hand, but Hanako flinched, trying to recoil, though her body was frozen, trembling like a leaf in the wind. The fear had consumed her, leaving her paralyzed and unable to trust even the gentlest of gestures.
Masamichi placed his hand gently on her shoulder, his voice soft and soothing. "We're here to help you, Hanako. You're safe now."
Her eyes snapped up, locking onto his with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.
Was she hearing things?
Or was the exhaustion getting to her?
Hanako's mind raced, desperately searching for any signs of deception or ulterior motives. The weight of her past experiences made it difficult for her to accept Masamichi's words at face value.
"You're lying,"She whispered, her eyes darting away from his. Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with fear.
"I can assure you, I'm not,"He pulled out a key from his pocket and went to unlock the chains at her ankles. His movements were slow and deliberate as if he was trying to reassure her.
As he freed her from her restraints, a mixture of relief and skepticism washed over her. She felt the chains loosen around her ankles and wrists, and she took a deep breath. Relief flooded her, but she couldn't shake the lingering feeling of doubt. She looked up at him, her eyes searching for any sign of deception.
Yuki stood silently at the door as Masamichi released Hanako from her restraints. Yuki leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression was guarded, but her eyes betrayed a hint of concern.
She looked up at Yuki, her voice still low and quiet. "Earlier, you said that I was going to be executed, but now you're saying that I'm safe. What happened?"
"There will be no execution," Tsukumo replied.
Hanako listened attentively, massaging her aching wrist as she waited for the woman before her to finish. Yuki's eyes flickered with a mix of relief and curiosity as she explained, "You, my dear, are no longer going to be sentenced to death. Though it does not entirely come without a catch."
Hanako's heart skipped a beat as she anxiously awaited Yuki's next words, unsure of what they could possibly be.
Yuki's voice took on a more serious tone as she continued, "There is a condition that you must fulfill in order to secure your safety."
Hanako's breath caught in her throat. What could this condition be?
Tsukumo paused, her eyes searching Hanako's face. "Are you willing to accept it?"
Hanako hesitated. She didn't know what the woman before was going to ask of her, but she knew that she had to accept it if she wanted to live.
"Yes," she whispered.
Yuki smiled. "Excellent." She stood up and reached out her hand. "Come, let us leave this treacherous room."
Hanako glanced at Yuki, who held her with a gentle and welcoming smile. Hesitantly, she took her hand off her wrist and grabbed hers. Hanako felt a pang of disappointment. She had been hoping to learn more about the condition that Yuki had mentioned, but she knew that she would have to wait.
For now, she was just grateful to be alive. Hanako staggered to her feet, the pain from her ankles shooting through her body like needles. The exertion was too much, and she lurched forward, her vision blurring.
Yuki swooped in and caught her before she hit the floor. She gently cradled Hanako in her arms, concern etched on her face.
"Well, then," she said, glancing at Masamichi, who stood behind Hanako with a concerned expression on his face. "It looks like we are heading to the infirmary."