So sorry for the delay on this chapter! I was stuck on how I wanted the events to go, and finally worked something out. Hope the wait was worth it!
Fifty-Fifth Spell: Koi and Gumo
After one week of vacation following Summer Semester Finals, Haru, Nayu, and Seita rolled right into Fall Semester which began in September. For their regular classes, they were reassigned to Class 201A on the second floor of the school's main castle. But because Seita and Nayu didn't pass all their Spring Semester Finals, they only saw Haru in some of the regular classes while continuing remedial coursework in Class 110B.
The only exception to this was Necromancy, which all three of them attended with their fellow classmates Sumi, Hikari, Rui, Cheng, and Daizō in Class 201A. As for Rui's little brother Gyoku, he passed all his Spring Semester Finals and was now attending his regular classes as a Primary Fourth-Year student. Meanwhile, Haru was stuck sitting next to two boys named Ushiwa Koi and Gorogo Gumo, who were Daizō's closest friends in the Seiryu Clan.
"So what's the deal with the omamori around your neck?" Koi asked Haru before regular Charms started. He had puffy cheeks and big dark eyes.
"None of your business," Haru muttered, realizing he forgot to put the amulet under his robes.
"Are you trying to hide how evil you are?" Gumo joked. While his face resembled an angry bull, his hair resembled spider legs.
While Koi laughed at Gumo's joke, Haru really wanted to punch them. Since the Fall Semester began a week ago, the two had done nothing but ask him annoying questions followed by mean remarks. It also didn't help that the part of his shoulder which Daichi touched still felt cold, making Haru constantly irritated.
"Have you got the mark?" Koi said to Haru after he finished laughing.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Haru responded.
"You know, the Mark of Orochi," Gumo said. "The Boy Who Vanished is said to have it."
"All I've got is a birthmark shaped like a dragonfly," replied Haru.
Koi looked at Haru in disbelief. "Shouldn't it look like a serpent, Gumo?"
"Yeah, that's what I heard," Gumo confirmed.
"Let me see." Koi reached over and started pushing the folds of Haru's robes apart.
"Hey!" Haru said. "Don't do that!"
In anger, Haru pushed Koi onto the floor much to the surprise of the entire class. Just then, Fuwa-Sensei entered the classroom and was shocked by what she saw.
"What's going on?" Fuwa asked, looking at Koi with concern.
"Ryuji pushed Koi to the floor!" Gumo tattled.
"But he started it!" Haru argued. "Koi was forcibly trying to look at my birthmark!"
Fuwa's eyes narrowed. "Is this true, Koi?"
"No," Koi answered.
Though he immediately regretted his answer as white lines appeared on the cuffs of his pink enchanted kimono. Near the back, Daizō smacked his forehead in embarrassment.
"So Ryuji was telling the truth," Fuwa realized, but she looked disappointed. "However, that does not justify pushing a fellow classmate to the floor!"
"I'm sorry, Fuwa-Sensei," Haru apologized. "The same goes to you, Koi."
Getting to his feet, Koi folded his arms. "I don't accept your apology!"
Now the white lines grew thicker on Koi's kimono, much to everyone's surprise. Fuwa sighed and wrote something down on her scroll.
"For antagonizing another student and refusing their apology, ten points will be taken from Seiryu," said Fuwa. Then she pointed her brush at Haru. "But you're not getting off the hook either, Ryuji. Ten points will be taken from Byakko because you physically assaulted Koi. And both of you will serve detention later today."
"I understand," Haru said, lowering his head in humiliation.
"This is stupid," Koi grumbled. "I'm going to complain about this to the Seiryu Clan Head Maki-Sensei."
"Don't bother," said Daizō. "I'll talk to my father in your place."
"You know crying to your daddy isn't going to fix anything," Hikari said snidely. "Koi embarrassed your Clan's honor, and now he's paying for it."
"Like you're one to talk," Daizō argued. "I hear you've been sneaking around at night with Ryuji. What's that about?"
"Are you guys having secret smooching sessions?" Gumo then made a series of obnoxious kissing sounds with his mouth.
Hikari's face turned bright red. "I-It's nothing like that, you pervert!"
"Enough!" Fuwa said, getting the class' attention. "We've wasted enough time! If we don't start class now, I will have to report your unruly behavior to Dōmeki-Sama."
Everyone immediately went silent, including Hikari, Gumo, Koi, and Daizō. From there, Charms Class continued as normal.
During lunch, Haru went to the courtyard and sat in the gazebo at the center of the koi pond staring intensely at the storage house with the knotted ropes over the front doors.
"What could be inside you that's so important?" Haru wondered out loud. "And why did Daichi lead me to you?"
"Ryuji."
Surprised, Haru looked to his left and saw Hikari standing on the bridge to the gazebo.
"Did Rui send you to get me?" Haru guessed. "I told her I wanted to be alone."
"I came here of my own will," Hikari said as she entered the gazebo. "You're not letting the stuff that Koi and Gumo said get you down, are you?"
Haru shrugged. "Why do you care? I thought we weren't friends."
"No, but…I don't want you to get upset over something this trivial when we've got bigger things to worry about like the storage house."
"And yet we're no closer to finding out what's in it or why it's being so heavily guarded."
"True, but that's why I wanted to talk to you." Sitting down next to Haru, Hikari leaned in close. "I think you need to get your mind off this stuff, just for a little while. You've been acting so gloomy since Obon. Did something happen?"
Remembering the botched summoning of his family's spirits in the Shrine of Idesei, Haru looked away. "I don't want to talk about it…."
"Okay, then don't tell me!" Hikari briefly frowned, but then she held Haru's hands which surprised him. "I need your help."
"W-With what?" Haru was feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
"Come with me!"
To be continued…