The week flies by. I had expected the days to drag on slowly while I settled back into a normal school routine. I planned on trying to talk to Gakupo… Uh, yeah, not a single opportunity arised. Or, well, perhaps one did – many, in fact. I, admittedly… lost my nerve. What would I even say? Where could I possibly begin, and how would I keep my anger under control? I wouldn't. I needed time, but the days slipped through my fingers.

On Friday morning, I'm abruptly pulled out of sleep by my alarm. "Ughhh…" A long groan in protest drifts its way out of me. I've been dreading that cursed alarm all night, so the amount of rest I've gotten – and the quality of it – is… unsatisfactory, to say the least. I force my eyes open, and make a frustrated grab for my phone to turn it off.

I roll over onto my side, casting my glance to my bags on the floor. A large backpack, a cargo bag, and a medium-sized suitcase. Dell and I spent a few hours last night packing up a week's worth of essentials. Well, what we believe to be a week's worth. No idea if it's too much or too little. I'm kind of leaning towards too much. I suppose we'll find out?

Hmm, thinking of Dell… I look his way; he's out cold. Really? I thought he'd already be awake, actually, considering how he hasn't shut up about this trip all week.

I run a palm down my face, rubbing the sleep away, before sitting up in bed. "Dell-kun…" I firmly say. Nothing. "Dell-kun!"

"Huh–!" He sharply inhales when I raise my voice, jumping up. He blinks rapidly, worry distorting his features. "Shit! I didn't oversleep, did I?"

"Good morning, sunshine," I slyly say. "Nope, you didn't."

He merely grunts in response, pushing the covers off and getting his butt out of bed.

It takes me a few moments to follow after him. Honestly, I kind of have to convince myself to not fall back asleep. It's not a mandatory trip. I could easily ditch. Yes, I have been entertaining the idea. Although, it's too late now, isn't it? With a sigh, I stand up and stretch out. "Mind if I take first shower?"

"Uh, pretty sure we don't have time for that, dude," Dell says, cracking the curtains open. Wait, what?

I throw an incredulous stare over at him. "It's 6AM right now, isn't it? We have to be at the bus in half an hour."

His eyes widen ever so slightly, some sort of realisation hitting him. "Oh."

"Oh?" I repeat, urging him on.

"I forgot we were in different classes yesterday. There was a change to the schedule…" Hesitant, he breaks the news to me.

"What."

He nervously scratches at the back of his head. "Umm. Yeah. We have to be at the bus in fifteen minutes. Well… Less than that now…"

I deeply inhale, desperate to stay calm. I don't understand. Whoever came to change the schedule must've assumed I was in that class. Wait, but… Neru wasn't either, was she? Oh. Of course. He texted his girlfriend first and forgot all about me. I'm totally not jealous. Nope.

"They'll have showers at camp. Right?"

"Probably…?"

"Great. Just great," I say, through clenched teeth. "Okay. I'm going to get changed."

What an amazing start to the day. To be honest, I can't help but feel like this is a sign of what's to come. A bad omen of sorts. This trip is going to be rough.

We end up leaving about a minute or so too late, because it takes Dell a ridiculous amount of time to figure out how to carry all of his bags at once. Jesus, he's the one who should be prepared for this.

I'm growing pretty antsy, but thankfully, stepping outside and taking a breath of the morning air cools my head. At the parking lot near the front gates, the bus is there waiting for us; Miku and Neru are already standing there, as well as a short, pink-haired woman. Ah… Right, I recall Mr. Hiyama mentioning that a substitute teacher will be looking after us on the trip. I don't think I've seen her around much. She must only stand in to teach the younger students.

I'm unable to stop myself from scanning over Miku as I approach, heartrate increasing a little. She's wearing her hair in two cute buns; her outfit consists of a comfy-looking cream sweater and loose grey shorts. Oh, god. Don't stare at her legs. Don't. She's not your girlfriend any more, idiot!

"Yo, mornin' guys!" Neru spots us and yells over at us, which snaps me out of… whatever the fuck just possessed me. I still haven't come to terms with the fact that Miku and I have actually split up.

Miku peers over her shoulder, and our eyes lock. I offer her a nervous grin in greeting. A small, stubborn pout pulls at her lips. She looks away. Oof.

"Heyo!" Dell grins.

"Ah, good morning, boys," Ms. Megurine greets us, with a polite smile. "You, um… You wouldn't happen to know where Lily and her friends are, would you?"

Huh. So, they're not on the bus? Good. It'd be best if they didn't show up at all.

"Sorry, we don't," Dell replies, whilst I just shake my head.

"Oh…" The woman falters. Hmm. She appears to be quite… the anxious type. I really hope Lily doesn't prey on those insecurities… "Well, as soon as they're here, we can head off. Can you boys load your bags onto the bus, please?"

So, this will be a waiting game, I see. Wonderful.

Just as we finish hauling our bags onto the bus, Ms. Megurine pops in to let us know she's changed her mind, and that we're allowed to sit down while we wait. "You can sit with Neru-chan, if you want," I say to Dell.

A light pink spreads across his cheeks at the suggestion. "Hah. And leave my best bud all by himself?"

I simply give a shrug. Well, I tried. I've yet to make him spill about his relationship with Neru. Perhaps this camping trip will help them face their feelings? Lord knows I need something normal to focus on. I set myself down onto a window seat near the front, hogging that view all for myself.

Miku and Neru strap in on the opposite aisle, and Ms. Megurine takes her place at the wheel. The teacher seems to be stiff as a board. It's like she has no idea what to do in this situation. Poor woman is in for a ride. Uh, literally. But… Surely she's not looking after us and the Mahogany kids? Not that they're troublemakers. It's just… There will be a lot of us.

I nudge Dell to grab his attention, whispering so Ms. Megurine doesn't hear. "You think there'll be another teacher to help her?" She's unravelling by the second.

He glances at her, raising a brow. "I sure hope so, for her sake," he snickers.

I sink back in my seat with a sigh. Hmm… The more I relax here, the more tempted I am to fall asleep…

Ms. Megurine keeps a frequent check on her watch. Fifteen minutes tick by, and out of nowhere, she breaks the silence with a laugh that borders on hysterical. "My, they sure are taking a while, aren't they?" She seeks a response from me and Dell.

I plaster on a smile – on the inside, I am wildly uncomfortable. She reminds me far too much of Ms. Yuzuki. Definitely less rude, but just as crazy. "Yeah," I say, with a dry laugh.

"Maybe they overslept! Ahaha! That's no good, is it?" she giggles, visibly cracking.

Neru and Miku crane their necks to sneak a peek from their seats. Neru is itching for entertainment, whereas Miku is both confused and concerned. With the teacher's back now turned, I give an exaggerated shrug.

Another ten minutes drag by at a snail's pace, until at last, voices can be heard from outside the bus. "Hurry it up, Oliver!"

"I'm going as fast as I can…!"

"Careful with that suitcase!"

My heart drops into my stomach. They've showed up after all. I was hoping they'd ditched. Unfortunate.

Ms. Megurine audibly sighs in relief. When the group approaches the open doors, she smiles widely. "Good morning, everyone!"

Lily shoves in front of SeeU to be the first to board. Irritation flashes in the latter's eyes for a split second. When Lily steps onto the bus, her face twists in disgust. I can't tell if that's because she sees us, or… "Is this some kind of joke? Did our actual bus break down and this is the only replacement they could find?"

"Um…" Ms. Megurine freezes.

"Umm?" Lily narrows her eyes, scoffing in bemusement. "Jesus, these substitutes are so clueless. Forget it." She doesn't bother to wait for an answer – instead, she saunters to the back of the bus. What ends up catching my attention the most is her lack of bags.

SeeU hops on next, an obnoxious, sickly sweet smile pulling at her lips. "Hey, besties! Looking forward to spending an entire week with us?" She proceeds to cackle like a witch.

I almost gag upon hearing that word escape her. Besties? I swear her IQ drops by one point every day, her stupidity more and more evident each time we cross paths.

"Did you sleep well?" Ms. Megurine doesn't even tell them off. Alrighty then.

"Tch," SeeU tuts. She flips her fluffy locks and turns to join Lily at the back. What a bitch.

Oliver and Fukase's arrival is delayed by a good few moments. They appear with an absurd amount of bags, sweating and huffing, struggling to lift them onto the bus.

"Oh, my! You're very well prepared, hmm?" I have no idea why Ms. Megurine is still attempting to talk to them. She's met with silence, and her bright grin twitches. "Okay! I'll wait until you're seated, then we can get this show on the road! Haha… On the road! Get it! Because we're– Haha…!"

I squirm in my seat, trying my best not to let the secondhand embarrassment seep into my bones.

"Y-Yeah, I get it!" Miku stammers a little, but jumps in to help the poor teacher feel better. Ah, what a sweetheart…

From the back, mocking laughter rings out. It causes my blood to boil – it's no longer my place to swoop in and play the knight, though.

Ms. Megurine adjusts the mirror and glances into it. She nods in confirmation. "Alright! Looks like we're ready to go!" She starts up the engine, and at last, we're off.

Alright… Sharing a bus with these freaks shouldn't be too bad, right? I can tolerate them. Maybe. All I have to do is tune them out for… uh, however long this journey is. I've only just realised I wasn't given all the details.

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm seriously sitting on this gross bus," comes Lily's whining. "It's so stupid that we couldn't just make our own way there. I'd much prefer Daddy's car."

Holy shit. I have to chew on my lower lip, to stop myself from laughing right in her shallow face. I am beyond glad I wasn't anything like that in my last life.

"Hey! How long is this bus ride going to take?" Lily yells. Jesus.

Ms. Megurine flinches, and not gonna lie, my life flashes before my eyes. I really thought that would result in a crash. "Umm, about an hour!"

The four of them grunt in complaint. "What a joke," Fukase scoffs.

"Show some respect, would you?" Uh oh. Dell mustn't be able to handle them any more.

"Ooh, someone's defensive," Fukase says. I don't even need to look at him to know he's smirking. "Heard that, Akita? Sounds like he has a crush. You've lost your chance now."

Neru immediately flares up. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

I sink deeper into my seat. Lord… This is going to be one hell of a long ride.

"O-Okay, everyone, let's not get too excited now…!" Ms. Megurine nervously butts in.

"Everyone? Dell is the one who's being rude to me," Fukase argues, refusing to take accountability. Typical.

"What are you – five? Teacher, he started it! Wah, wah, wah!" I hate to say it, but Dell is kind of acting like a five year old himself now.

I slap a palm onto his shoulder, frantically shaking my head. He needs to drop it.

He clenches his teeth, as though contemplating whether to let it go or not. After a moment, he relents, turning back around with a grunt.

"How about we all talk about what we're looking forward to doing at camp?" Ms. Megurine suggests.

"Pass," Oliver says, voice laced with boredom.

"Does this thing have a radio?" Lily pipes up.

"N-No, sorry…" the teacher timidly answers.

"Christ," Lily says, exasperated. "I'm gonna put my own music on, then."

I clutch at my forehead. Someone spare me.

…

The pretty scenery whizzing past is about the only thing keeping me sane. Everything else going on around me is a complete and utter nightmare. Awful, but barely passable 'music' has been drilling into my skull for what feels like forever, and I've had to deal with the weight of SeeU's feet against the back of my seat almost this whole time. I'm on the brink of exploding. Thankfully, the sights are enough to help me keep my shit together. Another positive is that we should be arriving at camp soon.

I nudge Dell beside me, who's snoring his head off. How he's managed to get a nap with this hellish cacophony is a mystery.

"Hah…!" He gasps, darting his glance from left to right. He slowly exhales a few moments later, shaking off the shock of being abruptly awoken. "Ahh… Jesus… They're still playing that shit?"

Miku's eyes shoot wide open at his lack of filter, whereas Neru cracks up. Fortunately for him, Ms. Megurine either doesn't hear or is too afraid to lecture him.

"Yes. Yes they are," I say.

"Shut it, killjoy." SeeU firmly kicks the back of my seat.

I draw in a breath, trying to fend off the anger. This bitch is pushing it. She knows the teacher won't do a damn thing and wouldn't dare to intervene, so she's testing us. Seeing how far she can go before we land ourselves in trouble. I won't give her that victory, no matter how pissed I get.

"Ah, here we are, everyone!"

Fucking finally. I glance out of the window to confirm – the sight leaves me baffled. We've come to a stop at an empty lot, next to a basic wooden sign that says 'Camp Harmony'. Really? Well, that cringe-inducing name aside… The whole place is deserted, bar another bus.

"Uhh…" I mutter under my breath.

Lily cuts the music. "About time. God, my back is killing me. Where's the cabin? I need a bed, now."

We all unbuckle our seatbelts, and I intend to get off the bus first... But of course, the princess storms to the front, leaving her slaves to carry her bags once more.

"Oh, um… The campsite is just through these trees here, but–"

"Perfect. Hurry up and open the doors," Lily demands.

Ms. Megurine tenses up, as if she wants to say something… However, she relents, and opens the bus doors.

"Oliver! Hurry it up!" Lily gives out her orders, snapping her fingers, before disappearing.

"Right away, Lily!" he calls after her. Eww… Is he that desperate to f– Never mind. Too gross of a thought to even make a joke about. He and the others take their sweet ass time to vacate the bus, but once they're gone, I feel like I can breathe freely again.

"Um… Miss?" I speak up. "Are you… gonna be okay? I mean, these kids are… Y'know."

Miku frowns. "They're so horrible. I can't believe that they're trying to walk all over you…"

The woman lets out a small sigh, stepping off the bus. We grab our bags and follow after her, taking a slow walk along the path to camp. "Don't worry about me. I appreciate you asking, but… They could be worse, I suppose." Oh, she has no idea. She picks up the pace, leaving it at that.

"Man…" Dell huffs.

"Yeah… I mean, it sucks, but what are we s'posed to do?" Neru asks, idly kicking up some rocks as she walks. I guess she has a point. "We're here to chill, aren't we? Re-connect after all that shit on Wispia. Uh, and the Talent Trials."

I shudder at the mention of all that. "Yep," I agree, pushing those bitter memories aside.

"Still…" Miku mutters, unsatisfied with our collective inaction. "Okay, you're right. We should relax."

As we turn a corner, the campsite comes into view. A fence surrounds the perimeter, as well as some tall trees, their leaves a brilliant green. It's… honestly pretty underwhelming as far as camps go. Not that I've ever been camping. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that it's kinda crappy, though. From here, all I can see is a fire pit, and a log cabin all the way at the back.

"Um…" Since there aren't any tents out, I can only assume we're staying in that cabin. Along with the lacking sights, we're also missing a whole group of students. I… guess… they're already unpacking?

Oh, boy. The cabin is quite a distance away… and my whole body's already aching… It's definitely too late to turn around and go back home now, isn't it? I knew I should've faked being sick, damn it…!

By the time we arrive at the cabin, I'm sweaty and exhausted, close to collapsing. Jesus, if I'm gasping for air now, how the hell am I gonna handle whatever camp activities we'll do during the week?

"Gahhh…!" Evidently, I'm not the only one struggling. Neru pants heavily from behind, the noises escaping her akin to a dying whale.

"I hope we get a chance to… haah… settle in and take it easy…" Miku says, between deep breaths.

"I need a shower so badly," I grimace. I push the front door open, and trail my eyes over the entrance hall. "Hmm…" I wonder where we're supposed to put our bags? To our left is some stairs, and in front of us, two doors.

"Aha, there you are! Lagging behind, are we?" A familiar, gruff voice calls out to us, from… Upstairs?

I whip my head in that direction, jaw dropping as I see who's standing there.

Mr. Kasane?! "Ha… hahaha…!" I laugh, relief flooding in. This means… Lily shouldn't be causing too much trouble after all.

"O-Oh!" Miku gasps. Ah… Is she still scared of him…? Can't say I blame her.

"Uh, m-morning, sir…!" Dell trips over his words, but is swift in greeting him. We follow along, bowing in respect.

"Are you kids going to stand there gawking at me all morning? Get up here and put your bags away!"

Oh, god. We have to carry our bags… All the way upstairs…? Without any help?! Dell and I exchange panicked glances.

"Hey! I'm not going to repeat myself!" the man shouts.

"Ah…!" We scramble to get moving. For some reason, I thought he'd be a little more lenient with us, considering how we managed to impress him at the Talent Trials. How very wrong I am.

It's, uh… difficult, to say the least, to carry all of our stuff up the stairs. All while Mr. Kasane's eyes dig into us, hands casually propped up on his hips.

"Come now, almost there," he says. I can't tell if he's encouraging and praising us, or disappointed at how slow we've been. Eh… Doesn't matter, does it?

We reach the top, and seriously, I am genuinely shocked that I haven't crashed to the ground. My legs are probably going to give way any second now. "S-So… Wh…Where are… our rooms?" I wheeze.

Mr. Kasane lets out a hearty chuckle. "Follow me. You'll see."

Uh oh. I do not like how vague that answer is.

"I refuse to sleep in a tent!" A high-pitched, screechy yell hits my ears as we head down the hall. Tent? "Are you stupid or something? How many times do I have to tell you?!"

When we reach the end of the hall, Mr. Kasane harshly pushes the door open, putting an end to the screaming. "Ms. Lily, I thought I already warned you about your lack of respect for authority."

Geez, what a sight this bedroom is. It's utterly packed in here; in the centre, Lily, SeeU, Oliver and Fukase are circled around Ms. Megurine. At the back of the room, Xingchen and the others are sorting through their bags – probably trying to block out the chaos. Upon our arrival, they spin around, and their expressions all light up… Apart from Gakupo.

It's so dumb. Even now, my eyes are drawn to him, and I'm left breathless. It's not from all the exercise, either. I haven't seen him in person since…

"Everyone!" Xingchen exclaims. Woah. A real, bright smile. I'm proud of her for coming out of her shell.

Whilst the two teachers deal with the, uh… problem, we cross the room to greet each other. Okay… I just need to focus on the girls. Not him. Not right now. Later.

Rin pulls Neru into a big hug against the latter's will, squeezing her tightly. Cute. Gumi sends a little wave to Miku, and Una excitedly rushes up to me and Dell.

"Hi, Kaito-san! Dell-san!" She seems… so happy to see me. I mean, probably not just me. Still, it melts my heart. "We were starting to think your bus broke down!"

"Ah… Nope. Just… Well…" I subtly gesture to Lily, who's continuing to argue with and defy Mr. Kasane.

"I don't answer to someone who's not even a teacher at Oak Valley," she snarls. "That's it. I'm calling Daddy."

Dell rolls his eyes. "Good luck with that."

Una blinks, seemingly confused. It takes her a second to process, then… "Ohh! I see. Geez! Does she find it fun to cause problems everywhere she goes or something?"

"Shh, shh…!" I swiftly hush her. Way too loud.

She flashes a nervous, apologetic grin, immediately recognising her mistake.

The second Lily pulls out her phone, Mr. Kasane snatches it from her hands, which causes her to screech like a banshee again. Oh, man… My ears… They're gonna be fighting for quite a while, I see.

We exchange greetings with Xingchen, Merli and Aoki; then Rin, and… Well, then I'm faced with Gumi and Gakupo. I suck in a breath, slapping on an amicable smile. The others don't know. They can't. Not yet, at least.

"Hi, Kaito-san!" Man, it's been a while since I've seen her so cheery, too. I'm glad she's perked up. Hmm, come to think of it… Gumi and I were pretty close, before. She's… the first person I met outside those walls. "It's good to see you, Dell-san."

"Hey, Dell-san is a little formal now, don't you think?"

"Oh!" Gumi pauses. "Right… Okay. Dell-kun and Kaito-kun it is."

"And… What about me?" Gakupo clears his throat, and attempts to insert himself in the conversation.

"Really?" Dell glares at Gakupo with disdain, eyes narrow. Ah…? I guess he doesn't want to make any efforts to hide his annoyance.

Gumi awkwardly darts her eyes between the two. "Uh. Did I… miss something?" Huh. I thought he would've told her by now.

"Yeah, Gakupo. What did we miss?" Dell doesn't ease up in the slightest, pressuring him into confessing.

Gakupo's eyes briefly meet mine; he holds my gaze for about a second too long, which ignites the anger within me all over again.

"Oh. I think I get it." Somehow, Gumi catches on. Or, I think she does? "Dell-kun, let's… give 'em a second."

"Wait–" Before I can beg her not to leave me alone with him, she slides her arm through Dell's and literally drags him away. You've gotta be fucking kidding me. He doesn't even try to stop her!

I loosely clench my fists at my sides. God damn it. Involuntarily, my eyes trail over Gakupo. He's silent, withdrawn and meek. God, I cannot stand this tension. "Listen. I'm only playing nice for the sake of our friends. I suggest you do the same. I'll talk to Dell-kun. Okay?"

He visibly gulps. "Kai, I– Ah… I mean, K-Kaito-san–" He tries to correct his mistake, but only trips over his words. Instead, he slaps a palm over his mouth, anxiety etched into his features.

Wait. What did he just call me? My mind races. Holy shit… That isn't the first time he's called me 'Kai'. Panic wells up in my chest. The last time he called me that… The morning after we escaped Wispia. No way. No fucking way.

"I… I'm…" comes his muffled attempt at an explanation.

This really is not the best time or place to hash everything out. I'm seething, but I reel it in. "We'll talk later, Gaku." I hiss out that nickname, as a way to let him know. Every other time I called him that, I said it with such adoration, all sickly sweet… Now, everything about it is ice cold. Deep down, I despise how it's come to this. How the fuck else am I meant to deal with it, though?

Mr. Kasane claps his hands together to grab our attention. At least the screaming match is finally over. "Right! Now that that's sorted…" he says, remnants of irritation lingering. "We should strike while the iron's hot and begin our first team-building activity. No time like the present, after all!"

Jesus, I can't do this right now. Already? And here I thought I could shower and go to bed.

"First and foremost, welcome to Camp Harmony!" Mr. Kasane announces. "This here is Ms. Megurine, for the Mahogany kids out of the loop. She's a substitute teacher at Oak Valley."

"Hello, everybody…! If you ever need anything during your stay, please, do not hesitate to come see me."

The man nods. "Yes, yes, but remember – we're not here to coddle them too much," he adds, and I swear, he side-eyes the spoiled brat squad as he says that. "We're here to teach you about raw survival!"

I flinch ever so slightly at his sudden booming volume. That's one way to wake someone up. Man… If the woodwork and math trials were bad, I can't even begin to imagine how this week will unfold under his supervision.

"As you may have noticed, there aren't any tents outside," he continues. What…? "That is because you will be working together to put them up yourselves." This is a sick joke. Right? Why? Why would he make us do that?!

"Can't we at least eat something first?" Oliver interrupts.

"Did I tell you to speak, boy?" Mr. Kasane roars. Genuine fear overtakes the male, and he shuts up instantly. Holy fuck. "You'll survive a little while longer without food. Besides, that will give you incentive to finish quicker, wont't it?"

I… suppose so? My stomach grumbles in complaint, regardless.

"Once you've set up your tents, you'll be allowed to do whatever you wish," Ms. Megurine says, with a soft smile. Wow. These teachers… are total opposites. I wonder if they'll clash at some point.

"Only for today," Mr. Kasane cuts in. "The tents are in there." He points to what must be a storage cupboard; a door attached to the wall, over on the right side of the room.

"Um… D-Did you write up those tent assignments yet, sir…?" Ms. Megurine shyly asks.

Mr. Kasane stops to think, caught off guard for once. He recovers coolly, however, with a shrug. "Looks like I'm picking on the spot. Let's see. First tent…" His eyes roam the room, and they land on me. Uh oh. "You. I remember you from the trials. Good work, kid. That's why you're up first. You're with, uhh, your silver-haired friend and prize student Kamui."

I think I'm going to throw up. I can handle Dell, obviously. But Gakupo? Again? Fate really is just going out of its way to fuck with me. At this point, I think fate must hold a grudge against me. Why? Fuck knows.

Dell can probably sense the anxiety radiating off of me; he speaks up. "Sir, uh, could we–"

"I will not have anyone questioning the arrangements!" Mr. Kasane snaps.

Oh, no… No, no, no… I can't share a whole ass tent with him, I just can't! A bedroom was manageable. There was plenty of space between us. But a tent? This is cruel.

The controversial pairings don't end there, either. Oliver and Fukase are put together, and while that makes sense, considering they're the only other males, it's also unfair. They're best friends. Why couldn't Mr. Kasane have stuck Gakupo with them instead?

As for the girls, Neru gets lumped in with SeeU. Gumi and Merli are there, too, but I'm afraid they won't be able to stop the tomboy from ripping SeeU's head off. And Miku… Oh, my heart aches for her. Lily. Una and Rin are with them. They're all so timid. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

I swear to all that's holy, if that bitch hurts Miku or my sister, I will lose it.

Lucky Xingchen and Aoki get to share. Okay, that one isn't controversial – I'm happy for them. Still, I suppose Mr. Kasane desires chaos by splitting all the friend groups up. That sadistic man probably thinks it builds character or some bullshit.

The two teachers run through camp rules before we have to head off to our doom. "It's simple. Three rules. Listen close because I'm only saying this once," Mr. Kasane announces. "One: I don't want to see any of you in this cabin during the day, unless you need to use the bathroom, or if you're showering."

Jesus christ, what happened to this being a reward?

"Speaking of showers, there are two. Every morning, there will be a list of who showers first. It'll change daily, so none of you get the chance to whine about how life isn't fair," he says. "Two: You're foraging for lunch. We'll be teaching you how to fish, starting tomorrow. Any snacks you brought are going into the kitchen for sharing."

Hah! Okay, fishing? Yeah, I do not seeing that one lasting long.

"For dinner, you must all agree upon what you're making, and cook it without us holding your hand," Mr. Kasane continues.

From the corner of my eye, I see Lily send a scheming smirk to her minions. Great.

"Finally, and most importantly: Don't be stupid. When you go out on the trails, don't get lost. We aren't here to chase after you. Is that clear?"

We all nod, mostly out of fear for what he may do if we refuse or question his rules.

"Good!" Satisfied, he dismisses us. He and Ms. Megurine disappear out of the room, probably to discuss their plan for the next week or whatever.

Lily can't resist waltzing our way the second we're unsupervised. She zones in on Miku in particular. "I just wanted to make one thing clear, sweetie. I don't do peasant work. So don't come pestering me to help pitch the loser tent. Got it?"

Neru steps forward to protect Miku. "Get fucked, you stuck up bitch," she growls.

Ugh, I should've known. Lily isn't focusing on Una or Rin. At least, not yet… As of now, she only wants to target Miku.

"This doesn't concern the stripper," Lily says, a ghost of a scowl pulling at her lips. She doesn't acknowledge Neru's existence – just glares right at Miku, acting like the tomboy isn't right there.

"Listen, you–" Neru is cut off, by Merli's hand on her shoulder.

The purple-haired girl takes over. "Didn't I already warn you?" Though she speaks calmly, there's a glint in her eye that just screams, I dare you to challenge me. "Start playing nice. Last chance."

Compared to last time, Lily stands opposite her, unbothered. Looks like she's had plenty of time to recover from that prior humiliation. Not very smart of her to initiate round two, though. "I'm simply letting my team know I don't do the pauper's job. Neither does SeeU. Isn't that right?"

On cue, the air-headed girl dashes to Lily's side. "Uh huh! We can't risk breaking our nails. So, like… Enjoy!" With that, they flip their hair in unison, and strut away.

The two boys are left in the dust. Unfortunately for them, they can't intimidate the rest of us into doing their work.

"Seriously, what the hell do you see in those girls?" Dell asks them, perplexed.

"Mind your business," Fukase defensively answers. He doesn't say anything more – just heads over to the storage cupboard, a slightly frazzled Oliver in tow.

Gumi releases a breathy laugh, after witnessing that whole mess firsthand. "Well, aren't they just delightful…"

"Just try your best to ignore them," Miku softly says. "Well, everyone. We should get to work, hmm?"

"You want me and Kaito-kun to help once we're done with ours?" Dell offers.

Wah…! Why is he offering me up without even asking? I mean… Sure, it might make Miku hate me less, but… But…!

Her eyes linger on me for about a moment too long. She sighs, folding her arms over her chest. "Maybe. Thanks, Dell-kun."

…

Getting a tent pitched proves to be far more difficult than I expected. I mean, we don't have a whole load of experience with this… Yet it should be relatively straightforward. Dell and Gakupo spend the whole time bickering, however, disagreeing on what needs to go where, and dragging out the process for what feels like an eternity.

All in all, it takes an hour to complete. I dread to think how the rest of the camp activities will play out, if this is the quality of our 'teamwork'. I get it – really, I do. Gakupo is… a dick. Dell needs to let go of his grudge on my behalf, though.

Gakupo doesn't hang around for long once the tent is up. He helps set up the sleeping bags, since that's the one thing that can't be fucked up by poor communication. After that, he just sort of wanders off, his expression blank.

I'd dwell more on how much all of this bullshit is hurting me, but I'm incredibly exhausted, not to mention starving. Besides, I'll have plenty of time to talk to him later. I'll get my peace of mind as soon as I put some food in me.

"I'm really not sure if I can help Mi-chan and Neru-chan…" I whine to Dell. I can make it up to her some other way, can't I?

"Well, you're in luck," he says, releasing a breathy laugh. He tilts his head to gesture at somewhere to the right.

Confused, I trail my eyes in that direction. "Huh…? Huh?!" All of the other tents are already up. How the hell did I not notice sooner? Am I blind? I let out a long groan. "She's going to think I'm so pathetic."

Dell reaches out and slaps a palm down onto my shoulder. I can't help but feel as though that's ever so slightly condescending. "Of course she won't," he reassures me. "Give her time. She won't be ticked off at you forever."

I sure hope not. "Right…" I give in, deciding to put an end to my whining, for now. "Wanna grab breakfast?"

"Ugh… Yeah," he sighs. "I just hope we don't bump into our besties."

I shudder at the thought of them. "I don't think they'll still be in the kitchen. I mean, we took a whole ass hour to finish. They've probably had breakfast by now."

Dell just shrugs, a grimace pulling at his lips. He stuffs his hands into his pockets, making a start toward the cabin. "Only one way to find out, huh?"

"Guess so," I mutter, bitterness washing over me. If I have to face them again…

As anticipated, luck is not on our side. The second we set foot into the kitchen, their eyes pierce through us like daggers. I grit my teeth together, refusing to give them the satisfaction. To occupy my mind, I scan over the kitchen. It's not massive or anything, but the table in the centre of the room is long enough for us to sit a good distance away from them.

"Eww. Look who it is." Lily opens her dumb mouth. Ah, so this is how she's playing, is it? Great.

"Ugh, I've like, totally lost my appetite," SeeU scoffs. "I bet they got covered in dirt setting up their tent." She pretends to gag, like the insufferable child she is.

I simply roll my eyes at the over-dramatic bitch. They're only doing this 'cause Merli isn't here. Or rather, because no one else is here. Jesus, we really did take forever to set up, didn't we?

Dell and I pick some stools at the end of the kitchen, which happens to be situated near the windows. Honestly, it's not much of a sight – just trees for miles and miles. I hop up onto my seat; it's a slight struggle to do so, but I manage.

"Want me to get your breakfast for you?" Dell offers.

I turn to flash him a grin to express my gratitude. However, as I do, I catch Lily just… glaring at me. The hell? I bite my tongue. She's trying to rile me up, and it's working. "Yeah, I'll just take whatever cereal they got stocked in here," I say, tearing my eyes from her.

Dell nods and sets off to the other side of the kitchen, to grab some bowls.

I attempt to idly look out of the window whilst I wait. It's no good – her stare cuts right into me, making it impossible to ignore. I'm not sure what it is, but something is sparked within me, in that moment. "The fuck is your problem?" I demand, clenching my fists atop the table.

"You're my problem," Lily says, curling her lips into a scowl. "You're so pathetic that I can't stand to be in the same room as you."

What the… I'm well accustomed to her everyday bitchiness, but this is… somehow, on another level. Why is she being so needlessly cruel?

"Zip it, Lily," Dell intervenes. He sets down the bottle of milk he's holding, spinning 'round to defend me.

"I know, right?" SeeU agrees with Lily, ignoring Dell as if he weren't even there. "I can't even imagine being such a fucking loser. I mean, wow. Even your lame ass girlfriend got sick of your lameness and ditched you. That's, like… mega pathetic!"

They all burst out into laughter; red floods my vision. My nails dig right into my skin from how hard I'm clenching my fists. Part of me snaps, and I no longer care if I get in trouble. Fuck drowning them out. I rise from my seat.

"Kaito-kun, they're not worth it–!" Dell attempts to bring me back to my senses.

That only causes the four of them to laugh even more, greatly amused and not at all scared of pathetic Kaito. "Oooh, I'm terrified!" Oliver snorts. "Please. What're you gonna do, Shion? Give us a stern lecture on the importance of kindness and being nice?"

Fuelled by something unknown, I rush forward and swiftly close the distance between those assholes and me. They're too busy cackling away, all cocky and full of themselves to even notice.

I grab Lily's arm, my grip on her iron tight as I yank her from her seat.

She stumbles, tripping over her feet in the process, and collides with my chest. She lets out an ear-piercing shriek, and finally, her slaves' laughing fit comes to an end. She tries to walk backwards and free herself, to no avail. "What the fuck, Shion?! Get your pathetic, reject hands off of me, before I make you regret it!"

"You're the one who'll regret it, bitch," I snarl. A red-hot rage surges through me. I'm so sick of having to be the bigger person. Of having to constantly deal with their shit and letting them get away with it. All eyes are on us, yet the clowns are too pussy to defend their ringleader. Typical.

"Kaito-kun," comes Dell's firm warning.

It's as if I can't hear him. I mean… I can hear him, but his voice doesn't reach me. It's not enough to pull me back to sense. I glare right at Lily, focusing on her and only her. "You know what your problem is? You've gotten away with this shit for far too long. No one's been brave enough to fight back, so you keep pushing and pushing, thinking you can do whatever the fuck you please."

There's a glimmer of actual emotion in her eyes. That self-assured, stuck up aura has been shattered, and all that remains is a scared little girl. Good.

"Well, guess what?" I sneer. I didn't think it would be possible, but my grip on her grows tighter, until tears line her eyes. "You pushed too hard. And now I'm going to make you wish you stayed the fuck away, like we told you countless times."

In that moment, my hand around her arm becomes unusually hot. It's not just the rush of adrenaline that's got me all fired up, either. I falter, confusion trickling in. It's too late, though. She lets out a scream in what I can only describe as agony. Regret comes crashing down on top of me; I choke out a gasp and release her, stumbling back.

"Lily?!" SeeU is at her side in an instant; the other two scramble to stand in front of her, to protect her.

Wide-eyed, I stare at Lily's arm, and nausea hits me hard. There's a… a bright red mark on her skin, and she's left hyperventilating, tears streaming down her face.

"What did you do to her?!" Fukase yells, taking a step toward me.

I… I don't know… I don't know…! My entire body is trembling – their screams and demands for an explanation are now worlds away. I slowly turn my hand over, eyes fixated on my open palm. What… happened…?

"Get the fuck out of here," Dell orders.

I feel his hand squeezing my shoulder; it pulls me from the depths of my mind.

"Are you insane? We're not going anywhere until this freak explains himself." Oliver spits that word out, accusing me of being some sort of monster.

"He didn't do shit. I was standing right here. Tell your master to quit overreacting," Dell fires back. "Just… Piss off and leave us alone."

SeeU wraps an arm around the now pale Lily. "You just made a huge mistake, Shion," she hisses. "C'mon, Lily. Let's get out of here before Honne flips out, too."

"Fucking freaks," Oliver tosses out yet another insult. "This isn't over."

They take their leave, at last. I gaze down at my palm once more, mind racing, heart pounding. What the hell came over me? My skin is tingling, even now, and there's a red tint to it.

Could it have been… magic…? That should be impossible. It can only be activated from within by a weapon. Well, non-magical beings can use weapons that are imbued with magic, but… Damn it, that's irrelevant. This is exactly why I avoided the weapons that Xingchen brought back with her. I didn't want to risk this happening.

Without saying a word, Dell helps me back onto a stool. I just let him pull me along, my head spinning. It's a relief to know that he's not scared of me. That he doesn't think I'm some sort of unstable monster. However… Maybe I am… One minute, I was calm. The next?

"Are you alright?"

Despite his gentle tone, and soft volume, I flinch. "I… I don't… I'm not sure what…"

"Maybe this has something to do with what Xingchen-san said," he mutters, a thoughtful hint to his words. Huh? He narrows his eyes, briefly pausing to contemplate, then… "I mean, I'm just guessing here, but… She said those wands were linked to her and her friends, right? And the girls are linked to the rest of us. So, that means the other weapons are linked to us, too. Hear me out, and don't laugh. What if those weapons belonged to the guardians of Wispia?"

Oh… That's right. Man, all of that feels like it happened forever ago. So, Dell's caught on? "Uh… They might have, yeah," I agree.

"And what if… those guardians… are related to us? Like, our very, very distant ancestors?"

Ah. Never mind. I suppose it would be a stretch to assume we were reborn, and that we are literally those 'guardians'. So close, yet so far. "It's, uh, possible…"

"Their magic was probably passed down to us," he says, with a nod in affirmation. "It's all linked, see? That's why we were all brought together. Your magic just so happened to activated today. "

Ugh, my head hurts… I wish I could tell him the truth. That aside… Why now? My magic has never been brought to life by anger or other negative emotions. Then again, I barely remember using my weapon in my last life. Maybe… it works differently now? Could the rebirth spell have altered it somehow?

"Maybe," I vaguely answer, with a tired shrug.

"Hey… I know it's scary, but I got your back," Dell says. That's true… I'm glad he covered for me and defended me against those four. "Now that you know your magic has been activated, it should be easy to avoid another outburst. Just… Try to stay calm, alright? Don't let it take over."

Easier said than done when it comes to those dickheads. He's right, though. I need to fucking relax. I still have no idea how I lost my shit so quickly.

"Oh, and uh… Let's call a meeting later. We need to tell Xingchen-san what happened," Dell says.

Ah, fun. I get to be her guinea pig; let her dissect me in the name of 'research'.

Dell swiftly moves the conversation along. Guess he doesn't want to linger on all this serious shit. "So, you… still hungry?"

My stomach turns. Not any more, that's for sure. I knew today would be a terrible fuckin' day.

…

[Rin Kagamine's POV]

"Don't worry, Lily! That freak will pay for this!"

A whiny voice in the distance pierces through my meditative state. My eye involuntarily twitches. At first, I'm mildly irritated that I've been disturbed once more. It'll be impossible to achieve true inner peace at this ridiculous camp. However, I'm quick to recognise that voice, and my frustration melts away. I have no clue what his name is – Generic High School Bully #100. Whatever. That's not important. What's important is… He's indicated that my plan worked.

I open a connection inside my mind, wasting not a single second. Len.

Straight away, there's an answer. Yes? He sounds more pissed off than usual.

The test was successful, I say. His magic was activated. Much sooner than I anticipated, mind you.

Is he aware of his past life?

I pause. Probably not, I confidently reply. Only sappy, disgusting positive emotions make them remember.

Good. Well, it seems you won the bet. Ooh, I can hear how sour he is. Keep pushing him.

I haven't won just yet, dear brother, I say, with an internal snicker. It's still early days, right? I have a lot of pushing to do. And if it does fail, and I lose, then we have your plan as a backup.

I suppose you're correct, Len sighs. My plan is not a backup, either. Yours is.

I hold off a smirk. Yes, yes, your plan is amazing.

I only came up with a secondary plan because I didn't like how much room for error his had. Plus, I love a good competition. I need something to quell the boredom, after all. I kind of hope that both plans work, though. There would be nothing more satisfying in this universe than to see Seiun crumble entirely. I want him to hurt Gakupo, be all torn up with regret and self-hatred, and then lose the only family he's ever known.

Unfortunately, that's only a tiny fraction of what he deserves, but… I'll just have to live with that.

Did you find anything on his real mother? I wonder. I wanna torture him with her, too.

Yes, I did, Len replies. And he didn't tell me until now? She was found in a ditch about sixteen years ago.

A disappointed pout pulls at my lips. No fair.

Boo. Too bad. Well, anyway, don't forget. The kill on Seiun is mine. The same goes for his sister, I say.

Of course. I bestowed that honour upon you from the beginning.

At least that power-hungry maniac hasn't forgotten his promise to me yet.

I close the connection for now, and retreat back into my mind. I need to stay in this state at all times, otherwise I'll be overwhelmed with thoughts of the past. For a brief second between closing the connection and shifting into meditation, however, my beloved Yuuma flashes in my mind.

I wonder… Would he hate who I've become?

Heh… It matters not. In the afterlife, all sins will be cleansed, and… he will forgive me. I know he will.