Kuri stormed down the dimly lit hallway of True Cross Academy, her hands balled into fists at her sides. The muffled sounds of students chatting and laughing in nearby classrooms grated on her nerves. She could still see Cassie's smug grin and hear the bubbly tone of her voice as she whisked Rin away, leaving Kuri standing there, humiliated.
Why does it bother me so much? she thought angrily, her chest tightening. She had told herself not to get her hopes up, but Rin's awkward charm and the way he'd almost asked her had made her believe—just for a moment—that he might actually choose her.
She blinked back the sting of tears as she turned a corner, trying to shove the feelings down. It's fine. I'm fine.
But when she rounded the corner and nearly ran straight into Rin, her heart leapt into her throat.
"Kuri," he said softly, his blue eyes glinting in the low light.
She stopped short, staring at him in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled faintly, stepping closer. "Don't worry too much," he said, his tone casual, but something about it felt… off. "I mean, that girl? She's ugly. Hideous compared to you."
Kuri blinked, her surprise giving way to confusion. "What?"
"I'm just too nice to reject her," Rin continued, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. "And too arrogant to go with you. I mean, look at you."
Her stomach twisted. The words were harsh, cruel—completely unlike the Rin she knew.
"How could you ever be worthy of the Great. Demon. Prince?" he sneered, his voice heavy with disdain.
Kuri's breath caught in her throat, and anger flared in her chest. "Who the hell are you?"
Rin—or whoever this was—smirked, a cold, satisfied expression spreading across his face. "Come with me," he said, his tone calm yet commanding.
Before she could think better of it, Kuri followed him, her instincts buzzing with unease. He led her into the darkened auditorium, the quiet space eerily still. The decorations for the Snow Ball loomed around them, casting long shadows in the dim light.
As soon as they reached the center of the room, Rin's form began to shift. His features twisted unnaturally, his skin turning pale and translucent. His body stretched and contorted until he stood before her in his true form—a yuurei, an evil spirit with a gaunt, spectral face and glowing red eyes.
"So predictable," the spirit hissed, its voice a guttural rasp. "You humans are so easy to manipulate."
Kuri's fists clenched at her sides, and she took a step back, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"
The yuurei chuckled darkly, its clawed hand trailing down the side of her face in a mockery of affection. "Don't you dare interfere," it growled. "Or I'll keep possessing people. Eventually…" It leaned closer, its breath cold against her skin. "I'll come to someone you care about."
The threat sent a chill down her spine, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she straightened her back, meeting the spirit's gaze with fierce determination. "And I'll purify you," she said, her voice steady and resolute.
The yuurei's expression twisted with anger, and it lunged forward, its clawed hand wrapping around her throat. Kuri gasped, her vision darkening as its grip tightened.
But then, a surge of energy flared within her, and a brilliant flash of silver light erupted from her body. The spirit screamed, recoiling as the light engulfed it, forcing it to release her.
"You BITCH!" it screeched, collapsing to the ground, its form flickering weakly.
Kuri staggered back, catching her breath as she glared down at the defeated spirit. "I don't care if Rin doesn't like me," she said fiercely, her voice trembling with both anger and conviction. "I'm not about to let the likes of you ruin his date!"
The yuurei laughed, its voice a low, sinister hiss. "We'll see how cocky you are when I use my influence on Rin," it snarled. "What sort of pain will you inflict on his demonic visage with your sacred power… priestesssss…"
Its voice trailed off into a hiss as its form dissolved into the shadows, vanishing completely.
"Coward!" Kuri shouted, her voice echoing through the empty auditorium.
For a moment, silence fell, the only sound her ragged breathing as she stood there, fists trembling at her sides.
Finally, she turned and walked out of the auditorium, her head held high. She wouldn't let the spirit's words haunt her, and she certainly wouldn't let it win.
But as she stepped into the hallway, her heart ached all over again. The memory of Rin's almost-invitation lingered in her mind, a painful reminder of what could have been.
Kuri clenched her fists tighter. She couldn't afford to dwell on it now. There were bigger battles to fight—and she wasn't about to lose.