The next day began under a tense, foreboding sky, as though even nature sensed the shift in the lives of Chiba Academy's students. The morning air was heavy with whispers that grew louder and more accusatory as the school day progressed. News had broken: Raiden Ryoma, the head of ME Corp and one of the most influential figures in Japan, had been accused of embezzlement. Overnight, his reputation had been obliterated, his assets, minus his estate seized, and his leadership stripped away, leaving a power vacuum in his company that Cocolia Corporation was quick to fill.
Mei Raiden entered the school grounds later than usual, her pace slower, her head bowed. She hadn't yet seen the morning headlines, but the lingering stares, muttered words, and occasional pointed fingers spoke volumes. A strange hollowness filled her chest as unease crept in.
As she crossed the courtyard toward the main building, she spotted Hoshizora leaning against the Augery Tree, as he so often did. His crows perched above him, their watchful eyes tracking her approach. But there was something different about him—his usual nonchalance replaced by a rare, solemn expression.
"Raiden," he called softly, stepping forward to meet her.
She froze, unprepared for his uncharacteristic directness.
"I'm sorry," Hoshizora said quietly, his voice steady but weighted with genuine regret. "This... wasn't what I meant by the Slingshot Effect."
Mei blinked at him, her heart sinking further. "What are you talking about?"
Hoshizora hesitated, his mouth opening as though to explain, but then he shook his head. "You'll know soon enough," he murmured. "Just know that I'm sorry."
Minutes later, Mei's world came crashing down when she finally read the news. Standing outside her locker, she felt the blood drain from her face as she skimmed the headlines and accompanying articles detailing her father's alleged crimes. Her grip on her phone tightened until her knuckles turned white.
The whispers around her grew louder now that the truth—or what the world believed to be the truth—was out. She could feel the weight of every gaze boring into her, some filled with pity, others with schadenfreude.
But despite her father's disgrace, no one dared to mock her openly. Hoshizora's presence loomed too large, his silent, watchful eyes enough to keep any would-be tormentors at bay. The animals near the Augery Tree seemed more active than usual, crows darting over the courtyard and squirrels watching from branches as though guarding her.
While Mei managed to avoid outright bullying, her friends were not spared. Haruto, Airi, and Minako began facing pressure from both their peers and their families to cut ties with Mei.
"Raiden's finished," one classmate told Haruto bluntly. "Why would you want to be associated with her now? You'll just drag yourself down."
Airi's older brother cornered her after dinner one evening. "Do you have any idea how bad it looks for our family to have you hanging around a pariah like her? Drop her now, before this damages your reputation."
Even Minako's typically supportive parents gave her wary looks. "Are you sure it's wise to stay close to the Raiden girl?" her mother asked delicately over breakfast. "Sometimes you have to think about your future, dear."
But despite the pressure, Haruto and Airi refused to abandon Mei completely. While their interactions grew more discreet, they made sure to show their support when it mattered most.
During lunch, Mei found herself near the Augery Tree again, seeking solace in its shade. Hoshizora was there, sitting cross-legged at the base of the trunk, his usual crows absent.
"You're not eating," he noted, his tone neutral as he flicked his eyes toward her.
"I'm not hungry," she replied, sitting down beside him.
They sat in silence for a while, the distant hum of student chatter filling the air. Finally, Hoshizora broke the quiet.
"Why aren't you avoiding me?" he asked, his voice tinged with confusion.
Mei tilted her head. "Why would I?"
Hoshizora's frown deepened. "You know how my luck works. Maybe I didn't cause this, but I could've made it worse—sped it up somehow. You don't have to act like nothing's changed."
Mei looked at him, her gaze steady. "Your luck only affects you, Hoshizora. It's been half a semester, and everyone knows that. If anything, I'd say your luck dragged me away from worse situations before they even started. You couldn't have caused this. Maybe you nudged it along, but..." She smiled softly. "At the end of the day, it wasn't your fault, so don't beat yourself up about it, okay?"
Hoshizora stared at her, his frown softening into something unreadable. His shoulders, usually hunched with tension, relaxed ever so slightly. He turned his head away, looking out at the courtyard.
"...Akito," he said after a moment.
"Pardon?" Mei blinked in confusion.
"You're my friend, aren't you? You don't have to call me Hoshizora. Just Akito."
Mei's face lit up with a warm smile. "Then you can call me Mei, okay?"
For the first time since she'd met him, Akito smiled—a small, genuine curve of his lips that transformed his usually distant demeanor.
"Okay," he said softly.
Though the days ahead promised to be challenging, that moment marked a turning point for both Mei and Akito. Despite the shadows hanging over them, they found comfort in each other's quiet resilience.
And in the background, unseen by most, Captain and Lieutenant watched from their respective perches—one high in the trees, the other in the shadows—ensuring that no harm came to the two under their charge.
Mei's days at Chiba Academy, though tense, were her sanctuary. Akito's quiet but unwavering protection ensured that no one dared to challenge her safety within the school grounds. His presence, along with his "mafia" of creatures, deterred even the most emboldened of bullies. However, outside the school's gates, the real threats lurked. Mei's notoriety as the daughter of a disgraced businessman made her an easy target for prying eyes, opportunistic reporters, and those eager to make her misery their entertainment.
But it seemed that Akito's reach extended far beyond the school grounds.
Online chatter began to crop up on niche forums and social media pages, recounting eerie encounters tied to Mei's movements. The posts spoke of creatures—unsettling guardians of the disgraced Raiden heiress.
User: UrbanMythSeeker89"I swear I'm not making this up. I was walking through the alleys near Chiba Academy when I saw this group of crows. But they weren't normal crows—they had these strange white-tipped feathers, like frost, and they weren't scared of me. They justwatched. I tried taking a photo, but my phone could only get grainly shots."
Commenter: GhostHound56"You think that's bad? I was tailing that Raiden girl—just out of curiosity, mind you—and this mangy dog appeared out of nowhere. It was HUGE and half its fur looked burnt or something. I swear it snarled at me, but when I turned around, it was gone. Never running that kind of 'errand' again."
Commenter: DarkWhisper23"Oh, that's nothing. I heard there's thisotherdog—jet-black, enormous, with glowing red eyes—that comes out of the shadows themselves. People are saying it's the ruler of those creatures. If that thing is real, it's no wonder no one's messing with her."
The first line of defense was always the crows. They perched in clusters near wherever Mei happened to be, their glossy black feathers marked with strange white-tipped patterns, as though frost had kissed their wings. Silent and unblinking, they observed anyone who dared to come too close.
One man, a journalist hoping to snap candid photos of Mei, reported that the crows followed him for three blocks after he'd taken a single picture. When he reviewed his camera roll, every photo of her was photobombed by crows and to add insult, blurred beyond recognition, while every other photo was perfectly fine.
Others told of an unsettling dog that lurked just beyond the edge of light. It was large, its fur patchy and uneven, as if it had survived countless battles. Its eyes, faintly glowing yellow, radiated a quiet menace.
One account from a man who attempted to shout insults at Mei from across the street claimed that the dog appeared out of nowhere, standing between him and her. The dog didn't growl or bark—it simply stared. But that gaze alone was enough to send the man fleeing, certain that something much worse would happen if he stayed.
And then there were the whispers of the ruler of these creatures. The most terrifying of all was the description of a massive black dog, its fur so dark it seemed to absorb the light around it. Its eyes—crimson and burning like embers—struck fear into anyone unlucky enough to glimpse them. This dog was said to emerge only when the other creatures needed backup, or when a particularly bold fool tried something dangerous.
Anonymous Submission"I don't care if you believe me or not, but I saw it. The dog isn't just an animal—it's like... a shadow given form. I swear it wasn't walking; it was gliding, like itwasn't real.I was just trying to walk home when I turned a corner and there it was, staring me down. I froze. I couldn't even breathe. Then it just... vanished. But I could stillfeelits eyes on me. I couldn't sleep that night."
Commenter: HarutoDares"Shadow King it now, Raiden's guardians are summoned by Fifty/Fiftyfails. She's probably a princess or something."
Commenter: AiriSnaps"More like she's got her own cryptid mafia. You think it's the Slingshot Effect? Or is Hoshizora part of some supernatural secret society?"
Commenter: Fifty/FiftyFails (Hoshizora)"Yes."
Commenter: AiriSnaps"I'M SCREAMING."
Commenter: HarutoDares"NOOOO STOP FEEDING THE RUMORS."
While Mei was aware of the rumors circulating online, she tried not to let them bother her. The creatures—whatever they were—didn't scare her. If anything, she felt an odd sense of safety knowing they were there. Whether they acted on Akito's orders or of their own volition, she appreciated their presence.
Her gratitude didn't stop her from teasing Akito about the rumors, however.
"So," she said one day as they walked to class. "I hear you've got a Shadow King under your command now."
Akito raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanging. "And?"
"And it's a little overdramatic, don't you think?"
"I didn't choose the nickname," he replied evenly. "Besides, it's not like they're wrong."
Mei stopped mid-step, staring at him. "Wait. Are you saying it's real?"
Akito smirked ever so slightly before continuing ahead without another word. Mei sighed, shaking her head. "Of course," she muttered. "Why do I even bother asking?"
The morning light filtered gently through the canopy of the Augery Tree, dappling the ground with soft golden hues as Mei approached her usual sanctuary. Ignoring the murmurs of reporters and the stares of her peers, she headed straight for the tree. Her routine resilience was now second nature, strengthened by the days spent under the silent watch of Akito and his peculiar guardians.
She spotted him lounging beneath the tree, leaning back against the trunk, his signature crow mask that he was rarely seen without was hanging loosely around his neck. A faint sound of music reached her ears as she drew closer, not the usual J-pop or EDM that she sometimes caught him humming under his breath. It was softer, more intimate—a voice carried by a melancholy melody.
"What's that?" Mei asked, breaking the comfortable silence as she settled beside him.
Akito glanced up, pulling one of the earbuds from his ear. "Imogen Heap. The song's to listen?"
Without waiting for her reply, he handed her the spare earbud. Mei hesitated briefly before taking it, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear to fit it in. The music enveloped her immediately, the words blending seamlessly with the cool morning air.
Distant flickerings, greener scenery
This weather's bringing it all back again
"It's... different," she murmured after a moment, her voice soft as if not to disturb the song.
"Good different or bad different?" Akito asked, watching her reaction.
"Good," Mei replied, leaning back against the tree. "It's not what I expected you to listen to, though."
Akito shrugged. "I like a lot of Western music. Don't get me wrong—EDM and Vocaloid are fine, but sometimes it feels like I'm drowning in it. This," he gestured vaguely to the music, "lets me breathe."
Mei smiled faintly. "I get that."
For the next few minutes, they sat in companionable silence, sharing the music as the rest of the campus came to life around them. The crows watched from their perches, the usual bustle of Chiba Academy growing louder as students began to arrive.
The song shifted, its rhythm a bit more upbeat now, though the lyrics retained their reflective tone.
You say too late to start, got your heart in a headlock
I don't believe any of it
You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock
You know you're better than this
Mei closed her eyes, letting the melody wash over her. Despite everything—the reporters, her father's downfall, the whispers behind her back—this moment felt... peaceful.
When the song ended, Akito stood, brushing off his pants. "Homeroom's about to start."
Mei nodded, handing back the earbud. "Thanks for letting me listen."
He tilted his head slightly, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "Anytime."
As they made their way toward the main building, the melody of the song seemed to linger in the air, almost as if it followed them.
Wear a different pair, do something out of step
Throw a stranger an unexpected smile
With big intention, still posted at your station
Always on about the day it should have flown
Mei found herself humming along quietly as they walked, a small smile playing on her lips. For once, it felt like the weight of the world wasn't entirely on her shoulders.
The sky was a watercolor of orange and purple hues, the gentle glow of the approaching dusk casting long shadows under the Augery Tree. Mei and Akito sat in their usual spots, the quiet between them comfortable as the campus began to quiet down. Akito leaned back against the tree with his arms crossed, his crow mask hanging loosely at his side. Mei sat nearby, twirling a stray leaf between her fingers, her thoughts wandering aimlessly.
The serenity of the moment was broken by the sound of soft, deliberate footsteps crunching against the scattered leaves. Mei's attention snapped to the source, her body tensing instinctively.
A dog emerged from the shadows—a gaunt, mangy black creature with patches of fur missing and what appeared to be burn scars near its head. Its wiry frame and piercing, almost too-intelligent eyes sent a chill down Mei's spine.
"What is that?" Mei asked, her voice low and wary.
Akito, however, merely glanced at the dog and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "About time you showed up, moron," he said, as if greeting a tardy friend. "What, did Captain send a message?"
The dog snorted, a sound that was shockingly derisive for an animal, before padding closer to Akito. Without hesitation, it flopped down into his lap, folding its legs neatly beneath it as if it belonged there.
"Mei, meetThe Mangy Dog,also known as Grim," Akito said, one hand absently patting the creature's bony head. "And for the record, that's short for Kyrkogrim."
Mei froze, her mind racing. "Kyrkogrim? As in achurch grim? The spirit that protects graveyards and churches?"
Akito chuckled, the rare sound catching her off guard. "Eh, this guy's never been near a church in his life," he replied, scratching the dog's ear. "Grim was rescued from an animal trafficking ring by Captain and Lieutenant's old owner. Took him a while to trust people again, but he eventually opened up. Still, he has his quirks—like refusing to take orders from a cat."
Mei blinked, her wariness turning into cautious curiosity. "Wait, Captain is acat?"
"Yup," Akito confirmed, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in faint amusement. "Grim here decided to be my shadow after the three of them—Captain, Lieutenant, and Grim—found me. So, formally meet the reason why people think I have supernatural guardian creatures: this dumbass."
Akito's tone was casual, but Mei, attuned to his subtleties, noticed the brief moments of genuine affection in the way he patted Grim's head.
Mei glanced at the dog again, its sharp eyes now closed as it lounged contentedly in Akito's lap. It was still intimidating, but the way it seemed utterly at ease around Akito was oddly reassuring.
"Nice to meet you, Grim... I think," Mei murmured, still unsure but less on edge.
Akito leaned back against the tree, his gaze shifting upward to the canopy. "Don't worry," he said suddenly, his voice carrying an almost mischievous undertone. "Chances are, one of the creatures will probably adopt you eventually."
Mei stiffened. "Adopt me?"
"Yeah," Akito said matter-of-factly, his attention still on the branches above. "Though fair warning, Aaaaah does most of the searching, so you might end up with something unexpected."
Mei's brows furrowed. "Aaaaah? The crow that's always watching you? The one that broke into your apartment so many times that 'Aaaaah' is literally the only name she responds to?ThatAaaaah?"
"Yup," Akito said, popping the "p" for emphasis, his tone completely nonchalant.
Mei groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I'm doomed, aren't I?"
Akito finally looked at her, his expression calm but his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, definitely," he said, his voice as dry as ever.
Grim let out a low, rumbling noise that might have been a dog's version of a chuckle, and Mei felt a sinking feeling settle in her chest. She could already tell this was going to be alongadjustment.