“Checkmate.” Declare Hansuke putting the bishop piece vertically to the enemy king.

“What...?! How??”

“Hmph, you still have a long way to go, Taichi. Now go back to your little virtual games and leave me alone with my novels.”

“Argh! But how did you win?! You didn’t even look at the chess properly!” Taichi was annoyed by the fact that he trained so damn hard the last few weeks, just to have a mediocre defeat.

“I can't do anything if you're so bad, now sho, sho” He gives the other a gesture that means it.

“I’m what?? Dare to say it again you four-eyed pervert!!” He grabs Hansuke's collar, but the other doesn't care and continues laughing at his face while repeating how bad he is.

Phew… from a simple chess game to a fist break, yeah, didn’t expect less from those two. Taichi started playing chess recently and said he learned some decisive moves that he wanted to put into practice with someone. Although not willing, Hansuke accepted to play with him, who won over Taichi with just a couple of moves. Note that he barely paid attention to the game, as he was reading novels all the time.

“You know what? I’m going to show my techniques to someone who truly deserves it!” He exclaims as he turns his head in my direction “So, what do you say my old and best friend Kazuki??”

“Sorry man, but I’m going to pass this one”

“Hey, what’s wrong with you? You are in a kind of bad mood today, like, you aren’t even playing the 'God’s Nightmare' event!”

Wait… Is he implying that playing on a smartphone is directly associated with my humor…? Hum, yep, that makes sense, actually.

“Could it be…oh no, it’s about Murakami, isn’t it?” For some reason, he wasn’t exactly surprised.

"You know, it’s been three days...”

“Three days?! Oh my god! Please, someone, call the cops! There is a student who missed three days of school!”

“Argh… How annoying, stop it already.”

“What’s wrong with you Kazuki?? Like, come on, she might just be sick! I’ve already told you that!”

Urgh, speaking like that makes me sound like I’m a maniacal stalker... Phew, anyway, how I wish it were something as simple as that. The case behind this is much more complicated than it sounds. As she didn't even appear in Aether, she must have been at least three days in a row without sleeping... Loveta also suggested yesterday about her being sick, but that doesn't make sense, a sick person would sleep more than anything! I wonder what would cause someone to stay up all this time without even showing up at school, or leaving any messages behind? …Perhaps online games? No, this is not her profile. Murakami is a very disciplined girl.

“I actually understand you, my friend! Girls are like bullets that, when they go off, break our hearts! That's why I think you should give up on her as soon as possible!”

...Is it just me, or did he just change his speech?

“Good morning my snail~! The sun is beautiful today, isn't it?”

And here we go again...

Lamya had just approached us.

“Sorry Lamya, but I’m not really in the mood to talk.”

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“Oh! Why not? Does something disturb you? Tell me what is it, that your mermaid here will solve all your problems~”

My mermaid...?! Only if it was in a nightmare!

“I appreciate your wish to help, but it's okay. Just give me some time alone— Hum? What?! What are you doing??" It was just a matter of milliseconds before I notice her big ass resting on my table. “Please don’t do that!! You’ll draw a lot of attention!”

“Shhhhhh~ No need to say more~ Just stare into your mermaid's eyes and let them unravel all your problems~” Her exotic green eyes stare at me deeply like she was trying to reach my inner soul. "Hum, I got it, so my snail is thinking about her, right? I see, I see, but do you think she’s also thinking about you?”

…What? What the hell is she talking about?? Someone I’m thinking of? Wait! No way, could it be that she knows something about Murakami??

Lamya's green eyes stare at me even more deeply. “Hihihi~ If you want to uncover the mystery of the ocean—" She opens my notebook and writes an address. “Meet me here as soon as the sun starts losing to the moon. Many things are to be revealed~!”

Like that, the school bell rings, and she goes back to her table. Taichi nudges me.

"You're not going to meet her there, are you?” He asks me, completely horrified.

“Well, if she knows something about her—”

“Huh?! Are you crazy!? It's Lamya! I bet this address doesn't even exist!”

It's understandable why Taichi looks at her so suspiciously, in fact, who would take her, or what she says seriously? But it turns out that this is a separate case. I really like Murakami, and I care a lot about her. So if Lamya knows something, why not listen to what she has to say? Besides, what of that bad could happen? At most I find a cemetery along the way.

* * *

The afternoon comes as I’m about to leave school. But before that, a person suddenly crosses my path. It was Yuuto Hashimoto, the cute one.

“Look if it's not Kazuki Ryouzen! Hahaha, you've been so different lately... What is it? Started working out?”

Tch, again this question?

“Need something? I'm in a hurry if you haven't noticed.”

I start walking again, but then he moves his body in front of me.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?! Didn’t you hear I’m in a hurry??”

“Okay, let's get serious then. What kind of sorcery are you doing?” Hashimoto's gaze suddenly turns cold.

“Sorcery? What are you talking about? I don’t practice those things.”

He stays silent, putting one of his hands on his face. Then he breaks into laughing in a kind of creepy way. "Don't make a fool of me Kazuki! A bellow mediocre person like you to win Murakami's heart?! A loser like you!? Besides that, you just gain height and muscles in like a month!? Do you think I was born yesterday, huh!? Do you have any idea how I spent these last few weeks after she rejected me?!”

Wait, so is that what it's all about? Is he getting broken like that just because of a turndown? Hmph, this guy is indeed pathetic...

“Look, the last thing I would care about in my whole life is how you've been feeling these past few weeks. Now, if you'll excuse me—”

What?

He grabs my shoulders and pushes me into the school.

“Tch! Have you gone mad?!”

“Mad?! The only mad one here is you!” He comes all over me and I immediately dodge his punch.

Shit! This guy is already driving me crazy!

“Come on, little Kazuki, will you just keep running!? If you're a man, then come up!”

He once again lunches in my direction, but I easily dodge it.

How pathetic... Is this guy taking this fight seriously? His moves are so amateurish...

“Gahhh!! Stop running away you piece of shit!!” He approaches me again, trying to hit me directly in my face, but I use my forearm and redirect the attack. He takes advantage and launches another blow, which I simply catch with my other hand.

"I think it’s already time for you to end this joke, don’t you think? Huh?”

“Argh! My hand! My hand!! Let her go!!

...What?

I let go of his hand and find it totally purple and swollen. He kneels on the floor and continues staring at her nonstop, totally desperate.

Just what is happening…?? I didn’t even put that much force!

He glares at me in fear. “Y-you made a pact with a demon!! G-get away… Get away!!” Hashimoto crawls in the opposite direction until he disappears from my sight.

…What the? Was it a prank?? Everything seemed so pathetic! But I don’t think he was kidding a moment ago, he was truly serious… Shit, anyway, I don’t have time for this right now. If I really hurt him, sorry, it wasn't my intention, but as long as he doesn’t show up in my way again, then it was worth it.