The sunset painted the calm spring sky with vivid shades, a gradient of red and gold slowly spreading across the horizon. The breeze was gentle, carrying the soft scent of greenery, lifting my spirits as I walked. It was hard not to feel upbeat under such a pleasant spring atmosphere. Although it had been the first day of school, we had been packed with orientation and classes all day until evening. It wasn't exactly an elite school, but I could already tell they took music magic training seriously.

As I walked home, my steps felt light, filled with the excitement of a new beginning and the shining promise of the future. But that carefree walk came to a sudden halt. Standing in my path were two guys and a girl, their figures illuminated by the glow of the setting sun. Their shadows stretched long across the ground, casting a dark, unsettling mood.

One glance was all it took to know these weren’t ordinary people. Their disheveled appearance and deliberate posturing made their intentions clear. They weren’t here for anything good. Their rough, unrefined demeanor clashed with the peaceful surroundings, filling the air with tension.

I narrowed my eyes at them, keeping my voice steady as I spoke.

"What do you want?"

The girl stepped forward, shrugging lightly as if this were nothing but casual conversation.

"I hear you had a run-in with some of our boys the other day. They didn’t seem to like the treatment they got."

Immediately, I knew what she was talking about—the punks who had harassed us in the slums on the way back from the mall.

I responded with a smirk, tinged with sarcasm.

"Ah, those scumbags? They were with you?"

The girl grinned wickedly, and the two guys beside her mirrored her unsettling smile.

"That’s right. And you must be Sharp, huh? I hear you're quite the outcast at school, pretending to be a girl while everyone knows you're not."

"Tch. Done your homework, huh? Impressive. LALA♪"

I reached into the subspace and pulled out my bass, bracing myself for whatever was coming next.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Hold up. We’re not here for a head-on fight... yet. By the way, this 'Lala' you’re hanging out with—is she a friend of yours?"

"Tch. So you’ve looked into my social circle too? Not that it matters. She's not a friend of mine. We don’t see eye to eye, ideologically speaking."

"Oh really? But what if I told you we’re planning to go after her next?"

"What?"

"The other kid with you, Forte, seems pretty protected by her little circle of supporters, so it’s hard to find her alone. But Lala? She’s often out shopping on her own, no skills in music magic for self-defense. Easy target for a kidnapping, don’t you think?"

"She's none of my concern."

"What?"

"I told you, she’s not my friend. Do whatever you want with her—I’ll still take you down."

"Oh, is that so?"

The girl pulled out a magic communicator, clearly ready to give the order. It was obvious: once she made that call, Lala would be attacked.

"Damn you! That’s cowardly!"

"Ha! Look at that, defending her after all. Just as I expected."

These bastards… I wanted to fight back, but they had the upper hand.

"If you resist, we’ll go after Lala right away. So, Code! Beat! Do it!"

At her command, the two guys unleashed wind-cutting magic, sharp blades of air slicing into me. I gritted my teeth as the pain shot through my body, my skin being torn apart.

"Ha! Look at you now, loser! Serves you right, you damn transformation freak!"

I could fight back, but I couldn’t. Damn it! Why am I protecting that girl? Tears of frustration welled up in my eyes as the cuts continued to ravage my body.

"Now that you're too weak to move, I’ll give the signal to finish off Lala!"

"You... coward!"

I couldn’t let this happen. Why did I even protect her in the first place? My vision blurred as anger surged within me. This overwhelming, hot sensation rose from deep within my chest, something primal and terrifying.

"What the—? Look! His whole body is glowing red! It’s like… garnet!"

No… I don’t want this. My mind screamed. I felt like something was trying to take over, something that wasn’t me.

The dorm leader gathered us in the common room and spoke.

"Is it true that Forte is actually a boy? Some girls are saying she should be kicked out of the dorm. Hmm, this is tricky. I know! Let’s take a vote. There are 50 girls in this dorm. If more than 5 girls don’t want to live with Forte, then she’ll have to leave. If not, anyone who doesn’t want to stay can leave instead. How’s that sound?"

"Why should we have to leave? She’s the one invading our space. We’re the ones who need protection, we’re teenage girls!"

"That’s why I said it’s voluntary."

"Fine, 5 votes, right? Let’s see."

The dissenters seemed to have been appeased by the dorm leader’s plan.

Is Forte really going to be forced out? I don’t want that! I just made a new friend…

"And remember, girls, don’t mention the vote or the situation to Forte. She’s a sensitive, kind girl, and we don’t want to hurt her feelings."

"Right! I’ll make sure to test her character. Let’s see if she’s as sweet as she seems. I’ll tear that mask right off."

What should I do? I want to warn her about the vote, but if I tell her, she’ll probably just offer to leave on her own. I guess all I can do is wait and watch.