Tatsumi left Ketsuki’s house, her steps slow and her mind a tangled mess of conflicting thoughts.

"What is wrong with that freak? Who is he? Was he just lying? Is he insane?... But he did show me proof, and his explanation was actually convincing..."

Yet the thought that haunted her the most was—

"Why am I not sad for my gang?"

They were her followers, her frien—

Were they really her friends? They always followed her, sure, but did they ever truly care about her? Had they ever shown genuine concern for her well-being? The more she thought about it, the more uncertain she became.

Tatsumi reached her house—empty as always. She had gotten used to it over the years, but tonight, it felt different. Lonelier.

She entered her room, a stark contrast to her delinquent reputation—tidy, pristine, themed in soft pink and white. Not what anyone would expect from the feared delinquent of Shion High. She changed into her pajamas, a fluffy pink hoodie with bunny ears and matching pink pants, and collapsed onto her bed. Sleep didn’t come easily, her thoughts swirling endlessly, but exhaustion eventually claimed her.

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The next morning, Tatsumi stepped onto school grounds, immediately noticing the change in atmosphere. The stares. The whispers.

"She’s alone now? How surprising."

"She got what she deserved. She’s a monster, after all."

Some were bold enough to mock her outright. "The queen has fallen, huh? Hahaha!"

Tatsumi clenched her fists but kept silent. She wasn’t oblivious to the way people saw her, but she had expected… something different. Maybe fear? Respect? Certainly not this cruel amusement. A part of her yearned for someone—anyone—to understand her, but her stubbornness refused to let her show even a hint of vulnerability.

From afar, she spotted him.

Ketsuki Onizawa.

Just staring at her.

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Blankly. Unmoving. Unblinking.

"What the hell is his problem? Why is he staring at me? That’s so creepy!" Tatsumi thought, her annoyance growing with every second he didn’t look away.

And then, she arrived.

Yuki Fujiwara.

The school’s perfect girl. Flowing golden hair that cascaded down to her thighs. Flawless fair skin. Big, shining blue eyes. A curvy figure emphasized by a more refined version of the school uniform, exuding an elegance no one else could match. Standing at 5'8", she was the image of grace and perfection.

But behind that porcelain doll facade lay a twisted, bratty, and spiteful person with a god complex.

Yuki and Tatsumi had been rivals since kindergarten. Tatsumi had once been a perfect girl herself—beautiful, intelligent, an excellent singer, top grades, admired by teachers and students alike. And always the winner.

Yuki despised her for it.

She had watched with absolute delight as Tatsumi fell from grace, transforming from the school's beloved prodigy into a delinquent. But what had caused that transformation? That was the one thing Yuki didn’t know.

Now, seeing Tatsumi alone, weak, broken—how could she resist?

She approached with a smirk dripping with mockery and sarcasm. "Oh? Look who it is. The fallen angel. What’s wrong? Did your little goons finally realize how much of a failure you are and ditch you?"

Tatsumi ignored her, refusing to engage.

Yuki leaned in, voice sickeningly sweet. "It’s no wonder even your parents don’t give a flying fuck about you. You’re nothing but a disgrace, after all~."

That was it.

Tatsumi’s body trembled, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. A deep crimson aura began to form around her—unseen by normal eyes. Her rage boiled over, her vision blurred, her entire being screaming for violence.

Her fist shot forward, aiming to break Yuki’s smug face—

But it never landed.

A firm grip caught her fist mid-air.

"Ya know," Ketsuki’s voice was as monotone as ever, "killing is kinda bad here. At least do it subtly. Not in school."

Tatsumi’s eyes widened. Teeth gritting, she yanked her hand back with a sharp glare before stomping away from the school, fuming.

Ketsuki watched her go, then turned his gaze to Yuki, eyes trailing up and down in a bored, appraising manner.

Then he simply said, "Nice tits."

And walked away.

Yuki froze.

A deep blush exploded across her cheeks. "W-Wha—?!" Shock. Embarrassment. And… something else.

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Tatsumi stormed out of the school, heading toward her "sanctuary"—a secluded forest near campus where she and her gang once gathered. Now, it was hers alone.

Alone.

Her rage boiled over. She threw punches, shattering tree trunks with raw force. Kicked boulders, leaving deep cracks. Screamed her frustrations into the void. The crimson aura surrounding her flared and grew, pulsing with raw power.

But in her blind fury, she failed to notice the creeping presence lurking in the shadows.

A presence that had been drawn to her growing power.

A presence hungry for her rage.

Something was watching.

Something was coming.