I was sitting in the crowd at the Entrance Ceremony. Carmilla and Lilith were sitting next to me, but Layla was sitting in a corner from everyone.

Kiri was standing next to the pedestal on the scene.

"Good morning, teachers, parents and seniors." She roared.

"My name is Kiri Hawthorne, and I was chosen as the first years' representative today." She said with a smile on her face.

"Fuck... this shit is soo boring... I would sell my nuts just to be somewhere else at this moment..." I sighed and rolled my eyes in annoyance.

Lilith poked my cheek. "I feel you, Shoji-kuun~! This is worse than Takahashi's lectures~!"

Carmilla didn't say anything, she seemed to be more hurt than anyone else.

"First of all, I would like to thank the entire school for welcoming us so warmly, even tho some of us were and still are problematic, the school still hasn't given up on them."

"This day marks the beginning of the most entertaining and exciting chapter of our lives.

We are very eager to learn, grow, and use every opportunity that Shizuhara Academy offers to us."

"We understand the responsibilities that come with being a part of this beautiful place, and we will follow the rules, respect our teachers, respect the school, and support each other no matter what. Together, as the newest acquisitions of this school,l we will maintain the school's good name and create an environment so positive that it will exceed everything that has been achieved here in the past."

"Oh my~! She's full of shit! Just look at you for example Shoji-kuuun~! You openly show no respect for Mrs. Takahashi, you're a troublemaker and you do not have any responsibility~!" Lilith giggled softly.

"It's only towards Takahashi. I just hate her, and this won't ever change... for what she's done..." I rolled my eyes.

"What did she do?" Lilith asked curiously.

I waved my hand softly to silence her.

"Good morning, teachers, Principal and

"On the souls of every new student, I promise that we will give our best and contribute to the fame and success of this school. Thank you very much for allowing us to join Shizuhara Academy." She then bowed softly and got off the stage.

Everyone started clapping as the next person walked up to the pedestal.

The Vice-president of the student council started speaking when everything went silent.

"Hello, my dear juniors. My name is Hirano Mitsuki, and I am the Vice President of the Student Council."

"Oh... isn't that Arthur's sister? I wonder why is the Vice president giving a speech instead of the president."

"I would like to congratulate you on joining our school and extend a warm welcome to all of you." She smiled softly.

"Today is an important milestone in your lives, and I can only imagine how excited and nervous you might feel. But believe me, we have all been down there once, so don't worry about it."

"You are now part of a community that values learning, friendship, and mutual respect."

"At Shizuhara Academy, you will have a chance to explore new interests by joining clubs, and make wonderful memories."

"If there's one piece of advice I can give, it's this..."

"Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone."

"Whether it's trying a new activity or making new friends, these experiences will shape your journey here."

I looked at Layla who was still in the corners.

I sighed softly and started making my way towards her between the crowds.

"Where are you going, Shoji?" Carmilla grabbed my wrist.

"I need to talk to someone, let me go, Carmilla." I rolled my eyes as the Vice President was speaking.

"The Student Council is here to hear your voice out and to make your time here as enjoyable as possible. If you ever have concerns or ideas, don't be scared to reach out to us."

"You can go after the ceremony, no?" She said coldly.

"Jesus, fine! Fine! Just what is your deal now, huh?!" I sighed in defeat and sat down.

"Welcome to Shizuhara Academy. We are excited to have you join our family, and we are looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things you will achieve."

"Thank you." She bowed softly and got off the stage.

Everyone started clapping again.

"What's my deal, huh?" Carmilla glared at me, an angry expression on her face.

"What's with that look on her face? That reminds me of something..."

"You haven't even visited him yesterday, just like if you don't give a fuck about the state he is currently in, and yet you're asking me 'What's your deal'?!" She grabbed my collar and fury.

"I had something important to do yesterday, okay?!" I said, grabbing her wrists and pulling her hands off my collar.

Mr. Muraoka walked onto the stage and smiled softly.

"Huh?! What important thing did you have to do with her?" She pointed at Lilith. "I saw you two leave the building together yesterday!"

Lilith smiled nervously. "Hey... hey... calm down a little Pinky... calm down... I know that you're sad and everything but he's telling the truth... we've been tryi-..."

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch!" Carmilla glared at her, pulling my collar, and revealing a hickey on my neck. "Is this the important matter that has kept you away from visiting Haruki, huh?! I thought that you're supposed to be his best friend or something, but in the end, you choose to fuck with a random girl than visit him when he is in hospital, you bastard!" She slapped me, tearing up a little.

"Hello! It's me, your favorite Principal- Muraoka Tetsuya~! I would like to congratulate all of you for passing the entrance exams and managing to keep your heads up till this ceremony." Mr Muraoka said with a cheeky smile on his face.

Carmilla sighed in defeat and sadness, looking down at the ground as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Despite being pushed away a couple of times, Lilith hugged her and started softly patting her back. "It's okay... everything will be okay, trust me... I can't believe I'm reassuring you out of all people... haha..."

I tried to give Carmilla a reassuring pat, but Lilith shook her head softly.

"Have you noticed how bright the sun is shining today? Do you want to know why~?" Mr Muraoka said.

"Why?" Some students from the crowd asked.

"I don't hear it~!" Mr Muraoka said.

"Why?!" The voices got five times louder.

"The sun is just equivalent to how bright your future will be, you all! Today's the beginning of the most important point of your life- The Shizuhara Academy~!" He said loudly.

"Ehh... can this old man be serious at least one time? Especially on the Entrance Ceremony?!" I rolled my eyes in frustration.

"In Shizuhara Academy, we value not only academic capabilities but also character development, respect for others, the pursuit of your dreams, and mostly... the will to become better than your version from yesterday~!"

"What about the people who have no development and are causing trouble all the time?" Some girl from the crowd asked.

Multiple shivers ran down my spine as I felt many people staring at me.

I heard many people, mostly girls due to the low amount of guys in the school, whispering.

"Look... that's Carmilla Hoshino! She's crying! Probably because of that bastard!"

"I wonder where Hadeka-san is! I'm worried! There is no way that he would just skip the entrance ceremony! Not him!"

"That creep... Nakamura... how was he even able to pass the entrance exams..."

"The path ahead will not always be easy, but with effort, confidence, and the support of your teachers and peers, I am sure that you all will achieve great things, even the worst of the worst~" Mr. Muraoka looked directly at me, smiling playfully.

"Gramps... you... b... brahhh!" I sighed deeply to calm myself down.

"So kids, teachers, adults, everyone! Let us all work together to make this school year successful, memorable,e and most importantly... the best school year ever~!"

The crowds of students all raised their hands and started talking to each other in excitement.

"So to summarize everything... I wish you all to experience the best year ever~! And remember to sign up to a club, after all, the deadline is getting dangerously close haha~!"

"Wish you all a happy Golden Week~!" He said kindly and then walked off the stage.

"Oh yeah... Golden Week... I will have more time to practice with Vymir... maybe I should ask Carmilla to show me some spells..."

"No... no... that's the worst idea I've ever had... there's no way I will ask her for anything in the state she's in..."

"I should continue searching for that woman... I can't stand without Haruki around... I also need to apologize to Layla... fuck... also the practicing with Lilith... and taking care of Kaori... she will probably invite grandparents over... fuck..."

"TOO MANY THINGS TO DO IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME!" I grabbed my head in frustration.

Suddenly I was shaken out of thought when Lilith pinched my ear.

"What?!" I looked at her.

"Weren't you supposed to go somewhere earlier? You know when Carmilla stopped you?" She asked.

"Oh yeah! Fuck! Thanks! I totally forgot!" I said and looked at the corner where Layla was earlier.

"Where is she?!" I looked around and saw her leaving through the door.

"I need to go, take care of Carmilla, okay Lilith?" I said and looked at Carmilla with worry.

"Yeah... I wanted to do it anyway... but remember about our practice tonight~! 7 AM at my place~!" She smirked mischievously.

"Yeah~!" I said and then made my way through the crowd, towards the door.

I ran into the hallway and chased after Layla.

"Hey! Layla! Wait!" I grabbed her shoulder.

"What do you want from me?" She asked coldly without even turning around to look at me.

"Layla, I'm sorry for lashing out at you back then... I was just angry and confused... I was in shock... right there... Haruki... my best friend was put in a fucking magical coma... I'm sorry for telling you to fuck off and go away... I feel rea-..."

She turned around, her bangs were off her eyes were full of tears. She slapped my cheek. "Shut up! I know that you were sad! I understood that! It's not that I am mad about that! I wanted to talk to you yesterday, but you were with her! Holding her hand!" She screamed with fury and hate.

"I really wanted to be your friend... so much that I acted like a cute girl just for you to feel pity and accept me as your friend! And what do I get for this?! WHAT DO I GET FOR THIS?!"

"INSTEAD OF ASKING YOUR FRIEND, YOU PREFER TO ASK A LITERAL STRANGER FOR HELP! DO YOU KNOW HOW I FELT BACK THEN?! YOU'VE THROWN ME AWAY LIKE THE PIECE OF SHIT I AM!" She started crying.

"Layla...-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, SHOJI! WHAT?! SURPRISED?! SURPRISED SEEING THE REAL ME?! DISGUSTED?! INSULTED?! JUST WHAT ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?! SEEING A MONSTER, A KILLER... A FUCKING DEMON BEFORE YOUR EYES!"

She slapped me again.

"YOU PROMISED NOT TO THROW ME AWAY... NOT TO REJECT ME... NOT TO BETRAY ME... AND SO YOU DID ON THE NEXT DAY! I DON'T BLAME YOU FOR IT! I WOULD DO IT MYSELF IF I WERE YOU! AFTER ALL, WHO THE HELL WANTS TO BE FRIENDS WITH A MOTHERFUCKING KILLER WHO MESSES UP EVERYTHING AROUND NO MATTER WHAT!"

"YES! IT'S ALL MY FAULT! I MADE YOU PROMISE! I MADE YOU GIVE ME FALSE HOPE! I JUST EXPLOITED YOU! I JUST CRAVED A FRIEND! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING ANYMORE! I THINK THAT I JUST WAS IN DENIAL SINCE THE BEGINNING HOW COULD I THINK THAT YOU'RE SO STUPID THAT YOU WOULD BE FRIENDS WITH SOME STUPID SHY GIRL, HUH?! WHO DO I THINK I AM, HUH?! I AM JUST A PERSON WHO WANTED A FRIEND, THAT'S IT! I'VE BEEN LONELY FOR TOO MUCH TIME! AND THEN WITHOUT ANY REASON YOU PINCHED MY NECK AND TOLD ME NOT TO SLEEP OR ELSE I'D END UP LIKE YOU! I JUST COULDN'T HELP BUT SMILE." She then forced a disgusting smile as even more tears ran down her cheeks.

"DO YOU SEE IT?! I CANNOT EVEN SMILE PROPERLY! I HATE IT... I HATE..." She then dropped to her knees and covered her face with her hands.

I just stood there dumbfounded. "What the hell is going on with her... and why... why do I feel so bad..." I felt my heart clench in my chest as I looked down at her. "My heart hurts... I can't look at this... why do I feel so bad?!"

I reached my hand towards her head, trying to reassure her, but she immediately slapped my hand away.

She slowly stood up and looked into my eyes. Her gaze was cold and emotionless and her voice was cruel. "Do you see now, Shoji? That's what a demon is... do you want to be friends with such a demon? No, you don't. I wanted to feel it... but I think... I'm unable to... everything you've seen in the past three days was a lie. Shy and overly cute Layla never existed. It was just a play... a play to get an advantage over you... to fulfill my selfish desires... my attempt... to become more... like a living being, rather than an emotionless shell I am right now... I thought that being with you would reawaken my old emotions... my happiness... my love... my sadness... my jealousy... my rage... my obsession... myself... but the only thing I feel... is emptiness."

A shiver ran down my spine as she cupped my cheeks, her hands were cold. She stared into my eyes with her empty ones.

"So tell me, Shoji. Do you want to be friends with someone like this? What do you see in my eyes? How do you feel?" She asked coldly.

"Nothing..." I looked away, feeling shame for no reason.

"So do you understand now? This is what looking into a demon's eyes feels like." She then pushed her chest up.

"You don't even look at my breasts anymore, there's no lust in you right now. Just forget about me... everything's over... don't ever talk to me again, don't ever get close to me... I cannot assure you that you will come out alive the next time..." She then whispered into my ear coldly. "After all... I'm a blood lusted demon, aren't I?"

I stood there frozen, looking down at the ground.

"Farewell, Nakamura Shoji, I wish the best for you." She said coldly, walking away from me.