With that thought clear in his mind, Yoru quickly changed his shoes. He didn't even bother closing his locker before dashing out of the school building.
"Where's Sawamura?"
Standing in front of the building, he spun around anxiously, scanning the area.
But Shuchiin was massive, filled with trees and flower beds that blocked the view in every direction.
He looked left, looked right, scanning through the flow of students—but still couldn't spot those eye-catching twin blonde ponytails.
He knew she couldn't have gone far.
If not now, then tonight. If not tonight, then tomorrow. Next week. Eventually.
She couldn't run forever.
But Yoru was burning with urgency. He was sick of being blamed for something he didn't do.
He just wanted to find Eriri and get to the bottom of it.
"Right... right..."
"The front gate. She just left a moment ago!"
Suddenly, Yoru smacked his thick thigh with a loud slap.
The sting from his palm brought him back to his senses.
He took a few deep breaths, then strode off toward the school gate.
"It's fine. She can't get away..."
Huff... puff...
On the way to the gate, Yoru kept taking deep breaths to calm himself.
His rolls of fat jiggled as he moved quickly.
A short while later.
As he neared the grand gates of Shuchiin, he looked around.
No sign of Eriri.
So he ran out the main gate without stopping.
Thud thud thud—
He dashed down the wide staircase made of off-white quartz stone, a symbol of Shuchiin's noble heritage.
At the bottom sidewalk, he looked around.
Only a few students remained, walking in small groups. Most had already gone.
"Haven't seen her... it's fine, no rush..."
He patted his chest to calm himself.
A few more students came out of Shuchiin as he rested there.
Still no Eriri.
Just as he was about to head home, he remembered he hadn't closed his locker.
Reluctantly, he turned back.
"Sawamura won't just vanish... It's fine."
Comforting himself, Yoru walked back into the school.
At that moment, a boy wearing black-rimmed glasses with bangs over his eyebrows was walking down the steps.
The moment he looked up, he saw the unmistakably large figure of Yoru.
"That's him? The one who stole Utaha-senpai's panties and stockings? Disgusting."
"And the school hasn't expelled him yet?"
Tomoya also slowed his pace, silently eyeing Yoru with annoyance.
But he also felt a bit smug.
Who would've thought that the school's goddess, the cool and elegant Kasumigaoka Utaha, actually liked him?
And Eriri, the cute, haughty, half-English twin-tailed girl, his childhood friend, also liked him?
"Heh... haha..."
The thought brought a smirk to Tomoya's lips. He nearly laughed out loud.
Even though he wasn't dating either of them, in his heart, they were already his.
He was confident they would never leave his side.
Huff... huff...
Yoru passed near Tomoya, only a few meters apart.
He didn't notice the look of disgust on Tomoya's face.
He wasn't in a hurry to go back. On the way, he bought a bottle of juice from a vending machine, opened it, and gulped it down.
This wasn't the time for coffee—he wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
After half a bottle, he continued toward the teaching building.
On the way back, he spotted Eriri.
She was walking with her side to him, heading toward the club building?
Yoru didn't hesitate. He charged straight toward her.
His pace wasn't fast, but it wouldn't take more than a few seconds.
At around ten meters away, Eriri sensed something and turned her head, only to see Yoru rushing toward her.
Her cute face stiffened, then turned to panic.
Yoru, now panting, stopped a short distance in front of her.
"What... what do you want?" Eriri's pale face tensed as she gripped her bag tightly.
She was a petite girl facing a figure nearly three times her weight and a full head taller, charging toward her.
Of course she was scared.
"Sawamura, I just want to ask you something." Yoru bent down, hands on knees, never taking his eyes off the golden treasure chest above her head.
"Get...!"
"What is it?"
Eriri's lips seemed to form the word "Get lost," but she quickly changed it. Her expression shifted too.
Yoru noticed everything.
He wasn't offended. Anyone would be scared if someone like him suddenly rushed over.
"You... your relationship with Kasumigaoka Utaha isn't so great, right?"
"I saw you two arguing before."
After speaking, Yoru carefully watched Eriri's reaction, feeling both nervous and desperate.
He felt helpless, like falling into a deep abyss.
If Eriri really was the culprit, and he had no proof, and she refused to admit it—what could he do?
Nothing.
She might not even be Japanese. Even if she was, she was the daughter of a British diplomat. It could turn into an international issue.
And Japan's trash legal system would probably side with her and sentence him to ten years in prison.
She came from a powerful background. He was just a fat nobody.
He didn't even have any evidence.
"What does my relationship with Kasumigaoka have to do with you?"
"What business is it of yours?"
"And why are you even asking?"
Eriri's light brown eyebrows twitched. She folded her arms and looked at Yoru arrogantly.
Her reaction stunned him.
She didn't look like someone who had just been caught doing something wrong. She acted completely natural—contemptuous, proud, without hesitation.
"If that's all you have to say, don't bother me. So annoying."
She rolled her eyes, full of disdain.
If anything, she looked at him like he was trash beneath her shoes.
"I understand..."
Yoru paused, staring at Eriri as she stood there like a victorious general.
He felt like a defeated dog at her feet.
And the worst part? He had no evidence. He couldn't use force. He had no method to deal with her.
He turned away silently.
As his gaze passed over the golden treasure chest above her head—
Maybe the key to redemption lay in that very box.
Eriri opened her pink lips slightly, lowered her head, looked at her toes, and let out a long breath.