Yuto sat in his classroom, but his mind was far from the lessons being taught.
The encounter with Joe that morning still haunted him.
Even though Kaido had stepped in, the fear hadn't left.
Throughout the day, Yuto kept his head down, avoiding eye contact, barely focusing on the teachers' words. He couldn't shake the anxiety twisting in his stomach. His hands were cold, his heart raced at every small noise, and every time the classroom door opened, he tensed up, expecting Joe to appear again.
"Will it ever stop?"
His fingers clutched the edge of his desk. Maybe, if he just stayed invisible, things would get better. Maybe, if he didn't give anyone a reason to notice him, he could make it through the day.
---
The final bell rang.
The moment class ended, Yuto tried to slip out unnoticed, but the second he stepped into the hallway—
There he was.
Joe.
Leaning against the doorframe, smirking, arms crossed.
Waiting.
Yuto's stomach dropped. His body locked up as Joe stepped forward.
"Alright, four-eyes. Hand over your lunch money."
His tone was casual, but Yuto knew there was no way out. The hallway was mostly empty now—no teachers, no Kaido, no one to stop it this time.
Yuto reached into his pocket, fingers trembling, and pulled out his wallet. Just give it to him, and it'll be over. That was the rule, wasn't it? That's how it worked back then… and it's how it worked now.
But before he could hand the money over, a voice cut through the tension.
"Joe."
Joe turned, his smirk fading slightly.
Another presence had entered the scene—a girl.
Reina.
She walked forward, hands in her pockets, her expression unreadable. The entire atmosphere shifted.
Yuto barely had time to process what was happening before Reina spoke again.
"How pathetic. Bullying a guy like him? Really?"
Joe scoffed. "What's it to you?"
Reina tilted her head slightly, eyes sharp. "Do I need to repeat myself?"
Joe's jaw tightened.
"He's under my watch now," Reina said, her voice steady, confident.
Silence.
Joe stared at her for a long moment before clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Tch. Whatever," he muttered, stepping back. "Have fun with your little pet."
Yuto stood frozen as Joe walked away.
He turned to Reina, confused.
She smirked. "You should be more careful, Yuto."
Yuto's breath caught in his throat.
"How does she know my name?"
He hadn't introduced himself. He had never met her before today.
His pulse quickened, but before he could ask, Reina had already turned away, walking off like nothing had happened.
The hallway felt eerily quiet as Yuto stood there, the weight of her words sinking in.
Was this a good thing… or the start of something even worse?
He barely had time to process the situation when another voice pulled him back to reality.
"You okay?"
Yuto turned to see Kaido standing beside him, arms crossed.
"You shouldn't get involved with Reina." His tone was firm but not unkind.
Yuto hesitated. "Why?"
Kaido exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "She's dangerous. She's not just some popular girl—she controls people. And once you're in her sights… you don't get out easily."
Yuto swallowed.
Kaido glanced at him, then sighed. "Look, I'm not trying to scare you. Just… be careful."
For the first time that day, Yuto felt someone was genuinely looking out for him.
Kaido gave a small smirk and extended his hand. "I'm Kaido Yamaguchi, third year. I guess I just became your first friend here."
Yuto hesitated, then slowly shook his hand.
"Yuto… second year."
Kaido grinned. "Welcome to hell, Yuto."
For the first time in a while, Yuto let out a small laugh. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't alone in this school after all.