Chapter 2: Distortions Between Us

Break time arrived like a release valve.

The rigid structure of class dissolved into scattered conversations, footsteps, laughter—life rushing back into the halls of Ishama High.

For most, it was a moment to breathe.

For Asuki—

It was something to endure.

—

He stayed seated for a while after the bell rang.

Not because he wanted to.

...Just… waiting....

Waiting for the room to empty enough.

Waiting for attention to shift elsewhere.

Only then did he stand.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Like movement itself might draw eyes.

—

“You’re still here?”

The voice came casually.

Too casually.

Asuki didn’t turn immediately.

He already knew.

Jackson.

—

“I thought repeating meant you’d at least try harder,” Jackson continued, leaning against a nearby desk. “Or is this your ‘best’ already?”

A few nearby students chuckled.

Not loud.

Just enough.

Asuki kept his gaze low.

Silence.

—

“You know,” Jackson went on, “this school hasn’t had someone repeat a class in over twelve years.”

He pushed off the desk, walking a slow circle around Asuki.

“Twelve”

Each step deliberate.

“And somehow… you managed to break that record.”

A pause.

“That’s impressive. In a disappointing way.”

—

Asuki’s fingers tightened slightly at his side.

But he said nothing.

Because what was the point?

—

He Shoves Asuki a little at the Shoulder…

“You know, it honestly pisses me off how everyone tries their best…, and a runt like you just has to throw it all in the trash…”

Asuki remains quiet, doesn't answer back nor even look at him.

Somehow this infuriates Jackson more.

“Acting tough are we!?, if you have any sense in that thick Skull of yours, you would've stayed in your rat hole where you b–”

“Jackson.”

The tone changed everything.

Firm.

Sharp.

Final.

—

Cora stepped forward.

Her presence didn’t demand attention—but it *held* it.

“That’s enough.”

Jackson clicked his tongue, glancing at her.

“I’m just stating fact...”

“You’re done,” she replied, cutting him midway.

No anger.

Just certainty.

—

A brief stare.

Then—

A scoff.

“Whatever.”

He waved it off and walked away, hands in his pockets like it had never mattered.

—

Silence lingered for a moment.

Then—

Cora turned to Asuki.

And smiled.

Not forced.

Not pitying.

Just… normal.

“Hey.”

—

Asuki blinked.

Once.

Twice.

“…Hi.”

It came out quieter than he intended.

—

“I don’t think we’ve actually talked before,” she said. “I’m Cora.”

“I know.”

He regretted it immediately.

Too blunt.

Too direct.

—

She didn’t seem to mind.

“Then I guess that makes this easier.”

A small pause.

“You okay?”

—

There it was.

The question he hated.

—

“I’m fine.”

Automatic.

Flat.

—

Cora tilted her head slightly, studying him—not intensely, just enough to notice what others ignored.

“You don’t look fine.”

—

Asuki looked away.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

She blinked. “What?”

—

“I mean, You shouldn’t be talking to me, not this.., casual..” he clarified quietly. “People will notice.”

“They already have.”

“That’s the problem.”

—

A small silence settled between them.

Not uncomfortable.

Just… real.

—

Cora exhaled lightly.

“Then let them.”

—

That caught him off guard.

He looked at her properly this time.

“…Why?”

—

She smiled faintly.

“Because I felt like talking to you.”

Simple.

Uncomplicated.

—

Asuki didn’t have a response for that.

So he said nothing.

—

Across the room—

“Bro, look alive.”

Derek nudged Hansuke with his elbow.

“You’ve been staring for like five minutes.”

—

“I haven’t.” Hansuke Said.

“You have.” Derek clapped back almost immediately

Chris didn’t even look up. “He has.”

—

Hansuke sighed. “I was just thinking.”

“About her,” Derek said immediately.

—

Hansuke didn’t deny it.

That was enough.

—

Near the classroom door—

She stood.

Rawley.

—

There was something about her presence.

Not loud.

Not flashy.

But steady.

Balanced.

The kind of person people naturally looked at without realizing it.

—

Hansuke straightened slightly.

Subtle.

But noticeable—at least to Derek.

“Oh nah,” Derek muttered. “Here we go again.”

—

Hansuke adjusted his posture, running a hand through his hair like it was completely natural.

Chris finally glanced up.

“…You’re not doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“That thing.”

—

Hansuke ignored them.

His attention had already shifted.

—

Rawley spoke with a classmate briefly, then turned—

And for a split second—

Their eyes met.

—

Hansuke gave a small nod.

Calm.

Confident.

Controlled.

—

Derek leaned closer to Chris. “If this guy doesn’t confess, I swear—”

“He won’t,” Chris said flatly.

—

Rawley gave a polite nod back.

Then continued on her way.

—

Hansuke relaxed slightly.

Mission accomplished.

—

Derek stared at him.

“You’re actually unbelievable.”

“What?”

“You had the chance.”

“To do what?”

“Talk! Ya damn C*nt, TALK TO HER!”

—

Hansuke shrugged. “That wasn’t the moment.”

“There’s never a ‘moment’ with you!”

Chris closed his book.

“We don’t have time for this.”

—

That shifted the mood instantly.

—

“…Right,” Hansuke said.

Serious now.

—

Derek exhaled. “We’re really doing this?”

“We’ve come too far not to,” Chris replied.

—

A glance passed between them.

Unspoken understanding.

—

“Let’s move.”

—

—

...Behind the school—...

...Hidden from the main grounds—...

...There was a place most students didn’t know about....

...Quiet....

...Isolated....

...Perfect....

...—...

...Chris reached into his bag....

...Pulled something out....

...A knife....

...—...

...Not ordinary....

...The blade had a strange sheen to it—like it absorbed light instead of reflecting it....

...—...

...Derek frowned immediately. “You’re serious?”...

...—...

...“This is the final step,” Chris said....

...“According to who?”...

...“Tensito.”...

...—...

...A pause....

...—...

...Derek ran a hand through his hair. “We’ve already done enough. The tasks, the scouting, the—whatever this is—”...

...“If we stop now,” Chris cut in, “everything we’ve done means nothing.”...

...—...

...Silence....

...Heavy....

...—...

...“We’re close,” Chris continued. “Closer than anyone else. This is the last requirement.”...

...—...

...Derek looked unconvinced....

...“Slitting our palms? For what? A ‘Clan’ we don’t even fully understand?”...

...—...

...Hansuke stepped forward....

...—...

...No hesitation....

...No speech....

...—...

...He took the knife....

...—...

...A brief pause—...

...Then—...

...He dragged the blade across his palm....

...—...

...A clean cut....

...Blood surfaced instantly....

...—...

...Derek flinched slightly. “You didn’t even think about it?”...

...—...

...Hansuke handed the knife back to Chris....

...“It was always the plan.”...

...—...

...He looked at them both....

...Calm....

...Certain....

...—...

...“We chose this, 'We', together.”...

...A beat....

...“And it’s still the right choice.”...

...—...

...Chris nodded....

...Derek hesitated....

...—...

...Then sighed....

...“…You’re both insane.”...

...—...

...But he took the knife anyway....

—

—

Back inside—

The restroom was quiet.

Too quiet.

—

Water ran steadily from the sink.

Asuki leaned forward, letting it flow over his hands, then splashed his face.

Cold.

Grounding.

—

“…Why does today feel so long…” he murmured.

—

The door creaked open behind him.

Footsteps.

—

Kaiokun.

—

He walked in casually, barely acknowledging Asuki as he moved to the sink beside him.

Routine.

Normal.

—

Asuki glanced at him briefly.

Then looked back at his reflection.

—

And froze.

—

...Something—...

...Was wrong....

...—...

...At first—...

...It was subtle....

...—...

...The reflection didn’t *lag*....

...It didn’t distort like a glitch....

...—...

...It folded....

...—...

...The edges of the mirror seemed to bend inward....

...Colors darkened unnaturally, overlapping like layers of reality were slipping out of alignment....

...—...

...The sound of running water stretched....

...Warped....

...Like it was being pulled through something....

...—...

...Asuki’s breath hitched....

...—...

...“What…?”...

...—...

...The room tilted....

...—...

...No—...

...Not tilted....

...—...

...Twisted....

...—...

...The walls didn’t move—...

...They *SHIFTED POSITION WITHOUT EVER MOVING*...

...—...

...His head spun violently....

...A pressure built behind his eyes like something was trying to push through from the inside....

...—...

...“Kai—”...

...His voice came out distorted....

...Unrecognizable....

...—...

...Kaiokun kept his hands and focus on his phone....

...Completely normal....

...—...

...Asuki’s vision fractured—...

...—...

...And then—...

...He saw it....

...—...

...Something black....

...—...

...Not just in color—...

...But in *presence*....

...—...

...A shape—...

...Barely defined—...

...Long limbs extending unnaturally, dragging like smoke....

...Its body flickered constantly—...

...Like ash struggling to hold form....

...—...

...It phased through the wall....

...—...

...Not breaking it....

...Not passing through it....

...—...

...Like the wall wasn’t even there....

...—...

...It moved slowly....

...Deliberately....

...—...

...Through the restroom....

...Through the sinks....

...Through—...

...Kaiokun himself....

...—...

...No reaction....

...No resistance....

...—...

...Like they existed in different layers of reality....

...—...

...Asuki couldn’t breathe....

...—...

...The creature paused....

...—...

...Just for a moment....

...—...

...Its head—...

...Or what resembled one—...

...Turned....

...—...

...Toward him....

...—...

...Their eyes met....

...—...

...And everything—...

...Stopped....

...—...

...No sound....

...No motion....

...No time....

...—...

...Just that gaze....

...—...

...Then—...

...It moved again....

...—...

...Phasing through the opposite wall....

...Disappearing....

...—...

...And just like that—...

...—...

...Reality snapped back....

...—...

...The water sounded normal....

...The mirror was still....

...The room was unchanged....

...—...

...Asuki staggered backward....

...Gasping....

...—...

...His lungs burned like he’d been underwater....

...—...

...He coughed violently, gripping the sink for support....

...Sweat dripped down his face....

...His hands trembled....

...—...

...His eyes—...

...Wide....

...Empty....

...—...

...Fear....

...Pure....

...Undeniable....

...—...

...“Yo—what’s wrong with you?”...

...—...

...Kaiokun’s voice....

...Clear....

...Normal....

...Concerned....

...—...

...Asuki looked at him....

...—...

...No distortion....

...No sign....

...Nothing....

...—...

...“…You didn’t see that?”...

...—...

...Kaiokun frowned. “See what?”...

...—...

...A pause....

...—...

...Asuki’s breath shook....

...—...

...“…Nothing.”...

...—...

...But it wasn’t nothing....

...—...

...It couldn’t be....

...—...

...Because the fear—...

...The *feeling*—...

...It was still there....

...—...

...Clinging to him....

...—...

...Whatever that thing was—...

...—...

...It was real....

...—...

...And somehow—...

...—...

...It had seen him too....

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***