The atmosphere among the main group was oddly tense.
The last glimmer of sunlight faded as night descended. Sakuraue Natsumi sat curled up by the window, her knees hugged tightly to her chest. She stared out at the night shrouded in hidden dangers, the heaviness in her heart known only to herself.
The sudden outbreak at school had thrown them into a life-or-death crisis without warning. But it wasn't just death… the grotesque, nightmarish scenes she had witnessed had shaken Natsumi to her core.
Now trapped in the school with no hope in sight—calls for help going through but no rescue in sight—and on top of that, she'd had a falling-out with her childhood friend. The more she thought about it, the more restless and uneasy she felt. Bitterness, fear, anxiety, dread…
If I'd known it would be like this, maybe I should've stayed with Mukun. At least… being with him made me feel safe.
"Speaking of that jerk, he just up and took my phone," Natsumi muttered, her ponytail swaying. She recalled the grotesque transformation of Matsubara Toka into a monster, and a curious thought surfaced, If Toka-chan turned into a monster… could Mukun really have once been human too?
Elsewhere, Matsubara Fumichi sat brooding in silence. He glanced a few times at his childhood friend Sakuraue Natsumi, his expression torn. The argument earlier was really just a small spat. To Fumichi, Natsumi was a close, irreplaceable friend.
Normally, he'd have gone over and apologized by now. They would've made up easily. But now… he couldn't get the image of his sister Toka turning into a monster out of his mind. The memory made him anxious, frustrated.
He had no heart left for reconciliation—his thoughts were entirely occupied with how to get his sister back, to save Toka.
"Still no sign of the rescue team?" Natsumi finally spoke up, unable to stand the oppressive silence of the classroom. She stood from her chair. "I'll go take a look outside. Just staying here isn't helping anyone."
Besides Fumichi and upperclassman Wakaki-senpai, there were also a few teachers and Fumichi's close friend, Kabanoya Daisuke. Daisuke had noticed something was off between Fumichi and Natsumi, even if he didn't know what exactly happened.
"Natsumi, it's too dangerous to go alone," he said, seeing his friend remain silent and unable to stop her.
"I'll be careful. It's fine."
"Wait—I'll go with you. It's always safer with two people." Daisuke stood up and walked over. "Fumichi, I'm going out with Natsumi to check things out."
Fumichi opened his mouth, hesitated, and finally just nodded silently.
After the two left, Wakaki-senpai finally turned toward Fumichi with concern. "Fumichi…"
"I'm fine, senpai," he said tightly, fists clenched. "No matter what, I'm going to bring Toka back. I have to find her!"
"I believe in you. But… about you and Natsumi…"
Fumichi looked away, recalling her sad, despondent expression. His heart tightened. "I… got it. I was too rash earlier. When she comes back, I'll apologize and talk things out properly."
Unknowingly planting a fateful flag, Fumichi had no idea that Matsubara Toka hadn't gone far at all. She was outside the window, watching everything unfold.
Her appearance hadn't changed, but her presence was completely different from the frail, sickly girl of the past. Her crimson eyes had reverted to a normal color, and the pretty face she wore now smiled with a hint of wickedness—radiating the aura of a villainess.
"So big brother and Natsumi had a fight, huh? Heh, how amusing. But… this lines up perfectly with my plan. Childhood friend Sakuraue Natsumi… hehehe, this is a golden opportunity."
A shadow flickered and vanished into the darkness, silently pursuing the two.
The hallway was engulfed in shadows, the only light a dim, flickering glow that barely illuminated Natsumi's face. Her high ponytail swayed with each step. Daisuke, walking beside her, kept stealing glances.
Under the sparse light, Natsumi's beauty was almost surreal, though her face was pale from emotional turmoil.
"Natsumi, did something happen between you and Fumichi?" he asked carefully.
"It's nothing." Her voice was flat as she shook her head, clearly unwilling to talk. Seeing this, Daisuke didn't press. They were all good friends, but if she didn't want to share, he couldn't force it.
"It's still dangerous out here," he said to ease the tension. "Any moment something could go wrong. As long as we wait for help, we'll get out of this hellhole. So don't worry too much."
"…I'll check near the girls' restroom."
"Okay." Maybe she just needed to use the bathroom? That fleeting thought crossed Daisuke's mind. He loitered at the entrance for a bit, and just as he turned around—
His pupils constricted.
The sudden appearance of a graceful young girl caught him off guard. She smiled sweetly, baring her pearly teeth.
It was a beautiful, almost doll-like smile—yet in Daisuke's eyes, it was utterly terrifying. His whole body tensed. A chill raced up his spine.
"...Toka-chan?!"
Before he could say more, tendrils shot out from behind her back. They whipped forward, binding him tight and slamming him against the wall with a heavy thud.
"Urgh—!"
"Toka-chan, you…!" His eyes locked in terror on the writhing tentacles. With them lashing behind her, Toka looked both seductive and monstrous. Daisuke had heard the rumors, but hadn't believed them. Yet now—he had no doubt.
She had really become… a monster.
"What are you trying to do?!"
"What I want doesn't matter. What matters… is you, Kabanoya-senpai," Toka said, her eyes gleaming crimson, her tentacles writhing like a devil's wings. "It's a dangerous night, true. But being alone with the girl you love? Isn't that… a little bit of happiness?"
"W-What? What are you talking about?"
Still bound, Daisuke swallowed hard. A terrible premonition crept over him.
"Oh, don't pretend. You really thought I wouldn't notice?" Her smile turned cold. "Kabanoya Daisuke, you like Natsumi, don't you?"
It was like a bomb dropped in his ears. Daisuke stared blankly for a moment, then flushed and shouted, "N-No! What nonsense are you—That's not true!"
"Heh. You tried to hide it, I'll give you that. But you didn't think I'd miss the way you look at her, did you?" Toka's voice was soft but piercing. "You're my brother's best friend. You know how close he is to Natsumi, and you know she likes him. So you kept it inside, acting like just another friend. Am I wrong?"
"…"
Daisuke was stunned. His mouth moved, but no words came. Everything she said was true—she had seen through him completely.
And because of that… a small part of him wavered. Wavered, hesitated, fell into inner chaos.
"The opportunity is right here in front of you. Don't you want the girl you love? Even if she loves my brother, even if she's his childhood friend… don't you want to make her yours?"
Toka lowered her voice, seductive as a serpent.
"…Why? Why are you doing this?" Daisuke gritted his teeth. Her devilish words were shaking him.
Squelch—
He got no answer.
A tentacle pierced straight through his stomach. Daisuke's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down at the wound.
Then—his own eyes turned crimson.
Tentacles burst out of his body.
"Ugh—Argh—!"
"Toka…" he looked at her with conflicted eyes, then lowered his gaze.
He had become… a monster.
Toka smiled, radiant with twisted delight. "Congratulations, senpai. So? How does it feel? Doesn't it feel like you've been reborn? Now that you're a monster, are you really still worried about your friendship with my brother?"
Daisuke's face twisted in anguish… then slowly morphed into a sinister grin.
"No. Actually, I don't care about that friendship anymore. I've always been jealous of Fumichi."
"Now that I've changed… there's no need to pretend anymore. Natsumi…"
He licked his lips.
And his swelling ambition began to take form.