By lunch, the whispers have spread like wildfire.
"Did you see Sasaki-kun give him a bento?"
"Since when does he cook for someone else?!"
"Do you think Yu-chan would have accepted it? He didn't say no right away…"
"Maybe he's cheating on Taichi?"
The words sting Yu's ears no matter how hard he tries to tune them out.
Taichi looks ready to punch the next mouth that opens. His jaw is tight, fists clenched, glare like a storm rolling over the classroom.
But before he can erupt, two voices slice through the noise.
"Oi, knock it off already!"
Sakura Sato, hands on hips, glares daggers at the nearest gossipers.
"Yu isn't that kind of person!"
"Exactly!"
Fumiko Fujimori swoops in, arms crossed, tone sharp.
"You think we don't know her? She's been head over heels for Taichi since day one."
The class quiets—some shrinking, others exchanging awkward looks.
Yu's face burns, burying in his hands.
"…You didn't have to say that so loudly."
Sakura grins, winking.
"What? It's true."
Fumiko nods firmly.
"Let them spread that rumor for once."
Taichi smirks, his arm sliding around Yu's shoulders in front of everyone.
"Damn right."
The class collectively gasps again, half in awe, half in disbelief, as the tension finally breaks into a flurry of mixed reactions.
Yu just groans softly into his palms, wishing the floor would swallow him whole.
---
The day ends, sunlight slanting orange across the polished floor of the empty student council room.
Isuke Sasaki sits stiff-backed at the long desk, his untouched paperwork stacked neatly in front of him. He's not looking at it—his gaze is far away, locked on the memory replaying in his head.
Yu's flustered blush when he'd presented the bento.
The way the class had gasped, the whispers rising like fire.
And then—Taichi. Sliding his arm around Yu like he owned him. Claiming him publicly without hesitation.
And the worst of it—Yu had let him.
Isuke's fingers curl tightly around his fountain pen until the nib snaps with a sharp crack. A blot of black ink bleeds into the pristine page.
"…Disgusting."
He mutters under his breath.
He rises and paces the room. Every step is clipped, sharp.
He'd calculated it perfectly. A gesture, small but symbolic, a territorial claim no one could miss. With the right amount of rumor, doubt would snowball. Yu would be cornered. Taichi would falter.
But instead—Fumiko and Sakura had swooped in like vultures, flipping the narrative on its head. And Taichi had—smirked. As though daring him.
Isuke slams his fist down on the desk. The sound reverberates through the empty chamber.
"They ruined everything."
He breathes, fury in his voice but something else trembling underneath—desperation.
"Even when I reach out, even when I show him what he could have with me, he clings tighter to that idiot."
He presses a hand over his eyes, dragging in a breath, forcing his composure back. When he speaks again, it's low, measured, almost cold.
"…Fine. If kindness won't open his eyes, then I'll use something sharper. I'll peel them apart piece by piece. He'll see—he'll see Taichi Arifuku is only going to keep dragging him down."
He lowers his hand. His eyes, reflected in the glass of the window, are no longer calm—they burn with obsession.
And behind him, the ink stain on the abandoned papers spreads wider, a dark bloom, like rot overtaking the page.
---
After school, the early-autumn air carries a soft chill, the edges of summer warmth fading into crisp breezes. Yu and Taichi walk home side by side, their bags lightly swinging, the usual hum of gossip trailing behind them.
Yu bites his lip. The whispers of "cheating" and "triangle love drama" cling like burrs—unfair, persistent. But when he glances at Taichi, broad-shouldered and relaxed, something shifts in his chest.
He stops. Taichi blinks back at him.
"Yu?"
Yu fidgets, then takes a deep breath and steps closer—close enough that his fingers brush against Taichi's hand. Slowly, nervously, he laces their fingers together.
Taichi's eyes widen.
Yu looks down, cheeks pink.
"I… I don't want people to keep saying I'm ch-cheating. Or that I'm… only with you because 'Sasaki rejected me'. If they're going to talk, then… I'd rather them talk about us being—together. Properly."
The words stumble out, shy but earnest.
For a heartbeat, Taichi just stares—then his grin bursts wide, brighter than the sunset behind him. He squeezes Yu's hand so tight Yu almost squeaks.
"Finally, baby! You're actually gonna start being clingy—do you know how long I've been waiting for this!?"
He swings their joined hands like a child, laughing.
"Rumors? Who cares? Let 'em choke on it. Let the whole world see you're mine."
Yu flushes scarlet, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, he lets Taichi tug him closer, their shoulders brushing. And though he rolls his eyes at Taichi's smugness, the warmth in his chest lingers all the way home.
---
The calendar pages turn, September bleeding into October. The air sharpens, leaves begin to crisp and fall. Exams loom again, but so does something darker.
Isuke Sasaki watches. Always watching. He sees Yu holding Taichi's hand openly now. He sees the rumors shift—not weakening, but changing. Instead of suspicion, more and more classmates whisper about how romantic it is. About how the "Beast and Princess" might be fated.
It makes Isuke sick.
So he changes tactics.
In the quiet of the council chambers, papers spread before him, he drafts a plan. Not a public gesture this time—not another bento or soft claim. That only backfired. No, this time it will be precise. Invisible. A manipulation Yu will never see until it's too late.
He signs off on a new set of volunteer duty rosters, quietly adjusting schedules. Yu is "coincidentally" assigned to more late-evening Harmony Life Club cleanups. Taichi's basketball practices are deliberately extended under "athletics policy" revisions. Their exit times no longer align.
On top of that, Isuke leans subtly on teachers. A reminder here, a quiet "concern" there—hinting that Yu might be distracted by his relationship. That his studies might be slipping. That it's unfair for someone on scholarship to risk falling behind.
And then, the final piece: he begins whispering to authority figures above even the teachers—fueling a subtle narrative that Taichi's rapid academic rise is suspicious again. Not enough for a formal accusation. Just enough to plant seeds.
All of it calculated. None of it traceable.
Sitting in the dim council chamber, Isuke leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers.
"Let's see how strong your bond really is, Arifuku."
He murmurs.
"This time, you'll crack. And when you do… Yu will finally see who's truly worthy of him."
Outside, the autumn wind rattles the windows, carrying the scent of fallen leaves—an omen of the storms to come.
---
It began as little things.
Taichi noticed first.
At practice, Yu didn't show up outside the gym door like he always did. When asked, Yu had been "helping clean" for Harmony Life Club. A day later, Yu was stuck again—folding away costumes, reorganizing crafts, staying behind when the halls were nearly empty.
Taichi bristled. His gut twisted.
'This isn't right.'
Every time Yu tried to brush it off with a small smile, the circles under his ruby-red eyes deepened. He said it was fine. But Taichi saw the way Yu's shoulders slumped. He heard the whispers circling again—about Yu being distracted, about his scholarship being "at risk."
And though Taichi never said it outright, his fists clenched every time. Because he knew who was behind it.
The weeks piled. The air grew colder. The strain pressed heavier.
Until it all cracked on one October late afternoon.
The sky outside was the color of pewter, clouds heavy with a storm not yet broken. The school was almost empty, students long since gone.
Yu stood in the Harmony Life Club room, carefully folding skeins of yarn, his fingers trembling just slightly. He texted the group chat.
Yu: Just a little longer 😣💦. I'll meet you at the gate once I put these away.❤️🙈
Taichi replied immediately, his tone sharp even through text.
Taichi: I'll come to you after cleanup. Wait for me.
But another message from Yamato popped in.
Yamato: We're still stuck doing extra drills with Taichi. Hang in there, Yu-chan!
And Fumiko chimed in.
Fumiko: Sakura has to work early 💔 and I gotta pick up my little brother soon 😭 sorry Yu-chan but next time we'll definitely come help, promise✨️! Stay safe!😘
Yu bit his lip, heart squeezing. Everyone was tied up. So for once—just this once—he was utterly alone.
He gathered the bundles of yarn and fabric into a box, cradling it carefully against his chest as he made the trek outside, down the back steps, toward the old storage warehouse behind the school. The air smelled of rain, damp and heavy.
Inside, the warehouse was dim, dust dancing in narrow shafts of light from the high ceiling. Yu set the box down on the nearest table, exhaling relief.
Then—
SLAM.
The door behind him shut hard, rattling the hinges. Yu froze, his pale knuckles gripping the fabric of his uniform.
A moment's silence.
Then the click of a lock.
Yu's breath caught. He spun around, eyes wide, darting to the door. His fingers fumbled at the handle, tugging, shaking.
"—N-No…!"
He whispered sharply, trying again, harder. The knob rattled uselessly. Locked.
The air in the warehouse felt heavier, pressing in close. Yu's pulse raced in his throat, his ruby eyes darting to the shadows at the edge of the room.
The warehouse air grew colder as Yu rattled the door again and again, each tug weaker than the last. His sprained wrist from months ago twinged faintly at the motion, reminding him of a fall he never wanted to relive.
His chest tightened.
'Why… why won't it open…?'
"DK01…"
He whispered, clutching the hem of his uniform, his ruby eyes wide with trembling panic.
"W-What's going on?"
The voice in his head hummed, speculating and yet worrisome, like a detective solving a case.
[The door has been locked from the outside. This is deliberate. A trap. And…]
There was a pause. Then—
[…approaching footsteps. Multiple human signatures.]
Yu's knees buckled slightly. He pressed his back against the nearest table, his heart hammering.
"F-Footsteps?"
[Yes. Three. No, four. Adolescents. Male. Their heart rates are elevated. They are… excited. Agitated. Their intent doesn't seem friendly. It doesn't seem like these boys are going along with whatever the original plan the mastermind had concocted.]
"Original… plan?"
Yu's breath shook.
[Yes. Based only on my theory, this was staged as an isolation maneuver. Someone arranged for you to be alone. Locked away. Probability suggests Student Council President Sasaki intended to arrive later—after sunset—to 'rescue' you. Elevating his value in your perception. A manipulation strategy.]
Yu's blood ran cold. He clutched his bag to his chest.
"Then… then who's outside now…?"
The lock rattled. A laugh echoed from the other side, muffled but sharp with adolescent cruelty.
"—Can you believe it? Princess Yu's in there. All ours."
"C'mon, let's see if the stories are true. If she's really that cute up close."
"You really saw her entering alone? And you're sure only you have the key?"
"Yeah, yeah! Some underclassmen paid me to do this, but I think we can have a little more fun with this, don't cha think? Don't say I never did nothin' for ya."
"Yeah, yeah, you're the man or whatever! Just open the door already and let us in!"
Yu's throat went dry. His entire body screamed run but there was nowhere to go.
[Caution.]
DK01's voice was steady.
[These individuals are not following Sasaki's plan. Their intent is primal. Dangerous. You must stall. Hide. Protect yourself until help arrives.]
"Help?"
Yu whispered desperately, pressing himself further into the shadows between stacked crates.
[Yes. Statistically, Taichi Arifukua will notice your absence within twelve minutes. Given his behavioral pattern, he will not stop until he finds you. If you endure until then—]
The door creaked. A sliver of dusky light cut into the warehouse.
Laughter seeped inside.
Yu's fingers tightened on his skirt hem until his knuckles turned white. His heart pounded like a trapped bird against his ribs.
Four silhouettes crowded the entrance, their faces half-hidden in shadow, but their grins unmistakable.
"Look at her. Even cuter than they said."
"Like a little doll…"
Yu's pulse hammered. He backed up a step, then another, until his spine pressed to the cold shelving. His fingers clenched the nearest box of fabric like a shield.
[Stall them.]
DK01 whispered in his mind, cool as steel.
[Time is your ally. Resist but do not break. He is coming.]
Yu's ruby eyes flicked desperately toward the cracked windows.
'Taichi… please… hurry.'
---
Meanwhile, back in the gym, the echo of sneakers squeaked against polished wood.
"Yu?"
Taichi muttered under his breath, pulling out his phone. No reply in the group chat. No little read-receipts lighting up.
Something icy slithered down his spine.
"Oi, Taichi—where're you going?!"
Yamato called as Taichi suddenly grabbed his bag.
"I'll leave cleanup to you guys. Yu hasn't answered me."
His tone was sharp, urgent.
"I need to go check on Yu."
Before Souma or Yamato could argue, Taichi was already sprinting down the hall, sweat still clinging to his hairline.
The Harmony Life Club room was empty. Neat. The knitting circle's laughter long faded. Yu's bag was gone.
"Yu!"
Taichi's voice cracked as he slammed the door open wider, searching every corner. Nothing.
His fists clenched, his chest tightening.
'Where are you—'
A voice broke the silence.
"Ah—Arifukua?"
Taichi turned sharply. Haruka Minami stood in the doorway, clutching her empty needle case for knitting, looking startled.
"You're Yu-chan's boyfriend, right?"
"Yeah—have you seen Yu?!"
Taichi snapped, desperation leaking into every syllable.
Haruka blinked.
"She was putting away fabric… probably in the old storage warehouse outside."
She tilted her head.
"Why? Did something—"
"Show me. Now."
The edge in Taichi's voice, the way his whole body was coiled like a spring, jolted Haruka's heart. She swallowed, nodded quickly.
"Okay. Follow me."
The two broke into a sprint down the darkening corridor, their footsteps echoing. Haruka's chest tightened with a strange, sudden worry—her knitting needles she had come back for lay forgotten.
'Yu-chan… please be safe.'
---
Back in the warehouse, the boys took a step closer.
Yu pressed himself further into the shadows, clutching his bag when the box of fabric was easily tossed aside. His throat trembled but his voice forced itself out—
"D-Don't come any closer…"
The boys only laughed.
[Hold on.]
DK01's voice was firm now.
[He is coming. Thirty meters… twenty… ten… Prepare yourself. The window of survival is opening.]
Yu's ruby eyes brimmed with tears as the first hand reached toward him—
Yu's back hit the shelving again with a thud. His bag slipped from his trembling hands, spilling yarn and notes like unraveling lifelines across the floor.
"Such pretty skin…"
One muttered, fingers tugging Yu's hair ribbon loose, scarlet silk slipping through his grip.
"Bet she's even cuter without this."
Another sneered, jerking his jacket off his shoulders. Yu gasped, shrinking in on himself, his thin button-up shirt clinging to his frame.
The third boy caught his collar, yanking, buttons straining as Yu choked on a whimper.
"No… don't…"
His ruby eyes brimmed, body twisting, desperate for escape. His voice broke, almost childlike.
"S-Stop!"
[Five meters.]
DK01 intoned in his skull, sharp and calm.
[Hold on, Yu. Just… one… more… second—]
The boy holding Yu's ribbon leaned closer, whisper hot against his ear.
"C'mon, dollface. Don't fight it…"
Yu's tears spilled. His small fists beat weakly against them, the shelves rattling, he thought this was it—
And then—
BANG!
The warehouse door exploded inward, the hinges shrieking. Wood splintered, slamming back so violently the boys jolted, startled.
Taichi Arifukua stood in the doorway, chest heaving, eyes burning scarlet with fury. His presence filled the entire space, wild and feral, like a storm breaking loose.
"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Yu."
His voice was a low growl, vibrating with so much rage it froze the room. Taichi filled the doorway like he had ripped through the world itself, shoulders squared, veins standing out in his arms.
Yu's wide eyes locked onto him, breath stuttering in relief.
"Taichi…"
The uniform ribbon slipped from Yu's neck as he twisted desperately against the grip at his collar. His chest heaved, hair ribbon dangling from a stranger's fist, jacket bunched useless at his elbows.
The boys staggered back, still clutching Yu's ribbon and collar, but faltered, loosening their hold just long enough for Yu to stumble free. His body moved on instinct—feet slapping the dusty floor as he rushed headlong into Taichi's chest.
"Taichi—!"
His voice cracked, and then he was wrapped, swallowed whole in Taichi's embrace.
Taichi's hands trembled against Yu's back, one sliding protectively up to cradle the back of his head.
"You're safe now."
He rasped. His lips pressed briefly against Yu's temple, fierce and tender all at once.
"I've got you."
From the corner, Haruka Minami gasped softly. She had followed right on his heels, knitting needles long forgotten as helping to find Yu felt more urgent. And she was right to trust Taichi's intuition.
Taichi bent, meeting Yu's wet ruby eyes.
"Stay with Minami."
He said, voice low but steady now.
"She'll keep you safe. Don't look back, Yu."
Yu's lips trembled as he clung tighter for a moment, reluctant to let go. But Taichi gently untangled him, smoothing his mussed hair once before easing him into Haruka's arms.
"I'll… I'll take care of her."
Haruka whispered, tightening her hold as Yu buried his face against her shoulder. His hands clamped over his ears, his eyes squeezed shut, trembling.
Only once Yu was ushered out into the cool night air did Taichi turn back.
And then—everything in him snapped.
He launched forward, a blur of fury. His fist connected with the boy still clutching Yu's ribbon—sending him sprawling with a sick crack. Another tried to bolt; Taichi caught him by the collar and slammed him into the shelving so hard dust rained down from above.
"You touched Yu…"
Taichi snarled, voice guttural.
"You thought you could put your filthy hands on him?"
Each punch was thunder. Each kick, a storm breaking loose. By the time the boys realized they were in real danger, the warehouse had become a cage—and Taichi, its beast.
Outside, Yu clutched Haruka, sobbing into her shoulder, blocking out the brutal sounds with his hands pressed hard against his ears.
"Don't listen, don't listen."
Haruka soothed, holding him tighter, her own eyes wide and wet with fear.
And from the treeline beyond, a shadow stood watching.
Isuke Sasaki's face was half-lit by the moon as the storm clouds rolled away, his expression unreadable. His hands tightened at his sides, knuckles whitening.
This wasn't the script. He was supposed to be the savior—the one Yu would run to, the one who'd gather him from the darkness. Instead, Taichi had stolen it all, burned it up in raw fury.
And yet, as his chest ached at Yu's trembling form, Isuke whispered to himself.
"…It had to be done."
Still, his eyes gleamed with cold calculation. If Taichi Arifukua wanted to play the hero—then Isuke would simply have to turn the fallout into his weapon.