Chapter 25 — Whispers Beneath the Bell
Morning light spilled through the hallway windows, catching the faint dust in the air. The school felt the same as always — laughter, footsteps, the clatter of lockers.
But to Aira, everything felt different now.
Maybe it was because of last night. Or maybe because of Rimuru.
She tightened the strap of her bag as she walked toward class. Rimuru was ahead of her, hands in her pockets, her white hair catching the sunlight like a reflection of snow. She was humming softly — that same carefree tune that always seemed to follow her wherever she went.
But lately… Aira had started to notice how forced that tune sometimes sounded.
"Hey, wait up!" she called.
Rimuru slowed down, flashing that familiar grin over her shoulder. "Oh? The great Aira's running late? The world really is ending."
Aira rolled her eyes. "Says the person who pretended to be a transfer student just to stalk me to class."
Rimuru placed a hand dramatically over her heart. "Impersonate, thank you. 'Stalk' makes it sound like I don't have class."
"You don't," Aira said, deadpan.
"Fair," Rimuru admitted, laughing.
They reached the classroom. Students were already chatting in groups, and Mina waved them over. "Aira! Rimuru! You guys took forever!"
Rimuru grinned, sliding into her seat by the window — her "fake" assigned spot. "Time moves differently when you're mysterious."
"Or when you oversleep," Aira muttered.
The girls laughed, but somewhere in the back of the room, Aira caught something else — hushed whispers.
> "That white-haired girl… she's new, right?" "No, didn't she show up last semester?" "Weird. I swear I saw her name on last year's class list…"
Aira froze.
She glanced at Rimuru, who seemed unbothered — staring out the window like she hadn't heard a thing. But her hand was tense on her desk.
---
Later that day, during lunch, Aira found herself walking the hallways alone. Rimuru had stepped out, saying she needed "air."
Aira turned a corner — and stopped.
Two teachers were speaking quietly near the bulletin board.
> "I checked the student registry. No record of her transfer from another school." "Maybe an error in the system?" "An error doesn't create a history. Someone's altered the database — skillfully."
Aira's stomach twisted.
When she peeked back into the classroom, Rimuru was sitting there again — smiling, laughing with Mina and Tessa like nothing was wrong.
Except… her reflection in the window wasn't smiling.
It was watching.
---
After classes, Aira caught up with her.
"Hey, Rimuru… can I ask you something?"
Rimuru tilted her head, her expression soft but wary. "That tone. Sounds like a serious question."
"Who are you, really?" Aira asked quietly.
The hallway lights flickered.
Rimuru's smile didn't fade — but it changed. Smaller. Sadder.
"I told you already," she said lightly. "Just your totally normal, definitely-registered, emotionally stable best friend."
"Rimuru—"
Her phone buzzed.
Aira pulled it out — one new message, no sender.
"Don't let her remember."
Her blood ran cold. She looked up — and Rimuru was gone.
Only the faint sound of her laughter echoed down the hall.