A few days later…
Hinto was sitting in class, staring out the window.
"What are we supposed to do…" he thought to himself.
"Everything I think of leads me back to the one thing we were trying to avoid — going to the police," Hinto thought.
"Hin-kun…"
"Hin-kun!?" Nikko repeated.
"Eh, sorry," Hinto said.
She sighed and asked, "What's up with you?"
"Nothing, I was just lost in thought for a second," Hinto replied.
Nikko got up and put her face just a few centimeters away from his.
"What's wrong? I know you're not being honest," she said, all up in his face.
"It's nothing, Nikko," Hinto replied.
"Hmm, if you say so," she said as she sat back down.
"I can't tell her anything about what happened… her mom already dislikes me, and I can't put her in any danger," Hinto thought.
Meanwhile, people in the class were whispering about the latest gossip.
"You heard about that guy who died?"
"That Haruto guy, right?"
"I heard some serial killer killed him, like the one from Scream!"
"Ghostface?"
"HAHAH, be real."
"I heard it was some gangster. Apparently, he did a number on that guy."
"Maybe it was him?" one person said, glancing at Hinto.
Hiro saw this, got up and said
"Y'all got something to say?"
They stayed quiet.
Hinto looked at them fiercely.
All the gossiping students got scared and stopped talking.
Hinto sighed and continued to stare out of the window.
The teacher walked into the classroom.
"Everyone, take your seats. Class is about to start!" the teacher said.
"You too, Akimoto Hiroki," the teacher added.
"Yes, Sensei," Hiro said as he sat down. He gave a death stare to the people on the other side of the room, making them even more nervous.
After class
Hinto walked over to Hiro's desk and said "Let's go."
"Yes," Hiro replied, getting up.
"Where are y'all going?" Taka asked.
"We've got some stuff to do," Hinto said.
"Without us?" Hakuho asked in a disappointed voice.
Nikko and Rika looked at each other, worried.
"Me and Hinto just have to run some errands. Don't worry, we'll see y'all in a bit," Hiro said, smiling as he ran out of the class.
They left the class, headed down the stairs to the ground floor, and walked toward the entrance.
"Do you guys believe this nonsense?" Nikko asked.
"What do you mean?" Taka replied.
"You actual idiot… you think they'd leave without us for no reason?" Rika said.
Taka, you're so slow sometimes… Hakuho thought to himself.
"Let's just trust them. I mean, what could go wrong? Hinto can handle himself, and Hiro's got his back!" Hakuho said.
"Yeah…" they all thought.
Moments later
As Hinto and Hiro walked out the entrance and reached the gate, Hiro asked, "We're going straight to the police, right?"
"We are doing nothing," Hinto said.
Hiro looked at him, confused.
"You are going home, I'm going alone" Hinto said
"Then why did you ask me to come with you?"
"The others would've worried if I disappeared by myself. Besides, I don't want to drag you into something that has nothing to do with you," Hinto said.
"…That's bullshit. I'm coming with you," Hiro said.
"I've made up my mind, Hiro. I don't want you to come," Hinto insisted.
"Fine…" Hiro said.
"Good, I—"
"JUST KIDDING! LATER, SUCKER!" Hiro yelled as he ran toward the police station.
Hinto sighed. "Hiro, you idiot!" he said and started running after him.
Meanwhile, back at the school
Nikko and the rest of the group walked down the hall.
"Rika, what do you think is going on?" Nikko asked.
"I have a feeling it has to do with that big fight they had on the first day of school," Rika said.
"Whoa, Rika, you're pretty smart," Taka said.
"Yeah, unlike you," she replied.
Taka wasn't paying attention and bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry!" he said.
"Proved my point," Rika said.
Hakuho and Nikko started laughing.
"That's okay," Kazuo said after Taka bumped into him.
"You're Kazuo!" Nikko said.
"Yes. Nice to see you again," he replied.
"Where is the white de—I mean, Hinto?" Kazuo asked.
"That's none of your business!" Taka said, stepping in his face.
Kazuo dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry for what I did!"
"Huh!?" Taka said, shocked.
The rest of the group stood frozen, unsure how to react.
"I need to talk to Hinto. It's urgent!" Kazuo said.
"Why? What's going on?" Rika asked.
"The people he's gotten involved with… because of me… they're not ordinary bunch," Kazuo said.
Everyone's eyes widened with worry. Even Hakuho stopped eating.
"What do you mean by that?" Hakuho asked
"It's crucial they don't do something reckless — or worse, go to the police…" Kazuo said.
"SHIT!" Hakuho said.
"WHAT!?" Taka asked.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK, TAKA!?" Rika shouted, dialing Hinto's number. "I'm calling Hinto!" she said
"That's what Hinto and Hiro are doing right now… I'm sure of it," Nikko said.
They reached the police station
"You still got time to back out," Hinto said.
"Same to you," Hiro replied.
Hinto sighed and smiled.
Hiro smiled too, then laughed.
Hinto's phone started to ring.
He looked at his phone and saw Rika''s name on the screen
He put his phone back in his pocket and sighed
"Guess we're doing this," Hinto said, and they walked inside the station.
Back to the group
"This is really bad, They trashed my house and are currently looking for me…" Kazuo said.
"How do you know all this?" Taka asked.
"Our boss — well, former boss — Haruto told me just before he was killed that he was actually excommunicated from this gang…"
"Gang!?" they all shouted.
"Shh!" Kazuo hushed them.
"He's not picking up!" Rika said.
"Try calling Hiro!" Nikko added.
"Shingo, Jiro, and I thought it was just some fun high school delinquent gang, but we were so wrong…"
This really can't be happening… Rika thought.
"We need to stop them from making a statement — because I should be the one talking to the police. I truly understand the gravity of the situation, as an eyewitness," Kazuo said.
"Eyewitness?" Nikko asked, panic rising.
"Yes. I was there when it happened. I saw Haruto get killed…" Kazuo said.
"WHAAAAT!?" they all yelled.
"Yes…" Kazuo replied.
"WHO WAS IT!?" they all asked.
"I don't know. I couldn't see his face," he said.
"But he was wearing a mask…" he added.
"A mask!?" Nikko suddenly flashed back to the night Hinto's mother was killed — she remembered a masked person getting into a car near their house. The mask had the face of a snake.
"Was it the face of a snake?" Nikko asked nervously, her heart pounding in her throat.
Kazuo replied, "No…"
Nikko calmed down slightly, trying to collect herself.
"It was the face of a dragon…" Kazuo said.
The whole group stood there in stunned silence.
Especially Nikko — standing frozen, consumed by fear.
Chapter End – Dragon