The corridor was nearly empty at this hour, so they were free to move without disorder. Chloe led the way with a purposeful stride, while Sonny struggled to keep pace, his mind racing with questions.
Cautiously, he asked,
"Where are we going?"
Chloe didn't answer immediately. Instead, she glanced over her shoulder.
"Somewhere private. We need to talk."
'Somewhere private?' Nightingale echoed inwardly, though something about her tone told him this wasn't a casual chat.
He nodded silently, following her down a series of quiet hallways, the sound of their footsteps bouncing off the walls. Despite his usual composure, he couldn't shake the creeping sense of unease.
Was it possible that she wanted to beat him up?
Most likely, she got scolded as a result of their last 'interaction' and have decided to unleash her frustration on him. If that was really the case, though, then she wouldn't have felt the need to lead towards somewhere private.
There were usually two reasons why a girl would lead a guy somewhere like that. For Chloe, one of them had already been cancelled out. So in other words, did she want to...
Clear your thoughts, you idiot!
Nightingale bit his lower lip forcefully, snapping out of his reverie.
Finally, after walking for a while, they stopped at a side door tucked away behind the gymnasium. Chloe pulled it open and gestured for him to enter first.
Then she said with a deceptive calm tone.
"After you."
Nightingale stepped inside, with Chloe following close behind. The door clicked shut, leaving the two of them alone, unseen by anyone else.
The silence that followed felt heavy, almost elevator-like. Determined to break it, Nightingale forced himself not to stumble over his words.
"H-Hey… it's nice to see you. D-did you get in trouble yesterday?"
Chloe shook her head.
"I didn't. Well, not really. I just said I crashed at a friend's place. They scolded me a little, but that was it. Honestly, I got off pretty easy."
Nightingale let out a long sigh of relief.
Thank goodness.
At least the threat of taking a beating from someone else's misplaced anger was finally off the table.
However, Chloe folded her arms and added with an annoyed voice:
"Even so, you were rough and my privates are ruined because of you. And your cum was really hard to get rid of. Do you know how long it took me to clean everything up?"
He had certainly taken both of her holes, filling them to the brim without the slightest consideration. He acted this way because he already knew she regularly took birth control pills, so there was no need to worry about pregnancy.
Even then, any girl would be annoyed if the other party was too rough, especially in those areas.
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he tried to answer.
"Ah… sorry about that. I got a little carried away, that's all."
Chloe stayed almost expressionless with her eyes half-closed, which only made Nightingale more nervous. He thought she was getting angry. Then, to his relief, a grin spread across her face.
"Don't worry about it. It's partly my fault for teasing you so much. Besides, I liked it, so there's no problem."
"Hahaha. Is that so? I guess you're right."
"Though, Nightingale, there's something else I need to tell you."
"Eh?"
Sonny flinched at the sound of his full name. There was only one time Chloe used it, and a cold premonition coiled in his gut. The premonition proved true when she yanked his shirt and hauled him close; murderous intent glinted in her eyes.
"Don't you dare show anyone those pictures. If you do, I'll find you and kill you. This isn't a threat but a promise. Do you understand?"
He hadn't planned to show anyone the 'pictures' to begin with, but he nodded anyway. She looked utterly serious, as if the years they'd once shared meant nothing in that moment. The sight of it sent a chill down his spine.
"Y-Yes."
Chloe let go of his shirt and the killing intent slipped away as if someone had flipped a switch; her familiar smile returned.
"Okay then. See you in class."
She kissed him on the cheek.
And in the next instant, Chloe opened the side door and walked out, leaving Sonny standing there, dumbfounded.
It was as if nothing had happened at all.
Unsure of how to react, he only scratched his head with a weary sigh.
"Damn… girls are really terrifying."
† †
Ring! Ring! Ring!
A sound, clear and resonant like a church bell, echoed through the halls, signaling the end of the school period for the day.
Moments later, a wave of students flooded the corridors, their chatter and footsteps quickly drowning out the once-quiet building. Among them, Nightingale slipped through the crowd and strode toward a particular destination.
Classes had passed uneventfully. Not that anyone expected much from a school these days. Even once-beloved sports like football and soccer had lost their charm; humanity's focus had shifted almost entirely to the mysterious Espers and their progression through the Black Tower.
And speak of the devil... this young man, or rather, young Esper, was already preparing for his own entry into that colossal structure.
Which explained his next destination, one that would surely raise questions if anyone knew.
Step! Step!
Before long, the chatter of teenagers faded behind him, replaced by the muted sounds of traffic and the occasional bark of a stray dog. His path led him to an older part of town, where the streets narrowed and the buildings leaned with age.
At the corner, a faded sign came into view. The painted letters were chipped, but the name was still clear enough:
[Devil Armaments]
Disregarding its ominous name, the store didn't look like much from the outside. It was a modest storefront with barred windows and a reinforced door. But appearances were often misleading.
Most people who looked innocent turned out to be devils.
Nightingale stopped in front of the door, his reflection faintly staring back at him in the glass pane.
Midnight-blue hair framed his face with its shade mirrored in his deep bottomless eyes. His lean build was accentuated by the casual clothes he had changed into, though the dark circles beneath his eyes betrayed his lack of sleep.
He wasn't the most handsome fellow, but calling him plain would be just as untrue. If anything, the word that suited him best was "unremarkable."
A face you could easily overlook in a crowd… until you looked twice. An existence that belonged in both worlds yet nowhere. Still, there was something different about the young man.
It was subtle but it was probably his imagination.
"So this is the place, huh?" he muttered as if to convince himself.
With a deep breath, the young man lingered for a moment before he finally gained the courage to open the door.
A bell jingled overhead, but unlike the cheerful sound of the school's dismissal, this one carried a sharp metallic ring. Inside, the air smelled faintly of oil and gunpowder. Racks of rifles lined the walls, and glass cases displayed pistols, magazines, and survival gear. Behind the counter, a broad-shouldered man with a grizzled beard was polishing a shotgun.
"Mmm..."
Noticing someone step into the shop, the broad-shouldered man looked up with a flicker of hope, only for it to vanish the moment he saw Nightingale. His brows furrowed as he gave the boy a quick once-over, then scowled.
"What are you doing here, brat? Lost your way? This place isn't for kids."
Nightingale shook his head
"No. I didn't miss my way. In fact, I'm exactly where I need to be."
The man grunted.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
Nightingale's lips curved into a faint smile as he leaned forward.
"Isn't it obvious, old man? I'm here as a paying customer!"