↑ Haru Tomachi above ↑

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'Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means'
— Ronald Reagan

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The cheerful laughter of the bustling hallways of Kaisei Academy was like music to everyone's ears. With all the fainting and drugging occurrences over, everyone could finally return to their usual daily lives, peacefully and nonchalantly like usual.

Back to civilization's idea of peace. Days filled with laughter and minor troubles... But it wasn't true peace.

Not until it was over.

Not until everything was over.

Sauntering through the large hallways, Haru Tomachi munched on the bag of chips he carried in his hands. As he chewed, minding his own business, he barely registered the countless squeals going off from around him.

"Haru!" cried a girl, grinning from ear to ear as she approached the male with her group of friends.

Haru blinked curiously, tilting his head to the side.

The girl, blatantly blushing, retrieved something from behind her. Squeaking, she extended a box of lollipops. "P-Please receive them, Haru!"

The other girls behind her held out other boatloads of sweets as well.

Haru's face lit up. Like a little kid, he cheered, sweeping them all up into his arms. "Yay! Sweets!"

More girls surrounded him, squealing in delight as they bombarded the teen.

"You're so cute, Haru!" they screamed in unison. "Take ours too, please! We'll bring you more tomorrow!"

"Hehe," he giggled in response. "Thank you~!"

Off in his happy-go-lucky dreamland, Haru accepted their kindness like he did everyday. But when he spotted a group of people trailing after a familiar snow-haired female, his attention snapped towards her. He took notice of his fellow clubmates' grim expressions before cracking a wistful smile of his own.

True peace.

The world he so desperately yearned to be apart of...

The cries of the girls around him never ceased as they only continued asking—begging—for him to try their sweets. However, his mind was fixed anywhere but them.

It never existed.

☻ ☺ ☻

Ayame came to a standstill as soon as they reached the far corners of the school. Everyone halted behind her, taking in their surroundings.

They stood at one of the more abandoned areas of this large academy. Insurmountable dust bunnies and spiderwebs overfilled the darkened hallway. Even the tag for the classroom in front of them was chipped and ripped out, as if somebody had taken a bite out of the thing.

The entire place was extremely forbidding, such as a haunted house.

"This place gives me the chills..." Ryuu murmured to Tadashi, practically ducking behind the male. He glanced around anxiously, his complexion pale as snow.

Tadashi recalled Ryuu once telling him how terrified he was of haunted houses. Seeing his reaction now only proved it true.

Kazuma frowned. "Why are we here?"

"Oh, you don't know this place?" Ayame said, facing the male with crossed arms. "I remember being told that you knew all the registered students and clubs... or was that a lie?"

Ayame's sarcastic tone only managed to infuriate the President of Kaisei Academy's Student Council. He scowled intemperately.

Before things could dare escalate, Tadashi took the moment to ask the female, "Why are we here, Kobayashi? Is it... because of the seal?"

Ayame faced the brunet and cracked a wry smile. "They say those whose visions are clouded by perfection are the ones most oblivious to the truth."

Her words perplexed the group gathered. Regardless, Ayame slipped out the envelope and held it up for her clubmates to see.

They all took notice of the seal in a better light. The sight of the crystal ball in the center with dark curtains draping over its surroundings sparked nostalgia within all them.

Ryuu flailed his hands in sudden realization. "That seal... They used it in the—"

"April Fools event last year," Katsura finished grimly as the club's name came to mind. "The Dark Magic Circle's Club."

Memories from last year's event filled Tadashi's head. It was a mandatory event known around the school whenever the month arrived, whereby clubs had the opportunity to prank other clubs. In order to win 'Prank King' or 'Queen', a student had to possess the most approved pranks by the Student Council. The club they represented were then rewarded with additional funds. A portrait of their face was also hung until the next year's event.

Last year, it was Iori Yutaka who...

Tadashi shook away his thoughts, already feeling the heaviness in his chest. He looked towards his fellow peers while Ayame received the envelope back from Katsura.

"How did you know it was this club's?" Ryuu asked the female. "Just remembering all the clubs' logos is difficult enough. Our school has about fifty or more!"

Ayame stared at the awed bunch with a raised eyebrow. "Memorizing it is enough. I just have to implant it into my data—"

She cut herself off before she could finish via a cough into her. Then, she spun around.

"Never mind. Let's go."

Tadashi blinked, intrigued by what she was going to say. Ayame wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. All hearts thumped with anticipation as she yanked the door open and entered into the room. Kazuma fearlessly followed right after her while the rest of the group lagged behind, staying close to one another. They jerked their heads around the spacious, yet darkened area.

The door behind them closed with a loud slam! Ayame flinched, whipping her head back to see the cause. Panic overwhelmed them all.

"No, is this a—"

"A trap? Why, yes!"

A malicious cackle resounded, prickling fear into everybody's bones. Tadashi was deathly pale, alongside the rest, each and every one of them trembling with fright.

The mastermind. It was the...

"To think that you'd figure out this quickly, Aya. You truly surpass my expectations after all!"

Ayame Kobayashi's eyelids shot upward. "'Aya'? Don't tell me..."

Without warning, the back lights of the room flickered on, revealing a shadowy figure donned in a black cloak shielding her small body frame. With her eyes shaded by the piece of cloth, a sickeningly sweet smirk engulfed the bottom half of her face.

"It's nice to see you again, Aya."

Ayame held her breath at the sight of the girl, her features tense.

"Akemi Shirahama."