“Don’t overthink it. Just go.”

3:13 a.m.

Lily's room was a mess of half-done homework, abandoned notebooks, and a faintly glowing desk lamp that cast a dim light over her pacing figure. She walked in tight circles, her socks scuffing against the floor as her mind spiraled further into chaos.

She ran a hand through her messy blonde waves, tugging slightly at the ends as if that would make the thoughts in her brain calm down.

It didn't.

"That message…" she muttered, running a hand through her long blonde hair again, which was a tangled mess by now.

Who sends something like that?

Her phone lay face down on her desk, as if hiding its screen would somehow erase the memory of the words burned into her mind:

"You should be careful who you trust, Lily-chan ❤️"

She threw her hands up dramatically.

"WHO even uses a heart emoji in creepy messages?!" she whisper-yelled into the silence of her room, glaring at the phone like it was conspiring against her.

Her pacing picked up speed.

Her head tilted slightly as a thought crept in. "Okay, okay, let's think this through logically. It could just be… a prank, right? Yeah, a prank!"

The message replayed in her head for the hundredth time.

"Okay, Lily, calm down," she told herself, hands waving frantically like that would somehow push away the panic. "It has to be a prank! Right? People do that all the time. Nothing weird about it. Totally normal."

But her pacing didn't slow. She paused, biting her lip.

"Wait. What if it's not a prank? What if it's Kevin?" she whispered, her green eyes widening.

She gasped at her own brilliance, snapping her fingers. "Of course! It has to be Kevin. He's the only one who'd say something this—wait." She froze mid-step, her face falling. "Kevin doesn't know Japanese… and the number isn't American."

Her dramatic groan filled the room as she flopped onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow. "Think, Lily. Think!"

She sat up abruptly, her mind latching onto a new theory. Her heart raced as she whispered the name out loud:

"The delivery guy."

The room felt eerily silent after she said it. Her eyes darted to the door, half-expecting him to burst through at that exact moment.

"Mysterious. Quiet. Wearing black gloves and that creepy helmet," she murmured, her voice dropping into an exaggerated, detective-like tone.

"He doesn't talk. He just stares. And then there's that biker jacket—who even wears a biker jacket in a rainstorm?"

Her eyes widened.

"Wait a second. He knew I'd be home. Twice. Two different restaurants!"

She stood, pointing dramatically at nothing in particular.

"He's following me. Classic stalker behavior."

Her hand flew to her mouth.

"Or worse—oh no, oh no, oh no—he's a killer!"

The idea sent her spiraling. "Of course he's a killer! Who else wears a helmet like that? He's hiding something! Maybe he has scars! Or—or he's… like… fifty years old!"

She clutched her blanket in horror.

"What if he's studying me? Watching my every move, planning his next—wait. Maybe he doesn't want to kill me. Maybe he wants… money!"

She gasped dramatically, pacing again. "Oh my god. I tipped him too much. Twice! He thinks I'm rich, doesn't he? That's it! He wants tips for life!"

Her voice lowered, becoming deadly serious.

"It's the perfect crime. Be super creepy. Deliver some food. Make her think you're a murderer. Then—BAM! Lifetime customer. Tips on demand."

She shook her head furiously, her blonde waves whipping around.

"No, no, no! I refuse! I won't let him win!"

But as the thought settled, her paranoia spiked again. What if he wasn't after money? What if he was playing the long game—waiting for the right moment to—?

She froze, clutching her chest.

"What if he's already in the house?!"

Her eyes darted around the room, scanning every corner. But everything was in its usual place: books neatly stacked, a jacket draped over her chair..

"Calm down, Lily. Breathe," she told herself, placing both hands on her cheeks. She sank back onto her bed, her heart pounding.

Then, a new idea hit her like a lightning bolt. She gasped again, sitting bolt upright.

"That girl!" she whispered. Her mind raced back to the underclassman who'd asked for her number. "What if she sent the message? What if she's going to blackmail me?"

Her voice rose in panic.

"She wants me to do her homework forever! I'll be her English slave!"

Her pacing resumed, faster now.

"She's sweet on the outside, but deep down, she's… she's evil! I knew it! Never trust the quiet ones!"

But then, her thoughts snapped back to the delivery guy. Her paranoia came full circle as she whispered "No. It's him. It has to be him. The gloves. The helmet. It's all too perfect."

She stopped, staring blankly at her reflection in the dark window. "What if he's outside… right now?"

Her breath hitched as she imagined him standing in the rain, silently watching her. The thought made her bolt back into bed, pulling the blanket over her head.

"Nope. Not thinking about it," she muttered under the covers, her voice muffled. "It's fine. It's fine! It's just a prank! Just a prank…"

But no matter how many times she told herself that, sleep refused to come.

ヽ(´Д｀;≡;´Д｀)丿

The gravel crunched under Lily's sneakers as she stepped off the bus, her oversized gray hoodie swallowing her frame. The hood was pulled up, the drawstrings uneven, and a pair of sunglasses rested on her nose—massive, dark, and completely unnecessary under the dreary, overcast sky.

Fortunately, when she went out to catch the bus, her father was already busy on a phone call and didn't pay much attention. Better. She didn't have to give him an explanation.. not for now, at least.

She looked more like someone sneaking into a convenience store at midnight than a high school student arriving for class.

The air was brisk, the kind of cold that hinted at the impending winter, and her black tights weren't exactly doing the best job at keeping her legs warm. Still, the hoodie was like a fortress. She tugged it down a bit, clutching the edge of the fabric as if it could shield her from the world—or maybe just the sleep deprivation currently eating her alive.

Her eyes stung behind the sunglasses, and she let out a low groan as she adjusted the straps of her school bag.

"Why does everyone say you'll feel better after a night of thinking? Lies. All lies."

The soft murmur of other students filled the air as they trickled through the school gates in clusters, some chatting, some scrolling through their phones, and others throwing curious glances her way. Not that Lily noticed—or cared. Her focus was singular.

Koji.

He wasn't escaping this time. Not today. Not after leaving her hanging yesterday. She had a mystery to solve, a buddy to corner, and possibly an assassin or evil genius to outsmart. Her mission was clear.

She adjusted her sunglasses, pushing them up higher on her nose like some sort of undercover detective. "Okay, Lily. One step at a time," she muttered to herself, her breath fogging faintly in the cold air. "Find Koji. Make him talk. Solve the mystery. Avoid death by delivery guy."

Her sneakers thudded softly against the pavement as she made her way toward the gates, the chatter around her buzzing like white noise. She could feel the occasional stare—she always felt them—but this morning, they rolled off her like rain off a windshield. She was too tired to care if someone thought she looked weird. And honestly, she probably did look weird. But what else was new?

"Isn't that the new girl? Why's she all… hooded up?"

"Maybe she's hungover or something. Americans are wild."

The whispers didn't faze her. If anything, they amused her. Let them think I'm hungover, she thought with a smirk. At least that's more exciting than the truth.

As she reached the gate, she paused, pulling her phone out of her pocket to check for any new messages.

Nothing.

No mysterious texts.

No apologies from Koji.

No updates from Claire.

Just the bleak silence of her lock screen mocking her.

And the battery was dangerously discharged, at 4%. Yeah, stupidly, she didn't put it in charge the night before.

She sighed heavily, her breath a visible puff in the cold morning air.

Alright, Ko-ko. Ready or not, here I come.

Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, she marched toward the school building, her oversized hoodie swaying slightly with each determined step. She had no plan, no strategy—just sheer, stubborn willpower and the faint hope that Koji would hear her out.

And maybe, just maybe, she'd figure out whether she was dealing with a stalker, an assassin, or an ambitious first-year with a lifelong vendetta for English homework.

Whatever it was, Lily wasn't backing down. Not today.

Finally she stood in front of her locker, the metal door swinging open with a faint creak. The sharp scent of disinfectant mingled with the faint warmth of the autumn air that had followed her in from outside. She set her books inside carefully, her movements deliberate, though her mind was anything but calm.

The day hadn't even started, and her thoughts were already racing. Her phone buzzed faintly in her hoodie pocket, but she didn't reach for it. Instead, she bit her lip, staring at the organized mess inside her locker.

Ko-ko. Where are you?

Normally, she'd hear his voice echoing down the hallway by now—loud, cheerful, and unmistakably him. He'd always manage to say something embarrassing or over-the-top just to get her to laugh. They'd head to class together, side by side, their usual banter making the morning bearable.

But today? Silence.

She exhaled slowly, pulling her oversized hoodie tighter around herself as if it could shield her from the awkward glances being thrown her way. A group of students passed behind her, their chatter soft but unmistakable in the almost-empty corridor.

"She's always with him, right?"

"Yeah, you'd think they were glued together."

"I heard she defended him—twice. Against Hayato-senpai."

"Seriously? What's she even doing with someone like that? She doesn't look like—"

Lily shut her locker door with a gentle click, refusing to give them the satisfaction of a reaction. She knew they weren't being loud enough for her to confront them, but the weight of their words still pressed against her back.

She adjusted the strap of her bag, her fingers brushing against her phone in her pocket. The same screen had been haunting her since last night—that message. She still hadn't replied, hadn't told anyone, and now Koji was gone when she needed him most.

Damn it, buddy, she thought, her jaw tightening. Where are you?

Her eyes flicked toward the hallway entrance. The sunlight filtered through the tall windows, illuminating the tiled floor in a soft glow. Normally, by now, he'd come bounding in through the doors, tripping over himself as he rushed to meet her. But not today.

"Don't overthink it," she murmured to herself under her breath. Her voice was low, steady, though it didn't match the uneasy twist in her chest. He's probably just late.

But late wasn't like him—not for school.

With a sigh, she adjusted her bag and turned on her heel, heading toward the stairwell that led to their classroom. Her shoes squeaked faintly against the floor as she walked, her steps quick but measured.

Alright. If you're trying to avoid me, it's not going to work.

The hallway grew quieter as she neared the classroom, the faint murmurs of other students echoing softly in the background. Her grip on her bag strap tightened, her mind running through a dozen possibilities.

Had he come to school and gone straight to the classroom without her? Was he hiding somewhere, still upset about yesterday?

Or worse… is he avoiding me on purpose?

The thought stung more than she cared to admit. Lily pressed her lips into a thin line, willing herself to stay calm.

She reached the classroom door, pausing briefly to gather herself. If Koji was inside, she'd get answers. If not, she'd have to figure out her next move.

Don't overthink it. Just go.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.