Shiori

Shiori Takeda stood on the rooftop of an abandoned building, the cold wind tangling her long black hair. The city stretched out before her, glittering and vast. But the beauty of the view did little to stir her. Her eyes were fixed on the darkness below, where she had seen Eva and Yuuto escape hours earlier.

Her lips curled into a faint smile, though her heart remained a heavy, untouchable weight.

"She hasn't changed," Shiori murmured to herself. "Still defiant. Still naive."

As her lackeys loitered a few steps away, discussing the night's failure in hushed tones, Shiori drifted into her memories—a past she rarely allowed herself to revisit.

---

The Beginning of a Game

Two years earlier, Shiori had been the queen of Aoyama High School. She wasn't the smartest student, nor the most athletic, but she possessed something far more potent: charisma. Shiori could walk into a room and own it, her presence commanding attention.

Her talent wasn't just about charm—it was about control. She could read people, dissect their insecurities, and wield their weaknesses like weapons. She used this skill to rise above everyone else, her influence spreading like wildfire through the school.

But then, Eva arrived.

Eva Hoshino transferred into Aoyama halfway through the school year. She was quiet at first, keeping to herself. Shiori noticed her immediately. She saw the way Eva avoided eye contact, the way she lingered on the edges of conversations but never joined in.

Eva was an outsider. A perfect target.

It started small. Shiori orchestrated whispered rumors about Eva, testing her reactions. When Eva remained silent, Shiori escalated, planting seeds of mistrust among the few classmates who had shown interest in befriending her.

But Eva surprised her. Instead of crumbling under the weight of isolation, she confronted Shiori directly one day after school.

"Why are you doing this?" Eva had asked, her voice steady despite the tension in her eyes.

Shiori remembered the way she had laughed. "Because I can."

That was the moment their rivalry began.

---

From Rivals to Enemies

What started as a game quickly spiraled into something darker. Eva wasn't like the others. She didn't cower or run away. Instead, she fought back, using her intelligence and resilience to outmaneuver Shiori's schemes.

Shiori hated her for it.

For every rumor Shiori spread, Eva dismantled it with quiet determination. For every alliance Shiori formed, Eva uncovered the lies holding it together. Shiori's control over the school began to slip, and she found herself consumed by a dangerous obsession.

But what truly enraged Shiori wasn't just Eva's defiance—it was the way she exposed Shiori's own vulnerabilities.

---

A Revelation of Power

Shiori had always prided herself on being untouchable. Her family was wealthy, her reputation carefully curated. But Eva saw through it all.

"I know why you do this," Eva had said one day, her voice calm but cutting.

Shiori had scoffed, masking her unease. "Do what?"

"Hurt people. Manipulate them. You're afraid, Shiori. Afraid of being powerless."

The words struck deeper than Shiori cared to admit. Eva had no proof of the truth she spoke, but it didn't matter. She had seen through the mask Shiori wore, and that terrified her.

The façade of Shiori Takeda—the confident, invincible queen—was a lie. Beneath it was a girl who had grown up in a household where control was the only form of survival.

Her father, a powerful businessman, had been a tyrant at home. He controlled every aspect of their lives, from what they ate to how they spoke. Shiori's mother, too afraid to rebel, had taught Shiori to stay quiet, to obey.

But Shiori hadn't obeyed. She had learned to fight back in her own way, using manipulation as both a weapon and a shield.

When Eva exposed that truth, even indirectly, it was like a crack forming in a dam.

---

The Fall of Aoyama

Shiori's obsession with defeating Eva consumed her entirely. She escalated her tactics, turning the entire school into a battleground. Friendships were shattered, secrets revealed, and chaos reigned.

At first, it seemed like Shiori had won. Eva's supporters dwindled, and the girl who had dared to challenge her began to fade into the background. But Eva wasn't defeated.

In one calculated move, Eva exposed Shiori's manipulation to the entire school. She compiled evidence—screenshots of messages, recordings of conversations—and presented them to the student council.

The fallout was catastrophic. Shiori's carefully constructed empire crumbled overnight. Teachers intervened, parents were called, and Shiori was stripped of her position as student council president.

But the worst part wasn't the humiliation—it was the loneliness.

For all her power, Shiori had never built real relationships. The people she controlled abandoned her as soon as her influence waned. She became a pariah, the queen dethroned.

Eva, however, didn't stick around to enjoy her victory. She left Aoyama soon after, transferring to another school.

For Shiori, it felt like the ultimate betrayal.

---

A New Obsession

As Shiori stared down at the glittering city, the memories of her past burned brightly in her mind.

Eva had taken everything from her—her reputation, her control, her purpose. And then she had disappeared, leaving Shiori to pick up the pieces.

But now, Eva was back.

"I'll break you this time," Shiori whispered to herself. "Piece by piece, until there's nothing left."

Her lackeys approached, hesitant to interrupt her thoughts.

"What's the plan now, boss?" one of them asked.

Shiori turned to them, her smile sharp and cold. "We're going to make her regret ever crossing me. But first, we'll remind her of what she's dealing with."

---

A Warning Delivered

The next morning, Yuuto arrived at school to find the atmosphere tense. Students whispered in hushed tones, their eyes darting toward the lockers.

When Yuuto reached his own locker, his stomach dropped.

Scrawled across it in bold red paint were the words:

"Stay out of this, or you'll regret it."

He clenched his fists, his mind flashing to Shiori's cold smile.

Reina and Rika appeared beside him, their expressions equally alarmed.

"This is her, isn't it?" Rika asked, her voice low.

Yuuto nodded. "She's sending a message."

"What do we do now?" Reina asked, worry evident in her tone.

Yuuto thought of Eva—of the fear and determination in her eyes.

"We fight back," he said firmly.

For better or worse, they were all in this now. And Shiori would soon learn that Eva wasn't the only one willing to stand up to her.