Chapter 4:The Secret of Class 2-B

Mayu's warning lingered in my mind long after our conversation ended.

"You can't trust anyone here."

Her words weren't just paranoia—they were a deliberate caution. But why? What was she so afraid of?

I needed answers.

"Are you just trying to make me paranoid?" I had asked her, standing there on the rooftop. My voice was calm, controlled.

Mayu didn't flinch. Her violet eyes were as cold as ever.

"I'm giving you a warning, not a riddle, Abe," she replied. "If you dig too deep, you'll regret it."

I clenched my jaw. That wasn't an answer.

Renji, who had been watching our exchange with an amused grin, let out a low chuckle.

"Wow, you're really determined, huh?" he smirked. "I guess I'll give you a little hint."

I turned to him, waiting.

Renji leaned in slightly, his dark eyes glinting with something unreadable.

"There's an unwritten rule in this class."

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of rule?"

His smirk widened. "That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself."

I exhaled sharply. Typical. No one in this class ever gave me a straight answer.

But if both Mayu and Renji were hinting at something strange, then it wasn't just my imagination.

Something was definitely wrong.

The Perfection That Shouldn't Exist

The next day, I decided to observe my classmates more carefully.

It was then that I noticed something unsettling.

There wasn't a single outcast in Class 2-B.

In every class, there were always groups. The popular kids, the quiet ones, the outsiders who barely interacted with others. But here?

Everyone blended in perfectly.

No one was bullied.

No one was left out.

No one even had a disagreement.

It was unnatural.

I tapped my fingers against my desk, watching them closely.

Laughter filled the air. Conversations flowed effortlessly. The harmony was almost… rehearsed.

That's when I noticed him.

Shimizu Riku.

Unlike the others, he wasn't overly social. He didn't stand out. But every time I looked his way, I saw him writing something in his notebook.

Over and over again.

His pen never stopped.

The strangest part? No one questioned it. No one even glanced at him.

Like it was completely normal.

And that alone made him suspicious.

So, I decided to follow him.

The Forbidden Notebook

After school, I watched as Riku packed up and left the classroom earlier than everyone else.

Instead of heading toward the school gates, he walked deeper into the hallway, his steps steady, unhurried.

I followed at a distance.

He didn't notice me.

Or so I thought.

Riku eventually stopped in front of an empty staff room. He looked around cautiously before slipping inside.

I waited a few seconds, then peered through the small window on the door.

He was standing near a desk, flipping through a notebook he had pulled from a drawer.

I squinted.

What is he doing?

Just as I was about to move closer—

Riku suddenly turned around.

Our eyes met.

A sharp tension filled the air.

For a brief second, neither of us moved.

Then, he smiled.

Not the polite kind.

But the kind that sent a cold chill down my spine.

"Arataki-kun," he said, his voice light, almost amused. "Why are you following me?"

…I had been caught.

But I didn't react. I kept my face unreadable.

"I was just curious," I replied flatly.

Riku chuckled softly, closing the notebook.

"Curiosity can be dangerous, you know?"

There was something off about the way he said it.

Like it wasn't a simple warning.

But a threat.

Marked

The next morning, the atmosphere in the class felt… different.

On the surface, nothing had changed. The students were still talking, still smiling.

But I could feel it.

Their eyes lingered on me for just a second too long.

Their laughter sounded just a little too forced.

Like they were watching me.

Waiting for something.

At lunch, Mayu approached me.

"You made a mistake," she whispered.

I looked at her. "What mistake?"

She sighed.

"You were too obvious. Now… the class sees you as a threat."

I remained silent.

But inside, my stomach twisted.

I had underestimated them.

And now, I wasn't just a new student anymore.

I was a target.