Into an Otome Game

Forty: Shaken [1]

Shiki soon left the arena and moved in the direction of the oval as Lucas had instructed. Alone.

Lucas rarely calls him for a talk—and especially not when there are so many people around. As far as Shiki is aware, Lucas either has a significant subject to discuss with him.

And he was uncomfortable about this.

As soon as he got into the oval, he noticed Lucas in the corner leaning against a pole with one hand in his pocket and the other raised, inspecting his wristwatch.

Shiki sighed and made his way over to Lucas.

"Oh, Shiki!" Lucas exclaimed as soon as he saw Shiki coming toward him, Shiki simply offered him his usual disinterested smile.

The next moment, Shiki exclaimed, "So, what's the deal?"

Lucas made an implicit remark, "Yes, yes, you really are hasty. But first, let's go somewhere where there are fewer people"

Shiki calmly followed Lucas without even asking him a question, and they quickly found the cherry blossom tree where Luna and the others had congregated for lunch.

Lucas turned to Shiki and said, "Listen Shiki," wearing a neutral expression. Perhaps now isn't the greatest time to tell you this, but..." he faltered.

"...But?"

As he continued, Lucas took a long breath. "That person... she's back."

──────!!!!

Shiki, who has always been seen and thought of as an aloof and distant person who doesn't let his emotions affect him personally, was now blatantly displaying his hostility in front of Lucas.

Rage was apparent on his eye; and his face was seem to likely being shadowed.

Lucas, felt Shiki's unwavering hostility—That news had to be conveyed, one way of another, but was telling Shiki about it first the best course of action?

'I wonder whether I shouldn't have told him first...'

***

Rinalyn, who had actually slept off, awoke and sat up in bed, stretching and rubbing her eyes.

When she regained focus, she cast a glance around before calling out to Rei.

However, nobody responded.

"Rei? Rei, where are you?" She repeatedly called, anxiously.

She dislikes the idea of being by herself in a room with a strong metal and medication odor. She despised it.

Rinalyn despises anything that could bring up that "event" in her mind. It always gave her anxiety and a little bit of fear.

She started to clench into the white sheet of blanket, sweating cold and as she started to feel her breath being heavy.

Click.

—!!

"Rei! Where in the world did—!!!"

It seems as though time has stood still and everything around her has stopped rotating. Her surroundings are growing threatening. Breathing is growing more difficult.

As soon as the person who entered the vehicle stood in front of her, wearing a terrifying smile that made her entire body tremble in terror, she was paralyzed and unable to move. The traumatic event that had happened to her flashed before her eyes.

Rinalyn felt like choking just by the person's presence, no words came out of her mouth—no, rather she couldn't get any word out of her mouth. She was in great horror.