The Fairest of Them All

Special Chapter 4 Pt. 2!

One of the girls managed to take a step before Shuu stood up, stuffing the gift in his pocket. They quickly parted as he brushed past, staring after him. The girl who approached him was frozen, her eyes gazing ahead yet at nothing. Inaudible words escaped her lips as her concerned friends slowly inched towards her.

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Shuu stepped into the school corridors. Gazes and whispers began to drown his music, and with irritation, he was about to increase the volume from his earphones when a distance melody drifted across the hallway. Entranced by its beauty, he removed one of his earbuds and headed towards the sound of the piano.

Once he was out of sight, he teleported to the music room. To his predicament, Laito sat behind the piano, his fingers moving like flowing water behind the keys. Kanato stood beside him, eyebrow furrowed. He looked troubled, a rare case.

Shuu hesitated. He then slumped beside the shelf, and just as he was about to question, the door swung open and Ayato stepped in.

Laito's finger paused on a note. "Ah, did you get Reiji?"

"Yes, he did," said Reiji, walking in, "and in the most irksome manner, at that."

Ayato glared. Subaru walked through the door, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry, I couldn't find that lazy—" He stopped when his eyes landed on the male next to the shelf.

Shuu raised a brow. "Yes?"

"Tch. Nevermind."

Kanato turned his head sharply. "What did you say?"

"Uh," said Subaru. "'Nevermind'?"

A slow smile spread across Kanato's face. "I got it. 'A place where one never grows up'—it's Neverland, isn't it?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Ayato said. "And I thought Subaru's didn't make sense."

"Subaru's was solved?" asked Laito.

"Yep. It was gold."

Doubt flittered past Laito's eyes for a second. He then tilted his head and looked at the purple-haired male. "Reiji, you solved it didn't you."

"It was merely the atomic number 79 with the element symbol 'Au'."

Subaru grunted. "That explains it."

Laito hummed. "Chemistry. No wonder why you got it."

"'Gold', 'Neverland'..." Subaru listed. "What other clues have we got?"

"We haven't got Reiji's and Shuu's," said Kanato.

"'After blue and before violet'," Reiji recited, crossing his arms.

Shuu lazily waved a hand. "Mine's 'Useful for rainy days—though almost none of you use it'."

"None of you?" Laito repeated. "Is that referring to us?"

"That's..." Ayato began. Recognition flashed in his wide eyes.

"An umbrella." Shuu then yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "These gifts were probably all sent by the same person."

Laito placed a hand on his chin. "So 'umbrella', 'gold' and 'Neverland'. Well, we managed to solve half of them. That's a good start."

"Though, none of them make much sense," said Reiji, sighing.

As if wanting the mystery to remain unsolved, the bell rang, ending their conversation short. Shuu didn't move from his spot as the others began to leave. Subaru was the last, shaking his head as he shut the door behind him.