Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 11 Omens Before the Nightmare

[Current time: A few days after Kurumi transformed into a spirit, and two days before the graduation exams at Anzakura Girls' Academy.]

In just a few days, Kurumi and Mio participated in a so-called "evil-slaying" operation. They traversed the city's corners, searching for girls who had failed in their "refinement" and been transformed into spirits, and ruthlessly murdered them.

Kurumi was completely unaware of this; she didn't even know that everything she was doing was wrong.

As for Ming, he watched everything as if he knew nothing. All he cared about was Sawa's safety. He didn't care that the innocent girl was accidentally killed by Kurumi. Li wouldn't feel any guilt about it. That was all.

For Ming now, the only change is that Kurumi is no longer seen on his and Sawa's daily walk home after school.

This morning at Xingying Girls' Academy, as usual, Ming and Sawa entered the school together and went to their classroom.

Fun fact: Kurumi's house isn't actually on the same route as Sawa's, so she doesn't go to school with Sawa every day. However, sometimes Kurumi will deliberately take a detour to Sawa's house, and then the two of them will go to school together. More often than not, it's Mei who acts as Sawa's protector.

“Ming, don’t you think Kurumi has been acting strange lately? She seems to tell me as soon as school is over, ‘I have something to do today and can’t go home with you,’ and then she leaves. Kurumi seems to be very busy lately.”

In front of the shoe lockers at school, Sawa confided this to Ming.

"Oh, it's probably something going on at Kurumi's family's place, but wouldn't it be better if you asked her directly instead of asking me?"

Ming squatted down in front of the shoe cabinet, took out the key, opened the shoe cabinet door, and said in a completely emotionless tone.

"That makes sense. I feel like it would be better to ask Kurumi herself... Wait, Ming-kun, be careful!"

Sawa thought for a moment, then a look of sudden realization appeared on her face. She nodded slightly, indicating her agreement with Ming's words. However, just then, as Ming was about to open the shoe cabinet, Sawa suddenly seemed to remember something and immediately spoke up to remind him.

Before Ming could react to Shahe's reminder, a large number of envelopes and gift boxes burst out of the cabinet and hit Ming's expressionless face.

"Huh! What is that?"

After smashing all the envelopes and gift boxes, Ming, covering his face, shouted in confusion.

“These are all love letters and gifts for you,” Sawa said, covering her mouth with a laugh. A hint of teasing crossed her eyes.

"These were all prepared by the girls in my class and the class next door! They felt a little sad because graduation was approaching, so they all stuffed their love letters into your shoe locker. As for me... I got caught up in this little group for some reason, it was really unavoidable!"

Sawa sighed softly, but a faint smile graced her face, making the girl in front of her appear youthful and radiant.

"I'm sorry... everyone, I'll try my best to help you with whatever you need, but there's one person I absolutely cannot give up: Ming! Because I'm going to confess my feelings today too!"

This was what Sawa was thinking at that moment, because she also had a pink love letter in her bag, and in order not to make Akira tired of reading the letter, she had no choice but to reveal their whole plan.

Incidentally, Kurumi wasn't among them. She was one of the few classmates who had absolutely no interest in Meijin, which made Sawa quite happy.

Ming, on the other hand, looked embarrassed; he certainly didn't want to become the focus of the girls' attention.

"This is such a hassle. I don't want to clean the floor, and there's the shoe cabinet too..." Ming muttered to himself, looking down.

"Let me help you clean them up!" Sawa kindly helped pick up the envelopes and gift boxes scattered on the ground and said with concern.

Before Ming could respond, Sawa had already started packing. She quickly arranged the envelopes and gift boxes and put them into a large bag that she had somehow taken out of her handbag.

"Thank you, Sawa," Ming said, looking at her somewhat embarrassed.

"You're welcome, Ming. It's what I should do as a friend. You can go to the classroom now."

At this point, Ming stopped talking, put the shoes into the shoe cabinet that had already been cleaned, and waved goodbye to the people who were still helping him pack up the envelopes.

After Ming left, Sawa packed up a large number of envelopes and gift boxes by herself and dragged them to the equipment storage room at the back of the academy to keep them. She planned to return them to the classmates who brought them after she confessed to Ming.

After putting her things away, Sawa hurried to the classroom. However, on her way back, she suddenly heard a soft footstep.

Sawa turned her head curiously and saw a familiar figure sneaking towards the restroom.

Kurumi glanced around to make sure no one was watching her, then quickly went into the restroom.

Sawa muttered to herself with worry:

"What is Kurumi doing? It's so puzzling! And she's even wearing a medical goggles... Is her sty still not healed?"

As Sawa observed Kurumi's actions and recalled her recent strange behavior, she couldn't help but worry about her own freedom, so she followed her.

"Is it still too conspicuous?"

Kurumi smiled and said to the bathroom mirror while holding up the eye patch over her left eye.

At this moment, Kurumi's left eye had completely transformed into a golden clock eye, with the hands of the clock flickering within it, which was incredibly strange.

"Kurumi, what's wrong?"

As Saya walked in, she asked Kurumi, who was standing in front of her, with concern.

Kurumi quickly covered her left eye and looked at Sawa in surprise, saying, "Sawa!"

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

Hearing Kurumi's words, Sawa, still concerned for her best friend, asked with doubt, "Is your left eye still not healed?"

Upon hearing this, Kurumi quickly explained, "Hmm, it seems like it's a sty that's not easy to treat."

After listening, Sawa said to Kurumi with concern, "It's really not easy. Take good care of yourself."

Hearing her best friend's concern, Kurumi felt a warmth in her heart and quickly thanked her happily:

"Thank you."

After a while, the two of them walked out of the toilet together, laughing.

Sawa smiled and invited Kurumi, "Come to my house after school! My aunt said she'll bring Maren's brothers over."

Hearing this, Kurumi was incredibly excited, but when she thought about her promise to Mio today and the need to deal with the spirits, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

So, Kurumi could only grit her teeth and reluctantly refuse:

"No... I'm very sorry, but I really have something to do today and can't make it."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Sawa's eyes, but she still smiled and asked:

"Oh, that's a real shame. But you seem to be especially busy lately."

Kurumi quickly bent down and said apologetically:

"I'm sorry, but if we can pet the cat again next time, please be sure to invite me again!"

After saying that, Kurumi tightly grasped Sawa's hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she looked at Sawa in front of her.

Seeing Kurumi's serious expression, Sawa blushed slightly and replied softly, "Okay, of course."

Kurumi, still not entirely convinced, confirmed again, "Definitely, it's a promise!"

Sawa Yamada nodded gently, responding with a smile and a touch of shyness:

"I...I understand, I'll let you come."

Afterwards, Kurumi returned to the classroom first. Watching Kurumi's departing figure, Sawa felt a faint sense of loss.

I always felt that my best friend was hiding something, but I was too weak to ask, so I could only bury my curiosity and concern in my heart.

"Dang! Dang! Dang! Dang!"

Soon after, the school bell rang as scheduled, and Sawa, who had been standing still, walked back to the classroom to attend class.