By the ti he arrived at the office, Hiratsuka had already been waiting for quite a while. Seeing that he was, yet again, unapologetically late, she let out a deep sigh and crushed the cigarette between her fingers, her expression caught sowhere between relief and irritation.
"Wow, look who finally decided to show up. Lightning fast as always."
"Please, you flatter ."
"That wasn't a complint!"
It was ant as a jab, but this shaless kid picked it up like praise, wearing that infuriating grin of his. Not an ounce of guilt about being late—he truly had no concept of ti.
In the context of a typical school day in Japan, the break between lunch and afternoon classes barely stretched to forty minutes—a tragically short respite. And given how long he lingered over his bento, there wasn't much downti left.
"Well, it's not like history class in the afternoon is life or death for ."
"Tsk."
Hiratsuka Shizuka clicked her tongue. She was used to Shiro Sakamaki's nonchalant attitude. As much as it frustrated her, there wasn't much she could say. With his strength and pedigree, the boy didn't need school to secure a future. Even if he dropped out right now, he'd be courted by countless elite organizations. And his family—an old noble house with deep roots certainly wasn't hurting for money.
"So, Hiratsuka-sensei, you ntioned extra money? Is the client the person waiting outside?"
"Sharp as ever. No point hiding, Haruno Yukinoshita—you've been spotted. Co on in."
At the sound of that na, Shiro's expression flickered with surprise. He hadn't heard any ntion of a Yukinoshita at this school, and assud only Hiratsuka had ties to that infamous family.
But if Haruno was here... her sister Yukino must be involved too.
The door creaked open, and a familiar head peeked inside. It was indeed Haruno Yukinoshita—the sa composed and elegant beauty etched in his mory. She wore her usual mask of feigned surprise.
"Oh my, you saw through ? Is little Shizuka your informant?"
Despite her theatrical expression, her eyes betrayed nothing. That was exactly how he rembered her: sunshine on the surface, but always wearing a mask.
"Cut it out," Hiratsuka sighed. "Your family's problem is beyond ordinary ans. That's why I brought him in."
Hiratsuka's tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. Despite her exasperation with Haruno's antics, she knew the situation was delicate.
"Shiro Sakamaki, she's your client this ti. A forr graduate of Shuchiin Academy. Show so respect and call her senpai."
"I've done the handoff. You two handle the rest—paynt, details, all of it. I'm out."
"I got you excused from afternoon classes. Handle this quickly. Good luck."
With that, Hiratsuka checked the clock, grabbed her lesson plan, and hurried out the door—duty as a teacher pulling her back even in the midst of a supernatural crisis.
Once she was gone, the office fell quiet. Shiro didn't speak. He knew Haruno's type—arrogant, calculating, and not the kind to ask for help lightly. Which ant the one with the real problem wasn't her... but soone close.
And since she was the one asking, he could afford to wait.
Sure enough, it was Haruno who broke the silence first.
"Honestly, would it kill you to be a little kinder to your senpai? I'm just trying to help my dear little sister... such a cold junior."
"Senpai," Shiro said with a faint smirk, "if you want to keep playing pretend, I can humor you. But I doubt the person in trouble has ti for your act."
The smile on Haruno's lips twitched.
The mont she entered the room, Shiro had sensed it—a creeping, malevolent aura clinging close to her. But not from her. Soone nearby, soone she was connected to, had been tainted by sothing... unclean.
"You noticed it, huh?"
"Anyone with half a shred of Strength could."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"But I've already brought in multiple onmyoji, and they all said there was nothing wrong!"
Shiro chuckled coldly. "Then there are only two possibilities. One: they weren't onmyoji to begin with. Two: they were, but they were too scared to deal with it—and chose to lie."
Haruno exhaled, her confidence faltering for the first ti.
Despite the Yukinoshita family's political influence in Kamakura, they had no foothold in the supernatural world. And in that realm, connections were everything. If not for Hiratsuka's sharp eye and goodwill, Haruno would've been left grasping at shadows.
With a subtle sigh, Haruno regained her composure. "In that case, I'll leave it to you, junior. Co to Kamakura with —our family will make sure you're handsoly compensated."
"Fine. But I'll decide on the price after I see the situation. No ti to waste—let's go."
They left the school building and headed toward the gate. Haruno called for her driver, but Shiro waved it off.
"That'll take too long."
She raised a brow, curious. "Then how do you plan to—?"
He didn't respond. Instead, with a sigh, he summoned it.
Out from seemingly nowhere, Shiro pulled out a garishly macho-colored scooter. Glittering chro, obnoxious decals—the works.
Haruno stared at it like it had crawled out of a nightmare.
"Are we... are we seriously riding that?"
"No ti to explain. Just get on. This baby's faster than your fancy town car."
Reluctantly, Haruno climbed aboard, sitting side-saddle and clearly uncomfortable.
"You should hold on," Shiro warned. "Or you'll be flying off before you know it."
"My, my," she teased with a glint in her eye, "junior, is this your way of getting to hold you? If it's you, I don't mind at all."
"Suit yourself," he said flatly. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
Of course, she ignored him and clutched the rear handle instead.
Shiro gave one last wicked grin, twisted the throttle, and the scooter let out a guttural roar before blasting forward, sending Haruno clinging on for dear life with a scream that echoed across the schoolyard.
----
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