Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 5: Shiina Maki is in danger!

After lunch, Akizuki Makoto first tidied up the table, then poured himself and Ji Yexue a cup of hot tea before finally starting to review the students' letters.

Most of the letters were meaningless, consisting of greetings to him and Ji Yexue, and some anonymous love confessions mixed in.

Don't ask why I didn't sign my name. If I get caught, I'll get a lecture. The reason given is that it's affecting the student council's work.

However, some interesting things have appeared in the recent letters from these students.

"supernatural event?"

Makoto Akizuki raised an eyebrow as he looked at a letter from a student named Yuuki Osawa in Class 2-A.

In the past few days, he has received no fewer than ten letters from different students about paranormal events occurring on campus.

At first, he didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just nonsense or a prank.

They said their things suddenly disappeared from their sight, and graffiti inexplicably appeared on the wall.

Some even claim to have encountered ghosts, describing how they suddenly felt someone pat them, and just when they thought it was their imagination, they felt the patting again, this time with much greater force.

"President, are you free now?"

After reading Osawa Yuuki's letter, Akizuki Makoto looked up and called out to Himeyasu, who was approving school documents.

"You said."

Ji Yexue responded without looking up, intending to read the documents while listening to Qiu Yuecheng's report.

Multitasking is not difficult for her; it's an essential skill for geniuses.

"I'm very concerned about the paranormal events mentioned in the recent letters from students. Can we talk about it?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yexue's cold eyes flickered slightly, but because she was looking down and the change was fleeting, Qiu Yuecheng did not notice it.

All he saw was that after he finished speaking, Ji Yexue put down the documents, moved to his office area, and sat down on another sofa.

This means she's interested in talking; otherwise, she would have simply let him handle everything.

After sitting down on the sofa, Ji Yexue naturally crossed her long, beautiful legs, which were covered by thin black pantyhose, and asked in a calm voice:
"Akizuki-kun, do you believe in ghosts?"

"Um……"

After pondering for a moment and organizing his thoughts, Akizuki Makoto replied, "I didn't think so at first, so I ignored these kinds of letters. But recently there have been more and more of them, and I think I should pay attention to them."

"Show me the letter."

Qiuyue Cheng immediately compiled all the letters from students about paranormal events over the past few days, totaling fourteen, and handed them to Ji Yexue.

Ji Yexue picked up the letters, read them one by one, then looked up at Qiu Yuecheng and asked softly, "So, what you mean is?"

"Let's launch an investigation."

Akizuki Makoto sat up straight, a smile appearing on his face: "With so many people reporting this, I think it's worthwhile to mobilize an investigation. We have to catch that perpetrator of pleasure, right? Otherwise, our authority as the student council will be completely destroyed."

In fact, he believed that there were real superpowers involved in this paranormal event, rather than some unknown magic trick or prank.

The question is whether the person using superpowers is not a normal woman.

"Um……"

Ji Yexue fell into deep thought, and after a long while, she made a decision: "After school, let's discuss it with the others. I approve."

……

After deciding to initiate an investigation, Ji Yexue returned to her desk to continue reviewing documents issued by the school authorities, while Qiuyue Cheng began drafting a plan.

Although he was asked to consult with others, if Ji Yexue approved, the others would have no objections and would simply follow her arrangements.

Of course, Ji Yexue would not participate in the investigation, as she had many other things to do. Therefore, the investigation would naturally be handled entirely by Qiu Yuecheng.

Because this investigation is likely to involve superpowered individuals, Makoto Akizuki's draft plan only named two people to investigate with him, so as not to waste human resources.

One of these two people is the student union secretary and head of the disciplinary committee, and the other is an ordinary member.

There was no particular reason for specifically requesting them to come; it was simply because they were very free and could be dispatched at will.

Just as the draft was finished, the bell signaling the end of lunch break rang.

Akizuki Makoto quickly tidied up the tea set, then said goodbye to Himeyasu and hurriedly returned to the classroom.

After he left, Ji Yexue, who remained in the student council office, got up from her chair, walked to the members' office area, and picked up the draft investigation report written by Qiuyue Cheng.

"Supernatural events..."

She looked at the title of the draft and muttered to herself. Her usually icy and delicate face suddenly showed a hint of a smile.

……

at the same time.

The classroom for Class 3-A, the last row, near the corner.

Shiina Maki ate the last rice ball, then drank some water, cleaned the table, and got up to leave her seat.

She hasn't been to the toilet since this morning, and she's now at her limit.

Originally, she wanted to hold it in until the end of the afternoon, because she had a bit of a psychological aversion to going to the toilet during breaks.

"She moved!"

"Wow, that's really good at holding back! Come on, let's catch up!"

The group, led by Satomi Sawada, became excited and agitated when they saw Maki Shiina leave her seat.

They had been watching Shiina Maki all morning and were already impatient to see her.

"This time we must teach her a lesson, and see if she dares to get close to Qiuyue-kun again!"

Satomi Sawada sneered and led the other three to get up and follow Maki Shiina.

They maintained a good distance from each other, about four or five meters apart. With a lot of people in the corridor, even though Shiina Maki was walking ahead and remained vigilant, she didn't notice them even though she kept turning around to look back.

So, she felt a little relieved and went into the women's restroom, thinking that she should be lucky today and not be targeted.

Just as she entered the women's restroom, Satomi Sawada and her group immediately quickened their pace and jogged into the restroom.

at last……

Finally got fooled!

When they saw Maki Shiina enter the women's restroom, they all felt as if they had transformed into Sun Wukong, played by Huang Bo.

"Shiina!"

As soon as she entered the women's restroom, Satomi Sawada shouted at Maki Shiina, who was heading towards the innermost stall.

Hearing the voice behind her, Shiina Maki paused, a sudden sense of crisis rising within her.

Before she could turn around and check the situation behind her, a strong and powerful push came from behind, making her lose her balance and stumble against the door of the cubicle.

"Well……"

Because of the pain, Shiina Maki couldn't help but groan.

Ignoring the pain, she turned her head to look at the four girls, including Sawada Satomi, who had surrounded her. Through the gaps in their human wall, she could see other girls who had also come to use the restroom standing behind them, watching the drama unfold with expressions of amusement and discussion.

Although they didn't know Satomi Sawada and weren't accomplices, Maki Shiina felt that they were no different from accomplices.

"Huh...huh..."

Seeing so many people, Shiina Maki felt as if she were drowning, and her breathing became rapid.

She looked at Satomi Sawada with trembling eyes, like a lamb to the slaughter, her face filled with unease and fear.

"Hey, haven't you been getting a little too cocky lately?"

Satomi Sawada stepped forward, closing the distance between herself and Maki Shiina, and looked at her with a cold smile.

"No...no..."

Shiina Maki answered in a trembling voice, unsure of where she had gotten carried away, even though she had always tried to keep her presence to a minimum.

Even if I don't talk to anyone in class, don't make eye contact, and just keep my head down and read, will I be accused of being smug?

"You dare to argue back?"

Satomi Sawada's face darkened, and she ordered the three people beside her, "Grab her hands and hold her down!"

"give it to me!"

The three accompanying her laughed, rubbed their hands together, approached Shiina Maki, grabbed her hands, and pressed her tightly against the cubicle door, making her unable to move!
"no, do not want…"

Shiina Maki shook her head vigorously. She was clearly very strong and could easily break free from the restraints of the two people around her with just a little effort, but the tension, cowardice, and fear she felt when being bullied made her unable to muster any strength.

"I'll teach you a lesson today, and see if you dare to seduce Qiuyue again!"

Satomi Sawada chuckled playfully, then pulled out a textbook from somewhere and placed it on Maki Shiina's stomach through her clothes.

then……

She clenched her fist and punched the textbook hard!
"Waaaaah!"

Shiina Maki felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and instinctively wanted to cry out, but the remaining person immediately covered her mouth with lightning speed!
Before arriving, Satomi Sawada and her group had already planned that two people would hold down Maki Shiina, one would cover her mouth to prevent her from screaming, and the last one would physically assault her.

"You said you weren't getting carried away, but why were you dawdling when Qiuyue-kun came to collect your test papers today?"

Satomi Sawada questioned in a low voice, then punched the textbook mercilessly once more.

This was the solution she came up with this morning.

Hitting someone like this won't leave any external injuries, only bruises, and it will hurt a lot. Using this method as a lesson for Shiina Maki is perfect.

"Mmm...mmm..."

Two punches in quick succession made Shiina Maki shake her head repeatedly, desperately trying to explain that she had not been carried away by her pride, nor had she intended to seduce Akizuki Makoto.

The reason she dawdled was because she felt flustered when Akizuki Makoto approached her; it wasn't intentional.

But the person covering her mouth held it so tightly that she couldn't even breathe properly, let alone speak up to defend herself.

"Let me tell you, you're nothing but a sewer rat, dark and unable to see the light, and you reek of a foul stench."

"Don't you feel disgusted? You're even thinking of seducing Akizuki-kun. Do you know how much Akizuki-kun despises you? He thinks you're incredibly troublesome. If I were Akizuki-kun, I would definitely find it disgusting."

"If you knew what was good for you, you would have just disappeared. Why do you keep showing up? All you do is cause trouble and annoy people..."

Under Satomi Sawada's sharp and vicious words, Maki Shiina could no longer hold back, tears welled up in her eyes, and her vision began to blur.

No matter how painful or terrible the beating was, she wouldn't cry; she could endure it all.

But she couldn't bear the thought of her own darkness being so ruthlessly exposed, and that Akizuki Makoto was dragged into it as well.

In that case, she could no longer maintain that unrealistic fantasy in her heart about getting close to Akizuki Makoto.

Of course she knew that she was dark and disgusting; just her existence was enough to make people feel aversion.

But there was one person who didn't seem to think so.

Only that person will not isolate, ostracize, ridicule, or discriminate against her, nor will they bully her.

They would even give her a gentle smile and treat her like a normal person.

She actually knew that Akizuki Makoto wouldn't dislike her or find her troublesome, as Sawada Satomi claimed.

But her insecure and gloomy personality made her think differently, because she had done so many unspeakable things to Akizuki Makoto.

Not just after time stops.

Before she gained the ability to stop time, she had already done many unforgivable and unspeakable things to Akizuki Makoto.

If those secrets were discovered, or if Akizuki Makoto knew about Shi Ting and what she had done, would he still show her a gentle smile?

Will they still treat themselves like normal people?

The thought of Akizuki Makoto's reaction after being exposed filled her with fear.

When the gentle Akizuki Makoto showed disgust, as if looking at trash, because of her actions, she felt a pang of heartache and suffocation.

"Akizuki-kun..."

As Shiina Maki felt the warm, damp sensation flowing down her cheek, she couldn't help but fantasize that Akizuki Makoto would suddenly appear like a hero and save her.

This was a fantasy she had developed over a long period of time due to being bullied by her classmates.

But how is this possible?
This is the women's restroom, how could Akizuki Makoto possibly be here?

"I'm talking to you, why are you crying! Listen to me properly!"

The malicious words whispering in her ear forced Shiina Maki to confront the cruel reality—
She was trapped in the women's restroom, completely powerless, and didn't even have the thought of resisting arise in her mind.

She's used to it; it's nothing special.

The girls watching behind Satomi Sawada did not make any move to stop her. After seeing Maki Shiina's dark and bizarre appearance, they only felt disgusted and nauseous.

What normal person would want to wear a winter school uniform in the summer?
And she had such long hair, she looked like a female ghost.

"I'm warning you, you better be smart and don't even think about complaining to Qiuyue-jun. He won't believe you."

After throwing an unknown number of punches, Satomi Sawada got tired and stopped assaulting Maki Shiina.

Finally, as she and the others left, she didn't forget to threaten Shiina Maki.

"If you dare to snitch, none of us will let you off the hook. You'd better not get away with this!"

"If you dare to get close to Akizuki-kun again, it won't be so easy to get away with it."

"You dark sewer rats, get out of here..."

Shiina Maki clutched her stomach, and through her hair that obscured most of her vision, watched as Sawada Satomi and her group left, chatting and laughing. She pursed her lips, and amidst the strange looks from the others, she forced herself to leave the restroom, enduring the pain.

She staggered to the office, asked her homeroom teacher for sick leave, and said that she was on her period and feeling unwell, so she needed to leave early to go home.

The homeroom teacher saw that Shiina Maki was clutching her stomach, and that half of her face was exposed, all scrunched up in pain. Without thinking much of it, she immediately approved it.

"If the pain is really bad, go to the infirmary to see the health teacher first, and then you can go home. Take good care of your health."

(End of this chapter)