Three hours have passed since the incident and we're still trapped within the confines of the school. Hana sits across from me in the office, her cheeks stained with tears. Her eyes wander aimlessly before settling on me for a brief five seconds, then drifting off to another spot in the room. I know this because I've been counting every time she looks at me. She had many inquiries about me. I could tell by the way she would glance at me for a mere five seconds before shifting her focus elsewhere. This had been going on for three hours now. After what happened to Anthony, the students and staff unleashed their anger on him with such ferocity. The adults seemed to forget their age and status, using their fists and sharp words on a teenage boy who actually looked older and more physically fit than his actual age of being in his mid-twenties.
" Are you alright?" I finally spoke during our three-hour silent session. The room was so still, with only the ticking of the clock as background noise. But these days, clocks are rendered practically useless thanks to technology; most people rely on their phones for the time. It's become a constant companion in our daily lives.
The gray eyes that were wandering around finally stopped and remained fixed on something above my head, seemingly on the wall. "You haven't talked since you spoke to the police," I pointed out, those cloudly eyes dropped down to focus their sights on mine. I have known Hana since before I can remember, and her moods are easy to decipher just by looking at her facial expressions. It's as simple as reading a children's book; no significant mental effort is needed to understand what she might be feeling. But is she repulsed by what happened in the past, or has she simply shut off her emotions? Her expression is blank, with the only traces of emotion being tear tracks on her cheeks. Those tears have fallen during her breakdown three hours ago, but now she looks completely different - distant and detached, almost emotionless.
Before she could say anything, she let out a loud cough. "How have you been?" she finally asked. "If Ant... if he did anything to hurt you, I can call someone from the staff. You have heart problems, and I don't want to take-"
I raised my hand to signal her to stop, as her words were rushing out like the engine of a fast car. "It's okay," I said with a calm voice, knowing there was no need to speak any louder in such a small room. After three long hours, I finally see the corner of her mouth curl into a small smile as she hums in response to my answer. If I wasn't closely watching her, I might have missed it entirely.
" That's good to hear-"
Hana didn't even have a chance to finish her sentence before the double doors were abruptly thrown open to reveal the new principal of the school. He was a man with an almost permanent blank expression on his face, giving off an uncanny robotic impression rather than a human one. His posture was perfectly straight and he remained immobile, only using his dull eyes to scan over Hana and me. There was barely any spark of life behind those eyes. This almost reminds me of the broadcast that happened with that lunatic, his little helper had that same dull robotic expression.
"Hana Choi, I tried contacting your parents and it was hard to get them." The principal's tone was devoid of any enthusiasm or emotion. It felt like we were on a military base and he was addressing his soldiers. Something didn't feel right, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on, especially since Hana's fingers were tightly gripping her seat, causing the veins in her hand to bulge. She also feels a sense of unease.
"My mother has been missing and my father is busy with meetings today, so his phone is probably turned off," she responded, her voice tinged with uneasiness. The stoic expression on Hana's face disappeared, replaced by a combination of trying to act nonchalant and feeling uncomfortable.
The principal's eyes lit up with a slight glimmer as his lips formed a small smirk beneath his patchy beard. For the first time today, there was a hint of amusement in his voice as he asked, "Has her soul been offered to the king?" Hana and I exchanged a glance before turning to face the principal again.
A feeling of being observed courses through my body. I'm not just being paranoid; there are cameras in this room. I know that the erratic student is from this school, but with this new principal, it's hard not to feel like he's under the puppet master's control too. With caution, I reach into my pocket for my phone. I can't act hastily because I have a gut feeling that the person monitoring us is sitting in the security room. They're probably waiting for us to slip up and reveal any signs of being "users". I hope Hana is catching on, but I still need to send her a text just to be sure.
I made myself let out a laugh, trying to sound genuine for the stranger in front of me. Hana looked at me with a furrowed brow, clearly confused by my sudden change in demeanor. "Sorry," I said, "the situation isn't exactly humorous." I paused before continuing, "And I'm sorry about your mother being missing. But what did you mean when you mentioned 'the king'? Are you assuming she's dead?"
As he opened his mouth to respond, I lifted my phone in the air and gestured towards it with my other hand. "Let me quickly send a text to my friend. She's probably waiting for me and wondering why I haven't responded."
The principal remained rigid in his stance, his face once again blank and unreadable. Seeing this, I took the opportunity to quickly send a text message to Hana. While my fingers flew across my phone's keyboard, he began speaking again.
One constant aspect of Hana is her device always being on silent mode, while her Apple watch continues to receive multiple notifications which I can see popping up constantly. It doesn't trigger sounds though which is good because the person on the camera and the principal won't notice. The office camera is strategically placed on the wall, facing the principal but also capturing Hana and me in its frame. To ensure privacy, I position my body to block the camera's view and prevent anyone from zooming in on what I'm typing. However, I can't help but raise an eyebrow when I catch Hana looking at me through my glasses. Luckily, the principal doesn't seem to have noticed since my glasses are blocking my eyes as I look down at my phone. Despite being on opposite sides of the small office, Hana and I both have our backs against a wall, while the principal stands in the center of the room.
They are watching us, He is a puppet and the real user is on the camera.
I ensured that the text was brief so it could be displayed in its entirety on her watch face. Observing Hana's reaction as she skillfully read the message on her watch, I could tell that she had fully comprehended it and her expression remained unchanged. I was grateful that she didn't panic. It was important for me to keep her calm, as I needed her for future tasks. There was no telling what plans the other users had in mind, and having someone in my corner provided a sense of security until I was ready to dispose of her.
The principal spoke confidently as he assured us, "The incident that occurred today has been dealt with professionally and Anthony Williams will no longer pose a threat to anyone. You are all free to leave." He then made his way towards the exit of the office, leaving us behind.
Hana's gaze was locked onto mine, and I could tell she was unsure about how to proceed with all eyes on us. I took the initiative and stood up, reaching out to take her hands and gently guide her up from her seat. She didn't resist, allowing me to take charge and lead her where I wanted. Her eyes were filled with a sense of detachment, like a lost child searching for a guardian or any adult who could offer them a sense of security.
I admit, that I manipulated Hana and Anthony today. But it was necessary for the greater good. I made Anthony come across as a user of the Death Note, using him to create chaos and confusion among those trying to break us up. By shoving the red arrow in him once more, I planted the idea in his mind that he had the power to become a god. And now the principal puppet claims he has taken care of Anthony, leaving only two possibilities: expulsion or death. Either way, I know the person on the livestream is closer than I originally thought. They must be a senior since only seniors have classes near the gym where I baited them out.
Hana's voice was barely a whisper as she pleaded, "Can we go to your apartment, Yugin? I don't want to be alone." Her breath ghosted across my face and her head rested on my shoulder. The scent of her perfume filled my senses. She looked defeated, and I knew she had many questions for me about the battle royale and myself. Once we were at my apartment.