Rindou Haitani pov~
Night had settled over the city as Ran and I entered Shibuya High School, the usually bustling corridors now eerily silent. We had come to discuss Tenjiku matters, and the emptiness of the school was a stark contrast to the intensity of our business.
"Keep an eye out, Rindou," Ran murmured as we navigated the dimly lit hallways. "We don't want any surprises."
I nodded, my eyes scanning the halls. We passed by a large bulletin board, and my attention was caught by a list of top students. At the top of the list was a name that seemed familiar:
Y/N L/N (99.9%)
Akari Suzuki (96.7%)
Shuji Katagiri (93.2%)
I stared at Y/N L/N’s name, and a faint sense of recognition nagged at the back of my mind. Where have I heard that name before? Then it hit me—she was the girl who had made headlines years ago, the one who had killed Kazuo Nishimura at the age of ten. The story had circulated in certain circles, making her somewhat of a legend.
"Rindou," Ran's voice broke through my thoughts, "let's go. We've got work to do."
I tore my eyes away from the board and followed him down the corridor. We slipped into an empty classroom where a lone girl sat at a desk, her head bent over a book. The dim light cast shadows across her face, but as she looked up, I froze.
It was her—Y/N L/N. The girl whose name I had just seen on the board and the same one who had killed Kazuo Nishimura. She was even more familiar up close, though I couldn’t immediately place where I’d seen her before.
Y/N L/N pov~
I was studying for an upcoming exam which was after a week. I decided to stay at school because Akiko and Hiroshi told me to. So I was studying this Biology chapter and suddenly the door opens.
I looked up and saw the Haitani Brothers right in front of me. I looked at Ran who had braided his hair and he looked like that he was about to say something.
But as I turned to Rindou he looked like as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Oh well, what would be such a cute girl doing here at this hour instead of hanging out with her boyfriend?" Ran smirked.
"Number 1, I don't have a boyfriend. Number 2, I don't want one. Number 3, I have an exam next week so I am studying for it." I replied with confidence.
Ran raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my boldness. "Impressive. You’re quite focused for someone your age."
I shrugged, trying to maintain my composure. "Some things are more important than hanging out."
Rindou turned his eyes away from his brother then turned his eyes on me,"You're Y/N L/N, right?"
I nodded, my eyes narrowing slightly. "Yes, that's me. And you two are the Haitani Brothers. You are Ran, the older one. I pointed my finger to him and you are Rindou, the younger one."
Both of them looked at me with renewed interest. Ran's smirk widened. "Seems like you know more about us than we expected. How does a super studious kid know about us?"
I held my ground, meeting their gaze. "I make it a point to be informed."
Ran chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter. "You must be really good at multitasking, then. Studying and keeping tabs on the city's most notorious gangsters."
"So Y/N, let's play a love game."
My eyes widen a bit but I was about to say something but Ran smirked,"With Rinnie. I see you have been looking at my Rinnie for a while and.." he turns to Rindou, "I see the love in your eyes."
Rindou's cheeks turned a shade pinker at Ran's suggestion, a rare sight that had me hiding a smile behind my hand. "A love game?" he echoed, his voice a mix of confusion and embarrassment.
Ran leaned against my desk, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Yeah, you know, a game where a boy and a girl find out how compatible they are. It's all in good fun."
I could feel my own cheeks warming at the thought, but I quickly pushed it aside. "I'm flattered, but I have to decline. My studies come first," I said firmly, though a part of me was curious about the fluttering feeling in my stomach.
Rindou seemed to recover from his initial shock, shooting Ran a glare. "Cut it out, Ran. We're not here to play games."
But Ran was undeterred. "Oh, come on, Rindou. It's not every day we meet someone who's both a top student and a hero. You know, Kazuo Nishimura." His words hung in the air, and I felt a jolt of surprise. Was I really considered a hero for what happened with Kazuo Nishimura?
Ran's smirk told me he had noticed my reaction. "What's the matter, Y/N? Were you thinking about Rindou?" he teased, and I could feel Rindou's gaze on me, intense and searching.
Before I could respond, a sharp pain shot through my arm, the one with the scar Kazuo had left. It was burning, demanding my attention. Without a word, I stood up and rushed out of the classroom, leaving the Haitani brothers behind.