novelraw Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Tuesday, early morning.
A pale girl in a black academy-style long skirt walked toward the library, her face unreadable. Tall and slender, she carried a small purse in one hand and a phone in the other. Her beauty alone acted like a magnet, drawing the eyes of everyone—male or female—who passed by. Yet one glance at the frost that clung to her was enough to make them look away.
She was Ye Shiyu, Year 2 Class A.
Students who hadn't joined any club had been invited by Sakuramiya Hitomi to gather at L502 on the library's top floor this morning and meet recruiters from every society.
Ye Shiyu had just pulled her campus ID from her purse and was about to step into the elevator when the doors started to close.
Inside stood a boy and a girl deep in conversation.
"Ugh, Spencer did this to me—look, it still hurts like crazy."
"Relax, Seo-mun. If she actually joins the track team, I'll eat my jersey."
"But the school says every student has to join a club, doesn't it? What if—"
"Forget it. With the Club Wars coming up, any team that cares about rankings isn't taking new people."
It was Park Seo-mun and Hua Zhaofeng.
"Thanks for sticking up for me."
"Hey, what are friends for? I see injustice, I roar—well, squeak."
Flattered by Seo-mun's singsong tone, Hua Zhaofeng scratched his head, about to say something more. Then he spotted the stunning girl approaching the elevator. His eyes glazed; instinctively he shot his hand between the doors, forcing them open again.
Ye Shiyu dipped her head. "Thank you."
"N-no problem."
Color rose in Hua Zhaofeng's cheeks as a faint floral scent drifted in with the tall girl. Beside him, Seo-mun clicked her tongue in quiet disgust, annoyed both at him and at Ye Shiyu. Seo-mun prided herself on looks; though she never said it aloud, she envied girls prettier than herself—especially after Spencer had left her left cheek swollen.
.
Ye Shiyu sensed the thin hostility. Without expression, she flicked her gaze toward Seo-mun. A wave of icy dread crashed over the smaller girl; Seo-mun's face blanched and she quickly dropped her eyes. The terror rivaled what she'd felt from Spencer, and she had no idea why.
Ding—fifth floor.
Ye Shiyu stepped out first. Hua Zhaofeng stared after her until Seo-mun pinched his arm.
"I swear I'll keep Spencer off the track team!"
"Then I'm counting on you~"
"Leave it to me!"
Phone in hand, Ye Shiyu soon spotted Sakuramiya Hitomi waiting outside L502.
"Vice-President Sakuramiya."
"Vice-President."
The two behind her slipped past, greeting the petite vice-president before entering the room.
In the corridor, Ye Shiyu and Sakuramiya locked eyes. The friction from last Friday's student-council office still rang in their ears; shadows gathered around Ye Shiyu as her grip on her phone tightened.
"Where's Xiao Huan?"
She glanced into L502 but saw no sign of Yan Huan and frowned.
Sakuramiya hid a smile behind her hand. "My, if someone hadn't told me you and the president were siblings, I'd think he was the older brother and you the helpless little sister who needs looking after wherever she goes."
"Our family is none of your business. What right does an outsider have to judge?"
"How unfortunate—today isn't family time. This is student-council business, Senior Ye."
"So? Siblings are siblings, and outsiders stay outsiders."
A vein throbbed on Sakuramiya's forehead; Ye Shiyu's fingers whitened around her phone.
As storm clouds brewed outside L502, the door to L501 suddenly opened. Both girls turned. Out trudged Hashimoto, looking utterly defeated.
"Ah, Vice-President Sakuramiya, I'm dying—oh, and if it isn't the president's sister?"
The entire student council had seen Ye Shiyu and Yan Huan eating together in the cafeteria last Monday.
Ye Shiyu nodded, took a small box of sweets from her purse, and offered it to Hashimoto.
"Hello. I brought something for Xiao Huan—some snacks. And to discuss a club matter."
Hashimoto brightened. "Wow, the president's so lucky—such a beautiful, gentle sister who even brings him homemade treats. He's probably over the moon."
Ye Shiyu blinked, remembering the last time she'd given Yan Huan cookies. His smile had been warm but not especially effusive; she'd worried he didn't like sweets. Now, hearing this...
"R-really?"
Imagining Yan Huan alone, smiling at her gift, Ye Shiyu's cheeks flushed faintly. "And you are?"
"Hashimoto—student-council accountant. Nice to meet you, Senior."
Hashimoto, you're all right. Thanks for telling me Xiao Huan's little secret.
"Ye Shiyu, Year 2 Class A."
"Heh, think I could sneak one when the president eats them?"
"Of course."
Beside them, Sakuramiya's smile never wavered, but the veins on her forehead multiplied.
"Hashimoto-kun," she said sweetly, "we're about to meet with the president. Maybe save the snacks for a more appropriate time?"
"But they're a personal gift from his sister—one bite won't hurt."
Hashimoto waved cheerfully, oblivious to the danger signs in Sakuramiya's eyes. In her mind he had just joined Yua Lina on the list of people the student council no longer needed.
Transfer abroad—to the Golden Triangle, perhaps.
As Hashimoto's fate quietly shifted, the door to L501 opened again and Yan Huan emerged, looking as though he'd been through hell.
The moment he stepped out, he spotted Ye Shiyu beside Sakuramiya.
"Shiyu sis."
He paused, then smiled.
"~"
Ye Shiyu blinked. Though her face stayed blank, the air around her softened like thawing snow.
"Xiao Huan, I brought dessert."
"Thanks, Shiyu sis."
Yan Huan walked over, took the box she offered, and glanced at the others. "Perfect—I barely ate breakfast."
He opened the lid: neat rows of cookies. Popping one into his mouth, he handed another to Ye Shiyu.
She hesitated, cheeks faintly pink, and accepted the cookie he held.
Then Yan Huan turned to Sakuramiya.
"Here, Sakuramiya?"
"Ah? No thanks, President."
"Come on, you never eat breakfast. Last time you had a stomach ache."
"Er—th-thank you, President."
Ye Shiyu's blush vanished. She watched Sakuramiya's ears redden, then felt shadows gather around her again.
Xiao Huan knows that vice-president so well?
And those cookies were meant only for Xiao Huan—and maybe one for that sweet-tongued Hashimoto.
Now he's giving my cookies to the woman I can't stand?
Isn't that basically...
"Here, Hashimoto."
"Thank you, President! Thank you, Senior!"
Ye Shiyu took a delicate bite of cookie while Sakuramiya Hitomi, having accepted one herself, shot her a smug sidelong glance that nearly made Ye Shiyu flush crimson.
Hypnosis.
The phone in her hand flashed a ghostly violet, but before the sullen haze could erupt, a girl's voice drifted out of classroom L501.
"What're you eating that smells so good? Gimme one."
Hashimoto was reaching for a cookie when a pale hand flashed through the doorway and snatched one like lightning.
"Hey! You—President Yan never said you could take that!"
"Hah? It's just a lousy cookie. What's the big deal? Not like it's made of gold. You gonna enshrine it or something? Om-nom."
In the corridor, Ye Shiyu—who had baked the "lousy cookies"—and Yan Huan—who had just handed the "enshrined" one to Sakuramiya Hitomi—both froze.
Together, they turned toward the doorway.
Standing between an indignant Hashimoto and a frowning Yan Huan was a golden-haired beauty in a sporty tee and a lightweight windbreaker. She chewed with utter indifference.
The next second she felt two dagger-sharp stares.
Blinking, she looked up—and found two girls outside the door.
One was the girl Yan Huan claimed to like, Sakuramiya Hitomi.
The other looked like his very intimate older sister, Ye Shiyu.
Spencer's chewing slowed, not from their combined pressure but from rising excitement.
"Heh." The golden hair atop her head brightened almost imperceptibly, strands lifting like a lion's mane, then shaping into faint, antenna-like horns.
An invisible ripple spread; Yan Huan, about to scold her, suddenly hesitated.
It's just a few cookies, right?
Even if Sis Shiyu baked them—or some world-class chef—what's wrong with letting Spencer have one?
Everyone present found that thought blooming in their minds at once.
Spencer grabbed several more cookies, grinning wickedly while she ate. She slung an arm around Yan Huan's shoulder as naturally as breathing.
"Thanks for the snack—and for the private tutoring just now, oh great President Yan."
Hashimoto blinked, no longer bothered she'd swiped the cookies.
"Wait, I tutored you in math too, didn't I?"
Sakuramiya Hitomi and Ye Shiyu stared at the hand draped over Yan Huan's shoulder; the same bizarre thought surfaced again.
So that's all it was—just a thank-you for tutoring. That's why her hand is on Xiao Huan / the President's shoulder.
Like hell!
Both women snapped out of the mental haze, a wave of disgust rolling through them. Their faces turned to ice.
Sakuramiya Hitomi's smile remained polite, but her eyes had gone arctic.
Ye Shiyu's reaction was far more intense. Her phone lit up; thick, unreal shadows began to coil from her body.
"Grr!"
On Yan Huan's shoulder the phantom black cat solidified, fur bristling as it snarled at Ye Shiyu, who was already striding forward.
The hunt begins.
Yan Huan's pupils shrank; he didn't need Meow-chan to tell him Ye Shiyu's pressure had reached lethal levels.
Her hostility toward Spencer was off the charts.
Of course. Ye Shiyu labels everything; Spencer snatches everything. Lightning meets dry tinder.
If no one stopped her, she'd hypnotize Spencer right here in the hallway.
What?
Other witnesses?
The app only works on one target?
Hmph!
I don't care!
Every last Minotaur in this world must die!
Full-body Modifier—activate!!
That was the most likely scenario Yan Huan could imagine.
He triggered Perfect Expression Management at once. His already-disgusted face turned glacial. A casual shrug sent Spencer's arm sliding off.
Spencer lost her balance, wobbling. Just as her expression shifted, Yan Huan frowned at her.
"Who said you could eat? Are we close enough for that?"
"Hah?"
Spencer folded her arms, unbothered. "Tch. It's just cookies. If it bothers you, I'll pay—consider them bought."
Ye Shiyu advanced, but Sakuramiya Hitomi's eyes flashed. She suddenly caught Ye Shiyu's wrist and pulled her sideways—gliding them both half a step back.
"."
Ye Shiyu turned, expressionless, confusion in her eyes.
Sakuramiya Hitomi wasn't looking for a fight. She merely glanced at Ye Shiyu, then offered Spencer a gentle smile.
"She hasn't tasted much in life, and her brain's a bit slow—poor thing. Let her have a bite."
"Huh?!"
Yan Huan realized Spencer hated being called stupid; one insult and she turned crimson.
First Yan Huan openly mocked her, then Sakuramiya Hitomi slipped in a barb—while the would-be executioner Ye Shiyu found herself "drawing her sword only to stare in bewilderment."
That blonde girl... the nutcase who'd tried to snatch the keychain at the aquarium gate. Ye Shiyu loathed her on instinct.
Yet this Sakuramiya Hitomi...
Ye Shiyu halted, meeting Sakuramiya's gaze. In silent accord they looked away.
Temporary alliance~
Sakuramiya already had a ruthless plan to make Spencer vanish; the girl clearly had powers—Sakuramiya's own thoughts had been tampered with moments ago.
She disliked Ye Shiyu too, but compared to Spencer the primary threat, she could be recruited.
Thus the look they exchanged said:
"Team up and take Spencer down first?"
"Deal."
Hashimoto, clueless, felt the corridor's temperature plummet thirty degrees. He shivered, glancing from the scarlet, steaming lioness on the left to the two icy beauties on the right.
I—I just wanted a cookie, dammit!!
But under the circumstances he dared not speak.
Salvation came when the door to seminar room L502 opened and a club recruiter popped out, smiling at Sakuramiya.
"Vice-President Sakuramiya, may we start?"
"Yes, no problem. We'll be right in."
S—saved!
Hashimoto, desperate for oxygen, hurried toward L502.
"Haha, I'll head inside first. Everyone else will follow, right? Haha."
Let's wrap this up and get to class—please, you gods of chaos.
The battlefield cooled; frozen air began to flow again.
Sakuramiya walked toward the classroom and said to Yan Huan,
"President, shall we?"
"Sure, you go ahead."
Yan Huan glanced at Spencer and spoke without ceremony.
"You're coming too. Go grab the study materials we left for you in L501."
"Yes, yes, President Yan."
She rolled her eyes, turned on her heel, and walked into the classroom to pack her things.
Yan Huan handed the last two cookies to Ye Shiyu and smiled.
"Shiyu sis, head on in. I'm just going to the restroom."
"I—"
Ye Shiyu started to say "I'll come with you," but Sakuramiya Hitomi, still behind her, tipped her chin toward the classroom as if she had something to say.
"All right, Xiao Huan, go ahead."
After a moment's thought, Ye Shiyu followed Sakuramiya inside to hear what she wanted.
Once everyone had filed into L502, Yan Huan headed the other way, toward the restrooms.
"That was close, meow."
The corridor was quiet; the library always was this early on a Monday. No one came unless they had to.
Inside the men's room, Yan Huan washed the grease from the cookies off his hands. He exhaled and spoke in his mind.
"The Modifiers don't pick their hosts at random. It's more than raw desire."
"Meow-chan, have you noticed? The abilities they grant fit the host's personality like a glove."
"Exactly, meow. Each host is hand-picked. The Modifiers latch onto a flaw that breeds craving—sometimes conflicting cravings.
"Yan Huan, this is just a theory, meow: though they all come from the same source, they're hardly allies.
"If you ask me, they hate each other almost as much as they covet you."
Yan Huan narrowed his eyes.
Is that so.
He dried his hands, turning Meow-chan's words over in his head. Just as he reached for the door, a blonde figure sauntered in, lips curved in a wicked grin.
Spencer planted herself squarely in front of him, radiating menace.
Yan Huan frowned. "Spencer? This is the men's—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, she closed the distance. One hand pressed flat against his chest, she pinned him to the wall. Her other hand locked his wrist while her thumb braced beside his ear, boxing him in completely.
Hiss—
Every muscle he'd trained last night screamed in protest. He sucked in a sharp breath, expression freezing as he stared at the girl now inches away.
"Meow?!"
Meow-chan yelped. Spencer's grin widened, her trademark canine tooth flashing as she ran her tongue across her lower lip. A faint pink tinted her fair, sharp-featured face. She tilted her head, letting the bathroom light catch the edges of her soft, golden curls.
"You're upset because I ate a cookie? The ones your sis gave you?"
Her breath fanned warm against his collar.
"Come on, don't be mad. Since you won't take money, I can think of... other ways to make it up to you."
She leaned closer, the faint scent of sports body wash—sharp, clean, unforgettable—slipping between them.
For once, Yan Huan didn't think about Modifiers or schemes. At this distance, he simply looked—really looked—at the bold, beautiful girl in front of him.
"Compensation?"
His throat bobbed. The word came out low.