Drip—
Water droplets slid from the soaked school uniform and shattered inside the dim restroom.
Outside the stall, a dense crowd of people stood packed tightly.
At the lead was a blonde girl. Her hand with exquisite manicure held an empty iron bucket, a malicious smile hanging at the corner of her mouth.
“Heh, did you think hiding here meant I wouldn’t find you?”
She stared fixedly into the stall, as if appreciating an interesting work of art.
Inside the stall, a young girl sat expressionlessly. Her long silver-white hair poured down, refracting a light deeper than porcelain.
She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the overturned lunchbox on her closed thighs. Rice grains and food slid down along her stockings and the hem of her skirt.
“How is it? Comfortable taking a bath in broad daylight? A filthy bloodsucker like you ought to wash more often and clean all the viruses off your body~”
The blonde girl shouted again.
The beast ears on her head twitched along with it, and the followers beside her joined in the jeering.
Sharp laughter rose one after another.
The silver-haired girl did not open her mouth.
She slowly raised her head.
Water droplets trembled slightly on her pale eyelashes.
In those gorgeous pupils like blood-red jewels, there was not a trace of emotion as she silently watched the other party.
The blonde girl felt a chill from the stare and subconsciously retreated half a step, yet her mouth still refused to let up:
“Uh… Who allowed you to look at me like that? Believe it or not, I’ll splash you again!”
At this moment, Yukina was curled up at the very edge of the crowd, her heart beating so fast it felt like it would explode.
She knew who this shouting blonde girl was.
Harugami Yumiko, the villainous young lady from the R18G game Blood-Colored Return Gift.
She usually loved leading a group of followers to tyrannize inside the school.
But today, her good days were about to come to an end.
In a short while, this arrogant class queen along with the followers by her side would all be double-killed by the original work’s female protagonist after she went berserk.
And the silver-haired girl being bullied, Reizuki Mashiro, was precisely the game’s female protagonist.
This was the critical turning point that triggered the plot.
Everyone was advancing toward the death ending. Even the dialogues and lines were identical to those in the game.
It seemed no one had noticed the danger approaching.
—Except for that small tuft of pink hair in the corner.
What… what should I do, it’s starting again…!
At the outermost edge of Yumiko’s follower clique, a pink-haired small fry was trembling.
Takanashi Yukina.
This was the name she received after transmigrating.
Two months ago, while she was playing the game, she had suddenly transmigrated into this body.
As for this name, she only learned it after inheriting the original owner’s memories.
In the original game, this character didn’t even have a name.
She was directly called “Small Fry F.” She had barely any lines before being casually disposed of by the female protagonist.
No helping it.
She was originally positioned as a small fry.
The artist was too lazy to even draw her a face, simply giving her long bangs that covered the eyes.
No matter how one looked, she was a common roadside NPC that could be seen anywhere.
Speaking of which, this game’s world view was chaotic enough.
Vampires, beastmen, conglomerates, school bullying, revenge… all mixed into one pot. Who knew what the game planners at the time were thinking.
But now was not the time for complaining.
“Take it. Fill it up for me!”
Yumiko felt uncomfortable all over from being stared at by Mashiro. She clicked her tongue and handed the iron bucket to the follower beside her, intending to splash once more.
“Go fill it with water!”
The follower beside her passed it to the more peripheral followers.
“Fill it with water!”
“Full water!”
“Water!”
…
Big fish ate small fish, small fish ate shrimp. The iron bucket was thus passed layer by layer into Yukina’s hands.
“…Eh?”
Yukina first froze for a moment, blinked her eyes, then imitated the others by turning her head to look at the empty space behind her, before turning back and meeting the fierce gazes of Boss Yumiko and the followers—
“I-I’ll go get the water!”
She trembled all over, hugged the iron bucket tightly, and quickly ran toward the sink area.
The unease in her heart was continuously rising.
It’s over, it’s over…
If this continues, I’ll really be killed by the awakened female protagonist just like in the game!
But how am I supposed to avoid this ending?
Should I betray Boss Yumiko?
No no no no! Absolutely not! I’ll die! I’ll absolutely die! If I publicly go against Yumiko, I’ll only die even more miserably, and even drag the original owner’s family into it…
What should I do, what should I do…
“I told you to fetch some water, why are you taking so long?!”
A roar came splitting from the other end of the restroom.
“O-Okay!”
Yukina answered in a panic.
She gripped the handle and lifted that iron bucket which was thicker than her waist, walking back unsteadily.
“Dragging your feet. Can’t you even handle this little thing?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Tsk.”
Yumiko was already extremely impatient.
Yukina did not dare look directly into her eyes. She lowered her head and walked forward step by step.
Stupid brain, hurry up and think of something!
If this keeps going, I’ll really die!
But how should…
Tap.
Just at that moment, her foot stepped on the puddle of water, and a crisp sound came from underfoot.
I have a way!
Now, I can only take this risk…
I’ll go for it!
Yukina gritted her teeth and took a deep breath.
In the next second, her entire body toppled forward, letting out a cry of alarm that even she herself found very fake: “My foot slipped—!”
Yukina fell to the ground with a splat.
The iron bucket left her hand, flipped once in the air, and the entire bucket of water poured out with a whoosh.
The followers instinctively jumped backward. The stream of water thus charged straight forward and poured onto a pair of golden brand-name boots.
In that instant, the air solidified.
Everyone held their breath.
Yumiko slowly lowered her head, saw her boots that had changed color, and felt the sensation of her socks being soaked through.
As expected, her face reddened at a speed visible to the naked eye:
“I-I—Fuck!! You hold things properly for me! How do you hold things? Can you do it or not? If you can’t, then get the hell out of here!”
She was so angry her fur exploded.
She yanked the tissue holder off the wall and smashed it to the ground, nearly hitting Yukina who was covering her head and squatting in defense.
“Eek! I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Yukina curled up on the wet ground, apologizing repeatedly.
“And you lot! What are you dodging for? Can’t you block it a little?! Do you even have me in your eyes?!”
The rage quickly spread to the followers beside her.
Her gaze was like knives, slicing across each person’s throat one by one.
The followers all lowered their heads.
In order to recover from the mistake, and also to recover their position in this class queen’s heart, they hurriedly began fawning:
“It’s okay, Yumiko. I just bought new cleaner. I guarantee I can wipe the shoes clean.”
“I have unopened socks in my bag. You can use mine first!”
“I have a hairdryer!”
“I have a towel!”
The people who had scattered like the ebbing tide a moment ago surged back again, all stretching out their hands, wishing they could lift Yumiko’s entire lower body up.
Yumiko clicked her tongue, turned her head to glance at the soaked Mashiro inside the stall, and said unhappily:
“Forget it. My interest is completely ruined. You’re lucky this time. Next time I’ll properly wash this sewer bat of yours clean. You guys, come with me to change shoes.”
With that, she crooked her finger at the followers beside her and strode out.
When she passed by Yukina, she kicked her once.
“Trash.”
“…Ya.”
Yukina cried out in pain.
A footprint was left on her school uniform, but she did not make any more sound, silently pressing her lips tightly together.
Thank goodness… it was only one kick. At least my life is saved…
The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Yukina still lay there for a few more seconds, confirming they had truly left, before quietly sitting up.
She placed her hand on her flat chest and slowly exhaled.
The plan had been very successful.
The female protagonist had not gone berserk, and she herself had not been dismembered by Yumiko.
As long as she was still alive, that was the greatest victory.
Hm?
Suddenly, Yukina seemed to sense something. As if receiving some kind of radio wave, the ahoge on top of her head twitched.
She raised her head.
Inside the stall, those blood-red eyes were gazing at her.
It was Mashiro.
“Yukina, we’re leaving. Hurry and follow!”
A follower who had a relatively good relationship with the original owner of the body stood at the door and urged.
“C-Coming!”
Yukina supported herself on the floor and stood up, patting the water stains on her body.
Before turning around, she looked at Mashiro. The cherry-colored eyes beneath her bangs blinked playfully.
The other party seemed to understand something and nodded her chin with an almost invisible amplitude.
***
Half an hour later.
In the abandoned tin shack behind the academy.
Yukina sat on a chair, lightly swinging her feet that could not reach the floor, staring blankly alone at the hole in the roof.
Knock knock knock—
The drafty door was knocked upon.
“Ah, you’re here.”
Yukina jumped down from the chair, grabbed a towel in one hand, and walked toward the doorway.
The door opened with a creak.
A gust of wind rushed in from outside, bringing a strand of silver-white hair and a pleasant fragrance like roses after the rain.
It was Mashiro.
She simply stood outside the door like that, looking down at the pink-haired little loli who had come to welcome her.
Her ice-sealed expression softened a little.
“I’m here, Takanashi-san.”
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