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Lately, Yui Yuigahama felt like she was losing her mind.
It all began a few days ago, after a classmate shared a creepy story with her.
Ever since, she kept hearing the frantic clicking of high-heeled footsteps rushing toward her.
It got worse whenever she tried to sleep.
The same nightmare came every night: a woman in a blood-red dress and matching heels lunged at her, hands reaching for her throat.
Each time, Yui woke up gasping, her chest tight and her sheets soaked with sweat.
Over the past few days, the sound of those running heels had drawn closer and closer.
Yui could not shake the sick feeling that, soon, whatever was chasing her would be standing right in front of her.
“I’m sorry.
I didn’t know who else to talk to, and I feel like I’m going crazy, so I came to you, Yumiko.” Yui lowered her head, her voice trembling.
Because she was staring at the floor, she didn’t notice the sudden gleam in Yumiko Miura’s eyes.
Yui grew up in a single-parent home.
Her mother worked herself to the bone to support them, and Yui could not bring herself to give her one more thing to worry about.
But keeping all that fear to herself had nearly pushed her to her breaking point.
“I know it sounds insane.
It sounds like one of those urban legends people post online, and I know nobody’s going to believe me.” Honestly, if she had not been the one experiencing it, Yui would not have believed it either.
“I’m sorry for dumping all of this on you!” Worried she was being a burden, Yui quickly apologized.
That was just how she was—always trying to make herself less of a burden so others wouldn’t have to deal with her problems.
“No.” Yumiko finally spoke, reaching out and gripping Yui’s shoulder.
“What you’re dealing with is a real urban legend.”
“Eh?” Yui froze.
A week ago, Yumiko would have laughed at the idea.
After surviving Kisaragi Station, she knew better.
Monsters like that were real, and Yui’s stalker sounded exactly like one.
More importantly, this gave Yumiko the perfect excuse to go see Ren.
“Come with me,” Yumiko said, grabbing Yui’s hand and pulling her back into the school building.
“Yumiko, where are we going?” Yui asked, stumbling a little as she tried to keep up.
“To someone who can fix this!!”
“EH?!” Yui blurted.
Urban legends were actually real?
Someone at their school could handle them?
And how did Yumiko know any of it?
Meanwhile, inside the Service Club.
“We put up the posters, and we still haven’t gotten a single request?” Eriri Spencer Sawamura sighed, propping her chin on the desk.
Part of her had been wondering what kind of urban legend they would run into next.
Ren gave her a sideways glance but kept his mouth shut.
She had literally cried in fear last time—yet here she was, eager for more.
High schoolers really did have a death wish.
“No requests is a good thing,” Yukino Yukinoshita said, her tone firm.
“If urban legends start appearing more often, all of us will be in danger.”
After all, none of the girls really had a way to fight off a ghost.
As if on cue, every girl in the room turned to look at Ren.
“Relax.
I’m here.
I’ll keep you safe.” Ren said, waving off their concern.
It was a simple promise, but it was enough to ease the tension in the room.
“My, my,” Utaha Kasumigaoka purred, leaning forward with a smile.
“Hearing our kouhai sound so reliable makes all my worries disappear.”
When Utaha made her move, Megumi Kato quietly stood up and walked over.
“Ren,” she said, her expression perfectly blank.
“I think my presence is starting to fade again.”
“Is it?”
“I need to top up my Positive Energy.”
“Sure.” Ren did not object.
“…” The other three girls watched in silence, their expressions turning sour.
Megumi Kato was, without a doubt, the most dangerous rival in the room.
“It’s getting late.
We should probably head home,” Ren said, glancing at the time.
It was almost five o’clock.
Everyone began packing their bags and getting ready to leave.
Just then, the clubroom door slid open.
“FOUND IT!”
After searching the halls for ten minutes, Yumiko finally found the Service Club.
She stood in the doorway, almost dragging a very confused Yui behind her.
What are you doing here?” Yumiko blinked in surprise.
She had not expected to find her rival sitting in the room.
Yukino gave her a flat look.
She knew who Yumiko was, but never understood why the blonde girl always looked at her with such hostility.
Not that it mattered.
People had acted that way around her since she was a child.
“I am the president of the Service Club,” Yukino replied evenly.
“Of course I am here.”
Utaha, Eriri, and Megumi paused their packing, their attention shifting to the new arrivals.
“You’re the president?”
Yumiko frowned.
She had assumed Ren was running the place.
Learning that Yukino was in charge only strengthened her belief that the icy girl was her destined rival.
But she had more urgent things to worry about.
Yumiko took a deep breath to steady her racing heart, then turned to the person who had been on her mind for days.
“Ren.
I have a request, and I need your help.”
“Hmm?” Ren looked at her, a little surprised.
He set his bag down and leaned back in his chair.
“If you have a problem, let’s hear it.”
If Yumiko Miura had come straight to him, it probably meant something supernatural was going on.
When they saw him sit back down, the other girls exchanged glances and sat down too.
Yui stepped forward and nervously explained what had been happening to her over the past few days.
Even now, she didn’t really understand why Yumiko had brought her to this club, but she trusted her friend enough to talk.
“The sound of footsteps in heels, and a woman in red haunting your dreams…
That definitely sounds like an urban legend,” Eriri muttered.
“So just hearing the story is enough to make her target you?” Utaha asked, looking intrigued.
None of the girls knew enough to make a final call, so they all turned their attention to Ren.
Ren rested his chin on his hand and studied Yui closely.
“U-Um…” Under his intense stare, Yui’s face turned red.
Feeling painfully shy, she took a small step back and tried to hide behind Yumiko.
“Staring at a girl like that is terrible manners, Kouhai,” Utaha teased from the side.
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