After school, the students participating in the sports competition remained behind for practice.
The gym was filled with noise—
Basketballs bouncing against the polished floor.
Sneakers screeching.
Students talking, laughing, and moving around.
On one side, Haku, Itsuki, Reiji, and several other boys were practicing basketball.
On the other side, Hina and Yui were busy practicing cheerleading.
“Left, right—wait, Yui, your timing is off again!”
Yui placed a hand on her chest dramatically.
“I’m trying!
Cheerleading is harder than it looks!”
Hina giggled.
“You’re saying that after volunteering for it?”
“Hey, I didn’t know there’d be actual choreography!”
Nearby, a few boys had stopped what they were doing.
Their attention had shifted toward Hina and Yui.
“Wow…”
“They’re actually pretty cute.”
“Especially Hina—”
Before he could finish—
A shadow fell over them.
The boys froze.
Behind them stood Haku and Itsuki.
Both staring.
Both clearly annoyed.
Itsuki crossed his arms.
“Enjoying the show?”
Haku smiled.
It didn’t look friendly at all.
“Should I gouge your eyes out, or will you leave on your own?”
The boys laughed nervously.
“H-Haha… We were just leaving!”
“Yep!
Leaving!”
They practically ran away.
Itsuki exhaled.
“Idiots.”
Haku clicked his tongue.
“Annoying.”
A soft voice suddenly spoke behind them.
“I’ll be back in a moment.”
Reiji.
He wore his usual gentle smile.
Itsuki glanced at him.
“Need something?”
Reiji adjusted his glasses.
“Yes.
Wait for me.”
Haku gave a small nod.
As soon as Reiji turned around—
His smile vanished.
Completely.
His expression became blank.
Cold.
Unreadable.
He walked toward the teacher supervising practice.
The teacher noticed him.
“Yes, Reiji?
Do you need something?”
Reiji stopped.
Then—
For the first time—
He removed his glasses.
His dark red eyes became fully visible.
They gleamed strangely.
Almost hypnotically.
He looked directly into the teacher’s eyes.
“Senpai.”
His voice remained calm.
Measured.
“In a little while, you’ll ask Hina and me to bring the gym mats from the storage room.”
The red in his eyes shimmered.
The teacher froze.
His pupils lost focus.
“…Alright.”
A faint smile returned to Reiji’s lips.
He put his glasses back on.
“Thank you, sir.”
He walked away.
No trace of what had just happened remained on the teacher’s face.
As if nothing had happened.
As if he had already forgotten.
Because he had.
That was Reiji’s ability.
Anyone who met his eyes while he wasn’t wearing glasses could be controlled.
And after carrying out his command—
Their memory of the interaction disappeared.
Reiji continued walking.
Soon, he spotted his deskmate.
Perfect.
Reiji stopped in front of him and removed his glasses once more.
The boy blinked.
Then froze.
Reiji’s voice remained soft.
“When Hina and I enter the storage room…”
He held the boy’s gaze.
“Lock the door.”
The boy responded blankly.
“…Okay.”
Reiji put his glasses back on.
And smiled.
“Good.”
Then he returned to Haku and Itsuki.
As if nothing had happened.
A while later, the teacher clapped his hands.
“Hina, Reiji.”
Both looked up.
“Please go to the storage room and bring the gym mats.”
Hina nodded.
“Okay!”
Reiji stood.
“Understood.”
Haku felt something strange but stayed silent.
His jaw tightened in annoyance.
Annoyance for Reiji.
Hina and Reiji walked together toward the storage room.
For most of the walk—
Silence remained between them.
Hina stole a glance at Reiji.
He always felt strange.
Not rude.
Not unkind.
Just…
Distant.
Like he existed behind invisible glass.
They reached the storage room and began pulling out the mats.
Just as they lifted the second one—
CLICK.
The door shut.
Locked.
Hina froze.
“What?”
She immediately ran to the door and grabbed the handle.
She twisted it once.
Twice.
Again.
It didn’t move.
“It’s locked!”
She tried harder.
Still nothing.
The storage room fell silent.
Hina gripped the handle again.
“It’s really locked…”
She stepped back, exhaling.
“This is bad.”
Behind her, Reiji remained calm.
Too calm.
He pulled a nearby chair and sat down as if nothing unusual had happened.
Hina turned toward him.
“You’re… oddly calm.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“I get that a lot.”
Hina paused.
He didn’t look worried.
Not irritated.
Not stressed.
Just calm.
Unnaturally calm.
“You’re not bothered at all?”
Reiji tilted his head slightly.
“Should I be?”
“We’re locked in a room.”
“True.”
His gaze rested on her.
“But it’s not the worst company.”
Hina blinked.
That sounded oddly sincere.
“…You say strange things.”
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
“I’ve heard that before.”
Silence settled between them.
Then Reiji looked at her.
Not sharply.
Not intensely.
Just quietly observant.
“You’re careful with people, aren’t you?”
Hina stiffened.
“What makes you think that?”
“You don’t trust easily.”
His voice stayed gentle.
“You smile often.”
“But your real thoughts rarely show.”
Hina looked away.
“You’re overanalyzing me.”
“Maybe.”
He leaned back.
“Or maybe I’m interested.”
Hina frowned slightly.
“In me?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No embarrassment.
Just honesty.
That unsettled her even more.
“Why?”
Reiji’s expression softened.
“Because you feel different.”
Hina fell quiet.
His voice carried no pressure.
Only curiosity.
“You don’t need to answer.”
He gave her space.
“I don’t like forcing people.”
A small pause followed.
“I just think people hide things because they believe no one would understand.”
His red eyes remained steady behind his glasses.
“If someone truly understood…”
His voice lowered.
“Would they still need to hide?”
Hina’s fingers tightened around her skirt.
That question struck somewhere deep inside her.
“…I don’t know.”
Reiji watched her quietly.
“You don’t need to tell me everything.”
Another pause.
“But if there’s something heavy you’ve carried alone for a long time…”
He held her gaze.
“You don’t always have to carry it alone.”
Silence.
For a moment, Hina didn’t know what to say.
She couldn’t understand why—
But his words felt genuine.
Warm, even.
Then Reiji spoke again.
Softer than before.
“Can I ask you something?”
Hina slowly looked up.
“What?”
Reiji held her gaze.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Not playful.
Not teasing.
Just quiet.
“Would you like to hear my story?”
Hina blinked.
“Your story?”
Reiji lowered his eyes briefly.
Carefully choosing his words.
“My past.”
A heavy silence followed.
Then he looked at her again.
“The part of me no one really knows.”
Hina froze.
Something tightened in her chest.
“If I tell you mine…”
He paused.
His voice became barely above a whisper.
“…Would you listen?”
Reiji watched her in silence.
Still.
Calm.
Unshaken.
Like someone who already knew every possible move before the game had even begun.
A small smile appeared on his lips.
Not warm.
Not cold.
Simply unreadable.
“If I show you the real me…”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Will you still look at me the same way, Hina?”
Hina’s eyes widened.
Her heartbeat grew louder.
And for the first time—
It felt as if she had stepped onto a chessboard…
Without realizing the game had already started.
End of Chapter 21.