Chapter 2: Chaos Unleashed

  The sharp cracks of gunfire echoed through the school grounds, shattering the peaceful afternoon. At first, most students mistook the sound for something else—maybe a prank, or the track team setting off a starter pistol. But as the shots continued, followed by the piercing screams of students and the chaotic stomping of feet fleeing in terror, reality set in. Something terrible was happening.

  I stood frozen on the football field, my heart pounding in my chest.My mind struggled to process the horror unfolding around . Natsumi, Kaito, and Daiki, were close by, their expressions shifting from confusion to fear as more shots rang out.

  "This... this can't be real," Daiki muttered, his usual confident demeanor crumbling in the face of the unfolding nightmare.

  Before I could even move, a new sound ripped through the chaos—shouted commands, aggressive and terrifying. I whipped my head around and saw them: a group of armed men storming into the main courtyard, their faces partially covered with masks. Six, maybe seven of them. Each one holding a weapon like they knew exactly what they were doing. In an instant, our prestigious school had turned into a battlefield.

  My mind, usually bogged down by stupid, mundane worries, suddenly sharpened like a bde. I watched the way they moved, how coordinated they were. These weren’t just random thugs—they had a pn. But what the hell were they after?

  Then I saw her. The new girl. The CEO’s daughter.

  She was standing near the edge of the field, surrounded by a cluster of terrified students. Her long, dark hair whipped behind her as she turned, her face a mixture of shock and stubborn defiance.

  They're here for her.

  Beside me, Natsumi caught the tension in my body and shot me a sharp look. "What?"

  Rumors I'd heard clicked into pce—the whispers about how she transferred in so suddenly, how her father was loaded beyond belief. This wasn’t random. They were targeting her.

  One of the men, the one who seemed to be leading them—a tall guy in his early twenties with a cruel smirk—lifted his weapon and fired a shot into the air. Students screamed and ducked in terror.

  "Alright, listen up!" he barked, his voice booming across the courtyard. "We’re not here to kill all of you! Stay out of our way, and you might just live."

  His words made my skin crawl. No hesitation, no remorse. It was just a job to him.

  A teacher stepped forward, an older man with graying hair. His hands trembled as he raised them. "P-please! This is a school! These are children! If it's money you want, we can—"

  A gunshot tore through the air.

  I watched in horror as the teacher’s body jerked, then crumpled to the ground. Blood pooled underneath him. Another gang member, younger and wearing a twisted grin, casually lowered his gun.

  "One less idiot to deal with," he muttered.

  I could barely breathe. My stomach twisted painfully. This wasn’t just a threat. They were serious. They would kill us without blinking.

  One of them stepped forward—a kid, barely older than me, maybe. His hands shook slightly as he clutched his gun, but the rage in his eyes burned hot.

  "This school rejected me!" he shouted, voice cracking. "Me! But they let some rich girl in because of her st name!"

  The truth smmed into me like a punch. This wasn’t just about ransom. It was revenge.

  The leader pced a hand on his son's shoulder, a smirk pying on his lips. "That’s right. Now we're going to show the world what happens when the rich trample on the hardworking." His gaze shifted to the CEO's daughter. "Come quietly, sweetheart, and this won’t get messy."

  To her credit, the girl didn’t scream or sob. She clenched her fists, her jaw tight—but fear flickered in her eyes. And that was all they needed.

  "Time’s ticking," the leader warned. "Come with us, or we start shooting again."

  I felt my hands ball into fists. This wasn’t some story on the news. This was happening right in front of me.

  And I had no idea what to do.

  For a second, my body refused to move. But then instinct kicked in. I grabbed Natsumi’s wrist.

  Without thinking, I turned and bolted.

  "Haruki?!" she gasped, stumbling after me.

  "Just run!" I shouted over my shoulder, heart pounding against my ribs.

  Other students caught on, panic spreading like wildfire. Some hesitated, frozen in pce, but when they saw us sprinting toward the gym, they broke into chaotic movement too.

  "They're running!" one of the gang members roared. "Stop them!"

  Gunfire exploded behind us. Screams filled the air. I didn’t look back. I couldn't.

  I could hear the sickening thuds as people hit the ground, but I focused on running, dragging Natsumi with me. Every breath burned in my chest, my legs screaming in protest.

  Then it happened.

  A sharp crack—another shot—and Natsumi gasped, stumbling.

  I turned just in time to see her colpse, clutching her leg. No. No no no—

  I dropped down beside her, heart thundering in my ears. Without thinking, I scooped her into my arms, lifting her in a princess carry. She trembled against me but didn’t protest.

  "Hang on," I whispered fiercely.

  The gym was only a few meters away. I sprinted, Natsumi's weight pressing down on my burning muscles, weaving through the chaos.

  The heavy steel doors loomed ahead. Almost there. Just a little more—

  I kicked them open with everything I had left, rushing inside. I set Natsumi down gently against the wall, heart hammering.

  More students poured in behind us, their faces pale with terror. I grabbed the door and held it open, screaming silently and gesturing for them to hurry. Just as the st group pushed through, a gunshot cracked through the air, and a searing pain tore into my left shoulder

  I staggered.

  Blood soaked into my uniform.

  Clenching my teeth against the pain, I smmed the door shut and locked it.

  Breathing hard, I stumbled back toward Natsumi, clutching my bleeding shoulder.

  Her wide, terrified eyes locked onto mine. "Haruki... you're hurt," she whispered.

  I forced a crooked smile even though my whole body trembled. "Yeah... but at least we're inside."

  But relief was short-lived. Blood was soaking through her uniform too, pooling around her leg. Panic cwed at me. My hands shook uncontrolbly.

  I ripped at my sleeve, fashioning a makeshift tourniquet. My fingers fumbled, the knot slipping once, twice. I cursed under my breath.

  If I couldn't even do this—!

  On the third try, the fabric cinched tight around her leg.

  When I finally looked at her, I expected anger. Maybe stubbornness. But instead, I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. She wasn't crying from pain. She was crying because it felt hopeless.

  "Natsumi… it's going to be okay," I whispered, voice trembling. "I promise." And gave her a small hug

  She bit her lip and gave the tiniest nod, trying so hard to believe me.

  I turned toward one of the windows, and what I saw made my blood run cold.

  Six students were still in the courtyard. One of them was Daiki.

  I clenched my fists, rage and sorrow surging inside me. I watched as the gangsters spread out, the leader’s son barking orders:

  "GO LOOK FOR HER! We need the CEO’s daughter! Injure anyone who stands in your way! "

  The gangsters split up, fanning across the campus. One of them started toward the gym, loading his weapon.

  I ducked back as fast as i could, breath coming in ragged gasps. My chest tightened, hyperventition setting in. I had to move. I had to act—but my body refused to cooperate.

  Then, time froze.

  Memories flooded my mind—family dinners, ughing with friends, zy afternoons reading manga. And in all of it... Natsumi.

  I felt her hand crawl into mine. Warm. Trembling. But real.

  "Haruki," she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes, "this... this might not be the best time but... I love you."

  And before I could say anything, she kissed me.

  I froze—heart hammering harder than ever before. The world shrank down to just us.

  I could see it—feel it. It wasn’t panic or desperation. It was real. It had always been real.

  Memories crashed over me. The times she stood by me. The way she ughed. The way she looked at me when she thought I wasn’t paying attention.

  I had been so blind.

  I swallowed, tightening my grip around her hand. When I spoke, my voice didn't shake this time.

  "Natsumi… I love you too. And I swear, I’ll protect you. No matter what."

  I kissed her back—this time with certainty.

  Her eyes widened in surprise, but she smiled through the tears. A real smile. For a moment, it felt like nothing else existed.

  But reality came crashing back in. We didn’t have time.

  I pulled away, scanning the gym. I needed something. Anything. My gaze locked onto the baseball equipment by the storage racks.

  I ran over and grabbed a bat, the wood familiar and solid in my hands.

  Then I turned back toward Natsumi and the other students.

  Because no matter what happened next—I wasn’t going down without a fight