The cool morning air drifted across the back field of the academy like a gentle caress, as a group of students chatted relaxedly under the spreading shade of an old oak tree. The atmosphere seemed light, almost spring-like, but beneath the smiles and everyday words, hints of tension hovered barely perceptible to the most attentive.
There they were: Haruto, with his characteristic serene and sincere expression, sharing animated words with Alice, whose soft and gentle smile easily lit up any conversation. Near them, sitting more reservedly, were Liz and Haruka.
The three girls, despite being together, did not seem entirely connected to each other. Liz maintained her usual cold and distant demeanour, but there was an occasional glance towards Haruto that was laden with something restrained. Haruka, on the other hand, tended to talk more to her brother, but she was especially quiet that day. Every now and then she would force a smile, but her eyes seemed absent.
Alice noticed.
There was something strange about both of them. Liz, although she had never been very expressive, used to have a particular way of grabbing Haruto's attention. A gesture, a biting word, a defiant look.... Today, however, she seemed almost... restrained. As if an invisible guilt was weighing her down. And Haruka... her body posture wasn't what it always was. She seemed tense, carrying something that no one else could see.
Alice said nothing. She just watched. But in her mind, doubt grew. Something had happened during her absence. Something she could not yet discern.
-I'm glad we're all together again," said Haruto with a broad smile.
-Yes, it's good to rest together," Alice replied, gently reciprocating.
Haruka nodded with a smile, but said nothing. Liz simply turned her face to the sky, gazing at the clouds with an absent air.
It was then that the professor's voice resounded from the centre of the field.
-Students, please assemble. I have an important announcement to make.
Everyone present, including Haruto's group, turned their heads at the call.
-As part of this month's practical training, the management has decided to organise a hunting trip. Don't worry, it will be a controlled activity in the eastern section of the perimeter forest. Groups of at least four people will be formed and the aim is to collect samples of wild beasts and obtain their spirit stones. Each group will receive a tracking guide and a map. The activity will start tomorrow at dawn.
The news spread quickly among the students with a general buzz. Some were excited, others worried about the possible group combinations. Haruto looked around with an animated expression.
-That sounds interesting... we could do it together, couldn't we?
-Sure, if we're not assigned something specific," Alice replied, though she shot a quick glance at Liz and Haruka, waiting for a reaction that never came.
Both nodded half-heartedly. Not a smile. Not a cheerful gesture.
From a distance, among the students who were also listening to the announcement, a figure had stopped. Standing with his hands in his pockets and an unconcerned expression, Tokura Yoshi watched Haruto's group with a peculiar grimace on his lips.
A smile that did not reach his eyes.
-An excursion! -he muttered to himself, almost amused. How convenient!
His gaze sharpened slightly, not with hatred, but with calculation. Everything was going according to plan. Little by little, he was inserting himself into Haruto's life, gaining his trust with a friendly smile and considerate manner. He was still ignored by Liz and Haruka, and Alice was polite but cold. But that was okay.
Timing was everything.
An excursion... away from the classroom, away from the guarded environment... an open space. New opportunities.
-Let's see how much closer I can get to my lovely companions," he murmured in an almost melodious voice.
He turned away, walking quietly among the groups beginning to plan their teams.
In his mind, every step was a move on the board. And the hunt... had begun much earlier than announced.