"Atushi, tell this one to stop thinking of meat for a second and to study for exams."

Sumire pulls a face." Yuhi doesn't understand that I don't need it. I've already covered the material here."

"Ha? You didn't say that?"

"I did just now."

'Covered the material,' she says, that's not what an everyday high schooler would say, you know? But then again, they are members of the elite, and someone of Sumire's status had gone over most material for high schoolers when she was in middle school.

He also did something similar when he had free time before. But now it makes sense why Sumire can skip classes with him easily. Well, he supposes he does

Atushi laughed. "Well, isn't it fine to leave it be? At least she is having fun. You have to enjoy your time in high school, they say."

"Right?" Sumire agreed enthusiastically. "This is what they call high school youth."

"Hamano, you're far too lenient on her."

Atushi reached over and patted Sumire's hair. "Good luck."

The girl's eyes went wide for a second before she shut them and smiled before she responded. "Yes."

Yuhi grabbed hold of Sumire's hand. "We need to go."

Sumire laughed softly. "You're getting jealous; you're so silly, Yuhi-san."

....

Yuhi had to admit that attending school with all that's going on at the moment seemed to be rather pointless. Indeed there are more important matters that he should handle now. It is not like he gains any new knowledge or skills anymore. He has already absorbed everything from this school.

Moreover, he had to part ways with Sumire the very moment they reached the gate. What is with Akatsuki bothering him so early in the morning? Does that guy have nothing better to do with his life than bother him all the time?

The moment he arrived at the classroom, though, he noticed the slightly damaged door.

Hmm? That mark.. Yuhi quickened his pace and found his fellow students chatting away. There was no teacher in sight. How odd, the class should have started by now.

"Oh Yuhi, you're late, but it's fine since sensei isn't-"

Aika's words fell on death's ears as he examined the markings from the door and the ground too.

Yuhi immediately recognized the dents. It is from a blast of lightning, quite a powerful one too. He didn't need to bend down to see it, and his abilities allowed him just from a mere glance to understand what it was.

"Ibuki-chan was attacked."

Yuhi's gaze lands on the chirpy ginger head man, and he was not fond of individuals like this person. However, since this matter concerned her, he pushed away his differences.

"Who?"

"Just a few girls in our class. They held up a strange device, but before she could get hurt, Nakara Sensei took the blow for her."

So that's what happened; they are making their moves, huh? Yuhi recalled Takashi Yumi's warning and sighed. Maybe he should have tried to get more out of her. It would be bad if things like this happen daily.

He would have to praise Shin for his actions but knew better than to verbally thank him. Even if he had done nothing, Sumire would most likely have dodged no reflect it. From what he saw yesterday, she has a somewhat basic understanding of her abilities now.

But if one considers that timing, it is almost as though he knew it would happen. Yuhi personally monitored all the group's activities, but he does not keep an eye out on recently formed groups. It seems he should

start doing that, but an attack on this scale was the least of his worries.

He only came to school today to guard her, so even if Hino didn't let him, he would have come anyway.

"Yuhi?"

"Infirmary," Yuhi stated one word to make his intentions clear before turning to walk down the hallway.

'You also look like the boy I cared for and wanted to protect. But in spite of that, I unintentionally hurt him. However, you aren't the same person. He isn't someone who would dance, let alone attend a ball.'

Unconsciously he sped walk until he got to the corridor where the infirmary was.

For a moment, Yuhi paused at the door. Her condition is already at a far worse degree than anyone can imagine. There is still a way to save her life, still a way to cure that illness of hers.

Yuhi searched long and hard for it; he searched for many years, even at the cost of leaving her alone for that entire time. Until he finally found the answer when he went to Germany. He found the answer, the reason why it became worse to that degree.

'She has to return, return to a place where there is the same air as her origins. If she spends time there and soak in the same water, food, she will be as good as cured. That girl's life will chip away and shorten to her very last breath if she remains with individuals who think about nothing but warfare'.

Atushi could not find any hints when he went abroad because he destroyed the evidence already.

Yuhi took a deep breath as the doors opened, and Shin walked out. He blinked, seeing him but patted his shoulder. "She is okay, don't worry."

"Thank you."

Shin nodded before walking away.

The moment he got inside, Sumire grabbed his hands. "Ah, I knew it! The president asked you to do something unreasonable again!"

"Well yeah, but you-" He scanned her up and down. It does not seem like she got hurt.

Even so, he scans the girl; briefly, she's gotten a lot thinner and paler compared to before. Though she was already slightly on the skinny factor, to begin with, it's become a lot more obvious now than before. She has lost that luster and glow that usually dawns on her completion. Even though she tries to hide it, he can see through it completely.

Once Sumire found the stuff, she put the instruments down on the table beside him and opened it up.

Yuhi spoke up. "Didn't you get thinner?" he said, without hesitation, and voiced out his thoughts.

Sumire flinches yet manages to remain a calm look on her face.

"You know I can report that as sexual harassment. I didn't know you watched me to that extent."

At that comment, he felt his cheeks color slightly; keeping calm is one thing. But insulting him in the process?

He sighed deeply." Idiot, who would watch you?"

"Hmmm, is that so?"

He had to go ahead and lie. But she can probably see it anyway. A lie like that is obvious. Still, this was better than him admitting his real thoughts.