A Pervert...?

Ryosuke snapped his fingers, the sound echoing like a starting gun, and turned toward the cave's entrance. His footsteps rang out confidently as he said, "Then let's go, my dear Kokichi. Your next chapter starts now."

Kokichi rose from the tub, the bandages unraveling from his body and falling to the floor in a soaked, discarded heap.

Bare and unrestrained, he gazed down at himself with awe. Gone were the scars and twisted remnants of a shattered body—his physique was lean and powerful, his skin smooth and unblemished.

He flexed his right hand, the fingers curling and uncurling with an ease he had thought lost forever. He shifted his weight, feeling the firm press of the stone beneath his feet for the first time.

"This… doesn't even feel real," he whispered, turning in place as if expecting the illusion to break.

The air in the cavern felt charged, electric. Yet beneath his renewed flesh, something ancient stirred. His cursed energy, honed through years of suffering and resolve, still burned strong within him. Unchanged. Unyielding. Ready to be wielded.

With a newfound determination, Kokichi started walking toward the mouth of the cave. His steps, hesitant at first, grew steadier with each stride. Something so simple—walking—now felt like a monumental victory, a thrill he had never known.

Outside, the night still held dominion, a vast canvas scattered with distant stars. Ryosuke was already there, leaning casually against a jagged rock wall.

As Kokichi's footsteps echoed closer, Ryosuke turned to face him, his features partially illuminated by the pale glow of the moon. He scratched his head with an exaggerated air of frustration.

"Ah, crap…" he muttered, almost to himself. "I forgot something crucial."

Kokichi stopped, shivering slightly as the cool night breeze brushed his bare skin. His brow furrowed, curiosity piqued. "Something crucial?"

With a theatrical sigh, Ryosuke pointed a finger toward the sky. "It's nighttime, Kokichi. Nighttime. And here I was, the genius Ryosuke, promising to show you the sun! The script's ruined—dead, flattened, total KO."

A long silence followed.

Kokichi blinked, staring at Ryosuke for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, he burst into laughter—short, raw, and real. He doubled over, clutching his sides as the laughter poured out of him. For a fleeting moment, it felt like freedom.

Ryosuke, a satisfied smirk on his lips, leaned back, clearly enjoying the reaction.

"Are you serious right now?" Kokichi finally managed to ask, wiping a tear from his eye.

Ryosuke folded his arms, mock indignation flickering across his face. "Are you mocking me? Of course, I'm serious! But hey, no big deal—behold the moon, Kokichi!"

Kokichi tilted his head upward, his eyes falling on the partially unveiled moon. He had seen it before, sure—but always through the dull lens of his machines. Now, for the first time…

"Thank you…" he murmured, his voice soft, almost reverent.

Kokichi raised his head toward the partially revealed moon. It wasn't a new sight, but he had always seen it through the filter of his machines. And now…

"Thanks…"

Ryosuke shrugged, a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "No problem. Enjoy it; it's on the house."

A comfortable silence settled between them.

Kokichi stood still, his gaze locked on the moon. Its silvery light bathed the rocks and desert plains, casting soft shadows and mysterious contours. The cool night air filled his lungs with a newfound energy. For a moment, he forgot everything—the cave, the machines, his past struggles. All that mattered was this light and the overwhelming sense of freedom it brought.

Beside him, Ryosuke also looked up at the sky, though his restless eyes kept darting toward Kokichi. Slowly but surely, a sly smile spread across his face.

"Hey, Kokichi," he said, a little too casually, "don't you think you're a bit... too comfortable right now?"

Still lost in thought, Kokichi slowly lowered his gaze. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Ryosuke pointed a finger at him, feigning innocence. "Well, you're... uh... completely naked, dude. Like, not a stitch."

It took Kokichi's brain half a second to process the information. Then, like a lightning bolt, his hands flew to cover himself in a desperate attempt to preserve his dignity. "WHAT?!"

Ryosuke burst out laughing. "Relax! It's just the moon watching, and she's a pretty chill audience. As for me, I'm straight, so..."

But Kokichi was already gone. His face flushed crimson, he bolted toward the cave at an impressive speed. "YOU COULD HAVE WARNED ME EARLIER!"

Still laughing, Ryosuke leaned back against the rocky wall. "Man, it's been a long day."

---

Sunlight filtered through the slightly open curtains of Ryosuke's room, flooding it with a warm morning glow.

Ryosuke, however, was still sound asleep, his face half-buried in his pillow.

Three sharp knocks echoed on the door. No response. A few seconds passed before the door creaked open, and a tall figure entered. His long black hair fell neatly on either side of his face, framing his sharp features.

He walked silently to the bed, stopping just in front of Ryosuke. His piercing gaze lingered on the sleeper before he spoke in a calm yet firm tone: "Ryosuke, sophomore. Wake up."

No reaction. Ryosuke seemed lost in a dream far more pleasant than reality.

The intruder hesitated for a moment, then reached out to shake him gently. But before he could make contact, Ryosuke's hand shot out with surprising speed, grabbing his wrist. His eyes snapped open, still a little hazy.

Squinting up at the stranger looming over him, Ryosuke's expression shifted in an instant as he screamed, "OH MY GOD! ASSAULT! HELP! SOMEBODY!"

The tall boy stepped back slightly, his eyebrows raising in annoyance.

Fully awake now, Ryosuke sat up on the bed, pointing an accusing finger. "What the hell, Senpai?! You can't just barge into a high schooler's room like that!"

The boy took a deep breath and, with a composed voice, introduced himself: "I am Noritoshi Kamo, senior student and heir to the Kamo clan."

But Ryosuke, still too frazzled to register any of that, opened his mouth even wider and screamed louder: "HELP! THERE'S A PERVERT IN MY ROOM!"

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next Chapter: Principal Calls