My Seatmate is a Master (13) - I Suspect He's the Murderer

"Where did he come from, Lemolemo? Is he supposed to appear here?" Her intuition had rarely failed her before. Her curiosity piqued, she inquired further. "Do we have a new neighbor? Is he from this area?"

Lemolemo's response surprised her. [Indeed, Milady. He is a new neighbor residing in the house opposite ours. But the system can't trace if you met him by chance.]

"Since when?"

[Two weeks after you moved into the new house.]

"Why have I never seen or met him before?"

[Forgive me, Milady. The system feels like malfunctioning when I search about this character. I need to send feedback to the Main system about this anomaly!]

"So he's something who shouldn't appear here!" Shira found herself in a perplexing situation. 'Something's not right about him!'

As Shira and the young man drew closer to each other, their paths about to intersect, she couldn't help but meet his gaze. His expression remained neutral, showing no emotion. Shira, too, managed to maintain a calm face, but inside, her heart raced as if she could sense an impending danger that lurked just beneath the surface.

Shira thought, 'How can he make me feel this way?'

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and in that instance, it was as if time stood still. Shira's heart pounded in her chest, and a sense of unease gnawed at her. It was a sensation that she couldn't quite explain, an almost primal instinct warning her of potential risks.

'He is not an easy character!'

Lemolemo's inability to detect anything unusual from the young man added to the mystery and left Shira with an unsettling feeling. As they passed each other, the encounter left her with more questions than answers, and she couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay behind the new neighbor's expressionless facade.

'His face...'

Shira couldn't help but be amazed by the young man's striking resemblance to Hiro's handsome face. However, his appearance was marred by an air of cold aloofness and distance that set him apart from Kiba's brother.

'Will he be Kiba's relative?'

As Shira continued to ponder this resemblance, an unexpected turn of events disrupted her thoughts. Out of nowhere, as if carried by a strong gust of wind, a large log came hurtling toward the spot where she stood, completely catching her off guard. She had no time to react.

In the nick of time, the young man beside her sprang into action. With lightning-fast reflexes, he reached out and grabbed Shira, pulling her to safety just moments before the log made contact. Instead, it struck him squarely in the back, and he winced in pain.

'Why did he save me?' Shira was left breathless and grateful as she realized how close she had come to a potentially disastrous accident. "Thank you," she managed to say, her voice filled with genuine relief.

The young man, still holding his back in pain, replied with a nod. "No problem."

Their brief exchange held a strange combination of tension and gratitude, and it left Shira with an even deeper curiosity about this enigmatic new neighbor. 'That must have hurt his back! But where did that come from? I should let Lemolemo look for who's playing in the dark.'

As the young man pretended to be tough and unyielding, Shira couldn't help but notice the momentary wince that flickered across his face when the log struck him. It was a brief, almost imperceptible glimpse of vulnerability that he quickly concealed under a mask of stoicism and indifference.

'The injury is big! But how strong can this new character be? He could even still act with a straight face!'

Even though he reverted to his expressionless demeanor almost instantly, Shira had caught that fleeting glimpse of pain. It left her wondering about the young man's true nature and the reasons behind his cold facade.

"Lemolemo, can you guess or read his inner feelings?" There was more to him than met the eye, and Shira was determined to uncover the mysteries that surrounded her new neighbor.

[I'm sorry, Milady. But he's like a virus corrupting the basic operation of the system!]

Shira sighed internally. 

"Are you alright?" Shira asked.

"Not a big problem at all." Shira couldn't help but be intrigued by the young man's response.

"Let me help you check how bad the damage is... it's the least that I can do for you. I know how to apply first aid."

"Hmm." He didn't turn down her offer to check his back, and that surprised her. As they walked back to her house, Shira couldn't shake the feeling that there were more secrets hidden in this young man than she could explore.

Once inside her home, Shira was puzzled by the fact that he didn't seem particularly interested in her surroundings. "Lemolemo, look at him. He did not bat an eye in our home. It feels as if everything here looks boring and..."

[Milady, he must have found you more attractive than anything in this house. He is giving you an intense gaze.]

"I feel lucky to have dismissed the servants early and let them return to the main house. This way, I won't feel so restricted when I make a move."

[Milady, if he is truly the villain, wouldn't it be dangerous for you to be in the same room as him?]

His gaze remained fixed on her as if he were studying her, which made her a bit nervous. She hurried to her room to retrieve a medicine kit, and when she returned, she instructed him to undress so she could properly assess the injury.

"Please undress." Shira could feel that his eyes were still on hers when he removed the hoodie, as if provoking her to look him in the eye. As the young man removed his shirt, Shira couldn't help but be taken aback by what she saw.

Hidden beneath his seemingly cold and distant exterior were abdominal mermaid lines etched onto his body, a testament to his strict dedication to physical fitness that Shira hadn't expected. However, her surprise quickly turned to concern when she saw the vivid shades of violet on his back.

Shira felt a wave of shame wash over her as she realized the extent of his injury. Her tone was softer as she spoke, "I'll clean the wound first, and then we'll apply some ointment. It might sting a little, so please bear with it."

"Hmm."

She couldn't help but feel a growing interest in the young man. While her initial impressions had led her to believe he was aloof, the vulnerability she had glimpsed and his willingness to accept her help told a different story. 

'What if he is the murderer?' a thought suddenly appeared in her.

As Shira carefully tended to the young man's wound, she couldn't shake the wariness she felt around him. His aura gave off an air of danger, and she couldn't deny that it made her slightly uncomfortable. 'I can't trust him around me. Our encounter felt suspicious, too!' 

Yet, as she worked to clean and dress his injury, Shira felt guilty. He had saved her from the flying log, putting himself in harm's way and getting injured in the process. It was an act of selflessness that she couldn't ignore, and it left her with a complex mixture of emotions. 'But what if everything was just his plan from the start?'

Their hands brushed accidentally when they both reached for his jacket, and it was in that momentary touch that Shira sensed a hint of exposure beneath his cold shell. 'What's wrong with him and these coincidences?'

Once she had finished with the first aid, Shira took a step back and looked at the young man, apprehension in her eyes. "I've done what I can for now, but you should still see a doctor. That injury looks pretty painful. Do you want me to help you get back to your place?"

The young man's voice was low and reserved as he thanked Shira. He looked at her with a mix of appreciation and a hint of something deeper, perhaps more than curiosity. "I appreciate your help. But it's unnecessary for you to escort me. I live not far from here."

Shira studied him for a moment, still uncertain about the impenetrable stranger but also fascinated by his presence. "If you're sure you'll be okay, then I won't insist. Just be careful in the future, especially around those logs. I don't know what I would've done without your quick reflexes."

The young man nodded in acknowledgment, his expression remaining unreadable. As he started to leave, Shira couldn't help but feel that their encounter was far from over. There was something about him that left her with a sense of conspiracy and an unshakable feeling that fate might create more opportunities for them.

The young man made his way back to his own home, his thoughts wandering as he reflected on the encounter with Shira.

"Ah! She really looks so good!" Despite his injuries, he couldn't help but find her quite charming and mesmerizing. "As good as the last time I saw her."

He quietly mused to himself, "She's a very cute one, too! And I like it." As he entered his bedroom, a chilling smile curled on his lips as he added, "She's the next prey."

His gaze lingered on a hidden collection of newspaper clippings, photos, and notes, revealing a series of disturbing interests and a hidden, darker side to his character.

The man's sinister smile remained as he prepared a school uniform and a backpack filled with new school materials. Just as he finished packing, his phone rang, breaking the silence of the room. The image of Shira appeared on the lock screen wallpaper, and he answered the call with a devilish glint in his eye.