Chapter [16]

At the Hyoudou residence

In the quiet of his room, Kaito sat on the edge of his bed, the day's events weighing on his mind. The soft light of the evening entered through the curtains, casting long, dancing shadows on the walls.

Kaito took a deep breath, feeling the air fill his lungs and then slowly exit, trying to calm his still-racing heart. He got up and went to the window, looking out at the garden below. The leaves on the trees swayed gently with the breeze, almost as if they were waving at him. The connection with the wind felt stronger now, almost as if it were alive, responding to his emotions.

He stepped away from the window and returned to the bed, sitting down again as he tried to organize his thoughts. As he reflected on everything that had happened, an idea began to form in his mind.

"Nanami needs a lesson," Kaito murmured to himself.

He remembered the fragments of memories he saw in the minds of Kenji and Todoroki. The images and memories revealed Nanami's manipulation, using her charm and body to control the basketball team players. Seductive promises and secret meetings kept the players bound to her, obeying her every whim.

Kaito closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. The whole year he spent thinking about ways to please her and win her heart left a bad taste in his mouth.

But dwelling on that matter wouldn't do him any good. If he was going to do something, it would be tomorrow at school.

Kaito lamented the state of humans. Even a low-class Devil could make them puppets, and they would never know. He lay down, trying to put those thoughts aside for now.

"Dinner's ready, Kaito!" called Miki, her voice comforting from downstairs.

Kaito slowly got up, trying to push aside the negative thoughts and focus on the present. "Coming, Mom!" he responded, leaving his room and heading downstairs.

In the kitchen, the table was set, and the delicious aroma of home-cooked food filled the air. Gorou was already seated, reading the newspaper, while Miki finished the last preparations.

"Hi, Dad," said Kaito, taking a seat at the table.

"Hi, Kaito. How was your day?" asked Gorou, without looking up from the newspaper.

Kaito shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "It was calm, nothing out of the ordinary."

Miki sat at the table, bringing a platter of rice and some side dishes. "I hope you're hungry. I made your favorite dishes today."

Kaito smiled, feeling grateful for his mother's effort. "I'm very hungry, Mom. Thank you."

During dinner, the conversation revolved around trivial matters, with laughter and everyday stories. The warm presence of his parents and the normality of family routine helped Kaito relax a little.

After dinner, Kaito helped his mother clear the table and wash the dishes. "Thanks for helping, dear," said Miki, smiling at him.

"Of course, Mom. It's the least I can do," replied Kaito, feeling a bit lighter.

With the kitchen tidy, Kaito returned to his room.

Kuoh Hospital

The atmosphere was tense at Kuoh Hospital. The corridors were filled with anxiety and concern, as doctors and nurses treated patients. In a specific ward, five boys were being treated, each accompanied by their parents, doctors, and police officers taking notes and asking questions.

Kenji

Kenji lay in a bed, his right arm bandaged and a clear expression of pain on his face. Beside him, his father, a tall man with graying hair and a severe expression, was discussing with one of the doctors. His mother, an elegant woman with an air of concern, held her son's hand, trying to calm him.

Kenji's father: "I want to know exactly what happened here. My son needs explanations and justice."

Doctor: "We're doing our best to understand the extent of the injuries. But it seems his arm is broken in several places."

Police officer: "We need to know who did this. Someone must pay for this violence."

Todoroki

In the next bed, Todoroki sat up, still dazed, with his arm also immobilized. His father, a man of athletic build with a furious expression, was discussing with another police officer. His mother, a woman with an athletic appearance, stood by, arms crossed and a worried expression.

Todoroki's father: "This is unacceptable! I want whoever did this found and arrested immediately."

Police officer: "We're investigating, sir. We need cooperation from all involved to understand what happened."

Todoroki's mother: "We're here to ensure our son gets justice."

Ryu

Ryu lay in a bed, his expression confused and disoriented. He had no visible injuries but was having trouble remembering what had happened. His parents, both doctors, stood by his side, talking to a police officer.

Ryu's father: "He's experiencing amnesia. Can't remember anything."

Police officer: "We'll need to ask some questions to try to understand what happened."

Ryu's mother: "We're concerned. We've never seen anything like this."

Takashi

Takashi sat in a chair next to the bed, his expression confused and disoriented. His parents, both lawyers, stood by his side, talking to a doctor.

Takashi's father: "He has no injuries, but he can't remember anything."

Doctor: "We'll conduct some neurological exams to better understand the situation."

Takashi's mother: "We're very worried about this sudden amnesia."

Yusuke

Yusuke sat in a chair, his expression clearly confused. He also had no visible injuries but was struggling to remember recent events. His parents, both teachers, stood by his side, talking to a doctor.

Yusuke's father: "He's experiencing memory loss. Doesn't remember anything from today."

Doctor: "We'll monitor him closely and conduct some tests to understand the cause of the amnesia."

Yusuke's mother: "We're concerned. He's never had memory issues before."

As discussions continued, tension in the hospital rose. The police officers tried to get coherent information from the five confused boys, whose memories were foggy due to Kaito's spell. Investigations were just beginning, but one thing was certain: everyone wanted answers about what had happened to the boys, answers they would never have.

pat reon.com/22Mirko22