The spring wind gently caressed the cobbled paths of the academy. The branches of the cherry trees, in full bloom, swayed gently, scattering pink petals that danced in the air before resting gently on the shoulders of the students walking across campus.
One such figure stood out with a radiance all her own. Her gait was leisurely, graceful, and every smile she offered to those who greeted her from a distance seemed to light up the day more than the sun itself.
Alice was back.
Whispers were soon spreading through the corridors: "The Santa candidate is back!", "The light of the academy is back!
She, as always, greeted with a soft smile, raising her hand slightly when someone recognised her. Her long pink hair floated behind her like a luminous trail, and her spotless uniform further emphasised her almost ethereal appearance. But inside, Alice was no mere angelic figure. Her goodness came not from naivety, but from a conscious decision to better herself. To not allow the world to sully her with malice.
"What must have happened while I was gone...?" she thought as she crossed the main entrance to the building. Her journey had been a long one: an expedition to a sacred temple, part of her special training as a saint candidate. There she honed her control over healing magic and strengthened her spiritual connection. But despite the peace of the place, she had missed this student environment... and him.
"Haruto..." she whispered tenderly in her mind. Her smile softened even more at the thought of him. The one who had unknowingly won her heart with his genuine kindness and his clumsy but determined way of protecting others.
After leaving her luggage in her room in the female dormitory and tidying it meticulously, Alice decided to take advantage of the training break to look for him. She walked between the pavilions, waving politely and sweetly, until she reached the centre of the training ground.
There, as I had expected, was he. Sitting under the shade of a tree, drinking water and conversing with a companion. Alice approached him with a determined step, her smile ever present, though her heart was pounding.
-Haruto-kun," she called out in a melodious voice.
The boy looked up and his eyes lit up at the sight of her.
-Alice, you're back!
She nodded, bringing both hands forward in a demure pose.
-Yes, just this morning. I really wanted to say hello to you. I'm glad to see you well...
They chatted animatedly for a few minutes. Haruto, with his usual honesty, told her about the changes at the academy, and although he was not very detailed, he mentioned in passing a topic that left her frozen for a moment.
-Lian is... dead?
-Yes... the whole thing was a scandal. Since then, the academy has been quieter.
-After Lián's death... no one knew what happened to those closest to him. Hideyoshi disappeared soon after. They searched for him everywhere, but couldn't find him. Apparently... he did something terrible.
Hideyoshi?
That name brought a shadow across his eyes, though his smile did not fade.
Alice forced a smile, but her gaze hardened.
"You and your thugs...!" she thought. She was no stranger to the shadows as Haruto was. She knew full well that Hideyoshi had been one of the minds behind the assaults and humiliations that both Haruto and several girls, including herself, had endured in silence.
Just as I was about to probe further, an unfamiliar voice broke into the conversation.
-Well, well... I didn't expect to see our saint so soon!
A student approached. His smile was open, his body language relaxed, and his manners impeccable.
-Welcome back, Alice-san. It's been months without you! I'm glad you're back safe and sound.
Alice turned to him. She did not recognise him. The face was unfamiliar, the voice was unfamiliar. But something about him... something wasn't right. Her heart sent a silent alarm.
-Thank you... Are you new? -he asked, forcing a polite smile.
-Something like that. My name is Tokura Yoshi. I've been away for a while. But I'm doing my best to integrate again. I hope we can get along well.
His voice was soft. Friendly, even. And yet, Alice felt she should not let her guard down.
-Of course... -he said simply. His smile didn't falter, but inside he thought, "I don't know who you are, but something about you... doesn't add up.
Soon after, Yoshi bowed politely and left, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty that Alice could not ignore.
Haruto continued to talk enthusiastically, but Alice barely listened to him. Her attention was still fixed on the young man.
"That boy... I don't remember him from before. But his presence... makes me nervous. Like he's warning me of something."
As the sky turned golden with sunset, Alice silently sealed her resolution:
"I will not let that student out of my sight. Not as long as something in my soul tells me not to trust him."
And so, the saint's return to the academy brought a new restlessness to her heart.