The infirmary door slid open just slightly.
Everyone outside immediately felt it.
That pressure.
That something bad is happening again feeling.
Inside, the silence lasted about two seconds.
Then—
RIP.
Bandages tore apart in one motion.
Medical wraps scattered across the floor like shredded paper.
Takeru stood up.
Slow.
Still slightly dizzy.
But very, very aware now.
He walked straight to the mirror again.
"…Okay."
A pause.
"…Fixable."
He tilted his head.
Re-examined the damage.
Pink top.
Black sides.
Back still normal.
Then he reached up—
and pulled his hair back.
Slicked it.
Silence.
The reflection changed.
Now it was blonde on top.
Clean.
Sharp.
Intentional-looking.
A completely different disaster.
Takeru stared at himself.
Long pause.
"…HAKARI?!"
The shout echoed through the entire building.
Outside—
Yuji nearly fell over.
"…WHY IS HE CALLING HAKARI LIKE THAT?"
Megumi sighed.
"…This is not going to end well."
Hakari, down the hall, slowly turned his head.
"…Why is my name in that tone."
Kirara immediately grabbed him.
"…Don't move."
Inside the room, Takeru pointed at the mirror like it had personally insulted him.
"…You did this."
A pause.
"…I was unconscious."
He turned slightly toward the hallway.
"…Which one of you touched my head."
Silence.
The two Shoko slowly looked up from their paperwork.
Shoko Ieiri
"…Not me."
Shoko Ieiri (alternate)
"…Definitely not me."
From down the hall—
Hakari shouted back.
"I DIDN'T TOUCH YOUR HAIR!"
Takeru narrowed his eyes.
Slowly.
Dangerously calm.
"…Liar."
Yuji leaned toward Megumi.
"…He didn't even hear the explanation."
Megumi nodded.
"…Doesn't matter."
Fred slowly raised a sign near the window again.
It read:
"Blame distribution initiated."
Takeru stepped out of the room.
Hair still blonde.
Still slicked.
Still somehow the most important problem in the building.
"…Hakari."
Hakari sighed deeply.
"…I swear I didn't touch it."
Kinji Hakari
Takeru stopped.
Stared at him.
"…Then explain the crime scene on my head."
Silence.
Kirara quietly muttered:
"…We are not surviving this conversation."