Make Them Love Me Or They'll End The World-Chapter 138: Roof-Top...
"Right, I won't go out onto the rooftop with you for obvious reasons, at least if everything stays safe. But I'll stay behind the door, just in case things get messy and she attacks you, okay?"
Tenka's voice was calm, stripped of its usual playfulness. The girl they both knew had been replaced by a commanding presence, and Kentaro could feel the weight of that change pressing on him as they walked through the nearly empty corridors.
The vibrant chatter of students had already faded, dissolving into silence that wrapped around them like a thick fog. Only the remnants of sound lingered, the squeak of shoes on polished floors, the ghost of laughter echoing in unseen corners, and the faint, lingering aroma of food and cologne, remnants of life that had thrived just moments before. It was a stark reminder that this building, once alive with the bustle of hundreds, had become a desolate maze for just the two of them. A shiver crawled up his spine; the silence felt heavy, as though unseen eyes were watching them from the shadows.
Kentaro's gaze drifted upwards to the stairs, his heart thudding against his ribs with a rhythm that matched his racing thoughts. "Just up these stairs, Shaula is waiting with whatever plan she's concocted for us," he muttered to himself, unease curling in his stomach.
He glanced at Tenka. Her expression was a mask of stone, her posture unyielding and perfect, yet he had known her long enough to see through the facade. Beneath the surface of her composed exterior, she mirrored his own unease, though she was far better at hiding it.
"Right," Kentaro murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he turned back to the staircase. "I'll go ahead. You follow behind me."
Tenka nodded sharply, her eyes narrowing just slightly. "Got it, but be careful."
With each step they took, anxiety coiled tighter within him, a taut string pulled to its limit.
"It's just a talk," Kentaro whispered to himself, as if trying to convince his racing heart. "Just a talk. How bad could this be? Surely, it can't end in something life-threatening."
Yet the further they ascended, the heavier his chest felt, constricting like a vice. Memories rushed back unbidden, flashes of that night in the alley, the way Shaula had cornered him, her laughter like glass scraping against his skin, sharp and cutting. She was a tempest, unpredictable. One moment, she was an unwelcome guest fitting herself into his life; the next, she transformed into a looming threat, her desires dripping with malice. A walking contradiction.
He shook off the haunting memory, only to feel an unsettling shift in the air as they neared the rooftop door.
A faint breath of fresh air brushed his face, displacing the staleness of the stairwell.
Kentaro froze. "Stop, Tenka."
She nearly collided with him, her eyes wide with alarm. "What is it?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.
Kentaro tilted his head toward the door, his heartbeat quickening. "The door's open," he whispered, dread pooling in his stomach.
Tenka's eyes widened, fear flickering in their depths. "Crap." She bit her lip, scanning for options, but they both knew time was their enemy.
"She's up there," he murmured. "I can't let her see you. If you follow me, she'll spot you, and she could react badly. So stay here. If things go south, I'll shout or use comms."
"That's risky! What if she attacks you right away?" Tenka hissed, worry cracking through her otherwise composed demeanor.
Kentaro offered a faint smile, even as his pulse screamed in his ears. "Don't worry. I'm not that weak. Worst case…" He shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. "I can always run."
"Run, huh…" Tenka clenched her jaw, wanting to argue, but logic bound her tongue. "Fine. Just… Keep an escape route open."
Kentaro gave her a thumbs-up, determination sparking in his chest. "Promise. This shouldn't be that bad anyway," he said with a forced smile that he hoped conveyed confidence.
Then he climbed the last steps alone, each one heavier than the last.
The door loomed before him, light spilling through the narrow crack like liquid gold. As he pushed it open, the rooftop unfolded in a breathtaking panorama.
The sun was descending, washing the sky in hues of orange and pink, shadows stretching long across the gritty surface, broken only by the stillness of four figures waiting at the far side.
Kentaro's breath hitched in his throat, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. Even the birds had gone silent, as if sensing the impending storm.
He could feel the weight of Tenka's gaze from below, her eyes likely fixed on him, offering an unspoken encouragement that steadied his trembling legs enough to carry him forward. Step by cautious step, he rounded the corner, each movement filled with a mix of trepidation and resolve.
And froze.
"Shaula…" The name slipped from his lips like a growl, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene before him.
It wasn't just one Shaula, it was four of her that stood before him in a line.
"Heheheheh. Kentaro, Kentaro, Kentaro, Kentaro…"
The voices overlapped, repeating his name like a chant.
They stood before him, identical reflections morphed into an uncanny tableau. The sly smirks danced across their faces, their golden eyes shimmering with mischief. Those small, distinguishable details, a vibrant green headband, a dangling necklace that glinted in the dim light, a golden sword-shaped earring, and a delicate bracelet paired with a hairpin, did little to break the eerie façade. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
Kentaro's heart thrummed dangerously in his chest, caught between fear and confusion as he stammered out a question, "...Which one am I talking to?"
In unison, they froze, and then laughter erupted, cascading around him like a malevolent wave. It wasn't mere mirth; it was one laugh, layered and warped, folding in on itself until the sound scraped against his ears, a visceral reminder of the profound unsettling nature of their unity. The air thickened with it, heavy and suffocating, as if an unseen force willed the world itself to cower.
And then, as one entity, they pointed directly at him, a collective action that felt like an accusation.
"We challenge you to another game," they declared, their smirks pulsating with sinister delight.
The words crashed into him, weighted with a gravity that eclipsed the wind's whisper. Kentaro's gut twisted violently at the declaration, his legs turning to lead as trembling hands shot into fists at his sides.
"Not another one!" he shouted, his voice fracturing like glass against the rooftop's solitude. "This is too far!"
The laughter hitched, momentarily faltering as they tilted their heads in unsettling unison, confusion flickering across their identical, devilish faces.
"Don't be silly, Kenny," purred the Shaula with the hairpin and bracelet, her giggle carrying a melody of mockery. "It's only fair."
"Fair?!" Kentaro exploded, frustration clawing its way out from the depths of his fear. "Forcing me into something I don't want, how is that fair?!"
The Shaula with the golden earring wiped away a non-existent tear, her eyes twinkling with mirth and something darker. "Oh, Kentaro. You're quite the comedian. Just remember, it's only us four against you...Tenka, and the girls. Your guys' chemistry is simply so much better."
"That doesn't even make sense..." he muttered, his voice a hushed whisper, the weight of their antics suffocating him.
Sweat trickled down his temples, his body screaming for escape, yet his feet remained stubbornly rooted to the ground, betraying him.
Then, in a coordinated motion, they clasped their hands behind their backs and leaned in, like schoolgirls about to share a tantalizing secret, the anticipation crackling in the air.
"In the upcoming play," they intoned together, their voices harmonizing in eerie perfection, "you'll need another handicap."
Kentaro stumbled backward, as if physically struck. "You're kidding me!"
They shook their heads in perfect sync, a chilling denial that sent shivers racing down his spine.
With clenched teeth, he forced down the rising tide of fear. "...And if I refuse?"
Laughter exploded anew, shrill and unified, scraping against his skin like icy fingers. The sensation of being prey intensified, and every nerve in his body ignited in alarm.
Then the Shaula with the green headband stepped forward, the light shifting ominously around her. "If you say no, what's going to happen will happen anyway." Her grin widened, a cruel, twisted crescent that cut through the air. "But we'll add a bonus…"
Her pause stretched like a blade being drawn.
"…We'll kill everyone in this school."
The words cut the air.
Kentaro's world stopped.
"You can't!" He shouted, his voice raw, desperate.
"Ohhh, we can't?" She mocked, her smirk twisting. "Say no and watch us."
His chest heaved. His mind spun. This is insane…
His shout tore free, echoing over the rooftop.
Tenka's eyes widened below. Fear jolted through her chest, and before she knew it, she was running up the last few steps. "KENTARO!"
"Ohhh…" Shaula purred, eyes flicking to the new arrival. "So you weren't alone. We thought as much."
Kentaro ignored the taunt. His voice cracked as he forced the question: "What's the handicap?"
The green headband, Shaula stepped back, brushing against the one with the golden sword-shaped earring.
And then, without a sound, the golden bracelet Shaula vanished like she was made out of particles.
Kentaro's breath caught. "What the!"
Even Tenka froze, her command voice failing her.
Shaula covered her mouth with a dainty hand. "Oops. Looks like your handicap has already begun."
And then...
BEEP.
Both Kentaro and Tenka's comms blared, Haruka's voice piercing through the chaos.
"KEN! COMMANDER!"
Kentaro nearly dropped his earpiece. "WHAT IS IT?!"
"It's… It's the girls!" Haruka's voice was ragged, panicked.
Kentaro's eyes widened in horror.
"No… No… NO!" His scream shook the rooftop, thick with despair.
The laughter of Shaula echoed with it, stretching long into the evening sky, knowing full well what happens next...
