* * *

Back to the present.

<━━━━━━━━━━━>

Not many days have passed since everyone had arrived at Sakuru, and many of them had already gotten a bit more comfortable around Lily’s house.

While her house wasn't that big, it was spacious enough for everyone to lay around without having to worry about any danger.

All of the girls were still grieving the fact that Hatsuko was dead.

While Lily seemed to be working on some kind of gadget on the table, many of the girls were looking at her with a blank, yet interested expression.

“Lily…may we ask something?” Hina suddenly asked the small girl who was focused on her work.

“What is it?”

“...How was Hatsuko’s life… before going missing?” 

Lily put all her gadgets on the table she was working before standing still with a stern expression.

“Why do you want to know about him?” She asked while not moving an inch from her position.

“Well… he didn't talk much about his life before we met him. That's why I was wondering about it… ”

Lily turned her head to the side, only to find all of the other girls who were greatly interested to know about Hatsuko’s life.

She let out a sigh before deciding to speak. 

“.....He was bullied.”

But what came out of her mouth in the next moment was something that none of the girls expected.

Bullied? The same coldhearted guy who couldn't care less about anyone else, was bullied in school? She must be talking about something else.

That's what most of the girls thought the moment Lily said those words.

“He wasn't that good at studying either, that's why he spent most of his time in his room playing video games.”

“That doesn't sound like Hatsuko at all…” Akemi said under her breath about this sudden discovery.

“But why was he bullied?” Ichika suddenly asked with her innocent voice that showed concern about Hatsuko’s life before meeting her.

“I’m not sure… that's why I used some of the connections I had in order to transfer him to Sakuru where I could keep a closer watch.” Lily responded, sounding upset about the way she was reminded of her past.

“If you were the one who brought him here, does that mean he changed?” Chloe asked, greatly interested to know how Hatsuko became that strong after getting bullied for so long.

Maybe that was the point where he became a better person with a clear goal on his mind.

She had seen how Hatsuko had broken into tears when she tried confronting him about his behavior. At that time he seemed so sad and broken. 

But now… she finally understood the reason behind it.

She wished she would have brought more comfort and love to the boy she liked if she knew how much he had been through.

“That's what I hoped to happen as well… But his situation got worse.”

Everyone’s eyes were filled with sorrow at what Hatsuko had to deal with every day without a rest. 

Ichika looked apprehensive while listening to what something worse than bullying he might’ve gone through.

“Many of the students treated him in the worst way possible…. but what triggered me the most was how no one was willing to help my brother.” Lily’s eyes narrowed as she was reminded of the cameras she had seen of him getting bullied.

“How could this have happened…” Chloe asked as she clenched her fist in rage.

The fact of toying with someone like that, no matter the reason, pissed her off.

“Why didn't you do something about him if you knew he was being treated like that?” Akemi asked, her eyes not showing any signs of emotion.

“Because of my work…” The pigtailed girl responded with a soft glare. “I was under a strict contract where I wasn’t allowed to contact anyone else out of the facility I was working at. And by the time I found out about my brother’s condition… it was way too late… I had already lost everything…”

Many of the girls looked with a blacked expression at the fate that their loved one had gone through.

“....”

“....”

“....”

““....””

“....”

“....”

“....”

Some moments had passed ever since Lily had told them basically everything she knew about Hatsuko.

Many were left speechless while some could finally understand why Hatsuko was acting that way with everyone.

He was broken in many ways which had caused him to have trust issues.

“Follow me. I have something to show you all.” Lily suddenly spoke up after seeing the pale expressions in many of the girls who held Hatsuko dear to them.

“”””””””....””””””

Everyone quietly followed the small girl whenever she was leading them, until everyone found themselves in a certain white room where many suits and guns could be seen.

“This is…” Akemi said as she immediately understood what these items in front of her were made out of.

“Here are different weapons and suits that will boost up all of your abilities.” The pigtailed girl said with a slightly proud voice. “They are made with a newly found element which was recently found by Sakuru. They call them artifacts or crystals, but I like calling them Cryptomium.”

“They are life crystals.” Ichika said the moment she recognized the energy they were releasing.

“Yes, I can feel them.”

Lily raised a brow. “You may refer to them like that as well. But anyway, since they provide a great source of energy. I used them on everything you see here.”

“Hold on a minute, why are you showing us all of this to us?” Chloe suddenly asked in suspicion.

All of the other girls looked at Lily as they were waiting for a proper explanation about this.

But before anyone else could talk, a confident look appeared on her face.

“Because I want to get revenge on the Angel that killed my brother.”

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