𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓮𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂

𝟎𝟎𝟑

End Wall

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"We should go back," you said as you walked back to where you came from, "I saw a set of stairs somewhere while we were walking by."

Sure enough, there were stairs leading down, surrounded by a pink and red wallpaper. Without any hesitation, you walked down the stairs.

"H-Hey, wait up! The basement might be dangerous!" Shuichi called after you, Kaede following shortly behind him.

"It doesn't look very dangerous to me," Kaede observed when you got to the end of the stairs.

"Ah, well... some dangers are hidden where you can't see."

"You sure have quite an imagination, Saihara-kun. I like that!" you complimented with a big toothy smile.

He blushed and looked away, shielding his face with his hat in a flustered manner.

"Come on, you lovebirds! We should look around the basement, too," Kaede teased, walking in front of you, "There might be an exit. Oh, but we should be careful."

You giggled and walked behind Kaede, Shuichi following after you, his face still red. She made it to a pair of brown doors that kinda reminded you of the word... 'fancy.' Kaede opened the doors and walked in. It led to a large, sorta musty-smelling library with bookcases along all of the walls and books scattered everywhere. There was someone in there.

They were a girl with long black hair tied into low pigtails and piercing red eyes. She wore a school uniform that matched her hair and eyes.

"Is this a library?" Kaede asked.

"No shit, Sherlock," you replied sarcastically, "No offense."

"None taken."

"There are books all over the place... It doesn't seem very organized," Shuichi said.

"Oh, does that bother you? Are you a neat-freak, Saihara-kun?"

"No, I was just... I was wondering if someone was using it before us."

"Huh? Someone?"

"Ah, it's nothing. Let's just investigate for now."

The three of you approached the mysterious girl. She avoided eye contact with you, not uttering a word.

"Um... Are you an Ultimate student, too?" Kaede asked in an attempt to break the tension.

"Yeah, that's right," the girl replied, her tone cold.

"I'm Akamatsu Kaede. I'm the Ultimate Pianist."

"I'm Saihara Shuichi. And I'm the Ultimate Detective, I suppose," Shuichi introduced.

"Hiya! I'm L/N Y/N, the Ultimate Ballerina," you said sweetly, "And who are you?"

"Harukawa Maki... Ultimate Child Caregiver..."

Harukawa Maki, Ultimate Child Caregiver

"Ultimate... Child Caregiver...?" you repeated in confusion and a bit of shock.

"... Surprised? I don't look like someone who'd like kids, do I? Well, you'd be right. I don't like kids that much."

"B-But... if you're the Ultimate Child Caregiver, then children must like you a lot, right...?" Kaede assumed.

"... Kids are... weird. They come to me on their own. I'm not that good at taking care of them... I'm not that friendly, either..."

"But they say kids are very intuitive. If they like you that much... then they can probably tell how loving you really are, Harukawa-chan! Yeah! That must be it! You've chosen a perfect career for yourself!"