Beneath Their Devotion (Yanderes x Reader)

2. Obsidian Welcome

Y/N stood before her dorm room mirror, her reflection scrutinising her right back. She adjusted the neckline of her outfit, then smoothed it out, her hands trembling ever so slightly. 

"Why am I like this?" she muttered under her breath. Her reflection didn't answer. She adjusted a lock of hair that refused to behave.

Y/N cringed when she looked at her clock. She was exceptionally late. It was Saturday, the day of the welcome party that Mika had been so excited about. Also, the one Y/N had been not so excited about. The thought of walking into a room filled with strangers, all likely judging her as soon as she stepped through the door, made her stomach twist. But hiding away in her room wasn't an option. Not tonight.

It had been nearly a week since she arrived. After stumbling into the strange room the night of her arrival (and getting caught at that), Y/N resolved to avoid accidentally breaking any rules. No more wandering off where she wasn't supposed to be. She didn't want to risk getting into trouble—or worse, getting kicked out. The idea of leaving wasn't an option. 

This school was supposed to be her fresh start. She had fought tooth and nail to get here through late nights of studying, not to mention the hefty tuition fees, which had been another battle entirely. She wouldn't make a mistake that would jeopardise all of that. 

So, she had thrown herself into the officially hosted activities as if her life depended on them. Campus tours, orientation games, icebreaker sessions—anything that kept her busy and firmly within the bounds of the program. She even joined Mika for morning walks to explore the campus under the guise of "familiarising themselves," whatever that meant.

There was also a practical side to all this effort. The campus was massive, a labyrinth of halls, dorms, and courtyards that seemed impossible to memorise. It was easy to get lost, even with the map they handed out during orientation.

Y/N deemed it curious that none of the tours or activities took her back to the place she had stumbled upon that first night, wondering if she had imagined the whole thing. She had a habit of blurring dreams with reality.

She mainly had convinced herself that her memory had played a trick on her. 

Until today. 

It was a chilly afternoon, and she and Mika were perched on the edge of a stone planter, sipping hot chocolate after a first-year introduction lecture. Y/N was reading a book, toning out the noises around her when she suddenly felt a jab from Mika's elbow against her side.

"Hey, look over there." 

Y/N followed her gaze, her eyes widening when landing on the guy standing a few metres away from her and Mika.

It was him.

The guy she had seen in the library now stood in the centre of a semicircle of first-year students, discussing campus clubs.

Y/N froze, her book forgotten in her hands. It hadn't been a dream. The room did exist.

Mika's excitement was palpable as she jumped to her feet. "Oh my God, let's go listen!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling enthusiastically. It was clear that this was a moment she had been waiting for. The entire last week, she talked about how much she wanted to join a journaling club.

Y/N barely had time to process what was happening before Mika grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the group. 

The guy was in the middle of listing clubs available on campus. 

"...so, in summary, the gardening club, several sports teams, the drama club, the debate team, the journal club, and, of course, the student council." He paused, letting his eyes sweep across the group. "And one more. But you'll learn more about that at the welcome party tonight."