Eclipsed: Echoes of a Forgotten Melody

Chapter Fifteen: The Final Prelude

Morning came with a heavy, suffocating tension, pressing down on Ishikawa, Mai, and Seiichi as they walked toward the heart of campus. The quiet that had settled over the university felt unnatural, like the calm before a violent storm. In their hands, they carried everything—files, testimonies, the evidence that would expose the Harmony Project and tear apart the institution that had harbored its dark secrets for so long.

The clock was ticking. The media would arrive soon, and once the story broke, there would be no going back. But as they approached the courtyard where they had arranged to meet with journalists, a strange feeling settled in Ishikawa's chest, a sense of dread that he couldn't shake.

"I still don't trust it," Mai muttered under her breath as they approached. "The department head showing up like that last night—it's too convenient. He let us go. Why?"

"They've already covered up so much," Seiichi replied, scanning the empty courtyard warily. "Maybe they think they can control the story even after it's out."

Ishikawa didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on the piano hall in the distance, the source of all their troubles. It stood tall and foreboding, a silent reminder of everything they had uncovered, of Seito's fate and the sinister forces lurking beneath the university's surface. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that they weren't fully prepared for what was about to happen.

"They'll try to twist the narrative," he said finally, his voice low. "They'll make us look like conspiracy theorists, or worse—unstable. They've done it before."

"But we have the truth," Mai argued. "And we have the proof. They can't deny that."

Before they could say more, movement on the far side of the courtyard caught their attention. A group of people, at least a dozen, walked toward them, led by two familiar faces—members of the press they had reached out to. Relief washed over Ishikawa, but it was short-lived.

Behind the journalists stood more figures—faculty members, administrators, and at the center of them, the department head. His expression was neutral, but his presence spoke volumes. This wasn't just an ordinary interview.

Ishikawa's stomach churned. They were walking into a trap.

"We need to get out of here," Seiichi whispered, his eyes darting around. "This isn't right."

But before they could move, the group reached them, and the department head stepped forward, a smug smile on his face.

"Ishikawa. Mai. Seiichi. What a pleasure to see you all here," he said, his tone dripping with false courtesy. "And I see you've brought our friends from the media. How thoughtful."

Ishikawa clenched his fists, his mind racing. They had no choice now but to confront the situation head-on.

"We know what you've been doing," Ishikawa said, his voice steady despite the growing tension. "And so will everyone else. The Harmony Project, Seito's death, the experiments—it's all over."

The department head raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And what proof do you have, exactly? A few old documents? Some scattered journals? If you think that will be enough to convince the world of your delusions, you're sadly mistaken."

Mai stepped forward, her eyes blazing with defiance. "It's more than enough. You've been using the students here—manipulating them, controlling them. Seito tried to stop you, and you silenced him. But we won't let that happen to us."

The department head's smile never wavered, but there was a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. "You're playing a dangerous game, Mai. One that you're not equipped to win."