The bell for break rang loudly, but for Renako, it sounded like the start of a nightmare. She stood up with trembling legs and walked toward Mai's desk. She had stayed up all night crafting the right words to apologize; she wanted to explain that her slap had come from fear, not hatred.
In a voice barely audible, Renako spoke:
— Mai… about yesterday… I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to…
Mai, influenced by Rimuru's commanding presence and sharp logic, didn't even lift her head to meet Renako's eyes. With a cold, indifferent tone Renako had never heard before, she interrupted:
— It doesn't matter anymore, Renako. In fact… it was my mistake to think I had fallen in love with you. Rimuru made me realize it was only a simple attachment, not love.
Renako froze as if she had been slapped again.
— What? Attachment? But Mai, we…
Before she could finish her sentence, Rimuru, who had been casually organizing his gloves until now, stood up. His towering shadow fell over Renako, making the room feel heavy.
Without even glancing at her, he addressed Mai with a commanding yet captivating tone:
— Stop talking, little star. Our time is too valuable to waste on pointless explanations. Let's go outside; the air in here is a bit heavy.
Rimuru took Mai's hand. His fingers wrapped firmly around her wrist—a gesture both protective and possessive. Mai, flushed again by Rimuru's direct and authoritative touch, followed him without resistance or even a backward glance.
Renako stood alone in the classroom. Her classmates watched her with hushed whispers. She stared at Mai's empty seat, screaming inside her mind:
— What just happened? Wasn't she crying for me just yesterday? Who is this woman who, in a matter of hours, burned all our memories to ash?
Renako felt that the bridges behind Mai weren't just burned—they were standing in ruins. And atop those ruins, a beautiful stranger with golden eyes stood, laughing at her.