I would be lying though. That primal monster I now was delighted in their pain, a satisfying predatory triumph over lessers. And the churning in my stomach was not disgust but hunger.
‘I must not have drank enough from those packs of blood.’ It was a morbid thought to have. Thinking about not “eating” enough after having forced Taeyo to lead me to the people he thought would protect him from me.
I had smelled it on him as we walked. The smell of satisfaction that permeated through his blood under the pain and fear of what I did to him back in the classroom. Now he and everyone else up here shared a smell. Fear, and it was delightful, and he hated himself for it.
It was a struggle to maintain my rational, enhanced senses picking up the sound of erratic hearts, and surrounded by the smell of blood. I closed my eyes, leaning my head back and taking one last deep breath of that intoxicating aroma. Then released a deep sigh filled with displeasure at having to get back to setting an example.
The sigh leaves my throat closer to a growl than I would have personally liked. Too many cringy stories about werewolves in college left a bad taste in the person I now was. Still the way their blood pressure spiked at the sound forced a smirk to my face and helped keep my mood light.
“Now, what am I going to do with the lot of you?” I returned my gaze to one specific person up on the roof with me. He had indigo hair, which in a world like this was not that abnormal all things considered. I had not bothered to learn his name, he was weak and it was hard to force myself to care about him despite hearing it while beating up him and his “crew”. He was the leader of this little group for now though.
He shuffled in place trying to get comfortable while I watched bruises develop on his face in real time. I have an end goal for this conversation, if they offered it themselves all the better.
“I promise me and mine will avoid you and yours from now on. I heard you had decided to become the leader of Resh’s group and wanted to set ourselves above you guys before you developed.” He turned to view his group lying in various states of having been put in their places.
“Not that it went as well as pitched by Taeyo.” He finished while turning a scowl to the boy who led Kuro to them.
“Pfft” I couldn't help but chuckle at how ridiculous it was to take Taeyo’s opinion for anything. The man was a rat through and through. Kicked out of a group and immediately scurried to find new coattails to cling to by selling out his old friends.
‘At least he is consistent in his behavior.’ I thought to myself while standing. I couldn’t wait to get away from these idiots who thought that they could take Resh’s group with me leading it when no one could take me by myself.
I clapped once to bring everyone's attention to me, a couple flinched at the sound which made me happier than it should.
“Here is what is going to happen. You wanted to turn this into a scuffle between groups, I have proven that is not gonna turn out well for you.” I let a natural smile form on my face. The one I had seen on Kuro’s face in cutscenes that would send a shiver down my spine through a screen. Given the way everyone shuddered it had the desired effect of unnerving them as I continued.
“Or I can fold you into my group under Resh. He wants to expand and I am sure he will take you in, he might even give you a position of authority. Or he won’t, I don’t really care one way or another. BUT…” I stop pointing out Taeyo. “...the rat is excluded from this offer and your acceptance under my wing is contingent on making the next week of his life unbearable in the same way he did to someone else.” The words were more a rage filled snarl as I finished making my demand.
The reactions between the two could not have been further apart. The unnamed leader of this band of delinquents lit up with joy despite his obvious discomfort from his rapidly developing bruises. While Teayo paled and his jaw dropped in horror like his whole world just came crashing down around him.
“Deal.” The now ex-group leader shouted whilst scrambling to his feet as Taeyo turned to him in abject horror.
“You can’t be seriou…” The sound of Taeyo being socked across the face with the largest left hook I have seen since arriving in this world echoes across the roof. The distinct meaty sound of flesh hitting flesh and Taeyo is knocked out sprawled across the roof.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
I pat my new underling on the shoulder as I walk by. “Good job, he has had enough for today. Get in touch with Resh before the end of today and find Taeyo for the next five days. If he doesn’t come to school then reset his five days without telling him why.”
I start to leave but stop in my tracks when I think of a certain tan skinned gremlin who seemed to enjoy seeing his bully get what was coming to him. I slide my phone out of my pocket full of unfamiliar apps and open up the camera and grab a picture of Taeyo laid across the ground.
‘He’ll like this.’ I think as I slide the phone back into my pocket and leave the rooftop.
***
Ren had heard of some of what Kuro had been doing around the school from rumors but seeing it firsthand in the alley was playtime in comparison to what he did to Taeyo.
If he was being honest he felt a little shameful getting turned on while watching his childhood friend turned crush, turned bully getting his ass handed to him in biblical proportions.
Everyone had settled into uncomfortable whispering gossip after Kuro took Taeyo from the classroom to track down whichever morons thought it was a good idea to pick a fight with his new boyfriend. He thought about going to watch what was gonna happen but he was too embarrassed by the bulge in his pants to stand up. He hated how long it took himself to calm down but luckily everyone was busy whispering to each other to notice anything amiss with him.
Eventually the teacher did arrive and began doing roll call. He paused when he called for Kuro which caused a profound silence to settle over the class.
“Well?” He began scanning the room for someone to speak up. “Does anyone know where my resident troublemaker is today?”
No one said anything.
‘If no one is gonna sell him out, maybe I can win some points with my new crush.’
He raised his hand catching the teacher's attention. “Kuro took a boy from a different class to the nurses office.”
The sly smile that slid into place as he watched everyone in the room refuse to correct him on events was cathartic.
“And why was a student from another class here?” The teacher asked him.
He shrugged. He really didn’t know what caused Kuro to thrash the guy so badly but he would not say no if someone offered him a recording of the event. He was pretty sure he caught a few guys sliding phones into pockets after Kuro left. Everyone loves recording fights.
With roll call finished class started until a while later the sound of the door opening stopped the class. Kuro re-entered through the back set of sliding doors. His clothes sported fresh droplets of blood in places despite the man himself looking completely unharmed. An unnatural quiet settled over everyone as they waited for the proverbial shoe to drop.
The teacher eventually broke the silence. “Kuro I was told you took a boy to the infirmary before class.” He seemed to be actively ignoring the evidence of Kuro engaging in “on campus violence” which was a violation that could result in expulsion for anyone else.
Kuro, striding confidently to his seat, replied while reaching over Ren’s shoulder to sit a folded piece of paper onto his open textbook. “He was not feeling well. Sorry about not telling you beforehand sir. I will try not to be late for class again.”
Kuro scratched the back of his head through his hair which sent a tingle down his spine.
The teacher and pretty much everyone else in class was surprised by how polite Kuro addressed the teacher.
“Good, see that you at least leave a note before leaving class when I am not here.”
“Yes sir.” Kuro said while taking his seat and turning to look out the window.
‘Ugh why is he cool when being nice to the teacher too. And what was with him giving me scratches like a pet? AND WHY DID IT FEEL NICE? Life isn’t fair.’ Ren was sulking while opening up the folded paper Kuro sat in front of him.
It turned out to be a note.
Took our “mutual friend” up to the roof to teach him and some people a lesson. I grabbed a picture of him on my phone since it seemed like something you would like to see. Gimme your number after class and I can send it to you my little Gremlin~
-Kuro
‘Well that might be the smoothest way someone has asked for my number ever.’ In middle school Ren was a delinquent and attractive which had several girls ask for his number before everyone around him grew more masculine while he remained cute and dainty. A lot less girls were into him then, not that he cared about that given what he learned about himself over time.
Never had his heart fluttered getting asked for his number the way it just did reading Kuro’s note.
“It must be nice being so handsome. White haired goth bastard.” He muttered to himself despite the blush and smile he was wearing. And started writing his own note to give over with his number on it.
When he looked over to throw it to Kuro it turned out he was staring at him with a smug smile tugging the corners of his lips up. He then mouthed words that caused Ren’s heart to start doing backflips.
“I heard that cutie.”
He threw the folded up note over the several desks separating the two of them. He did not know how Kuro managed to hear him but he could feel his face and neck heating up with embarrassment.
‘Maybe if I disappear I can salvage what's left of my dwindling dignity. Nah that is impossible. At least he thinks I’m cute so that is a huge win I guess.’