Chapter Thirteen: Please, Don’t Look at Me...

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Yu Taya’s sudden rush into his room on Saturday night, burdened with thoughts and unable to speak, was a matter Fujiang cared about deeply—very deeply. Seizing the opportunity while Yu Taya was away, she secretly forged a pact with little Fujiang: to find every possible way to uncover the reason behind Yu Taya’s sullen expression.

Fujiang had considered directly asking him, but given Yu Taya’s temperament, no one could force him to speak about matters he wished to keep private.

The key was that her own abilities were ineffective on him—while she could easily influence men, and even women, Yu Taya was immune.

So, despite her intense concern, Fujiang never pressed him.

Yet somewhere along the way, had she also learned to consider others?

Sitting at her desk, Fujiang frowned, visibly troubled, which made the other boys in the class worry.

But all the boys knew that although Fujiang appeared lovely and charming, there was an invisible chasm between her and everyone else.

No one could get too close without her permission—not even a little.

Yu Taya was unaware of Fujiang’s inner conflict; instead, his mind was occupied with the issue of Kayako. The first certainty was that she attended the same university as him.

But the problem was, Yu Taya had never seen her. Though, considering the university’s vast size, it was hardly surprising.

Moreover, with her striking appearance—if it weren’t for her cold and reclusive nature—

She wouldn’t have remained unknown in the university. At least, her name would have been heard, if not her reputation soaring as Fujiang’s had.

Yet more than this, Yu Taya was preoccupied with a question that had come to him unintentionally before he fell asleep the previous night: the relationship between the curse and Kayako.

He regarded the curse and Kayako as separate entities.

If the strength of a ghost’s spiritual power were measured solely by the magnitude of their grudge, then many in this world had suffered far worse than Kayako.

So the fact that the curse transformed Kayako into a ghost with physical immunity, infinite resurrection, endless replication, shape-shifting, and the ability to spread malevolent intent was clearly abnormal.

The source of the problem, then, must lie with Kayako herself. After all, in the American version of the curse, her mother had continuously fed the malicious spirit to her.

For an ordinary person, let alone digest or absorb such a thing, surviving possession by an evil spirit would be a blessing of fortune.

Therefore, Yu Taya was inclined to believe that Kayako’s unique nature caused the curse to select her as its host, rather than Kayako herself becoming the curse.

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In some ways, this also explained why, once possessed by the curse, Kayako killed indiscriminately—all under the curse’s control.

Speaking of which, in the original story, Shunsuke Kobayashi was the only one capable of resolving Kayako’s curse.

Unfortunately, the last time Kayako regained consciousness as a malevolent spirit, Shunsuke was overwhelmed with grief after his wife was brutally murdered.

He did not respond to Kayako’s call in time and showed fear, which caused Kayako to lose her self-awareness completely and merge with the curse.

Fujiang was better; at least she...

Well, Fujiang wasn’t entirely safe either. Yu Taya doubted that without his subtle guidance over the years, and his help in managing her various split personalities, the island would already be rife with legends of Fujiang.

Yu Taya’s debt to Fujiang was truly immeasurable.

Stretching and yawning, Yu Taya headed straight for the restroom.

Thanks to the island’s strict anti-smoking regulations and the school’s rigorous enforcement, the area outside the restroom was free of smoke.

Unlike his previous life as a student, where the restroom entrance was shrouded in a thick haze—a frightening sight.

Sometimes, explicit rules were far more effective than verbal warnings because they carried real consequences.

After simply attending to one of life’s five basic physiological needs and sighing with relief, Yu Taya washed his hands and turned to leave.

Just as he was about to exit, he heard what sounded like a romantic dispute down the hallway.

Driven by curiosity—or perhaps the desire to watch a spectacle—Yu Taya decided to check it out.

After all, a scene of a girl bleeding profusely was quite thrilling.

Reflecting on the island’s persistently high infidelity rates, it was hard to tell if this culture had already taken root during their school days. Openness always came with a price.

Though invisible now, when such issues surfaced later, they became difficult to manage.

Shaking his head, Yu Taya had no interest in getting involved.

Just as he was about to turn away, a loud bang sounded as someone’s head struck the wall, making him involuntarily turn back.

That was a harsh blow—and to the head, no less. Did these people not fear consequences?

They were university students; basic legal awareness was expected. Surely, they weren’t courting a legitimate self-defense claim from their opponent?

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Yu Taya instinctively wanted to intervene but reconsidered—only heaven knew how complicated romantic disputes were. Reckless interference would only bring trouble.

As he shook his head, preparing to leave, a glimpse through a narrow gap caught his attention: a girl sitting against the wall on the floor, her white socks adorned with blue diamond patterns around her ankles.

Upon closer inspection, he realized he wasn’t mistaken—those were the socks he had personally given to Kayako.

Yu Taya’s pupils dilated sharply as he pushed past several girls and stepped inside.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“...Kayako?” they stammered.

Yu Taya’s sudden question stunned the group momentarily.

Kayako, sitting on the floor, filthy and trembling, let out the only sound she had made since being beaten.

“Kay… Yu Taya-kun…”

Seeing Kayako’s tear-filled eyes and tightly pressed lips, fighting back sobs, a fierce fire ignited in Yu Taya’s heart.

Hearing her weak, nasal whisper made his chest ache deeply.

“May I ask—has she offended you in some way?” he inquired.

“Huh? Who are you? Just because she didn’t provoke you doesn’t mean—”

Smack!

Before the sentence finished, the sharp slap of a hand against a cheek rang out.

Yu Taya acted without hesitation, his punch landing heavily in the abdomen of the nearest girl, catching them all off guard.

The other two attempted to flee, but Yu Taya was not about to let them escape.

As he chased the fleeing girls, the campus loudspeakers began to play the song “Farewell Is Today.”

Under the astonished gazes of nearby students, Yu Taya—angry but retaining the basic restraint not to kill—released his fury like a towering, enraged beast.

Kayako watched in a daze, her silent witness to the storm of rage unleashed on her behalf.