The Enraged Xiaobai

“Xiaobai, time to wake up.”I, having already retrieved a lace bra, sat beside the still-sleeping Xiaobai and gently shook her.I mused that her muscle soreness should be a bit better today.There was a chance she might resist, so I had to be ready to hold her firmly.

“Ugh…” Xiaobai groaned, her eyes still heavy with sleep as she frowned, a clear expression of displeasure on her face.

‘Was her muscle soreness still that severe?’

“Are your muscles still very sore?” I asked, observing her narrow her eyes and cover her head with her arm, seemingly with no intention of resisting today.

“Ugh—it’s much better than yesterday,” Xiaobai replied, her voice trailing off, “but my lower back is still in a terrible state…”

Trembling slightly, Xiaobai struggled to prop herself up from the bed, her head bowed and hair disheveled, making her appear quite fatigued.

‘Why did she seem so sleepy?’

‘Had she not slept well last night?’

“Would you like to try putting on your bra yourself today?” I asked, extending the lace bra towards her, who still kept her head down.

Given her lack of resistance, I thought it might be possible.

As a girl, she absolutely had to learn how to put on her own bra.

“Alright…” Xiaobai murmured, her head still lowered, her voice devoid of any discernible emotion.

‘What was going on?’

‘Xiaobai’s response didn’t feel like an agreement or resignation; rather, it was imbued with a sense of indifference.’

‘Something about it felt utterly amiss.’

Accepting the lace bra with her head still bowed, Xiaobai remained seated on the bed, her bathrobe half-slipped to reveal her upper body.

Bending slightly at the waist, she positioned the bra cups over her magnificent chest, then, with her hands behind her back, she struggled to fasten the hooks, repeatedly fumbling them up and down.

“Hmmnnngh—tsk—”

‘She clicked her tongue.’

Xiaobai’s face remained obscured by her hanging hair, but a distinct sound of discontent emanated from her.

Indeed, it was common for someone to struggle when fastening a back-clasp bra for the first time.

I vaguely recalled my own initial attempts with a back-clasp bra.

While front-clasp bras existed, they were absolutely not recommended given Xiaobai’s size!

“Hmmnnngh—AHHHHH!!!!”

Suddenly, a tearing sound accompanied a loud yell from Xiaobai, whose face was still hidden by her bowed head, startling me immensely.

I had not anticipated that failing to fasten a bra hook would provoke such intense anger in her.

‘But… what was that tearing sound?’

‘No way…’

“Leidi… it broke…” Xiaobai said, her voice chillingly cold, as she finally lifted her head and presented the lace bra, now in two shredded pieces, before my eyes.

The utterly catastrophic extent of its destruction was truly terrifying.

‘However…’

“Gulp—” I involuntarily swallowed, cold sweat nearly trickling down my back.

Although her entire face remained obscured by her hair, the glint in Xiaobai’s eyes, visible through the strands, was more terrifying than that of the Grim Reaper itself.

‘Was she going to devour me whole?’

“T-today, I’ll do it again…”

My voice trembling slightly, I retrieved the now-shredded lace bra from Xiaobai’s hand.

I then turned and walked back towards the closet.

“…”

Xiaobai remained utterly silent behind me, a silence that was utterly unnerving.

‘What had gotten into her today?’

****

“Leidi, what’s wrong with Xiaobai?” Brother Mingdao asked from the passenger seat, his voice laced with concern as he glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

Since getting into the car, Xiaobai had been leaning against the window with her eyes closed, yet she was definitely not asleep.

Her brows were tightly furrowed.

“I’m not sure,” I admitted, “but it doesn’t seem to be muscle soreness.”

I turned to look at her, a knot of worry forming in my stomach.

Normally, Xiaobai would offer an explanation or two upon hearing such a question, but now, she remained utterly silent.

‘This was far too abnormal.’

“Are you feeling unwell?” I asked, gently nudging her.

“Just be quiet, let me rest…” Xiaobai replied without opening her eyes, her brow still deeply furrowed.

Her tone was laced with both a command and obvious displeasure.

“…”

“…”

Through the rearview mirror, Brother Mingdao and I exchanged solemn nods.

‘If anything seemed amiss with Xiaobai at school, I would immediately take her back home.’

****

Upon exiting the car, Xiaobai finally opened her eyes, yet her face was set in an unapproachable expression.

Students on their way to school cast all sorts of glances our way, as they always did.

But this time, Xiaobai…

She did not cling to me like a frightened bird, intimidated by their stares.

Nor did she exude her usual spirited arrogance, dismissing everything around her.

Instead, she…

She glared directly back at the students who were whispering about us.

The aura Xiaobai now emanated could not be described as the ‘cold allure’ typically similar to mine.

This was… an oppressive presence.

Even with Xiaobai’s pure and adorable face, her current expression revealed a truly terrifying oppressive presence.

The students she glared at quickly averted their gazes and fell silent, not daring to utter another sound.

The walk to school this time was… unusually quiet.

It was the same upon entering the school gates.

Faced with the annoying clicks of camera shutters, Xiaobai simply plugged her ears and silently ignored them, her occasional glances conveying nothing but ‘boredom’ and ‘annoyance.’

‘This was terrifying… I really should just take Xiaobai home.’

“Xiaobai, perhaps we should just go back home today…” I suggested, forcing a smile, hoping she would agree.

“We’re already at the entrance? Why go back?” Xiaobai retorted, her brow slightly furrowed, rejecting me with an impassive expression.

‘Why?’

Xiaobai never spoke to me with such a sharp, almost hostile tone.

She was definitely not herself.

“Whoosh—”

As she opened her shoe locker, a cascade of envelopes, as usual, tumbled out of Xiaobai’s compartment.

However, this time, with a vexed expression, she scooped them up handful by handful and tossed them into a nearby trash can.

‘Xiaobai was never this rough.’

On the way to our classroom, Xiaobai did not glare at the students who watched us, yet none dared to approach us.

Everyone instinctively felt they shouldn’t come near us—no, more accurately, they instinctively felt they shouldn’t come near Xiaobai.

Filled with unease, we entered the classroom in the order of “Xiaobai first, I behind.”

“Hi~Bye—uhm…”

Before she could finish her greeting, Takagi, who had stepped forward to address us, immediately clamped her mouth shut.

This was followed by a sudden silence that enveloped the entire classroom.

Everyone was intimidated by Xiaobai’s oppressive aura.

Under the silent, bewildered gazes of everyone, Xiaobai alone walked ahead to her seat, then quietly slumped onto her desk, burying her face.

I, too, led a somewhat dazed Takagi back to our seats.

“Leidi-chan, what’s wrong with Bye-chan? She seems so scary…” Aki whispered into my ear, completely disregarding the still-dazed Takagi.

“Yes, she’s really frightening…” Ami added, clearly worried about Xiaobai.

“I don’t know either,” I said, offering an apologetic look to them, no longer even capable of a wry smile.

I turned back, gazing worriedly at Xiaobai, who remained slumped over her desk, her face hidden.

‘Could we truly get through today at school safely?’

****

Throughout the entire morning, whether during class or break time, Xiaobai remained quietly slumped over her desk.

Although I couldn’t tell if she was sleeping, she hadn’t even gone to the restroom once.

Fortunately, she finally lifted her head around noon.

Overwhelmed with worry, I contacted Ruka sister.

Now, the three of us sat on the grass beside the sports field.

Despite it being lunchtime, none of us had any appetite for our bento boxes.

“Ping-chan, if you don’t tell us, we’ll keep worrying…” Ruka sister said, gently stroking Xiaobai’s shoulder with a worried expression, “At least tell Leidi-chan.”

“…” With her head still bowed, Xiaobai remained silent for a long moment.

When she finally lifted her head after a considerable pause, it revealed a fiercely scowling face, her brows tightly furrowed.

“So annoying… so loud…” Xiaobai muttered, pressing her hands against her temples as if trying to endure something.

‘What exactly was wrong with Xiaobai… I was so worried.’

Suddenly!

Xiaobai and Ruka sister swiftly turned their gazes towards me!

But even faster than Ruka sister, and ignoring the surprise on my face, Xiaobai quickly pushed my head down.

“Thwack!”

A loud sound echoed!

Xiaobai had caught something with her right hand, something that had been flying straight towards my head!

Xiaobai quickly stood up, her gaze fixed behind me, so piercingly sharp it felt as though it could impale someone.

‘What terrifying eyes…’

“Calm down!” Ruka sister exclaimed, quickly grabbing Xiaobai’s suddenly raised right hand and taking the object from her.

It was a baseball.

‘Had Xiaobai just intended to throw it back?!’

‘Was her heart rate truly at one hundred thirty-five beats per minute already?!!!’

“…I’m sorry…” Xiaobai muttered, her head still bowed, as she silently walked towards the sports field, “Let me be alone for a bit…”

“Xiaobai…”

I stood up, worried, intending to follow her, but Ruka sister pressed the baseball into my hand.

“Leidi, first, return this baseball to the student behind you,” Ruka sister instructed, her tone becoming serious.

“I’ll follow her.”

‘Was she warning me to keep my distance?’

I also knew I didn’t possess the confidence to stop Xiaobai in her current state.

“I am so incredibly sorry! You two aren’t hurt, are you?”

“No, we’re fine…”

Absentmindedly, I handed the baseball to the boy who was frantically bowing and apologizing to me, my mind solely focused on getting this over with.

I absolutely had to follow them.

“DAMN IT!!!!” Xiaobai’s utterly furious roar echoed from the sports field!

I immediately spun around, witnessing a ball soaring across the entire field at an incredibly high speed!

Looking in the opposite direction from where the ball had flown, I saw Xiaobai already running, with Ruka sister close behind her!

“Xiaobai!!!”

Abandoning the boy who was still apologizing to me, I ran with all my might in their direction.

‘Please, don’t let anything happen!’

But,

“Ha—ha—ha—!”

I hadn’t run far before I was already gasping for breath, my heart pounding as if it might burst.

‘This was useless!’

‘With my complete lack of physical stamina, I couldn’t possibly catch up to them!’

‘They were rapidly disappearing from my sight!’

‘What should I do!’

‘What *can* I do!!!’

“Colt-chan! What’s wrong?!”

“—Ha—ha—Ao-Aoyama?!”

Aoyama, looking surprised, ran towards me from beside me, with a group of girls trailing far behind him.

“I was just heading to the cafeteria,” he explained, “then I heard a loud noise and ran over. Why do you look so pale?!”

It seemed he had been drawn over by Xiaobai’s furious shout earlier.

“Now—ha—is not—ha—the time for this!” I gasped, pointing strenuously at Xiaobai and Ruka sister, who were almost out of sight ahead.

“She! She!!!”

“What’s going on? Do you want to catch them?” Aoyama asked quickly, steadying my swaying shoulders.

Unable to speak, I nodded vigorously.

“I’ll help you!”

“Eh?! Hey?!!!”

Disregarding my resistance, Aoyama lifted me into a princess carry.

Ignoring the screams of the girls behind us, he then sprinted swiftly towards Xiaobai and Ruka sister.

“Don’t worry!” Aoyama reassured me, glancing down with a confident smile, “I’m very confident in my stamina! Hold on tight!!!”

He looked remarkably unfazed.

“Whoosh~~”

The air around us whipped past like a gale.

‘So fast! Much faster than me!’

‘If this kept up, we might actually catch them!’

“Thank you…” I murmured, my head bowed in Aoyama’s broad embrace.

My voice was so faint, I wasn’t sure if he had heard me, but now, I could only rely on him.

As these thoughts raced through my mind, my grip on Aoyama’s clothes involuntarily tightened.

…

…

…

“Hey! Colt-chan!” Aoyama exclaimed, looking down at me in his arms with a surprised expression, “Your sister and that Senior are incredible, aren’t they?! Are they doing parkour?! How do they get everywhere?!”

Aoyama continued to voice his astonishment to me in his arms, while I simply lowered my head and remained silent.

‘He caught up…’

‘Aoyama truly caught up to Xiaobai and Ruka sister…’

‘While carrying me…’

‘And what’s more…’

The student-used water fountain… the cactus garden… various fences and corners of differing heights… Aoyama had followed every bizarre path Xiaobai had frantically taken.

‘While carrying me…’

‘Was he… truly human?’

“Ah! They ran into the school building! I’ll put you down first!”

With an abrupt stop at the entrance, Aoyama gently set me down.

The screams and camera clicks of the surrounding students immediately erupted.

‘You spectators…’

‘Can’t you just calm down? The camera shutters haven’t stopped since he picked me up!’

“I’ll try to work with that Senior to catch your sister, don’t worry!” Aoyama said, without looking back, as he ran directly into the school building.

“Thank you! I’ll follow right away!”

Under the watchful eyes of the students, Aoyama and I gradually widened our distance within the school building until he vanished from my sight.

‘Xiaobai… if you don’t stop… I’m going to be completely censored in the news, one hundred percent!’

However, just as I was pondering this, Xiaobai and Ruka sister flew out from a staircase ahead!

‘Their bodies were horizontal in the air?!’

It seemed Xiaobai had lost consciousness!

“Xiaobai!!!”

I rushed towards them,

But!

‘It was too late!’

‘Xiaobai’s head would hit the ground!’

Whoosh——————

Like a sudden gust of wind,

A familiar figure lunged out from beneath the staircase, catching the unconscious Xiaobai just in time!

Then, carried by inertia, they slid a distance across the floor before slamming hard into the wall!

“Senior! I caught her!!!”

Aoyama, thank you so much!!!!!

“Well done, Junior!”

Ruka sister, having landed steadily, immediately ran towards Aoyama, and I quickly followed.

The surrounding students also immediately gathered to watch.

“Is everyone alright?!”

Ruka sister and I immediately took Xiaobai from Aoyama’s arms.

‘She was so heavy…’

“Ah! Blood! So much blood!” Suddenly, the onlookers pointed at Xiaobai, screaming in fright.

‘What was happening? Was there blood?! Was Xiaobai injured?!’

I immediately looked down at Xiaobai.

A crimson stain!

Her skirt was steadily dripping a terrible red!

Aoyama’s clothes were also stained!

“Ruka sister?!!!” I looked at Ruka sister in a panic, ‘What was going on?!’

“I can only say she’s alright for now…” Ruka sister’s expression was a little awkward.

‘I didn’t understand what she meant? Was Xiaobai really okay?! She was bleeding so much!’

“Sorry… I’m dizzy… blood…” Aoyama, still lying on the ground, his eyes suddenly unfocused, fainted.

‘No matter what… thank you for your hard work!’

‘Good grief!’

‘Someone tell me what in the world is happening!!!’