M I S F I T S

xvi. bloodline rebellion

Tomi could see Yuqi narrowing her eyes at her. "Two more students went missing this week. Both seniors. One from Shenzhen, and the other from Yokohama." Yuqi paused for a few seconds, so Tomi could process the information. "My sources have also been telling me—"

"Sources?" Tomi raised her eyebrow at Yuqi.

"It's best for you guy's safety that you remain in the dark for that. Anyways, they have been telling me that a student from 1-2, Hwang Hyunjin—known for his exceptional stamina—has been acting odd lately. Someone with a close relationship with Hwang Hyunjin even said he might be bipolar now. Though he is born and raised here, his family resides in the States. In other words, the zaibatsu or NPS are still conducting— whatever the fuck it is they're doing, and Hwang Hyunjin is checking all the boxes for a student who will be disappearing any time now."

Tomi felt her breaths were getting heavier. She didn't know what to say nor how to react to that information dump. All she could think of at that moment was her mother. Could her mother be where all the missing students are? Tomi doesn't even know if the Mishima or Nakamoto have her for sure.

Except now she knows about her clan's alleged power and how much it means, allegedly, to the Nakamoto. So if she helps Yuqi find out more about the missing student phenomenon, maybe it would somehow lead to her mother whereabouts. At least that's what she's holding on to.

"It doesn't end there. My sources also reported about Roseanne Park, from 3-2. One of the councils, head of the Baji Quan club. She had been missing a lot of classes lately. Though none of them had said anything about personality shifts... they did describe her as someone who does not seem healthy. Don't you think it's a bit odd how one council member is a highly possible target and they appointed a new one right away? As if they were ready to distract everyone from her inevitable disappearance with dishonoring NPS' council coronation culture and also having to recruit a scholarship winner with a Kyu rank?"

Tomi noticed she had been staring at Yuqi for quite some time, lost in her own thoughts.

"I will see what I can get out of Lee Taeyong," Tomi finally said and inhaled a shaky breath.

Yuqi waited if Tomi had more to say, but she remained silent. Yuqi understood it must've been too much information for her to process, plus all her new student problems to tackle, there must be a lot on her plate right now.

Yuqi invited her to join the others to have dinner in the city as if it'd help with the depressing news she had dump on her, but Tomi declined. "Thank you, Kazama." Yuqi forced a smile, but she was feeling genuine about it. "Stay safe."

Tomi nodded, and Yuqi left hesitantly as she'd never seen Tomi that bothered before. It did make her worry a bit, but thought it was better to leave Tomi to process everything alone.

As soon as Yuqi left, Tomi had a sudden drive to do something that she hates doing: she's going to confront someone. It suddenly dawned on her, what if Nakamoto Yuta was right? That Juyeon was hiding something, maybe it has something to do with the students disappearing. Maybe it was worth the try.

She really didn't want to believe or have the thought of Juyeon himself having a hand in the disappearances, but Nakamoto Yuta had certainly planted a huge doubt in her about Juyeon. Anything could be possible and she just had to accept the truth.

Or maybe she wanted to do it just for the sake of finding out the truth— if Juyeon really has been lying to her all this time, and what are the things he is hiding from her.

Tomi exited the dojo without dwelling in her thoughts anymore, and did not forget to securely lock it.

When she was outside of the dojo, she heard people at the opposite end of the hallway. She saw Nakamoto Yuta exiting the Nakamoto dojo,