The Assassin In Twisted Wonderland

The Assassin, The Mentor and The Octavinelle Vice House Warden

Tokaku went to the infirmary for treatment. When the nurse examined her, she confirmed that Tokaku had a bruise on her arm, caused by Kaiba's forceful grip. The nurse recommended applying ointment and using a warm pack on the bruise. Tokaku nodded in understanding and left the infirmary, where she found Jack and Epel waiting for her. They inquired about her treatment.

"I have a bruise on my arm. The nurse suggested using a warm pack and ointment on the affected area," Tokaku explained.

"Seriously! Kaiba really did a number on you," Jack grumbled.

"That's just his way during our fights. Please don't worry about me," Tokaku pleaded.

"What are friends for if not to be concerned? It's part of our bond," Jack pointed out.

"Listen! I don't worry about myself and never will. Do you know why? Because you, Epel, and Jade are my only concerns. So stop worrying about me getting hurt," Tokaku said, her voice tinged with momentary anger.

"Tokaku, why can't you care about yourself?" Epel asked, causing Tokaku to fall silent.

"It's because of self-hatred," she replied, leaving Jack and Epel taken aback. "As much as I despise Kaiba, I detest myself even more." Her blue eyes cast downward, revealing a brief sadness. Then, she walked away. Jack asked where she was going, while Epel called for her to wait up. Tokaku stopped and turned to address them. "I need to prepare for my Pharmacy class, so I'm going ahead to the pharmacy lab. You guys should go to your elective classes." With that, she left her friends. Sensing the change in her demeanor, Jack and Epel realized that they must have upset Tokaku to the extent that she chose to leave without asking them to accompany her as she usually did. Furthermore, they felt troubled upon hearing Tokaku admit that she loathed herself more than her former mentor.

A while ago, after attending her Pharmacy class, Tokaku was returning to Octavinelle until she accidentally bumped into Kaiba in the hallway. Kaiba waved, greeting and calling her. Tokaku responded to him with a sharp glare.

"Aww. Is that face saying that you are mad with me because I hurt you during our little fight back then?" Kaiba asked.

"What do you want?" she asked, her monotonous tone tinged with a brief anger.

"I just want to apologize for causing you to meet the nurse," Kaiba said. "But, you know, it's true that you have become weak."

Tokaku scoffed. "I don't engage in fighting anymore. It's one of the school's rules, expressly forbidding any form of physical altercation."

"Since when did I say that you have to fight to be strong?" Kaiba said, causing Tokaku to fall silent.

"I said you're weak not because you don't fight anymore. I mean, it's true that you don't fight, but you continue with your assassin exercises. What I mean is that you're usually cold and distant, but now, your heart is starting to thaw. I've noticed that you've become vulnerable to your friends and the dear vice house warden," Kaiba explained.

"I have to be vulnerable for them," Tokaku said.

"Why?" Kaiba asked.

"Because I love them," Tokaku replied, causing Kaiba to fall silent. "During my time here in Twisted Wonderland, I never asked for friendship or any relationship with a few students here. But they approached me like a force, or like fate. I've formed friendships with Jack and Epel. I've developed a warm relationship with Jade. These are things that I wished to avoid, but they came into my life for good reasons. And I'm grateful to have them as people I warmly welcome into my life," she explained.

"So if you still consider me weak, I don't care. As long as you don't bother Jade and my friends," she said before leaving Kaiba behind.

After his student was gone, standing in the hallway, Kaiba smirked,reflecting her sentence. " As long as I don't bother Jade and her friends, huh?"