The maze vanished.

Yukian stumbled forward, gasping.

Cold metal. Fluorescent lights.

She was back.

The sterile hallways of the facility stretched before her, completely unchanged—as if nothing had happened.

Her heart pounded.

She turned, looking for the door she had entered through.

But—it was gone.

Like it had never existed.

Her phone buzzed violently.

"A BODY HAS BEEN DISCOVERED."
"ALL PLAYERS, REPORT TO THE MAIN HALL."

Her breath hitched.

A body?

She didn't have time to think.

She sprinted down the halls, ignoring the throbbing pain in her bloodied knuckles.

When she reached the main hall, the others were already gathered.

Tension hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

The body wasn't here—but the fear was.

Sayaka's gray eyes were sharp. "Took you long enough."

Mikio smirked slightly. "Interesting. Someone looks like they've had a rough time."

Before Yukian could respond—

A slow, mocking clap filled the room.

Shuntaro.

Leaning casually against the railing, hood up, blue eyes glowing with amusement.

"Well, well, well," he drawled.

He nodded toward her bloody hands.

"Someone's looking awfully guilty."

The group stiffened.

Haruka inhaled sharply. Ami took a step back.

Even Renji's usual stone-faced expression cracked.

Yukian's stomach dropped.

He was setting her up.

Shuntaro smirked, tilting his head.

"Care to explain, sweetheart?"

The room was silent.

All eyes were on her.

Yukian clenched her fists, her bloody knuckles burning.

Shuntaro's smirk never wavered.

"Care to explain, sweetheart?"

His voice was calm, amused. But the weight of his words was dangerous.

The group was already doubting her.

Sayaka's cold gaze flickered to her hands.

Renji crossed his arms.

Mikio adjusted his glasses, smirking like he was enjoying a show.

Haruka shifted nervously, looking away.

Souta yawned, but his half-lidded eyes stayed locked on her.

Then—

Someone stepped forward.

Itsuki.

The nervous green-haired guy.

His hands shook slightly, but his voice was clear.

"Wait, hold on!" he stammered. "She—She wasn't even here when the body was found!"

The group paused.

Itsuki swallowed hard. "T-The announcement happened just a minute ago. She wasn't anywhere nearby before that! She... she couldn't have done it!"

Yukian's eyes narrowed.

Why is he defending me?

Shuntaro chuckled. "Oh? And how would you know where she was, exactly?"

Itsuki froze.

Mikio smirked. "Good point. Unless you knew where she was."

The air shifted.

Now, suspicion wasn't just on Yukian.

It was on Itsuki, too.

He turned pale. "N-No! I was just saying—!"

Sayaka exhaled sharply. "This is getting us nowhere. We need facts, not accusations."

The tension in the room stayed thick.

But for now—Yukian wasn't the only target.

The air was heavy.

Everyone's eyes were still on her.

Itsuki had tried to defend her. And now? He was under suspicion, too.

Yukian exhaled sharply.

She needed to take control of the situation.

"I didn't kill anyone."

Her voice was calm. Firm.

Shuntaro's smirk lingered. "Then what's with the bloody hands, sweetheart?"

Yukian's gaze didn't waver.

"I broke a mirror."

Silence.

Somewhere in the group, someone inhaled sharply.

Sayaka narrowed her eyes. "A mirror?"

Yukian nodded.

"I was doing my task in Electrical. I... I heard something behind me. When I turned around, there was nothing there, but..."

Her voice lowered slightly.

"There was a door."

Haruka blinked. "A... door?"

The group shifted slightly.

Renji's frown deepened. "There are no doors in Electrical."

Mikio smirked. "Lying already?"

"I'm not lying," Yukian snapped. "The door was there. And when I opened it... I was taken somewhere else."

The atmosphere changed.

Ami took a step back. "T-Taken where...?"

Yukian hesitated.

Would they even believe her?

Screw it.

"I was trapped in a mirror maze," she said flatly. "It was a mini-game. A hidden one."

Shuntaro's smirk faltered.

Mikio's expression finally changed—his smug amusement flickering into curiosity.

"A hidden event?" he mused. "How convenient."

"I don't care if you believe me," Yukian muttered. "I had to find the exit before time ran out, or I would've died. The mirrors were illusions. I started breaking them to escape. That's how I hurt my hands."

Silence.

The group was absorbing her words.

But then—

Sayaka scoffed. "That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."

The tension snapped.

Haruka inhaled sharply. "W-Wait, what if she's telling the truth?"

Sayaka's gray eyes were sharp. "A secret mini-game? With no proof? How convenient that you were gone the exact moment someone died."

The group murmured.

Mikio smirked. "Yeah. Pretty suspicious."

Yukian's chest tightened.

This wasn't working.

She could feel it.

They were already against her.

Shuntaro leaned forward, blue eyes glinting.

"So tell us, sweetheart," he murmured.

"If this 'hidden game' really happened..."

He tilted his head.

"Why were you the only one who found it?"

The group stilled.

Yukian clenched her jaw.

She didn't have an answer.

And they knew it.