The Return Of The Exiled Villain

"G-gray... w-why are you...?" Selveria stammered, her body trembling in fear as the strings held by Gray slowly pierced her neck.

They still weren't strong enough to actually damage her neck, but it was more than enough to instill fear.

[You really come up with the worst ideas, don't you?]

'Shut it,' Gray muttered inwardly, his black eyes fixed on Frederic.

The older boy stood shaking in pure rage, his fists clenched so tightly that blood dripped between his fingers, staining the polished floor of the infirmary.

"Haa...," Gray sighed softly, almost bored.

Then, with that same lazy smirk, he decided to play a little more.

"G-Gray!?" Selveria gasped as his arm slid around her waist, pulling her slightly closer. His breath brushed against the back of her neck as he leaned in.

"…You really smell good," he whispered near her ear, tone calm and teasing. "Is that perfume… or just how you naturally smell?"

He sniffed, his nose brushing against her neck softly.

"Ah—! G-Gray, stop!" she stammered, face flushing red in panic.

"HUH?!" Frederic's breath hitched.

His eyes widened, veins bulging in his neck as pure fury burst from his body.

"YOU FUCKER!! LET HER GO, AND I WON'T KILL YOU!!"

BOOOOM!!

His aura exploded in a violent shockwave, scattering papers and rattling the cabinets around them.

The air itself grew heavy with pressure.

But Gray's smiling expression didn't change as he moved his hand a little lower across Selveria's waist, replying coldly.

"Then don't watch, can't you see we're having a moment here?"

"YOU MOTHERFUCKERRR!!!"

Frederic roared and dashed forward, his sword cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.

Gray instantly pulled Selveria tighter, shifting her slightly to his right, just enough to place her directly between them.

"DAMMIT!" Frederic stopped mid-swing, the sword trembling inches from her shoulder.

Gray's foot shot forward, kicking Frederic in the knee.

BAM!

"Urgh!" Frederic grunted, staggering back a step.

Gray used the moment, spinning Selveria with him as a shield, keeping her body aligned with Frederic's front at all times.

Frederic clenched his teeth, darting to the left to get an opening.

Gray mirrored instantly, threads snapping out from his glove, coiling around a nearby bedframe for balance.

"Stop using her as a shield, dammit!" Frederic growled, thrusting forward.

CLANG!

Gray twisted his wrist, deflecting the blade with a thread-strung motion, sparks flashing as metal grazed metal.

Frederic pulled back, then ducked low for a sweeping strike. Gray jumped back, dragging Selveria along just in time, the blade grazing her sleeve but missing skin.

"Hah!" Frederic lunged again, feinting left before spinning with a side kick, but just at that moment, Gray actually released Selveria, throwing a sweeping kick across the floor.

THUD!

Frederic lost balance, his sword scraping the tiles. Gray's hand shot up, two threads extending and looping around Frederic's wrist, yanking it down.

CRACK!

Frederic winced, but tore the strings apart with raw strength, fury blazing in his eyes.

Before he could move again, Gray was already standing behind Selveria once more, his lips curling faintly.

"Careful," he said softly.

"You might actually hurt your little crush," Gray winked at him teasingly.

"Grrr!!!"

Frederic's teeth ground so hard it sounded like stone cracking. His knuckles went white around his sword handle, rage burning in his eyes.

But Gray's gaze had already drifted elsewhere, more specifically, to the clock hanging above the infirmary door.

'Jasmine… I told Lyra I'd meet her at three, didn't I?'

[Yup.]

'Then… I can't stay here any longer.'

He sighed softly, sliding one hand into his pocket. Pulling out a small silver coin, he flicked it toward the window.

Clink!

The coin bounced off the glass, spinning out into the open air.

Both Frederic and Selveria's eyes followed it instinctively.

"What the hell was that supposed to do?" Frederic scoffed, lowering his sword slightly.

Hearing this, Gray raised an eyebrow.

'Is he the same guy from before... does love actually diminish your intelligence or something?' he exclaimed inwardly.

Well, Gray didn't care much about it since it would only benefit himself, so instead, he leaned close to Selveria, his breath brushing against her ear as he whispered something only she could hear.

Her face went completely red, and her body stiffened, trembling from head to toe.

"Y-you—!" she gasped, but before she could finish.

Fwoop!

"GRAY!" Frederic roared, charging at him again, aura bursting around his body.

But Gray only smirked.

"[✧Swap✧]."

In an instant, his body flickered and vanished from sight.

"Wha—?!" Frederic blinked, scanning the room wildly.

"Where did they—"

His eyes instantly darted toward the window as he remembered Gray's skill.

There.

Outside, Gray was already swinging away using his threads, Selveria clinging to his neck in shock, her hair flying behind her as the wind rushed past.

"GRAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!" Frederic's voice thundered across the courtyard.

In the distance, Gray just grinned faintly, his eyes half-lidded from amusement.

As the two swung between the academy's tall buildings, his hand, very slowly, slid down from her waist towards her peach-like ass.

Smack!

"Hand out of there!" Selveria yelled, her face burning red.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Gray clicked his tongue, looking her straight in the eyes with mock seriousness.

"I save you from your obsessed admirer, and this is how you repay me?"

"You… shameless bastard!" she snapped, baring her teeth.

"Flattery won't work on me," he teased.

Chomp!

Selveria bit his shoulder hard enough to make him hiss in pain.

"Are you a dog?!" he shouted, glaring down at her.

She only turned her head away, pretending not to hear while tightening her arms around his neck.

The two landed smoothly atop the Administration Building a few moments later. Gray gently set her down, dusting off his clothes.

Selveria turned toward him, still flustered but clearly trying to regain her composure.

"Well… Gray, thank you for sav—"

She froze mid-sentence.

After all... he was already gone.

"…That bastard!!!" she yelled, her voice echoing across the courtyard as the faint sound of laughter disappeared into the distance.

Soon enough, Gray arrived at the main fountain beside the academy's garden, the soft sound of running water greeting him as he approached.

Lyra was already there, sitting quietly on one of the benches, her posture relaxed, one hand resting on her lap while the other absentmindedly played with a strand of her hair.

Her light brown hair fluttered gently in the wind, glimmering under the sunlight, while her golden eyes watched the rippling fountain as if lost in thought.

A single leaf drifted down and touched the surface of the water, breaking the perfect reflection.

Lyra blinked slowly, as if waking from a daydream, and turned her head.

Her gaze met his.

"...You're late," she said softly, her tone calm but with that tiny hint of disappointment.

Gray smiled faintly as he walked toward her, brushing dust from his uniform sleeve and tugging lightly at his collar to make himself look somewhat presentable.

"Well... I got a little delayed on the way."

Lyra narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering across her face.

"Were you flirting with another girl again?" she asked suspiciously, her foot tapping lightly against the ground.

Gray stopped just in front of her, leaning slightly on the fountain's marble edge.

The reflection of the water shimmered across his face, making his grin look even more teasing.

"Mhm... flirting's a strong word."

Lyra raised an eyebrow, her golden eyes narrowing just slightly. The breeze caught her hair again, brushing it gently against her cheek.

"Oh?" she murmured, resting her chin on her hand.

"Then what word would you use?"

"Mmm… maybe 'saving a beautiful damnsel in distress'?" Gray tilted his head a little, pretending to think.

"Ah," Lyra replied flatly, "so, flirting."

He chuckled quietly.

"You could say that."

After a moment of silence, she asked quietly:

"You're really okay, right? I heard Class AB-1 had… another incident."

"News travels fast, huh?" Gray tilted his head.

"People talk," she said simply, before gazing at him, "And you just have that kind of reputation."

"Good or bad?"

"...Both," she admitted, looking at him again.

"People talk about you as the biggest playboy of the academy, or simply the scariest guy in the first year," she muttered.

At her words, Gray tilted his head slightly, a faint grin forming on his lips.

"So, what about you then? Which version do you prefer, the charming one or the scary one?"

"I didn't say prefer... I said people talk," Lyra smirked softly.

"Ah, but you didn't deny it either," Gray replied, leaning just a little closer. "So… which one makes your heart beat faster?"

"You really don't stop, do you?" Lyra blinked, caught off guard for a second before chuckling, shaking her head.

"Not when I'm having fun," he said with a small shrug.

She let out a quiet laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as her gaze returned to the fountain.

"You're impossible."

Gray smiled faintly at that, leaning back against the bench.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, he finally asked:

"So... why did you want to meet me here?"

Lyra turned her head to him, but instead of replying, she asked him:

"Are you going on the trip planned by the academy?"

Gray blinked, his expression immediately changing into exaggerated shock.

"Of course! Did you think I'd miss a chance to see girls in swimsuits?" He shook his head slowly.

"You're dreaming."

At his words, Lyra gave him a light smack on the shoulder, pouting.

"You're the worst."

"But honest."

Rolling her eyes, she sighed but smiled anyway.

"Well… my friends aren't going, so I was wondering if you could be my partner for the activities." Her tone softened, and she looked at him with a small, hopeful gaze.

Gray blinked, then suddenly stood up and walked toward the fountain. He turned around, eyes narrowing slightly as he scanned her from head to toe.

Lyra froze.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked, quickly covering her chest with her arms.

He hummed in thought, ignoring her embarrassment.

"Hmm… yes. A beautiful girl like you definitely qualifies to be my partner. I need some eye candy, after all."

Her jaw dropped at his shamelessness.

"Y-you!"

Lyra abruptly stood up, walked straight toward him, and stopped right in front of his smug grin.

"Lyra...?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow.

"YOU DUMBASS!"

She shoved him hard toward the fountain. But just as Gray began to fall, he reacted instantly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her down with him.

SPLASH!

The water sprayed high, drenching them both.

For a moment, they stared at each other—clothes soaked, hair dripping, faces inches apart. Then, almost in perfect sync...

"Pfft…"

"Hahaha!"

They both burst out laughing, their voices echoing across the garden as the sunlight shone on the rippling water around them.