"So what's your class doing, Rin?" Yukio asked. It was one of the few times they'd spoken since Kyoto.

"A food booth. I'll be cooking." Rin answered. "You?"

"No idea. All I know is that I'm excused from helping if I volunteer as chaperone for the dance, so I'll be watching everyone else do whatever." The younger waved it off.

"You don't want to go to the dance with Shiemi?" Rin teased. Yukio blanched, face turning cherry red. "No, why the hell would you ask that?!"

Rin shrugged one shoulder. "You seem to like her. On top of that, you also seem pretty jealous that she follows me around like a puppy all the time." He pointed out.

"No, I just feel bad for her. If she likes you, she'll get her heart broken." Yukio shook his head in dismay.

"I warned her. Not my fault if she still likes me. But I'm not gonna just tell her to piss off either. She's pretty weak. Let her out into the real world and she'll be destroyed." Rin told him.

Yukio looked surprised. "You care? Even the littlest bit, huh? Maybe friends are good for you....." Yukio trailed off thoughtfully. Rin sighed. He honestly couldn't care less about her except for the fact that she was like a baby who was fifteen already and needed someone as a shield from society. "We're not friends, she's a nuisance that follows me around."

He finished up his math homework and went to make dinner.

§~•~§~•~§

"Hey, Eyebrows. I need you to help me." Rin started, walking up to Izumo after Cram School. She jumped and turned around.

"Me? Why?" She wrinkled her nose.

"The clown bastard wants my booth inside the gates of the dance. I need a girl to join us and help. I'll trust you with the position." He stated, dropping a uniform into her arms. He then turned around and left.

Izumo stared after him in confusion.

§~•~§~•~§

"I mean, he's a total jerk. But he's never really let us down before either." Izumo sighed in frustration.

"But he also hasn't really done anything to be a particularly friendly guy either. Although I will say he's kinda cute." Paku giggled, putting dangly earrings in. She had a date to the dance and would be going. Izumo had planned on staying in the dorm to study, but Rin asked her for help.

It didn't sound like asking for help at all, but he trusted her with this. That was a big step. That must have meant he trusted that she wouldn't let him down if he needed her.

Or maybe he just figured she was free and perfect for helping and just used some pretty words to convince her.

But if he really did trust her.....

She growled and went to get changed into the uniform.

§~•~§~•~§

Izumo hadn't showed up at the booth. Rin figured she wanted to study and not waste her time at this festival. He could understand that. He only had about three months left to prepare for his own personal Exam. Yes, it was unfair, but he'd gotten the short end of the stick in way too many aspects of life for it to bother him that much. 'Guess I'll die, then.' He thought jokingly.

Godaiin said he could go on break, maybe dance with some girls. Rin looked around briefly before a hand grabbed his arm. Shiemi smiled up at him. "Oh good! You're on break too! Hey, would you like to dance with me?" She asked excitedly. He groaned internally, just wanting to be alone, but let her drag him into the mass of dancing students anyways.

As they made their way to a clear spot, a slow song came on. Shiemi didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around his neck, leaving him no choice but to wrap his arms around her waist. They swayed slowly, like all the other couples. Shiemi sighed happily, a smile gracing her features. He rolled his eyes, but let her have her moment.

Yukio popped up at some point and they made eye contact. The younger looked like he wanted to laugh. Rin shot him a withering glare before Yukio walked away to make sure no one was grossly making out on the dancefloor.

"This is nice. I know you probably don't care....but thank you, Rin. I've always dreamed of dancing like this one day." Shiemi whispered. He only nodded in acknowledgement.

"I always saw these things in movies that I'd love to do one day. At least I can say I've done this one." She continued.

"That's called a bucket list, Shiemi." Rin deadpanned. She didn't let his monotonous statement ruin her mood, though.

The song finished and the more exciting music came back on. Right as Rin was about to go back to his booth, he heard something. It sounded far away, but it was slowly getting closer. He looked around, searching for the source. "Rin? What is it?" Shiemi asked, just as he found where the sound was coming from. A helicopter was hovering next to the top of a building not far from them. He frowned.

"Wonder what that's about." As soon as he said that, Shura's voice crackled over the comms they'd all put on before the festival started.

"Everyone to the location of that helicopter, now!" She ordered. As soon as he heard "helicopter," Rin was pushing his way through the crowd, pulling Shiemi behind him. She ran next to Rin, their joined hands forgotten. She somehow seemed in sync with him as they jumped up to the rail a platform above them and vaulted over. They ran together until they came to a ladder and had to climb. Rin picked Shiemi up by her waist and placed her on the fifth rung, giving her a headstart. They climbed hastily until they reached the top.

Shiemi gasped at the sight before them. Izumo was unconscious in Shima's arms. Shima was holding his staff, which had black flames coating the top. Helicopter blades were chopping harshly at the air, blowing their hair every which way. Shima was was carrying the purple haired girl to the vehicle.

Rin's eyes narrowed. It all made sense now. Of course Shima was a spy. He was good at hiding things with his natural personality because he'd always been lazy and laid-back in the first place. He could sneak around and gather information easily like that. But who did he work for?

Shiemi didn't seem to understand and ran forward to stop her classmate. Rin grabbed her arm and yanked her back. She began to protest, but Rin clamped a hand over her mouth and said in her ear, "I know. He's not who you think."

The blonde still looked confused, but nodded. Rin took his hand away and looked back at his classmates who were almost to the helicopter. No one else was there yet and Shima hadn't noticed them yet. The half-demon had two choices. Act now and shoot the helicopter and possibly kill their classmates or wait for the others and lose both Izumo and the spy, who also had answers.

He took aim and blasted blinding blue flames at the flying vehicle. It veered(away from the building, thankfully) and the rotors exploded. Shima had barely backed up in surprise when he and Izumo were blown back by the blast. Rin hadn't held back this time, so they might have a few burns, but that wasn't as important at the moment. He lunged and caught them both before they hit the ground, grunting at the effort.

The teen dragged his classmates back to a safer distance as parts of the copter continued exploding as it spiraled out of control. He vaguely thought he heard screaming and gave a satisfied smile. Whoever was in there was gonna suffer. Luckily enough for Rin, the copter went in the opposite direction of the students dancing in the distance.

Shiemi appeared next to him and took Izumo, laying her down on the cement. Rin dropped Shima's body like a sack of flour. Minor burns on his arms and cheek. Izumo had miraculously been shielded by said boy, so she was lucky enough to still be pretty and unharmed. While they looked over the Miko, a sharp pain shot up Rin's spine at the same time it shot through his stomach and he hunched over, coughing up blood. Shima had apparently not been as hurt as they thought he was.

He was standing behind Rin, a harsh grip on his tail and the end of his staff through Rin's middle. The son of Satan wasn't immobilized for long, though. He kicked a leg back, nailing Shima in the shin, enough for him to let go of the tail.

Rin spun around, delivering first a high roundhouse kick, then several punches in rapid succession, all to the most vulnerable parts. Shima was not one to scoff at, though. He was lean and quick.

He grabbed Rin by the shoulders and kneed him in the already healing wound in his stomach. Rin gritted his teeth, then spit blood directly into the traitor's face to distract him. The shorter teen backed the spy to the railing of the building, pinning him there.

By now, the others had arrived and Izumo was up and being examined by Yukio. That was good. What wasn't good was Rin getting his ass kicked just as much as Shima was. Shima must have had at least some training under belt in hand-to-hand, because it was hard for humans to keep up with Rin in that area. He growled, biting down on the arm choking him out. Shima yelled in pain, but didn't relent. Rin had no choice.

He reached up with all the remaining concentration he had. He placed one hand on Shima's head and the other on his chin. Once the spy realized what the half-demon was doing, Shima let go of him fast.

Rin was about to turn around and maybe push the teen over the railing when a blinding light seared his eyes. He backed up, unable to see. Heat burned the air around him and he was suddenly grabbed by someone. Not just grabbed, but a hand closed around his throat and lifted him off of the ground. The hand sizzled against his bare skin and he choked out a cry as steam rolled off of both his clothes and whatever skin was exposed. He struggled to breath and to get away from the burning, wanted to throw himself into a bathtub full of ice. He let out a scream as the skin on his cheeks and nose started burning off.

Finally, he managed to kick a leg out and hit whoever was the cause of his pain. Rin fell to the ground, groaning at the rough concrete against his injuries. As soon as he could feel the rough texture of the roof, he bolted, taking a running jump off the roof and sitting up against the wall in the shade. His eyes hurt. His throat hurt. His everything hurt.

Rin heard commotion up above, but didn't find out what it was until the next day. His eyes were still seeing back spots. His skin was stinging and it hurt to move. He was done for the day.

He took deep shuddering breaths as the burns healed at a painfully slow rate. Someone grabbed him and pulled him up, picking him up once they realized he couldn't see to walk. He could tell it was Suguro from the broad chest he was up against as he was carried bridal-style away from the Festival. Rin passed out before they even made it to the dorm.