Supervillain Idol System: My Sidekick Is A Yandere

Donald scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh, not really. Just wanted to ask if I could borrow the car. Me and Don want to head to the mall."

Cassie stood up from the mat and tapped her chin as though deep in thought. After a brief pause, she shrugged and said, "Why not. Just be sure not to scratch my baby trying to impress girls, heh."

Donald, rolling his eyes, replied, "We're not..." but he quickly sighed in defeat, adding, "Thanks. I'll be back in time for dinner."

"Sure thing," Cassie said, giving Don a lingering look before adding, "See you later." She punctuated the statement with a wink before returning to her yoga.

Don, still by the door, thought, 'Wow, she's really not subtle about it, even in front of her own son.' His thoughts were interrupted by Donald, who turned around and gave him a huge thumbs up.

"Hurry, let's go before she changes her mind," Donald whispered urgently.

———

After grabbing the keys, Donald led the way to the garage, where Cassie's G-Wagon was parked. Don slid into the passenger seat while Winter took the backseat.

As they buckled in, Don turned to Donald and said, "We'll park the car at Eastend Mall, then walk to the church. It's only about 1.5 kilometers away."

Donald blinked, visibly impressed. "Wow, this really feels like a mission."

Don stifled a smirk. 'He finds a simple precaution like that impressive?' he thought, shaking his head. 'Maybe I'm just getting a little too used to crafting plans.' He simply responded, "It is," as Donald started the car, and they pulled out of the driveway.

———

Nearly an hour later, at around 3:14 p.m., the trio found themselves hidden behind some bushes, concealed in the thick greenery of a small forest across the road from the church.

Donald peered through the branches, eyes fixed on the church's entrance. "So, do I just walk in?" he asked, sounding both excited and nervous.

"Not yet," Don replied, his tone calm. "First, connect your phone to your earbuds. I'll do the same. That way, we can stay in contact via a call."

Donald nodded enthusiastically. "Good idea," he said, fumbling with his phone as he quickly connected his earbuds.

As they prepared, Don turned to Winter. "Can you connect to the call as well and walk around the church? Keep an eye out for anything unusual and warn us if you spot something."

Winter nodded sharply. "That won't be a problem."

The call was quickly set up, and Don gave a final nod to Donald. "Alright, you're good to go. Remember, if you're spotted wandering around, just say you're lost."

Donald gave a mock salute, his excitement barely contained. "Sure. Wish me luck," he said, stepping out of the bushes and crossing the road toward the church.

As soon as Donald was a safe distance away, Don muted the call for himself and gestured for Winter to do the same.

Winter tilted her head slightly. "Is something wrong?" she asked in her usual emotionless tone.

Don shook his head. "No. Hopefully, it stays that way." He glanced briefly toward Donald before adding, "But if you hear or see anything dangerous or if Donald reports something suspicious, I want you to pull back. Retreat from the area."

Winter's expression didn't change, but the hint of surprise was evident in her voice. "May I ask why?"

Don's gaze hardened slightly. "No. Just consider it a precaution."

In truth, Don had a deeper plan in mind. As cruel as it seemed to risk Donald's life, Don viewed it as a better alternative than risking his own life, his family's, or even Winter's.

Winter had too much value to be sacrificed over something uncertain. The outcome could be favorable, but Don was prepared for failure. It was why he parked the car at the mall, why they'd taken a route clear of cameras, and why Winter could potentially delete any trace of their involvement if it came to that.

He just hoped it wouldn't.

Winter, unaware of Don's deeper thoughts, simply nodded and accepted the order. "Understood."

As Donald neared the entrance of the church, his anxiety grew. Each step felt heavier than the last, and his gaze instinctively darted toward the bushes where Don remained hidden.

Before he could even complete the glance, Don's voice came through his earbuds, firm but calm. "Don't look back and try to act normal. It'll be bad if you're seen through before this even starts."

Donald swallowed hard, his breath unsteady as he responded quietly, "R-right." He forced himself to take a deep breath, steeling his nerves. "I got this."

The church doors were already open as Donald stepped inside.

The interior was dimly lit, with long rows of wooden benches extending toward the altar at the far end. A handful of men and women were scattered throughout the pews, some kneeling in prayer while others sat motionless, Bibles in hand.

But as Donald observed them more closely, something seemed off. The air was heavy, too still for a place of worship. The people weren't moving, even the ones with open scriptures weren't turning the pages.

Donald's eyes wandered until a figure approached him—a man, gentle-looking at first glance, with a strange, overly wide smile. His eyes were unsettlingly large, almost as if he were forcing a friendliness he didn't truly feel.

"Good evening, young man," the man greeted, his voice soft but tinged with something unnatural. "Are you here for the evening study?"

Donald was caught off guard by the man's demeanor. "Uhm... no," he stammered. "I just wanted to come in and pray."

The man's wide smile remained plastered across his face, but his eyes bore into Donald's for an unnerving moment of silence before he finally spoke again. "Wonderful," he said in a voice that felt rehearsed. "Please, go ahead."

Donald gave a weak smile, mumbling a quick "Thanks," before finding a seat on one of the empty benches. He knelt down, mimicking the posture of prayer, but his hands trembled slightly. Whispering into the mic of the earbuds, he said, "Hey, Don, I'm in. But it feels kinda strange in here."

Outside, Don, now alone behind the bushes, furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice steady.

Donald hesitated, glancing around cautiously. "Everyone here seems... off," he whispered. "I see people kneeling down, but they're not doing anything. And the ones holding Bibles, I don't think they're even turning the pages. It's like they're stuck or something.

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this."

Don's frown deepened. He rubbed his chin, trying to make sense of what Donald was describing. "Is it just men?" he asked, thinking, 'Could it be Sister Rose's strange power affecting them?'

Before Don could think further, Donald's voice came through, sounding more panicked. "Hey, Don, you said Sister Rose is the one with green hair, right?"

Don's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah... why?"

Donald, still kneeling with his hands clasped as if in deep prayer, peeked out of the corner of his eye. "The guy who welcomed me in... he's talking to a woman with green hair up front. I swear they just looked my way. What do I do?"

Don clenched his jaw, feeling this was a bad sign. 'Should I go in? There's enough shadow outside for me to use, and I could probably maneuver inside too. But... should I risk it?'

After a moment, Don gave his answer. "Donald, pretend you're done praying. Stand up and leave. Take the earbud out and put it in your pocket, but keep the call active."

Donald's throat was dry as he whispered back, "Got it." He subtly slipped the earbud from his ear, placing it in his pocket, and stood up. His legs felt stiff, and each step toward the exit felt like it took an eternity.

Just as he was about to reach the door, he froze.

**Creak, creak...** The potted plants flanking the church entrance began to move unnaturally. Their branches extended outward like writhing vines, growing at an impossible rate and intertwining to seal the doors shut.

Donald's body went cold, his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes darted around, but his feet remained glued to the spot. "No way..." he muttered under his breath, his hand hovering near the sealed exit.

Outside, both Don and Winter witnessed the bizarre sight. The potted plants coiling around the doors, locking them in place.

"Don," Winter's voice came through the linked call, but before she could continue, Don interrupted, "I saw."