The public canteen at Tenshiko was alive with chaos—a symphony of clanking plates, low murmurs, and bursts of laughter echoing through the air. The delicious smell of roasted meat and steaming rice hung heavy as ninety-three Kageshiki gathered for dinner, their voices blending into one big, loud hum.
At one of the long wooden tables near the center, Daigo sat cross-legged, practically glowing with excitement as he reached for a thick slice of beef from the shared platter. His bright brown eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced over at Ishigo, who was carefully dissecting his food with the precision of someone avoiding a bomb.
"Yo, bro, tomorrow's the test, right?"Daigo said, shoving the beef into his mouth with the enthusiasm of a man who's been deprived of food for days.
Ishigo barely spared him a glance, his grey eyes cold as he muttered, "I hope you'll be alive."
Daigo swallowed with a smirk. "If I'm not alive, you won't be either."
Ishigo arched an eyebrow, looking at Daigo like he just spoke in a foreign language. "What kind of messed-up logic is that?"
"Because we're soulmates, obviously."Daigo flashed a grin that could only be described as obnoxiously confident.
Ishigo rolled his eyes so hard they nearly got stuck. "Please, we're friends, not soulmates. Get over yourself."
Sitting opposite them, Reika remained silent, listening to the usual back-and-forth with the patience of someone who had heard it all before. She methodically chewed a piece of beef, using her chopsticks like a graceful ninja.
The test tomorrow? Meh. The first level was child's play. It was the next four that would test their limits. But then again, what do I care? I'll breeze through it like I always do.
The sound of a chair scraping across the floor interrupted her thoughts, and a voice—smooth and a little too confident—cut through the air.
"Can I join you?"
Reika looked up to see a boy standing there, tall and lean, with the swagger of someone who knew he was the best thing to happen to this canteen. His messy brown hair framed his sharp features like he just rolled out of bed looking perfect, and his brown-green eyes were gleaming with that "I'm about to make your life interesting" kind of mischief.
"I know you won't mind," he said, cutting in before anyone could even think to answer. "I'm Katsurei Yeaga."
Daigo, ever the people person, grinned like a puppy seeing its first stick. "Yeah, yeah, come on over, man!"
Ishigo, however, was far less impressed. He shot Daigo a look that could kill, then leaned in and whispered, "Daigo, seriously? We don't even know this guy."
Daigo only laughed. "You didn't know me either, remember?"
Ishigo groaned, already regretting his life choices. "God, you're impossible."
Reika observed Yeaga carefully. There was something about him that rubbed her the wrong way. His confidence? Too much. His arrogance? Definitely on purpose. He wasn't worried about making enemies—he was too busy making himself the center of attention.
Before Yeaga could sit, a heavy hand slammed down on his shoulder with the subtlety of a wrecking ball.
"Hey, new guy," a voice sneered. A stocky, broad-shouldered Kageshiki towered over Yeaga, grinning like he was about to start a fight he couldn't finish. "You look like a lost puppy. You know the rules around here?"
Yeaga blinked slowly, his expression unimpressed. "Oh? Do you feel the need to enlighten me, or are you just bored?"
The bully snorted. "First years don't get to act all cocky. You speak when spoken to."He leaned in with a threatening grin. "Maybe I should teach you some manners."
Yeaga sighed, not impressed in the slightest. "Wow. What a plan, genius. You really thought this through, huh? Let me guess, you pull this act on every new guy who walks in?"
The bully grinned even wider. "You talk tough, but—"
Yeaga didn't let him finish.
The movement was lightning fast, like someone pressing fast forward on a video.
Yeaga grabbed the bully's wrist, twisting it at an awkward angle before the guy even knew what happened. The bully gasped, shock flashing across his face as he stumbled backward in surprise.
"Tch. Weak grip,"Yeaga muttered, flicking his wrist like he was swatting away a fly. With a swift motion, he yanked the bully forward and drove his elbow into the guy's gut with all the precision of someone who had done this a thousand times. The bully's breath left him in a painful whoosh, and his body lurched forward like a ragdoll.
The whole canteen fell into stunned silence.
The bully staggered to his feet, his rage burning hot. "You little—"
Yeaga sidestepped the incoming punch with the kind of ease that made it look like he was dancing. A quick shift of his foot and a flick of his leg, and the bully lost his balance, crashing to the ground with a thud that echoed through the room.
Yeaga knelt down beside him, his smirk growing. "See? Regret."He gave the bully a mock pat on the shoulder, then stood up like he hadn't just flattened a guy twice his size.
Daigo whistled low, clearly impressed. "Damn. That was smoother than my last haircut."
Reika, on the other hand, wasn't as thrilled. She narrowed her eyes, studying Yeaga. Not just a loudmouth, then. He's dangerous.
Ishigo crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Took you long enough."
Yeaga stretched lazily, as if the whole thing had been a casual walk in the park. "Didn't want to cut the fun short." He flashed Reika a look, his grin widening. "Icy Queen, did I impress you yet?"
Reika didn't even look up, continuing to eat her food like a person who had seen a thousand egos get crushed. She was beyond it.
Daigo burst into laughter. "Rejected instantly! Damn, that was cold."
Yeaga sighed dramatically, placing a hand on his chest as if his heart had been broken. "Ouch, that stings. I'm wounded."
The defeated bully scrambled to his feet, bolting out of the canteen, avoiding the eyes of everyone around him. Whispers began—some laughing, others wary—but Yeaga sat down across from Reika like it was just another Tuesday.
"Alright, now that that's out of the way," Yeaga said, leaning back in his chair like he owned the place. "Oh, right. I was being ignored by the most beautiful girl at the table."
Reika exhaled slowly, her patience at its limit. "Do you ever shut up?"
Yeaga grinned wider than ever. "Nope. You'll just have to endure me."
For the next ten minutes, he didn't let up, exaggerating every little thing she did. When she reached for her water, he gasped in mock awe. "Wow, even the way you drink water is like a goddess. Are you sure you're not secretly a celestial being?"
When she didn't respond, he leaned in even closer. "If I say your name three times, will you finally talk to me? Or do I need a magic spell?"
Reika stabbed her piece of meat with unnecessary force, and Daigo burst into laughter. "I think she's about to murder you, bro."
"Worth it,"Yeaga smirked, completely unfazed.
Ishigo sighed, rubbing his temples. "He's not leaving, is he?"
Yeaga shot Reika a wink. "Not until she admits I'm the most charming guy she's ever met."
Reika rolled her eyes so hard they might've gotten stuck. "Then you're staying forever."
Yeaga grinned. "I can live with that."