Kaina shrugged, her tone light but thoughtful. "He's... different. Quiet. I think he's just trying to figure things out."
Another boy, with spiky orange hair and a cocky grin, leaned back in his seat. "Different, huh? More like weird. Did you see the way he just stares at people? Like he's sizing them up or something."
Kaina shot him a look. "Give him a break, Kenta. Not everyone's as loud as you."
The group laughed, and the clone remained silent, its gaze fixed on the ground.
The conversation shifted to other topics—upcoming exams, the latest hero news, and who was dating who. The clone absorbed it all, filing away the details.
Some of it was useless chatter, but there were snippets of information that could prove valuable.
A mention of a teacher's quirks, a rumor about a student's family connections, a casual remark about security measures around the school.
Kaina glanced at the clone occasionally, her expression softening. "You okay, Eichi? You've been quiet."
The clone looked up, its tone flat. "I'm fine."
Kaina hesitated, clearly unsure how to respond. "You sure? You don't have to just sit there. You can join in, you know."
The clone shrugged. "Not much to say, after all, most of what you talk about are things I wasn't involved with."
Kenta snorted, leaning forward with a smirk. "Yeah, or maybe he's just too cool for us. What do you think, new guy? You too good for small talk?"
The clone didn't react, its expression unchanging. "Not interested."
Kenta raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Touchy, huh?"
Kaina shot him another look before turning back to the clone. "Ignore him. He's just messing around. But seriously, if you ever want to talk or... I don't know, hang out or something, you can. We don't bite."
The clone nodded, its response short. "Noted."
Kaina sighed, clearly frustrated but trying to stay patient. "You're really hard to read, you know that?"
The clone tilted its head slightly, as if considering her words. "I'm just not used to this kind of thing."
Kaina's expression softened, and she leaned in a little. "Well, you don't have to figure it all out at once. Just... try to relax, okay? We're not going to bite."
The clone gave a small nod, its gaze shifting back to the ground. The conversation around them continued, the group's energy undiminished. But Kaina kept glancing at the clone, her expression a mix of concern and determination. She wasn't going to let this go easily.
Kenta, noticing her attention, nudged her with his elbow. "You're really hung up on this guy, huh? What's the deal?"
Kaina shrugged, her tone casual but her eyes still on the clone. "I just think there's more to him than he's letting on. And I want to know what it is."
Kenta chuckled, shaking his head. "You're too nice for your own good, Kaina. But hey, if you're that curious, maybe you should just ask him straight out."
Kaina considered this for a moment before turning back to the clone. "Eichi, can I ask you something?"
The clone looked up. "You can ask."
Kaina took a deep breath, her tone serious. "Why are you really here? I mean, you don't seem like the type to just... blend in. So what's your deal?"
The clone hesitated, the first sign of uncertainty it had shown. "That's a complicated question."
Kaina leaned forward, her eyes searching his. "Try me."
The clone met her gaze, its voice low. "Let's just say... things led to another, and here I am."
Kaina raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with the vague answer. "Things led to another? That's it? You're not exactly giving me much to work with here."
The clone shrugged, its tone neutral. "It's the truth. Sometimes shit just... happens."
Kenta chuckled, shaking his head. "You sure you're not a poet or something? 'Things led to another'—real profound, man."
Kaina rolled her eyes at Kenta but didn't let the comment slide. She turned back to the clone, her curiosity sharper now. "Okay, but seriously, Eichi. 'Things led to another' doesn't exactly explain how you ended up here. This is the most prestigious hero school in the world. People don't just stumble into this place. So, what gives?"
"It's not that complicated," it said finally, its tone measured. "I had the grades, passed the entrance exam, and here I am. Same as everyone else."
Kaina tilted her head, her gaze narrowing slightly. "Yeah, but most people don't act like they've been dropped here from another planet. You don't talk much, you don't seem to care about anything we're into, and you've got this... I don't know, detached vibe. Like you're here, but not reallyhere. So, what's the deal? Did you even want to come to this school, or was it someone else's idea?"
The clone hesitated, caught off guard by her perceptiveness. It hadn't expected her to dig this deep. "It's not that simple," it said after a beat, choosing its words carefully. "I had my reasons. Let's just leave it at that."
Kenta leaned forward, his smirk widening. "Reasons, huh? Sounds shady. You running from something? Orsomeone?"
The clone's expression didn't change, but its tone grew firmer. "I'm not running from anything. I'm here to learn, same as you."
Kaina crossed her arms, clearly not satisfied. "Okay, but if you're here to learn, why do you act like you're above it all? You don't join in, you don't talk much, and you're always just... watching. It's like you're here for something else entirely."
The clone met her gaze, its voice steady. "Maybe I'm just not used to this kind of environment. Not everyone grows up dreaming about being a hero, you know."
Kaina blinked, surprised by the response. "Wait, so you're saying youdidn'twant to be a hero? Then why are you here?"
The clone shrugged, its tone casual but deliberate. "Like I said, things led to another. Sometimes life takes you places you didn't expect. This just happens to be one of them."
Kenta let out a low whistle. "Man, this guy's full of mysteries. Next thing you know, he's gonna tell us he's secretly an assassin waiting for the right moment or something."