By the time the bell rang for the last class, the whole school felt heavier than usual. The hallways weren't buzzing like they normally did after the final period. Instead, there was this odd undercurrent, like people were either whispering too quietly to be heard or choosing not to say anything at all. Shahaan felt it the second he stepped out of the classroom.
A few groups of guys he recognized from the gym were leaning against lockers, their conversations stopping the moment he passed by. Even a couple of teachers had glanced in his direction longer than normal. It wasn't paranoia. Something was going around.
He knew why.
The fight from two nights ago was already making its rounds through Kabukicho's little underground network. Even if most kids at school didn't understand the details, the word "dojo" had a certain weight to it here. Some probably thought he was involved with some gang initiation. Others likely assumed he'd bitten off more than he could chew. Shahaan had learned quickly that no one in Kabukicho needed facts to make a story stick.
"Yo, is it true you broke a guy's jaw?"It was Ren, a second-year with a knack for stirring trouble without actually doing anything himself. His smirk was half genuine curiosity, half bait.
"No," Shahaan replied flatly, walking past him without slowing down.
Ren laughed under his breath, probably already reshaping the story in his head to make it sound like a confession.
By the time Shahaan reached the front gate, Kaito was there, leaning casually against a lamppost, hands in his pockets. He looked like he belonged to the street itself, watching people pass like he was part of the scenery. But Shahaan noticed the slight tilt of his head, the kind of gesture that said, "Walk with me."
They didn't talk at first. Kaito led him through a side alley that stank faintly of old cooking oil and cigarette smoke. The walls were plastered with faded host club posters, some of the faces scratched out with keys.
"You're being talked about," Kaito finally said."I noticed," Shahaan muttered."It's good and bad. Good because people might think twice before messing with you. Bad because the wrong kind of attention finds you faster."
Shahaan thought about that. "Like gang attention?"Kaito shot him a sidelong glance. "Gangs. Hustlers. People who see you as an asset or a pawn. There's not much difference at first."
They turned another corner, arriving at the back entrance of the dojo. Instead of going in immediately, Kaito leaned against the doorframe and lit a cigarette. The flicker of the lighter briefly illuminated the faint scar that ran just under his left eye.
"You're going to start hearing names," Kaito said between drags. "Names of people you've never met, but they'll know yours. Some will want to test you. Some will want to use you. You need to decide quick which ones you can't afford to ignore."
Shahaan frowned. "And if I ignore the wrong one?""You don't," Kaito said simply.
Inside, the dojo felt quieter than usual. Only two other students were there, both older guys who clearly had their own business to focus on. Training was different that day. Less about technique, more about pressure. Kaito had him spar with one of the senior students, a wiry man with fast hands and a calm, unreadable face. Shahaan took more hits than he gave, but Kaito didn't stop it. He wanted him to learn something that didn't come from instruction alone.
After an hour, Shahaan's arms felt like lead. Sweat dripped into his eyes, blurring his vision. The senior landed a clean jab that rattled his jaw, and for a moment Shahaan thought about stepping back, calling it quits. But then he heard Kaito's voice, low but firm.
"Stay in it."
Something shifted. Shahaan's legs moved before he could think, his guard tightened, and he slipped the next punch by inches. It wasn't a victory, but it was a moment. One of those small flashes where he could almost see the fighter he wanted to be.
When training ended, Kaito didn't offer praise. He simply nodded once, like a silent acknowledgment that Shahaan had earned something he couldn't name yet.
They left together, the streets darker now, neon signs flickering against the wet pavement. As they passed a narrow alley, Shahaan caught sight of a group of men in suits standing around a black car. Their eyes tracked him as he walked, and one of them, a tall man with slicked-back hair, gave the faintest smile.
Shahaan didn't recognize him, but something about that look stuck in his mind.
Kaito noticed too. He didn't say anything until they were half a block away."Remember what I said about names," he said. "That one will find you soon enough."
Shahaan didn't ask for details. He knew by now that in Kabukicho, the less you asked, the more likely you were to survive long enough to hear the answer when it really mattered.