Today marked the official second day of my school year. I strolled down the hallways of my dorm, weaving past the groggy students whose yawns echoed like a chain reaction. When I reached the elevator and waited, the doors finally slid open — only to reveal a cramped box packed shoulder to shoulder with half-asleep faces. There wasn't a single spot left for me to squeeze in.
I let out an irritated sigh. "Figures."
Resigned, I turned to the staircase. My footsteps echoed faintly against the concrete walls as I descended. After about two flights, I spotted a girl sitting on the steps, hugging her knees. Her hair was messy, a dark purple that fell into her eyes, and she wore the white academy uniform. She looked like she'd been trying to hide from the world.
The moment she noticed me, her eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. Without a word, she scrambled to her feet and fled down the stairwell.
"...Awkward," I muttered, scratching the back of my neck before continuing down.
A few moments later, I pushed into the main lobby, where a flood of students crowded toward the exits, rushing to make it to class. Their chatter blended into one restless hum. I squeezed my way through the tide and joined the steady stream heading across the courtyard and into the school building.
When I finally entered my classroom, the familiar sight of Kagetsu and Yuuma greeted me from the back row. They were already bickering about something.
As I made my way toward my seat, my eyes drifted to the front. The girl from the stairwell was there, hunched over in her chair. My gaze flicked down to her nametag: Midori Ayumi. She kept her head low, pretending not to notice me.
I slid into my seat. Kagetsu and Yuuma's voices carried on behind me, some half-serious argument about who was smarter, but I let it fade into the background.
A few minutes later, the classroom door slammed open. Mr. Bront stormed in, his usual thundercloud expression plastered across his face.
"Silence!" he barked, clapping his massive hands together.
The chatter died instantly. You could almost hear everyone's heartbeat as he strode to the board, chalk in hand. He scrawled two words in block letters:
Basic Training
He turned to face us, his voice deep and commanding.
"You'll learn the fundamentals of heroism here. Not just strength or technique — but the necessary mindset required. And know this: In three weeks, you will be tested." His gaze swept the room, sharp enough to cut steel. "Pass, and you will earn the right to apply for missions."
The weight of his words sank into the room like an anchor. Some students straightened, others shifted nervously.
From the middle rows, a hand shot up. It belonged to a boy with a buzz cut. His head was so round it almost looked like a ball. The tag on his chest read: Takoi Oda.
Mr. Bront acknowledged him with a single word. "Yes?"
Oda cleared his throat. "What happens if we… fail this secret test?"
A pause. Then Bront's glare pinned him down.
"Then you'll take extra lessons until you succeed," he said flatly. "There are no shortcuts."
Oda shrank back in his chair.
Mr. Bront dropped the chalk onto the ledge with a sharp click. "Students. Today's subjects are Mathematics and English."
A nervous gulp slid down my throat. Of all subjects, it had to be those two. Numbers blurred, grammar twisted — my worst enemies.
Later that day
Ding… Ding… Ding…
The bells of the academy rang out, signaling the end of classes. Relief spread across the room like a sigh, and I joined in.
If it hadn't been for Zane being pretty sharp, I would've been completely lost. Honestly, I owed half my notes to him already.
I shoved my books into my backpack and joined Kagetsu in the hallway. The crowd of students flowed like a river around us as we walked.
"Hey, Kagetsu," I called.
He turned lazily, "Yeah, what's up?"
I smirked. "What's your type of girls?"
He rubbed his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Hmm… I like a girl with a good personality."
I gave him a slow nod of approval. "Respectable… That's it?"
"Hell nah, the booty is what truly matters." he said without hesitation.
I chuckled.
We walked in silence for a bit until he broke it. "Yo, you wanna go somewhere today?"
"Where?" I asked.
"Let's go watch a movie."
A smile tugged at my lips. "Say less. I'm in."
Back at the dorm, I swapped my uniform for a cozy gray sweater and matching pants. When I reached the lobby, Kagetsu was waiting. He wore a plain white shirt under a black jacket, paired with dark pants — casual but cool, like he didn't even try.
I waved to catch his attention. He noticed me and came over, flashing a grin. "I've got an idea for what we're watching."
Curiosity raised my brow. "Really? What?"
Instead of answering, he fished a coin from his pocket and held it up between two fingers. "Two new movies came out. Let's flip for it."
The walk to the theater took a while, but the sight that greeted us was worth it. The cinema loomed tall, bright with neon lights, the doors constantly opening to streams of people. The air buzzed with chatter and the smell of buttered popcorn.
Two giant posters stretched across the walls. One advertised an alien invasion film: Attack on the Aliens. The other, a slick-looking time travel movie titled The Great Reset.
Kagetsu twirled the coin over his knuckles. "Heads for aliens, tails for time travel."
I nodded. "Got it."
He flicked his thumb, and the coin shot skyward, spinning in the glow of the overhead lights. It clinked against the tiled floor and rolled before coming to a stop.
Kagetsu crouched down, then stood with a grin. "Tails!"
We joined the line at the reception desk. As I glanced around, my eyes caught two familiar figures — Yuki and Hana, from the academy. They looked stunning in casual clothes, a small crowd's attention naturally drawn to them. A guy tried approaching, only to be waved off almost instantly.
Kagetsu didn't even glance their way. He kept moving forward until it was our turn.
"How can I help you?" the receptionist asked with a practiced smile.
"Two tickets for The Great Reset. And one large popcorn," Kagetsu said smoothly.
The printer spat out our tickets. A moment later, a warm bag of popcorn landed on the counter. Kagetsu grabbed it, tossed me a kernel like it was nothing, and led the way inside.
The theater was dark, the giant screen casting a pale glow across the rows of seats. The low murmur of the audience filled the room. We found our seats, sank down, and waited for the movie to begin.