We quickly made our way back into the school. The hallways hummed with chatter, lockers slamming shut, and the faint scent of cleaning products still hanging in the air. As we walked, my thoughts wandered. I did it… I actually changed the loop. I thought to myself, relief quietly washing over me. This time, Oshi wouldn't get bullied in the middle of class while everyone just stood there recording. I'd prevented that fate—at least for now.
As we opened the secondary door to the classroom wing, I froze.
There he was.
Kio leaned lazily against the wall, arms crossed. His goons stood beside him like obedient shadows, their smirks practically tattooed on their faces. The light from the window caught on the bandage across Kio's nose—a clear reminder of the punch I landed earlier. Guess that hit was better than I thought.
The moment Kio's eyes landed on Oshi, a crooked, mischievous grin curved on his face. "Where were you? You're not making your friend wait, now are you?" His voice dripped with mockery as he slowly pushed himself off the wall and started walking toward him.
Then his gaze shifted to me.
That grin disappeared instantly, replaced with a dark glare that simmered with annoyance and anger. He paused for a second, the tension thick enough to choke on. Then, he raised his hand and pointed directly at me.
"Tomorrow morning before school starts," he said, his tone cold and challenging. "One on one. No ability. Just bare hands. Let's fight. Or are you scared?"
I didn't flinch. Instead, a small smirk crept across my face. "I'll beat your ass like I did earlier," I replied, mocking him with a calm confidence I didn't even try to hide.
His jaw tightened. The anger in his eyes deepened—but instead of shouting, he just exhaled through his nose and muttered, "We'll see."
He brushed past me, his shoulder hitting mine harder than necessary. His minions followed close behind, snickering as they disappeared around the corner.
"Wow, you really scared him away," Oshi said softly from behind me, almost in disbelief.
I looked down for a second, then muttered under my breath, "I can help you…"
Oshi blinked, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "What? With what?"
I turned to him, serious now. "I can help you get stronger, so things like this won't ever happen again. Do you really want to keep being people's punching bag?" My tone was low, but firm.
He hesitated for a moment. "Don't worry about me. I won't need it," he finally said, trying to sound confident as he walked back to his seat.
I stared at his back for a second. No, you will…
Inside my head, my thoughts ran fast and cold. I've already planted the seed — the idea of getting stronger. When the café incident happens, that thought will grow, and he'll come to me himself, asking for training. That'll be my opening. My excuse to watch him closely without suspicion. Genius.
I sat down at my desk and unwrapped my last yakisoba bread. "The offer will remain," I said aloud, my tone calm and casual. "When you want to take me up on it, just tell me." I bit into the bread, the taste of soy and noodles filling my mouth, grounding me in the moment.
Later that day
By the time evening hit, the air had cooled, and the sky bled into a warm orange haze. I changed into my "professional" spy outfit — all black, hood up, gloves on. This time, instead of wasting time walking, I opened a small shimmering portal beneath me. The world bent for a moment, and in a flash, I stepped out into a narrow alley beside the café.
The smell of roasted coffee beans and sugar filled the air. I brushed off my clothes and walked inside like any ordinary customer. The café was dimly lit, cozy, and filled with quiet chatter. Couples laughed in corners, students studied near the windows, and there—just like before—Oshi sat alone by himself, staring down at his drink. Ayumi hadn't arrived yet.
I slid into my seat across the room, trying to look casual. The waitress from before approached me with a small notepad.
"Hello, sir. What can I get for you?" she asked with a polite smile.
I froze for a second, trying to deepen my voice. "Could I get a chocolate donut and hot chocolate?" I said, pretending to sound older.
She nodded, jotting it down. "Yes, will that be all for today?"
"Yeah. Thanks," I replied, nodding awkwardly.
When she walked away, I let out a tiny sigh of relief and muttered to myself, "Be cool… it's just a casual hangout. Not like it's a date or anything."
I took a small sip of my hot chocolate. "Stay strong, little man," I whispered under my breath, hyping myself up.
The bell above the café door chimed, and Ayumi entered. Her long brown hair swayed as she walked, her presence naturally brightening the dim shop. She spotted Oshi and smiled, walking over to sit across from him.
Their conversation flowed like a replayed recording. Just like the last loop, they talked about school, their lives, the usual small talk that meant more to Oshi than she probably realized.
Then the atmosphere shifted.
The door opened again, the bell ringing louder this time, sharper. Kudo stepped inside — tall, confident, and wearing that same smirk that screamed trouble. His eyes scanned the room until they locked on Ayumi.
I wasn't really paying attention at first; one of the waitresses had caught my eye. She had this bright smile and—well, impressive assets. I was analyzing purely for observation purposes, of course. That's when the sharp smack snapped me out of it.
I turned my head just in time to see Kio standing in front of Oshi and Ayumi. But unlike before, the scene was different.
Oshi wasn't frozen in fear this time.
He stood up—fully, firmly—and glared straight at Kudo. His fists trembled, but his eyes burned with fury. The words I'd planted in his head echoed back, stronger than ever.
"Don't you dare touch her like that," Oshi said, his voice shaking, but filled with anger and conviction.
Kudo's grin widened, amused by the defiance. Then, in one brutal motion, he punched Oshi across the face. The sound echoed through the café like a gunshot. Oshi's body flew past me, crashing to the ground. Blood trickled from his nose, his lip split open.
But to my surprise—he stood back up. Wobbling, breathing heavily, but still standing.
"I… I said don't touch her!" he growled through gritted teeth.
Kudo chuckled lowly, clearly entertained by Oshi's stubbornness. Then he lunged forward, delivering a hard kick that sent Oshi back to the ground. A few more blows followed before Oshi couldn't move anymore, his body limp and battered.
He'd lost. But this time, he'd fought.
Kudo straightened his jacket, smirked, and grabbed Ayumi's arm. She looked conflicted, scared, but didn't resist as he led her toward the exit. They walked past Oshi's broken form and disappeared through the door.
I watched quietly, sipping the last of my cooling hot chocolate.
"It's all according to plan," I whispered inwardly, the corners of my mouth curling up in satisfaction.
My tone in my head sounded cold, sharp — like an evil genius watching his strategy unfold exactly as intended.