Footsteps rumbled through the school hallways, still buzzing with the excitement from the courtyard.
Kaido walked beside Asuka, hands in his pockets, relaxed—as if nothing had happened. She, meanwhile, simmered with irritation, ready to tear him apart.
Asuka didn't even spare him a glance.
"You're an idiot, you know that?" she muttered. "You shouldn't have gone up against someone like her. Martial artists at our level can be far crueler than you imagine."
"Come on, Asu… it was just a friendly match."
Asuka stopped, turned to him, and pointed her finger at his chest.
No, Kaido. It was 'just' a fight because it was Lili. Annoying as she is, she doesn't cross the line… but if it had been someone else, like the one who attacked the dojo… things would have been very different.
Kaido's smile faltered, realizing that Asuka's tone was too heavy to be ignored.
"Asuka…"
She took a deep breath, averted her eyes, and resumed walking.
"You don't get it, Kaido. This isn't just about pride or teasing… there are things you haven't seen yet."
When they reached the classroom, the noisy crowd at the front pulled them back into reality. Students perched on desks and leaned against tables, everyone talking at once—it looked more like a marketplace than a classroom.
"What the…?!" Kaido said, trying to peek between the bodies ahead.
Asuka slowed her pace a little, eyes narrowing at the scene. "What's going on?"
A classmate rushed over to Kaido, almost tripping on the way.
"Dude… you won't believe who's sitting over there!"
"Who...?" he raised an eyebrow.
Before he could finish, a clear voice with a strong French accent rose above the noise:
"Allez, éloignez-vous un peu…"[1], she commanded softly. "You're being a nuisance with this behavior."
The crowd dispersed immediately, as if obeying by reflex. Kaido let out a quiet,
"Oh crap…"
Asuka crossed her arms, seeing who it was.
"Seriously… what's she doing here?"
Then the class front door opened, and a teacher stepped in, tapping her folder lightly on her desk.
"She's right! Everyone take your seats—and behave."
Everyone rushed to thier seats. The desks creaked in near-military unison, and finally Kaido and Asuka could see the center of attention clearly. Sitting with crossed legs, perfect posture, and the smile of someone totaly in control… was Lili Rochefort.
"As all of you have already noticed," the teacher began, adjusting her glasses, "you have a new classmate. I'm sure everyone knows Lili Rochefort."
With a graceful, rehearsed movement, Lili stood up, golden hair falling perfectly around her shoulders. She gave a slight bow—too elegant to be casual — then fixed her eyes on Asuka with a provocative smile.
With a graceful, rehearsed movement, Lili stood up, golden hair falling perfectly around her shoulders. She gave a slight, elegant bow to everyone—especially Asuka—staring at her with a provocative smile.
"Tsk…" Asuka looked away, annoyed.
A girl nearby didn't waste any time:
"But, Miss Miho… why did she change classes?"
Miho looked at Lili before answering, and Lili just smiled at her in approval.
"There was a small administrative error during the transfer… That's why, for the first two weeks, she was in a different class. Now everything has been sorted out."
While the teacher spoke, Lili tilted her chin up, glancing at Asuka with a victorious smirk
Noticing that, Asuka rolled her eyes while Kaido let out a sigh.
"This is going to be fun…"
"Shut up," Asuka shot back with a serious look.
Adjusting her glasses again, Miho looked on the verge of losing patience. She fixed her gaze on Asuka and Lili—the tension between them palpable.
"I expect the two of you to keep this rivalry out of my classroom."
Some students laughed. Others remained silent, waiting for their reaction.
"I won't allow you to turn this place into a ring," tracher continued, looking intensely from one to the other. "I can't believe the principal actually allows martial arts on school grounds. This is a school, not a dojo."
Lili kept her polite smile, as if the words weren't meant for her. Asuka crossed her arms and muttered something incomprehensible.
Then Miho slowly turned to Kaido, who was already sinking into his chair, feeling the storm approaching.
"And you two…" she pointed first at Asuka, then at him. "We'll have a little talk after class."
The way she said "talk" made a few classmates let out a teasing:
"Ooh…"
Kaido gasped, already imagining the trouble to come.
"Damn it…"
Asuka shot him a sideways glance—as if it were his fault. Meanwhile, Lili leaned back in her chair, like a princess on a throne, savoring every second.
- - -
The cafeteria was alive with chatter, laughter, and the clatter of trays. Kaido ate surrounded by classmates who sounded more like sports commentators than students.
"Man, you're insane," one of them said, mouth full. "Challenging Rochefort? You're just asking to get crushed!"
"Or maybe he's just crazy lucky," another said, grinning.
"Yeah—you were literally between the hottest girls."
"Lili and Asuka? Dude…"
"Lucky?" a third burst out laughing.
"More like doomed! Hot, yeah. But those two? Wild beasts."
He jabbed a thumb toward Kaido.
"Didn't you see the way they fought in the first two weeks?"
Laughter erupted at the table. Kaido sighed, but he couldn't help smiling.
"And when you grabbed Lili's elegant leg?" another shook his head. "Bro… the guts on you. I'm so jealous!"
Another chimed in immediately,
"Tsk… I prefer Asuka. Those training muscles… mmm. Too sexy."
"You guys are sick," Kaido said, trying to fight back a laugh.
"We're just realists," the first said, patting his shoulder.
"Maybe that's why she got so interested in you."
"No way," Kaido said quickly. "Asuka's just my best friend."
"Yeah, yeah… just a friend, huh?" another teased, grinning. "Sure, sure."
Meanwhile, at a nearby table, Asuka poked at her bentō, barely hearing her friends. Her gaze was locked on Kaido and the chaos surrounding him.
Pfft… assholes.
Then she noticed—his lunchbox was exactly like hers.
"…Tsk…" she muttered, a faint blush rising.
It's Just Aroma-san's lunch… nothing more…
Noticing their reaction, her friends exchanged giggling glances—making Asuka even more nervous.
Across the cafeteria, Lili, surrounded by flattering classmates, ignored them completely, her attention fixed on Kaido.
With an elegant, firm movement, she stood up, her footsteps announcing her approach.
Asuka straightened up instantly. Her friends fell silent. Kaido's table grew quieter as Lili came closer. He looked up just as she stopped in front of him.
"Excusez-moi," she said with that sweet, razor-sharp French accent.
Without waiting for a response, she pushed someone's tray aside.
"…Oh crap…" Kaido sighed, putting down his chopsticks.
Lili sat down in front of him, crossing her legs elegantly. Her smile was soft, but her eyes glimmered with something sharper.
"Bon appétit," she said sweetly, as if they were alone.
Kaido's friends exchanged uneasy looks—some laughed nervously, others widened their eyes, as if a predator had entered the room. Kaido raised an eyebrow, keeping his posture relaxed, and pretended it was nothing special as he picked up his chopsticks again.
"...Azs." he answered quietly, trying to ignore the spectacle forming around them.
Lili leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.
"Are you really going to pretend I'm not here?" she asked melodically. "Ignore me… like our dear Asuka?"
Kaido paused mid-bite, long enough for Lili to see she'd hit the mark.
"On the contrary…" he said, slowly lifting his eyes to meet hers.
"I'd actually like to hear why you're so interested in her?"
Lili raised an eyebrow, surprised by the answer. Her smile only grew wider, intrigued. She elegantly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned in slightly—the game had just gotten more interesting.
"Mon cher… how bold, hm? Asking like that, no hesitation…" A soft laugh escaped, muffled behind her delicate hand.
"Très bien… since you insist, I'll satisfy your curiosity."
The cafeteria began to grow quiet around them, as if someone had turned down the volume. No one looked directly at them, but many people leaned in subtly to listen.
"Asuka…" Lili pronounced the name slowly, letting it linger in the air.
"She's rude, wild, always pretending she doesn't care… that's exactly what makes her fascinating. A rough pearl among worthless stones. Someone who both entertains and challenges me."
She rested her chin on her hand, with an innocent smile, and winked at him as if whispering a secret.
"And, of course... I adore the look on her face when she loses her composure. She's charming when she gets angry."
"And, of course… I adore the look on her face when she loses her composure. She's charming when she gets angry."
Asuka, pretending not to listen, squeezed her fork so hard she nearly bent the metal. A friend tried to speak, but received a death glare.
BANG!
She struck the table, causing the dishes to trembled.
"Baka… baka-domo!"[2]
Lili leaned a little closer to Kiado. She pretended to whisper, as if speaking only to him.
"Et toi, chéri… are you really that curious about why I care?
Or are you afraid your precious Asuka might not be as exceptional as you imagine?"
The entire cafeteria held its breath. All eyes, even the most discreet ones, were focused on Kaido's response.
He tilted his head slightly, a smile curving the corners of his lips.
"Not really…" he said sharply.
"I was just curious why someone would cross continents just to hover around her rival…
But I suppose the feeling isn't mutual, considering how many times she's knocked you down."
The remark hit Lili like a punch to the jaw. Her smile faltered for a moment.
"Hehe…" she let out a small laugh, trying to mask the slip.
Straightening her posture, she placed a hand on her chest as if she had been dramatically "wounded."
"Touché… mon cher! Your tongue is as sharp as her blows."
But her eyes didn't lose their fire—if anything, they gleamed brighter, thrilled by the challenge. She leaned forward again, her voice dropping even more.
"Mais ne te trompe pas...[3] Even though Asuka has defeated me before... I always come back. Defeat doesn't scare me—it just makes victory sweeter when it comes. Et puis... who said rivalry was the only reason I came here?"
Her gaze locked onto his, measuring every reaction. For a second, the cafeteria disappeared — leaving only her blue eyes and Kaido's calm steadiness.
Her gaze locked with his, assessing every flicker in his expression.
For a second, the whole cafeteria faded away — leaving only Kaido's calm, subtly taunting presence.
Seeing all that, Asuka couldn't take it anymore.
She stood up abruptly, the sound of the chair creaking catching everyone's attention. Each firm step she took toward their table made her intention clear.
Without a word, she sat down next to Kaido, then gave him a push on the shoulder—enough to make him understand her mood very clearly.
Asuka stood next to Kaido and nudged his shoulder—enough to make him understand her mood clearly
"Bakayaro…" she growled.
"Don't listen to the conceited princess."
Then she turned her burning eyes to Lili.
"And you … don't you have anything better to do?"
The cafeteria held its breath. No one moved, not even a cough. Everyone knew—if those two started here, no one would dare intervene.
[1] Come on, move aside a bit
[2] Idiot… all idiots!
[3] But make no mistake