Kael adjusted the strap of his bag, glancing down at his holo-schedule. Advanced Theory of Energy Distribution – Room 21F. He sighed softly. The class was notoriously difficult.
That's when he saw her, Ayane Nakamura again, trying to balance three data slates, a tangle of printouts, and a portable micro-reactor training model in her arms.
Kael reacted before thinking.
"A-Ah! Got it!" he said, catching the tablet just before it hit the ground. He handed it back with both hands, palms upward, as if returning something fragile. "That was close… Nakamura-san, are you okay? You're carrying too much."
Ayane blinked at him, stunned for a moment. Then she laughed awkwardly, her cheeks tinged pink.
"T-thank you, Tsurugi-kun. I was hoping to avoid a quantum catastrophe."
"Morning, Nakamura-san," he said with a grin. "This is the third time this week."
Ayane looked up, cheeks flaring. "I-It's the print drivers! They glitched again and wouldn't bind my packet into one file."
Kael chuckled as he helped rearrange her pile. "You say that every time.."
"I..I need to finish my work," she said, exasperated but not unkindly. "Do you know how far behind I am in neural interface design? I lost two days last week fixing my dorm's AI assistant!"
He grinned. "Let me guess. You upgraded it, didn't you?"
She hesitated. "…Just a little."
Kael's smile widened. "You're brilliant, Nakamura-san. Just don't overwork yourself, okay?"
They started moving toward the same hall, walking side by side. As usual, they shared their class.
They weren't really that close. They didn't talk in the student lounge or eat lunch together. Ayane, however, has always given Kael a little wave or a silent "thank you" when he stepped in since orientation week, when he had assisted her in carrying her broken bag after a malfunctioning servo lock zapped her wrist.
And Kael… just liked helping.
"I heard you fought Park Jimin yesterday," Ayane said suddenly, her tone carefully neutral.
Kael scratched his cheek. "Yeah, well, we were just practicing."
Her brow furrowed. "You're too humble. Even the seniors were talking about it."
Kael looked away. "I'm just… doing what I'm good at."
Ayane glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, curious.
"Be proud of yourself"
He hesitated, then gave a small shrug, his expression sheepish.
"I'm not smart like you, Nakamura-san. I get lost in lectures half the time.."
There was a pause between them.
Then Ayane, smiled.
"You might not see it that way, but doing something you believe in, that's its own kind of intelligence, Kael."
She looked forward again, clutching her textbooks a little tighter.
"And besides... doing what you love... it's the part that actually makes life worth living."
Kael blinked, her words sinking in deeper than she probably intended.
"...Thanks, Nakamura-san. I mean that."
Ayane let out a quick, bright laugh, brushing her bangs behind her ear.
"Don't get used to it."
"Here, let me help with those, Nakamura-san!" His voice carried the natural warmth that had made him beloved despite his mixed background.
As they ascended the stairs together, he took half the load she was carrying and spoke casually with each other. His dialogue was straightforward and honest, free of the subtle incivility and social manipulation that seemed to afflict many of his more advantaged peers.
In the days following his altercation with Park Jimin, the whispers trailed Kael's shadows. He made an effort to ignore them. He kept his head down, concentrating on his meditation, his chores, and the endless solo kata that calmed him. He was happy in his own world, eating his meals by himself.
However, the murmurs continued. Tsurugi. The other students, who were the sons and daughters of political elites and Zaibatsu executives, were unable to make sense of the brand's name in relation to the modest, quiet boy who appeared to be happy sweeping fallen leaves off the Zen garden's stone walkways.
It was a cool, sunny afternoon when the confrontation took place. The smell of damp earth and pine filled Kael's lungs as he worked on his breathing exercises by the old koi pond.
"So, the boy Tsurugi finally shows his face outside the dojo." The voice was sharp, laced with arrogance.
Kael's eyes opened slowly, already having detected the approaching footsteps moments before. In front of him, Kenji Tanaka was flanked by two other pupils, his usual entourage of admirers and fear-driven followers. Tanaka Cybernetics was a corporate behemoth owned by Kenji's family, and he took pride in his position. His hair was styled flawlessly, his uniform was spotless and he had a deeply arrogant expression.
Kael stood up slowly and offered a slight bow. "Tanaka-san," he said, his voice calm and even. "The garden is peaceful today."
Kenji sneered, his lips curling into an ugly expression that transformed his handsome features. "Peaceful? You are the reason this academy is in chaos. This absurd story of you defeating Seoul's corporate league's pride, Park Jimin. An unidentified fatherless boy with a name he has no right to."
He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "You disgrace the name of the Tsurugi. You're nothing but a pretender. A nobody playing at being someone important."
Kael's face did not change to anger. Rather, a glimmer of real sorrow appeared on his face. He sensed the insecurity beneath Kenji's voice, the desperate need for validation that drove his cruelty, the bitter fear that perhaps he wasn't as special as he'd been told his entire life.
"I am sorry my presence bothers you, Tanaka-san," Kael said softly, his honesty disarming. "I do not wish to cause trouble or dishonor any name....I am only here to learn the way of the sword, as Sensei Makoto has taught us all.."
"You don't fu**ing deserve to be here!" Kenji spat, pointing an accusatory finger at Kael, his carefully maintained composure finally cracking. "You're not worth the air you breathe in these sacred halls! I challenge you...to a duel, right here, right now!"
Despite the venom being thrown at him, Kael's face remained respectful as he gently shook his head. "There is no purpose in fighting, Tanaka-san. A duel between us would prove nothing to anyone."
Kenji's face contorted with rage. "It would prove you are a coward... Or perhaps..." his voice dropped to a cruel whisper, "your mother was simply some peasant sh*t whore who clung to the Tsurugi name to make her bastard son seem important."
Kenji blinked. For a moment, his grin wavered. He sensed it. The shift in his aura.