The sun dipped low over the Ishigawa Academy track, casting long shadows over the sprawled bodies of its trainees.
McQueen lay on her back, chest rising and falling in ragged breaths, sweat glistening on her brow. "Akuma-san… why didn't you just… stop us?" she wheezed.
Akuma stood nearby, hands in his pockets, calm as if he'd merely watched a casual stroll. "It was stamina training," he said with a shrug. "Plus, it's a good way to see who holds up the longest."
He didn't miss the way McQueen's eyebrow twitched at his deadpan tone.
He gestured lazily toward the track. "Top Gun gave up first. Rice Shower next—though she lasted longer than I expected. Then your bickering rivals over there," he nodded toward Scarlet and Vodka, still glaring at each other from where they lay on the ground, "followed by Gold Ship. Special Week dropped before you… which, I'll admit, is impressive for someone who thought with her sense of direction but maybe it's because of that."
Gold Ship weakly raised a hand from the grass. "I could've lasted longer if Scarlet didn't elbow me…"
Scarlet and Vodka immediately started bickering again, even from the dirt.
Akuma, ignoring them, handed McQueen his thermos. "Hydrate."
McQueen blinked but took it, sipping gratefully as he stepped past her to crouch beside Special Week. The girl's hair stuck to her flushed face, her chest heaving as she looked up at him with exhausted yet shining eyes.
"Well?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "Did you have fun?"
"Yes!" she said without hesitation, her voice bright despite the fatigue.
A small smile tugged at Akuma's lips. "You've got real talent," he said quietly. "I'm jealous of whichever trainer at Tracen Academy gets to work with you."
For a moment, neither spoke. The sounds of panting trainees and the chirping of cicadas filled the warm air. Special Week opened her mouth, eyes soft, as if searching for the words—
But Akuma was already standing. "As promised, let's get you to Trac—"
His sentence was cut short when McQueen launched herself at him from behind, arms snaking around his neck in a chokehold.
"Are you really that dense!?" she yelled in frustration, nearly lifting him off the ground.
"Wait—what—?!" Akuma coughed, trying to pry her off.
Before he could, Scarlet grabbed his left arm while Vodka took the right, the two working together for once just to pin him down.
"Grow some balls!" Vodka barked.
"Honestly, do your job!" Scarlet added with a flat stare..
Akuma twisted his head toward them. "What exactly did I do?"
"What you didn't do!" McQueen shot back, tightening her hold. "You're about to let go of a golden opportunity! Special Week clearly likes it here, and you're just going to send her away?"
Scarlet scoffed, "You're hopeless, Headmaster."
"Yeah," Vodka grinned, "you'd lose an uma race against common sense."
Even Rice Shower, still sitting cross-legged a few feet away, nodded shyly. "She… does seem comfortable here."
"Don't forget the way she smiled at you," Adal added from the stands, sipping from a cup like it was wine. "That was not the smile of a girl who wishes to depart."
Mischa, seated beside him, pulled down his shades to glance at Akuma. "Recruit her, boss. Or you'll never hear the end of it from this circus."
Akuma sighed deeply, the sound almost theatrical. "So all of you are ganging up on me now?"
"Yes," McQueen said flatly.
"Yes," Scarlet repeated.
"Yep!" Vodka chimed.
"Absolutely," Adal confirmed, lifting his cup in salute.
Akuma glanced at Special Week, who was sitting up now, cheeks pink—not entirely from exertion. She met his gaze for a moment before looking away, fiddling with her fingers.
The headmaster exhaled slowly through his nose, finally shaking his head in defeat. "…You're all insufferable."
McQueen smirked. "We learned from the best."
Scarlet and Vodka released his arms, McQueen hopping off his back. Akuma straightened, rolling his shoulders, before crouching again in front of Special Week.
Akuma stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of all the expectant stares around him. He finally heaved a long, resigned sigh. "…Do you really want to stay here?"
Special Week looked up at him, eyes bright and unwavering. "Yes."
For a beat, the two simply stared at each other. Akuma's lips pressed into a thin line before he muttered under his breath, "Something bad's gonna happen to me… with how lucky I've been getting lately."
Still, he exhaled through his nose, reached down, and clasped her hand. With a smooth pull, he hoisted her onto her feet.
"Then," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "welcome to Ishigawa Academy… and to my team."
Special Week's grin was immediate and dazzling. Around them, McQueen folded her arms with a satisfied huff, Scarlet smirked, Vodka gave a thumbs-up, and even Rice Shower's eyes sparkled with approval.
Akuma, however, was already turning toward the rest. "Don't think this means you can slack off just because there's a new face. Training doesn't stop."
A chorus of affirmations followed—"Yes, Headmaster!" "Got it!" "Of course!"—all except from Gold Ship, who was already doing questionable yoga stretches beside Mischa, the Russian deadpanly holding her ankles in place like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Akuma pinched the bridge of his nose. "…I should've known."
Special Week giggled under her breath, her earlier exhaustion already forgotten as she stood a little taller, ready for whatever came next.