WebNovels

Chapter 7 - Chapter 7 — Ripples

The Monday morning air felt fresh but tense—like a pale blue sky trying to bury last night behind a polite smile.

At the main gate of International Academy, students pooled in waves, each face different: some yawning, some running, some chattering about the same topic.

"Did you hear? Class F took first place?"

"Impossible! That's the bottom class, right?"

"But the name's on the digital board—right above the Gorosei twins!"

The electronic display on the main building flashed the new ranking:

1st Grade – Academic Ranking:

#1 KIRYUU KIZAKI – Class 1-F

#2 YUNA GOROSEI – Class 1-A

#3 YUNI GOROSEI – Class 1-A

That name—Kiryuu Kizaki—echoed through every whisper on campus.

Some were impressed, some scornful, and others… jealous.

Kiryuu walked through the main doors at an even pace, sling bag on his shoulder, hands in his pockets.

His expression was calm, his stride steady.

Heads turned as he passed—not because they knew him, but because his presence made people pause.

"That's him…"

"Kiryuu from Class F."

"Didn't think he'd look like that. No wonder…"

He didn't care.

Voices were background noise—loud, but unimportant.

All he registered was the morning wind against his face and the scent of fallen sakura in the courtyard.

On the second floor, behind the faculty-room window, Miss Hanabira watched him approach.

A coffee cup in her right hand, her gaze never left the student who'd just returned to school after break.

"He comes in without a trace of fear. Honestly… this boy doesn't understand what 'normal' means."

She tried to look away. She failed.

Last week's memory—her counseling room, the touch that shouldn't have happened, the last words before they parted—surged back.

She drew a deep breath.

"Focus on work, Hanabira. He's just a student."

"Just a student…"

But her heart rejected the line.

Downstairs, Mizuno Airi waited at the doorstair to floor 3 of Class 1-F.

Her hair was tied high today; her expression was slightly nervous, but sweet.

When she saw Kiryuu appear at the end of the corridor, her steps halted on reflex.

"You're early," she said when he reached her.

"I don't like being late."

"You know everyone's talking about you, right?"

"Let them. I didn't come here to be a topic."

She looked down, chuckling softly.

"You really are strange."

"I know."

They entered together.

Instinctively, the usually noisy 1-F fell quiet.

Heads turned—Sakura polishing her lens, Noel at the teacher's desk, Elena pretending to read while obviously watching.

Miss Hanabira arrived a few minutes later, her expression as always—professional—though her eyes slightly avoided one particular seat: Kiryuu's.

"Good morning, everyone. Today we begin our post-exam review."

She wrote on the board, but every time Kiryuu's voice sounded—even for a short answer—her heartbeat ticked up.

"Calm down, Hanabira. This is class, not…"

The lesson flowed. Outside the room, the world did not stop buzzing.

Students from other classes drifted past 1-F's door, supposedly to "borrow notes," really to peek at the boy who shook their hierarchy.

A rumor spread, with a name carried on the current—not with anger, but mingled curiosity and respect:

"Who exactly is Kiryuu Kizaki?"

The second bell rang—break was over.

On the digital board in front of the class, a red icon flashed—the crest of the Principal's Office.

"Top Three Students of Year 1 are requested to report immediately."

1-F froze.

Every eye turned to Kiryuu.

"Top three…" Sakura whispered, camera still in hand.

"That means Kiryuu, and…"

"The Gorosei twins," Elena finished, flat-toned.

Kiryuu exhaled, closed his notebook, and stood.

"Looks like they're not done questioning me.

Airi bit her lip.

"You going alone?"

"I doubt they allow an audience."

The door opened from outside before he could move.

Heels clicked against the wood floor—measured, confident—

two synchronized steps enough to draw every head.

Yuna and Yuni Gorosei stood in the doorway.

Their 1-A crimson uniforms contrasted sharply with the navy around them.

Yuna in front—black hair like a blade, dark-red eyes sharp as coals.

Yuni a step behind—calm, with an azure fade at her tips, eyes as cool as a night ocean.

Yuna tilted her head slightly.

"Looks like we're summoned together again, Kiryuu Kizaki."

"Miss the atmosphere?" Kiryuu returned, a thin smile.

Yuni smiled faintly.

"Funny. Last week you stood like this too—calm, and everyone forgot how to breathe."

"Maybe the air here's too thin for long breaths," he replied without humor.

Sakura stopped shooting; Airi swallowed, steadying her heart.

Rika whispered from the back:

"They look like three predators in a single cage."

Miss Hanabira entered moments later, hiding what tremor remained.

"Gorosei twins, Kiryuu—the principal is waiting. Don't keep her waiting."

Yuna nodded lightly.

"Of course, Sensei."

Her smile didn't change, but her glance at Kiryuu spelled challenge.

Before they left, Yuni paused beside Hanabira.

"Sensei looks… tense today."

Hanabira's smile was thin.

"Because you three never make my day easy."

Yuna laughed softly and moved with liquid poise.

"We only learn from the best."

The corridor to the principal's office felt unnaturally quiet.

Portraits of past top students lined the walls—most faces forgotten now, but the name "Gorosei" engraved more than once.

"You know," Yuna said as they walked, "no one from Class F has ever come this far."

"Maybe they never tried," Kiryuu answered.

"Or maybe they knew their place," Yuni countered.

"Limits exist only if you believe they do."

Once more, silence stretched among three voices unaccustomed to speaking as equals.

Inside the principal's office, the atmosphere changed.

Thick carpet, tall glass windows overlooking the garden, and the scent of hot tea.

A short silver-haired woman sat behind the large desk—Principal Sagara, a former education scientist now steering the Academy.

"Welcome, first-year top scorers," she said, smiling without warmth.

"I trust you know why you're here."

Her gaze moved between the three.

"The Academy would like to offer you places in the Accelerated Promotion Program.

You may move into higher classes, complete Year 1 early, and begin special training."

Yuna's smile sharpened.

"Sounds like appreciation."

Yuni nodded.

"And responsibility."

Kiryuu stood straight, hands still in his pockets.

"I refuse."

The principal's brow lifted.

"Refuse?"

"I prefer to stay where I am."

"May I ask why?"

"If this system wants proof of my real value, I'll show it from the bottom.

Climbing quickly isn't proof of strength—it's a shortcut."

Yuna's sideways glance curved into a sly smile.

"Bold of you to reject something like that."

"You can take it if you want," he answered calmly.

"I might… but not because it's offered."

Yuni closed the exchange with a soft note:

"Sometimes the lowest step is the best place to see who's truly tall."

The principal signed a few documents and shut the folder.

"Very well. You're dismissed. But remember—from today on, the entire Academy will be watching you."

They left together, but not in step.

Yuna ahead, Yuni in the middle, Kiryuu behind—three shadows, different vectors headed toward the same fate.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Miss Hanabira watched the office corridor from afar, her pulse still unsettled.

In class, Airi sat at Kiryuu's desk, fingers brushing the notebook he'd left.

"He went to see the principal…"

Noel looked over.

"Worried?"

"I don't know. I just feel… something big is going to happen after this."

The principal's door closed gently behind them, restoring the quiet to the marble corridor.

The click sounded like a sign: the formal meeting had ended—the real game had begun.

Yuna's steps were slow, assured.

Yuni moved silently beside her, calm eyes masking swift undercurrents.

Kiryuu followed with hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.

They stepped onto the balcony overlooking the Academy's sakura garden.

Petals drifted in the warm afternoon light.

"He refused without hesitation," Yuna said at last, eyes on the sky.

"Brave or stupid—I can't tell."

"He's not stupid," Yuni answered quietly.

"Just different."

"Different how?"

"Like someone who's seen this game before it even started."

Kiryuu leaned against the iron railing, a faint smile on his lips.

"I like how you say that, Yuni. As if you know who I am."

"Maybe I don't yet," she said. "But I will."

Yuna turned, dark-red eyes narrowing at Kiryuu.

"You know what I hate most, Kiryuu Kizaki? People who make the world look easy."

"Maybe the world is easy—people just prefer to make it complicated."

He stepped forward, closing the space to mere inches.

Sakura drifted between them; everything else seemed to still.

"If you think being number one keeps you on top, you're wrong," he said, voice calm but cutting.

"I don't want to stay on top," Kiryuu replied. "I want to change the shape of the mountain."

Yuna's laugh was small—not amused, but provocative.

"If you want to reshape a mountain, be ready for the landslide."

Kiryuu raised his gaze; his eyes were as sharp as his tone.

"I've already died under another mountain. This one's just training."

Yuni fell silent. The words were strange… and heavy—like truth hidden in metaphor.

They stood without speaking, wind lifting petals around them.

At last Yuna turned, black hair rippling.

"You're a strange one, Kiryuu Kizaki."

"I know," he said evenly.

Yuni's smile was soft.

"Strange is interesting. But dangerous."

"Danger is half the fun of living."

Yuna exhaled and glanced at her sister.

"Let's see how far he can go, Yuni."

"Farther than we expect," Yuni replied without doubt.

They started away.

Before disappearing down the hall, Yuna looked back once.

"Don't expect us to make way, Kiryuu. This world is never kind to outsiders."

"I don't need kindness," he said softly. "I need a reason."

When the twins were gone, Kiryuu remained on the balcony.

The breeze carried sakura-scent and distant voices of students leaving class.

He took a folded paper from his pocket—the promotion offer he hadn't returned.

Accelerated Promotion Program — Accepted upon signature.

He rolled it up and slipped it into his notebook.

"If this world wants to watch, they can watch from the bottom."

The 1-F door clicked softly.

Kiryuu entered, bag on his shoulder, face composed.

The room felt different; the air, once light, now dense with whispers and curiosity.

"He just came from the principal's office…"

"They say he rejected the promotion."

"Seriously? Who turns that down?"

He seemed not to hear.

He walked to his seat, placed his books with quiet care.

Even his steps were enough to still the room.

Airi looked at him, half anxious, half relieved.

"How was it?"

"Routine," Kiryuu said, opening his notes.

"They offered you a grade jump?"

"Yeah."

"And you…"

"Refused."

He said it like it was trivial.

Airi sighed, but smiled anyway.

"You really like doing strange things."

"Normal is boring."

In the back, Sakura Meiyuu watched with a camera around her neck.

Her lens caught a slick of light from the window. She pressed—click.

"You're taking pictures again?," Rika Tendo whispered.

"Just documenting history," Sakura grinned.

"History?"

"Today, Class 1-F became the center of the world."

Noel Hoshikawa, class rep, turned from the front.

"If that's true, we need a little discipline. Don't forget, Miss Hanabira could walk in any time."

"Hanabira-sensei's only human," Rika muttered. "Humans get confused."

As if cued, the door opened again.

Miss Hanabira entered, file in hand, expression composed.

Her eyes, as usual, paused a fraction too long on Kiryuu before she reined herself in.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Let's continue reviewing results."

She wrote a few names on the board, then turned to Kiryuu.

"Kiryuu Kizaki. Your performance last week was exceptional."

"Thank you, Sensei."

"The principal told me about the offer."

"And I declined."

Hanabira nodded once.

"May I ask why?"

"I still have work to finish in Class F."

"Work?"

"Help others climb too."

For a heartbeat, the room was silent.

Airi's gaze softened; Noel looked moved; even Elena, typically sardonic, lowered her eyes as if conceding something.

"You're really strange," Rika murmured at the back.

"Strange is contagious," Sakura whispered.

"How?"

"Like a flower blooming through concrete—no one asked for it, but once it appears, everyone stares."

Miss Hanabira closed her gradebook.

"Kiryuu."

"Yes, Sensei?"

"If you truly mean to help them rise, you have my support."

"I know, Sensei."

For a breath, their eyes met—too brief for most to notice, long enough to change the air.

The wall clock ticked toward the end of period.

Hanabira shut her file and gave final instructions.

"Class dismissed. I'll review this week's assignments on Friday. Don't be late."

As she left, the room came alive again.

Airi leaned toward Kiryuu, voice low.

"You really want to help everyone?"

"If one climbs, others follow. That's real change."

From the far table, Elena finally spoke.

"If you can prove that, I'll learn your way."

"I'll hold you to it," Kiryuu replied evenly.

Sakura snapped another shot—Kiryuu's faint smile wrapped in late light, the class buzzing with a new kind of energy.

On her screen, it looked like something larger than a post-class scene.

"Genius isn't just the highest," she murmured. "It's the one who makes others want to climb."

Dusk crept along the academy walls.

Copper light pooled on the staffroom windows, turning everything old-brass and warm.

Only one desk lamp remained lit—far left corner—where Miss Hanabira sat alone.

The results file lay open.

The first page read:

Kiryuu Kizaki – Class 1-F – Rank #1.

She read the line over and over, as if the letters might change if she stared too long.

"You really aren't a normal student…" she whispered.

A half-cold coffee sat on the desk.

The ticking wall clock was the only rhythm left to her thoughts.

Every time dusk's shadow crossed the glass, Kiryuu's face surfaced—calm expression, low steady voice, the way he looked at the world as if he already knew where it would end.

She leaned back, rubbing her temples.

When did she start seeing him as more than a student?

Not because of his score, but because of a composure that defied his age.

"He thinks like someone who has lived through more than he should have…"

Hanabira opened her journal.

On the same page as her official student notes, she wrote another line—

not for administration, but for herself:

Observation: Kiryuu Kizaki

Too calm for a first-year.

High potential, avoids the spotlight.

Something behind his eyes—not ambition, but memory.

She paused.

Her left hand touched her lower lip unconsciously—an old habit when she focused too hard.

"He refused the principal's offer… to stay in my class."

The words spun in her head.

Her heart beat faster—not from pride, but confusion.

If he was truly a genius, why choose to stay at the bottom?

"What are you really after, Kiryuu…?"

She stared at the file, then closed it gently.

Her hands didn't move; she just sat, watching the last light slant through the window.

Kiryuu's face surfaced again—faint, but clear.

Those eyes—calm, slightly mocking—seemed to speak:

"I don't need the system to prove my worth."

Hanabira drew a deep breath and stood.

She walked to the window, parted the curtain, and let the evening breeze in.

From there she could see part of the academy grounds—students still chatting, and among them, a boy stepping out the main doors.

Kiryuu.

Bag on his shoulder. Calm stride. Hands in pockets.

"You have no idea how hard teaching gets when your own student makes you question everything…"

A small smile came—half regret, half admiration.

From the hall outside came Noel's and Rika's voices—light chatter, little laughs.

But Hanabira knew the academy was changing, slowly, and at its center was just one name.

She added a line to her notes:

"Observe Kiryuu Kizaki — influence spreading rapidly.

Might alter student hierarchy sooner than expected."

And then, for no official reason, one more sentence—personal, not for the file:

"I should never have let that moment happen… but I don't regret it."

Dusk slid into night, swallowing copper into velvet.

Hanabira closed her journal, inhaled, and slipped out of the staffroom quietly.

Outside, the night rose—and beneath it, the whole academy seemed to hum, waiting for something that had never happened before.

"Ripples," she whispered. "And Kiryuu Kizaki is the stone dropped at the center."

Night came gently, erasing the remains of the orange sky.

The International Academy, loud by day, sank into long quiet—neon glow and the low whir of dorm fans keeping it company.

🌙 1) Kiryuu & Airi — Messages That Burn Slowly

Kiryuu sat on his bed, phone in hand.

Notifications rolled in—class groups, students—until one name made his eyes pause:

Airi.

Airi: "You home?"

Kiryuu: "Yeah."

Airi: "I can't sleep."

Kiryuu: "Why?"

Airi: "You know why."

He smiled faintly.

Kiryuu: "That's your problem."

Airi: "A problem I want to repeat."

(no reply for a moment)

Airi: "I know I shouldn't say this, but every time I close my eyes, I remember Saturday."

Kiryuu: "Stop thinking about it. Focus on studying."

Airi: "If I promise to study harder, can I come again?"

Kiryuu: "We'll see."

He set the phone on the side table, screen still lit—Airi's name at the top, a small light refusing to go out.

🌙 2) Hanabira — The Call She Shouldn't Make

At home, MissHanabira sat on her sofa, a glass of wine in hand, the phone screen pale in the dark.

The same name on the screen—KiryuuKizaki.

She stared at the number.

Her head filled with reasons not to press the button.

Her finger moved anyway.

The phone rang twice, then connected.

Kiryuu: "Sensei?"

"...You're not asleep?"

"No."

"I just… wanted to make sure you were okay after the meeting."

"I'm fine. Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe I don't settle unless I know."

Silence.

Only the night wind and two slow breaths.

Kiryuu: "Do you worry like this for all your students?"

"Only when one makes me forget who's supposed to guide whom."

Kiryuu didn't laugh, but his tone softened.

"If you want to go out and eat, just say so. No excuses needed."

A caught breath on the other end.

"...Tomorrow night. If you're free."

"I'm free."

"Alright. Don't be late."

The line clicked off.

Hanabira leaned back and closed her eyes.

"What am I doing…" she whispered—though a small smile curved anyway.

🌙 3) The Gorosei Twins — Parallel Reflections

On the elite Class 1-A dorm balcony, Yuna and Yuni sat with warm drinks, the moon half-full above them, the academy stretched in shadow below.

Yuna: "He refused without a second thought."

Yuni: "Because he didn't come here to climb ranks."

Yuna: "You think he's playing?"

Yuni: "I think he's unlike anyone we've ever met."

Yuna turned, her face moonlit.

"Different can be dangerous."

"Or… enticing."

Yuna laughed softly, curiosity rare in her voice.

"I don't know why, but I feel he's not done surprising us."

"Maybe because you aren't done learning him."

They fell quiet.

Below, a breeze lifted late sakura leaves along the path.

Kiryuu Kizaki now lived in the minds of two girls who'd never cared for other students before.

🌙 4) Class 1-F — Subtle Awakenings

In the modest dorms, other shifts stirred.

SakuraMeiyuu stared at the photos on her camera—Kiryuu, captured quietly in class.

Evening light etched a serene silhouette across his face.

"If I paint this, will he be mad?" she murmured.

Elena Krauss sat at her desk, math notes open.

She wrote at the margin: How does he think so fast?

Then smiled—for the first time wanting to study, not for grades, but because of someone.

Rika Tendo typed in the group chat:

"What is Kiryuu really like?"

Then deleted it.

She didn't know why the question felt too personal.

Haruna Celeste Takahiro skimmed old test notes, comparing them to Kiryuu's way of answering.

"He didn't follow formulas…" she whispered. "He used his own."

Then began rewriting hers—Kiryuu's way.

Noel Hoshikawa, class rep, drafted the weekly report for teachers.

The last line ended up reading:

"Kiryuu Kizaki is having a positive effect on class discipline.

And… perhaps on a few people's balance of heart, too."

The night closed without fanfare, but under the surface—

one by one, hearts began to orbit the same name.

No fire. No storm. Only ripples spreading far.

Sometimes the world doesn't change with an explosion, but with a whisper.

And at the center of it, Kiryuu closed his eyes—unaware his sleep had become the small planet around which a new world would form.

———————————————————

👑 Names & Origins

Yuna Gorosei (五老星 由奈) — Elder Twin

Yuni Gorosei (五老星 由仁) — Younger Twin

Class: 1–A (Top Tier, International Academy)

Heritage: Japanese–European corporate dynasty; heirs to the Gorosei Foundation, a multinational educational conglomerate.

Narrative Role: "Dual Apex" — the unrivaled twin prodigies who ruled the academy's academic throne… until Kiryuu Kizaki arrived.

🪞 Visual / Appearance

Shared Traits:

Height: 170 cm — tall, symmetrical, near-perfect posture.

Identical features with only subtle divergences in color and expression.

Physique: Toned, graceful, and proportionate — deliberately "engineered perfection."

Signature outfit: Tailored academy uniform — crisp white shirt (top button left undone), short navy skirt, and lace-trimmed thigh-high stockings. Their presence radiates a composed, almost predatory elegance.

They are beauty refined into power —

princesses who know they were born to rule.

🔥 Yuna Gorosei (The Fire Queen)

Hair: Jet black fading into deep crimson at the tips.

Eyes: Black-red — smoldering, sharp, seductive. Always looks like she knows a secret.

Personality: Dominant, daring, and playfully cruel. Loves testing people's confidence — especially men who think they can stand equal.

Aura: The Fire Queen — charisma so intense it commands obedience before a word is spoken.

"If you want to lead me, prove you can burn without turning to ash."

❄️ Yuni Gorosei (The Ice Princess)

Hair: Dark midnight-blue fading to soft azure ends.

Eyes: Deep blue, serene and cold — still waters that hide unknown depth.

Personality: Rational, quiet, but observant; she rarely initiates… yet never denies when Yuna plays.

Aura: The Ice Princess — beauty that entices through distance; temptation through restraint.

"People mistake stillness for weakness. But still water drowns deeper."

💬 Personality & Twin Dynamics

Aspect Yuna Yuni

Thinking Style Intuitive, reads intent instantly Analytical, waits and dissects before acting

Leadership Impulsive & provocative Calculated & patient

View on Kiryuu Sees him as a challenge to dominate — the man who dared topple her reign Sees him as an intellectual enigma — wants to understand his composure and scars

Core Drive Ego, hunger for conquest, desire to break perfection Empathy, fascination with emotional intelligence, need to decode the unknown

Together, they represent the two faces of desire — the hunger to possess and the need to understand.

💠 Symbolism — Duality of Desire

The Gorosei Twins are the living metaphor of Fire and Ice — two opposing elements that can either destroy each other or merge into equilibrium.

Yuna embodies instinctual dominance, seduction, ego.

Yuni embodies rational control, curiosity, empathy.

Their intertwined existence mirrors humanity's dual drives:

The lust to conquer, and the yearning to connect.

🎯 Narrative Role Progression

Arc: "Ripples" (Ch. 6–7)

The twins take interest in Kiryuu's sudden academic rise. They debate whether he's a threat to their dynasty — or a mirror to their own stagnation.

Arc: "Fracture" (Ch. 8–10)

Conflict ignites.

Yuna challenges Kiryuu directly, both intellectually and emotionally, while Yuni grows quietly obsessed with his calm — the first boy whose silence she can't decode.

Arc: "Convergence" (Ch. 11 →)

Their dual attraction to Kiryuu evolves into a dangerous push-pull dynamic.

Yuna seeks to dominate him; Yuni seeks to understand him — but both aim to claim him.

Together, they reshape the academy's balance, transforming competition into tension… and tension into desire.

⚜️ Additional Facts

Fluent in Japanese, English, and French.

Maintain a private research lab on campus — funded by the Gorosei Foundation, focused on "human potential and behavior modeling."

Undefeated in academic ranking since Year One — until Kiryuu Kizaki appeared.

Despite being courted constantly by elite male students, neither twin has ever accepted a date — until their shared interest aligned in one man.

Their synchronized body language (mirrored steps, gestures, and breathing rhythm) is often described as "mesmerizing" — a reflection of their unity and power.

🎭 Archetypal Roles

Yuna: The Flame of Challenge — destruction, passion, pride.

Yuni: The Mirror of Understanding — reflection, restraint, depth.

Together: The Dual Crown.

They are not two characters — they are one force split in half, destined to test whether Kiryuu's control can withstand both heat and frost.

🎨 Aesthetic Notes

Color Motifs: Scarlet (Yuna), Azure (Yuni) — contrasting gradients across their design.

Lighting Tone: Split lighting — warm light on Yuna's side, cold light on Yuni's.

Textures: Silk, firelight, glass, and mirrored reflections.

Visual Cue: When together, their presence alters the ambient tone — the air literally feels heavier, like two queens entering a chessboard.

🗣️ Signature Quotes

Yuna:

"You're not afraid of me, Kiryuu. That's what makes you dangerous."

Yuni:

"Everyone wants to win. You… just want to understand why they fight."

Together:

"Let's see if the genius of Class F can handle two apex predators at once."

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