The morning homeroom at Sainan High was usually a time for sleeping, copying homework, or gossiping about Rito's latest harem antics. But today, the air was cold.
"Everyone, take your seats," the teacher announced nervously, adjusting his glasses. "We have a... unique transfer student joining us today."
The sliding door opened.
A girl walked in. She was small, delicate, and dressed in the standard Sainan High uniform, though she wore it with a black gothic flair that seemed to darken the room around her. Her long, golden hair flowed behind her like a cape, and her red eyes scanned the room with the precision of a targeting system.
The class went dead silent. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.
She walked to the chalkboard. She picked up a piece of chalk and wrote two words in jagged, aggressive kanji.
GOLDEN DARKNESS.
She turned around, dropping the chalk.
"I am Golden Darkness," she announced, her voice flat and monotone. "I dislike perverts. Do not speak to me unless you wish to be dissected."
A collective shiver went through the class. Saruyama hid under his desk. Even the delinquents in the back row looked pale.
"U-Um..." the teacher stammered. "Well, then. Is there... a short and easy name you prefer?"
"No."
"Okay! Well, please take a seat... ah, there's an empty one next to Yuuki-kun."
Yami turned her gaze to the back of the room. Her eyes locked onto Rito.
Rito didn't flinch. He didn't look scared. He offered a small, polite wave.
Yami marched down the aisle. Students leaned away from her as she passed, terrified of the invisible blades of killing intent she radiated.
She stopped at Rito's desk.
"You," she whispered, her hair twitching ominously.
"Morning, Yami-chan," Rito smiled. "Nice uniform. It suits you."
Yami blinked, her "Killer Mode" faltering for a microsecond. "Do not get comfortable, target. Proximity facilitates elimination."
"Sure." Rito agreed easily. "But we have math class first. You might want to take notes."
She stared at him, confused by his lack of fear, then sat down, pulling out a notebook with mechanical precision.
Across the aisle, Haruna watched with wide, worried eyes. She leaned over to Rito.
"Rito-kun," she whispered. "Is she... dangerous?"
"She's fine." Rito whispered back, confident in his future knowledge. "She just need friends."
Lala, sitting two desks ahead, turned around and beamed. "Yay! Another new friend is here! We can eat lunch together!"
Yami ignored them all, staring straight ahead at the blackboard. But Rito noticed something. Her hand was gripping her pen so tightly it was bending. She wasn't focused; she was nervous.
…
The lunch bell rang.
Usually, Rito would be swarmed by his wives for lunch. But today, he had a mission.
He stood up and turned to Yami. "Hey Yami-chan. Do you know where the cafeteria is?"
Yami looked up from her perfectly taken notes. "I do not require sustenance. I have rations."
She pulled a dry, unappetizing energy bar from her pocket.
Rito frowned. "That looks terrible. Come on. I'll show you around. The cafeteria even has taiyaki on Tuesdays."
Yami's ear twitched. "Taiyaki?"
"With premium custard," Rito lied. "My treat."
Yami hesitated. Her programming screamed kill him. Her stomach screamed taiyaki.
"Very well," she said, standing up. "I will inspect the facility. For... tactical reasons."
They walked through the halls. The crowd parted for Yami like the Red Sea. Everyone was terrified of the "Goth Loli Assassin".
Rito walked beside her, chatting casually. "That's the science lab. Lala blew it up last week. That's the gym. We have P.E. there tomorrow."
He led her to the cafeteria. He bought her three taiyaki. She ate them with a speed and efficiency that was both terrifying and adorable, her cheeks puffing out like a squirrel.
"Though there's no premium custard. It's acceptable." she mumbled, wiping a crumb from her lip.
"So," Rito said, leaning against the vending machine. "What do you do when you aren't working?"
"I sharpen my blades. I read data. I wait."
"That sounds boring," Rito said honestly. "Don't you have hobbies? Like reading?"
Yami froze. She looked at him sharply. "How do you know I read?"
"I saw you remember," Rito reminded her. "At the convention. You were reading Dragon Ball. You seemed really into it."
Yami looked away, her hair forming a protective curtain around her face. "It was... just data collection on this planet's culture. The protagonist's fighting style is... inefficient. But his resolve is noteworthy."
"He fights to protect people," Rito said softy. "Maybe you'd like that. Having something to protect instead of destroy."
Yami glared at him. "I am a weapon, Yuuki Rito. Weapons do not protect. We sever."
"I don't believe that." Rito said.
"What?"
"Come with me."
He led her to the Library. It was quiet, smelling of dust and peace. Haruna was at the desk, stamping books. She looked up, surprised to see Rito bringing the "Dangerous Transfer Student" into her sanctuary.
"Rito-kun?"
"It's okay, Haruna." Rito said. He led Yami to the back, to the sci-fi/fantasy section.
He pulled a book off the shelf. It was a novel about a robot learning to love.
"Here," Rito said, handing it to her. "Read this. You can borrow it."
Yami looked at the book. The Heart of Steel.
"Why?" she asked, her voice tight. "Why are you doing these things? I am here to kill you."
"Because," Rito said, stepping closer. He cornered her gently against the bookshelf. He wasn't threatening her; he was shielding her from the rest of the school.
"I believe that you aren't a weapon, Yami-chan," Rito said, his voice firm and honest. "You're just a girl who likes taiyaki like many others. You're a girl who reads manga in alleyways because she likes it. That's enough for me."
Yami stared at him. Her red eyes wavered. Her hair lifted, the tips sharpening into blades, hovering inches from Rito's throat.
"I could cut you," she whispered. "Right now."
"You could." Rito agreed. He didn't flinch but instead reached out.
He placed his hand on top of her head.
He patted her gently. Like one would comfort a stray cat.
Yami flinched violently. Her eyes went wide. The blades trembled, but they didn't strike. She stood there, frozen under his warm hand, her brain short-circuiting. No one touched her like this. No one touches a weapon without fear.
"But you won't," Rito smiled. "See you in class, Yami-chan."
He walked away, leaving the Golden Assassin standing alone in the aisle, clutching a library book to her chest, her heart beating a rhythm she didn't understand.
*****
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