The sounds of the school bells swung back and forth, signaling the end of the day, and the small crowds poured out of the school gates. The air was stifling, and the sun beat down on the children's faces until their shirts clung to their backs. Amid the crowd, Hayami Eis stood out with confident steps and a broad smile, receiving greetings from all sides as if the entire school knew him.
"Wait for me!" shouted Shimizu Yuna as she ran toward him, her dark hair glinting under the sun. It was customary for them to go home together; she was his neighbor before she was his classmate. The children around them waved at Yuna with spontaneous smiles—everyone adored her for her simplicity and gentleness.
On the path leading to the neighborhood, three shadows blocked their way at the edge of the alley.
Takahashi Sonio stood at the front, chin raised provocatively, with a small smirk never leaving his face. Behind him, Morai Hojo appeared with his broad frame almost filling the path, swinging his heavy bag as if it weighed nothing. The third, Kawai Sai, walked a little behind, dragging his feet, his long shirt and heavy sleeves oddly out of place in the scorching heat, sweat streaming down his face, yet he didn't remove them.
Sonio put his hands behind his back, a condescending smile on his face:
"Ah, we've been waiting for you… what took you so long?"
Eis smiled apologetically:
"Sorry, I finished a little late."
They continued on their way together. Hojo began to boast, swinging his bag as if it weighed nothing:
"You know? My mom made me carry a box of vegetables this morning… but it was easy. Nothing tires me!"
As he spoke, Eis's gaze drifted for a moment. Yuna noticed and smiled mischievously:
"Is it (Mi) making you daydream?"
Everyone laughed. Eis turned to her in surprise, his face flushing with embarrassment. He stammered:
"No… it's not like that. My father spoke with my mother yesterday about something important. He mentioned a restaurant called the Ito Family Restaurant, and said we would go there soon to meet an old friend of his."
At that moment, Sai slowly lifted his head and stared at Eis, then quickly dropped his gaze to the ground.
Before Eis could continue, Sai stumbled and fell onto Hojo.
Hojo shouted angrily:
"Watch where you're going, idiot!"
Sai scrambled to his feet, trying to escape. Sonio laughed loudly:
"Good job, Sai… always causing trouble!"
But his expression changed when Hojo turned sharply to him and said in a low voice:
"Do you want me to try my strength on you too?"
Silence fell. Sonio swallowed his laughter immediately, knowing no one could match Hojo when he was angry. Hojo chased after Sai, while the others scattered toward their homes.
🏠 At Sai's house:
He opened the door, sweating after escaping Hojo's chase. His mother greeted him with a tense smile:
"Sai… where's your exam paper?"
Flustered, he began searching through his bag. He tried to evade, but his mother grabbed the paper. Shock painted her face when she saw the large zeros filling the page. She screamed and scolded him as he tried to avoid her gaze. His father intervened from the next room in a firm voice:
"Enough. Don't tire yourself. Prepare for dinner tonight."
With Eis:
After finishing his homework, his father entered the room with a smile:
"Come on, Eis, we have a special dinner tonight."
Eis accompanied him to the restaurant door. There, he noticed Sai sitting at a nearby table with his family. His familiar yet unusual features looked different this time, as if hiding something Eis hadn't noticed before.
Eis entered with his parents into the bright dining hall, where tables were full of upscale families. As soon as they sat, Eis was shocked to see Sai sitting with his parents at the same table. The men exchanged greetings with polite smiles, but Eis froze when he heard his father introduce his friend:
"Eis… this is Mr. Kawai, my old friend… and Sai's father."
After a brief silence, Eis's father straightened in his seat and said enthusiastically:
"Friends, I have great news! Our lives will change soon… we will build a massive hotel, a project that will make us one of the richest families in the region!"
Eis's eyes widened in astonishment, but the bigger shock came when his father added with a smile:
"And fortunately… Sai will be in charge of the project."
Eis jumped in disbelief:
"What?! Sai?!"
At that same moment, Sai's mother stood up angrily:
"This is impossible! You're joking, right? How can a boy like Sai bear the responsibility of such a huge project?! Are you insane?! This will bankrupt our family… you're pushing my son into ruin… he's just a weak… and foolish boy!"
Sai lifted his head calmly, under everyone's gaze…