Yuma sat beside Keisuke near the classroom windows, his cheek resting against his palm as the teacher prepared for the day's lesson.
The room was still noisy with morning chatter until the teacher cleared his throat.
One by one, the students quieted.
The teacher turned toward the blackboard and gestured to the names written there in katakana.
Daya.
Aymar.
Yuma sat up slightly.
Right.
Akira had mentioned yesterday that he would arrange for the two of them to transfer into their school. Yuma had wondered how he planned to do that so quickly, but after thinking about the kind of influence Akira had, the answer felt obvious.
For Akira, something like this probably was not difficult.
A little pressure.
A little money.
Maybe both.
Getting them into this school was one thing. Getting them into this class specifically was another, but Yuma doubted that was much harder for him.
His eyes moved toward the front of the room.
Aymar was already looking at him.
Not just him.
Keisuke too.
The stare lingered long enough for Yuma to notice. Long enough for it to feel intentional.
Then the teacher's voice cut through the room.
"Excuse me. Could you please take your seat?"
Aymar blinked, then glanced at the teacher.
The teacher's hand rested on his shoulder, gently massaging it as he spoke.
Aymar's expression shifted.
Only for a second.
His smile stayed polite, but something about it looked uncomfortable.
"Right," Aymar said softly.
He moved away from the teacher and walked down the aisle.
Daya had already taken the seat behind Keisuke without asking anyone for permission. Aymar noticed that immediately, then looked at the seat beside Keisuke.
Someone was already sitting there.
A boy Yuma did not recognize well. One of those quiet classmates whose face blended into the room because he never tried to stand out.
Aymar stopped in front of his desk and smiled.
"Hey!"
The boy looked up, confused.
"Hi?"
"What's your name?"
The boy's confusion deepened.
Yuma watched from his seat, curious. Aymar's voice was bright and friendly, almost too friendly, like he was trying to make a new friend in the middle of class.
"Sanami…" the boy answered, his tone already dropping like he knew something was coming.
Aymar's smile widened.
"Sanami. Nice name." He leaned forward slightly. "Hey, listen, can you do me a favor?"
Sanami sighed before Aymar even finished.
Without another word, he stood, picked up his things, and moved to a different seat.
Aymar had not even asked yet.
He did not need to.
Everyone understood what he wanted.
Aymar gave Sanami a small wave and a grateful smile before sliding into the empty seat beside Keisuke.
Yuma sighed softly and lowered his head onto his arms.
Keisuke watched Aymar for a second, then leaned closer.
"That was a bit mean, man," he whispered.
Aymar shrugged and leaned in too.
"Had to get the seat one way or another," he whispered back. "I can't be too far from you guys."
His smile softened.
"You know. In case something happens."
Keisuke stared at him for a moment.
That was the unsettling part about Aymar.
When he wanted something, he could make himself sound kind. Gentle, even. It was hard to tell where the sincerity ended and the manipulation began.
Keisuke turned forward again.
For now, class mattered.
At least to him.
Yuma was already gone.
Soft snores slipped from the space between his folded arms. Daya paid no attention to the lesson either, her gaze drifting out the window as gray clouds crawled across the sky. Aymar faced forward and pretended to listen, but even from the corner of his eye, Keisuke could tell his mind was somewhere else.
The class passed faster than expected.
By the time the bell rang, Keisuke had finished his notes. Yuma woke up only a few minutes before dismissal, looking like he had returned from another world. Daya had already left without asking for permission.
Students packed their bags and filed out of the classroom.
Keisuke waited near the door while Yuma leaned against the frame beside him.
Aymar stood and started toward them.
Then the teacher called his name.
"Aymar…"
Aymar paused.
He turned slowly.
"Yes?" he replied politely.
The teacher smiled.
"Could you stay behind for a moment? I'd like to personally talk with you."
The way he said personally made Keisuke's stomach tighten.
Aymar narrowed his eyes slightly, then glanced toward Yuma and Keisuke. He gave a small gesture, silently telling them he would catch up later.
Yuma did not think much of it.
He nodded and disappeared around the doorway.
Keisuke stayed.
His eyes remained fixed on the teacher.
He was not worried about Aymar.
He was worried about the man standing in front of him.
Most students did not know, but there had been rumors. More than rumors, really. Allegations that never seemed to go anywhere. Stories that got buried before they could reach the right ears.
Keisuke knew because some of the people involved had trusted him enough to tell him.
And now that same teacher was asking Aymar to stay behind.
Alone.
Keisuke looked at Aymar one last time, hoping his expression would say what he could not.
Be careful.
Aymar only gave him a discreet wave, like he had misunderstood the look completely.
Then he turned back to the teacher.
Keisuke pressed his lips together.
His hand tightened around the strap of his bag.
For a second, he almost stayed.
Then he lowered his head and forced himself to leave.
***
Endless gray clouds hung motionless above the school.
During lunch, Yuma, Daya, and Keisuke sat together at an empty table in the hall. A few minutes later, Akira and Kae joined them.
The five of them sat in silence.
Kae's gaze kept drifting toward Yuma, but Yuma only stared at the table, lost in thought.
Daya did not touch her food.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the hallway, frozen on the staircase as if she were waiting for someone to appear.
Keisuke sat quietly beside Yuma.
Too quietly.
Akira noticed.
His eyes shifted toward Keisuke, measuring him.
"What's wrong?" Akira muttered.
Keisuke snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him.
"Hm? Nothing." He forced a smile. "Just waiting for Aymar."
The answer came too quickly.
Akira did not believe it.
His stare sharpened, silently pressing for the truth.
Keisuke kept smiling.
For a few seconds, he held out.
Then Akira's glare started to break him down.
Keisuke opened his mouth.
Before he could say anything, Daya shot up from her seat.
Everyone looked at her.
Then they felt it.
A pulse of dark energy surged through their bodies.
It came fast, sharp, and unmistakable.
Aymar.
The whole table reacted at once.
Yuma pushed himself up.
Akira's eyes narrowed.
Kae stiffened.
Daya had already turned toward the stairs.
No one knew why Aymar had used his ability.
No one except Keisuke.
As Akira started to move, Keisuke grabbed his sleeve.
"Don't," he pleaded softly.
Akira stopped.
Yuma froze too, one foot already turned toward the stairs. Kae and Daya both looked back at Keisuke, their confusion clear.
For a moment, all four of them stared at him.
Keisuke's grip tightened slightly.
He could feel his own pulse in his fingers.
Before anyone could demand an answer, a familiar voice rang out from down the hall.
"There you guys are!"
Everyone's heads snapped toward the sound.
Aymar walked toward them with a cheerful smile, waving like nothing had happened.
That made it worse.
They had all felt his energy spike.
There was no hiding that.
Once he got close enough, Akira spoke first.
"What was that?"
Aymar tilted his head.
"What was what?"
Yuma cut in immediately.
"Why did you use your powers?"
Aymar's eyes flicked to him.
"Oh, that?" He smiled. "It was nothing. Just, uh…"
He paused for half a second.
"Felt stale, that's it."
No one believed him.
Not Akira.
Not Yuma.
Not Keisuke.
Definitely not Daya.
Her worry twisted into anger as she closed the distance between them. Without warning, she grabbed Aymar's arms and started inspecting him, checking his face, his neck, his hands, and anywhere else she could see.
Aymar blinked up at her, a blush slowly rising to his cheeks.
"W-what are you doing?"
"Checking if you're okay," Daya snapped. "Did you have another attack?"
Aymar seemed to understand then.
His expression softened.
He reached up and placed a hand on top of her head.
"I'm fine," he said gently. "It was nothing. I swear."
He rubbed her head softly.
Daya froze.
For one brief second, her anger cracked. The fear in her eyes melted into something warmer, something Yuma caught before either of them could hide it.
Admiration.
Affection.
Something dangerously close to love.
Then Daya smacked the top of Aymar's head.
"You idiot!" she snapped. "You scared me, and now you're acting like everything is okay?! And who gave you permission to pet me? Am I your pet?"
Aymar winced and pulled his hand back.
The others watched in silence.
For a moment, it was hard to tell whether they were witnessing a serious emotional breakdown or a comedy routine.
Then Aymar's expression changed.
The playful embarrassment faded.
His eyes moved to Akira.
"Hey," Aymar said, his voice quieter now. "I have a question."
Akira did not move.
He only waited.
Aymar stepped closer, then leaned toward his ear.
"Does RA do cover-ups?" he whispered.
Akira's eyes sharpened.
"What does that mean?" he whispered back.
His tone was low and precise.
Aymar glanced briefly at the others.
Then he wrapped an arm around Akira's shoulders and pulled him away from the table.
Akira allowed it, but his posture stayed stiff.
They moved far enough down the hall that even with enhanced hearing, Yuma could not make out their words.
He watched them from a distance.
At first, Akira only listened.
Then his body went still.
The longer Aymar spoke, the more alarmed Akira seemed to become. His face did not change much, but Yuma had spent enough time around him to notice the small things.
The tightening of his jaw.
The slight narrowing of his eyes.
The way his shoulders locked.
Whatever Aymar was saying, it was not small.
Keisuke stood beside Yuma, watching the same conversation.
Unlike Yuma, he did not look confused.
He looked like someone whose fear had just been confirmed.
Yuma turned halfway toward him.
"What's going on?" he whispered.
Keisuke paused.
"Not sure," he replied quietly. "But I might have an idea."
Yuma raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
Keisuke said nothing.
He had no intention of exposing Aymar to Yuma. Not yet. Not based only on suspicion. If something had happened, Aymar needed the chance to say it himself.
So Keisuke turned away and forced himself into a light conversation with Kae and Daya.
Kae tried to follow along, though her eyes still drifted back to Yuma every so often.
Daya did not pretend.
She stayed silent, her gaze locked on Aymar and Akira.
Yuma watched Keisuke for a moment, knowing he was avoiding the question.
Then he looked back down the hall.
Aymar was still speaking.
Akira was still listening.
And with every passing second, the conversation between them looked more serious.