—Kayden, can you explain why I have reports from your teachers saying you've been sleeping in all of their classes? —asked Anri, glaring at him.
Anri Teieri, the girl Keisuke had told Takeshi about, was nineteen and lived in a small apartment with Kayden, who was only twelve. Although her expression showed anger, it was clear that she was getting used to situations like this.
—You already know why, Anri. It's so boring to go to class when I know more than the teachers —Kayden complained while still flipping through a One Piece manga. He really liked the theme and was completely immersed in the story.
—Yeah, I know. You're some kind of prodigy who could be president of the world if you wanted to —Anri huffed, crossing her arms—. But I don't care. Remember, I'm in charge of you, and my job is to make sure you at least behave in school.
—It's not like I'm doing anything wrong —Kayden responded without taking his eyes off the manga—. If I already know everything, the teachers could try to ask me a question in class. If I answer correctly, they should let me sleep. It doesn't affect anything, but those guys are stubborn.
Anri sighed, resigned.
—Still, make an effort not to argue with them in class. Teachers also have pride, you know? Even if they make a mistake sometimes, don't embarrass them in front of everyone.
Kayden let out a small laugh, clearly enjoying the situation.
—It's not my fault they make mistakes. At least I pay attention sometimes, right? It's just that every time I do, it's to correct them.
Anri shook her head, biting her lips to contain her frustration.
—You know what? I won't say anything if you get suspended or expelled. It's your problem. You're smart, so you'll figure it out on your own, since you never listen to me.
Kayden just smiled, without taking his eyes off the manga's pages. To him, school was just a boring place full of useless rules, and dealing with Anri when she was mad was just a small price he was willing to pay.
...
School life for Kayden Osawa was, at best, a monotonous routine, and at worst, an endless parade of silent frustration. It was hard to find anything that challenged him or even kept his interest for more than a few minutes. The classes were predictable and repetitive, filled with basic concepts he'd already mastered years ago. Even when he tried to pay attention, he found errors or simplifications that the teachers used to avoid confusing the students, which only made him roll his eyes.
For him, his classmates were like little kids trying to understand the world. Their concerns seemed absurdly insignificant, and their conversations revolved around topics he considered trivial: who had gotten the best grade on the last test, who was dating whom, or what show was popular that week. Sometimes he tried to participate, but his comments were too complex or elaborate, and they ended up causing confused or uncomfortable looks.
Kayden was a prodigy in everything he put his mind to: math, literature, history, martial arts, even music. Playing the piano was his refuge, a way to find peace amidst the everyday chaos. But the problem wasn't the lack of challenges; it was the disconnection he felt with the rest of the world. He lived in a kind of self-imposed intellectual isolation, where no one seemed to understand his perspective, not even the adults who were supposed to guide him.
Sometimes he wondered if it was worth trying to fit into that environment. He knew his teachers resented him for correcting them in front of the class, and although Anri always told him to be more considerate of others' pride, he couldn't help it. Why should he let a mistake slide just to protect the dignity of someone who was supposed to be an academic authority?
There were days when he simply lay on his desk, closed his eyes, and let the voices around him become a distant murmur. Although many considered him arrogant or uninterested, in reality, Kayden was just tired of pretending that school had anything to offer him. He knew his intelligence wasn't something he could turn off or reduce for convenience, but he also understood that at his age, no one would take him seriously if he tried to explain what was really going through his mind.
And so, his day-to-day life continued as a silent struggle against boredom and lack of purpose, trying to navigate through a crowd that, although they saw him as a human being, preferred to keep their distance. To them, Kayden was strange, difficult to understand, and even a little intimidating, which made them avoid him, even though he treated them with kindness and courtesy. He didn't care if people saw him that way; he was used to solitude and had learned to appreciate the peace of his own space.
Kayden knew that sooner or later, he would have to find something that truly sparked his curiosity, something that would push him to really strive. But until then, he would continue floating in that bubble of indifference, pretending to belong to a world that could never challenge him.
...
Kayden walked leisurely along the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, with his gaze lost in the orange sky of the sunset. The fresh air brought him a sense of peace after another monotonous day at school. However, as he turned a corner, he heard raised voices and mocking laughter that shattered the tranquility.
He frowned and turned his gaze toward the alley to his right. Four burly, mean-looking guys had a girl cornered against the wall. She was visibly trembling, trying to pull away while one of the men held her arm tightly.
—Come on, don't be difficult. You look so alone, don't you want some company? —one of them said with a disgusting smile.
—L-Let me go... please... —the girl's voice cracked with sobs, but the guys just laughed harder.
The few people passing by the street pretended not to see anything, turning their heads to avoid getting involved. To them, these guys were dangerous, the kind of scum no one wanted to mess with. But for Kayden...
—Pathetic —he muttered softly, walking calmly toward the group.
The men noticed him when he was only a few steps away. One of them looked at him with contempt and laughed.
—What do you want, little guy? Don't you see we're busy? —the guy holding the girl grunted.
Kayden looked at them with indifference, not bothering to stop his pace.
—Busy doing what? Showing how worthless you are? —he said calmly.
—What did you say!? —another guy stepped forward, pulling out a knife and pointing it at him—. You want me to cut out your tongue, brat!?
Kayden completely ignored him and turned to the girl.
—Are you okay? —he asked, as if the four idiots didn't even exist.
The girl looked at him, still terrified, unable to respond. One of the men, furious at being ignored, swung the knife toward Kayden's face.
A sigh escaped his lips. Without moving from his spot, he caught the attacker's wrist in mid-air, twisting it with a smooth, efficient turn. A dry crack was heard before the man screamed in pain and dropped the weapon.
—What the hell...? —One of the others pulled out a metal bar, trying to strike him from behind, but Kayden simply spun on his axis, dodging the blow, and kicked him in the stomach, making him double over on the ground, coughing for air.
The other two, now scared, pulled out knives and charged at the same time. Kayden greeted them with a mocking smile, grabbing one of the wrists and throwing the guy onto the pavement with an aikido move. The other tried to stab him in the side, but Kayden blocked his arm, punching him in the jaw with a fast, precise blow that knocked him out instantly.
In a matter of seconds, the four were on the ground, some groaning in pain and others completely knocked out.
—Just a bunch of stupid apes... —he murmured while picking up the backpack he'd dropped earlier.
The girl remained motionless, trembling as she looked at him with wide eyes. Kayden approached and extended his hand.
—It's over. You can go now.
She looked at him, still processing what had just happened, before cautiously taking his hand and standing up.
—T-Thank you... Really, thank you... I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up.
Kayden just shrugged, downplaying it.
—It's nothing. Those guys were trash. Be more careful where you walk next time.
She nodded quickly and gave him a shy smile before rushing away. Kayden watched her disappear into the crowd before continuing on his way home.
This wasn't the first time he'd dealt with such problems, and he doubted it would be the last. But if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that scum like that didn't deserve anything more than to be crushed.
Sighing, he continued on his way home, as if nothing had happened.