The final bell echoed through the school halls, marking the end of the afternoon classes. Hikari stretched his arms, feeling the weight of the long day settle on his shoulders. To his relief, nothing disastrous had occurred—at least, nothing new to add to the already chaotic misunderstanding he and Mitsumi were tangled in. If anything, the only issue was Mitsumi falling asleep three more times during class, unconsciously clinging onto his arm as if it were a pillow. She must have been utterly exhausted or simply bored beyond belief.
As he packed his things, his thoughts lingered on one peculiar detail—why did they call each other by their first names? It was something that had slipped out naturally, yet the familiarity of it felt strange, as if they'd known each other far longer than they actually had.
The moment he slung his bag over his shoulder, a prickling sensation crawled up his spine. Someone was watching him. No, not just watching—waiting. His enhanced senses, one of the many perks of being an inheritor of the name, allowed him to detect heat signatures even through walls. He could feel them—six figures standing motionless just beyond the classroom door.
Mitsumi remained by his side, oblivious to the growing tension. "Let's go home together. I need to get my bag at your place, Hikari."
That was the plan, but the presence outside complicated things. Something wasn't right.
Just as Mitsumi was about to step forward, Hikari grabbed her hand and held her back. "Wait. Stay here for a moment."
She blinked at him, confused. "Huh? What's wrong?"
"There's something dangerous outside." He kept his voice low, his eyes darting toward the door.
Mitsumi's brows furrowed. "Really?"
"Shh!" Hikari hushed her before glancing toward the windows. The figures outside remained unmoving. "I think they're waiting for us."
"Are they the thieves?"
"No. They're our upperclassmen. Judging by their height and presence, I'd say seniors."
Mitsumi folded her arms. "If they're upperclassmen, maybe they mean no harm."
Hikari let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, and maybe pigs fly. Look, I just don't want you caught up in any trouble. Stay here."
His words were firm, leaving no room for argument. As he prepared to step out, a flicker of movement caught his eye. A shadow at the far end of the classroom—wavering, shifting, then forming a hand that gestured for him to come out. It ended the signal with a thumbs-up.
Master Ryu.
A small grin played on Hikari's lips. "Just stay put, Mitsumi. I'll be right back."
With a deep breath, he stepped out of the classroom. The moment his foot hit the hallway floor, a fist came flying toward his face. His instincts kicked in, and he jerked his head to the side just in time to avoid the punch. His assailant stumbled forward, clearly not expecting him to dodge so swiftly.
Hikari took a step back, his gaze flickering between the six upperclassmen surrounding him. Their eyes burned with hostility, fists clenched as they took aggressive stances. He already knew their reason for attacking. He had been the talk of the school all day, and their jealousy was practically radiating off them. It seemed ridiculous, but here they were, ready to fight.
Fine. If they wanted to brawl, he was more than willing to entertain them.
He shifted his stance, placing his right foot forward, body slightly turned to the side. His muscles tensed, prepared to dodge rather than counter. He wasn't looking for trouble, but if they pushed him, he'd make sure they regretted it.
However, before anyone could make their next move, the six upperclassmen abruptly collapsed face-first onto the ground. Hikari's eyes widened. Thin, black, thread-like tendrils were coiled tightly around their ankles, slithering back into the shadows.
So this was Master Ryu's power.
Awe flickered in Hikari's eyes as he watched the shadow manipulator work. His heart pounded with excitement.
"Don't mess with Mitsumi," he bluffed, stepping past them.
One of the seniors, still on the ground, turned his head toward him. "No way... Are you an irregular?!"
Hikari didn't answer. Instead, he caught a glimpse of Master Ryu's shadow gesturing for him to leave. Taking the hint, he turned on his heel and walked back into the classroom, grabbing Mitsumi's hand without a second thought.
"Let's go."
"Um, okay?" Mitsumi followed his lead, stealing a glance at the fallen upperclassmen. "Thanks, Hikari. I was watching from the window. But, um… why did they suddenly trip?"
"Er, someone helped me out," he admitted. "He grabbed their feet before they could attack. I need to thank him later."
As they left the school grounds, his phone suddenly rang.
He pulled it out of his pocket, glancing at the screen.
His dad.
"Hey, son! So, how are we doing?" His dad's voice boomed through the receiver, full of energy. "Your girlfriend—I mean, your 'friend' dropped her bag at our place earlier, right? I couldn't call during class, so I'm calling now. By the way, nice job remembering to keep your phone off in class! Wonder why it's on now, though?"
Hikari could practically hear the teasing grin in his dad's voice. He sighed. "I'm doing great, Dad. We'll come pick up the bag soon."
"Nice! So, are you with her right now?" his dad continued, clearly fishing for information. "Are you picking up the bag together, or are you escorting her home first?"
"We'll pick it up together. See you later."
"Wait! Let me talk to her first."
Hikari tensed. "What? Why?"
"Just hand her the phone, son."
He hesitated before reluctantly passing the device to Mitsumi. "Um… my dad wants to talk to you."
She took it nervously. "Hello, Mr. Kurayami."
Hikari could only catch snippets of the conversation.
"Yes, sir... Ahh, okay... Really? Is that fine?... Of course! And by the way… Tonight, sir? Um, I'll ask my parents first... Hope you could join us."
Join us?! Hikari's stomach twisted. What did his dad just rope him into?
Mitsumi handed the phone back.
"So, what did he say?" he asked cautiously.
Mitsumi hesitated before responding. "Your dad said it's dangerous to walk alone in our part of town, especially in the morning and evening. So, starting tomorrow, you'll be picking me up and escorting me home every day. Oh, and your mom invited me to dinner tonight."
Hikari's jaw nearly dropped. "W-what?!"
This was a disaster. If Mitsumi came over, that meant he couldn't attend his first training session with Master Ryu. Panic set in—how could he possibly ditch dinner?
Then, his shadow shifted. A thumbs-up appeared at his feet before creeping up his back.
"Enjoy your dinner, Hikari. Don't forget—training is at midnight," Master Ryu whispered.
Hikari exhaled in relief. "Yes, Master Ryu."
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that his dad's arrangement was going to cause him more trouble than he ever asked for.