"So you're new here," Kaiser said flatly, arms crossed, eyes scanning her expression.
Shinoa Kurai nodded with a bright grin. "Yeah! First day at Holy Cross. I'm honestly so excited. It's a bit overwhelming, but... it feels right."
Kaiser raised an eyebrow. Excited? That was a word he hadn't felt in years.
They walked down the corridor together, their conversation an unexpected ease between two complete opposites. Students stared. Whispers followed. The Ice Prince—talking to someone?
As the bell rang, they parted ways for their classes. Shinoa waved.
"See you after class, partner!"
---
The day passed like any other for Kaiser—calm on the surface, chaos beneath.
His classmates took the bus or rode in sleek cars. Kaiser? He rode an old bicycle with rusted chains and faded blue paint. It was all he had. No one knew. And he preferred it that way.
He pedaled back to the school stadium after hours, his only real escape. There, under the golden dusk, he played his favorite sport—fierce, fast, focused.
Sports were where he could forget.
About money. About expectations. About everything.
Later, as he walked toward the main building with a towel over his shoulder, a group of students waved him over. Shinoa was among them.
"Hey, Kaiser!" one of them shouted. "Join us! We're making Shinoa try badminton."
He paused, gaze flicking to her.
Shinoa smiled and tilted her head. "Wanna play?"
"…Sure," he replied, surprising even himself.
And just like that, the court lit up—not just with movement, but with something rarer:
Laughter. Warmth. Connection.
But behind that quiet smile of his, Kaiser still carried a truth no one knew.
A reason for his silence.
A reason for his poverty.
That reason… would soon be revealed.