The bus ride had barely begun, but the atmosphere inside was already thick with tension—and it wasn't from the road curves.
Sitting side by side, Rukia Delim and Shinoa Kurai replayed the earlier conversation in their minds.
> "I don't like him… I love him."
Shinoa's cheeks still glowed faintly red from the bold declaration.
Rukia, arms crossed, gave a quiet sigh.
"…I acknowledge your feelings," she said flatly.
Shinoa blinked in surprise. "Eh? Seriously?"
"Don't get too excited," Rukia added sharply. "I just said I acknowledge them. That doesn't mean I'm stepping aside."
Shinoa giggled nervously but with fire in her eyes. "If you want, I'll say it a million times—I love him. And by the way, my love for him is as high as my grades."
That struck a nerve.
Rukia narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean grades? You're only second-best. Kaiser's always been first. So… your love is second-best too?"
Shinoa's smirk deepened. "Look who's talking—the girl who's never scored above 80 since elementary school."
Rukia froze.
"…What did you just say?"
"Exactly what you heard."
They both turned toward each other, glaring with the intensity of a battlefield stare. Sparks flew—if not literally, then definitely emotionally.
Suddenly—
"Oi,"
A familiar cold voice broke through the tension.
Kaiser Klein stood before them, removing one side of his headphones. His expression was unreadable.
"Keep your voices down," he said simply.
The two girls quickly looked the other way, flustered and silent like scolded cats.
Kaiser raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing.
> What were they even arguing about?
I didn't catch a word. Had my headphones on the whole time...
He turned his head slightly, scanning the bus.
The silence was unnatural.
Several girls were watching him wide-eyed, some wiping away tears. A few boys were whispering under their breath, others glaring at him with icy stares.
> What the hell's up with these reactions…? he thought. Did I walk into some drama again?
He met the cold gazes of the boys head-on and returned one of his own—sharp, aloof, and effortlessly terrifying.
They flinched. Looked away. Silence returned.
Kaiser sighed and leaned back in his seat, stretching a bit.
> This trip is already a mess… What's going to happen to me?
Yet behind the tired thought, a small spark stirred in his chest.
> Maybe… I'll get to experience things I couldn't before.
His lips twitched—just a little.
Was that anticipation?