[Day: Monday]
[Time: Morning]
[Location: Home - Destiny Central]
The morning sun began to peer through the windows of the share house, casting a gentle golden glow upon us. The house was bustling with movements and preparation for the day. It felt nice waking up in Destiny Central again just like the old times.
I prepared for the day, looking at myself in the mirror and making sure I looked my best. Once I was ready, I walked out of my bathroom and noticed Lustie sitting on my bed with one leg crossed over the other, waiting for me.
"Don't worry, I'm coming," I chuckled softly, grabbing my bag.
Lustie smirked at me, getting off the bed and wrapped her arms around me from behind. "It feels so exciting to see the campus again~ We have to see what's new with it~"
I chuckled softly, looking back at Lustie and stroked her cheek. "We will, Red~ It would be nice to see what's changed and what hasn't."
"I hope you all aren't thinking about taking off without me," Passion said, hovering toward us with her arms crossed. "Plus I have nothing to do, and the others went to show Romancia around."
Lustie and I glanced at each other then smiled. Lustie shrugged her shoulders and chuckled softly. "Feel free to join, Passion. I don't care, but here in Destiny Central I am the main guide!"
"Yeah, yeah," Passion said, turning into her tiny dragon form and resting on my shoulder.
I chuckled at the two then grabbed my keys before heading out of my room. As I walked down the stairs, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. It was good to be back among familiar faces, to feel the warmth of their presence after so long.
Once I made my way down the stairs, I noticed Aubrie and Ashley downstairs. They seemed to be waiting for someone, so I approached them.
"Good morning, ladies," I greeted, my tone full if it's usual charm.
Aubrie turned to look at me, a smile forming on her lips. "Good morning, babe."
"Good morning," Ashley greeted, adjusting the strap of her guitar case.
"You two waiting for someone?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Well, we were waiting for our Uber to get here...but the fucker is so late that we thought about cancelling. Seems like they can't find us, but we're the only damn mansion in the area like is he blind?" Aubrie sighed, leaning back on the couch with a frustrated huff.
"I mean we should tell with these magnifying glasses he calls glasses," Ashley said, causing the two girls to laugh.
I smiled at them, glad nothing has changed too much about them. I walked to the front door. "Both of you, come on. I'll take us to the campus."
Aubrie looked up at me, a bright smile playing on her face. "Ugh...such a life saver~ Just saved me $30.."
I chuckled softly and opened the front door. "Glad to be of service."
Aubrie and Ashley got up, grabbed their things and made their way out the front door. I followed behind and the three of us got in my car. I started my car then drove off to Matsugaya University.
[Day: Monday]
[Time: Morning]
[Location: Matsugaya University]
We arrived at the campus, and the hum of my car caused a few heads to turn. Aubrie and Ashley got out of the car first, making their way to the courtyard but stopped to wait for me.
"Whose car is that..?" a girl asked, her tone curious.
"I don't know… but isn't that an Aston Martin Valkyrie?" her friend replied, eyes wide.
"Whoever is driving that has money," a guy said in awe.
I opened the door and stepped out, adjusting my sunglasses. I looked around, noticing the surprised faces of my old peers around me. I chuckled softly as I walked to Ashley and Aubrie, joining them as we headed to the courtyard.
"Geez, can you make your appearance more dramatic? It's not like we have stuff to do today or anything," Aubrie said, playfully bumping into me.
I chuckled softly and pushed her head to the side. "You know my pull-up game is strong every time. I have to make sure people know me."
"I'm sure everyone knows you," Ashley giggled, shaking her head. "It isn't like you're the most famous guy on campus. Your name rings bells."
"Yeah, I know," I laughed softly, placing my hands in my pockets.
As we walked into the courtyard, more heads began to turn upon noticing me. They watched as I walked with Ashley and Aubrie to a table where Gloria, Whitney, and Amber were sitting.
The courtyard was like a breath of fresh air. The usual drama from when I first attended was now replaced with a serene scene of peace and camaraderie. The old trees had been replaced with cherry blossoms, the pavements were renewed, and the tables were now silver and gold. A beautiful fountain stood proudly in the center of the courtyard, its gentle splashing adding to the tranquil atmosphere.
Jake noticed us and nudged Mark. "Yo, Mark. Isn't that Shiro?"
Mark looked up from his phone, his eyes widening in surprise. "Shiro? He's back in town?"
Eric looked at me and smirked. "Seems like he's taking a break from playing hero… Baylee was just telling me how much she already misses him."
I sat down with the girls, a wave of old memories hitting me at once. I looked at each of their smiling faces and the wonder in their eyes, feeling a warm sensation I couldn't quite explain.
"Sorry for being late. If it wasn't for Shiro taking us, we wouldn't even have shown up," Aubrie sighed, resting her cheeks on the palms of her hands.
"My mom offered to take you both with us," Whitney said, smiling at Aubrie.
"I know," Aubrie chuckled, letting out a soft sigh. "Next time, we're definitely taking that offer from Ms. Dawn."
Ashley nodded and smiled, then took out her laptop. "Oh, Gloria, do you have the answers for Mr. Brett's homework? I wasn't able to get to them because of my band."
Gloria nodded, taking out her phone and texting Ashley the answers. "I just sent them to you. He doesn't require you to show your work, so I've been using Quizlet on those."
"Pfft!" Ashley laughed. "The Perfect Girl finally decides to cheat?"
"C'mon! The homework he sent was nearly impossible! Not even my mom could answer them!" Gloria exclaimed, laughing softly.
I listened to their conversations, hearing how well everyone got along with one another. Instead of staying in their usual separate groups, they had decided to join as one, and it made me happy on the inside.
"Oh yeah, Shiro," Amber said, turning to me. "The dean told us to let you know that you don't need a visitor's pass to visit the campus."
I smiled and nodded my head. "Glad to know Ms. Vega still likes me. Saved me the trouble of going through that entire process."
As we all talked with one another, I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up to see Mark and his friends behind me. Mark had a smirk on his face, waiting for me to acknowledge him.
"Oh shit! What's good, man!" I said, getting up and dapping Mark.
Mark chuckled and snapped his fingers. "You ain't tell me you were in town, bro. How've you been?"
"Man, it's been crazy in Sanctuary City, but I've been doing good," I answered, chuckling softly. I looked at Eric and Jake. "What's good, you two?"
Eric closed his eyes and chuckled softly, stepping forward to dap me up. "Yo, been a while."
Jake stepped forward and dapped me up as well, giving me a casual smile. "Facts, ain't seen you since Vance was still alive."
"Well, it was you two who had disappeared, but it's good to see y'all doing better for yourselves," I said, a soft chuckle escaping my lips. "Just to make sure, I ain't gotta beat y'all in a fight one last time, right?"
Jake chuckled at my jest, shaking his head and crossing his arms. "We're good, man. We're clean and reformed."
"Just gotta make sure," I said, slightly teasing them before sitting back down.
I found myself juggling two conversations, one with the girls and another with the guys. It felt nice seeing everyone happy and smiling. The usual animosity was now filled with respect and friendship.
The first bell rang, signaling for everyone to go to their classes. The girls got up to leave while the guys, who didn't have classes until the afternoon, stayed behind. I decided to hang around with them for a bit.
"So where's Caden?" I asked, leaning back against the table.
"That fool? Shit, we don't even know. Last we heard from him was after you nearly hospitalized him last month," Mark said.
"Yeah, bro's been missing for quite some time. We ain't worried about him though. I do hope he is alright," Jake said, looking at the sky.
I closed my eyes and began to wonder about him. I had saved his sister from The Syndicates, and since I spared her, I wanted to spare him as well. I wanted to help him make amends and create peace with him. The thought lingered as I rejoined the conversation, hoping that one day, we could all find some form of resolution.
[Day: Monday]
[Time: Afternoon]
[Location: Matsugaya University]
As the day went on, I found myself walking down the hall passing by a sea of students, the sounds of chatter and laughs sent waves of memories in my mind. I made my way to Akira's classroom, wanting to see if anything has changed in her class.
Opening the door, I was met with the similar sight of her class. Nothing has changed and the structure of her classroom remained the same. I walked inside, catching Akira's attention and a smile played on her face at the sight of me.
"Well, look who's joining us for today's lesson~" Akira chuckled, watching me walk to her desk.
I smiled at Akira and locked eyes with her. "Good afternoon, Professor Okabe..~"
Akira chuckled softly, leaning forward to plant a quick kiss on my lips. "Good afternoon, Mr. Moji..~ How has the visit been treating you so far?"
"It's been pretty good. I've had lots of people come up to me and give me a few welcome back gifts and whatnot. Seems like some people really missed me being here," I answered, placing my hands in my jacket pockets. "How are you doing?"
"You know, I'm well. Same shit, different day at work. Definitely not as exciting as my sister's job teaching Alchemy and whatnot. But, overall I'm doing great," Akira answered, a warm smile playing on her face.
As we talked for a moment longer, students began to walk into the classroom and took their seats. Akira and I ended our conversation and I went to take my seat that was still next to Gloria's. The bell rang and Akira's class was now in session.
The class went on, Akira teaching the class with her usual half excited tone due to the lesson being quite boring for her and someone the students having their heads down. I listened with open ears, using my Hyper Learning to absorb all of the information at once. Gloria was listening attentively, taking note of everything she found important.
Soon, the bell rang and dismissed the class. Eveyone began to gather their items and prepared to leave the class.
"Don't forget everyone, we have a test on the curriculum on Friday. It's open notes so if you fail, I'm roasting you," Akira said with a soft laugh before she erased the board.
A few students laughed at Akira's joke, saying their goodbyes to her before leaving the class.
"Hey, Shiro, I'll meet you back home. The girls and I are gonna have a study session at my parents house," Gloria informed, tossing her bag around her shoulder.
"Alright, have fun. And tell Mama Aoi I said hey," I replied, giving her a soft smile.
Gloria nodded, leaning toward me to kiss my lips. Our kiss lasted a few second before she pulled away and walked to the door. "See you later."
I waved at her and smiled, watching her walk off to meet up with Whitney and the others. I walked toward Akira's desk and placed my hands upon it. "So, Akira. Has Ui said anything about me when she comes down to visit you?"
Akira looked back at me then walked toward her desk. "She talks about you pretty frequently actually. She often tells me how you're one of her smartest students aside from Joy. I hear you've joined a club named the Sanctuary Defenders."
"Yeah, I kinda teach the girls how to fight and use Alchemy more efficiently with Ui. Since the Gang War is still ongoing up there, they wanted to help out however they could," I said, my tone filled with pride and leadership.
Akira chuckled and sat down in her seat. "With the way you speak, I'm sure they are doing well for themselves. Alright, as much as I want to procrastinate and talk to you all day, I've got to grade these papers and homework. More so the other students than the girls since I live with them now."
I nodded my head then walked to the door. "I'll see you back at home then."
Akira looked at me and smiled, nodding her head. "See you at home, Shiro~"
I returned her smile before walking out of her classroom and down the hall. As I walked down the bustling hallway, I felt my phone buzzing and took it out of my pocket. I looked at the screen, noticing I got a text from Mark.
{Mark: Meet us at the park. We found Caden.}
Lustie looked at the screen as well, her tail swaying from side to side. "Caden...I do wonder how he's been. I expected to see him in Sanctuary City, but I guess he's been here in the peaceful city the entire time."
"Why wouldn't he want to be here? The losses The Syndicates have been taking surely wouldn't look well for him," Passion said, her tail swaying as well.
'This could be our chance to see if I can spare him like I did Mark and his friends. It would make Phoenix happy to know her brother is still alive,' I said to Lustie and Passion mentally.
Both of them nodded their heads in agreement. I made my way to the parking lot and walked to my car. I got in and turned on the engine, driving off to Destiny Central Park.
[Day: Monday]
[Time: Afternoon]
[Location: Destiny Central Park]
I parked my car in the lot, stepping out and taking in the familiar sight of the park. The calm setting was a stark contrast to the tension I felt about meeting Caden face to face.
I made my way toward Mark's location, my footsteps steady yet filled with anticipation. As I approached the basketball court, I saw Mark and his friends with Caden. Stepping onto the court, my presence immediately commanded attention, all four of them noticing me.
Caden glared at me and stood up. "Tch… and why the hell is he here?"
"Yo man, just calm down. We're not on that dumb beef anymore," Mark said, placing a hand on Caden's shoulder.
I raised my hand slightly, signaling Mark to stop. "It's alright, Mark. I've got it from here."
I walked forward, locking eyes with Caden. As I neared, he shoved me, interrupting my greeting. "I don't have shit to say to you. You put me in the hospital, killed Vance, and effectively ruined my life now that The Syndicates think I've betrayed them as well for not showing up," Caden spat out, his tone full of spite.
"I saved your damn life, Caden. If you were on the other side of the battlefield against the person I am now, you would be dead. You wouldn't have a life to live had you been in Sanctuary City," I replied, my tone firm yet sympathetic.
Caden balled his fists, glaring at me, his emotions flaring. Deep down, he knew I was right, but his pride and ego wouldn't let him admit it.
"We don't have to fight anymore, Caden. I spared your sister, Phoenix. She's on my side now. You don't have to listen to them anymore," I continued, holding out my hand for a handshake. "You can let go, Caden. Make amends… be there for Phoenix and Faith. Like a true brother would."
Caden looked at my hand, then back at me. He closed his eyes, thinking about his sisters. His guard finally lowered, and he let out a sigh, opening his eyes to meet my gaze again.
"Alright…" he said begrudgingly, taking my hand for a handshake. "Alright, man… you win."
[Heart Stealer activated.]
[Caden's heart has been stolen.]
I smiled and brought him in for a pound hug. "We good now? No more fights between us?"
Caden patted my back, then let go. "We're good now, man."
"Finally, we can all be bros for once. You already know what we have to do now," Mark said with a soft chuckle.
Jake raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"A boys' night out. We gotta celebrate this moment since this is the first time everyone has finally gotten along and no fights broke out," Mark said, looking at each of us.
Eric shrugged, chuckling softly. "I'm up for a boys' night out. We can go out for drinks, maybe pick up a few chicks?"
"Nah, y'all can have that. I'm loyal to my Senora," Mark chuckled, looking down at Eric.
Jake smirked. "I nearly forgot you were dating Caroline now. Alright, we can just go out to a bar and watch the game. That's fine by me."
"Sounds like a plan," I said, smiling at each of them.
With Caden finally on our side and a newly blooming friendship, our celebration was underway. Our new brotherhood was already looking bright, and I knew I could count on each of them in the future.