Special Chapter: A first Encounter.
Akeshi Tarazune leaned back on the park bench, his arms stretched out as if he were lounging on a lazy afternoon, with nothing more pressing to do than watch the clouds drift by. The late summer sun cast a golden glow over the park, and the gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the trees. It was the perfect day to try out his latest persona—the carefree, easygoing boy who had no worries and no secrets. This persona was one he'd picked up from one of his regular customers at Okushaki Café, someone who had the uncanny ability to charm everyone around him without seeming to try.
Akeshi's sharp eyes scanned the park as he waited, taking in every detail with practiced ease. He spotted Mikage Yorita almost immediately—a tall, calm figure walking toward him with a composed, measured stride. Mikage had an air of quiet confidence, the kind that suggested he was used to being in control of situations. Akeshi's lips curled into a smile, one that appeared effortlessly friendly, but with an undercurrent of something more—a subtle hint of the predator beneath the surface.
"Hey there!" Akeshi called out, raising a hand in a casual wave. He slouched slightly, as if the mere act of sitting up straight was too much effort. "You must be Mikage, right? Nice to finally meet you."
Mikage paused for a brief moment, taking in Akeshi's appearance with a critical eye. He had expected someone more serious, more intense, given the reputation Akeshi had among their peers. Instead, he found himself looking at a boy who seemed to have all the time in the world, a boy who radiated an easy charm that was both disarming and intriguing.
"Yeah, that's me," Mikage replied, approaching the bench with cautious curiosity. "You're Akeshi, I assume?"
"The one and only," Akeshi said with a grin, patting the space next to him on the bench. "Take a seat, man. No need to stand there like we're in some kind of business meeting."
Mikage hesitated, then sat down beside Akeshi, still trying to reconcile the person before him with the image he had formed in his mind. The contrast was striking—Akeshi's relaxed demeanor was the opposite of what Mikage had anticipated. But there was something about him, an underlying energy, that made it impossible to dismiss him as just another carefree teenager.
"So," Akeshi began, gazing up at the sky as if the clouds held the answers to life's mysteries, "what's your take on this whole 'getting our classmates to mingle with kids from another school' thing? Sounds like a blast, don't you think?"
Mikage raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden shift in the conversation. "You're the one who suggested it, right? I didn't expect you to be so…enthusiastic."
Akeshi chuckled, a light, carefree sound that seemed to float on the breeze. "I guess you could say I'm all about spreading good vibes. My friends—they're a bit on the introverted side, you know? They could use some fresh air, meet some new people. And I figured, why not mix things up a bit?"
Friends. The word rolled off Akeshi's tongue with ease, but inside, he couldn't help but laugh at the irony. Friends? Not quite. They were merely people he shared a room with, people he could use to gain influence and connections. He didn't care about them beyond what they could offer him. But Mikage didn't need to know that. No one did.
Mikage nodded slowly, starting to warm up to the idea. There was something about Akeshi's laid-back attitude that made everything seem so simple, so reasonable. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt. It might even be good for them to get out of their comfort zones."
"Exactly!" Akeshi agreed, his smile widening as if Mikage had just said something brilliant. "You get it, Mikage. Sometimes, you just gotta push people a little to help them grow, right?"
Mikage found himself nodding along, the logic slipping easily into place. There was a natural rhythm to the conversation, one that Akeshi subtly controlled. Each time Mikage seemed uncertain, Akeshi would steer the discussion with another casual remark, another lighthearted comment that chipped away at any resistance Mikage might have had.
"They're lucky to have someone like you looking out for them," Mikage commented, genuinely impressed. "Not everyone would go out of their way to help their friends like this."
"Oh, they're not just friends," Akeshi said with a dismissive wave, his tone still playful but with an underlying edge. "They're classmates, sure, but nothing more than that. Just thought it'd be fun to see them interact with others, maybe make some new connections. After all, life's too short to stick to the same crowd forever."
Mikage frowned slightly, sensing something deeper beneath Akeshi's words, but before he could dwell on it, Akeshi leaned in, his voice dropping just a fraction.
"You know," Akeshi began, his gaze locking onto Mikage's with an intensity that belied his previous carefree attitude, "there's a lot more to people than what they show on the surface. Everyone's got their secrets, their pasts—things they'd rather keep hidden. But sometimes, it's those very things that drive them, that make them who they are."
Mikage felt a chill run down his spine, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why. The shift in Akeshi's demeanor was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there—a crack in the mask, a glimpse of something darker lurking beneath.
As Mikage pondered Akeshi's words, Akeshi's thoughts briefly wandered to someone else—Yamashiro Ren. She was the only person who ever managed to entertain him, the only one whose relentless pursuit of perfection made him pause. He admired her drive, in a way that bordered on mockery. She was like a toy that kept winding itself up, chasing an ideal that would always be just out of reach. Yet, despite himself, Akeshi found her dedication… amusing. There was something satisfying about watching someone so consumed by their own impossible standards. It was a game to him, watching her chase perfection, always so close yet never quite there. And if she ever did catch it—well, what then? Would she become as boring as the rest?
Returning to the present moment, Akeshi's grin widened, his carefree facade slipping back into place. "So, what do you say?" he asked, his voice smooth and inviting. "Are we gonna make this happen? Get our classmates out there, help them see the world a little differently?"
Mikage took a deep breath, considering everything Akeshi had said. There was something undeniably compelling about the idea, about the way Akeshi presented it. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more at play here, that Akeshi had some other motive, but he couldn't deny that the plan had merit.
"Alright," Mikage agreed, offering a small smile of his own. "Let's do it. I'll talk to my group, see if we can set something up."
"Great!" Akeshi said, his grin widening. "I knew you'd be on board. This is gonna be fun, Mikage. You won't regret it."
As they stood up to leave, Akeshi clapped Mikage on the shoulder, his grip just a tad firmer than it needed to be. "And hey, if you ever want to hang out or need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask. We're on the same team now, right?"
"Right," Mikage echoed, feeling an odd mix of excitement and unease as he watched Akeshi walk away.
Akeshi strolled down the path, his carefree facade firmly in place, his mind already working on the next steps of his plan. His thoughts once again drifted to Yamashiro Ren. Perhaps, in another life, he might have considered her an equal. But in this world, she was just another piece on the board, another player in the game he was destined to win. She was entertaining, yes, but she was also predictable in her obsession with perfection. And predictable people were easy to manipulate.
As Akeshi walked, his thoughts grew darker. He had always been careful, always kept his past buried deep. But there was always a risk, a chance that someone might dig too deep, ask the wrong questions. And if that happened…
His expression hardened for just a moment before the smile returned. No one would ever get that far. He wouldn't let them. He had worked too hard, come too far to let his past resurface now. If anyone ever did find out—if anyone ever threatened to expose him—they wouldn't live long enough to regret it.
For now, though, he would play his part. He would be the carefree boy, the charming leader, the one who brought people together. And if, along the way, he needed to manipulate a few people to get what he wanted, well…that was just part of the game.
After all, life was nothing more than a series of roles, and Akeshi Tarazune had mastered them all.
"There's a certain beauty in watching people grow. It's like tending a garden, each seed planted with care, each sprout nurtured until it blossoms into something more—something it was always meant to be.
I've spent years honing my own skills, pushing myself to the edge of what's possible. I've tasted the bitterness of failure, the thrill of success, and everything in between. But as much as I've focused on my own journey, I can't help but be curious—curious about the potential that lies dormant in others, waiting for the right moment to awaken.
My classmates, those people I share a room with—they're not just ordinary students. Each of them has something unique, something that could be extraordinary if given the right push. And that's where I come in.
I see it as my responsibility, my personal project, to train them, to guide them to the peak of their abilities. Not because I'm cruel, not because I want to break them—but because I know what it's like to stand at the edge of greatness, and I want them to feel it too.
It's not about being the strongest or the smartest. It's about discovering what you're truly capable of when all the barriers are stripped away, when you've been pushed to your limits and forced to confront the very core of who you are. That's where true potential lies, hidden beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.
And I want to see it. I want to see how far they can go, what they can become when there's no other choice but to rise.
Some might call it manipulation, but I see it differently. I'm not interested in breaking anyone's spirit—I'm interested in seeing them thrive, seeing them become more than they ever thought possible.
I've been there myself, standing on the precipice, wondering if I could take that next step. And when I did, when I pushed beyond what I thought were my limits, I discovered something incredible—a strength, a clarity that I didn't know I had.
That's what I want for them. I want to see their potential, raw and unfiltered, brought to the surface. And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure it happens before the [Gathering]. Because at that moment, when everything is on the line, I want to see them at their best. I want to see the culmination of all their struggles, all their efforts, brought to bear in a single, defining moment.
But if I'm honest, there's one person who intrigues me more than the rest—Yamashiro Ren. She's different. She's relentless in her pursuit of perfection, always chasing something just out of reach.
I can't help but admire her, in a way. It's not that I see her as an equal—no, she's more like a fascinating puzzle, a challenge that keeps me entertained. Her obsession with perfection, her unwavering dedication—it's both her strength and her weakness.
I'm curious to see how far she'll go, how close she'll come to achieving that perfection she's so desperate for. Because if she ever does reach it… well, that will be a sight worth seeing. And if she doesn't, if she falls short… that will be just as interesting, in its own way. Either way, she's the one who keeps me on my toes, the one who makes this whole exercise worth the effort.
In the end, it's not just about pushing them to their limits—it's about seeing what they're truly made of. I've walked this path alone for so long, and now I want to see others walk it too.
I want to see them break through their own barriers, discover their own strength, and become something more.
Because when the ｢Gathering｣ comes, when the stakes are highest, I want to know—without a shadow of a doubt—that they've reached their full potential. That they've become everything they were meant to be.
And maybe, just maybe, I'll find someone who can stand beside me at the top.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that—those who dare to push beyond what's expected."