The students dragged themselves off the bus, sluggish from the long ride. The clock showed it was about two in the afternoon, the sun high but not too harsh. They had left at six that morning, starting out while most were still yawning and bleary-eyed.
Halfway through, nearly everyone had dozed off, heads bobbing against windows or slumping onto backpacks. When they stirred awake, the bus had already coasted into a parking bay near the inns where their class was staying for the trip.
The bus rumbled off, leaving the group standing in a loose, tired cluster. Senbarisu's voice cut through the background chatter, pulling their attention toward her. "Alright," she began, sounding like she'd said this a thousand times before, "you know the drill. Get yourselves into groups. Boys go one way, girls go the other. Follow me." Her eyes briefly met Yasushi's group as she nodded in acknowledgment before turning to lead the others toward the inns, the sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel.
One of the teachers stayed behind, walking up to them as the last of the others followed Senbarisu. "Just be careful out here, alright? Kyoto's usually safe, but it never hurts to stay alert," he said, clapping a hand onto Yasushi's shoulder. "It's only a five-minute walk from here to the place, so stay sharp." He gave a final nod before heading off, trailing behind the rest of the class.
"Let's move, then," Yasushi said, causing some confused looks from his group. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the letter they'd been given earlier and handed it to Yunxue. She unfolded the paper and began reading aloud, her voice steady but laced with disbelief.
When she finished, their faces all reflected the same shock — except for Yasushi, Jingliu, and Xinyi, who had already gone through this earlier. Furuya's voice cracked out, "A v-v-villa... for us!? Just us!?" His eyes darted between them, trying to grasp it.
"Yeah," Yasushi replied, barely pausing. "And there'll be more staff there too. Yinhaie probably got told about this already and should be there waiting. Anyway, let's not waste time," he said, already starting to walk ahead, the others quickly falling in behind him.
As they stepped out of the parking lot, a familiar figure stood near the entrance, catching the attention of a few of them. Yasushi's eyes lit up. "Heinz!" he called out, breaking into a jog, with the group trailing closely behind him.
Bhaqui's reaction was instant — his posture stiffened. "S-s-s-s-sir Heinz!" he stammered, looking like he might trip over his words. "I-it's really good to see you again!" he said, bowing low, his face flushed as he straightened up awkwardly.
Heinz stood in front of them, the familiar figure, dressed as ever in his formal attire. His eyes moved over each of them before speaking. "It's been some time, Lord Yasushi, Lady Jingliu, Lady Xinyi," he said, his voice steady. "I trust you've all been doing well?" His focus shifted toward Bhaqui. "My student, looks like you're settling in. Yunxue, Layena, you both seem to be adjusting well too." His nod landed on Catherine, though nothing more needed to be said.
Bhaqui started, "Alicia's at another inn, we—" but before he could finish, Heinz raised a hand to stop him. From the side, Alicia stepped out, waving in their direction, her appearance catching them off guard.
"I've already taken care of that," Heinz explained, keeping things straightforward. "Alicia will be with you all for the trip. She's part of the Yang clan's staff and should stay near Lord Yasushi and Lady Jingliu for the time being."
Xinyi blinked, her expression showing confusion. "When did you even manage to get her out of there?"
"All the third years are here," Alicia began. "Classes from 3-A to 3-D, hundreds of us spread out across Kyoto. Each class stays at different inns. Since I'm not in your class, I ended up on the other side of the city. But Lady Kohana gave me a letter, and once I saw Heinz at that inn, I came with him right away."
"That still doesn't explain how you managed to get here so fast," Yunxue cut in, sounding doubtful.
Laura pointed toward something nearby. "Maybe it's that?" All of them turned their heads in unison toward the car sitting close by, engine still running, the familiar logo of one of the Yang family's companies on the door.
Heinz let out a low chuckle. "Right as usual, Lady Laura. Now that everything's settled, follow me. The villa isn't far, but the drive will be faster." Without waiting for a reply, he started walking toward the car, leaving them to trail after him.
"Will we even fit?" Furuya muttered, clearly worried as his eyes flicked between the car and their group.
"It'll be fine. Stop stressing over it," Xinyi said as they reached the cars, pulling the door open.
Furuya, Reina, and Laura exchanged looks as they peered inside. The space was far bigger than they expected, raising more than a few eyebrows.
"This feels like something out of anime. You know, when magic makes everything bigger," Furuya muttered as he slid into a seat.
"Or maybe like those top-tier limos with ridiculous interiors," Reina chimed in. The rest of them nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, one of those," Xinyi shrugged, eyes on Jingliu. "Still, I'm surprised you've got one of these," she added, raising an eyebrow.
Jingliu shook her head, watching the car as it started to pull away. "We never had anything like this in Japan, at least not that I knew of."
Heinz, busy adjusting his tie, glanced over. "We brought it from China, Lady Jingliu. Once your trip is done, it'll be driven back to your residence in Ginsukimura."
Furuya shook his head, exhaling loudly. "The rich are insane, man. I can't wrap my head around this."
The group continued talking about the trip, tossing out questions for Heinz. Their conversation didn't last too long before the car pulled into a wide driveway. Immediately, they noticed the tall fences surrounding the property, CCTV cameras strategically positioned to keep watch over everything.
As they stepped out of the car, eyes wandered across the place. The building before them, though lavish, retained a sense of traditional architecture — classic to Kyoto. The tiled roofs stretched above wooden walls, the concrete floors beneath them. The yard had an arrangement of bonsai trees, cherry blossoms, and various decorations that gave the place a certain elegance.
They moved inside quickly, though a few of them stayed back to take in the sight of the villa, admiration clear on their faces. Once through the doors, they were greeted by maids and butlers lined up in service, a subtle bow offered in respect. But Yasushi's attention was pulled elsewhere when he caught sight of a familiar figure standing among the staff.
"…Anfeng, didn't expect to see you here." He walked over, recognizing her as well as a few other maids and butlers. He greeted them each in turn, though his surprise hadn't quite faded.
Anfeng grinned, stepping closer to Yasushi. "Hmm. Well, it's not like we'll be away from China for long, so it's all good. When your trip wraps up, we'll head back." Her hands found their way to Yasushi's shoulders, giving them a rub. "Mmm... you've been packing on some muscle, huh? Hitting the gym lately?"
Yasushi took a step back, a chuckle escaping. "Yeah, I've been at it. Anyway, who else is around? Where's Yinhaie?" he asked as the rest of the group made their way over, the staff already tending to their needs.
Anfeng leaned slightly, nodding toward the kitchen. "She's in there cooking. None of you've had lunch yet, right? Might as well eat before heading back out. Your class should be settling into their rooms by now," she added, gesturing for them to follow.
They trailed after her through the home, walking past rooms that matched the lavishness outside. Even the hallway radiated the same extravagance, elegant woodwork and decor surrounding them at every turn. They reached the dining room, the table already prepared with a spread of food, perfect for lunch, and Yinhaie waiting, looking up as they entered.
They sat down, food spread out in front of them, chatting while eating, updating each other on recent events. The conversation shifted, touching on how the staff would be keeping an eye on them. Some of them exchanged confused looks, those unfamiliar with the reasoning wondering what was going on. The others, assuming it had to do with Xinyi and Jingliu's wealth and status, didn't give it much more thought.
Lunch wrapped up soon after, plates cleared, and as they prepared to head out, Anfeng stepped up to Bhaqui, grabbing him by the collar. "Oi."
Bhaqui tensed immediately, eyes widening. "Y-yeah? Something you need, Anfeng?" His voice had a hint of nervousness.
Anfeng didn't let go, staring at him. "Months ago, I asked you something. What the hell kind of test did you put Yasushi through?" Her eyes narrowed.
Bhaqui swallowed hard, trying to find his words. "W-well, Heinz gave me free reign, so I kept it simple. I didn't expect him to completely destroy the punching machine like that," he said, a nervous laugh escaping. "You should've seen it after. The damn thing looked like it went through a war. I don't think anyone would want to fight him if they saw it."
Anfeng let out a breath, shaking her head. "I know his fists pack a punch. Even during the trials, when he was holding back, they still hurt like hell. But seriously, that test you gave him? It was basic as hell and boring," she said before finally releasing him.
"Keep an eye on them, and don't slack off," Anfeng said. Bhaqui nodded, already running off to catch up with the others. She watched him go before turning to Heinz, eyes narrowing. "Sending them here — was it really the right call?"
Heinz didn't miss a beat. "Yeah. They're acting more like kids their age now. Not stuck in that constant business mindset anymore. They seem relaxed, even Alicia — earlier she was acting her age, not like she's stuck in that rigid world of expectations. It's been good for them, helping them grow, helping them ease up."
Yinhaie, standing nearby, chimed in, nodding. "They've changed for the better. Being around their peers, not constantly feeling that pressure from the Yang clan's standards, especially when it comes to the staff, is allowing them to adjust. I can relate, having gone through something similar. Even though I'm older, I can say Yasushi and his friends are like a breath of fresh air. They bring life to this place, even if they sometimes stir up a bit of trouble."
+-+
Yasushi and his friends caught up with the rest of their class, who had gathered for the tour of Kyoto.
"Alright, listen up. We've got a schedule today, so stick together. Kyoto's huge, and if you wander off, it's easy to get lost," Senbarisu said, already moving ahead. The students and chaperons followed behind her, falling into step.
They made their way through Kyoto's streets, passing shops, smaller landmarks, and local spots scattered across the city. The streets buzzed with activity — tourists, locals, and all kinds of people mixed together. Yasushi and the others soaked in the sights, the sounds, the atmosphere around them.
Furuya's eyes trailed over to the food stalls they passed. "I know we just ate, but damn, some of this stuff looks good," he muttered, barely keeping his mouth shut.
Xinyi shot him a look. "You have another stomach or something?"
And just like that, the two started their back-and-forth, as if it was second nature at this point. The rest of the class didn't bother to acknowledge the squabble, pressing on with the tour. But something did catch their attention — a large tourist group, made up of people from all corners of the world, standing out among the usual crowds.
As Yasushi's class moved past the crowd, his attention drifted to a group of people. In the midst of them, a man and woman locked eyes with him, their mouths twisted into something that wasn't quite a smile. His instincts kicked in, a familiar sense of unease settling in his gut.
He had dealt with these watchers for months now, those sent by different pantheons. He didn't know which god they were tied to this time, but the way they looked at him — there was no doubt in his mind. He'd seen that look before. Whatever their game was, he knew he needed to be ready.
Quickening his pace, Yasushi leaned in close to Jingliu and whispered, "Two of them. Man and woman. They're with the tourists. Keep your guard up — we don't know what they're planning."
Jingliu's eyes widened as she heard him. She didn't turn around, but the weight of their attention pressed on her now too. Whatever was coming, it wasn't going to be good.