Kaizen glanced at the clock."Ah, I'm late again! Today is my first day of school; I can't mess this up."He shouted, "Mom! Where's my new uniform?"Silence.He searched around, "Mom? Mom!" but she was nowhere to be found.Noticing a piece of paper on the table, Kaizen picked it up. It was a note from his mom."Sorry, Kai. Had to leave early today. I've made breakfast for you, so please eat it on time. Love ya, bye.""Ah, she always does this!" Kaizen exclaimed.Unable to find his uniform, he quickly put on some other clothes and dashed out without having breakfast."I'm so late! Hurry, Kaizen, hurry!"While rushing to school, Kaizen accidentally bumped into a girl.The girl said, "Hey, watch where you're going!"
Kaizen hastily approached the girl he had bumped into, "I'm so sorry, I made a mistake. Please forgive me; I'm in a rush."The girl looked unimpressed, "What will saying sorry do? Give me 2000 rupees right now."Kaizen was taken aback, "What? For what?""For crashing into me like a maniac!" she retorted."But you're not even hurt! I'm not going to pay you; I'm already late for my first day of school," Kaizen protested.The girl remained stubborn, refusing to let him go. Frustrated and running out of options, Kaizen reluctantly handed over the money.Arriving at school, Kaizen lamented, "That girl took my pocket money for the month! I wanted to buy some manga, but now I can't. If she shows up again, I'll let her know who Kaizen really is... but what can I do now? My precious money..."With a heavy heart, Kaizen entered his classroom, his expression clearly showing his disappointment. However, as he stepped inside, he was taken aback by what he saw.
Kaizen was taken aback as he entered the classroom and spotted the girl who had bumped into him earlier, stealing his money. His eyes widened in disbelief.
Seeing her, Kaizen couldn't contain his anger. "You sneaky devil, give me back my money!" he exclaimed, pointing at her accusingly.
The girl feigned innocence, smirking at him. "Who are you calling a devil, kiddo? Stop making a scene," she retorted, crossing her arms defiantly.
Infuriated, Kaizen shot back, "Don't you dare call me a kid, you conniving thief! Return my money now!"
The girl rolled her eyes, laughing sarcastically. "Get lost! That money is mine," she snapped.
Their heated argument continued, drawing the attention of the entire class. Just as things were escalating, the class teacher entered the room, clearly annoyed.
"What on earth are you two brats doing? Stop causing a commotion and return to your seats immediately!" the teacher scolded them.
Reluctantly, Kaizen and the girl retreated to their respective seats, casting glares at each other.
Later, the teacher called Kaizen to the front of the class. "Class, this is Kaizen, our new transfer student," the teacher announced.
Whispers spread throughout the room. "He's the new transfer student? I heard he's a bit of a troublemaker," one student whispered to another. "He's kind of cute, though," another student remarked. "I thought we were getting a new girl," someone else sighed disappointedly.
Ignoring the whispers, the teacher instructed Kaizen to introduce himself to the class.
Kaizen stood confidently, giving a detailed and impressive introduction, showcasing his talents and interests.
Once he finished, the teacher pointed to an empty seat beside the girl Kaizen had argued with earlier. "Kaizen, please take a seat beside her," the teacher ordered.
Protesting, Kaizen exclaimed, "Sir, I can't sit next to her! She's impossible!"
The teacher's stern gaze silenced Kaizen immediately. "Do as you're told, young man," the teacher scolded. Cowed by the teacher's authority, Kaizen reluctantly took his seat beside the girl.
The class resumed, with the teacher starting the lesson. Despite the tense atmosphere between them, both Kaizen and the girl tried to focus on the lesson, occasionally sneaking glances at each other.
After the classes concluded, the lunch bell rang, signaling break time. Kaizen's stomach growled loudly, reminding him of his empty pockets. "Ah, I'm so hungry, but I don't have any money thanks to that girl," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice.Just then, the girl, Akane, approached Kaizen, holding out the money he had lost earlier. "Here, kiddo," she said teasingly, "take your money back and stop sulking."Kaizen's face lit up with joy as he accepted the money. "Thank you so much! You're an angel!" he exclaimed, clutching the money tightly. "My precious money, yes, yes!" he cheered, overwhelmed with happiness.Seeing Kaizen's genuine smile, Akane chuckled, "I'm Akane, not 'bratt,' you know."Rolling his eyes, Kaizen replied, "Yeah, yeah, I got it. My name is Kaizen, not 'kiddo.'"Akane laughed, "Haha, 'kiddo,' I got it."Annoyed, Kaizen retorted, "Stop calling me 'kiddo.' I've already told you my name."Suddenly, both of their stomachs rumbled loudly, breaking the tension and drawing laughter from both of them.Akane grinned, "Let's go to the canteen and grab something to eat."Kaizen hesitated, "You don't have any money. I'm not buying you lunch."Akane smirked, "Hey, 'kiddo,' I gave you your money back. I forgot my wallet at home, okay? Now, let's go, you dumbass 'kiddo.'"With that, Akane grabbed Kaizen's arm, dragging him towards the canteen. Reluctantly, Kaizen ended up paying for their meals.After enjoying their meal, Akane sighed contentedly, "Ah, I'm full now."Kaizen nodded in agreement, "Yeah, me too."Curiosity getting the better of her, Akane asked, "So, where are you from, 'kiddo'? I haven't seen you around here.""I was born here, but my mom got transferred to another state," Kaizen explained."Oh, so you're back in your hometown now?" Akane deduced."Yeah, my mom got a new job here, and she's been really busy," Kaizen confirmed.Akane nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I see, so you're in the same situation as me," she murmured, almost to herself.Kaizen looked at her quizzically, "Did you say something?"Akane laughed it off, "Nothing, 'kiddo.' Let's go to the college roof again."Once more, Akane dragged Kaizen along with her. As they reached the rooftop, they were met with a sight that left them both stunned, setting the stage for a new adventure and deepening their newfound friendship.