"GASP!"
That was the sound Ren's class made as he stumbled into homeroom. His eyes were heavy with fatigue, especially the bandaged one. His normal trudge was replaced by a painful limp. He winced slightly with each step, doing his best to hide the strain on his face.
"You're late, Takashi!" Ms. Suzukira barked, her eyes narrowing behind her spectacles. She paused for a moment, taking in the bandaged eye and his disheveled appearance. "And what the hell happened to you?"
A murmur rippled through the class, each student throwing curious glances toward him as he made his way to his desk.
"I'd rather not talk about it," Ren replied nonchalantly, refusing to glance at the interested stares from his classmates as he plopped onto his seat.
Ms. Suzukira huffed, adjusting her glasses with an irritated twitch of her fingers before turning back to the chalkboard. The faint scratching sound of chalk on the board filled the silence as she appeared to decide that pushing Ren further wasn't worth it. Besides, she had a class to teach.
But the students weren't as understanding. As soon as she began her lecture, whispers started buzzing around him like annoying gnats. It wasn't long before he could begin hearing them making up their own stories about his injury, each becoming more ridiculous than the last.
"Ren must have been in a gang fight, you know how many he picks up."
"Nah, man, he was probably rescuing a cat from a tree and fell or something."
"Or maybe he tried to impersonate his favorite anime character and it went awfully wrong!"
Chuckles followed each ridiculous assumption. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore them. However, the conjectures only grew louder and more infuriating.
"And the award for 'Most Likely to Lose an Eye in a Stupid Manner' goes to Ren Takashi!" a snide voice announced from the back of the classroom, inciting a burst of laughter from the students. Even Ms. Suzukira looked like she was struggling to hide a smile.
Suddenly, a resounding smack echoed throughout the room, followed by an immediate silence. All eyes turned towards the source - Emery. Her hand was still hovering in mid-air after slamming it against her desk.
"As entertaining as it is to listen to your pathetic attempts at humor," she began with a glare that could have shattered glass, "Can't you all just SHUT UP ALREADY? You are all so annoying!"
"Someone's cranky…"
The class was utterly silenced, the only sound was the distant tick-tock of the clock. Emery's outburst was as unexpected as a thunderclap in an otherwise peaceful sky. You could hear a pen drop from somewhere as people jumped in their seats.
"Hawkins, sit down," Mrs. Suzukira ordered, though her voice wavered with uncertainty.
"Stay out of this old lady."
Emery snarled, her petite figure shaking with raw ire. Her purple eyes blazed with an intensity that sent chills down spines. No one dared to speak, not even the teacher, as the room hung in a daunting silence.
But it only took a second for the foolhardy daredevil of the class, Hiroshi, to break that deafening silence. He rose from his seat, his eyes never leaving Emery as he sauntered towards her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh my, isn't the little demon worked up today!" He chuckled, but his laughter was met with uncomfortable shifting and hesitant whispers.
"I'd be careful if I were you, Hiroshi," Emery scoffed, her voice as cold as ice. "Demons have a nasty habit of turning laughter into screams."
Chuckles died in throats as Hiroshi paused, his smirk faltering for a brief moment before he laughed it off.
"Ah, what can a little girl like you do? Huh?"
He aimed to place his hand on her shoulder, an attempt to undermine her, but before he could so much as graze her, his wrist was caught in a grip by her tiny hands. He gasped and tried to free himself, but the unexpected pressure kept him immobilized for a moment.
Emery's grip didn't wane. Her eyes were colder than ever, her lips twisted into a bitter sneer. "Do you really want to find out, Hiroshi? Or are you just all talk?" she spat; her voice icier than anyone had ever heard.
"I don't get why everybody's so scared of you…" Hiroshi responded with a dangerous glint in his eyes. With ruthless force, he ripped his hand from her strong grip, causing Emery to reel back in surprise, "...there's nothing to be scared of!"
With speed that could have belonged to a striking cobra, Hiroshi lashed out at Emery. His palm smacked against her cheek with a resounding sound that echoed off the walls. A shocked gasp rippled through the classroom as Emery staggered backward, her hand flying up to cradle her reddening cheek.
"Know your place!"
Just as Hiroshi's intimidating leer started to morph into a victorious smirk, the grin was briskly wiped off his face. In a blur of motion, a tall figure interposed itself in front of him, grabbing his collar and pinning him against the wall.
Ren, who had remained silent up until now, towered over Hiroshi. His singular eye glowed with a dangerous intensity. At the end of the day, he was still the tallest and oldest student in the class, which since the first day he had entered this school, was still enough to make his classmates shrivel up in fear at even the slightest of his glares. And yet despite this, this was his first time physically fighting another student.
"You've got a lot of nerve," Ren hissed through gritted teeth as he hoisted Hiroshi off the ground. His look was so full of deadly intent that it sent terrified whispers scribbling across the room.
Then, attempting to hold himself back, Ren dropped Hiroshi onto the ground. Yet, the impact was still powerful enough that it caused Hiroshi's head to jerk back violently. His body followed the momentum, crumpling to the floor in a heap. Hiroshi lay still, groaning faintly from the floor.
"Let it be clear that if you ever lay your hands on a girl like that again, I'll make sure you stop breathing. Permanently."
Ren's voice was barely a whisper, but it resonated with a chillingly serious threat that had the entire class frozen in their seats. Emery stayed where she stood, her hand on her still stinging cheek, her eyes still wide. He couldn't tell if she was relieved or angry for having intervened.
Before he could conclude, however, the Headmaster had arrived with a stern expression. His sudden presence shattered the tension-filled silence that had gripped the room. He glanced down at Hiroshi's crumpled figure before his gaze hardened upon Ren.
"Takashi! My office. Now," he commanded, his voice echoing through the room like a judge delivering a sentence.
Ren gave a last warning glance at Hiroshi before following the Headmaster out of the classroom.
***
"What do you want for dinner tonight? Beef? Pork?"
"Whatever you want," Emery answered dismissively, her eyes glazed over.
Ren glanced at her, frustration mounting at her cold indifference. It had been hanging in the air like a heavy fog the entire day, and more so now in the supermarket's harsh fluorescent lighting.
It was unlike her, this disinterested demeanor. Normally she would have already been asking for every bag of chips or piece of candy in the store like a spoiled child. But today, she simply moved along in a daze, barely responding to Ren's attempts at conversation.
Her gaze was distant, unfocused, as though she was lost in a world far removed from the clatter of shopping carts and the rustle of plastic bags. He paused mid-reach towards a packet of pork cutlets.
"Emery?"
For a moment, it seemed as though she hadn't heard him.
But then, she blinked, her focus dragging back to Ren's concerned face.
"Huh?"
"Is this about earlier?" Ren asked, his brows knitting together. His tall frame stooped a little as he stepped closer to her.
Emery blinked again, her eyes reflecting her confusion. "What about earlier?"
He gave her a long, studying look before sighing, shrugging his shoulders, and returning his attention to the pork cutlets. "Never mind."
Emery watched Ren for a few long seconds before turning her gaze back to the grocery carts filled with food. Despite her words, Ren knew she felt far from 'fine'. He could tell she was hiding something, but he didn't know how to get her to reveal it without doing something too irrational.
They finished shopping in silence and made their way home as the sun was setting, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. The soft, fading light cast long shadows on the pavement, matching the somber mood between them.
Ren was ready to break the silence, to attempt to figure out what was wrong. But Emery beat him to it.
"You know, Ren, ... now that I think about it a bit more, it's very strange, why did we end up together like this?"
Ren stopped abruptly, turning to look at Emery, her question hanging heavily in the evening air. She was looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite decipher - it was a mix of confusion, sadness, and something else he couldn't put his finger on.
"I..." He began but stopped, unsure of what to say.
"Even on days when we don't have any plans, every day always seems to end up the same... eating together every day... bickering and arguing together constantly..."
A small giggle bubbled up from her tiny hands, and her eyes crinkled into semi-circles. It was the first time Ren had seen Emery laugh genuinely, from the depths of her heart.
"I... don't like to go home... going back to that place where it's just me alone…"
Emery's voice trailed off, and she turned away from Ren, her gaze landing on the setting sun. There was a vulnerable honesty in her words that took Ren aback. He didn't know how to respond.
"I never knew my mother… and my father works for the government back in Los Angeles. We were always arguing… there was never a quiet night there like there is here. One day, he told me I was being sent to Sephoria as part of a boarding school experiment…"
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"…heh, I thought he was bluffing, but before I knew it, I was already on the plane."
Emery's words trailed off in a poignant blend of regret and relief. She hugged herself, her petite frame shaking lightly with suppressed emotion.
"There hasn't been one, not a single person who has come to see me since I moved in… but you."
"You've done everything I've asked, even when I was unreasonable. You've cooked for me, spent time with me, defended me. And yet…"
"…I've done nothing to deserve any of that. I've acted like an insufferable child and made myself a burden for you to carry."
"Which is why…"
Her expression had changed. Her smile was softer now, more thoughtful. She was looking at him while her face was filled with a myriad of emotions.
"Tomorrow…"
"Tomorrow?"
Emery's eyes sparkled with intensity, her lips trembling as she crafted the next words.
"Tomorrow... I'll confess."
"I'm going to go and confess to Kaito."
Even though her eyes betrayed her insecurity, she still looked serious.
"... Why...now... you've hardly made any progress..."
"I'm ready for this… thanks to you."
For a moment, Ren opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He was speechless.
"And with that, we'll be able to put an end to this."
"An end? What do you mean—"
"An end to this."
After finishing, Emery's eyes grew tears and turned clear, though her expression looked cold as if she had just fallen into a pool of water.
"No matter how my confession tomorrow ends up, you no longer have to worry about me!"
"...!"
"What you promised me ends tomorrow! From tomorrow onwards, we can go back to our old selves..."
She had signed the emancipation papers.
He could finally ignore her demands and criticism. Be liberated from the constant torment of the tiny demon. This was all he had ever wanted, after all. But instead of feeling relieved or elated, he felt disappointment and confusion. Wasn't this what he had been hoping for all along? Why didn't it feel like a moment to celebrate? Why did it all feel so… wrong?
He stood there, stunned into silence. Her eyes - those large, fiery eyes - were dull and devoid of the spark that usually flickered within them. It was as if he was looking at a completely different person, a stranger.
As the two rounded the sidewalk corner, their condos coming into viewing distance, Emery spoke up one final time.
"Ren…" She started, "I'm... grateful…"
"Grateful for everything you've done... for me…"
"…"
As a gust of wind passed between them, Emery separated from his side, lowered her hand, and said softly,
"See you around..."
"Yeah... good luck."
That was all he could manage to say.
***
He woke up the next morning with a cold.
He attempted to get up, his legs shaking under the strain, but he collapsed back onto the bed. The room spun around him for a moment before settling down again. It wasn't just his head; his entire body felt weak and heavy.
A pang of sharp pain seared its way through his temples, causing him to wince. He reached out for the glass of water he'd left on the bedside table only to find it empty – the remnants of last night's aspirin lying untouched at the bottom. He shifted his heavy eyelids and glanced over at his clock – 8:30, school started half an hour ago.
"Damn…"
With a groan, he rolled out of bed and managed to drag himself to the bathroom. He stared at his reflection, noting with distaste the paleness of his face and the dark circles under his eyes. It was drawing a similarity to how he looked before the start of the school year.
Shaking his head, he turned away from the mirror, dismissing the ghostly image of his past self. His hand found its way to the cold metal knob of the shower; a quick hot one would hopefully do him a world of good. Ren fumbled with his shirt, pulling it over his head and stepping into the shower. The warm water worked wonders on his sore muscles and helped clear his foggy mind.
After a few minutes under the hot spray, he turned off the water and stepped out, grabbing the towel hanging on the rack nearby. He quickly dried himself and dressed in his signature "I'm not doing shit today" attire (a black hoodie and black sweatpants) before trudging his way into the living room.
He slumped onto the worn-out couch, his hand automatically reaching for the TV remote on the armrest. He switched it on and flicked through a couple of channels before settling on a news station.
Ren's eyes skated over the screen until they settled upon the main anchor. His breath hitched as he saw her. She had short blue hair, tied up into twintails, just like Emery.
"Speaking of her, how was Emery doing? Did she get up on her own without him calling her? Was she late? Did she make her own food?"
"..."
"Ugh… what am I doing…?"
He was supposed to feel relieved at being liberated from the troublesome mornings. He was supposed to be happy to go back to the life he had before! And yet, here he was, nothing more than a sick man worrying about his master. He couldn't help but feel pathetic.
After hours of deep thinking and mind-numbing news stories, he finally turned off the TV. Silence descended in the room, broken only by the rhythmic tick-tock of the wall clock and his shallow breathing. Raising a hand to his forehead, he could still feel the heat radiating from his head like it was a nuclear bomb ready to go off.
Staring at the ceiling, his thoughts were scattered and jumbled, trying to remember all of her words from last night.
It wasn't just the words; it was the way they were delivered – with hesitation, a hint of despair, and a forced calmness that belied the turmoil that lurked beneath the surface.
As he thought back to her face, it was as if he could still see it - those large, amethyst purple eyes… they were filled with an unusual sadness, a kind of sadness one has when they're about to lose something precious. The faint tremble of her lips as she said those final words as if it took all of her strength to utter them, and the way her eyes had glistened before she turned away, clearly holding back a flood of tears. She had tried to mask it all with a smile, but underneath it was a hint of fear... and regret.
"Regret." She didn't want to say it. Any of it. But she forced herself to do it anyway. Why did she say such things? Why did she make such a hasty decision? He didn't understand. If there was anything he had learned about Emery in this last month, it was that she was never one to talk about her feelings openly. Yet there she was last night, speaking in a way that revealed so much— a sight that Ren found paradoxically beautiful and agonizing at the same time.
Lost in his head, he didn't even notice the soft knock at the door. It wasn't until the third, more forceful knock that Ren stirred from his deep thoughts, jerking his head towards the entrance.
"Who is it!?"
"It's Kaito!"
That's right. He almost forgot about how much Kaito played into this. After all, the whole reason Emery decided to 'befriend' him in the first place was for the tips on how to win over his heart.
"Kaito..." Ren repeated and for a moment he just stared blankly at the door, not moving from his spot on the couch. Finally, with a sigh, he pushed himself up and walked towards the door. His hand lingered on the handle before he pulled it open to reveal Kaito standing there.
"Got you some medicine," Kaito said, his eyes filled with concern as they scanned Ren's face. "You look terrible."
"Which part, the bandage over my eye or my Rudolph nose?"
"Both."
"Yeah, thanks asshat," Ren muttered sarcastically, taking the bag from him. "Oh yeah, and congrats on the girlfriend by the way."
The shock on Kaito's face was apparent. His eyes widened and blinked rapidly, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "W-what?" he stuttered, tripping over his words.
"Girlfriend? Where did that come from?"
"Huh? Today was the day Emery was going to confess, right?"
Ren grew concerned almost immediately. Emery had seemed so sure, so determined last night. Now, looking at Kaito's bewildered face, doubt began to creep into his mind. Did he misunderstand? Did she back out? Or…
"Don't tell me… he… rejected her?"
"Dude, are you really feeling okay?"
"Y-yeah… I'm fine…"
Ren mumbled, not quite meeting Kaito's gaze, feeling a heavy knot forming in the pit of his stomach. The room seemed to spin slightly as he tried to process this new information - or lack thereof.
Kaito let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Well, if you're sure… Anyway, I'll see you at school tomorrow, yeah?"
"We'll see…" Ren echoed vaguely as he closed the door behind him.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Ren slumped against the wall, letting the full weight of confusion wash over him. Kaito's surprised reaction had him questioning everything. What happened? What went wrong…
He squeezed his eyes closed, attempting to fight back the wave of frustration and worry that suddenly seemed to engulf him. He felt a strong urge to go find Emery and demand answers, to sift through the confusion swirling inside his head. But as she said, last night was "it" for them. It was pointless to try now.
Despite this revelation, Ren remained frustrated and restless, and as such, decided to get some fresh air. Stifling a yawn, he absentmindedly grabbed his jacket from the rack before stepping outside into the chilly night.
He set out for Aeonova, a small park not far from his neighborhood. The night was cold, but the cool breeze was refreshing, whipping through his hair and helping to clear his congestion.
After a few minutes of aimful wandering, Ren found himself standing in front of the park. It was a quaint, well-kept area with a small playground and a scattering of benches and tables under tall trees. The place was deserted, save for one lone figure standing by the edge of the park, staring up at the night sky.
Even in the dim light, he recognized her — the height, the twintails...
"Emery?"
"... What do you want?"
"I… what are you doing out here?" Ren started before trailing off.
"It's none of your business."
"Are you okay?"
"Stop it already... I told you there's no need for this anymore! Leave me alone!"
"Saying that even though I can see your tears…"
"..."
"The confession…"
"It's none of your business!" she snapped, her voice quivering slightly. "Just...just leave me alone already!"
"No..." Ren responded wearily, "I… can't do that."
"WHY—"
"I don't know!" He exploded, his patience snapping. His heart pounded painfully in his chest as he met her surprised gaze. "I...I don't know why, but I can't just leave you alone."
"And why's that?" Emery shot back, a glint of tears in her eyes. "What, is it because you pity me? Or maybe—"
"No!" Ren cut her off, his voice echoing through the park. "It's not pity, I... It's just that..."
He paused, breathing heavily. The words stuck in his throat, unwilling to come out. He looked at Emery, her forlorn face illuminated by the pale moonlight.
He finally understood… he finally understood why he wanted to be by her side so much. Why he was so worried about her... and why he couldn't leave her alone.
"…I can't stand watching you get hurt."
"So what?!... What the hell are you talking about—?!"
"I can't just let you walk away from me after all of this…"
"Wha..."
"I want to remain by your side."
"...!"
She froze, unable to speak. She fretted her brow painfully as the tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
"W... why… you're free now, aren't y-you? Why a-are you doing this…!?"
"... I-I don't know why, but I just feel like doing it... Since you're crying, I can't leave you alone like this. Because I'll get worried... worried if you're hurt or hungry or—Agh!"
"Ren... you idiot," she choked out in between sobs, placing her head on his shoulder. "Why... why would you say that? Now I... I can't stop crying..."
Stunned, Ren hesitated for a moment before hesitantly wrapping his arms around her. He could feel her heart beating rapidly against his chest, her small body trembling as she clung to him desperately.
His heart ached as he stood paralyzed, whispering comforting words that seemed to do nothing to assuage her crying. Her sobs gradually petered out, but she didn't pull away. The silence hung heavy in the cool night air, punctuated by the distant hooting of a lone owl.
After a bit of time had passed, Emery pulled back, hastily wiping her face. Her eyes no longer brimmed with tears. Instead, she held a new-found determination and a glimmer of the fiery girl everyone knew her as.
"S-so," she sniffed, her voice coming out stronger despite the slight tremble in it. "Y-you're not gonna leave me alone, huh?"
"…"
Emery huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder with a flick of her hand. "W-well, then you better n-not be lying about everything you said. C-cause if I ever find out that you are..."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously, the familiar fiery spirit burning bright in her purple iris. "You'll w-wish you never met me, Ren Takashi!"
Ren blinked before a smirk formed on his face, raising a mocking eyebrow at her. "Oho, is that a threat?
"Take it how you want." She said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"But mind you, Ren," she continued, taking a step closer, her eyes still locked onto his. "I won't be giving up on him."
"You promised to help me get together with him, and that's what you're going to do! Alright!?"
"Yeah yeah I get it, I get it."
With that, she turned on her heel, her twintails whipping around as she gave him one last soft smile.
"Good night."
Ren watched as her figure gradually disappeared, swallowed by the dim streetlights and the slight fog that was beginning to roll in.
He found himself alone once more, standing in the middle of the park with only the moon as his company. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he began to trek back to his condo.
The soft patter of light rain began hitting the pavement, echoing in the otherwise silent night as he walked. A couple of minutes later he had arrived back home.
Closing the door quietly behind him, Ren moved through the darkened rooms with a palpable sense of ease. Every step he took felt lighter, an unusual sensation considering the night's tumultuous events. It was only 8:00, and his sisters hadn't even returned home yet, but considering everything that had just happened and that he still had a high fever, he decided to call it a night early and get some rest.
With a quiet yawn, Ren felt his way past his small kitchen and into his room, using his memory to guide himself through the darkness.
As he entered, his foot collided with something hard on the floor. Muttering a soft curse under his breath, Ren crouched down to inspect the offending object. His fingers brushed against the smooth surface of a piece of paper before picking it up.
At the top of the page was an emblem of a bird, its wings wide and powerful as it soared through an unseen sky. Next to it, a set of stylized black and gold letters spelled out a name:
"Suit Designation No. 100: The Golden Eagle"