A few months had passed since the day Koutetsu and Akane had played the laser tag game. After that day, he was taking small steps to get out more, it wasn't much it was more so improving as he tried new ways to convince himself he wasn't the pathetic person he was before. He hung out with Akane when she was home, when she would get vacation time and learned some basic cooking skills from Mana at her restaurant. He even spent more time with Itsuki at school than he usually did, a surprise for her that she was taking with appreciation. More and more he was getting comfortable with getting himself out of the mentality to be hiding away in his room and focusing outside of his studies.
Akane showed him how to use flame magic, she wasn't a master at it but she was good at her current level and made use of it. Currently, she is on an assignment. She had been gone for a while. She promised Koutetsu if he practiced more she would show him the old training videos his grandfather made for Army training. He wanted to watch since they were not available to the public yet. After he finished his homework assignments, Koutetsu ran to practice outside on his skills. It was the weekend and he wanted to get done early to focus on training.
He could feel how a powerful mind affected the body and the atmosphere around it. How it could see a 'sequence' or 'code' in everything, deciphering it to use to its advantage. He learned from class every Esper had a unique skill that was made for them due to a latent talent or life-or-death situation that gave birth to a technique that could save their lives. One unique to their personality.
Caster had the same conditions when it came to spells. Some found their affinity to spells that way, others from practice.
Koutetsu's Esper skill was his code reading, since he was a bookworm in his previous life and a logical person, seeing sequences of numbers and letters was easy for him to use to decipher his power and body. Be able to rewrite the coding in his white blood cells in his body, he found a way to make them work more proficiently without having to rely on healing magic. He used it for his muscle fibers to develop healthy muscle growth regeneration. Magic could easily heal his body, but it would return the body back to its state before the injuries. It was nice and convenient but the energy to use it was a drain in some occasions and he didn't want to wear himself out bad. He would push himself hard to get his development in a steady place to handle the power needed for advanced spells and Esper skills.
After practicing for three hours he could finally handle the fire magic Akane taught him. The Prime Caliber part of him made it easy to understand, Koutetsu's fire was stronger than Akane's though, his control wasn't there yet. He almost burnt the skin on his hands trying to shoot flames or make big fireballs. Instead, he tried controlling it into a single point in his hands, making a fire fist. Koutetsu threw a punch at the mannequin targets, he smashed one with incredible force, the flames burning it to ash.
Koutetsu had slight burns on his hands, his healing process treated them before any real damage could be done. The flames were basic red, Akanae told him signature flames would be born when the Caster would find their synchronization to them. Either through emotional, spiritual, or sheer determination.
Koutetsu used his head to materialize a screen in front of him, everyone who was born an Esper and Caster could due this. It was just like his video games, displaying his name, his current level, stats, the skills he had on hand, along with an explanation of the skills.
He liked this, it made it easier to track his progress and what he was capable of currently.
"Oy, Koutetsu come inside we're about to leave soon to pick up Momma Akane." Mana called from the kitchen window.
"Coming!" He cleaned himself up hiding the residual burn heals before he left the house with Mana.
Akane was coming home. She got her leave approved to visit the family for three weeks before heading back out. Akane's unit was overworked, more terrorists were popping up lately and the Ghasts from before Koutetsu's birth were evolving more often now. Mana was worried for Akane's well-being, Koutetsu wasn't bothered really, Akane was tough, she always came back from her missions with little to no problems.
The drive was about an hour and a half to the airport, Koutetsu sat in the back with his earbuds in playing his music. He was amazed at how much this new world was a reflection of his old one, from the same countries, technology, with slight differences in certain events in history such as the Salem witch trials never existing, death penalty to acts of racism, including gladiatorial events still on going for those who wanted to showcase their fighting abilities.
He did find it funny he was reborn as a Japanese boy again. For all he knew he could have been born in some fictional magic kingdom where he was an orc or a vampire, he joked to himself how funny it would be if he was some silly incarnation that saved the world, the joke of it all was he didn't care long as he got the same easy life he got now.
Mana and Koutetsu made it to the airport, they waited for a few minutes till they saw Akane in her uniform walk out of the baggage claim with her duffel bag in hand.
Mana called out to her partner, she ran up to her with joyous feelings in her heart as she embraced her.
Koutetsu caught up to them, he hugged Akane too. The trio looked like the perfect couple to everyone in the airport, many of whom looked jealous seeing the two women with a son.
"Welcome home honey!"
"I'm home," Akane said with a smile as she kissed her partner. Akane turned her attention to Koutetsu, giving him a hard heartfelt hug, him begging her to let go as he felt he was getting choked to death.
The three left to eat at a nice restaurant, Akane wanted something other than the taste of field rations she had to eat in the last few months that almost killed her palette along with the mountains of coffee she had to ingest to stay awake during the night shifts she had with her team.
"So where should we eat I'm starving?"
"Sure you don't want to eat at our place? The staff can be ready in no time to cook for you." Mana asked, she was always ready to cook for beloved partner.
Akane smiled as she held Mana's hand.
"Please, they work hard enough for us already, especially with this little glutton here eating everything up like human garbage disposal." She joked looking at Koutetsu, who pouted at the quip. "Say Koutetsu, doesn't your friend have a restaurant too, the one I see you hanging with most of the time? I could have sworn you mentioned it before when I asked what her family does for a living."
Akane was referring to Itsuki, Koutetsu had mentioned it before. He asked her at times what her family did or properties they owned outside of their usual business.
"Do you mean Shirayuki Itsuki? Her family owns a five-star restaurant close by, I heard her say they use it to promote the food they develop. It's mainly for the elite though to eat. I don't think we would fit in."
"Nonsense. I'm sure they would let us in. Besides I have yet to meet her since I'm gone most of the time. It's nice to see my son have one person he can turn to when I'm away. Just want you to have someone you can talk to and rely on when something could happen in the future."
Koutetsu felt that comment. He could see Akane was worried for him. His original parents were never enlisted in the service, but he had classmates in that life who did. He saw how hard it was for them, and he didn't feel sympathy for them since it wasn't his family, but he did understand their feelings now with Akane, apologizing in his heart at how inconsiderate he was to those students.
The family drove to Itsuki's family restaurant, the Shirayuki name was on it making it easier to find on the GPS map. It was just as fancy as they expected, a real elite eatery with barely parking too. The Mothers were in awe of excitement over the place.
The hostess welcomed the family to come in, Akane showed her military ID and unit crest so they could get a table faster avoiding the insane waiting time for those not on the list or from upper families. They were brought wine and fancy hor d'oeuvres to eat, with regular milk for Koutetsu and gyoza.
"Amazing. I must learn how they make some of these it be great for our place."
"Oh sweetie, don't doubt yourself. Your Ramen and Oden are the best in town, I bet they would hire you here with your cooking skills." Akane told Mana feeding her one of the hor d'oeuvres.
Koutetsu agreed, He wasn't fond of Oden originally but he loved it now the way Mana made it. Her restaurant made many dishes from Ramen, Oden, Sushi, and Sukiyaki, all of them delicious with the care Mana put into them and her honing over the years of perfecting the right recipes.
"Huh, what are you doing here?"
Koutetsu heard the voice from a table across from his. He turned to see Itsuki eating with her parents and younger sister. Koutetsu almost spat the milk out seeing her, but he held it in not wanting to make a scene in front of them.
"Oh, is that your friend Koutetsu, you didn't tell me she was that cute hehe." Akane joked trying to get an expression out of him.
'Grrr, shut up will ya I'm too old for that kind of teasing. Man, I didn't think she be here today, oh well it be nice to introduce her to Akane and Mana I do owe them that for never inviting her over to the house even when she asked' Koutetsu complained in his head at first but relented for his moms' sake trying to be less selfish.
"Itsuki is that the boy you mentioned from your school? The one that is a born Prime Caliber you're acquainted with?" Itsuki nodded yes to her Mothers who asked the question. The parents got up from their seats to walk over to Koutetsu's table, with Itsuki and her sister following. Koutetsu's Mothers were nervous seeing the Shirayukis. Such a refined noble family coming their way was a sight to see, just the air of them walking their way breathed refinement.
"Hello, you must be the mother of this young boy. It's a pleasure to meet the ones who birthed a Prime Caliber." The first Mother said. The first Mother was Yue Shirayuki, she wore a well-tailored suit with her hair combed back. The other Mother was Ayaka Shirayuki, she was the beautiful one with a red dress and white shawl. Itsuki's little sister Kaede clung to Itsuki's side, nervous to talk.
Akane stood up and saluted the parents.
"Yes, mam, Captain Hayashi Akane at your service. This is my wife Mana and our son Koutetsu."
Akane felt better calling herself a Captain again. She worked hard to get her rank n' grade back, she was demoted recently due to punching a fellow Captain in the face when she saw said Captain leaving her troop behind to save herself during a ambush.
"Oh, Hayashi. By chance was your father Hayashi Sei. I have a business partner who worked alongside during their service."
"Yes, mam!" Akane said with a proud response.
Yue saluted Akane back, and she asked for a handshake as well. The families sat together to talk and eat. Koutetsu and Itsuki looked annoyed at their parents drinking and joking around about the theme and ideas of arranged marriages. A typical reaction to kids embarassed by their parents in these situations.
"Do your parents always do this Shirayuki-Hime?" Koutetsu asked. Kaede chortled a bit at the nickname, Itsuki's cheeks puffed in irritation from that.
"No, you should be grateful for this since you never let me come over or visited my house when I asked. And stop calling me that, you know I hate that nickname."
Koutetsu couldn't help but grin at her being annoyed. He just knew how to push her buttons. She let out an annoyed breath before talking with him to drown out their parents' conversation.
The evening felt great, everyone was happy and enjoying the food and talk. It was a nice moment that should have been cherished, but something bothered Koutetsu, he felt an eerie chill down his back, like a slither of ice water running down his skin chilling into his bones, a feeling that made him terrified to his core.
'Found you!'
A cold and distorted voice in his head called out.
Koutetsu's eyes widened, he turned his head around to look out the front windows of where the voice was coming from. He saw a pale woman in white clothing and a white hat with platinum blonde hair. He couldn't see her face but her lips were colored in blue lipstick. She gave a malicious smile before pointing a finger in Koutetsu's direction.
"Everyone get down!!!" He shouted trying to worn everyone at the table.
"Bang!!!"
An explosive blast of energy shot at the restaurant. Koutetsu was too late in warning everyone.
The restaurant was totaled in the blast, many of the patrons were killed, and others were injured.
Koutetsu struggled to open his eyes when he was able to regain his consciousness. He saw Mana shielded by the Shirayukis' ice barrier. The barrier was small and seemed only to fit the Shirayukis and Mana. The time it took them to make it was quick but not enough for the protection they were trying for.
Akane wasn't in there, Koutetsu felt liquid hit his face, and he looked up to see Akane covering him from the blast. She was bleeding and injured, Koutetsu's eyes widened more, he was terrified, he was truly terrified for the first time in his existence.
He was having a panic attack at the sight of Akane's battered body and face. The blood hitting his face, her covering over him with her injuries, he couldn't figure out how to react to it logically. It wasn't logical, it was just horrible, a horrible sight a child shouldn't see, even one with a mind like his.
'What the? What the? What the hell is going on here!'