Ryosuke stood before the mirror in his office, leaning in slightly, one eyebrow raised. This moment was sacred—it wasn't just about wearing the uniform; it was about elevating it. Style was an art, and Ryosuke was its master.
The standard Jujutsu High uniform? Everyone knew it: a crisp black jacket with perfectly aligned buttons, simple dark trousers with a near-military precision, and polished black shoes. Functional. Practical. And boring.
But not for Ryosuke.
First, the jacket. He'd added a bold red stripe along the left lapel.
Next, the sleeves. Slightly rolled up to reveal the pristine cuffs of a white shirt underneath. On his right wrist, a braided leather bracelet.
The trousers? Tailored just enough to fall closer to his ankles. And the shoes? Forget standard black loafers. Ryosuke donned high-top sneakers, gleaming from a meticulous clean the night before.
But the pièce de résistance? A navy-blue scarf casually draped around his neck, its ends fluttering lightly behind him.
He straightened up, crossed his arms, and studied his reflection with the intensity of an artist evaluating their masterpiece.
"Not bad. No… incredible," he murmured, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. Grabbing his backpack, he strode confidently toward the door.
With a dramatic sigh, Ryosuke pushed open the door leading to the classroom building.
Inside, silence.
Ryosuke exaggerated another sigh as he stepped into the empty classroom. The morning light streamed through the windows, but not a single familiar figure greeted him. Alone. Utterly alone.
He paced to the front row, setting his bag down on a desk. Pulling out his phone, he checked the time.
8:00 AM, sharp.
"Seriously?" he muttered, his brows knitting together. "Perfect timing, right? Not too early to look like a nerd, not too late to seem lazy."
His gaze swept the room again. Still nothing. His eyes lingered on the spotless blackboard and the perfectly arranged desks. Sliding into a chair, he leaned back casually, one leg crossed over the other.
"Jujutsu High students? Late? Impossible. These are people trained to save lives at a moment's notice. You don't picture them hitting snooze on a Monday morning…"
He sighed again, this time with a mix of frustration and resignation.
"Maybe I'm just… too motivated. Gotta work on that."
The silence began to weigh on him, thick and unsettling. His fingers drummed impatiently on the desk before he sprang to his feet, unable to sit still. He moved to the windows, scanning the grounds. Nothing. Not a soul. It was as if the entire school had vanished into another dimension.
Then—creak.
A sound. Finally.
Ryosuke whipped his head around, a grin already forming, but it froze halfway as he spotted Mechamaru's rigid silhouette standing in the doorway.
"Finally! Someone!" Ryosuke threw his arms up dramatically. "But seriously, you're late too?"
Mechamaru stepped inside, his movements as stiff and mechanical as ever.
"Late? For what? You didn't hear?"
Ryosuke blinked, one eyebrow arching.
"Hear what? What exactly am I supposed to know?"
Mechamaru crossed his arms, his tone as blunt as ever.
"We've been deployed."
The word echoed in Ryosuke's mind, and his eyes widened as he took a step forward.
"Deployed?! Hold on—this is the first day back!"
"Wrong. Classes started months ago. You're acting like it's the first day of school."
Ryosuke froze, the mix of surprise and embarrassment washing over him like a wave.
"Oh… That explains why nobody's here," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.
For a moment, he looked genuinely flustered, but his usual energy quickly returned. Snatching his bag off the desk, he slung it over one shoulder and shot Mechamaru a dazzling grin.
"Well, kicking off with a mission after break isn't the worst way to start. So, where are we headed?"
Mechamaru turned sharply, pulling the door open.
"This will be your first mission," he said without looking back.
Ryosuke adjusted his scarf, his grin widening.
"No worries, I've got this. But if we could avoid ruining my sneakers, that'd be awesome."
"Your white sneakers won't survive this mission."
---
At the gates of the school, the wind blew softly, scattering fallen leaves across the paved ground. Ryosuke strolled alongside Mechamaru, his pace unhurried.
A few steps ahead, a woman stood waiting, her posture razor-straight, arms crossed. She wore a sharp black suit, her short-cropped hair framing her face. A pair of square glasses perched perfectly on her nose, and she held a tablet, scrolling through it with intense focus.
Ryosuke slowed his stride, sliding one hand into the pocket of his tailored pants while casually adjusting his navy-blue scarf with the other. His eyes locked onto the woman, a mix of curiosity and skepticism swirling within them.
As they approached, the woman's gaze flicked toward Ryosuke, her expression betraying a faint, almost imperceptible arch of her brow. She made no comment. When the two finally reached her, she lowered her tablet, letting it rest against her hip, and looked up at them.
"You're finally here," she said curtly, her voice clipped and precise. Her sharp eyes scanned Mechamaru, then Ryosuke, lingering on his scarf before meeting his gaze. "Student Mechamaru. Student Ryosuke. From today forward, you're a team."
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow, his face a picture of disbelief. "A team? Hold up, hold up," he said, raising a hand as if to pause what he clearly thought was a misunderstanding. "You mean… him and me? Like, together?"
He jabbed a thumb toward Mechamaru, flashing a smug grin. Beside him, Mechamaru stood motionless, as stoic as a perfectly calibrated machine—which, to be fair, he partially was.
The woman in the sharp suit didn't even dignify the question with an answer. Her eyes were already back on her tablet. "Your first mission starts now. An anomaly has been detected in the western industrial zone. You'll receive the details en route."
Ryosuke crossed his arms, adopting a casual stance.
A tense silence hung in the air, but it only fueled Ryosuke. His grin widened as he turned slightly toward Mechamaru. "So, we're paired up, huh? Interesting. Very interesting."
Mechamaru's blank stare didn't falter. He remained as unresponsive as ever, which only encouraged Ryosuke further. Sliding his hands into his pockets, Ryosuke leaned slightly closer to his companion.
"Honestly, I was kinda hoping to be paired with Mai," he mused, his tone playful and drawn-out. "You know, she's... ultra-professional. Would've let me kick back a little." He glanced at Mechamaru, his grin turning mischievous. "But you—you were probably hoping for Kasumi, weren't you?"
No reaction. Not a twitch, not a word. Mechamaru's silence, as solid and impenetrable as a steel wall, might have stopped anyone else. But not Ryosuke.
"Come on, admit it," he pressed, leaning in slightly. "I bet deep down, you're blushing right now."
Still nothing. But Ryosuke burst into laughter anyway, playfully tapping Mechamaru's metallic chest. "I'm right, aren't I? Seriously, you should show some emotion. I bet she likes you. Or, well... maybe."
The woman in the suit finally looked up, her piercing gaze cutting through the moment. "If you're done," she said sharply, "perhaps we can get started. We don't have all day."
Ryosuke threw his hands up in mock surrender. "All right, all right. No need to get snappy. But hey, at least tell us your name, yeah?"
She let out a faint sigh. "Call me Ito."
"Ito, huh?" Ryosuke repeated with a bright smile. "Nice ring to it. You're gonna love working with me—I'm basically a ray of sunshine."
Ito ignored him completely, stepping aside to reveal a sleek black car with tinted windows parked behind her. She gestured toward the open door with a curt motion.
"Get in."
TO BE CONTINUED!
A/N: I was out in the countryside with no signal out there. I'll catch up on everything I missed. Thanks for your support!
Next Chapter: First Mission (1)