After the opening ceremony, students began to leave the amphitheater and spread through the corridors. Kazuo, with his hands in his pockets, walked quietly, surveying the area with a keen eye. Takeshi's high school was much bigger than his old school and he mentally prepared himself for this new atmosphere.
As he turned into a busy corridor, he suddenly saw a familiar figure in front of him: Asami Miyahara, the student council president himself.
She seemed focused, her eyes scanning a list in her notebook, perhaps already engrossed in her responsibilities. Kazuo couldn't help but smile. This is too good to be true, he thought.
Approaching her discreetly, he stood right next to her, his face showing a devilish expression.
"Well, well... Madam President in action. I must say it's impressive, all you do to keep order. Especially after your little act on the bus," he said with a smile on his lips.
Asami looked up suddenly, a look of surprise in her eyes. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression changing from surprised to seriously irritated in an instant.
"What are you doing here?" she replied dryly, trying to remain independent despite her obvious embarrassment. Kazuo crossed his arms, leaning forward slightly to look her straight in the eye.
"Oh, nothing special. I just admire your ability to go from hysterical president to perfect role model. I almost thought you were a different person up there on stage. Great performance, indeed."
Asami's gaze darkened, fists clenched. Naturally, she didn't like Kazuo's tone. She moved closer to him, closing the distance between them, her expression frozen.
"Listen, Kazuo," she said sternly, lowering his voice so no one else could hear. "What happened on the bus remains between you and me. If you ever dare to tell anyone about this, I swear I will report you to the principal for abuse."
Kazuo laughed mockingly, without the slightest trace of fear in his eyes. He pressed a hand on the wall, leaning a little towards her as if to frame it, keeping that teasing smile.
"Abuse? Really? It's funny because you were the one who hit me and humiliated me in public, not the other way around. Honestly, who do you think the principal is going to believe, a hysterical student president or a poor young man who was slapped for no reason? "
Asami clenched her jaw, her eyes burning with anger, but she didn't dare raise her voice for fear of drawing attention. She quickly glanced around to make sure no other students were listening, then turned to Kazuo, her voice low but full of menace.
"Very well. If you want to play this little game, we can continue. But you know I have more ways to ruin your life here than you can imagine. You're just young and can easily convince anyone that you're a troublemaker."
Kazuo raised an eyebrow, amused by Asami's determination. Her provocation seemed to only fuel his desire to irritate her further.
"Really? It must be exhausting to always play the perfect girl. If I were you, I'd take a break so I wouldn't go completely crazy."
Asami glared at him, but took a deep breath to calm herself down, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her lose her cool.
"Trust me, Kazuo," she whispers, regaining his apparent composure, "you have no idea who you're challenging." Kazuo burst out laughing when he heard this, sat up and finally released the pressure around her.
"Well, we'll see about that, Miss President. I have a feeling that this year will be especially... fun," he answered, finally walking away, his hands in his pockets and a playful smile still on his face.
Asami watched him walk away, anger still present on her face, but also frustration mixed with incomprehension. She had never met someone who provoked her so casually.
Usually, his position and authority was enough to intimidate others, but Kazuo didn't seem to care.
As she gathered and continued on his way, she promised herself that she would look after him. "This arrogant boy won't give me any trouble no matter how hard he tries", she thought, but deep inside her a strange feeling of anticipation filled her.
Kazuo and Asami walked silently down the hall, their footsteps echoing. Even though they were going in the same direction, Asami kept glancing cautiously behind her, convinced that Kazuo was following her on purpose. His serious expression showed a hint of disappointment.
"Are you still following me?" - she said suddenly turning his head towards him, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. Kazuo raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile on his lips.
"Chasing a hysterical girl? Not mine, thanks. It sounds more like you're the one who's paranoid."Asami gritted her teeth, preferring to ignore Kazuo's provocation.
But her irritation grew when she realized they were entering the same class. She sat in the front while the real Kazuo slipped to the back of the room, choosing a spot by the window where he could isolate himself and survey the scenery.
The hall gradually filled with students, all visibly excited for the start of the school year and the atmosphere of a new school year. The sound of the discussion filled the room, but Kazuo remained silent, observing with a detached air. He noticed that Asami looked in his direction from time to time, clearly annoyed to find him in the same class. Soon the door opened and a man in his forties entered.
He wore round glasses and a slightly worn but neat jacket. With a calm look, he scanned the room before placing his things on the table.
"Hello everyone," he said in a quiet but firm voice. "I am your general accounting teacher Mr. Tanaka."
The chatter quickly subsided and the students' attention was focused on the teacher. Kazuo, for his part, let out a yawn, not too interested in this beginning of the lesson. Mr. Tanaka began to write his name on the board before returning to the classroom.
"Some of you are new here, so let me briefly explain the importance of accounting. It helps you understand how to manage your personal finances, but it's also essential for anyone thinking of working in a business. I hope you find this course useful."
Kazuo, leaning back in his seat, looked out the window for a moment, absently scanning the trees that bordered the school. The subject didn't excite him, but he knew he had no choice if he wanted to succeed this year. At the front, Asami was carefully taking notes, engrossed in Mr. Tanaka's speech, in stark contrast to Kazuo's calm and disinterested demeanor.
Mr. Tanaka then began his explanation of the principles of accounting, covering simple concepts to introduce the material.
"One of the basic principles is the concept of debt and credit," he explained, writing on the board. "Every transaction in a company results in a financial movement in these two categories. Think of them as two sides of a scale. To be in order, debts and credits are always balanced."
Kazuo couldn't help but roll his eyes, finding these explanations a bit too simple for his taste. Why should I care about these concepts? he said to himself. Accounting, honestly... Not enough to make a big deal about.However, despite his detached demeanor, he noticed that Mr. Tanaka had a knack for explaining things clearly, making the subject a little less boring than he expected.
Around him, some students started asking questions, showing genuine interest, while others were diligently taking notes. When Mr. Tanaka asked an open-ended question to the class, he didn't get an immediate answer.
Taking advantage of the general hesitation, Kazuo provocatively raised his limp hand, a teasing smile on his lips.
"Yes sir?" said the professor, a little surprised by the initiative.
"Um… let's just say we can sum it all up by saying that whatever goes in must come out, right?" Kazuo replied with a smile, as if he was oversimplifying himself.Light laughter rose in the classroom, but Mr. Tanaka remained helpless, shaking his head with an amused smile.
"You're not entirely wrong, even if it's a bit more complex than that. I encourage you to dig deeper into this topic if you really want to understand how it works."
Kazuo shrugged, seemingly satisfied with his little intrusion, while Asami, in front, threw an exasperated look over his shoulder. She didn't understand why someone could be so casual and dismissive, especially in such an important course for the future.
After a while, the bell rang, marking the end of the lesson. As the students packed up and prepared to leave, Mr. Tanaka gave them one last word.
"For those who are interested, I will provide additional resources to you. Feel free to come ask questions after class."
Kazuo, without waiting, stood up first and walked towards the exit with his hands in his pockets. He met Asami's gaze briefly, who gave her an annoyed look before walking away. But he paid little attention, an amused smile on his face as he mingled with the crowd of students in the hallway.
Kazuo walked into the cafeteria, his stomach growling with hunger. The students gathered around the bank and noticed that there was only a sandwich, placed there as a last treasure to conquer. Without hesitation, Kazuo rushed forward, reaching out to grab her.
But as soon as his fingers touched the sandwich, another hand landed on it. Looking up, Kazuo met the gaze of the school bully, a colossus with a well-known reputation that everyone called the Ambulance Caterpillar, a strange name, but referring to his habit of attacking everything like a devastating caterpillar.
There was silence in the cafeteria, the surrounding students watching the scene in amazement. Kazuo held Caterpillar's gaze without flinching, a smile.
"Better let it go, young man. You don't stand a chance here," Caterpillar growled, his tone thick with menace.
Kazuo shrugged casually, then, vaguely remembering Mr. Tanaka's accounting class, decided to try a more subtle approach, tinged with a veiled threat.
"You know, Caterpillar, in accounting you learn something essential," he began in a calm tone. "As in accounts, human relations must be balanced. When you receive something, you give something in return. So if you have this sandwich. .. "
Kazuo stopped for a moment, looking at the beast with a dangerous smile."...I'll probably have to make you pay sometime." Maybe you will find yourself with a debt that is difficult to pay. " Caterpillar's eyes widened slightly, surprised at this suggestion.
Kazuo still walked in a calm tone, but the shadow of threat lingered behind every word. Caterpillar hesitated, looking at the sandwich, then at Kazuo, then back at the sandwich.
The tension was building, but Kazuo didn't flinch, keeping that calm and yet so affectionate smile.
Kazuo then added, tilting his head slightly, reinforcing his tone with a hint of irony. .. "do you really want to have it, at the risk of forcing something on me?"
A murmur of disbelief ran through the surrounding students, some laughter erupted when they saw that the school bully found himself hanged by simple as ruthless logic.
Caterpillar, torn between the fear of ridicule and the fear of Kazuo's possible retaliation, finally withdrew his hand, his expression wavering between anger and humiliation.
"Tch...take it, go! It's just a sandwich."
Kazuo shrugged as if nothing had happened, calmly taking the sandwich under the stunned gaze of the onlookers.
"You're right, Caterpillar," he said as he walked away.
"It's just a sandwich, after all."
Kazuo left the scene happily, while the brute stood there, red with rage and frustration. Walking over to a table, Kazuo felt the admiring or amused looks of the other students, and bit into the sandwich with a satisfied smile, enjoying not only the taste, but also his small victory of the day.
Kazuo was enjoying his sandwich, sitting on the roof of the school, where few students were used to climbing.
The fresh air and tranquility around added to his moment of satisfaction after his small victory in the cellar. While he was biting into his sandwich, his gaze suddenly landed on a strange object in the corner of the ceiling, half hidden by an old metal box.
A heart of gold, shining with an enchanting luster, seemed to attract him inexorably. Intrigued, Kazuo walked over and reached out to touch it.
The moment his fingers touched the object, a feeling of intense heat flooded his body. His mind immediately went into an uncontrollable trance.
The vision of the ceiling faded and he found himself immersed in deep darkness, as if floating in nothingness.Slowly, a scene appeared around him.
Kazuo realized that he was in a large room lit by blazing flames. In the back of the room, an imposing throne, decorated with carvings in the shape of nails and ghosts, dominated the space. On this throne sat a massive being, a humanoid lion, with a thick mane and piercing eyes, who looked at him with a look that was both powerful and calm.
"Welcome, Kazuo Shishi," the creature said in a deep, rumbling voice."You stand before me, Lionheart."
Kazuo felt a wave of shivers go through him. This humanoid lion had an overwhelming presence, as if his strength and aura filled the entire space.
"What is this place?" Kazuo asked, still shocked.The lion grinned, revealing his sharp teeth.
"This place, young Kazuo, exists within you. It is the space that holds the gift you carry, a strength that few mortals possess. In me is the essence of the lion, the instinct of the wild beast. It is this essence that lies dormant within you."
Kazuo frowned, trying to understand the meaning of these words. "Essence… of the lion?" he repeated. "So yes... the strength I feel sometimes, this sense of anger and uncontrolled power..." Lionheart nodded slowly.
"Exactly. This power is yours, but it's not just a simple power. It's an instinct, a deep connection with the spirit of wild animals, a pact between your will and mine."
Kazuo felt his heart beat faster, as if the lion's words resonated in him, awakening something wild.
"But why me?" he asked suspiciously.The lion stared at him intently, his eyes sparkling with mystery.
"Because you have this potential, this flame, in you. It is a power that answers only to those who dare, to those who are not afraid to resist forces much greater than themselves. But this gift is not a toy. It will give you the strength to protect what you care about...or destroy everything if you don't. " Kazuo realized that this was not only raw skill, but an overwhelming responsibility.
"So... you're here to teach me how to control him?" he asked with a mixture of curiosity and concern.The lion stood up, his claws lashing the arms of his throne, his voice sounding like a distant roar."I am here to guide you, but the path is yours, Kazuo. Within you resides the beast, and only you can choose how to unleash that power. Just remember this: those who seek to master the lion's instinct must be prepared to face the consequences."
Kazuo fell silent, feeling the weight of those words. Lionheart continued to stare at him, with an intensity that pierced his soul.
"We meet again," the lion said finally, before everything became a blur.Kazuo felt his body being swept away in a vortex of light, then his eyes suddenly opened. He was back on the roof of the school, a half-eaten sandwich in his hand.
His heart was still pounding, as if he had just experienced something unreal but undeniably powerful.With a slow gesture, Kazuo brought his hand to his chest, where he still felt the warmth of the golden heart.
A shudder ran through him. He still didn't know what it all meant, but one thing was certain: something had just woken up in him, and it was just the beginning.