The next day, Kaito settled into his classes, trying to focus. It wasn't easy; he'd spent the entire night awake, thinking about the lies he'd told. He hadn't been this anxious since his days in middle school. The weight of his deception pressed on him, but he couldn't afford to falter—not now.
His anxiety grew as the school day drew to a close.
"Hey, Takahashi."
Kaito turned to see Kendo approaching, along with two of her friends, Setsuna Tokage and Ibara Shiozaki.
"How's your first day so far?" Kendo asked, a smile tugging at her lips.
Kaito smiled slightly, trying to keep up the appearance of someone in control. "Good. I think I'm getting the hang of things."
Kendo glanced over her shoulder, her expression flickering with mild annoyance. "Hey, Mineta is at it again..."
Kaito raised an eyebrow, not understanding. "Who's that?"
"He's from Class 1-A," Shiozaki answered, leaning in slightly. "He's... well, let's just say he has a reputation."
Kendo sighed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, he's always up to something. He's not as subtle as he thinks."
Before Kaito could ask more, they turned a corner, and the figure of Mineta appeared, peeking around a hallway with a lecherous grin plastered on his face. He was spying on a group of passing girls, the usual perverted gleam in his eyes. But the moment his eyes locked onto Kaito, his grin widened even more.
"Hey, Takahashi! Didn't see you there!" Mineta said, walking toward them with a swagger that was anything but subtle. "So, you're the new guy, huh? Nice to meet ya!"
Kaito's eyes narrowed, already sensing where this was going. He gave a curt nod. "Mineta, right? I've heard about you."
Mineta laughed, the sound loud and obnoxious. "Oh, you heard the rumors, huh? I'm *just* a guy who knows how to enjoy life, that's all." He gave a playful wink, clearly enjoying the tension he was creating. "So, how's the view from *Class 1-B*? You getting used to the place?"
Kendo shot Mineta a sharp look. "Mineta, cut it out," she said firmly, though her voice had an edge to it. "He doesn't need to deal with your nonsense."
Mineta waved a dismissive hand. "Come on, Kendo, relax. I'm just trying to get to know the new guy. *We're* all here to support each other, right?" His gaze flicked to Kaito, lingering a bit too long, before he leaned in conspiratorially. "If you ever want to get in on the real *fun* around here, just let me know. I've got connections. *Connections* that'll help you *really* enjoy life at U.A." His grin was wide and sly.
Kaito stared at him for a moment, his unease growing, but he didn't let it show on his face. "I'm good. Thanks, Mineta."
Kendo raised an eyebrow. "Is that your idea of support? You're unbelievable."
Mineta shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? I'm a man of *taste*."
Kaito didn't react, but his mind raced. *This guy...* He could already tell Mineta wasn't the type to give up easily. He'd need to be careful with him—careful, like he had to be with everyone.
Kendo gave Kaito a sympathetic smile, clearly noticing the tension. "Don't mind him," she said. "He's harmless... mostly."
Mineta pouted dramatically, crossing his arms. "You wound me, Kendo. I'm a *man* of action, not harmless!" His voice was playful, but there was a hint of frustration beneath it.
Kaito kept his expression neutral. "I'm sure. But I prefer to keep things simple."
Shiozaki chuckled. "Good luck with that. Mineta's idea of *simple* involves a lot of... *complicated* situations."
Mineta smirked. "Hey, I've got my methods. You'd be surprised how effective they are."
Kaito looked back at Kendo, her eyes rolling slightly as she tried to steer the conversation away from Mineta's antics. "We should probably get going, Kaito. Some people like to *stay out of trouble*, unlike *others*," she added pointedly.
Kaito nodded, offering a slight smile in return. "Lead the way."
As the group walked away, Mineta stayed behind, staring after Kaito with that calculating look still on his face. His lips curled into a mischievous smile as he murmured to himself, "Oh yeah, Takahashi... You're gonna be a lot of fun."
Unbeknownst to Kaito, Mineta wasn't ready to give up just yet. The wheels in his mind were already turning. He was planning to use his secret weapon, the peep shots of Ms. Midnight, he was sure that kaito would fall for that.