One after during lunch, the two were lounging under tree when a small commotion drew their attention a small crowd gathered near the courtyard their voice rising in a mixture of excitement and unease
"Another fight" Jin guessed biting into his sandwich
Curiosity got the better of them and they
Made their way towards the scene
In the center of the crowd stood a boy they didn't recognize. He was tall, with messy silver hair that fell lazily over his eyes. His uniform was untucked, his tie missing, and he radiated an air of complete indifference.
Five boys surrounded him, their postures aggressive. One of them shoved a crumpled wad of cash into the boy's chest.
"Here's the deal, freak," the leader sneered. "You do what we say, and you get paid. Got it?"
The silver-haired boy glanced down at the money, his expression unreadable. He took it without a word, tucking it into his pocket.
The leader grinned. "See? Even freaks know their place."
The crowd murmured uncomfortably, but the silver-haired boy didn't seem fazed. He simply stood there, silent and unmoving.
Jin frowned. "Is he... okay with this?"
Levi's eyes narrowed. "Something's off."
The bullies weren't done. They jeered and shoved the boy, trying to elicit a reaction, but he remained eerily calm.
"Say something, freak," one of them growled. "Or are you just too scared?"
Another boy grabbed the money from his pocket, holding it up with a mocking laugh. "Look at this. Is this all you care about? Pathetic."
Without warning, he tore the money in half, letting the pieces flutter to the ground.
In a blur, the silver-haired boy moved. It was so fast that most of the crowd didn't even register what had occurred. One moment, the bullies were standing tall, and the next, they were crumpled on the ground, clutching their ribs and gasping for air.
The leader tried to lunge forward, but the boy dampsey rolled effortlessly, landing a single, precise strike to his chest that sent him sprawling.
Levi's breath hitched. His vision tunneled as he focused on the boy's movements sharp, fluid, and impossibly fast.
"This guy..." Levi muttered, his voice low and tinged with something close to awe. "He's fast."
Jin blinked, caught off guard by the look on Levi's face. It was rare for him to show genuine unease, but there it was etched into every line of his expression.
The silver-haired boy straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his uniform. He showed no sign of exertion, no trace of emotion on his face.
The crowd was silent, too stunned to speak. The bullies groaned on the ground, their pride and possibly a few ribs shattered.
Levi and Jin exchanged a glance before stepping forward.
"Hey!" Levi called out, stepping forward. "Wait a second!"
The boy paused but didn't turn around.
The boy didn't reply. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, as though considering whether it was worth his time. Then he let out a slow yawn, stretching his arms above his head.
Without a word, he continued walking, the crowd parting to let him through.
Jin blinked. "Well, that was... weird."
Levi's jaw tightened. "Weird doesn't even begin to cover it. That guy's on another level."
It had been a few days since Levi and Jin's strange encounter with the quiet, silver haired boy. Life had returned to its usual rhythm: school, idle chatter, and their regular haunts. They hadn't spoken about the incident much; their lives were already chaotic enough. Yet, for some reason, the memory of the boy lingered in Levi's mind like a shadow he couldn't shake.
Jin and Levi, however, had grown accustomed to their newfound popularity. After their fight with the bullies, they'd become the school's unofficial legends. Once-dismissive stares had morphed into looks of awe, and whispers that once mocked now carried words like "hero" and "fearless."
But attention came with a price, and not all of it was welcome.
During lunch, a group of girls hovered nearby, giggling behind their trays. They had once avoided Levi and Jin like the plague, but now they followed them around school like moths drawn to a flame.
"I can't believe they don't even look at us," one girl said, twirling her hair dramatically.
"They probably think they're too cool now," another replied, glaring at Levi, who sat at the far end of the cafeteria with Jin. They were deep in conversation, completely oblivious to their observers.
One girl, tall and poised with an air of arrogance, clenched her jaw. Her name was Mira, the self-proclaimed queen bee of their class. She wasn't used to being ignored. "Even celebrities fall for me," she muttered under her breath. "I'll make him notice me."
But despite their stares and whispers, neither Levi nor Jin paid the girls any mind. They were too engrossed in their debate over what to do after school.
"Arcade or convenience store?" Levi asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
"Arcade," Jin said without hesitation. "I'm not losing to you in Street Fighter again."
Levi smirked. "You mean after I destroyed you yesterday?"
The girls huffed in frustration, but the two boys never even glanced their way.
After school, the bustling arcade was a cacophony of laughter, flashing lights, and the rhythmic beeping of game machines. Levi and Jin weaved through the crowd toward their usual spot: the old but reliable Street Fighter machine tucked in the corner.
But when they got there, someone was already playing.
Levi stopped in his tracks. "No way."
It was him the Silver-haired boy from before. He sat hunched over the controls, his fingers a blur as he executed combos with unnerving precision. The screen flashed with the words "PERFECT VICTORY," and the boy leaned back, letting out a bored yawn.
Jin whistled low. "Looks like he's got skills."
Levi crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. "He won't be so cocky after I'm done with him."
The boy stood and turned, his dark eyes locking onto Levi and Jin. His face was as blank as before, but there was a flicker of recognition in his gaze.
Without hesitation, Levi stepped forward. "Feel like a real challenge?"
The boy tilted his head slightly, as if considering the offer. Then, without a word, he sat back down and gestured toward the second player slot.
Jin nudged Levi. "Guess that's a yes."
The first match was over in seconds. Levi barely had time to react before his on-screen character was pummeled into oblivion. The words "PERFECT VICTORY" flashed again.
Levi stared at the screen in disbelief. "What the hell?"
Jin burst out laughing. "Man, he's not even breaking a sweat."
"Shut up, Jin." Levi's jaw tightened as he gripped the controls. "Best two out of three."
The second match lasted a bit longer, but the result was the same. The boy's hands moved like they were part of the machine itself, each input perfectly timed and calculated. By the end of the third match, Levi was gripping the controls so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Alright, I give up," Levi muttered, slumping back in defeat. "You're cheating."
The boy finally spoke, his voice as monotone as his expression. "I don't cheat. You're just bad."
Jin doubled over with laughter. "He got you there, Levi."
Levi shot him a glare but couldn't deny it. The kid was good. Too good.
As Levi sulked, the boy stood to leave. Jin leaned toward Levi. "You're not gonna let him walk away without finding out his name, are you?"
Levi hesitated, then called out. "Hey, wait! What's your name?"
The boy paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Leo."
"Leo, huh?" Levi crossed his arms. "You ever play outside of arcades?"
Leo raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Levi gestured toward Jin. "My house. I've got a setup that'll blow this place out of the water."
For the first time, Leo's expression shifted—a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Fine."
Levi's living room was a gamer's paradise. A massive TV dominated the space, surrounded by an assortment of consoles and a collection of games that could rival a small shop.
Leo wasted no time. He grabbed a controller and plopped onto the couch like he'd been there a hundred times before. "Let's play."
For hours, the three of them battled it out. No matter the game fighting, racing, even obscure puzzle games Leo crushed them every time. His precision was almost inhuman.
"You've gotta be cheating," Levi groaned after losing yet another match.
Leo glanced at him, deadpan. "Still bad."
Jin nearly fell off the couch laughing. "Man, he's relentless."
As the evening wore on, the tension between them began to fade. Leo, though quiet, had a dry wit that caught them off guard. By the time the final match ended, the three were joking and laughing like old friends.
When it was time for Leo to leave, Levi walked him to the door. "Alright, I'll admit it," he said grudgingly. "You're not as bad as I thought."
Leo shrugged. "You're tolerable."
Jin grinned from the couch. "That's the nicest thing he's said all day."
The next morning at school, whispers followed the trio down the hallway. The sight of Levi, Jin, and Leo together was an unexpected development. No one could understand how someone as aloof as Leo had ended up with them.
But the three didn't care. For the first time in a long time, they felt like they belonged together. And for Leo, though he'd never say it out loud, it felt good to have found something he hadn't even realized he was missing.
A place to call home.