Kai entered the room with his usual composed demeanor, his footsteps echoing softly against the tiled floor. His expression was calm, his glasses perfectly adjusted, as always. But the moment his gaze landed on Rose, all semblance of composure shattered.
There she was, standing casually near the teachers, holding a small hand mirror. She delicately applied a deep ruby lipstick, her movements unhurried and deliberate. The air in the room seemed to shift as their eyes locked, freezing them both in place.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" they screamed simultaneously, their voices overlapping in chaotic unison.
Miu, one of the teachers standing nearby, let out a loud, sputtering laugh. She clutched her stomach, struggling to hold back tears as she doubled over. A faint "Sppffffft!" escaped her lips as she tried—and failed—to maintain composure.
Kai's face twisted in disbelief as he pointed directly at Rose. "Why is she here?!" he demanded, his tone sharp and agitated. "I thought this was supposed to be a serious training session, not some... circus!"
Rose snapped the mirror shut with a loud click, her glare sharper than the edge of a blade. "Why the hell are you here, dumbass?"
Kai adjusted his glasses with a quick, irritated motion, his expression tight. "Dumbass? Do you even know who you're talking to? You're the dumbass!"
Rose's face darkened as she crossed her arms, stepping closer to Kai until they were nearly nose-to-nose. "How dare you call a girl a dumbass?"
Kai didn't back down, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe don't act like one, and I wouldn't have to!"
Their faces inched closer as the tension between them grew, each glaring and gritting their teeth in defiance. Rose's tail twitched furiously behind her while Kai's glasses reflected the light, making his expression all the sharper.
"Okay, okay! Enough of this!" Miu called out, clapping her hands to break the stalemate. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she turned toward the pair. "Me and Takashima have decided to hold a joint training session."
Leaning casually against the wall, Rintarou Takashima gave a small, knowing smile. "Yes, of course," he said smoothly, his voice calm and authoritative.
Without warning, Miu dashed across the room, throwing her arms around Takashima. She pressed against him, her enthusiasm radiating as she clung to his arm. "Come on, tell them what we have planned for them!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her heels.
Takashima sighed, his expression unchanging as he gently patted Miu's head. Then, with a small smirk, he leaned forward slightly and booped her nose. "Patience, Miu."
Miu blinked in surprise before her face lit up mischievously. "A boop? That's not enough! Give me a big kiss!" she teased, leaning in dramatically with puckered lips.
Takashima, unfazed, raised his hand to block her. "Enough!" he said firmly, his tone authoritative but not harsh.
Kai and Rose cringed in unison, recoiling slightly at the sight. "Ewwhhh," they muttered under their breath, their expressions perfectly mirrored.
Takashima, now sporting a faint blush, quickly straightened his posture and adjusted his tie to regain his composure. "Ahem. As I was saying, we are holding this joint training session because the two of you don't get along."
"Yeah, because she's an idiot," Kai muttered without missing a beat.
Rose's eyes narrowed dangerously, and without hesitation, she punched his arm—hard.
"OW!" Kai flinched, rubbing the sore spot while glaring at her. "What was that for?!"
"For being a jerk!" Rose snapped, her tail flicking angrily behind her. "Maybe if you weren't so uptight, we wouldn't have this problem!"
"It's not my fault she's impossible!" Kai shot back, crossing his arms tightly.
"I'm impossible?" Rose countered, her voice rising. "It always has to be your way!"
"That's because my way is the best way!" Kai retorted, adjusting his glasses with an air of finality.
Takashima let out a long, exasperated sigh and said flatly, "You're fighting like a married couple."
Both Kai and Rose immediately snapped their heads toward him, their faces flushed crimson.
"HUH?!" they shouted in perfect unison, their voices cracking with shock.
They both immediately started talking over each other, their voices tumbling out in a chaotic jumble of protest.
"Me? With her? Are you insane?!" Kai exclaimed, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose as he adjusted them in flustered indignation. "That would never happen. Ever. Not in a million years!"
Rose's tail bristled as she waved her hands frantically, her ears flattening in mortification. "What?! Are you out of your mind? I wouldn't—no, I couldn't—that's just gross! Never in this lifetime, or the next!"
Kai pointed toward her, his voice rising. "She's rude, messy, and has absolutely no idea how to handle herself like a decent person!"
Rose jabbed a finger back at him, her face beet red. "And he's a stuck-up, know-it-all who thinks he's better than everyone else!"
Takashima stood silently, arms crossed, watching the back-and-forth with an unreadable expression. Meanwhile, Miu was trying—and failing—to suppress her laughter, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to keep a straight face.
"Your faces are as red as tomatoes," Miu finally teased, her grin wide. "You're too perfect for each other."
That only made their protests louder.
"Absolutely not!" Kai snapped, his voice cracking slightly as he glared at Miu. "This is ridiculous!"
Rose spun to face Miu, her tail lashing behind her. "You're insane if you think—ugh, no way! Not with him!"
"Exactly!" Kai agreed, crossing his arms. "Not with her!"
They both turned away from each other at the same time, crossing their arms with synchronized huffs of frustration.
"That's right!" they shouted in unison, their voices tinged with embarrassment as they refused to make eye contact.
akashima cleared his throat, his calm demeanor cutting through the chaos. "Enough of this," he said firmly, his authoritative tone silencing the pair. "It's time for training."
"Finally," Kai muttered under his breath, adjusting his glasses as he glanced toward the teachers.
Rose flicked her hair over her shoulder, her tail still twitching in irritation. "Yeah, let's get this over with," she grumbled, though her eyes briefly darted toward Kai before she quickly looked away.
Miu clapped her hands excitedly. "Let's get started!" she chirped. "Begin training!"
With a wave of Takashima's hand, Kai and Rose suddenly vanished, leaving the room behind. They reappeared in a sprawling field surrounded by endless sky.
"Where are we?" Rose muttered, glancing around warily.
A voice echoed from the sky, Miu's cheerful tone cutting through the silence. "This is a Magic Domain! You can't die here. Think of it as a training simulation. Oh, and don't slack off!"
Two swords materialized before them, stabbing into the ground with a metallic clang.
"You'll be fighting a magic beast of our choosing," Takashima's voice added, calm and even. "Work together, or don't. Your success—or failure—is up to you."
"What?!" Rose blurted, staring at the swords. "This isn't going to end well…
Kai sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Well, we'd better not lose. I'm not dealing with Masters training consequences. "
Miu giggled. "Oh, and if you lose? No food for the next week!"
Both of them groaned but reluctantly grabbed the swords.
Kai adjusted his glasses, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. "This isn't going to end well."
Rose glared at him and jabbed a finger in his direction. "If we lose, it's your fault!"
Kai smirked slightly. "Blame yourself, princess. You're the one who said you couldn't stand me."
Rose clenched her fists. "Right back at you, nerd."
A sudden roar shook the ground as a massive dragon began to materialize before them, its glowing eyes locking onto the duo.
Rose took a shaky step back. "Ready?"
Kai's expression hardened as he gripped the hilt of the sword. "Not even close."
"Good," Rose muttered, gripping her own sword tightly. "Let's do this."