May 24, 2018…
After the family finished their meals, Koroki and Ishio headed to the kitchen with their dirty dishes, placed them in the sink, and walked around the house, going their separate ways.
Yorui remained seated, her mind drifting as she savored the lingering flavors of the delicious meal she finished. She watched Surata thoroughly clearing the table, carefully storing the leftovers, and tidying up the dining area. Grateful for the thoughtful invitation from Ishio and the others to stay with them, Yorui felt a sense of duty to express her appreciation by helping Surata with some post-meal cleanup.
“Oh, thank you, Yorui.” Surata kindly appreciated.
“You’re welcome.”
After a few minutes, the dining table and kitchen gleamed with the cleanliness of the newly tidied rooms. Since they finished cleaning up, Surata decided it was the perfect time to introduce their newest housemate to her new surroundings. “Do you want me to show you around?”
“Oh, yes!” Yorui responded happily, with a wide smile on her face, hoping to use that time to bond with her new roommates.
Surata took on the role of a realtor, guiding Yorui through every corner of the house, ensuring she felt at home.
Surata briefly showed each room. “This is the kitchen… Bathroom…. Used to be living room.”
Her eyes lit up with joy as she took in the sight of her new home. “Wow, this is so exciting!”
As they ascended upstairs towards the end of the tour, Yorui stopped in her tracks.
“Hey, Sura’?”
Surata continued walking, “Sura? My name’s Surata.”
“I know, but Sura sounds better!” Yorui cheerfully grinned. She loved making nicknames for people she liked, like the homeless people. Plus, Sura sounded better.
Surata, without arguing, accepted his new name. “…Ok then.”
“So, where am I sleeping?”
“I’ll show you.”
Surata guided her to her room. Anticipation ran across her face. She hadn't felt the warmth of a comforter in a long time, and her ecstatic expression seemed to freeze in place.
Surata stopped walking towards the middle of the hallway, gesturing toward a closed wooden door. “This is where you will be sleeping.”
Yorui took a minute to take it all in, savoring the moment. She took a deep breath and calmly opened the door, trying to compose herself.
The door slowly revealed her room. At first glance, the clean and tidy room appeared quite ordinary, lacking any distinctive features that would set it apart from others. It had a bed, a closet, and drawers. However, standing in the doorway, Yorui screamed in place.
Koroki ascended the stairs and overheard the noise. “What’s with all the screaming?”
He strolled down the hallway shirtless, with a white towel wrapped around his neck, his hair dripping wet. Steam from his hot shower still emitted from his body. As he strolled down the hallway, his door was left open. He usually kept it closed, so he was concerned. Maybe he forgot to close it. He headed to his opened door. As he entered the doorway, he noticed he had company in his room.
“Wh…what are you guys doing in my room?” He asked, slightly raising his voice.
Surata turned his attention to him as he spoke. “Oh, funny coincidence, Koroki, I was just gonna find y-“
Surata sneakily stole a glance at Koroki's uncovered chest and spotted the marking above his heart. This was the first time Koroki walked around the house shirtless. To prevent any commotion, he swiftly wrapped up his train of thought. “So, since Yorui is living with us, she’s moving in with you.”
“Huh?!”
“Yeah! Isn’t that cool!” yelled Yorui. She playfully threw a white pillow at Koroki’s face as she jumped on his bed. The pillow slowly slid off his face. She immediately jumped off the bed. Unable to contain her excitement, she instead tossed herself on Koroki’s bed, slowly sinking into the blanket, “Wow! It’s been so long since I lived in a house, let alone a bed.”
Her reaction warmed Surata’s heart. Koroki, on the other hand, didn’t look very pleased. It’s nice that she had a new place to live, but he never thought he would have his room taken from him.
Koroki secretly nagged Surata, whispering, “Why can’t she have her own room or use the old man’s?”
Their house had two floors. Surely, there should be another room to fit Yorui in. There could be space in the living room or even a closet. A twin bed mattress should fit inside one of these closets. A house this big should have more room.
“Well, Father needs his room. Plus, she will get one after we finish repairing the house.” Surata explained.
“…” Koroki stood quietly. Even though he refused to reply, his shrugged shoulders and annoyed glare spoke for themselves.
“So, for now, she will stay with you.”
Koroki sighed, having no choice in the matter. Koroki slowly glanced towards Yorui, watching her inspect the room.
She finally had her very own place, to an extent. She should not mess with Koroki’s room since she was a guest. But her girly side inside her wanted to redesign it as if it were her own. “Does he need any of this? Where should the dresser go? What about a new rug? The possibilities are endless!”
The sight of her disgusted Koroki. This was the only place in the house where he could get some peace and quiet. “Ugh…how about I stay with you then?” Koroki asked, almost pleading.
“Well…” Surata stopped to think for a while. “To be honest, I don’t want to share a room with anyone else. I like having my own room.”
Doesn’t anyone like to have their own room? He said that like Koroki never liked having his room. Koroki tried a different approach to persuade Surata.
“Why not? C’mon man, listen. We’re both boys, right?”
“Yeahhhh…Aaand?”
“It would be weird if a guy and a girl were to share a room together, right?” explained Koroki, speaking in a higher pitch.
“Listen, Koroki, who was the one who brought her here?”
“…” Koroki had no counter for that. Surata caught him, mentally trapping him in a corner.
“Exactly. Since you brought her here, you got to take the responsibility.”
His persuasion failed. He refused to try anymore and gave up, accepting his defeat. “… whatever.”
Surata whispered into Koroki's ear and suggested something. “Think about it. With you two sharing a room, you can have some alone time for any physical…”
“Alright, I get it!” interjected Koroki, as his cheeks flustered red. As the boys finished yapping, Koroki slowly picked up the white pillow.
As Yorui continued to plot around the room, Koroki threw his pillow back at her and fumed, “Hey, Yorui, get out of the room so I can change!”
Before Yorui could walk to the door, Koroki comedically shoved her and Surata outside the room and shut the door, wanting some peace and quiet.
___
After changing, the kids headed downstairs. As they calmly descended the stairs, loud noises from the power tools blasted their eardrums. They noticed men with yellow hard hats and tools holstered around their waists passing by.
The kids spotted Ishio in the living room, overseeing the repairs with a disgusted face.
The broken debris and furniture from Majuro’s attack had been replaced by newer, modern interiors. Alongside Ishio, Principal Tsume made her appearance. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she oversaw the workers' work.
“Don’t you think this is a little overboard, Tsume?” Ishio suggested.
“Of course not!!! Your house is my house! When you told me about this, I knew I had to help. So, I did you the favor and took out the old and in with the new.” The enormous smile on Tsume’s face stretched as far as it could.
In her mind, doing this act was the most appropriate thing she could do. The least she should have got from Ishio was some sort of gratitude, but he did not.
Surata glanced at Ishio’s crossed arms, holding a piece of folded paper.
“Hello, Father. What’s with that letter?”
Ishio softly turned to the kids. “Oh… hi, kids. Thank you for noticing Surata.”
Tsume turned to the kids and greeted herself, “Hi, kids!”
The children waved back at Tsume, acknowledging her.
Ishio unwrapped his arms, lifting the letter in the air. “I need you guys to deliver this.”
The letter looked like a regular envelope. However, it felt awefully familiar to Surata, like he had seen his father working on that letter before. “Who’s the letter for?”
“Someone very important. If this doesn’t get delivered, the world might be destroyed.”
The children were startled and anxious due to the pressure of the task. What in the world is in the letter? Were these some bomb codes that people see in spy movies? Maybe Ishio wanted to send a bomb! How can this determine the fate of the world?
“Haha. I’m just kidding. But this is an important letter that needs to get delivered.”
That’s not something to joke about casually. But then again, it’s Ishio, so they should have at least expected something ridiculous like this. The kids released their sighs of relief.
“Why can’t you do it?” asked Koroki.
“I have to deal with Principal Tsume and the house today, so I need this favor.”
Principal Tsume smiled as Ishio mentioned her name.
Koroki mumbled under his breath, smacking his lips, “Tch…I don’t understand why you don’t drop it off on the way there…”
Bam.
Ishio overheard the mumbling and reached over to Koroki, delivering a hard punch to Koroki’s head, faceplanting, breaking the wooden floorboard.
Prinicpal Tsume shouted to the construction workers, “When you guys are down with that, we need to fix the floorboard!”
While replying to Koroki’s comment, Ishio asked the other dependable children. “Surata. Yorui. Can you please deliver the letter?”
“Sure, father.”
“Yeah, I’ll help. I still need to repay you somehow anyway.”
Ishio gratefully handed the letter to Surata. He exposed his heartfelt smile as Yorui and Surata prepared to head out.
“Thanks, you guys. Oh, I almost forgot. Take Koroki with you.” Ishio said, pointing to the down Koroki.
“Okay.” Surata and Yorui lifted Koroki from the floor, escorting him to the door.
Principal Tsume cheerfully grinned, giving the children a stand “Bye, kids! Be careful!”
Before walking out the door, Surata attempted to find Koroki’s sheath.
Ishio assumed what Surata came back for. “Oh, you don’t need to bring his sheath with you. It’s just to deliver some mail.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
With Majuro behind bars, no one should attack them, so he had no reason to bring his sheath.
Trusting his father, Surata decided to leave Koroki's weapon at home. With that settled, the three kids walked out of the house.
As the children left, Principal Tsume faced the front door. “I should probably head out and get ready.”
“Yeah, you probably should.”
Tsume left the workers with Ishio and calmly headed towards the door. Before she could leave Ishio's sight, Ishio said, “Hey, Tsume…”
Tsume stopped in her tracks and faced Ishio. “Yeah?”
His voice softened, conveying a genuine feeling. “…Thanks for your help.”
His gratitude caught her by surprise. Butterflies fluttered in Tsume’s stomach. Instead of tripping over her words and embarrassing herself, she gently replied, “You’re welcome, Ishio. Just don’t be late!”
Tsume headed off, looking back at Ishio and waving goodbye to him. Because she faced Ishio and did not look where she went, her walking pattern shifted to the side. As she turned her head back to the door, her face was about to make contact with the door wall.
SMACK!
Tsume felt her nose slammed into the wall. After feeling happy and cheerful inside, she was now flustered and embarrassed. Without realizing her clumsiness, she awkwardly laughed off the pain as she left the vicinity. “Ha ha ha, welp, see you soon!”
Ishio awkwardly chuckled and stood there in awe as he watched Tsume leave the house.
___
Time passed as the three kids strolled down the crowded streets of Heiwa.
“Why’s it so busy today? It’s not rush hour. Is something happening today?” questioned Yorui as she looked around, puzzled by the hoard of people.
“I’m pretty sure today is the opening of the Annual Heiwa Festival,” Surata explained.
The Heiwa festival only came once a year. It welcomed all friends and family to enjoy spending time with one another while introducing cultures from different countries. There were rollercoasters, arcade games, and food booths with a variety of different foods. To everyone, the festival was an unforgettable experience that made memories to last a lifetime.
Yorui's eyes lit up with excitement, shining like bright stars in the night sky. “Wow. That sounds awesome! Can we please go?”
Koroki walked calmly behind both of them, his arms clasped behind his head. “We should deliver this letter first.”
“He’s right, Yorui,” corrected Surata. “We should deliver this. This has a higher priority.”
Yorui’s energy depleted as her smile faded away.
Surata turned his attention to Koroki, implying, “Wow, since when did you care to do errands? I did not expect this from you, Koroki.”
“I… I just don’t want to waste more time.” Koroki briefly recalled Ishio’s brutal punch. “I just don’t want the old man to hit me again. He thinks I’m some kind of punching bag. Let’s just get this over with.”
The group of kids continued their stroll. Surata could not bear to look away from the downed Yorui. He took a moment and collected his thoughts. The sight of Yorui wanting to go seemed to lower the group’s mood. Maybe it was not a bad idea to go to the festival. It could be a way to get to know Yorui more and bond with everyone. With that concept, Surata made up his mind. “Well, I’m sure father wouldn’t mind us having some fun.”
Koroki lowered his arms. “Huh?”
“Yeah, we have some time to kill anyway,” explained Surata. “It wouldn’t hurt to go have some fun.”
“Um.. I don’t think-”
“C’mon. Let’s go, guys!” Yorui interjected, insisting as she grabbed both boys by their wrists. Surata and Koroki could not resist Yorui as they were dragged, so the three wandered into the festival.
___
After maneuvering through the crowds of citizens, the kids arrived at the massive festival's entrance. Inside, the festival had food booths lined up, with many rides and other attractions. The savory aroma of freshly made sweets from the booth roamed the air.
The view felt welcoming in the children’s eyes. Smiles on people's faces and cheering of other children having fun scattered across the event. Fun rides. Delicious foods. This was like every kids’ dream wonderland.
Yorui left the boys behind and headed inside. She hastily looked around, eager to do everything this place offered. Surata and Koroki followed behind the joyful Yorui.
Surata had been to his fair share of festivals. He used to go to these events with his middle school friends. And on rare occasions, when he was little, Ishio took him. So, he knew what to expect.
Koroki, on the other hand, never experienced anything like this, probably because of his lazy behaviour and never leaving the house. So, this whole thing felt surreal to him, and Surata was highly wary of that by Koroki’s confused expression.
Yorui backtracked to the boys, grabbed them by their hands, cheerfully insisting, “C’mon guys, hurry up. Let’s go!”
Yorui would first encourage Surata and Koroki to try most of the different rides at the festival. Surata happily followed along, but Koroki always refused like an annoying brat. Because of that, they would force him by any means, either physically or by teasing him.
The enormous red rollercoaster that toured the entire festival caught her eye first. Koroki hated rollercoasters, so he would scream the loudest while the others just laughed at him. The kids enjoyed their time at the festival. Spinning as fast as they could during the spinning teacups. Looking at the vast view up on the Ferris Wheel. And so on.
After riding the rides, Yorui would get the boys some food from each booth and let them try everything from delicious to disgusting, known treats to “never heard of” snacks. As they tried something, all three would express the same expression every time, as if they shared the same taste buds.
When they tried a Umeboshi Sour Plum, “Ahh…sour!”
When they tried some Malva Pudding, “Mhmm…sweet!”
Despite the different flavors and rides, all three found themselves enjoying the festival sooner or later.
Yorui ecstatically pointed to another booth. “Guys, let’s try this spicy tentacle.”
Koroki, hesitant to go, said, “That doesn’t look appetizing.”
Yorui pouted, a playful glint in her eyes. “C’mon, you’re no fun.”
“Yeah, Koroki, at least try it with us,” suggested Surata, softening his voice.
“The smell from it is already burning my nose and hair,” Koroki whined, refusing to eat the tentacle. “Do you two think I want to eat that?”
Yorui frowned, giving Koroki a sad baby face look. “...Please?”
“…” Hesitant as he was, Koroki sighed and gave in to the tentacle.
Yorui handed him and Surata each a tentacle stick. The three of them looked for a place to sit. They found a bench nearby and sat down, glancing at the spicy tentacle that resembled a kebab.
Koroki stared at Yorui momentarily. Yorui's joyful expression reminded Koroki of when his mother gave him his first popsicle. The sight of Yorui’s face during that moment brought a subtle smile to his lips.
Yorui grew impatient, refusing to wait any longer. “Alright, guys, on three. Three!” She immediately chomps down the snack.
“What happened to one and two?!” Surata asked annoyingly, watching as Yorui bit into the tentacle.
“Ah! That one… is way too spicy,” Yorui struggled to speak, her mouth burning from the spice. “Uh oh… that one didn’t go down well.” Yorui sprang off the bench, grasping her stomach. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to the bathroom.” Yorui hurriedly ran off to the bathroom. Koroki and Surata laughed at her while she desperately tried to find the bathroom in pain.
“Haha, poor Yorui.”
“See? I’m glad we stopped to come here. This is fun,” Surata expressed his joy through his face. “But this spicy octopus tentacle is way too hot. Ah, I need some milk.”
“Yeah, this is way hotter than I thought,” replied Koroki, laughing at Surata’s reaction.
Surata stared at Koroki with a mischievous smile. “That’s funny coming from someone who hasn’t taken a bite yet.”
Koroki was startled by being caught red-handed. “Oh, yeah? Watch me eat it, then. It won’t be that hot anyways.”
Chomp. Koroki took a considerable bite out of the tentacle.
“Mhmm, it’s not as bad as I th… Ah! It’s too hot!” The spice gave him a spark of energy. He tried to exhale through his mouth, attempting to babble about the spice while sticking out his tongue. “My tongue... is on fire! Where’s... the milk?! I might die here before Yorui gets back!”
At that moment, Surata started laughing at Koroki’s reaction, breathing heavily to cool his mouth down. “What was that... about not being hot? Ha-ha. Well, I think... we both might die!”
The boys, caught in a horrible predicament, couldn't help but laugh.
Amidst their laughter, as the heat faded away, Surata's laughter died along with it. The joy faded from his eyes as he looked at Koroki with a soft yet serious gaze.
The atmosphere near the bench thickened, and the surrounding conversations faded into the background.
“Hey, Koroki. I didn’t know when to ask this, but… can I ask you something?”
Koroki, sensing the shift in tone, already had an idea of what Surata might say. His expression softened.
“Is it about what Majuro said?”
“...Yeah.”
With the festival’s vibrant sounds in the background, a brief moment of silence emerged.
Yorui finished using the bathroom and headed back to the bench. She noticed the boys conversing on the bench. But the air around the boys grew thicker as she approached them. She got the feeling that she shouldn’t invade this conversation. However, her nosiness could not resist. So, she approached them, seeking to hide, and ended up leaning against a nearby booth to listen in on their conversation. The cold air hurried away as the boys momentarily sat in silence.
Surata broke the silence and asked, “What did he mean by… Heartless Demon, Koroki?”
“…” The weight of Surata's words hung heavily in the air as Koroki remained silent. The absence of his response spoke more than words ever could.
Surata struggled to understand. “We’ve been living together for a while, and I thought you were just some random kid that Father found. But now it feels like all that time together was just a façade- like you’re a complete stranger. So, Koroki…who are you?”
Koroki reminisced his memories in his head, unable to forget them. He took a moment to respond, wondering what to say. The sight of seeing someone like Surata concerned for him was almost unbarring. Koroki could not avoid the question. Whether he answered then or later, Koroki would one day have to explain. So, Koroki responded, staring towards the ground.
“Hey, Surata,” Surata gazed at Koroki, finding a gentle yet defeated look on his face. “Do you think I’m… heartless?”
“Huh…?”
Surata tried to block out the cheering from the children walking by, thinking he misheard Koroki. ”Wh-what do you mean?”
Hearing Surata’s genuine but confused expression gave him his answer. Koroki let out a sigh of relief, clearing his head as he lowered it.
His monotone voice slightly softened. “Heartless Demon. A Demon with no heart. That’s just a nickname I was given in the past during the war.” Koroki stood up from the bench, glancing at the clear sky, “To be honest, I hate that nickname.”
Gently smiling, his eyes turned to Surata. “But that nickname was given to me before I met Ishio and you. So, don’t worry about it.” Koroki assured Surata. Although his voice was sincere, it could not conceal the sadness in his eyes.
Surata sat there perplexed, gazing at his true feelings, “What happened to you? Before meeting me, what kind of childhood did you have... Koroki?”
___
Shifting away from the festival, at around the same time, the Noye Agency held a meeting at the school grounds, with most staff members attending. The conference was held on the upper floor of the tallest building on campus, which housed the Noye Agency.
The large conference room had a long wooden table centered in the room with nine seats: eight seats on the sides and one at the right end when entering. Every other participant stood around the table, towards the walls, signifying the seat’s importance. Some familiar faces filled the seats, along with a few new ones.
“Ugh, how long do we have to wait? Can I just go home?” complained an unenergetic 20-year-old teacher. Her height did not match her age: below average for her age’s demographic.
She leaned her dull face towards the table with her palm while fidgeting with her ring. “I don’t have time for this stupid meeting.”
“Just wait a little more, Miko. I’m sure he will come soon, hopefully.” Principal Tsume responded, sitting at the end of the table.
Sitting across from Miko, Latro disappointedly asked, "Why does he always show up late?"
While he questioned the man’s presence, they heard the door creak open slightly.
Creak.
As the door opened, everyone turned their attention to the door.
A familiar Ishio slowly stepped into the room. “Hey, guys. Sorry for being late.”
Principal Tsume smiled reassuringly, lost in Ishio’s eyes. "Oh, it’s fine. I'm just happy you made it.”
The other staff members attending grew a little impatient.
“Tch. About time you show up. Thought you weren’t going to show up.”
Another member seated wondered, “Um… Tsume, can we start this meeting now?”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” She jolted, snapping herself back to reality. “Now that everyone is here, we can start this meeting.”
Ishio quickly found an empty seat towards the middle of the table, the side closest to the door.
She kicked off the meeting, her voice strong and authoritative. “As you all know, our tournament is coming up soon. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to evaluate their skills while fighting students from different schools. But, for us, it’s meant to keep an eye on the students across the tournament.”
Tsume opened a yellow folder and handed out papers containing student portfolios to everyone seated. As she passed out the papers, a helping staff member turned a projector from the vacant end of the table and projected a student portfolio behind Principal Tsume.
“With that in mind, the problem is this.” Principal Tsume quickly pointed out and spoke with authority.
The seated staff turned their attention to the first paper.
“?!” The staff’s expressions varied, some subtle while others dramatic, stunned by the information displayed.
The document provided little information about this student, listing only their school ID and name. The lack of information created a sense of mystery, leaving much to the imagination.
“Umm, is this all the information we have on this student?” a worried seated staff member asked.
“Now, this is very interesting.” another added.
Principal Tsume carried on with her speech. “Yes, for the case of Koroki… we have little information on him. We have reports that he successfully defeated Majuro the Manslayer. Majuro was becoming a problem for the police and Shikaris, but... this kid singlehandedly defeated him.”
The staff members complimented Koroki’s achievement. “Wow, what a strong kid.”
“Yeah. There have also been rumors that he’s the Heartless Demon.” Latro calmly exclaimed while fixing his glasses.
The nickname, Heartless Demon, alone caught the attention of everyone in the room. “What?!”
A reserved, calm man sitting in a seat rambled, “The Heartless Demon, said to be a fallen warrior during the War of the Fallen. He gained the nickname after defeating 100 armed Shikaris alone. He’s known for having his Noye tattoo on top of his heart. He would pierce his long blade through the hearts of his enemies, symbolizing the Noye mark on his chest.” The man’s voice deepened. “Some even say his strength is comparable to one of the Harta.”
The Harta, a prestigious group of the strongest Shikaris in Aoi, each boasting the power of 100 men, stood as the dedicated guardians of the country. Their formidable presence occupied every seat in the grand meeting room, representing the unity and strength of their mission.
An annoyed member of the Harta slammed his hands down on the table, the sound echoing in the tense atmosphere. His brow furrowed and his jaw clenched, showing his anger. His compressed shirt clung to his body, emphasizing the defined muscles that rippled across his lean physique, showcasing the exertion and discipline behind his athletic build.
He shouted, feeling irritated. “So, in other words, Ishio took the Heartless Demon in.” His eyes beamed towards the calm Ishio. “You knew about him, Ishio, didn’t you?”
Ishio sat almost unfazed by the sudden news of Koroki, as if he was already aware of it.
Not breaking her composure toward Ishio, Tsume curiously asked, “Ishio, are you sure we can trust Koroki?”
The entire room turned to Ishio, eagerly waiting for his response. Ishio rose from his chair with a calm demeanor, his expression shifting to seriousness. “Koroki is not who people say he is. He’s a good, kind, and selfless kid.” Despite what Ishio claimed about Koroki, the other teachers doubted Ishio.
“So, he could just be tricking you for all we know.”
Ishio calmly replied, “I know he isn’t tricking me.”
“How can you be so sure?”
As the staff bickered, Ishio raised his voice, silencing them. “That’s not the kind of kid I raised! Koroki’s the type to risk his life for someone he truly cares for. Although, that wasn’t always the case. Even right now, I treat him like he’s my own son. So, I do trust him.” Ishio’s eyes turned cold, full of determination as he stared down everyone. Ishio released a concentrated, intimidating aura that circled the room. “And, if anyone’s got a problem with my son, then… you’ll have to deal with me.”
Some members felt threatened by Ishio’s challenge, while others ignored it. However, the angered Harta stood up from his chair, tired of hearing Ishio’s talking, and waltzed toward him. The man, of similar height, stared Ishio down in an attempt to intimidate him, chuckling, “Ha! How interesting. I was thinking of a reason to wipe that look off your face.” He cockily taunts.
“Try me, Diatre.” Ishio declared, refusing to back down. Their powerful auras clashed, knocking some standing staff member off their feet from the pressure. Some Harta members sat unfazed by the guys’ foolishness, while other members sat nervously about a potential brawl starting.
“Alright, calm down, guys,” Principal Tsume asked kindly. Her presence interrupted their clash.
As Principal Tsume entered the confrontation, the tension disappeared. Diatre smacked his lips, returning to his seat. “Tch.”
Ishio kept his cool and immediately sat back down.
Principal Tsume kindly explained, “Listen, Ishio. We just wanted to make sure we could trust him.” She lowered her voice and spoke determinedly as she asked, “I’m sure you understand why that is… don’t you?”
___