There's a rule in every high school, even the Hunter Academy. If you hang out with idiots long enough, you either become one, or you learn how to weaponize the idiocy around you.
Dakota was still figuring out which category he belonged to. The afternoon sun sliced through the trees, decorating our gang with particles of light. Dakota's head rested on his arms as he sat down from exhaustion. Beside him sat Shinatsu, posture perfect, expression sharp, and not exhausted at all because she easily keeps up during lectures.
Across them, Yuji scowled over his textbook, eyes shadowed with the energy of a man too serious for this school and too tired to care about being serious.
Yuji: "The only thing we should be doing is training with the sword."
Shinatsu: "That's what an idiot would say."
In the middle of them was Austin, who just recently self-proclaimed himself an "observer of chaos," was doodling something that suspiciously resembled Dakota being crushed by an avalanche of assignments.
Marlon: "What's going on here, a gathering of idiots?" He walked up looking like he wanted pick a fight, but that's just the aura he has about him.
Yuji: "It sure is now that you're here." He gets up and starts butting heads with Marlon.
Shinatsu: "They must not like each other."
Austin: "Excellent observation."
Everyone assumes Marlon's a delinquent, he has rolled-up sleeves, messy hair, bandaged knuckles, and that scent of reckless confidence. Because of this, he ends up attracting those that actually are delinquents.
Shinatsu: "Who is this anyway? He looks like trouble."
Austin: "It's just Marlon." He gets up and daps up the man in question.
Marlon: "Yo, Austin. How's it goin?"
Austin: "Oh, y'know."
Marlon: "We should hang soon. Also, I might need to ask you for a favor."
Austin: "What is it?"
Shinatsu: "Definitely nothing sleazy."
Marlon: "Pipe down, will ya? The men are talking."
The air froze.
Dakota: 'Shit, we're cancelled.'
Shinatsu: "…What?"She looked at him—cold eyes, perfect posture, the kind of calm menace that could stop a heart.
Marlon: "Sorry," he smirked, fire lighting in his chest. "It's just I don't really get along with snotty rich girls. You're a Boreas aren't you? I hate them the most."
Dakota: "Oh god, he's dead," he muttered into his arms.
Yuji: "Should we stop her before she kills him?"
Austin backed up: "Let's see where it goes."
Shinatsu and Marlon stood face-to-face in the courtyard at lunch. Word spread fast, meaning Austin text a whole bunch of people that a fight was going down and they brought even more people. In less than a minute, several dozen students had gathered around.
Shinatsu's hand rested on her hip as she scowled at the person she was about to murder.
Marlon, on the other hand, cracked his neck and grinned: "You really gonna fight me, princess? I don't hit girls."
Shinatsu smirked: "Don't worry. I don't classify you as a man yet."
The crowd winced audibly.
Austin: "Oh, this is gonna be good."
Dakota: "This is gonna be a one-sided deathmatch."
Austin, pulling out his phone, deadpanned, "If Marlon survives, I'm uploading this to Shiogram. Title: 'Delinquent Simps for Royalty – Gone Wrong (Emotional)'."
Before the first insult could evolve into an actual punch, Shinobu, the upperclassman with an otherworldly calm, walked past them.
The crowd hushed.
Marlon's bravado vanished. His heart jumped into his throat: "She's here," he whispered. "Shinobu senpai…"
Shinatsu blinked: "You know her?"
Marlon's usual fire softened: "I… like her."
Shinobu, of course, didn't even notice him. She was holding a cup of tea and humming softly, passing by like a serene NPC in a war zone.
Marlon froze up, eyes wide, words caught in his chest.
Shinatsu looked at him, then sighed. "I'm over this."
Austin silently fell to his knees, as his attempt to post a viral video shattered in an instant.
The crowd disperses in disappointment.
Student: "Ah, so no fight?"
Student: "Lame."
Student: "I was about to bet some money."
Marlon walked up to this defeated Austin: "About that favor. I need you to help me get together with Shinobu senpai."
Austin: "Alright," he said immediately. "Let's help Marlon confess."
Shinatsu crossed her arms: "By 'let's' I hope you mean you and your other friends."
Austin: "No, I mean us."
Shinatsu: "Interesting, I'll be taking my leave."
Before she could take a step, Dakota grabbed her shoulder: "Shinatsu, have you no sympathy?"
Shinatsu: "Excuse me?"
Dakota: "A man wants to confess his love to the girl he likes, we HAVE to help him!"
Shinatsu: "Didn't take you for the romantic type."
Yuji pinched the bridge of his nose knowing he wouldn't be able to escape this either: "So, what's the plan?"
Austin: "I'm open to hear your guys' ideas."
Shinatsu: "This is doomed."