By the time Daiki had finally made it back to the dorms, it was about the time people were done with their classes.
Ren peeled off toward his building first, stretching his arms with a groan.
"I'm sleeping for fourteen hours. If I die, make sure to tell my story."
"You'll be remembered as a dumbass," Daiki said.
Yui stopped a few steps later.
She still looked exhausted, but she was calmer now, her usual composed expression settling back into place.
"Try not to get hurt tomorrow."
"No promises," Daiki replied.
She gave him a small, tired smile, then turned and headed off.
Daiki shuffled the rest of the way alone, noticing how the bruises and splits on his skin were shifting into scars.
Eventually, he made it back to his dorm. He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The first thing he saw was Jin sprawled across a chair, blanket over his shoulders, eyes glued to the TV. On the screen, a weird-looking CGI dog in a cape shot laser beams out of its paws.
"...What the hell are you watching?" Daiki asked slowly.
Jin didn't look away. "A movie."
"...I know that. What the hell is it?"
"The dog has superpowers," Jin said flatly. "Pay more attention."
The dog ripped open a tank.
Daiki dropped onto his bed with a thud and lay down. "Today was... actually pretty calm, all things considered."
"Mm." Jin sniffed the air. Then frowned.
"You smell like shit."
"HEY."
"Like, actually. It's impressive."
Daiki sat up, offended.
"Kojiro was kicking my ass this morning! It's not my fault."
"You're just complaining."
Daiki groaned and pushed himself to his feet.
"I'm taking a shower."
Jin's hand shot out and grabbed his sleeves.
"No," Jin said.
"....What?"
"Go to the hot springs."
Daiki blinked.
"What...?"
"The hot springs," Jin repeated, like Daiki was the dumb one. "You'll get clean, your muscles will relax, and your brain can finally rest."
Daiki stared.
"We have... a hot spring?"
"Yea," Jin said. "Why wouldn't we...?"
".... Never mind. I don't even know where they are."
Jin sighed, pausing the movie. "I'll show you. I want to soak too."
Daiki quietly pumped his fist.
The path revealed itself gradually, tucked away from the main buildings.
The noise of the campus faded as they walked, replaced by quiet footsteps and the soft rustle of leaves. The stone path curved gently through a grove of cherry blossom trees, their branches arching overhead and transforming the area into a tunnel. Pale pink petals drifted through the air, falling around them.
Daiki slowed.
"Wow."
A petal brushed his shoulder as he walked. The air smelled clean. Warm stone, fresh water, and something floral he couldn't put a name to.
"This is..." He gestured vaguely. "Why is this place so nice?"
Jin shrugged.
"Stress management. Or bait. Probably both."
Daiki grinned.
Then suddenly—
"Last one there is a rotten egg!"
"What—HEY—"
Daiki rushed forward.
He sprinted down the path full of energy, a smile on his face. Jin cursed behind him, but Daiki had already gotten the head start.
He reached the edge of the hot springs first, took off his clothes....
and cannonballed straight into the water.
A splash erupted, steam exploding into the air.
"DAIKI!" Jin shouted. "YOU—"
Daiki surfaced, laughing. "I won."
Jin stared at him for a long moment... sighed and then took off his clothes before stepping into the water more carefully.
"...You're a cheater."
"Excuses."
The heat hit instantly.
Daiki sank down to his shoulders, letting out a sound that was half-groan, half-relief. He could feel his muscles loosening, the exhaustion and ache from previous days dulling into something much more bearable.
"Oh my god," he muttered. "This is great."
Jin leaned back against the stone edge, arms resting on the sides. "Told you."
Daiki glanced around, steam curling into the night air.
"I can't believe this exists at this death trap we call a school."
"Balance," Jin replied. "You only need trauma in bits and pieces."
They sat in silence for a moment.
Then Daiki spoke again.
"....So."
Jin closed his eyes.
"Here we go."
"I didn't even say anything yet!"
"I know you. You're weird."
Daiki frowned.
"Come on. I'm normal."
Jin sighed.
"No, you're not."
"WELL.... I was going to ask what's your favorite car."
"Anything that works."
"Do you drive?"
"Yea."
Daiki's eyes lit up.
"Wait... you're sixteen, right? Can you drive scooters? Like mopeds?"
Jin cracked one eye open.
"....Yea."
"You have one?!"
"I do."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You never asked," Jin said. "And I'm not letting you ride it."
Daiki frowned, then settled deeper into the water.
"Coward."
After a moment, he spoke again.
"Hey. That Inter-Exchange Event thing."
Jin cracked one eye open.
"What about it?"
"What's it actually like?" Daiki asked. "Headmaster made it sound huge, but he didn't really say anything specific."
Jin exhaled slowly. "Because it changes every year."
Daiki blinked. "That's annoying."
"On purpose," Jin said. "Keeps people from training for one thing. Usually, it's a mix of stuff. Like team battles and objective-based missions."
Daiki's eyes widened slightly.
"So it's not just fighting?"
"Nope," Jin replied. "That's where people usually mess up."
Daiki hummed. "Figures."
He shifted in the water. "What about the Second-Years? Like... rankings."
Jin opened his eyes fully this time.
"You already know mine."
"Yeah," Daiki muttered. "That's still... insane."
Jin ignored him. "Well, half of the Second-Year Division is overseas."
"What? Why?"
"Internships."
"At sixteen....?!!"
"Some of them are monsters."
"Well... what about the ones that are here."
"The dude above me is Hayato Kurogane," he said. "Rank Four. He's tough as hell. Relentless. If he's above you, it's because he broke through you."
Daiki locked the name away.
"Rank Three and Two are out, so that leaves Rank One."
"That sounds serious."
"Kagura Hoshino," Jin continued. "She's dominant. Brutal. Fierce. When she fights, it's not about winning. She wants to erase the opponent completely."
"...Yikes."
Jin leaned his head back. "Below me is Rank Six, Hana Kurozawa. She's dangerous in a different way."
"How?"
"She's smart," Jin said. "Really smart. Probably the smartest student in the Institute. Her ability to analyze and strategize is ridiculous. You don't beat her in a straight fight because she never lets you have one."
Daiki swallowed. "Ren's going to hate her."
"You will too," Jin said calmly.
Daiki let out a breath. "Anyone else?"
"Renjiro Uzuki. Rank Nine," Jin said. "He's an asshole."
Daiki blinked. "Just like that?"
"He plays dirty. Lies. Manipulates. Break rules when no one's looking. If it means winning, he'll do it. He's probably going to pick on you 1-F kids the whole event."
Daiki frowned.
"And that's allowed...?"
Jin shrugged.
"He doesn't get caught."
Silence settled again, broken only by the faint sound of water and petals landing onto the ground.
Daiki finally muttered, "I don't know any of these people."
"You will," Jin said.
Daiki sank lower into the spring, steam curling around his face.
"...The First-Years piss me off."
Jin glanced over.
"The Top Three," Daiki continued. "They look at us like we're ants. Like.. we don't even belong here or something."
"That's normal."
Daiki clenched his jaw.
"...Well, that pisses me off. They haven't seen any of us fight. They just assume."
Jin studied him for a moment.
"That's how this place works," he said. "Strength talks. Everything else is just noise."
Daiki sank even lower into the water, eyes narrowed.
"Then.... I'll just have to get loud."
Jin smirked faintly.
"You're already pretty good at that."
They sat in silence again, steam curling between them.
Until, finally, Jin spoke.
"For what it's worth," he said, "most of the kids here? They expect weaklings to break. Even I do."
Daiki glanced at him.
"They won't know what to do with someone who refuses to," Jin finished.
Daiki stared at the water, then grinned slightly.
"Good."
Jin closed his eyes again.
"....Ya know, you've changed."
"Yeah," Daiki said. "I've noticed that lately. I used to think change was bad."
Then, he looked to the side, back at the doors that led to the outside of the hot springs.
"But... I think I was just scared of it. This place changed that real quick."
Jin looked at Daiki before glancing at one of the cherry blossoms falling through the sky.
"That's good."
They stayed there for a little longer after that. Letting the heat sink in, letting the future loom quietly instead of crashing down on them.
Eventually, Jin stood.
"Alright. We're done."
Daiki groaned.
"You always ruin everything."
"You were about to ask me if I believe in soulmates."
"...I was NOT."
Jin walked away.
Daiki followed, laughing.
Back to the dorm, they went.
Daiki felt lighter.
The next weeks would be crazy.
The Inter-Exchange Event would be crazy, too.
Daiki was ready to face all of it.