"Exactly," Maki said, letting out a sharp breath as she picked up her heavy steel training staff from the dirt.
"This entire campus is compromised. Between Panda constantly snooping around and Satoru treating the school like his personal playground, there is zero privacy here. If we are doing... anything," she paused, her cheeks stubbornly flashing pink again, "it is strictly off-campus."
"So," Ren said, his voice softening back into that warm, low register. "What you're saying is, we need to schedule another 'shopping trip' down in Shibuya soon. Head back to my apartment...?"
"Oi! Maki!"
The loud, booming voice echoed across the open dirt field, completely shattering the quiet afternoon air.
Heavy, rhythmic footsteps crunched against the gravel path leading down from the dormitories.
Maki's reaction was instantaneous. Her brain completely overrode her embarrassment in a fraction of a second. She took a sharp step back, putting exactly three feet of socially acceptable distance between them.
The steel staff, which had been resting awkwardly between them, was suddenly twirled up and slammed base-first into the dirt, anchoring her into a flawless, strictly professional stance.
The violent flush on her face didn't entirely vanish, but her expression instantly hardened back into her signature, uncompromising scowl.
Ren just naturally turned his head, pulling one hand out of his pocket to give a casual, friendly wave.
A massive, black-and-white bear came jogging down the path, followed closely by Toge Inumaki, whose face was buried in his high collar.
"Hey, Panda," Ren greeted easily, leaning back slightly. "Inumaki. Good afternoon."
"Kelp," Toge acknowledged with a small nod.
Panda stopped a few feet away, his beady eyes shifting from Maki's rigid posture to Ren's entirely relaxed demeanor. If he suspected anything, he didn't show it. Instead, the cursed corpse crossed his thick, furry arms.
"Good, you're both here," Panda said, though his focus quickly zeroed in on Ren. "Actually, transfer student, I have a question for you. What exactly is your deal with Nobara?"
Ren blinked, genuinely momentarily caught off guard. "Kugisaki? What do you mean?"
Maki didn't move her head, but her amber eyes flicked to Ren.
"Whenever we mention your name around her, she acts completely different," Panda explained, scratching his chin. "Usually she's loud and aggressive, but if Fushiguro or I bring you up, she gets all defensive and weird. Did you do something?"
Ren kept his expression perfectly neutral. He gave a mild, unbothered shrug. "I honestly have no idea. I don't really know what goes on in her head. She's pretty unpredictable."
"Tuna tuna," Toge agreed, pointing a finger at Ren as if confirming Nobara's chaotic nature.
Panda sighed, dropping his arms. "Well, whatever. Just thought I'd ask. Anyway, Maki, we're heading back to the dorms. Don't forget Satoru is returning tomorrow. He's definitely going to want to see the Goodwill Event training logs the second he gets back."
"I know," Maki replied flatly, her tone strictly professional. "I'll have them ready."
"Salmon," Toge said, giving a small wave before the two of them turned and continued down the dirt path toward the main campus buildings.
Ren and Maki stood in complete silence until the crunch of gravel faded entirely and they were alone again.
Maki let out a heavy breath, her rigid posture finally dropping. She planted the base of her staff in the dirt and turned fully toward Ren, resting her hands on her hips.
"Alright," Maki demanded, her voice flat. "What's with Nobara?"
Ren couldn't help the small, amused smile that broke across his face. "Are you interrogating me, boss?"
"I'm asking why my junior acts like an idiot whenever you're mentioned," Maki countered, entirely unamused. "Spill."
"It's really nothing," Ren chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "She came into the vintage streetwear boutique where I work. I sold her a crimson cropped jacket, and she tried to smoothly ask for my number under the excuse of needing 'fashion advice'."
"Obviously, I didn't give it to her," Ren continued, waving a hand dismissively. "I just handed her a generic store business card and played dumb. I'm pretty sure she's been actively holding a grudge against me ever since."
Maki didn't look angry. Instead, she let out a long, deeply tired sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Of course she is," Maki muttered, shaking her head. There was no venom or jealousy in her voice, just a heavy, exasperated understanding. She was already entirely used to high school girls staring at him and throwing themselves at him on a daily basis. "Women know women, Ren. Nobara has an ego the size of Tokyo. She thinks she just got smoothly rejected by some random civilian retail worker. Her pride is probably in absolute shreds right now."
Ren tilted his head, a faint, amused smile on his lips. "So, I'm the bad guy for turning down your junior?"
"I didn't say that," Maki shot back, though the corners of her mouth twitched. She leaned her weight back onto her steel staff. "It's just... it's not surprising. With that stupid face of yours, it's honestly a miracle she didn't just threaten you with a hammer to get it."
Maki looked away, her amber eyes tracking the distant tree line. A brief flash of genuine frustration crossed her features. "And it's not like she knows you're... you know. Taken."
She said the word quietly, a faint dusting of pink returning to her cheeks. She gripped the steel staff a little tighter. "She doesn't know about us. And because we have to keep everything a secret, it's not like I can just march into the first-year dorms and tell her to back off her upperclassman's boyfriend."
Ren's expression softened completely. He stepped back into her space, entirely unbothered by the open field. "Hey. It doesn't matter what she knows or doesn't know. I handled it."
Maki looked back at him, her sharp gaze softening just a fraction.
"Besides," Ren added smoothly, his teasing tone slipping right back into place, "if she ever tries again, I'll just tell her my terrifying, naginata-wielding boss will break every single bone in my body if I give out my number."
Maki let out a short, genuine laugh, the last bit of tension finally bleeding out of her shoulders.
"Damn right I would."