"You pissed off Yamada-sensei again, Takashi," one of his classmates said as he slid into his seat, half-laughing.
Takashi didn't even look up, already melting into his chair like he was part of it. "Eh, doesn't count. Guy wakes up pissed every morning. I'm just part of the scenery."
Kazuomi spun around from the row ahead, that annoying smirk already on his face. "Yeah, but you've got a death wish or something, man. Napping during his lecture? That's like poking a bear with a stick while yelling 'your mum's mid' and wearing a honey cologne."
Takashi shrugged, eyes half-lidded. "Danger's my middle name."
Kazuomi snorted. "Nah, it's more like 'reckless dumbass with a nap kink.'"
"Same thing, bro."
Kazuomi laughed, about to turn back to his desk, then paused like something clicked. "Oh right—did you finish that book I gave you?"
Takashi nodded, that little glint in his eyes giving him away. "You've got good taste, not gonna lie."
Kazuomi leaned back with that smug look like he'd just won something. "Told you. Man of culture right here."
Takashi smirked, but his eyes drifted across the room—just for a second—to where a certain red-haired girl was laughing with her friends. Didn't say anything, didn't let the smirk drop, but his tone dipped a bit as he turned back.
"Just make sure Rena never finds out about that book."
Kazuomi blinked. "Oh, crap. Right. Yeah, good point."
He'd known Rena long enough to know one thing—crossing her was like asking for a life-shortening curse. No thank you.
He looked back at Takashi, who was now grinning like a smug little bastard.
Kazuomi narrowed his eyes. "Hmm… what if I tell Miyamoto-san instead?"
The moment he said it, he regretted it.
Everyone knew not to bring up Rei around Takashi. It was one of those awkward dead topics. No one really knew what happened, just that they weren't talking anymore, and bringing her up usually earned you a glare or a "fuck off."
But this time?
Takashi didn't snap.
Didn't flinch. Didn't glare. Just paused—so fast you'd miss it if you weren't looking—then leaned back like nothing had happened.
"Go ahead," he said, cool as ever. "Doubt she'd give a damn."
Kazuomi stared. That… was new.
"So… you guys back to talking or something?"
Takashi just shook his head. "Nope."
"You good?"
Takashi stretched, fingers laced behind his head like this was just another Tuesday. "Never better."
Yeah. That was a lie if Kazuomi ever heard one. But he didn't call him out on it. Not his business, not right now.
And anyway, Takashi had bigger stuff on his mind.
Because this was Marvel now. Weird shit had rules here, and none of them made sense.
Kazuomi dropped his voice. "Yo, you heard about that body they found?"
Takashi tilted his head slightly. "What, another one?"
"Yup. Looked like it got mauled by something. But like, really mauled."
He pulled out his phone and showed him a blurry photo from some sketchy news site. Headline was dramatic—BRUTAL MAULING SHOCKS LOCALS—but the image looked like it was taken with a potato.
Takashi squinted. "That… doesn't look like an animal attack."
"Right? I mean, I'm no vet or whatever, but that ain't a bear. It's like someone mixed Freddy Krueger with a blender."
Takashi studied the image. Torn skin, blood everywhere, no clean cuts, just raw carnage. Way too messy for a blade. Too erratic for any wild animal. And seriously—what kind of animal does this in the middle of a damn city?
Was it a werewolf? A mutant gone rogue? Some freak science lab thing?
He handed the phone back. "Shit's weird."
"Tell me about it. And the cops? Useless. All they said was 'stay indoors after dark' and 'report anything suspicious.' Like yeah, sure, lemme just casually report every shadow now."
Takashi leaned back again, eyes on the ceiling. Another body. More signs. All adding up to one thing—trouble was brewing, and nobody was ready.
He nudged Kazuomi. "If you hear anything else, let me know, yeah?"
"About the murder stuff? I mean, sure. But it's just rumours online right now. Though…" He lowered his voice even more. "They say there were two more last week. Same kind of wounds. And no animal tracks."
Takashi felt that drop in his gut.
Three bodies. No explanations. No suspects. No logic.
Yup. Definitely bad news.
Before either of them could say more, a voice cut through the air—sharp, loud, and way too familiar.
"Komuro! You better not be napping again!"
Takashi sighed and looked up like a man headed for execution. Rena Kariu was storming over, arms crossed, already looking like she'd love to chuck a desk at his head.
He could've said something like "Why me?" or "I wasn't even doing anything," but instead he cleared his throat and went with the safest route.
"Kariu-san, it was a mistake. Won't happen again."
"Hmph. I don't care about you," she snapped. "I just don't want the class getting distracted because of your crap."
Takashi noticed her eyes flick toward Kazuomi for a split-second before she turned away. That was interesting. He caught it. Kazuomi didn't.
Why're you looking at him when you're yelling at me? he thought, but let it go.
She marched off like she hadn't just dropped a whole storm cloud on the two of them.
Takashi turned to Kazuomi. "So… how do you deal with her?"
Kazuomi sighed like an old man. "You don't. You just survive."
"Good. Keep it up. Survival's a lifelong skill."
"What?"
Takashi smirked.
Kazuomi blinked, still completely unaware of the obvious.
Takashi didn't say anything else. He wasn't about to break the bro code and tell him Rena had a thing for him. Nah, let the guy suffer a bit longer. Builds character.
His gaze drifted again toward Rei.
She was laughing about something with a couple friends, looking completely unbothered, like none of it—him, the past, the mess—had ever existed.
He swallowed that weird tight feeling in his chest and pulled out his notebook. Class was about to start, and something told him this wasn't the last body they'd be hearing about.
Not even close.
************
Some plot suggestions . Japan focused
World's for mashup with some idea's which FIT