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Chapter 1 - Definition

Season 1: {Children of the False Light}

In one of Alexandria's side streets where people rarely walked...

Ryu: (annoyed) "Don't you think you went a bit overboard choosing this route, Kai?"

Kai: (completely calm) "No."

Lauren: (in her quiet voice, hugging a book) "This quiet road brings peace. Good choice, Kai."

Ryu: (shouting) "But we need to buy some things!"

Kai: "Why are you using plural?"

Ryu: "Because Lina wants to buy things too... right, Lina?"

Lina: (talking to herself) "Doesn't that cloud look like May— Oh! Sorry, were you calling me?"

Ryu: (exasperated) "You were spacing out again, weren't you?"

Lina: (embarrassed) "Sorry, I was—"

Lauren: (interrupting) "You were imagining the clouds as characters again... probably Maya?"

Lina: (proudly) "How did you know? But isn't it fun to create your own world and live in it? And you, Lauren, have your book world!"

Lauren sighed. Then Ryu said: "Right, Kai? Shouldn't we go train today?"

Kai: "We have too much homework waiting at home."

Lauren: "Yes, and we need to solve that math problem the teacher gave us."

Lina: "He said he'd reward anyone who solves it, even if many people solve it."

Ryu: "So no training today..."

Lina: (excited) "Then we should stop by that new store! They sell all kinds of Japanese sweets!"

Ryu: "Yeah, Kai! It won't take long! You too, Lauren!"

Kai: (looking at Lauren) "Fine... I guess it won't take too long. We can study after dinner. Agreed?"

Louren: "Alright."

Ryu: (surprised) "Wait... are you two studying together online?"

Lina: (thinking pose, shaking head in amazement) "That's why you get the highest grades! And why don't you let us join you?"

Kai: "Because you're too loud. But you both get high grades too—usually just one or two points behind us."

Lina: (happily) "We're here!"

(Ryu and Lina stood amazed by the sweets, while Kai and Lauren exchanged a small smile)

Lauren: (softly surprised) "It really does sell every kind of Japanese sweet..."

Kai: (teasing) "Even food books couldn't escape you."

Lina: (excited) "I'll take a large castella* and melon pan*, please!"

Ryu: "I'll have dango* and daifuku mochi*, please!"

*Note:

Castella: A spongy cake with sugary base and soft textureMelon pan: Sweet bread with cookie-like crunchy crust resembling melon rindDaifuku mochi: Famous mochi type, usually filled with sweet bean paste, sometimes with whole fruits like strawberry (Ichigo daifuku)Dango: Small mochi balls typically served on wooden skewers (3-4 balls), often coated with sauces like mitarashi (sweet soy sauce)

Kai: "Just dango for me, please."

Lauren: "Same for me."

(After leaving the store at sunset)

Lauren: "Don't you think you overdid it with the cake size, Lina? You'll gain weight."

Lina: (proudly) "An active girl like me doesn't gain weight from just some cakes!"

Kai: (eating a dango) "At best, you'll pass out from sugar overload and miss school tomorrow."

Lina: "And at worst?"

Kai: (deadpan) "You'll die."

Lina: (shivering and hugging her arms) "And you say that so calmly!"

(At a three-way intersection)

Lauren: (pointing right) "I go this way."

Lina: (pointing left) "And I think my house is this way."

Ryu: (surprised) "What?! (angrily at Kai) Right! We took a different route today, Kai!"

Kai: "Wait, I think these paths reconnect later. Ryu and I live in the middle, but your places are farther."

Lina: "We'll be fine."

Kai & Ryu: (in unison) "No."

Kai: "I'll walk Lauren home."

Ryu: "And I'll take Lina."

Kai: "Then we'll meet back here."

Ryu: "And go to the middle."

Lina: "I still suspect you two are twins or share one brain that split! This isn't normal understanding!"

Lauren & Kai: (in unison) "Your imagination is vast. See you later."

Lina & Ryu: "See you."

(After Ryu walked Lina home and Kai walked Lauren home)

Ryu: (confused) "What should I do about the math homework?"

Kai: "Strange that you care about such things."

Ryu: (slightly louder) "I'm not a failure! (more quietly) And if I don't solve it, I'll be the only one who didn't. When I walked Lina home, she said she'd already solved it in her imagination on the way. And you and Lauren study together..."

Kai: "Hmm... I bet you'll solve it quickly."

Ryu: "I hope so... Let's meet at 7:15 then."

Kai: "Alright. See you."

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