For an instant, the world stopped.
The roar of the limousine was now only a fading echo, and three figures remained in the street: a panting boy, a teary-eyed girl, and the senpai who had just saved them.
Rian —or "Rein," as he had introduced himself— maintained that unnerving calm that made it seem like everything was under control. His voice had sounded firm, and his words still echoed in Hachiman's mind: "That's admirable. Not everyone would've done the same."
It was a simple compliment, but Hachiman didn't know how to take it.
For a moment, he thought it was just courtesy —the kind of hollow line handsome guys say to look nobler than they really are. Yet something about the tone left a different impression.
"Did he actually mean that? Nah… he's just showing off in front of the girl."
It was the logical conclusion. After all, Yui was completely dazzled by the senpai's smile —and Hachiman noticed. The way she looked at him, the faint blush, her awkward gratitude… all of it was a scene he'd witnessed countless times. The difference was that, for a brief second, he froze too.
It wasn't an ordinary smile.
The guy was handsome. Not in the generic sense —but in that insulting level of beauty where even the air seemed to conspire to make the light favor him.
And when Rian smiled, the entire street seemed to hold its breath.
Yui forgot to breathe, and he… well, he did too.
Only for a second, but long enough for his pride to ache later.
"Great. The handsome guy smiles, and everyone loses their minds… me included. Perfect way to start high school."
He tried to regain composure, though inside he simmered with that familiar mix of embarrassment and annoyance.
He'd entered the new school year hoping for a fresh start, a place where maybe he could finally fit in —and the very first thing that happened was getting overshadowed by a guy who looked like he'd walked out of a magazine cover.
And yet, beneath the irony, there was something else.
Rein's words —that simple, direct praise— had struck a chord he didn't remember having.
A part of him had actually felt… recognized, even if he refused to admit it.
"It really wasn't anything," he muttered, trying to sound neutral enough to erase the awkwardness.
Rein didn't insist. He just looked at him for a moment, that calm, assessing gaze that left no room to hide.
"You hit the ground when you fell. You should stop by the infirmary, just to be safe."
"I'm fine. No need," Hachiman replied quickly —his natural reflex to avoid prolonged contact kicking in.
It was Yui who broke the silence, still holding the dog in her arms, her expression full of genuine concern.
"Please, Hikigaya-kun… you should go. I'd feel awful if something happened to you."
Her voice was so sincere that it disarmed any excuse he might have had.
Hachiman felt the heat rising to his ears. He wasn't sure what embarrassed him more —her attention or Rein's quiet gaze watching the scene unfold.
"…Fine," he sighed at last. "Just for a moment."
Rein nodded and gestured for him to follow.
Yui smiled in relief, thanked them again, and hurried off to take the dog back home.
Once they were alone, Hachiman scratched the back of his neck, still feeling that uncomfortable cocktail of adrenaline and embarrassment.
Rein walked beside him with measured steps, silent, as if the entire event had been no more than a morning stroll.
"This guy's dangerous," Hachiman thought, glancing sideways at the senpai's perfect profile.
And for reasons he couldn't quite explain, he let out a dry laugh.
Maybe high school wouldn't be that different after all.
The streets were now filling with students heading toward Kuoh Academy. The atmosphere was calm —until Hachiman began to notice the whispers.
Around them, groups of girls paused mid-step, whispering through smiles and curious glances. Some greeted Rein with shy excitement, others just stared from afar, giggling behind their hands.
It didn't take long for Hachiman to figure it out.
"Of course… the handsome guy doesn't go unnoticed. The rest of us exist just so the background doesn't look empty."
He looked around, realizing several curious eyes were also on him —not admiring, but confused, as if wondering what an extra had to do in a main character's scene.
Rein walked on unbothered, either unaware of the attention or long used to it. His posture, his pace, even the rhythm of his breathing carried that irritating elegance that made everything he did seem effortless.
And that, in Hachiman's opinion, was exactly what made him unbearable.
"I don't hate him," he thought, matching his pace reluctantly, "but we're definitely not from the same plane of existence."
Hachiman only wanted a fresh start —a better school life than the one he'd had in middle school. As long as he wasn't completely alone, maybe with one or two people to talk to, he'd be satisfied. He didn't want to surround himself with people so clearly out of his social league.
So the plan was simple: walk with the guy until the gate, thank him, and vanish before drawing more attention.
But fate —or his usual lack of luck— had other ideas.
As soon as they crossed the main gate, Hachiman spotted three figures waiting near the central fountain.
A woman, a man, and a small girl.
The three of them looked like they'd been pulled straight out of a fashion magazine.
The first —a tall young woman with dark hair tied by a white ribbon— smiled as they approached.
Hachiman's brain reacted with the universal instinct of the male species.
"Holy… big."
His thoughts froze for a second before common sense forced him to look away with a fake cough.
Next was a petite girl with white hair, golden eyes, and a calm expression —yet with a presence that defied rational description.
The last was a perfectly composed blond man, posture straight, smile polished, exuding that aura of a "beloved supporting character" that everyone instantly liked.
"Perfect," thought Hachiman with a sigh. "The club of the genetically blessed has gathered."
Rein, on the other hand, seemed genuinely pleased to see them.
"Akeno, thanks," he said in that calm tone, taking the backpack she held. "I left it lying around, didn't I?"
"You did, Rein," Akeno answered, her warm smile enough to make several nearby students sigh audibly.
Hachiman, standing a few steps behind, watched like an outsider witnessing a scene from another world.
"The royal court of the hero. Perfect. The knight, the priestess, and the magical beast. And me… villager number three."
The contrast was ridiculous.
Every gesture, every word, every smile from them fit perfectly into a painting of harmony and grace —while he barely blended into the background.
For a moment, he considered quietly backing away before anyone associated him with the group.
But then Rein spoke.
"I won't be joining you this time. I need to take this guy to the infirmary."
The silence that followed was brief, but heavy enough for Hachiman to feel dozens of eyes turning toward him.
The scene had flipped —now he was the center of attention, and for all the wrong reasons.
"Perfect. Exactly what I needed."
And right then, he made up his mind.
"That's it. From tomorrow on, I'll keep at least twenty meters between us. If I see him in the hallway, I turn around. If he's in the cafeteria, I'll skip lunch. Humans learn to avoid fire —I'll learn to avoid sunlight."
***
The fresh morning air hit him as they crossed the entrance hall.
Hachiman let out a long sigh —half relief, half exhaustion. At least they were finally inside the academy, and with luck, he'd soon be free from the unwanted spotlight.
He walked a few steps behind Rein, watching the way the senpai moved —calm, steady, like someone who belonged naturally wherever he went.
"Easy, Hikigaya. Just a little longer. Then you can go back to your background life."
The thought drew a faint, resigned smile from him.
Rein walked a few paces ahead, hands in his pockets, his steps relaxed. Sunlight filtered through the hallway windows, glinting off his brown hair. Every so often, students passing by would turn to look, as if his presence alone set the pace of the corridor.
Unlike him, Rein seemed perfectly comfortable in any setting.
Hachiman couldn't help but feel the distance. Too far —as if the guy lived in a different dimension altogether.
"Yeah… definitely different worlds."
The silence stretched between them until Rian broke it with his calm voice.
"Hikigaya-kun, what brought you to Kuoh?"
The tone was casual, but the question itself triggered every social alarm in Hachiman's mind. A harmless inquiry —the kind that usually preceded uncomfortable small talk.
"What's he after? Trying to break the ice? Or collecting data on the local losers?" he thought, trying not to look tense.
But when he glanced sideways at the senpai, he saw no condescension —just a simple, sincere curiosity.
"Ah… the usual, I guess," he said finally, doing his best not to sound curt. "It's a good school, and it's close to home."
Rian nodded, offering a small smile.
"I see. Still, I'd say it was a good day to show up early."
Hachiman blinked.
"How so?"
"If you hadn't been there, that dog and its owner would've had a rough morning," Rian replied, as if stating an obvious fact.
The boy stayed silent for a few seconds, unsure whether that was a joke, a compliment, or just plain logic.
It didn't sound like sarcasm, nor superiority —just a calm observation.
And for some reason, that unsettled him even more than if it had been a grand speech.
Rian continued walking, giving it no further weight. To him, the whole event was little more than a fortunate coincidence.
Meeting Hikigaya before the world fully crashed down on him —that, in its own quiet way, felt like a small victory. One of those subtle turns that could change a future without ever announcing it.
And if he could make a friend out of it, he saw no reason not to try.
Their conversation stretched naturally, free of tension. They talked about schedules, classes, and how dull the first day usually was —nothing important, but enough to ease the air between them.
***
The infirmary was bathed in the soft light of midmorning.
A dark-haired nurse greeted them kindly and gave Hachiman a quick examination. No serious injuries —just a small scrape on his elbow and a bit of fatigue.
"Nothing a little rest won't fix," the woman said with a warm smile before dismissing them.
Hachiman stood, adjusting his uniform.
"Thanks for walking me here, senpai."
Rian nodded slightly.
"No problem. I'm glad you're okay, Hikigaya-kun."
"Yeah… me too," he replied, averting his eyes.
He walked out at a measured pace, while Rian lingered for a moment, gazing out the window.
The day was still clear, the air carrying that deceptive calm that often came before important shifts.
For now, everything was fine.
And in the mind of the Gremory heir, meeting Hikigaya Hachiman had, without a doubt, been a good way to start the year.
***
The main gymnasium of Kuoh Academy was filled to capacity.
The air smelled of polished wood and fresh flowers, as rows of students sat in expectant silence. The school had gone co-ed only last year, which explained the increase in male students —and the whispers of curiosity among the older girls were impossible to suppress.
Rian sat quietly in the front rows, his posture straight, expression composed. Officially, he had entered directly as a second-year student after passing the admission exam.
The principal, a silver-haired man with a serene voice, stepped onto the stage.
He was one of his father's bishops, hidden within the human world under the guise of an educator. When their eyes met, they exchanged a subtle nod —imperceptible to anyone else.
The speech was brief: a formal welcome to the new generation and a few words about the integration of male students. Nothing unusual.
When the applause ended, teachers began organizing the groups by year. Rian stood and followed the stream of students into the hallways, observing the faces around him.
The hum of the crowd gradually faded as classes were guided toward their respective rooms.
The second-year classroom was already alive with the typical chaos of a first day —chairs scraping, nervous chatter, and the rhythmic thud of bags being dropped on desks.
Rian entered with calm steps, accompanied by Akeno, who carried an unmistakable look of satisfaction. A quick glance around the room showed the midday light filtering through the large windows, falling perfectly over the last row —where, of course, the seat by the window awaited him.
Or so he thought.
His illusion shattered when Akeno set her bag neatly on that same desk.
"Sorry, Rein~. A bet's a bet," she said, her voice playful, triumphant.
He raised an eyebrow, feigning mild annoyance.
"I still say you cheated."
"You can't call luck cheating," she replied with that effortless elegance so natural to her.
Rian sighed and gave an exaggerated pout before looking away, pretending to sulk.
The small gesture was enough to draw a soft laugh from Akeno.
He set his briefcase on the empty desk beside hers and glanced around the room.
Near the window, a girl with light brown hair similar to his own wrote quietly, radiating an almost unnatural calm.
A few rows ahead, a dark-haired beauty rested her head on her arm, eyes half-closed, as if the world didn't deserve her attention.
Beyond that, Rian simply observed the rest of the classroom with quiet curiosity. New faces, unfamiliar voices —a collection of stories that, perhaps, would soon intertwine with his own.
He sat down and turned slightly to his right, finding the student who would occupy the seat next to him.
She was a petite girl, her lilac hair tied into two small pigtails that draped gently over her shoulders. Her bangs framed part of her face, and her gray eyes, though calm, carried a quiet maturity that stood out amid the nervous energy of the room.
Judging by her stature and delicate frame, she could have passed for a middle-schooler, but her serene expression betrayed no lack of confidence.
"Good morning," Rian greeted with a polite nod. "I'm Kuremi Rein. Looks like we'll be classmates from today onward."
She lifted her gaze. For a brief moment, their eyes met —and something in that quiet intensity seemed to suspend the air between them.
She froze, just for an instant, before blinking and regaining her composure.
"Kominami Asumi," she replied, returning the gesture with a short bow. Her voice was soft, precise, showing neither timidity nor particular interest.
Rian held her gaze a second longer before smiling lightly and turning back toward the window.
She, without another word, resumed writing in her notebook.
Rian faced forward again just as their homeroom teacher entered —a refined woman with dark hair who introduced herself as Mizuki-sensei.
He didn't recognize her from any story or work he remembered. As far as he knew, she was simply a human mage employed by his family to quietly monitor the academy.
A discreet, competent subordinate who performed her role without ever drawing attention.
In Japan, the first day of class was usually short —more of a formal introduction than an actual day of lessons. So it came as no surprise when the bell rang early, signaling the end of the school day.
Students began filing out between murmurs and laughter, their voices echoing faintly through the corridor.
By the time Rian stepped outside, the hallway was nearly empty. Without hesitation, he headed for the rooftop.
The midday air greeted him with a soft gust, carrying the distant sounds of students chatting in the courtyard below.
Akeno followed, closing the door quietly behind her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Rian walked to the edge of the rooftop, resting a hand on the railing as he looked out over the academy grounds —the main building, the rows of trees bordering the yard, the steady flow of students leaving for the day.
From up there, the world felt calm. The wind moved through his hair gently, and the hum of the school below seemed far away, like a faint memory.
Then he felt it.
A subtle pressure in the air. A faint drop in temperature. The quiet sound of reality bending around an invisible border.
A barrier was being raised.
The rooftop door opened again, and a tall figure stepped through with firm, measured strides.
His presence was palpable —defined, restrained, but heavy with power. Short gray hair, slightly unkempt, golden eyes that saw more than they revealed, and a posture straight and disciplined, the stance of a warrior who bowed only to strength and duty.
Loup Garou —one of the members of his peerage, alongside Akeno, Kiba, and Shirone.
He stopped a few steps away and, without a word, bowed deeply, hand to his chest.
"My King."
Rein did not interrupt him. He accepted the gesture with a slight nod.
The human illusion began to fade, the crimson tone of his hair returning beneath the sunlight. His gaze shifted —calm, commanding, unmistakably that of the Gremory heir.
Akeno lowered her head further, remaining silent.
"Loup," Rian said at last. His voice sounded different —firmer, more distant, carrying the weight of authority.
The man straightened, his expression neutral.
"The report on students connected to the supernatural realm is already underway. None have shown irregular behavior so far."
Rian nodded slightly.
"Continue the observation. Don't interfere with the neutral groups, but make sure nothing disturbs the balance."
"Yes, my King."
A brief pause followed —only the whisper of wind between them.
"I want you to send a message to my father," Rian continued. "Tell him I plan to visit tonight."
"As you command."
Rian narrowed his eyes, gazing toward the horizon. Their exchange continued for a while, covering small details about the territory and recent activities.
When the conversation ended, silence returned —solemn, broken only by the soft sound of the wind brushing against the barrier.
Rian looked at the sky for a few seconds longer, the crimson of his hair glowing faintly in the sunlight.
"That will be all, Loup."
The man stepped back, bowed once more, and vanished as quietly as he had appeared.
The wind blew gently, rustling the treetops and carrying the distant murmur of youthful voices. Everything felt so… simple.
He rested a hand on the railing, letting his thoughts drift with the air.
Being a noble, he thought, someone destined to rule over many, was a task that, when taken seriously, proved astonishingly heavy.
He hadn't fully understood it until awakening in this new life.
In his previous one, his hardest choices had been about schedules, routines, surviving monotony.
Nothing remotely close to the burden of inheritance —of a name, of a power that spanned generations.
Maybe that was why he wanted to do it right.
To be the kind of heir his family expected —stoic, fair, proud when necessary, and dignified in all things. One of those "bluebloods" who could look at the world without ever bowing his head.
But then…
His lips curved into a faint smile, and the crimson hue of his hair softened back to brown.
He turned his head toward Akeno, who stood a few steps behind, hands folded neatly before her, her gentle smile hiding more than it revealed.
"Kiba and Shirone will be busy this afternoon," he said casually, breaking the quiet. "So… how about a date, just the two of us?"
Akeno smiled softly.
"If Shirone finds out, she'll get jealous. Kiba too."
Rian let out a quiet laugh, barely audible.
"Then we'll keep it a secret."
His mind finished the thought he'd left suspended.
But for now… let's enjoy the moment.