(Narration)
The school grounds were quieter than usual.
---
A soft wind passed through.
---
Haru walked slowly.
---
Hands in his pockets.
---
Silent.
---
Beside him—
---
Yamado.
---
"…You're really quiet."
---
Haru didn't respond immediately.
---
"…Am I…?"
---
Yamado glanced at him.
---
"…Yeah."
---
A pause.
---
"…Too quiet."
---
Silence stretched.
---
Then—
---
"…I'm not good with people."
---
Haru finally spoke.
---
Yamado raised an eyebrow.
---
"…Not good?"
---
Haru looked ahead.
---
"…Middle school."
---
A pause.
---
"…I had friends."
---
His voice lowered.
---
"…They betrayed me."
---
Silence.
---
"…After that…"
---
"…I just stopped talking."
---
Yamado didn't interrupt.
---
"…My parents tried…"
---
"…to fix me."
---
A faint smile.
---
"…Didn't work."
---
Silence again.
---
Yamado scratched his head.
---
"…That's rough."
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
"…Want help?"
---
Haru blinked.
---
"…Help?"
---
Yamado smirked.
---
"…I'm good with people."
---
A pause.
---
"…Even girls."
---
Right on cue—
---
A girl walked nearby.
---
She noticed Yamado.
---
Paused.
---
Then—
---
Changed direction.
---
Walked away.
---
Silence.
---
Awkward.
---
Very awkward.
---
Haru looked at him.
---
Yamado looked away.
---
"…That one doesn't count."
---
Interruption
---
"Yamado."
---
A voice cut in.
---
Sharp.
---
Shimi.
---
She stood in front of them.
---
Eyes narrowed.
---
"…What are you doing?"
---
Yamado frowned.
---
"…Walking."
---
A pause.
---
"With him."
---
Her gaze hardened.
---
"…You better not have weird intentions."
---
Silence.
---
"…What?"
---
Yamado blinked.
---
"…What are you even talking about?"
---
Shimi crossed her arms.
---
"…Adryn Sensei told us to take care of him."
---
"…Not mess with him."
---
Yamado sighed.
---
"…You're overthinking."
---
A pause.
---
"…I don't have anything planned."
---
"…Relax."
---
Shimi didn't look convinced.
---
"…You're suspicious."
---
"…You're paranoid."
---
Tension built.
---
"…Guys—"
---
Haru stepped in.
---
"…Can you both just calm down—"
---
Suddenly—
---
A force grabbed them.
---
And dragged them.
---
"…What the—?!"
---
Back to Class
---
They were thrown inside.
---
Adryn stood there.
---
"…Perfect timing."
---
Haru blinked.
---
"…Sensei…?"
---
Adryn smiled.
---
"…Your first mission."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
"…REALLY?!"
---
Excitement filled the room.
---
Haru's eyes lit up.
---
"…A mission…"
---
Adryn nodded.
---
"…Yeah."
---
A pause.
---
"…Clean the dustbins."
---
Silence.
---
Dead silence.
---
"…What?"
---
Shimi's voice dropped.
---
"…Say that again."
---
Adryn pointed outside.
---
"…Dustbins."
---
"…Go."
---
Shimi's eye twitched.
---
"…You're joking."
---
Adryn didn't respond.
---
Instead—
---
A slight shift.
---
Time distorted.
---
Before Shimi could react—
---
She was already outside.
---
"…What—?!"
---
Adryn stretched.
---
"…Don't waste time."
---
The Task
---
Shimi walked toward the restroom.
---
"…I'm removing these."
---
She pointed at her bandages.
---
"…They'll get dirty."
---
She disappeared inside.
---
Haru stood awkwardly.
---
"…This is… weird…"
---
Then—
---
She walked out.
---
And Haru froze.
---
Blue hair.
---
Dark eyes.
---
Clear skin.
---
Beautiful.
---
"…Oh…"
---
He stared.
---
Without realizing.
---
SLAP
---
"…Don't stare."
---
Haru stumbled back.
---
"…S-Sorry!"
---
They started cleaning.
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
Haru noticed.
---
Marks.
---
Burns.
---
Scars across her body.
---
"…Those…"
---
Shimi didn't look at him.
---
"…From my power."
---
A pause.
---
"…Overuse."
---
Haru hesitated.
---
"…Then why cover them?"
---
Shimi replied instantly.
---
"…I don't want people seeing."
---
Silence.
---
Haru scratched his cheek.
---
"…It's fine."
---
A pause.
---
"…I don't mind."
---
Shimi froze.
---
"…What?"
---
"…When I'm around…"
---
"…You don't need to hide it."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
SLAP
---
"…Don't flirt."
---
Haru panicked.
---
"…I'm not!"
---
"…I mean it!"
---
Shimi looked at him.
---
Trying to read him.
---
He wasn't lying.
---
That made it worse.
---
She looked away.
---
"…Idiot."
---
Completion
---
Meanwhile—
---
Yamado had already finished.
---
"…Done."
---
Haru blinked.
---
"…That fast?!"
---
Yamado shrugged.
---
"…Too easy."
---
Adryn walked toward them.
---
"…Nice work."
---
A pause.
---
"…That was my punishment."
---
Haru blinked.
---
"…What?"
---
"…Trian gave it to me."
---
"…For skipping too much."
---
Silence.
---
"…So you made us do it?"
---
Adryn smiled.
---
"…Yep."
---
Shimi clenched her fists.
---
"…You—"
---
"…Why didn't you just use your power?!"
---
Adryn shrugged.
---
"…I'm restricted."
---
Before anything else—
---
An ant crawled nearby.
---
Then—
---
Shifted.
---
Twisted.
---
And—
---
Trian appeared.
---
Mid-motion—
---
THUD
---
His kick landed straight on Adryn.
---
"…Don't exploit students."
---
Adryn coughed.
---
"…Worth it."
---
Trian sighed.
---
"…Another job for you."
---
Adryn groaned.
---
"…Seriously…?"
---
Return
---
Team 5 walked back.
---
Tired.
---
Confused.
---
Annoyed.
---
They entered the classroom.
---
And—
---
Silence.
---
Everyone stared.
---
At Shimi.
---
"…No bandages…?"
---
"…Is that really her?"
---
"…She looks—"
---
Shimi stopped.
---
Eyes sharp.
---
"…Say one more word."
---
Silence.
---
No one dared.
---
Haru looked at her.
---
Then smiled slightly.
---
"…Looks normal to me."
---
Shimi didn't respond.
---
But—
---
She didn't cover herself either.
---
For the first time—
---
She didn't hide.