The bell rang, signaling the end of Port's class. Students began gathering their things, the buzz of conversation filling the lecture hall.
I packed my notebook and stood, stretching. Pyrrha was beside me, her movements precise as she organized her materials. She still had that slight tightness in her smile from earlier, but she seemed to have relaxed somewhat.
"Next class is history with Professor Oobleck," she said, glancing at her scroll. "We should head over."
I nodded, falling into step beside her as we made our way out of the room. The hallways were crowded with students, all heading to their next classes. I spotted Ruby and her team ahead—Ruby was animatedly talking about something while Weiss walked beside her with an expression of resigned tolerance. Yang was stretching her arms behind her head, and Blake walked silently beside her.
We found Professor Oobleck's classroom and took our seats near the middle. The room was already filling up with students, the atmosphere noticeably different from Port's class. There was a sense of anticipation, or maybe just caffeine-fueled energy.
A moment later, the door burst open.
Professor Oobleck zoomed into the room, his green hair a blur as he practically teleported to his desk. He was already mid-sentence, his voice rapid-fire and energetic.
"—and welcome welcome welcome to history! I trust you all have your textbooks? No? Excellent! We'll be starting with the Great War and its lasting impacts on Remnant's political landscape!"
He slammed a stack of papers onto his desk and began pacing, his hands waving animatedly.
I blinked at the sheer speed of his delivery. This was going to be an interesting class.
Pyrrha leaned slightly toward me. "He's... energetic."
"Understatement of the century," I muttered back, pulling out my notebook.
Oobleck continued his rapid-fire lecture, weaving through topics with dizzying speed. He covered the Faunus Rights Revolution, the creation of the Kingdoms, the establishment of the Huntsman Academies. He talked about the various treaties and alliances that had shaped modern Remnant.
I jotted down notes as quickly as I could, my hand struggling to keep up. Pyrrha was doing the same, her writing somehow managing to stay neat despite the pace.
Throughout the lecture, I noticed Blake was particularly attentive, her amber eyes fixed on Oobleck, a sharp focus in her gaze. Nora had already slumped forward, her head hitting the desk with a soft thunk. Ren quietly nudged her, and she mumbled something unintelligible.
Oobleck paused, adjusting his glasses. "Now, who can tell me the significance of the Vytal Accords?"
Weiss's hand shot up immediately. Oobleck pointed at her. "Miss Schnee?"
"The Vytal Accords established the framework for international cooperation and outlined the rights of all citizens, regardless of species or origin," she recited perfectly. "They also created the Vytal Festival Tournament as a display of unity."
"Excellent, excellent!" Oobleck nodded rapidly. "A perfect summary! Anyone else care to elaborate?"
I glanced around the room, but no one else raised their hand. Blake had gone still, her expression unreadable.
Oobleck continued his lecture, and I found myself genuinely engaged. History was useful, especially in a world like this. Understanding the past was key to navigating the present.
The class seemed to fly by. Before I knew it, the bell was ringing.
Oobleck waved his hand dismissively. "Class dismissed! Read chapters one through three for next week! And don't forget—history is alive! It's happening right now, in every decision, every conflict, every—"
I tuned out his final words, closing my notebook and standing. Pyrrha was already packing her things beside me.
"That was intense," I admitted.
Pyrrha smiled, the tension from earlier fading. "He's certainly passionate."
We made our way out of the classroom, the hallway filling with students again. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Ruby grinning at me.
"Hey, Katsuya!" she said brightly. "How was history?"
"Informative," I said. "Your team's doing okay?"
Ruby nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Weiss is actually really smart—she's been helping me with the reading." She glanced back at her partner, who was walking with Yang and Blake. "Even if she's a bit... intense."
I chuckled. "I noticed."
Ruby opened her mouth to say something else, but Yang's voice cut through the hallway.
"Ruby! We're gonna be late for lunch if you keep chatting!"
Ruby pouted but waved at me. "See you later, Katsuya!"
She jogged back to her team, and I watched them go for a moment before turning back to Pyrrha. She was watching me with that same tight smile from earlier.
"She's nice," Pyrrha said, her voice carefully neutral.
"She is," I agreed. "She's a good kid."
Pyrrha nodded, but her expression flickered with something I couldn't quite read. We walked in silence toward the cafeteria, the buzz of students around us.
I found myself glancing at her. The pout from earlier had faded, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
We walked through the crowded hallway, students pushing past us on their way to the cafeteria. I was lost in thought, my mind circling back to Pyrrha's behavior earlier.
The pout. The tight smile. The way she watched me with Blake.
I knew what that looked like. But I wasn't sure if I was reading too much into it.
I was twenty-one. Maybe older, depending on how you counted. In my original life, I was already an adult working in America. Here, I was just another teenager trying to get through Beacon.
Pyrrha was... what? Seventeen? Eighteen? She was definitely under eighteen, at least in this world.
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling uncomfortable. If she did have feelings for me, that was a problem. Not because I didn't like her—I did. She was kind, strong, beautiful, and she genuinely cared about me.
But I was an adult. And she was still a kid.
Maybe... maybe I could wait. Wait until next year, when she'd be eighteen. When the age gap wouldn't feel so wrong.
"Date..." I muttered under my breath, testing the word.
I didn't realize I'd said it out loud.
"Date?"
The word hung in the air. I blinked, looking around.
Pyrrha's face had gone red. Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted. She was staring at me like I'd just said something shocking.
Nora, walking beside Ren, had stopped mid-step. Her eyes were practically sparkling with mischief.
A couple of girls nearby had also paused, their cheeks flushing. One of them quickly looked away, pretending she hadn't heard.
I looked back at Pyrrha. She was still blushing, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
"Pyrrha?" I asked. "What's up?"
Her blush deepened. She quickly shook her head, her ponytail swaying.
"It's nothing," she said, her voice a little too high. "Nothing at all."
—
We reached the cafeteria and found our usual table near the windows. Nora was already bounding ahead, her tray piled high with food. Ren followed at a more measured pace, carrying a modest plate. Pyrrha and I sat down across from them, and I took a moment to appreciate the spread.
The cafeteria was buzzing with students, conversations overlapping into a steady hum. I grabbed a tray and loaded it with whatever looked edible—some kind of meat, vegetables, bread. Nothing fancy, but it would do.
Pyrrha sat beside me, her own tray neatly arranged. She was still slightly pink from earlier, but she seemed to have recovered. Nora was already demolishing her food with impressive enthusiasm, while Ren ate quietly.
I was halfway through my meal when a familiar voice called out.
"Katsuya!"
Ruby appeared at the side of our table, tray in hand. She slid into the seat next to me before I could even respond, her red cloak settling around her. Yang was right behind her, taking the seat next to Ruby.
"Mind if we join you?" Ruby asked, already setting her tray down.
"Not at all," Pyrrha said warmly.
Weiss and Blake took the remaining seats across from them. The table was now full, the noise level rising slightly as conversations overlapped.
Ruby was immediately talking, her words spilling out in a rush. "Port's class was so cool! I mean, I knew Boarbatusks were tough, but the way you and Blake handled it—that was amazing! You guys made it look so easy!"
I smiled, taking another bite of my food. "It wasn't that impressive. Blake did most of the work."
Ruby shook her head vigorously. "No way! You totally saved her! That chain thing you did was awesome!"
I felt a slight nudge from Yang at Ruby's side, a knowing grin on her face. Ruby's cheeks flushed slightly, but she pressed on.
"Here," she said, holding out her fork with a piece of her food on it. "You should try this. It's really good!"
I blinked at the fork, then at Ruby. She was looking at me expectantly, her eyes bright.
I was starving. The food on my tray was decent, but something about the way she was offering it made me hesitate for only a second.
Then my hunger won out.
I leaned forward and bit down, taking the food from her fork. The taste was good—some kind of seasoned meat. I chewed and swallowed, nodding appreciatively.
"Thanks, Ruby."
Ruby's face lit up immediately, a bright smile spreading across her cheeks. "No problem! See? I told you it was good!"
Before I could respond, Pyrrha leaned forward slightly, her own fork extended toward me with a piece of her food. Her cheeks were dusted with pink.
"Here, Katsuya. You should try mine as well."
I blinked at her, then at the food. She was offering it with such earnestness that I couldn't refuse. I leaned forward and took a bite from her fork.
"Thanks, Pyrrha."
Her blush deepened, and she quickly pulled her fork back, looking satisfied.
Nora, not to be outdone, practically shoved her fork toward my face. "Ooh! Try mine! Mine's the best!"
I leaned back slightly, surprised by her enthusiasm, but took the bite anyway. "Thanks, Nora."
"See? I told you!" Nora beamed, looking immensely pleased with herself.
Yang leaned across the table, her fork held out with a grin. "Alright, my turn. You can't say no to me."
I was already stuffed, but the food kept coming. I took the bite anyway. "Thanks, Yang."
"Anytime, handsome."
Then I heard a quiet clearing of a throat. I turned to see Blake holding out her fork, her expression unreadable but her eyes fixed on me.
She didn't say anything. Just held the fork out.
I couldn't miss out on food. Not when it was being offered... I learned that in America.
I leaned forward and took the bite. "Thanks, Blake."
She gave a small nod and pulled her fork back, returning to her book like nothing had happened.
I sat back, my stomach definitely full now. Full was an understatement. I felt like I was about to burst.
"Alright," I said, pushing my tray forward. "I'm full. You guys can have the rest of my food."
I leaned back, patting my stomach—which I exaggeratedly rubbed, puffing it out as much as I could. "I'm done."
With a groan, I stood up, waddling slightly as I made my way out of the cafeteria, my hands still on my belly.
I rolled out of the cafeteria.
—
The next class was Combat Training with Professor Goodwitch. The large training hall was already filling with students, the polished floor gleaming under the bright lights. I found a spot near the back, still feeling uncomfortably full from lunch.
I began doing some light stretches, rolling my shoulders and bending side to side. A few simple exercises to work off the heavy meal. I dropped into a few lunges, then some arm circles, trying to get my blood flowing.
My undershirt was starting to cling to my skin. The combination of the heavy meal and the warm training hall was making me feel sticky and uncomfortable.
I undid the top buttons of my uniform and pulled the collar open slightly, letting some cool air hit my chest. I sighed in relief, fanning myself with my hand.
Then I noticed the stares.
Several girls nearby had gone very still. One of them had her hand frozen mid-air, her eyes fixed on me. Another was whispering to her friend, both of them blushing. Even a few guys were looking.
I blinked, looking down at myself. I was just cooling off. What was the big deal?
Then I realized.
Right. In this world, guys didn't really do this. Exposing skin like this in public was... apparently noteworthy.
I quickly buttoned my uniform back up, adjusting my collar and smoothing down my shirt. The stares didn't immediately stop, but I ignored them, focusing on finishing my stretches.
A familiar ping echoed in my head.
The system.
I opened the chat interface, keeping my expression neutral.
[MULTIVERSAL SELF CHAT]
[System Notice: Inviting 2 new members to the group chat.]