"Let it go, hon," the wife whispers, her voice trembling slightly with nervous panic. "It's just a kid. Don't make a scene."
The older man grunts angrily and glares a hole into the back of the boy's head, but he stays seated.
The school girl sitting next to the boy looks completely shocked. Her eyes are wide with disbelief. She shrinks back slightly against her seat and tries to put physical distance between herself and the arrogant teenager.
Other passengers on the bus turn their heads, shooting nervous, judging glances at the middle row.
The magenta-haired boy notices the stares. He does not look embarrassed. He looks entertained.
"Mind your own business," he tells the surrounding passengers, his voice dripping with casual contempt.
Renjiro lets out a long, quiet sigh.
It's noisy again.
He rests his chin on his knuckles, observing the magenta-haired boy through half-closed eyes. The guy's posture remains completely relaxed despite insulting a full-grown adult. He shows zero fear and he does not care about social norms or public decency.
Who is that guy? Renjiro wonders, keeping his face perfectly blank. He looks like a thug. An arrogant, self-centered thug who enjoys causing trouble just to watch people react. This school might be more exhausting than I originally calculated.
Turning his head slightly, Renjiro looks at Mako.
She sits right next to him, completely oblivious to the tense confrontation happening just a few feet away. She is still staring blankly at the seat in front of her, her blue eyes wide and distant. The boyfriend dilemma occupies one hundred percent of her brain capacity. She does not care about the commotion at all.
Minutes drag by. The tension in the bus slowly settles into an uncomfortable, heavy silence. The wheels clatter against the asphalt.
The brakes squeal sharply. The bus lurches forward and comes to a complete stop.
A robotic female voice announces the final destination through the overhead speakers.
Renjiro looks at Mako. She has not moved an inch.
"Mako," Renjiro says, poking her shoulder with his index finger. "We're here."
She blinks rapidly and snaps back to reality. She shakes her head, looking around the bus in sudden confusion, noticing the other passengers already standing up and moving toward the front doors.
"Oh!" Mako gasps, quickly grabbing the handles of her canvas bag.
She stands up fast, her skirt swishing around her knees, and walks quickly toward the exit. Renjiro grabs his own bags and follows her down the narrow path, stepping carefully down the metal stairs to the pavement outside.
Morning sunlight beats down on them.
They stop a few yards away from the curb, standing right in front of a massive, imposing structure.
Huge steel gates tower over them and gleams brightly in the sun. Beyond the gates, pristine concrete walkways weave through lush, perfectly manicured green lawns. Enormous glass-paneled buildings stretch into the sky, looking more like corporate headquarters than educational facilities.
Renjiro stares at the campus, his eyes slowly taking in the sheer scale of the place.
I see, he thinks, adjusting the heavy strap of his duffel bag. So this is the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. From now on, I'll be living here.
He prepares himself for the long walk. He just wants the day to be over right away. Then, find his room, lock the door, and sleep comfortably.
He takes one step forward.
"Renji."
Mako's voice calls out from behind him, returning to the familiar nickname.
Renjiro stops. A heavy sigh escapes his lips. His shoulders slump forward and slowly turn his head to look at her, his eyes half-closed in pure exhaustion.
"What now?" he asks lazily.