Shinichi dabbed on his forehead with a clean cloth and took out the small mirror in his pocket. This was the only joy he had left in his life. There was a webbed crack on it from the fall yet it didn't obscure his handsome features. He gave his image a salacious wink.

"Stop slacking off, newbie."

He flinched. "Y-yes."

The female manager gave him a dirty look before walking away. Had she been following him around? Two students were watching nearby, one giggling uncontrollably at the scene. Usually, Shinichi would put on a polite countenance but these two have been teasing him nonstop ever since they saw him slip on the male restroom.

Shinichi whipped his head in their direction and spoke with a voice filled with venom: "What?"

These two were lucky to have names but their attitude left much to be desired. "Don't mind us, we're just enjoying the view," the girl, Nahashi, said. The boy next to her, Nokori, usually displayed an uneasy and constipated exterior. Now, there was a smirk riding up his lips. "Go on, uncle. We won't stop you from flirting with your mirror."

Shinichi threw the dustpan at them and they scrambled off, all smiling even with dirtied clothes.

"Goddamn kids," grumbled Shinichi.

"Yo, are you seriously arguing with children?" another infuriating voice approached him. Zero had a lazy smile on her face. Her black cap was worn backwards, displaying her bright red eyes.

"Go away. I'm in a bad mood."

"You're always in a bad mood. There's never a good time for you so I might as well say whatever I want whenever. Come, come, I got some news for you."

Ah, this girl... whenever he was feeling bad, she'd come to kick him further down. If Shinichi had Irish at home, here he had Zero. The two were like twins seperated from birth. Both always came flying to him, buzzing on his ears like a gnat, persistently following him wherever he went. No matter how much he swatted at them, they never gave up. Shinichi's sure he's gonna die in just a few months because of them.

They met when Shinichi had left Bobu's office. Shinichi had been drowning in sorrow at an empty hallway:

Water drops smeared itself down the windows, obscuring the world from his view, as if it was a messy painting of murky shades. One thing was clear on the glass and it was Shinichi's reflection looking back at him. The rain muddled his appearance: the outline of his figure was vague, there wasn't any shine in his eyes, and his pale blue hair had faded into grey.

Shinichi moved forward to reach for his twin.

A dull thud of thunder accompanied Shinichi's steps. He saw the world momentarily flash a bright white before fading back to the shadows.

In the silent hallway, there stood Shinichi's lone figure.

He brought his arm up and sobbed into his palm.

"I don't wanna be a fucking janitor." His voice was muffled.

"Then don't be a fucking janitor," a female voice said.

Another light blinked on Shinichi's way before it disappeared. The woman lowered her flashlight and adjusted her hat. Her lips quirked haughtily.

"If I'm correct," she began. "In fact, I am always correct…"

She was tall for a woman, standing close to Shinichi who was 6 foot tall. Her red eyes had a mischievous glint in it, lips pulled forward in a contemplative pout. The security uniform she wore didn't hide her athletic form and her red hair curved to her strong chin.

Red hair and red eyes. There was only one family that propagated children with those traits: the Akatsuki Family. One of the most powerful families in history, possessing abilities relating to blood. Though they no longer hold as much power after the war ended and the New Age began.

Shinichi didn't exactly feel at ease with the Akatsuki Family. The hairs on his arms raised as the room temperature dropped down. Did he bump into a dangerous woman again?

"You just had a fight with your friend, right?"

"What're you trying to say?" Shinichi raised one brow, a smile forming on his face. Be polite, be polite. "That I yell too loud and you have two perfectly functioning ears?" Not so polite then... 

"Hey, no need to be so defensive, just trying to chat. I'm Zero Akatsuki."

She offered her hand to him. When he shook it, it was coarse.

"I… don't have a name."

Her expression hardened as she got closer. Shinichi's heart instinctively jumped, smile straining. No way someone would do something in an MMA building, right?

Zero's eyes bored onto him, crimson eyes burning darkly like the hellfire Irish had unleashed yesterday. "You… your face looks shady. You should leave this school."

Shinichi's muscles clenched at the effort to not show anger. "What do you mean?"

She only shrugged as she backed away. "I'm always right. You should listen to me if you know what's good for you."

"Hey! Explain yourself."

She gave him a quick wave. "Gotta go attend some funeral."

Shinichi's face contorted at the peculiar response.

Zero turned her back on him. Though at the front her hair looked like a bob cut, it actually swooped down to her waist into a low and thin ponytail. It swayed like a horsetail as Zero skipped away and soon disappeared.

Now, that Zero was in front of him again. She hadn't brought up the weirdness in their first meeting at all. Shinichi didn't know what to make of it.

Zero was idly digging her pinky in her ear. "I know you're still mad at Professor Bobu and all so he asked me to relay this message to you. Tomorrow the kids are gonna have a 3-day trip and their practical exam at Zone 1's Chisau Forest. He wanted you to come with."

"I'm just a janitor though?" Is he finally gonna stop this janitorial crap? Shinichi has had enough cleaning the blood and piss scattered at the arena room each time it's used. Shinichi's eyes shine in hope. "You mean--"

"You got some cleaning to do for those students. And you know how tedious the border regulations are. We need all the hands we could get. Me and my team are coming as the security force of the trip, of fucking course. It'll be good seeing you there!"

Oh.

"Can I refuse?"

Zero pursed her lips. "I guess you could but… the seniors are gonna use the arena room for their practical exam tomorrow. Just saying."

That sealed the deal.