“There she is~!” The cheerful cry made her eyes snap open. Her classmates were already spilling out of their seats, rushing toward her with eager faces. The sudden wave of attention left the trio frozen in place—Aoi most of all.

“Uh… w-what’s going on?” she stammered, brows knitting in confusion.

“We heard what happened yesterday!” a brown-haired boy exclaimed, practically bouncing.

“You ran into a burning house and pulled two kids out!” another added, his fists pumping with excitement.

“Don’t forget the puppy,” a third chimed in with an awkward grin.

“Either way, that’s incredible, Aoi~!” a girl squealed, her eyes sparkling.

“Uh… I-I mean…” Aoi mumbled, shifting awkwardly under the weight of their praise. Beside her, Ayane and Mei shared knowing smiles.

“You really don’t stop surprising us,” Mei said warmly.

“Yeah, Aoi. You make the rest of us look bad sometimes,” Ayane teased. Before Aoi could retort, another voice cut through the chatter.

“Guess it’s true—you’re always in the middle of the action.” 

The crowd parted as a boy strode forward with an easy smirk. His Sayonaki jacket hung open over a plain white shirt, the feather pin gleaming on his collar. Black slacks and polished shoes grounded his confident stance, while his spiky blond and sideburns shaved hair—with three sharp bangs curling to the left—framed a pair of bright amber eyes.

Aoi’s breath caught. It’s him… Her mind flashed back to the Combat Survival Trial—the boy who had hurled himself straight at two combat drones without hesitation.

Ayane stepped up beside her, practically sparkling. “Wait—you’re the guy who snagged the first six points for your team!”

The blond chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Guilty. Just figured I’d grab an opening before anyone else noticed.”

“That was reckless,” Aoi muttered, crossing her arms.

“Maybe,” he admitted with a sheepish grin, “but it worked.” He dropped his hand, eyes flicking back to hers. “Hikaru Fujimura. Nice to finally meet you properly.”

Aoi gave a curt nod. Mei smoothly moved to Aoi’s other side; her expression soft as Hikaru’s smile widened. 

“And you, Aoi…” he leaned forward slightly, voice warm but teasing, “…you’ve got some serious skills. I was watching right from the start of the exams.”

Aoi arched an eyebrow, one hand on her hip. “Unlike me, you seem to enjoy charging in headfirst.”

“Don’t mind him—Hikaru’s always like that.”

A new voice cut in, smooth and relaxed. The trio turned to see a brown-haired boy strolling over, tugging his red-coloured headphones down around his neck. His Sayonaki jacket hung loose over a black hoodie, paired with dark trousers and black-and-white sneakers. An M-shaped bang curved toward his right eye, drawing attention to the calm gleam in his blue eyes.

Hikaru smirked. “Not like you’re any different, Kazuki.”

“Never said I was.” The brunette chuckled, shooting his teammate a look. “We’re cut from the same cloth, after all.” Then he turned to Aoi, offering a disarming grin. “Name’s Kazuki Ryuzaki. Don’t let blondie here get to you.”

“Hey~!” Hikaru groaned, prompting laughter from the cluster of classmates.

Mei tilted her head. “But… how did everyone even find out about Aoi’s rescue?

“The whole town’s buzzing,” a girl chimed in, unable to hide her giggles.

“Yeah, and Mitsuru made sure we got the full story.” Hikaru raised his phone before jerking his chin toward the back. “See? They’re already here.”

Following his gaze, Aoi spotted Mitsuru and Rikuya chatting in the middle row, with Raito sitting nearby, arms folded and eyes shut like he had no interest in the noise. Mitsuru and Rikuya noticed her looking and waved; Aoi blinked, then returned a small wave.

“Charging into flames without flinching… that’s seriously badass,” Hikaru said with a grin.

Aoi’s cheeks warmed as she muttered, “It was nothing…”

“Well, don’t downplay it so much,” another voice chimed in brightly. The group turned as a girl with long pink hair and amber eyes strode over, her grin wide. She wore the Sayonaki jacket over a plain white top, light jeans, and black combat boots that clicked confidently against the floor. A soft shimmer highlighted her eyelids, a touch of blush warmed her cheeks, and her lips glistened faintly with gloss—subtle hints of her fashionista flair.

“Uh…” Aoi started, blinking at the sudden newcomer—only for Ayane beside her to stiffen, eyes sparkling.

“N-N-No w-way~!” she squealed, nearly bouncing.

“Don’t leave us out, you guys. That’s not fair~!” the pink-haired girl pouted, though her playful tone betrayed her delight.

“Sayaka wants to listen to our discussion?! Man, this is totes awesome~!” Ayane tittered, glancing at Aoi.

“Glad to see you’re still hyper as ever, Sayaka,” Mei greeted with a closed-eye smile, strolling over.

“Hey there, Mei! What’s shaking?” Sayaka laughed, rubbing the back of her head, her gloss catching the light as her smile widened.

Ayane’s head whipped back and forth between Mei and Sayaka, practically trembling with excitement. Aoi arched a brow at her with a sigh.

“Alright, spill it—you know her, don’t you?”

Ayane shot her a sparkling grin. “’Course I do! Duh!”

Aoi glanced again toward Sayaka chatting with Mei, then frowned. “…Seems like Mei knows her better.”

“Ah, ah, ah, not just her.” Ayane wagged her finger dramatically, pointing past Sayaka.

“Huh?” Aoi followed her gesture—and froze.

Behind Sayaka, partly hidden, sat another girl. Her long purple hair framed her face as she worked quietly, her Sayonaki jacket hanging over a black undershirt, paired with shorts and knee-high socks tucked into black combat boots. Her back was turned, presence muted—almost invisible until now.

“What the—?! She was there the whole time?!” Aoi gasped, eyes wide.

“Uh-huh~!” Ayane nodded rapidly. Then the seated figure stood, stepping forward beside Sayaka. She lifted her gaze, revealing the same facial features—only framed in violet instead of pink.

“H-Huh? W-What…? Wait… they’re identical?!” Aoi stammered, still staring in disbelief.

“What’s wrong, Aoi?” Kazuki asked, puzzled.

“She’s just shocked, that’s all.” Ayane giggled as the purple-haired figure walked up calmly. Without a word, she held out a sketchbook page toward Aoi.

Aoi blinked, taking it. Her eyes widened—it was a drawing of herself, captured mid-battle stance, every detail sharp and alive.

“What the…?” she muttered.

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Ayane squealed, bouncing to Aoi’s side. She turned dramatically to the others with a grin. “Guess it’s time for introductions!” She swept a hand toward the pair. “These are the Kurogane twins—Shizuka and Sayaka! Descendants of the Kurogane bloodline, a famous Yakuza clan known for their martial arts and deadly fighting techniques. Two years ago, they single-handedly crushed a gang and became legends around town. Everyone fears their synchronized combat—they’re the perfect duo!”

“Wow, I didn’t think anyone would know that much about us.” Sayaka giggled, turning to Aoi with sparkling eyes. “But yeah, she’s right. We’re the Kurogane twins. I’m the younger one—Sayaka Kurogane.” She gestured proudly to the silent girl beside her. “…And this is my older twin, Shizuka. We’ve wanted to meet you for a while, Aoi.”

Aoi’s gaze flickered between them—Sayaka’s beaming face, and Shizuka’s quiet, guarded eyes. The purple-haired girl looked away, as if avoiding her stare.

“C’mon, sis, don’t clam up now~” Sayaka teased, wrapping an arm around her sister’s neck. “You know you want to say something.”

Shizuka finally lifted her head, her voice calm and soft. “I could… though I’ll say this—what you did yesterday was reckless.”

“Huh?!” The group blinked at her blunt words.

She raised a finger, pointing to Aoi’s right hand. “That bandage is proof. You threw yourself into danger without thinking.”

“Eh?! Sister! Why would you say that?!” Sayaka groaned, shaking her. “It was cool! Come on!”

Meanwhile, Mei chuckled, leaning toward Aoi. “You’ve been standing there like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“N-No… I just—” Aoi swallowed, glancing between them. “I’ve never seen twins who look so identical. I couldn’t even tell them apart at first.”

“It’s easy.” Ayane piped up with a grin. “Sayaka’s got pink hair, Shizuka’s got purple. That’s your clue.”

“Right…” Aoi muttered, still studying them. “So, their skills… they’re really that good?”

“Of course!” Ayane puffed her chest. “The Kurogane twins aren’t famous for nothing. Their style’s just as refined as Mei’s clan techniques. That’s what makes the Kurogane twins… well, the Kurogane twins.”

“Hm,” Aoi hummed under her breath, her gaze fixed on the twins.

“People can call it reckless all they want,” Sayaka grinned, pumping her fist, “but charging into a burning house to save lives? That takes guts. That’s what I call style.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Hikaru chuckled with a grin.

“Mhm,” Kazuki nodded, the others following suit.

Aoi blinked twice, exhaling softly. “Thanks for the interrogation and all, but I’d really like to sit down now.” She brushed past them into the classroom.

“Oh, right! My bad.” Sayaka chuckled, rubbing the back of her head with a cheeky grin. 

“So blunt as always,” Mei giggled.

Ayane let out a sheepish laugh, trailing after Aoi. “Would it kill you to enjoy the spotlight just once?”

“Shut it,” Aoi muttered, eyes closed.

“Morning, guys,” Mei greeted as they reached the three boys.

“Morning, girls,” Mitsuru and Rikuya replied with casual waves.

Aoi’s eyes snapped open. Her gaze locked on Raito—arms crossed, eyes shut as if the world around him was beneath notice. Then, with a sideways glance, his brown eyes flicked to hers, narrowing.

The air between them crackled. Their friends stiffened, beads of sweat rolling down their temples at the sharp, unspoken clash.

“Uh… guys? Won’t you… greet each other?” Ayane asked, voice tentative.

“Like I’d ever,” Raito scoffed, turning away. 

“Didn’t even cross my mind,” Aoi sighed, dropping into the seat one chair away from him. Awkward smiles crept across the others’ faces.

“Still brooding about yesterday, huh?” Mei said, folding her arms. “Not surprising—half the class is already buzzing with the rumors.” 

“Even if they weren’t, word was bound to get out,” Mitsuru shrugged. “Stuff like that never stays quiet.”

“Tch. Big deal.” Raito snarled, glaring at his friends. “Everyone wouldn’t even know if these two didn’t run their mouths.” He closed his eyes again, though his attention lingered just long enough to catch Aoi rummaging through her bag.

“Seriously, Ayane?” she sighed, pulling a few crayons from her pencil case. “You weren’t joking about this, huh?” 

Ayane giggled, hands behind her back. “Hey, creativity knows no limits!”

Before Aoi could respond, the classroom door slid open with a bang.

“Good morning, students!!”

A bright, energetic voice filled the room, drawing everyone’s attention. Standing at the doorway was a young man with windswept, chestnut-brown hair that caught a faint golden sheen under the light. His bomber jacket hung loose over a layered T-shirt and leather trousers, finished with rugged boots that thudded against the floor.

He flashed a confident grin. “Are you all ready for your first day of studies?!”

The class fell silent.

Aoi blinked once, then twice, brow arching. “...Wait, who is this guy?”