The morning sun reflected off the polished brass fittings of a steam-powered stagecoach idling in front of the school. As the group approached, the door swung open, and Leven Soto stepped out, flanked by his usual sycophants, Butch and Mitch.

"Oh great," Jin muttered, adjusting his backpack. "My first day back at this civilian daycare, and the first thing I see is the Prince of Pomposity."

"Problem?" Maya whispered, eyeing Leven's elaborate outfit.

"They got in a fight last time Jin was here," Lynn supplied helpfully.

"No, I didn't," Jin corrected flatly. "I didn't even raise a finger. Leven and his friends beat each other up while I stood there."

"Not impressed," Noah sneered.

"Zip it, you," Jin warned.

"Nope" Noah smirked, "We are at school now. Quit time is off."

Jin snarled "You know what? You can go to-"

"LUNA!"

Calls out Leven walking over demeanor charming suitor. "Hiiii, Luna."

Luna smiles. "Hi, Leven."

"Glad to see you back, beautiful," Leven crooned, leaning against the gate. "I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to see you again."

"Yeah, well, it was a crazy last couple of days," Luna said vaguely.

Leven's eyes darted to Jin. "Oh. And I see you came back with HIM."

"Yeah, that's right, pretty boy," Jin stepped forward. "What of it? If you want to go another round, I'm free."

"HEY!" Luna stepped between them, hands on her hips. "Leven, how about you and I walk to class together? ALONE."

Leven shot Jin a triumphant look. "Sounds great."

As they walked off, Jin glared at Leven's back. "I really don't like that guy."

"Oh, someone is salty," Lynn teased, poking Jin's arm.

"Salty?"

"It means you sound all jelly," Lynn giggled. "You know, jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?"

"That he is getting Luna all to himself," Lynn sang.

Maya chimed in, adjusting her uniform skirt. "Or maybe how hot he is."

"Or that he is one of the richest guys in the country," Noah added.

"Okay, firstly, shut up," Jin snapped. "Secondly, no. Thirdly, I look better than him."

"Let me stop you there," Maya laughed. "Sorry, Jin-senpai. You know I think you're amazing, but no. That guy is HOT."

"Maya, redirect yourself back to my first point," Jin groaned. "And as I was saying, why would I care that he is alone with Luna? As long as it's not a demon, I don't care who she is alone with. PERIOD."

Lynn smirked. "Well, awesometacular. Considering you have me here, you better not be lying, bae."

"Can we just go to class now?" Jin rubbed his temples. "Maya, you need to go to the principal's office to get your schedule."

The morning passed in a blur of mundane lectures, a stark contrast to the life-or-death struggles of the last week. But by lunch, the air shifted.

In the crowded cafeteria, Jin found Maya sitting alone, looking pale.

"Maya," Jin whispered, sliding into the seat next to her. "Glad I found you. Do you sense that?"

Maya nodded slowly, her hands trembling around her sandwich. "So it's not all in my head. It feels... heavy."

"Okay, stick close to me," Jin ordered. "We need to get Luna."

They navigated the sea of students until they found Luna and Lynn.

"Oh, hey guys, what's up?" Luna smiled. "Maya, are you enjoying your first day?"

"No time for that," Jin cut in, his voice low and urgent. "Luna, you need to stay close to us. Absolutely no time should you be out of our sight."

"What's going on?" Luna's smile faded.

"There is an evil aura in this lunchroom," Jin scanned the crowd. "Not quite demon energy, but it is definitely dark. It's suffocating."

"In the lunchroom? Where?"

"I don't know. The whole room is saturated with it. Maya, grab Lynn. Bring her with us. I want her safe too."

"What are you planning on doing?" Luna asked.

"I have no plan," Jin admitted. "Just keeping you and Lynn within reach until we figure this out."

"Wow, great plan," Luna rolled her eyes, but she moved closer to him.

"Shut it. It is the best I got right now."

Lynn looked between them, sensing the tension. "Hey guys, what up? Why did you have Maya grab me? Aww, Jin, did you want to make sure we had lunch together?"

"What? No," Jin said, distracted. "This is serious. There is some dark energy in here. I wanted to make sure you and Luna were safe."

Lynn blinked, her playful mask slipping for a second. "Oh my god..."

"Yeah, you see how important this is."

"I know," Lynn beamed. "I can't believe with your important mission to protect Luna, you wanted to make sure I was safe. So you really do care about me."

"Wait, what? Lynn, this is serious!"

"Maybe we should go somewhere else for lunch," Maya suggested nervously.

"Hello, Luna my love!" Noah appeared, holding a tray of food.

"No, we don't have time for you right now," Jin blocked him.

"Let's go to the roof," Maya said. "Fresh air might help."

"Hey guys, wait for me!" Noah called out, jogging after them.

The roof was quiet, the wind whipping past them. But the tension hadn't dissipated; it had just changed form.

"Luna, what is going on?" Noah demanded, slamming his tray onto a bench.

"Noah, maybe you should leave," Luna said gently.

"No, Luna!" Noah shouted. "Ever since you came back, you guys have been disrespecting me, and I'm putting my foot down. I don't care about everyone else, but you, Luna? We have been friends forever! And now, just because this guy shows up, you are going to treat me like I'm a nobody? After everything we've been through?"

He stepped closer, his voice cracking with emotion. "Haven't I always had your back? This isn't going to change now. Especially if you are in danger. Luna, I may not be a Guardian like those two, but I would gladly give up my life to keep you safe."

Jin sighed, walking over to the far side of the roof. "Come over here. You. Yeah, you dingbat. Over here now."

Noah glared at him but followed.

"So you think you can protect Luna?" Jin asked quietly.

"What?"

"You think you can protect Luna?"

"Yeah."

"You really, really think you can protect Luna from Balthazar, the most powerful Demon Lord in existence?"

"You're damn right I can," Noah said, his chin held high.

"Okay then," Jin spread his arms wide. "Hit me."

"What?"

"Do you have corn in your ears? If you think you won't get in the way... if you really think you can help... HIT ME."

"Jin, don't," Luna warned from across the roof.

"You stay out of this," Jin snapped. "I'm going to end this right now. Come on, Lover Boy. You got the talk. Now back it up. HIT ME!"

"I'm not going to hit you," Noah scoffed.

"That's why you can't protect Luna," Jin sneered. "Because you're nothing but a bitch."

Noah's eyes flashed. "Fine. You want me to hit you?"

Noah swung a wild right hook. Jin didn't even blink; he simply leaned back a fraction of an inch, and the fist sailed past his nose.

"Yeah," Jin boredly inspected his fingernails. "Exactly like I thought."

"I'm not done yet!"

Noah unleashed a flurry of punches-jabs, crosses, hooks-techniques learned from years at the Soto Academy. But to Jin, he was moving in slow motion. Jin dodged each strike with frustrating ease, hands in his pockets.

"Just give up," Jin yawned.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

I can't let him make a fool out of me, Noah thought, grit teeth. Not in front of Luna. This guy is nothing special. My brother could hit him. So can I!

Noah charged again. He missed. He missed again. But then... the rhythm changed.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

Jin's eyes narrowed. Where did all this come from? Is he actually improving in the middle of battle?

Noah was getting faster. His strikes were cleaner, sharper. He wasn't just throwing punches anymore; he was anticipating Jin's dodges.

Strike. Miss. Strike. Miss. Strike... close.

Finally, a left hook grazed Jin's cheek.

The contact triggered Jin's combat instincts. Without thinking, Jin countered with a lightning-fast uppercut to the body.

CRACK.

Noah flew backward across the roof, slamming into the concrete wall with a sickening thud. He slid down to the floor, gasping for air.

"NOAH!" Luna screamed, running to him. "Are you okay?!"

Jin rubbed his cheek, looking at Noah with a strange expression. "Sorry that happened. But consider yourself getting off easy. A demon would have killed you ten minutes ago."

"Hey..." Noah wheezed, struggling to stand. "Where are you going? Leaving so soon?"

He wobbled to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth, and dropped back into a fighting stance. His legs were shaking, but his eyes were burning with defiance.

"I may not be some fancy Guardian like you, Jin," Noah rasped. "But I damn sure am not going to be done in by a weak attack like that. So come at me, Jin. With everything you got."

Jin stared at him for a long moment. Then, he lowered his hands.

"Fine," Jin said coldly. "You want to protect Luna so bad? Be my guest. But WHEN you die, your blood will not be on my hands."

Jin walked off to the other side of the roof, sitting alone to eat his lunch.

A few moments later, Maya joined him.

"Jin," she said softly. "Don't you think you were a little hard on him?"

"Maya, you and I are the only ones who know what is really going on," Jin snapped, taking a bite of his sandwich. "This isn't a game. The sooner these guys realize that, the better. Our job is hard enough without normies getting in the way."

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. This mission is dangerous. I'm actually starting to second-guess bringing you on."

"What?!" Maya stood up. "Hold on now! If it wasn't for me, you and Luna wouldn't have even made it through that swarm!"

"I know," Jin said. "And I'm grateful. But that was just the beginning. I'm not positive I'm going to survive this mission, Maya. I don't want anyone else to die."

"Well, guess what, Jin?" Maya crossed her arms. "It wasn't your choice. I chose to come. I dedicated my life to becoming a Guardian. I would gladly die if it meant safety for the Human World."

"I know, but-"

"No buts, Jin. You call Noah a fool, but I call him brave. Unlike you and me, he doesn't have special training. Just a burning desire to protect the woman he loves. That takes guts."

"He is only going to get in the way."

"Maybe," Maya shrugged. "Or maybe... what if you trained him? He improved in the middle of battle, Jin. You saw it. He actually made you defend yourself. That shows potential."

"TRAIN HIM?!" Jin choked. "I'm not going to waste my time training him."

"You really think it would be a waste of time?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "You just complained about how dangerous this mission is, yet you are quick to turn down help that is standing right in front of you."

Jin looked over at Noah, who was laughing with Luna despite his bruised ribs. He sighed heavily.

"Oh my god. Fine. YO! DUMBASS!"

Noah looked over. "Huh?"

"I can't believe he answered to that," Jin muttered. "After school. Bring yourself to Luna's house. We start your training."

"Training?" Noah's eyes lit up.

"Yeah. Maybe this way you won't die the first time we encounter a demon."

"Awesome!" Noah pumped his fist. "Now I can show Luna my killer moves!"

I'm already regretting this, Jin thought.