"It's been a day." Secretary Saiaka voiced out.

  "Give her time." Ichii, one of the demon retainers of V, responded.

  In a private cemetery by the hills in Mount Uzumaki, overlooking the mega city of Tokyo, V stood one hundred and eighty centimetres tall above the ground –excluding the ten inch black high heels she's wearing—. Eyes cold as ice, her face as sharp as a sword with the city lights that barely illuminate her feature.

  "She has to eat." Secretary Saiaka gritted her teeth after she lit up a cigarette and puff it out toward the dark sky. She rarely smokes, but she'd do it once in a while when her stress level is pushing to a hundred.

  "Thought you quit.." A low, familiar voice greeted her from behind, and the two demon retainers of V looked over their shoulders.

  Secretary Saiaka on the other hand, couldn't care less.

  "Do something about your girl." She blew out another cloud of smoke as Tomo stepped closer next to her, standing in between the two Demons and her.

  "Stop that." He said, furrowing his forehead.

  "She's smoking twenty four seven, seven days a week, and I’M the one who's getting yelled at?"

  "I wasn't yelling."

  "Hey hey.." Ichii interfered the two.

  "Oh now you fuckwit is on his side? Fine!” She put of the cigarette and threw it on the ground before she crushed it with her heels, and making a face in protest. There was a silent moment before she continued, "He was hospitalized for a week you know.." She paused. "Before V brought in the new kid, Matsumoto-sama was diagnosed with a final stage of stomach cancer."

  Responded in stillness, Tomo put his both hands inside his pockets and staring blankly at V's back.. as her long, raven hair flapping freely along with the wind. She always straightened her shoulder, steady and firm, even at this moment.. he thought.

  "V visited him and came out from the hospital with swollen eyes after." Secretary Saiaka frowned. "That was the second time I saw her showing her vulnerability. The first one was.. well it was a long time ago.."

  "What happened, happened." Tomo retorted softly.

  Sectretary Saiaka then lit up another cigarette, and the four of them stood in silence, watching V who is standing by the grave stones that belong to her late brother, and Matsumoto Hirota. And as if with some unspoken understandings, the four kept their feet on the ground, unmoved, waiting for V.

  "Let me smoke just this once." Secretary Saiaka uttered out softly.. shedding her tears.

  AKAI REN

  I've been here three months, and I have yet to get used to the things around. The surroundings, the people, the trainings.. aah the trainings! Now that I have an early one this dawn.. “Aww!” I breathed heavily.

  Not that I'm complaining about it though, in fact, I’m rather grateful.. Tomo Sensei is the strictest person I've ever met, and I am for sure have gotten a lot stronger than I used to be.

  It's just, it's just.. I'm the only one who has to run.. *crying inside in silence*

  But regardless.. as a rotten kid who only understood the street brawl, I've learned quite much about morals and discipline in this school. And of course, the martial arts too.. which was hard as fuck to master but I’ll get there.

  Looking back, never have I even dared to dream for such a life that I’m currently having. Living in a comfortable place, get to eat three proper meals a day for each day, having a planned future –although I’ve been reminded for several times how dangerous this kind of lifestyle is—, I’m deeply thankful.

  “Who am I really to get to have this kind of blessings?” I uttered quietly with a smirk after a good stretch.

  Also maybe, just maybe.. I've grown a tiny bit as a person. And there's a slight chance that Tomo Sensei might've disliked me too. A thin, slight chance that is.

  "How are you holding up?" Tomo Sensei greeted me as he approached me out of nowhere by the school's sports field with his captain bravo's voice.

  Ah.

  I forgot his presence is like the wind, comes and goes without my knowledge.

  "Better than yesterday, I guess." I replied him firmly –no longer with a trembling voice just like my first month—and adjusting my jersey. "Thirty laps for the warm up as per usual, right?" I stood on my stance, spread a big fat smile on my face, and preparing myself for the morning glory run. I got this, I got this! I clenched my fists with strong determination.

  "Not today." He said.

  "Eh?" I tilted my head.

  "The Special Class’s students have returned. You'll be training with them today."

  "Eh?"

  "Afterwards, I'll be sending you on your first mission with your team tomorrow."

  "EH?!"

  **

  It was a loooong day.. I can hardly breathe.

  The Special Class’ Senpais are no joke. There were only two of them but maaaan, they kicked my ass.

  But then.. I have nothing but respect and admiration toward them..

  ..and that was only my first time meeting them.

  EARLIER TODAY.

  I was told to come back after breakfast, but I couldn’t sit still, could I? After all, Yamada, Ryosuke, and Sakura were sharpening their skills as I was eating.. while I gawked like an idiot.

  Dang.

  I’ve been watching them getting stronger and stronger than the first time I meet them in just three months, and now, they’re not even stopping.

  And I’m all fired up!

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  I’m nowhere near their level, but I do want to work hard. Come on Ren, a mere-human like you can also get stronger!

  “Ehh? He doesn’t look so bad, got meat in ‘im.” A heavy voice startled me, and an upside down face suddenly appeared above me.

  Flickered an eyelid, I reacted. “I’m sorry, may I know who you are?”

  “Ehehehe, why don’t cha tell me who ya are first? Akai Ren, innit?”

  “Uhm, yes. So how am I supposed to tell you who I am now that you already know who I am..?”

  “HUH?” He blinked. A couple of times. Until a hand slammed him down and he fell off on his head on the concrete floor of the school’s cafeteria.

  “Moron!” The guy who knocked him shouted. “Forgive his rudeness, there’s something wrong with his head so he can’t help it.” He put his hands in his pockets and approached me closer. “Name’s Reiji, this one’s Gomei.” He kicked the dude on his stomach. “We’re here for your training. Get ready now we’re off to the waterfall. “

  And then we’re off. Just like that.

  Ten hours of martial arts trainings.. with me getting the hit the most. I mean, about ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent of it. I did land a punch on Reiji Senpai’s jaw. Once.

  “Your speed is good, above average I must say.” Reiji Senpai adjusted his face. “The power in your punches is also great.” He smirked, and launches a new kick on my knee, shoulder, and lastly, my neck.

  I fell.

  “But Ren..” He continued, “Remember this for your missions ahead.” He cracked his neck, his fingers was next, and took off his black shirt. “Precision beats power, and timing beats speed.” My eyes glittered as he stated that damn statement. “Tomo Sensei’s favourite quote.” He grinned. “On your knees, again!”

  **

  “Right. But Tomo Sensei did mention the other day though, that nothing beats the very word Power. Although, I’m sure he meant it figuratively.” I breathed a sigh as I get off the bathroom. “Gaargh but it’s alright, it’s alright! That was a good fight!” I beamed, opened the fridge for a drink but found it empty.

  “Huh? Did I consume them all unconsciously?” I scratched my head.

  “No, I’m consuming them all. Consciously.”

  “HUH?” I looked over my shoulder as fast as lightning, and found Sakura’s snacking on my bed with her legs up against the wall.

  Ah it’s Sakura. I thought. It’s just Sakura.

  Wait. “SAKURA? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”

  “Eating your snacks.”

  “Heyyy, eat yours in your own room..”

  “I ran out of snacks.”

  Sighed.. “How, how did you get in? I locked the door.”

  “You didn’t lock the one on the terrace.” She chewed up a cookie. “Put on some clothes dude, you’re half naked.”

  “Oiiii I just showered!”

  **

  Opening a can of coke, I chugged in a good amount of its liquid and proceed to question the pink haired girl in my room. “Uhm.. how long do you plan to be here again?” I raised my brows before I fix a seat on the study chair.

  “I recall I didn’t mention anything about such thing.”

  “It’s eleven o’clock.”

  “Yeap.”

  “Sakuraaa…”

  “Oh come on! Loosen up a little. Weren’t you supposed to be a delinquent brat in your previous school? Surely you were up past eleven before. Or.. have no luck on bringing girls in your room in the past?”

  I was silence for a while, but it only led to an awkward quietness for the both of us.

  Sakura then give up.. or seems like she is as she pushed herself up and get off the bed.

  “You’re boring.” She fixed her pyjamas.

  “Wrong.”

  “Blegh.” She rolled her eyes. “You are though.”

  “You’re wrong about the room..”

  She looked confuse. “Dude, what?”

  “I didn’t have one before.. this is the first room that I.. this is my first room, for my fifteen years of my life, living in this earth.”

  “So what am I supposed to feel sorry for you that you came from an orphanage with twenty beds in one bedroom?”

  “Nah I don’t expect you to.. just saying that I’m thankful. And did Yamada tell you that?”

  She scanned me up and down. Multiple times.

  “Hey I’m getting uncomfortable here.” I narrowed my eyes.

  “I saw your file.”

  “What?”

  “Well, Ryosuke and I sneaked in to his grandfather’s office. There wasn’t much data about you, though.”

  You kids seemed to have your own ways I guess. “You could’ve just asked me anything at all, I wouldn’t mind. But, to sneak in was unnecessary. There’s nothing interesting about me.”

  “Hmm.. you’re really are clueless, aren’t you? Do you always get along with people when they told you to do things?”

  “Not often. I beat up a school’s teacher before for ordering me to cause a riot at school to outshine the rich kid bad deeds.”

  “And you did just that. Good job.”

  “Yeah. Got suspended and now I’m a dropout.”

  “You’re in school now.. so you’re no longer a one.” She fixed herself to sit on the study desk next to me and crossed her arms on her chest.

  She really is cute if I look closely. Or is it just my teenage hormone now? “I guessed you’re right.” I smiled.

  “Ready for tomorrow? It’s your first mission.”

  “Heh. I’m nowhere close to your level, but I’ll manage.”

  There was an awkward silence for a few minutes in the air again before she responded. “V Sensei..”

  “V Sensei?” I arched an eyebrow.

  “She can’t see the Spectres you know..” She leaned her face closely to mine and met my gaze. “Just. Like. You.”

  What?

  **

  Sakura ended up sleeping in my room last night.

  We talked for hours until we both dozed off. She was on my bed and I was on the floor. I’m heavy-eyed by now for the lack of sleep.

  Did Sakura tell the truth, though? Is V Sensei really can’t see the Spectres? But by far, most of the people around me have been saying how strong and powerful she is.. I mean, how could someone that powerful can’t see the Spectres? Also, she has multiple tattoos that are actually alive? How does that work? Gaargh the lack of sleep is causing me a headache!”

  About last night (where Sakura laid down on Ren’s bed and Ren laid down on the floor with a blanket):

  ‘But she could sense them, even if they’re miles away.. I once witness she pointed her revolver to a Demon from far away. And she hits the target on the spot.’

  ‘That’s.. wow?’

  ‘Can you sense them too?’

  ‘Well, I can't see a sabotamic particle but nevertheless, I know it's there. Last time, I only relied on my instinct. Is that count?’

  ‘If you train your instinct enough, then I guess yeah.. that counts.’

  ‘Do.. do you think, there’s any chance that I can be like her?’

  ‘Ha! Funny!’

  ‘Yea, the hell that I was thinking..’

  ‘You’re stupidly strong at fist fighting and beating, but it takes more than that in our world.’

  ‘Gotcha!’

  ‘But everything is possible. V Sensei told me that once.. back when I was only six.’

  ‘When you were six?’

  ‘She’s been my mentor for as long as I could remember. My parents forced her to do so.. I think.’

  ‘Forced?’

  ‘I think. I don’t know.. she was trained by my older cousin who passed away from something that my family would never tell me. It’s not on the record at school either about how he died. The same thing goes to Ryosuke’s dad.. and Yamada’s late mother.’

  ‘Sounds like a tragedy strikes.’

  ‘True. My cousin, Ryosuke’s dad, Yamada’s mom, and V Sensei’s deceased brother trained her at one point. And mind you, the four of them were considered heroes in the Great War at its peak in the mid ‘80s.. my parents often praised them as if they were some saints or something.’

  ‘I’ve heard about that war.’

  ‘It’s in the History Book of Soshiki. But there were no details about their personal life in there.’

  ‘Heh. Something like that shouldn’t get publish, Sakura.’

  ‘But we know NOTHING about them. All we know that we’re related to the three of them and that was that. We don’t even know much about our own homeroom teacher, despite of knowing her since we were just practically babies!’

  ‘Hmm..’

  ‘All my life.. I’ve been a princess.’

  ‘Well, it’s.. uhm, obvious?’

  ‘Not just me. Ryosuke and Yamada are both heirs too.’

  ‘Wait. You mean, they’re princesses?’ – ‘Aw, you don’t have to hit me on the head.’ (*Sakura did a number on Ren)

  ‘As you know by now that this Academy belongs to the Minamotos, they also owned several business chains across Japan. Ryosuke’s the only son of Principal’s first son. So one day, he’ll get to manage it all.’

  ‘I’m hearing you, but you did hit me pretty hard.’ – ‘Okay I’m listening, don’t give me the side eye.’ (*Sakura gave Ren the bombastic criminal offensive side eye)

  ‘Yamada though.. he’s actually an Earl by birth right, you know?’

  ‘FOR REAL?’

  ‘For real.’

  ‘Cool! Dude’s a royal!’

  ‘His mother died when he was little and his father would later follow. He was brought back from England by the Aratas when he was eleven, but I remember he told me that V Sensei was the one who persuaded him to come to Japan and join the Soshiki.’

  ‘I see..’

  ‘No, you don’t get it.’

  ‘Well I do get the gist of it.’

  ‘Did you get my point then?’

  ‘That all of you are on V Sensei’s care with the fact that she used to be taught by your cousin, Ryosuke’s dad, and Yamada’s mom? Yeah. There’s nothing wrong with my brain you know.’

  ‘Weird, huh?’

  ‘Coincidences do happen, you know?’

  ‘True. But this time it is way too precise.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ (*Sakura crawled from Ren’s bed to the floor and face him eye to eye..)

  ‘Who the hell are you really, Ren?’