Kenji
'What a nap.'
Kenji blinked his eyes open at the ceiling for a moment before remembering where he was.
He pushed himself up slowly, testing his body. His legs were still wobbly, but they held up when he swung them over the side of the bed.
"What time is it?" He groggily muttered.
He slowly stood up, grunting as he gripped the edge of his desk for balance, and made his way to the door. His legs wobbled a bit, but he managed the short distance without issue.
Their living room was empty. No sight of Kiana or Mei. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost ten in the morning.
'Right. They have classes.' He'd forgotten about that. Or maybe he just hadn't thought about it. Either way, a realization now dawned on him.
He had absolutely nothing to do.
His stomach growled, pulling him out of his thoughts. He walked over to the kitchen counter and found a plate covered with a cloth.
Underneath was breakfast—courtesy of Mei— consisting of rice, eggs, and some vegetables, still slightly warm.
Next to it was a note in Mei's handwriting.
*Eat. Rest. Don't do anything stupid.*
Kenji couldn't help but smile a little at that. She was always like the big sister of their group. Always caring, yet can be terrifying when she needs to be.
He sat down at the small dining table and started eating. The food was good, Mei's cooking always was.
But he couldn't help but realize how bored he was going to be for the next couple of days.
'What am I supposed to do now?'
He had no classes. The doctors said he needed at least another week before he could attend regularly.
Training is also off the table. Theresa had been very explicit about that. If she caught him in the simulators, she'd lock him in his room.
Being locked in an enclosed space didn't sit well with him. Especially after what happened.
And physical therapy started in a few days.
So he was left with nothing.
He looked around the flat, searching for something to occupy his time. His eyes landed on his room.
'Maybe I could clean up a bit. Organize things.'
He walked back to his room, legs still a bit shaky, and looked around.
The room was exactly as he'd left it yesterday. He moved to his desk and opened the top drawer. Everything was already organized. Perfectly organized.
'Damn, Mei, you are really thorough.'
He checked his closet next. Everything was neat and tidy.
Also Mei.
He looked at the boxes of gifts against the wall. There had to be dozens of cards and letters in there. Maybe he could go through those?
But the thought of reading through all of them right now felt... overwhelming. He really didn't feel like it right now.
'Maybe later.'
He sat on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
'This is pathetic.'
Usually, he would've been out training or studying. Always moving or doing… something. It was very rare for him to spend time doing nothing.
Being alone with his thoughts was something he did not like at all.
Right now, he couldn't even walk across campus without his legs giving out. The wheelchair sat in the corner of his room.
He stared at it for a while with narrowed eyes.
'I don't need that just to move around the flat.'
Short distances were fine. He could walk from his room to the common area without issue. The elevator worked. He could manage.
But going outside?
He thought about yesterday's trip back from the hospital. While he wasn't able to walk much at all, that was because he literally just woke up.
'I should be better now. I can handle a short walk.'
Some fresh air would help alleviate some of his boredom. Just a short walk around campus all on his own.
He didn't need the wheelchair for that.
'It's not that far. I'll just walk to the fountain and back.'
His pride wouldn't let him use the wheelchair for something so simple. He wasn't that weak. He could manage a quick walk.
He grabbed his phone and keys, shoving them in his hoodie pocket.
He took one last glance at the wheelchair. Then he turned and walked out of his room.
/ — /
The elevator ride down was quiet. And when he stepped outside into the sunlight, he felt better already.
The campus stretched out before him, bathed in late morning light. Students were in classes, so the paths were mostly empty.
He started walking toward the central area, where the fountain sat in the middle of everything. It wasn't far at all.
The first few steps felt fine. His legs were stiff, sure, but nothing he couldn't handle. The fresh air helped. The sun was warm on his face.
He passed by the academic building where most of his classes were held. The windows were open, and he could hear a lecturer's voice drifting out.
Though he couldn't help but not recognize the new voice. The voice was male, yet it sounded so foreign in his ears. Maybe they hired someone new while he was asleep.
If he were a bit healthier, he would have noticed the man's odd energy. But in his weakened state, all he could manage was a small buzzing in his head that he quickly shook off.
A student walked past him, and they jumped a little when they saw him walking around. But it looked like they were in a hurry, so they just waved, and Kenji nodded back.
The fountain was up ahead now, water sparkling in the sunlight. He could make out the bench beside it.
Then his legs started getting tired.
A gradual heaviness was creeping into his muscles, making them feel like they were weighed down. He kept his pace steady, but his legs were getting wobblier with each step. His breathing got heavier.
'Oh god, I'm gonna throw up.'
He pushed through it. The fountain was right there—he just needed to make it to the bench.
His left leg nearly buckled. He winced and caught himself, stopping for a moment.
The muscles in his thighs were screaming at him to stop. His breathing was labored now, way more than it should be for such a short walk, and sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool air.
'Not that far, I can—fuck.'
His right leg gave out.
He stumbled forward, catching himself on the edge of the fountain with both hands. He stood there for a moment, breathing hard, before carefully lowering himself onto the bench.
He sat there and looked back at the path he'd just walked. It wasn't even that far. Maybe a hundred meters total.
A month ago, he could run across rooftops for hours. Jump between buildings. Fight Honkai beasts without breaking a sweat.
Now he couldn't even walk across campus.
Sighing, he ran his hands over his face. He knew that it wasn't unreasonable for him to be so weak after everything. Yet a part of him wanted to get back into action immediately.
'Stupid Zero messing up my regeneration…' He thought with annoyance.
He leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath. His legs needed rest. Maybe if he sat here for ten, fifteen minutes, they'd recover enough for the return trip.
Maybe.
He opened his eyes and stared at the fountain. The water flowed continuously, sparkling in the sunlight. Peaceful. Completely indifferent to his current predicament.
He should've brought the damn wheelchair. But admitting that felt worse than sitting here exhausted.
He pulled out his phone. 10:47 AM. Mei and Kiana wouldn't be back until after lunch. He could call one of them and ask for help.
The thought made him cringe.
Especially after Mei's note specifically said not to do anything stupid.
He did not want to get a scolding to the face.
Kenji sat there for what felt like forever, trying to catch his breath and willing his legs to stop shaking.
'Maybe I could crawl back, and no one would notice me—'
"Where's your wheelchair?"
Kenji turned his head to see Wendy standing there with her arms crossed. Looking at him with an expression that was equal parts amused and exasperated.
'Just my luck.'
"H-Hey Wendy," he said, trying to sound casual. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," she said, walking around the bench to stand in front of him. Her eyes flicked down to his trembling legs, then back up to his face. "But I think I already know the answer."
"I was just getting some fresh air."
"Without your wheelchair."
"I didn't need it for a short walk."
Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you can barely stand at all."
Kenji opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.
"Don't even try it," she said. "I can see your legs shaking from a mile away."
He closed his mouth and looked away.
She sighed and sat down on the bench beside him. "Where's the wheelchair?"
"Back in my room," he muttered quietly, making sure not to look her in the eyes. A little trick he learned from Kiana when Mei got mad.
"Of course it is." She shook her head. "You're really stubborn, aren't you?"
"I've been told."
They sat in silence for a moment. Wendy looked at him with that same exasperated expression that he did not want to face.
"So what was your plan exactly? Just sit here until your legs decided to work again?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
"And if they didn't?"
He didn't have a good answer for that.
Wendy stood up. "Alright, let's get you in your wheelchair."
"Look, I—Hey! Put me down!" He was cut off when Wendy flicked her wrist and summoned a strong, condensed wind to pick him up like a doll.
"Nope." She said with a pop.
"This really isn't necessary—"
"Would you rather I just leave you here?"
Kenji hesitated, then shook his head.
"That's what I thought." She said with finality. Then they went on their walk back to his dorms. Getting strange looks from other students who saw him floating next to Wendy.
'This is embarrassing.'
Of all the people to find him like this, it had to be Wendy. The person he'd saved. The person who'd been stuck in a wheelchair for three years.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
"I get it, you know." She suddenly spoke, "You want to do things as you used to before, but you can't. You have to let your body rest."
Kenji nodded solemnly, "Alright, I get it."
Wendy looked at him with an amused expression, "Hey, lighten up. At least you aren't stuck permanently. I couldn't walk at all."
He stared at her with wide eyes. Never did he expect her to be making fun of her old condition. Especially with how fresh the wound is.
It seemed like she understood what he was thinking and chuckled, "Don't look at me like that. Everything that happened was in the past. Now I can do whatever I want."
But then her expression turned scary. His body instinctively flinched when he noticed the similarities with Himeko's angry face. "But next time, just use the wheelchair from the start."
Kenji nodded quickly, and she seemed satisfied with his reaction.
'What did Himeko do to you?'
"So what were you planning to do all day anyway? Just wander around until your legs give out?"
"I didn't really have a plan," Kenji admitted. "Mei and Kiana are in classes. I can't train. I can't attend classes yet. I just... had nothing to do."
Wendy was quiet for a moment, considering that.
Then she said, "Well, if you're going to insist on going outside, at least let me come with you. Make sure you actually use the wheelchair this time."
Kenji looked at her. "You don't have to do that."
"I know," she said. "But I'm going to anyway. Besides, Himeko would kill me if I just let you be reckless."
Kenji found himself smiling a little at that. "Alright. If you're sure."
"Great. Once we get your wheelchair, let's actually take a proper walk around campus. One where you don't end up half-dead by a fountain."
Kenji couldn't help but laugh at that.
/ — /
Once they got back to his room and retrieved the wheelchair, Wendy set him down gently, and he wheeled himself out of the dorm building with her walking beside him.
"This feels so much better." He sighed in satisfaction. Wendy didn't say anything, but her expression had the biggest 'I told you so' expression a person could manage.
"So," Wendy said, breaking the comfortable silence. "Where do you want to go?"
Kenji shrugged. "I don't really have a preference. I just needed to get out of that room."
"Fair enough." She looked around, then pointed toward the eastern side of campus. "How about we check out that area? I haven't explored much over there yet."
"You haven't?"
She shook her head. "I mostly stay with Himeko and don't explore much. And before this, I was at a different Schicksal branch."
"Right… I forgot about that." Kenji admitted, and Wendy chuckled at his sheepish expression.
"You don't mind me accompanying you on your little walk, do you?" She asked.
"Not at all." He responded. But a part of his mind knew she would follow him anyway. It wasn't like he minded much at all. Having company was better than nothing.
They started moving along one of the main pathways, heading east. Kenji wheeled himself at a steady pace, and Wendy matched his speed without making it obvious.
"This is nice,"
"Hmm?"
"Just... being outside. After… everything, and being stuck in a hospital bed for a month, even this feels good."
Wendy nodded. "I get that. When I finally realized that I could actually walk again, I spent an entire day just walking around in my cell. Just because I could."
"They put you in a cell?"
"W-Well, it wasn't actually a cell. I was still unstable and a newly awakened Herrscher, so I understood their caution."
"I see." He muttered. "How did that feel? Being able to walk again."
"Amazing," she said. "And kind of weirdly exhausting, even if I am a Herrscher now. My legs weren't used to it anymore."
They continued walking in comfortable silence for a while. The sun was warm, and the breeze was gentle. Kenji found himself actually relaxing for the first time since waking up.
"So what's it like?" he asked.
"What's what like?"
"St. Freya. Compared to your old branch."
Wendy thought about it for a moment. "Different. Less... strict, I guess? The branch I was at felt more like a military facility. Everything was scheduled down to the minute. Here, it feels more like an actual school."
"That's Theresa for you," Kenji said. "She wanted this place to feel like home for the students. Not just a training ground."
"Well, I can say she succeeded," Wendy said. "It does feel different. In a good way."
They turned a corner and came across a small garden area that Kenji hadn't seen before. There were a few benches scattered around, and some flowering plants that looked recently tended.
"Oh, this is nice," Wendy said, stopping. "I found this place last week. It's usually empty during class hours."
They moved into the garden area, and Wendy sat down on one of the benches. Kenji wheeled himself next to it, parking the wheelchair.
"You come here often?" he asked.
"Sometimes. When I want to chill for a while." She looked around at the flowers. "It's peaceful."
Kenji looked around too. It really was peaceful. Just the sound of wind rustling through the plants and the distant murmur of campus life.
"You know," Wendy said after a moment, "when I first came here, I wasn't sure if I'd fit in."
"Why not?"
"Because everyone here has been through so much already. They all have their established groups, their routines. And I was just... the new girl. A former, washed-up, A-Rank Valkyrie."
"And now?"
Wendy smiled. "Now I'm the slightly less washed-up Valkyrie. That's an improvement, at least."
Kenji laughed. "Yeah, I'd say so."
A few students walked past the garden area in the distance, heading between buildings. One of them glanced their way but didn't stop.
"Do you think they're all talking about us?" Kenji asked, only half-joking.
"Probably," Wendy said. "Between the forums and you getting carried back while floating, we're probably very interesting right now."
"Great… Wait, what forums?"
Seeming to realize her mistake, she sputtered a sentence out quickly, "N-Nevermind that, it's nothing important."
"You too?" Kenji muttered in frustration. "I swear the girls keep saying about some forum, but they won't tell me what the heck it is."
Wendy paused, her mind going back to two weeks ago when Kiana showed her the student forums. The horrors she saw made her shiver, and she promised her that she wouldn't tell Kenji.
"I-It's a girl thing?"
"Why did you say that like it was a question?"
"I didn't."
"You—screw it, alright." He relented.
They sat in silence for a while after that, the garden peaceful around them. The wind rustled through the flowers, and somewhere in the distance, a class bell rang.
Wendy leaned back on the bench, looking up at the sky. "You know what I miss most?"
"Hmm?"
"The food vendor near my old branch," she said. "There was this old lady who sold meat pies every morning. They were terrible for you—way too greasy—but they were so good."
Kenji smiled at that. "Sounds like you miss home. You are from New Zealand, right?"
"Yeah," Wendy admitted. "I don't miss the facility itself. But... the small things. The way the morning light came through my window. The air, the atmosphere is so different." She paused. "Things that don't really matter, but you notice when they're gone."
Kenji nodded slowly. He understood that feeling.
"What about you?" Wendy asked. "Do you miss home?"
"I grew up in an orphanage," Kenji said. "Never had parents. Just caretakers who did their best."
"Oh. I didn't know that."
"It's fine, I don't talk about it much even with the girls," he said. "It wasn't bad. The building was old, kind of run-down, but it was home. There was this window in the common room that let the sun inside just right. I used to stand in front of it to sunbathe. And how we would have treats every weekend in the kitchen."
Wendy smiled. "The small things."
"Yeah… The small things."
He stared at the flowers in front of them, his mind drifting.
The orphanage was home. He'd grown up there and became who he was there. The memories washed over him once more—faces, places, moments that shaped him.
But something else tugged at the edges of his mind.
Another home. One he could barely remember.
The memories were so faded now, like trying to recall a dream. Faces without names. Places without details. A life that felt more like a story he'd been told than something he'd actually lived.
But his heart remembered.
Some part of him missed it. Missed something he couldn't even properly grasp anymore.
It was strange. He'd been so focused on this life, this world, that he hadn't let himself think about what he'd lost. Or left behind. Or—he didn't even know what to call it.
Who was he back then? Who was he now?
Where did he really belong?
Why is he even here—
"You okay?"
Kenji blinked and looked at Wendy. She was watching him with a slightly concerned expression.
"Yeah," he said. "Just... thinking."
"About home?"
"Something like that."
Wendy was quiet for a moment, then said, "You know, it's okay to miss things. Even if you can't go back to them."
Kenji's chest tightened slightly at that.
She had no idea how accurate that was.
"Yeah," he managed. "I guess it is."
Wendy studied his face for another moment, then seemed to sense he didn't want to talk about it further. She stood up, brushing off her skirt.
"We should probably keep moving," she said. "Staying in the same place for too long would get stale."
Kenji was grateful for the shift. "Yeah, good idea."
They left the garden and continued exploring the campus. Wendy pointed out a few other spots she'd discovered—a shortcut between buildings, a vending machine that had the good snacks, and a study room that was almost always empty.
Kenji already knew those places, of course. But he couldn't help but be happy seeing her talk about the places she found.
In front of him wasn't the Herrscher that was betrayed by the world, but a girl who's healing her old wounds.
"You've really been exploring," Kenji said.
"Had to do something while everyone else was in classes," she said. "Plus, Himeko kept sending me on errands. I learned the layout pretty quick."
"Oh yeah, you're living with Himeko now. What's it like?"
Wendy's expression turned slightly amused. "Interesting. She's... very intense about some things."
"Like what?"
"Like making sure I eat properly—Even though she doesn't cook, and mostly I do it—and not training too hard. And going to bed at a reasonable hour." She shook her head. "She acts like a strict teacher at school, but at home she's like an overprotective older sister."
Kenji smiled at that. "That sounds like her."
They walked for a while longer, making a wide loop around the eastern part of campus. The classes would be letting out soon, and the paths would get crowded again.
"We should probably head back," Wendy said, checking her phone. "Himeko wanted me to help her with something this afternoon."
"What kind of something?"
"No idea. She just said she needed help." Wendy smiled. "Could be anything from grading papers to taste-testing her cooking."
"Taste-testing her cooking? That's brave."
"Someone has to do it," Wendy said with a chuckle.
They started heading back toward the dorm building, taking their time. Kenji felt better than he had all morning.
The fresh air definitely helped, but more than that, having someone to talk to had made the day feel less empty.
"Thanks for keeping me company," he said.
Wendy waved it off. "Don't mention it. Besides, I needed to get out too."
They reached the dorm building, and Wendy held the door open for him.
"Don't do anything stupid again, alright?"
Kenji smiled. "I promise, no more stupid stuff."
"Good. Because if you did, I would tell Mei."
"Please don't."
Wendy laughed and gave him a small wave as she headed off.
/ — /
???
Across the campus, three students sat on the grass with their lunches spread out between them.
"Did you see them?" one of them asked, a second-year with short brown hair.
"See who?" her friend replied, not looking up from her phone.
"Aoyama and Garett. They were sitting together over there like an hour ago." She pointed toward the bench where Kenji and Wendy had been.
The third student, a girl with glasses, perked up. "Wait, seriously? Together?"
"Yeah! They were talking for like, forever!"
The one with the phone finally looked up, her eyes widening. "Did you get a picture?"
"Obviously." The brown-haired girl pulled out her phone and started scrolling. "Look."
She held up her phone, showing several photos. Kenji was in his wheelchair next to the bench. Wendy was sitting beside him, smiling.
Another shot of them both looking relaxed, clearly in the middle of a conversation.
"Oh my god," the girl with glasses said, leaning in closer. "They look so cute together! This is going to break so many hearts!"
"Right?! And this was after I saw her literally floating him back from the fountain earlier."
"She what?"
"Used her wind powers to carry him! He was just floating there next to her while she walked. It was hilarious."
The one with the phone started typing rapidly. "I'm posting this to the forums."
"Which thread?"
"The Aoyama one, obviously. There's already like three hundred posts talking about him and Garett."
"Three hundred? Wasn't it just two hundred yesterday?"
"People are really invested in this," the girl with glasses said, grinning. "I mean, can you blame them? The guy who saved her from Anti-Entropy, and now she's taking care of him while he recovers? It's like something out of a romance novel."
"Do you think they're actually dating?" the brown-haired girl asked.
The one with the phone shrugged. "I don't know. But look at these photos. They're already so close to each other."
She showed them another picture—one where Wendy was looking at Kenji with what could be interpreted as a soft expression, and he was saying something that seemed to have made her smile.
"That's going straight to the top of the thread," the girl with glasses said confidently.
"Should we add a caption?"
"Hmm... 'Study date in the secret garden?'"
"Too obvious. How about just 'Spotted today' and let people speculate?"
"Perfect."
The one with the phone hit post and set her device down. Within seconds, notifications started popping up.
"People are already commenting," she said, looking pleased. "Fifteen replies in like thirty seconds."
"What are they saying?"
She scrolled through quickly. "Mostly variations of 'I knew it' and several outraged comments. Oh, someone's already making theories about how long they've been dating."
"This is going to be all over campus by tomorrow," the brown-haired girl said.
"Probably already is," her friend replied. "The forums move fast."
They sat there for a moment, watching the notifications continue to pile up.
"Do you think they know?" the girl with glasses asked. "About the forums, I mean."
"Garett definitely knows. She's on there sometimes."
"And Aoyama?"
All three of them paused, then started laughing.
"No way. That guy is completely oblivious. I bet he has no idea any of this exists."
"Someone should tell him."
"And ruin the fun? Absolutely not."
They went back to their lunch, occasionally checking the phone to watch the thread continue to grow.
By the end of the lunch period, the photos had over 100 likes, and the thread had gained another 50 posts.
And Kenji still had no idea.