Morning — School Gate
The air was crisp, sunlight piercing through the leaves that rustled above the school gate. Students gathered in small circles, murmuring and glancing nervously toward the entrance.
Then—
Click. Clack. Click.
Polished shoes struck the pavement with a slow, deliberate rhythm.
Kenta—known on the streets as King—stepped forward first. A sleek black jacket rested over his shoulders like a cape, his tie loose, his golden chain glinting in the sun. Cold eyes. Sharp smirk. The king had arrived.
At his right stood Shin—hands in pockets, eyes unreadable behind silver glasses. A genius with a twisted grin. The mastermind, the hacker, the ghost in every system.
To Kenta's left stood Amelia. Calm. Elegant. Her long dark coat fluttered lightly in the breeze. She didn't smile. She didn't need to. Her presence was enough to freeze anyone in their tracks.
Students parted like the sea, whispering as they passed.
"That's the K1NGS crew…"
"They say one call from Amelia can erase you from existence…"
"Shin hacked the principal's files for fun last week…"
"King Kenta? He made three gangs vanish in a month…"
At the school gate, they paused.
Kenta pulled out a stick of gum, chewed slowly, then glanced at the crowd.
"Tch. No Ryker yet," he muttered.
Shin checked his watch. "Knowing him, he'll arrive the moment things get interesting."
"Let him come," Amelia said softly, eyes scanning the crowd like a queen surveying her kingdom. "We rule this school. With or without him."
Suddenly—
Footsteps.
A figure appeared from around the corner.
The fourth member was here.
The gathering of the K1NGS had begun.
The midday sun cast a warm glow over the school courtyard, where students lingered after lunch, laughing and chatting in clusters. Ryker stood alone near the edge of the gate, his gaze calm but alert. There was a shift in the air—an instinct born of experience. He felt it before he heard it.
Footsteps. Dozens of them.
The noise grew louder, more synchronized, like a slow-rolling thunder across concrete. Heads turned. Whispers spread. A massive group of boys—nearly a hundred strong—marched through the courtyard in perfect unison. They weren't just students. They were soldiers. Behind them, leading the pack, walked a boy with sharp eyes and a dangerous presence.
Kenta.
Known by many as King.
At his side stood two familiar faces—Shin, hands in his pockets, cold and calculating, and Amelia, standing with quiet confidence and a knowing smile.
The crowd parted as the group advanced, stopping only when they reached Ryker. A silence fell, heavy with tension.
From within the ranks, a boy with slick hair and a smirk stepped forward. Gin. His voice rang loud and clear.
"We are the K1NGS Crew," he declared, arms spread dramatically. "And from today onward, this school is ours."
Ryker didn't respond. He simply studied them, expression unreadable.
Kenta stepped forward.
"Ryker. Sol." He glanced over to Sol, who stood nearby, wide-eyed. "I want both of you to join us."
Sol's face lit up. "Whoa… King, you have your own crew? That's so cool!" He looked to Ryker. "Come on, this is huge!"
But Ryker didn't move. His voice, when it came, was low and dismissive.
"I'm not interested."
The words cut through the air like a blade. Murmurs erupted among the gathered students. Eyes darted between Ryker and Kenta, tension rising.
From behind Kenta, a larger boy stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with a snarl. Nero. His towering frame and cocky grin made him look like a beast ready to charge.
"If you're not interested," Nero said, "then fight me."
Ryker turned his head slightly, eyes landing on him like frost. The corner of his mouth twitched—not in amusement, but in disdain.
"I don't waste my time on trash."
The courtyard gasped. Even the wind seemed to pause.
Nero's eyes burned. "Say that again."
Ryker took a step closer, his presence pressing down like gravity.
"Make me."
And in that moment, with no weapons drawn, no fists raised, it became clear—
This wasn't just some student.
This was Ryker Tensai.
Tension still hung in the air as Nero stepped back, silenced not by defeat, but by something worse—irrelevance.
Sol stepped forward, eyes still sparkling.
"I want to join," he said, almost like a kid handed his dream.
Ryker didn't flinch. He looked at Sol, voice calm and without judgment.
"It's your choice."
Shin tilted his head, intrigued. "Sol, can Izumi and Tasuya join too?"
Sol turned around. "Of course. They're with me."
Kenta gave a single nod. "Then they're in."
Gin raised a brow, whispering to Shin, "Just like that?"
"Sol has presence. He brings light," Shin replied simply.
From the side, Amelia stepped closer, her arms crossed as she studied Ryker's detached expression.
"You really don't want to join us?" she asked, voice soft but firm.
Ryker's answer came without hesitation.
"No."
The silence returned—not from shock, but from clarity.
Amelia blinked once, disappointed but not surprised. "Why?"
Ryker turned away, eyes focused on something far beyond the school walls.
"Because I don't follow kings."
He walked off, leaving the group standing still, a hundred eyes tracking his departure.
And as he disappeared around the corner, even King felt it.
The one who refused to follow… might be the one destined to lead.
As Ryker disappeared into the school hallway, the tension slowly began to fade. But the scene was far from over.
Two more figures strolled in from the side gate—Izumi, calm as ever, hands in his pockets, and Tasuya, chewing on a lollipop with a blank expression.
Sol waved, excited. "Heyyy! You guys came! Join the crew!"
Izumi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You're like a kid who just got invited to his first birthday party."
Sol scratched the back of his head, grinning. "What? It's cool, right?"
Tasuya's eyes narrowed as he looked around at the black-hooded crowd. "Why do you want us to join?"
Before Sol could answer, Shin stepped in.
"Because you're strong," he said bluntly. "And Sol trusts you."
Kenta watched silently, arms folded, his presence alone commanding the scene. Amelia stood beside him, her gaze flicking from Izumi to Tasuya, curious.
Izumi sighed. "Tch. I hate crowds."
"But I don't mind crushing a few egos now and then," Tasuya added with a lazy smile.
Sol nudged them both. "Come on. It'll be fun."
Izumi and Tasuya shared a look, then finally nodded.
"…Fine," Izumi said.
"Don't make me regret it," Tasuya muttered.
The K1NGS Crew grew stronger.
But deep in the shadows of the school… one boy still walked alone.
Ryker leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the window. Outside, the black-hooded figures of the K1NGS Crew lingered in his thoughts.
"Crew, huh… The K1NGS Crew," Ryker muttered under his breath. "But I've never seen those students before. Not once in this school."
He tapped his fingers on the desk, mind deep in thought. Who were they? Why now? And why me?
The classroom was mostly empty. The early bell hadn't rung yet. A faint breeze came through the open window, brushing against his face.
Just then, a voice broke his silence.
"What are you thinking about?"
He looked up. Aisa stood beside his desk, her schoolbag in one hand, the morning sun lighting her soft features. Her tone was casual, but her eyes held concern.
Ryker blinked, then looked away. "Nothing important."
Aisa sat down in the seat next to him, studying his expression.
"You always say that when something is important," she said with a small smile.
Ryker was quiet for a moment, then spoke softly.
"…Do you trust people who show up out of nowhere and act like they own the world?"
Aisa tilted her head. "Depends. Do they have black hoodies and 100 people marching behind them?"
Ryker smirked faintly. "Exactly."
Aisa leaned closer, her voice dropping to a softer tone.
"Ryker… you've been distant lately. Even more than usual."
He didn't respond right away. His fingers paused mid-tap on the desk, and his eyes stayed on the drifting clouds outside.
She continued, "I saw the way you looked at them. That crew. You're thinking too much again. About everything."
Ryker finally turned to her. There was something cold—but tired—in his gaze.
"I just don't like unknown pieces showing up on the board."
"You mean people?" she asked.
"No," he said. "I mean threats."
Aisa's smile faded. She placed her bag down and rested her hands on the desk.
"You always think everything's a threat, Ryker. But… you're still a kid. You can let people in. Not everyone is an enemy."
His jaw tensed. "That's what people say right before they get betrayed."
The words hit heavier than he intended. Aisa lowered her eyes.
"…I'm not asking you to trust them. Just—don't shut everyone out."
Ryker glanced at her.
"Are you worried about me?"
She didn't look away. "Always."
For a brief second, the wall around him cracked. A soft breeze rustled the pages of his open notebook, and in that moment of silence, Ryker's expression softened.
"Thanks, Aisa."