Claine's pov
Oh my G! I can't believe Sis really kissed Jin! Like, AAAAHHH! They're so sweet! I never expected her to actually go through with my suggestion! Meanwhile, Ryu and I have been dating for months, and the most he's done is hug me and hold my hand. I envy them so much! I swear, I'm rooting for them! They better end up together!
But seriously, our conversation earlier was so random. I didn't even mean to say it—it just slipped out!
*A Few Hours Ago*
"Claine? Can I ask you something?" my gorgeous sis asked, though, obviously, I'm still the prettier one.
"What is it, my dear sister? If you're looking for a love potion, I don't know where to get one, so don't expect me to help you." I was about to continue brushing my teeth when she suddenly smacked me on the head! Excuse me?! Does she think that doesn't hurt?!
"What the fuck are you talking about, you idiot?!" sis huffed, clearly irritated.
"Ugh, what do you want? I was in the middle of brushing my teeth, you know." I glared at her, already losing patience.
"You like Ryu, right?" she asked suddenly.
Well, duh? Isn't that obvious? I just nodded and continued brushing.
"Does he like you back? I mean, genuinely?"
I spit out the toothpaste before answering, "Yeah, he told me he loves me and that his feelings are real. He even kissed me on the forehead when he said it." Just remembering that moment made me smile. Ryu told me his feelings for me grow deeper every day and that he has no regrets about dating me. He's so sweet!
Sis fell silent for a second before dropping a bombshell. "What should I do to make Jin fall for me?"
I nearly choked on my own spit and ended up spitting out the remaining toothpaste in shock. "Are you serious, Sis? Is this legit? Not a scam? No more bullshits?" Because honestly, I need to make sure she's not trolling me before I waste my breath giving advice.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" she deadpanned.
I squinted at her, trying to see if she was messing with me. "What the hell did you eat to suddenly act like this?"
She rolled her eyes. "Just tell me what I should do."
This was serious. We were talking about Ate's love life here.
"You know I like Jin, right? Even the others have noticed it. But why is he so oblivious?! He doesn't have a single clue! Is he an idiot?!"
Whoa, whoa, whoa—calm down, Sis. Calling him an idiot right away? That's a bit harsh.
"Sis, Jin is just really dense when it comes to things like this. He doesn't realize when someone likes him, or maybe he just doesn't want to assume."
"You think so?"
I nodded in response.
"But I can feel that he's into Briana. He doesn't even look at me or notice me." Her voice turned sad, and for a second, I felt bad. But honestly, I think she's just overthinking things. Sis Briana is pretty, but I don't think she's Jin's type. And as for Jin not noticing her? That's a lie! I've caught him staring at her plenty of times!
My God! Why don't these two just confess to each other already?! They're a couple of idiots! That's right! Both of them are idiots and they suit each other!
"You know what, Sis? Why don't you just confess to him already? Who knows? Maybe he likes you too."
Her shoulders dropped, and she looked completely defeated. "I can't do that, sis. That's way too risky."
Oh my God, my sister is so dumb.
"Sis, you're so stupid," I told her bluntly.
Her eyes widened. "Excuse me?!"
"I said you're stupid," I repeated. "If you won't confess, then why don't you just kiss him instead? Use your beauty! Use that figure you keep bragging about! Ugh, you're so stressful to talk to. I'm done. You're no fun." I rolled my eyes and went back to washing my face.
"Okay. If you think that'll work, then I'll do it."
Hah? Wait, what?!
Before I could even react, Ate dashed out of the room in a hurry.
"Hey! Sis, I was just joking—" I tried to call after her, but she was already gone.
Well. Too late now. As if she'd actually do it anyway.
...Right?
***
And yet... SHE DID IT. SHE ACTUALLY DID IT.
I swear, I can't handle this! And I definitely didn't expect her to fall this hard for Jin! Sigh I'm so proud of her. My sister's all grown up. I take back what I said—she's got some serious guts!
Right now, their lips are still touching. Oh my god, they're so into it! But at the same time, Jin looks completely stunned.
When they finally pulled away, the awkward silence that followed was deafening. The shock was so intense that even everyone around us seemed frozen. Nobody dared to move. It felt like one of those kids' games where whoever moves first loses.
My sister turned bright red before bolting out of the training hall. Still, no one moved. Even Jin just stood there, touching his lips in shock.
I was already dying to laugh, but what really pushed me over the edge was the fact that everyone had completely forgotten about Kev, who was still lying flat on the mats like roadkill. Poor guy. Nobody even checked if he was still alive.
"Ugh, what the fuck just happened?" Kev groaned as he finally sat up. And that was when the chaos began.
"HOLYYYY SHIIIIIT!"
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"
"MASTER JIN, PLEASE STEP ON ME!"
"DAMN IT, WHY CAN'T THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!"
Everyone started freaking out, especially Ken. Meanwhile, Kev still looked confused, as if he had just woken up in a completely different timeline.
I couldn't hold it in anymore—I burst out laughing! This was too much! Absolute comedy gold! I even caught sis Briana shaking her head in amusement from the corner, while sis Jeanine was still frozen in shock, staring blankly at where my sister had just been.
Wow. I really didn't expect any of this to happen.
I definitely need to interrogate my sister later—what the hell possessed her to actually go through with it?!
_______________________________________
Jin's pov
Days have passed since we started training as a group, and all I can say is that we've all improved and grown drastically—especially Kev and Ryu, who were already strong to begin with. It's impressive to see how much we've progressed in such a short time.
Despite how physically demanding our training is—especially when Ken takes the lead and pushes us to our limits—none of us have sustained any major injuries. Just minor scrapes and bruises, which are nothing unusual given the intensity of our regimen.
As for what happened between Kai and me... to be honest, it brought us closer—closer than I ever expected. She's become so much more open about her feelings, which is honestly kind of cute. Sometimes, it even feels like I'm talking to Claine trapped inside Kai's body with how bold she's become.
"Good morning, Jin!" Speak of the devil—there she is, flashing a bright smile as she approaches me.
"Hey, Kai. Good morning," I greet her back with a small smile of my own.
"Let's have breakfast! The others already ate, so it's just the two of us left," she says before walking toward the dining area. Since I was starting to feel a little hungry myself, I follow without hesitation.
As soon as we reach the kitchen, Kai turns to me with a playful glint in her eyes. "What do you want? Juice? Coffee? Or... me?" She winks, and I nearly choke on my own breath.
Damn it, this is exactly what I was talking about earlier! She's way too bold now! I barely manage to compose myself before responding.
"I'll take coffee, thanks," I say, quickly grabbing the mug from her hands before she can say anything else that might give me a heart attack. I get another cup for her and start making coffee for the both of us.
"Aww, why didn't you pick me?" she teases, feigning disappointment.
"Because I'm hungry," I reply nonchalantly while stirring sugar into my coffee.
"Then have me for breakfast," she quips.
I almost dump an entire packet of sugar into my cup. I swear, she needs to stop doing this before I suffer a heart attack at such a young age!
She laughs as if she finds my reactions amusing. "Just kidding!" she adds, grinning. I shake my head—sometimes I wonder if Kai is just naturally this chaotic or if she enjoys watching me struggle.
She prepares two pieces of toasted bread for herself, while I go for rice, hotdogs, and eggs. We begin eating, and as expected, the conversation continues.
"So, this is our last day here. Have you packed your stuff yet? We're leaving in the afternoon, right?" she asks between bites.
"Yeah, Ken and I packed everything last night. I don't know about the others, though. What about you? Are you ready to go?"
"Not yet," she admits before sighing. "Speaking of which, I need to find Claine and make her help me pack."
She stands up, getting ready to leave, but I glance at the bread she left untouched. "Aren't you going to finish your food?"
"Nah, I'm on a diet," she says nonchalantly.
She doesn't need to do that. Her body is already perfect the way it is.
"Anyway, I'll go find Claine now." Before I can even respond, she leans in and gives me a quick peck on the cheek before walking off as if it was nothing.
I sit there, frozen, my mind scrambling to process what just happened.
Damn it. She's so sweet—like we're already a couple. But we're not... right?
No labels.
Damn it...
After finishing my meal, I immediately headed to training, following our usual routine here at the camp. I can feel the progress I've made, the strength I've gained—this must be the fruit of all our hard work. I'm certain that every single one of us has grown stronger, far more than we were before.
Hours passed, and we finally took a break. It was already three in the afternoon, just two hours before we had to leave. We all gathered in the lobby for our final meeting at the training camp. This experience had been nothing short of thrilling, exciting, and, honestly, one of the most memorable for me.
"Is everyone here?" Ken asked, scanning the room, his sharp eyes checking if all members of the Crows were present. After confirming that no one was missing, he nodded. "Looks like we're complete. Let's begin our final meeting."
He stepped forward, standing in the center alongside Kev, Ryu, and the other captains, as well as our co-leader, Briana. The moment he opened his mouth, his voice carried authority and confidence.
"This training camp was one of our many steps toward becoming stronger. Every single one of you showed dedication, the hunger to grow, and the willingness to push past your limits. Each of us improved in our own way. I can feel the difference in all of you—our presence is stronger, more refined, more dangerous. But we cannot afford to be overconfident. I'm sure the other clans have also trained just as hard. However, we have a goal—a singular objective that we must engrave in our minds. And that is to stand at the pinnacle. We will be number one, and we will claim that victory in Sensō High."
A surge of excitement ran through me, and I couldn't help but clap along with the others. Ken was truly an exceptional leader. He had already proven himself, earning our trust and respect countless times.
As the meeting ended, we waited for the remaining members to finish packing up. Soon, everyone was ready, and one by one, we loaded into the vehicles that had brought us here.
At exactly six-thirty in the evening, we arrived at our destination. Some of our comrades began saying their goodbyes.
"We'll head out first, Jin," Kev said as he and Ryu climbed onto a cab.
"See you tomorrow, Jin! Bye! Bye, Jeanine!" Kai called out as she left with Claine and Briana. My sister waved back at them as a farewell.
Jeanine entered the house first, but before I could follow, a familiar sensation crept up my spine.
He's here again... watching me.
I exhaled sharply before stepping inside. After setting down my bags, I immediately dialed Ken's number. He picked up after just one ring.
["Yo, Jin! What's up? I just left—did you already miss me?"]
I rolled my eyes and ignored his teasing. "Where are you?"
["At a nearby resto with Kise. Why?"]
"Come here for a bit. I'll go eat with you guys later."
["Alright, we'll swing by."]
Hanging up, I remained still, focusing on my surroundings. He was still out there. I had first sensed someone following me back when I set foot in Sensō High. That same presence had lingered, always watching. Even at the training camp, he was there. But what bothered me the most was the absence of any hostility. No killing intent, no threats—just an ever-present gaze.
What's his deal? Who is he?
Moments later, Ken and Kise arrived, both looking slightly concerned.
"Hey, Jin! What's up?" Ken asked as soon as he stepped off his bike.
"Looks like I'm being followed," I said bluntly. Kise's eyes widened, but Ken only crossed his arms, seemingly unsurprised.
"So, you noticed too, huh?" he mused.
"I've actually known for a while," I admitted. "But I have no idea who he is."
"Not even a clue?" Kise chimed in, his brows furrowed.
I shook my head. "None. That's why I called Ken—I thought maybe he'd know something."
Ken sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I honestly have no idea either. But if he wanted to harm you, he would've done it by now."
Kise scoffed. "So, what? He's just a shadow lurking around? Like some kind of ghost? Where is he now?"
Instead of answering, I picked up a small pebble and hurled it at one of the trees nearby. A rustle followed, and seconds later, a figure in a black hoodie leaped from the branches and sprinted in the opposite direction.
Kise instinctively stepped forward. "Should we follow him?" He looked eager, but Ken grabbed his arm before he could move.
"No need," Ken said firmly before hopping back onto his bike. "Besides, I have a feeling he won't try anything against us. Let's just go."
I hesitated, glancing in the direction the hooded man had disappeared. I wanted answers—I wanted to know why he was watching me. But Ken was right. Now wasn't the time.
"Fine," I muttered, retrieving my bike from the garage.
As we rode toward the resto, I couldn't shake the lingering questions from my mind.
I don't know who he is yet. But one thing is certain—I will find out soon.