Ryouma adjusted the collar of his uniform in the mirror—plain white shirt, navy slacks, and a black school jacket with silver lining along the cuffs. Nothing special. If anything, it reminded him of those generic uniforms in old student dramas.
He shrugged.
"It'll do."
He grabbed his bag and left the room. Still no working elevator, so it was another four-floor descent on foot. By the time he got to the ground floor, he was already sighing.
And there he was.
Kai.
Leaning on the wall with that usual bored expression, sipping from a can of soda way too early in the morning.
"New school?" Kai asked without looking up.
"Yeah," Ryouma nodded. "Just transferred in. Hoping they'll be kind to me."
Kai gave a lazy smirk. "Break a leg."
Ryouma chuckled. "Thanks, dude."
He jogged off into the street, cutting past a row of vending machines and laundry poles.
And then he saw her.
Same place. Same bench.
The girl in the white robe.
Again.
She was sitting silently, hands resting on her lap, her hood pulled low. Exactly where she had been yesterday evening. And that morning. Almost like she never moved.
Ryouma slowed just a little. Why is she always there? Is she waiting for someone?
He glanced again.
She's… kinda pretty, he admitted internally. But her eyes... they look so damn lonely.
She didn't acknowledge him. And he didn't stop.
He passed her and turned the corner, heading straight into Central District 7—Block A.
---
The heart of Gaia City. Buzzing with schools, labs, and research towers. And most importantly today—
Gaia Academy.
Gaia Academy stood tall and angular against the skyline, a modern fortress of learning wrapped in sleek alloys and glowing logos. A line of drones zipped by overhead as Ryouma walked up to the main gates. The logo of the Academy shimmered on a curved screen above the entrance.
GAIA ACADEMY – Central District Branch
"Five years ago," he murmured, looking up at the building. "Didn't think I'd actually end up here."
He knew the way to the principal's office well enough—he had been here once before, back when the idea of transferring had still been a "maybe." A quiet kid visiting from a lower district, staring up at the ceiling lights and thinking, one day.
And now that day had come.
Inside the office, the Principal, a silver-haired man with piercing blue eyes and a dry sense of humor, was already waiting. Standing next to him was a young woman.
"Ah, Winslow," the principal said. "You're right on time."
"Thanks for having me," Ryouma said with a respectful bow.
The woman turned to him.
Petite. Sharp eyes. Long dark hair tied in a neat bun. White blouse, black skirt, lab coat slung casually over her shoulders. She barely looked older than some of the seniors.
The principal gestured. "This is Ms. Tomoe Tsukishida, your homeroom teacher."
Ms. Tomoe, huh… Petite, but...
His thoughts wandered for a moment before he caught himself. Damn. Those are some—
He suddenly locked eyes with her.
He immediately looked away when he realized where his eyes had gone.
But it was too late.
Ms. Tomoe was staring right at him.
He could feel it. That blank stare that saw through everything.
"…She definitely knows what I was thinking," he muttered in his mind.
What he didn't know was—
Ms. Tomoe was thinking something else entirely.
(Is he wondering how someone who looks this young can be a teacher?)
That's not what Ryouma was thinking.
At all.
"Well then," the principal said, "I'll leave you both to it. Ms. Tomoe, please escort him to class."
They exited together, and the halls filled with student chatter in the distance.
"You're Ryouma, right?" she said, walking beside him with even steps. "I guess you've already heard, but I'm Ms. Tomoe Tsukishida. Nice to meet you. I'll be your homeroom teacher."
"Likewise," he replied. "I'll be in your care."
Ms. Tomoe looked at him sideways. "Right now, you're probably thinking, 'How can such a young girl be a teacher?' I saw that look in your eyes earlier."
Ryouma stayed quiet.
(Nope.)
(I was actually thinking—how can a petite woman have those knockers.)
Still, he just kept walking.
Ms. Tomoe stopped. "See? There it is again. That look. And stop staring at my chest."
"…Sorry."
He cleared his throat. "Sorry. But honestly, I don't think age is what determines a good teacher. If you're worried about how you look to your students, then maybe you're a little self-conscious—but you don't have to worry with me. I don't judge people based on appearance."
Ms. Tomoe blinked.
That was… a first.
Most of her students either doubted her authority or got distracted by her appearance. No one had ever said anything like that.
"…Thank you," she said quietly. "You're the first student who's ever respected me as a teacher. Most of them… just act rebellious."
"Well," Ryouma said with a shrug, "they're teenagers. High school students just want to live their high school life. I think they care more than you realize."
"You think so?"
"They just don't know how to show it."
They reached the classroom door.
"Stand here," Ms. Tomoe said. "I'll call you in."
She stepped inside. The noise instantly dipped.
"Alright, class," she said. "Today we're welcoming a transfer student."
Groans. Mutters. Bored noises.
Someone in the back raised their hand. "Ms. Tomoe… why are you blushing?"
"Shut up. None of your business," she snapped.
She turned toward the door.
"You can come in now."
Ryouma stepped into the classroom and immediately scanned the rows of students seated before him. Most glanced up, idle curiosity written on their faces.
"Everyone," Ms. Tomoe began, her voice light but firm, "this is Ryouma Winslow. He'll be joining us starting today. Be sure to welcome him—and FYI, he has a better personality than most of you, so don't go warping it."
Some of the students chuckled. Ryouma smiled faintly and took a step forward.
"As you might already know, I'm Level Eta," he said, voice calm, confident. "That means I have no Gaia ability, just like most of you here. But that doesn't mean I'll tolerate being a target. I've trained in various martial arts for years, and I'm pretty strong despite lacking powers. I hope we can all be friends. Thank you."
Ms. Tomoe smiled faintly and pointed to an empty seat—middle row, fourth chair. "Go ahead and sit there."
He made his way to the seat. The lesson was about to start when someone tapped his shoulder.
"Hey," a boy said with a friendly grin. "Name's Yuuto Nagatsuki. But just call me Yuu. Nice to meet ya."
Ryouma returned the grin. "Ryouma Winslow. You can call me Ryo."
"Cool, Ryo." Yuu leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Ms. Tomoe, huh? She's always acting super self-conscious, but seriously, she's a total knockout. Petite body, but damn—she's got assets."
Ryouma glanced at Ms. Tomoe at the board. Yeah… she was kind of a knockout. But he sighed, turning back to Yuu.
"So you guys don't really respect her as a teacher, huh?"
Yuu blinked. "Whoa, I didn't say that."
"She's a knockout, yes," Ryouma continued, "but she's still your teacher. You should probably give her a little more credit."
The boy on Ryouma's other side spoke up. "We do respect her—really. It's just… her reactions make it too easy to tease."
Ryouma turned to him, eyebrow raised.
"Oh, right." The boy offered his hand. "Ryu Mori. Call me Ryu."
"Ryouma Winslow. Call me Ryo."
"Guess we're friends now," Ryu said with a grin.
Ms. Tomoe turned toward them with a deadpan look. "Are you two seriously trying to warp him already? I finally get one respectful student and you clowns are trying to corrupt him into your weird little cult?"
"Sorry, Ms. Tomoe," both boys said in unison.
Then Ryu smirked. "And what's with the blushing?"
Ms. Tomoe stiffened. "Shut up. None of your business."
Laughter echoed across the classroom.
Ms. Tomoe sighed and continued. "Listen, I know you all get looked down on for being Level Eta. I know the rest of the student body sees you as failures. But you're not. Not having a Gaia ability doesn't make you worthless. Gaia Academy is for everyone—no matter your level, your ability, or your past. You belong here."
The room quieted for a moment, the students visibly softening under her words.
That's when Ryouma noticed a girl watching him from across the room. She didn't look away when their eyes met. She simply gave a small smile and waved.
He blinked, then smiled back and returned the wave. Okay… nice.
Wow, he thought. This place is full of knockout babes like her too?
His gaze slipped lower, not consciously at first—but his eyes noticed. Ms. Tomoe's might be big, but hers… hers are ginormous. Not too big. Just—big enough.
And that's when she caught him.
She didn't look away. Instead, she lifted a hand and covered her chest with a sigh. The look she gave him was cutting—like she'd just filed him away in her mind as another pervy boy.
Ryouma immediately straightened, eyes darting down at his desk.
Seriously? Did I just make an enemy out of her?
---
The rest of the lesson continued smoothly, the air still buzzing faintly from the earlier laughter. When the break bell chimed, most students slouched in their chairs or stood up to stretch. Ryoma didn't hesitate—he made his way over to the girl who had caught him staring earlier.
He stopped just in front of her desk and bowed his head slightly. "Hey… about earlier, I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean to stare."
She crossed her arms, tilting her head. "Oh? So you knew you were doing something inappropriate?"
Ryoma scratched his cheek, slightly sheepish. "I mean, I don't think it was bad… but yeah, I knew it wasn't ideal. Still, I'm a teenage boy. Stuff like that just… happens. It's not like we choose to act that way—it's in the programming."
Her expression didn't change for a moment. Then she sighed, lightly. "It's still indecent. I don't like indecent behavior."
He bowed his head again, more sincerely this time. "Fair enough."
"But…" she continued, eyes softening, "the fact you apologized means you're not like the rest of them." She cast a sharp glance at Yuuto and Ryu, who were lounging in their seats and immediately felt her glare. They stiffened as if on instinct.
She looked back at Ryoma, extending her hand. "The name's Mayuri Kazuki. Nice to meet you."
Ryoma shook it gently. "Ryoma Winslow. But you can just call me Ryo."
"Oh? First-name basis already?" she teased, a faint smirk on her lips.
He chuckled. "Can I call you Mayu?"
She blinked once, then smiled faintly. "You're the first to try that. I don't mind… but don't turn into those two." She motioned with her chin at the pair still watching.
"Don't worry," Ryoma said, smirking back. "I'm not interested in making enemies. And I've got better role models than them."
Mayuri nodded approvingly. "Good. So… did you bring lunch?"
Ryoma shook his head. "Nope."
"Then come on," she said, gesturing with her head. "Cafeteria's decent today."
As the two left the classroom side by side, the scene shifted to Yuuto and Ryu watching from their seats.
Ryu leaned forward, whispering with an impressed grin. "Well, damn. The new guy actually managed to snag the class rep. That's a first. She usually ignores every guy who tries to talk to her."
Yuuto folded his arms behind his head. "Maybe he's got some kinda charm. I mean, he doesn't really act like one of us Etas. He walks and talks more like a Noble, don't you think?"
Ryu shrugged. "Maybe he is one. Who knows?"
---
Cafeteria
Mayuri and Ryoma sat at a small corner table by the windows, trays in front of them. Steam rose from bowls of noodles and rice, the noise of other students a soft hum around them.
"So," Mayuri said between bites, "where were you before Gaia Academy?"
Ryoma leaned back, tapping his chopsticks thoughtfully. "Lived with my grandpa. Out in the countryside. Real backwater place—old forest, no tech, barely any signal. I only recently came back to Gaia City."
Mayuri tilted her head. "That line you said earlier… about being strong even without a Gaia ability. You do realize this school's no joke, right? We've got some of the strongest Gaias in the city here."
"I know," Ryoma replied calmly. "But power isn't everything. My grandpa used to say… 'Even a lion falls to a thousand ants if it lets its guard down.' There's always a way to beat someone stronger."
She nodded slowly, intrigued. "You've got confidence. I'll give you that."
"Oh, by the way," Ryoma added, "I heard most Level Etas actually have an ability, just too weak to be classified properly. Is that true?"
Mayuri gave a small, reluctant nod. "Yeah. Mine's one of those. It's so weak, most people don't even think it counts."
Ryoma leaned forward slightly. "That's not true. Every ability has potential. You just need to understand it better. I've studied a lot about Gaias, even if I'm not one. I can help you improve yours."
She blinked in surprise. "You'd really do that?"
"Sure. Just name the time. We can even make it a regular thing."
She smiled, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Alright then. But you better not pull anything weird. Or I'll make sure you regret it."
Ryoma laughed lightly. "No worries. But hey, accidents happen. So if something does, don't hold it against me."
She turned a light shade of pink. "T-then make sure no accidents happen," she mumbled, looking away.
He smirked playfully. "I'll try my best."
After a pause, he asked, "So, what's the name of your Gaia Ability?"
Mayuri paused, twirling her chopsticks. "…It's called Telekinetic."
Ryoma blinked. "Huh?"
CHAPTER END.