Prologue: A Day at Shalle
"Phew… Today's training done. These 20-ton gravity dumbbells are perfect," Mash said, wiping sweat. To him, it was an ordinary, peaceful day with no work left. "Time to chill."
As he began changing, the door slammed open. BAM!
"Today's my day off!" a voice bellowed.
"What!?" Mash blinked, question marks floating above his head.
Shalle Office
"Rin-san, what's up?" Mash asked.
"It's my day OFF!" Rin shouted, eyes wild.
"Uh, off?" Mash repeated.
"OFF!" Rin insisted, pacing frantically.
"She's not making sense," Mash muttered.
Rin skipped clumsily around him, grinning maniacally—a stark contrast to her usual composure. Mash grew mildly concerned.
"I got carried away," Rin said, snapping back.
"You're back," Mash noted.
"Good morning, Sensei. Thanks for your hard work," she said formally.
"That outburst doesn't vanish," Mash teased.
"Forget it!" Rin blushed, adjusting her glasses.
Mash sat her down to hear her out. Turns out, today was Rin's rare day off, courtesy of the Federal Student Council's consideration.
"They gave me a break," Rin said, voice cracking. "I'm… so relieved."
"Whoa, there, there," Mash soothed, patting her head as her emotions wavered.
"Why come here?" he asked.
"Straight to the point," Rin said. "Sensei, make me relax."
"Huh?" Mash blinked.
"De-stress me completely," she pressed.
"Rin-san, maybe sleep?" Mash suggested.
"No! Sleeping wastes my day off!" she snapped, eyes blazing with determination.
Rin's exhaustion stemmed from the Federal Student Council President's disappearance—the one who summoned Mash to Kivotos. As acting president, Rin managed thousands of academies with barely two hours of sleep nightly. No wonder she was unraveling.
"You've helped me tons, so I'll help you," Mash said.
"Thank you," Rin replied.
"But why me?" he asked.
"I heard you gave Hina Sorasaki the ultimate day off," Rin said. "I'm jealous. I want one too."
"You said it all," Mash chuckled.
"Let's go!" Rin urged, still in her work clothes.
"Shouldn't you change?" Mash asked.
"No time to waste!" she declared.
"Sorry," Mash said, resigned. Rin-san's intense today. He committed to relieving her stress.
Sports Center
Mash led Rin to a sprawling sports facility, perfect for blowing off steam.
"Will this help?" Rin asked skeptically.
"A friend said it's the best for venting," Mash replied.
"What first?" she asked.
"To release pent-up stress, we start here," Mash said, guiding her to a boxing ring with punching mitts and a practice area.
"Boxing you? Won't I die?" Rin asked, alarmed.
"Not me—these mitts. Punch and kick them as hard as you can," Mash explained, holding them up.
Rin, unaccustomed to combat, slipped on gloves and jabbed weakly. "This is tough," she said, tapping the mitts.
"Put your frustrations into it," Mash encouraged. "Venting to someone's a great stress reliever."
Rin's eyes lit up. "I'm the Federal Student Council's Chief Administrative Officer, right? I've earned my place with results!" Her jabs grew heavier. BAM!
"Whoa," Mash said.
"'If you're so great, this paperwork's easy, right?' they say!" Rin punched harder. "I'm alive! I have limits! Yet they pile on work!" BAM!
"Nice, Rin-san, keep it up," Mash said. (She's got some power.)
"They call me 'fat' or 'huge'!" Rin roared, punches rotating. "I haven't grown! Get your eyes checked!" WHAM!
"That's harsh," Mash said.
"Since you arrived, my workload eased, and I got sleep and meals!" Rin continued, pummeling. "But the same papers keep coming, frying my brain!" THUD!
(Her punches are spinning. She's got talent, Mash thought.)
"'The Council just sits around!' 'Brainy nobodies!'" Rin mimicked. "Try my job, then!" She spun into a high roundhouse kick.
(A high kick?) Mash blocked with a mitt. BANG!
"And you, Sensei!" Rin turned.
"Me?" Mash gulped.
"Do paperwork properly! Stop breaking doors!" she yelled.
"Sorry," Mash said.
"Paperwork's fine, but doors!? And stop making cream puffs in our kitchen!" Rin ranted.
"Sorry," Mash repeated.
"That sweet smell during work is torture!" she shouted.
"Really sorry," Mash said.
"But thanks for keeping Kivotos safe!" Rin added, still swinging.
"Sudden gratitude, but you're not stopping," Mash noted.
"One last thing—" Rin wound up. "President, where are you!?" Her right hook sent a mitt flying as Mash dodged.
"Phew… Sensei," Rin panted, beaming. "Let's go again. This works."
"We've got time," Mash said.
"I'm not looking down on anyone!" Rin roared, resuming.
For an hour, Rin vented through boxing, then tried other sports, reveling in the release.
Hours Later, Shalle
"I feel amazing," Rin said, poised and refreshed.
"Glad to hear it," Mash replied.
"I'll use this method again. Join me next time?" Rin asked.
"Sure," Mash nodded.
Rin stretched, and Mash offered a cream puff. "Want one?"
"Yes… I've been craving these," Rin said, taking it. Biting in, she flashed a rare, adorable smile, unlike her usual stern demeanor.
"Sorry, Sensei," she said softly.
"For what?" Mash asked.
"For yelling like that," Rin mumbled.
"No big deal. 'Bottled stress kills,' my grandpa said," Mash replied.
"As Chief Administrative Officer—" Rin began.
"You're my student first," Mash interrupted. "Listening to your gripes and helping you rest is my job."
Rin froze, touched. Mash ate his cream puff. "Anything else you want? I owe you as a friend."
Rin hesitated, recalling a memory. "A lap pillow… please?"
"My knees are iron-hard," Mash warned.
"That's fine," Rin said.
Mash sat on a sofa, and Rin, removing her glasses, rested her head on his lap. Despite the hardness, she fell asleep instantly, utterly relaxed.
"This might look bad if someone sees," Mash muttered. ('Sensei, are you two that close!?' they'd say.)
"It'll be fine with an explanation," he decided, draping his jacket over her. He recalled his grandpa Regro doing the same for him long ago. Then, something cold touched his thigh.
"…President…" Rin murmured, tears falling.
Mash realized Rin missed the President as much as he missed his grandpa. "It's tough, missing someone important," he said softly, wiping her tears and stroking her hair.
"Thanks for always working hard, Rin-chan," he whispered.
Rin smiled in her sleep, and Mash's face softened.
The Next Day
"Sensei, we need to talk—" Yuuka began, entering.
"Guuu… zzz," Mash snored.
"Suu… suu…" Rin slept.
(What's this!? Are they… No, it's Mash-sensei. They're just sleeping. Let's let them rest, Yuuka thought.)
Yuuka, on duty, quietly left, taping a "Do Not Enter!" sign on the door.
"Guuu… zzz."
"Suu… suu…"
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