The morning air was crisp, and the sound of cicadas buzzed lazily in the distance. Students were filing into school, chatting loudly about TV dramas, sports, and of course—the new campus legend: Gray Aster.
Gray, however, was dragging his feet toward the gate like a condemned man heading for the gallows. His tie was loose, his bag was half-open with notebooks spilling out, and his expression screamed sleep deprivation.
Riku jogged beside him, panting from the effort of keeping up with Gray's sluggish shuffle. "Gray, you look like you fought a war last night. Did you… stay up playing games again?"
Gray yawned so wide his jaw cracked. "I was grinding levels in Dragon Quest Heroes Reborn Deluxe Reloaded Plus Edition. My party was on the verge of unlocking ultimate gear, I couldn't just abandon them…"
Riku groaned. "Unbelievable. You're in the middle of being targeted by Razor, and your priority is a video game?"
Gray nodded seriously. "If I die, at least my characters will be immortal."
Riku facepalmed.
Rumors Out of Control
As they stepped into the courtyard, heads immediately turned. Students whispered, pointed, and some even gasped dramatically like they were seeing a celebrity.
"There he is!""That's the guy who embarrassed Razor!""I heard he broke a concrete wall with one punch!""No, I heard he's the secret heir of a martial arts dojo!"
Gray froze. "…What?"
"Gray-senpai!" A group of first-years rushed up, eyes shining. One of them held out a notebook. "Can you sign my notes?"
Gray blinked. "Why would you want my signature? I'm failing math!"
The student clasped his hands together reverently. "Because you're a legend!"
Gray scribbled something lazily, then shoved the notebook back. The first-year looked at it with awe—only to realize Gray had drawn a doodle of a sleepy-looking cat with messy hair.
"…"
But instead of disappointment, the crowd exploded in applause."Even his doodles are powerful!""As expected of Gray-senpai!"
Gray slumped to the ground. "This is how idols must feel… but worse…"
Meanwhile: Razor's Anger
In a dimly lit classroom on the third floor, Razor sat surrounded by his gang. His right hand was still wrapped in a bandage, his face twisted in fury as his lackeys nervously updated him.
"Boss… the rumors are spreading. Everyone thinks Gray is stronger than you."
Razor slammed his fist onto the desk, cracking the wood. "Do they think I'm a joke?!" His glare swept over the room. "I'll prove it. I'll make an example out of him so brutal, no one will ever doubt who runs this school."
One of his lackeys, the buzzcut one, hesitated. "But boss, if you attack him openly, people might say you're insecure. Maybe… we should plan something smarter?"
Razor sneered. "Smarter? He's nothing. A weakling who got lucky. I don't need 'plans.' I'll crush him with my bare hands."
Still, the thought gnawed at him. The laughter he heard in the halls, the whispers behind his back, the way people looked at him now—it all boiled down to one thing: his pride. And that pride demanded blood.
Gray's Classroom Antics
Back in 1-B, Gray had collapsed onto his desk again, trying desperately to pretend he was invisible. But his peace lasted less than ten minutes.
"Gray-kun."
He opened one eye to see Hana standing beside his desk, her ponytail swaying as she leaned down, arms crossed. "You're the talk of the school again."
Gray groaned. "Don't remind me."
Hana raised an eyebrow. "If you hate it so much, maybe stop sleeping in class like you own the place. People will think you're some kind of fearless genius."
"I am fearless," Gray mumbled. "Fearless of grades, responsibility, and exercise."
Hana smacked the back of his head with a notebook.
Before Gray could whine, another voice chimed in softly. "He really doesn't seem like the type, does he?"
It was Miyu, the elegant upperclassman. She stood gracefully by the door, her presence drawing everyone's eyes. "But that's what makes it fascinating. Strength hidden under laziness. A mask of foolishness concealing something else."
Gray sat up, panicked. "No, no, no, you've got it all wrong! This mask isn't hiding anything—it's just my actual stupid face!"
The classroom burst into laughter.
Miyu only smiled faintly. Hana scowled. And Gray died a little inside.
Lunchtime Disaster
At lunch, Gray and Riku sat down with their trays. Gray had his prized chicken cutlet, glistening in the light. He raised his chopsticks dramatically.
"At last, a moment of peace. My beloved cutlet, today you and I—"
BAM!
Someone slammed their tray down across from him. Razor's lackeys. Three of them.
"Oi, Gray," the tallest sneered. "Boss wants to see you after school. Don't be late."
Gray's chopsticks trembled mid-air. "Can it… wait until after I eat?"
The lackeys blinked. "…Are you serious?"
"Yes," Gray said, eyes dead serious. "This cutlet won't wait for me. True love never does."
Riku slapped his forehead. "Gray… please take this seriously."
But instead of getting mad, the lackeys looked at each other nervously.
"Did you see that? He's not even scared…""Maybe the rumors are true…""Even facing Razor, he's more worried about his lunch!"
They left in a hurry, leaving Gray free to eat. He sighed in relief. "See, Riku? Never underestimate the power of food-based priorities."
Riku groaned.
Foreshadowing Trouble
That evening, Gray and Riku were walking home. The streets were bathed in orange light, the air buzzing with the sounds of cicadas.
Gray stretched, yawning. "So Razor wants to see me, huh? Maybe he'll finally apologize for breaking the cafeteria table."
Riku stopped dead in his tracks. "…Gray. He's not going to apologize. He's going to murder you."
Gray blinked. "…Oh."
Up ahead, a group of students from another school leaned against a fence, watching them pass. Their uniforms were different, their grins sharp.
"Hey, isn't that the guy who embarrassed Razor?""Yeah. He doesn't look so tough.""Let's keep an eye on him."
Gray shivered suddenly. He turned to Riku. "Do you ever feel like the world has it out for you?"
Riku sighed. "In your case… yes."
End of Chapter 4