The evening sun dipped low, painting the sky a soft amber. Gray shuffled home after the longest school day of his life, dragging his feet across the quiet street.
"Why is it," he muttered to himself, "that everyone suddenly thinks I'm some martial arts prodigy? All I did was… exist."
The thought weighed on him, but only for a moment—because the smell of his mother's cooking hit him the second he opened the door.
"Gray, wash your hands before you sit down!" his mother's voice rang from the kitchen, as warm and sharp as always.
"Yes, ma'am…" Gray sighed, tossing his bag onto the couch and trudging to the sink.
The Family Dinner
The Aster family gathered around the dinner table:
Mr. Aster, Gray's father, a broad-shouldered man with tired eyes but a kind smile, setting down bowls of steaming soup.
Mrs. Aster, bustling around with her apron, eyes sharp enough to notice if even a single grain of rice spilled.
Leo, Gray's little brother, bouncing in his seat with endless energy.
Gray slouched into his chair, chopsticks in hand.
Leo immediately leaned forward, eyes wide. "Gray! Gray! Did you really knock out Razor with one punch and then crush a tree with your bare hands?!"
Gray blinked, mid-bite. "…What?"
"See, Dad? I told you!" Leo pumped his fist. "Gray's like a secret superhero hiding in plain sight!"
Mr. Aster chuckled, raising an eyebrow at his eldest son. "I've been hearing whispers at work, too. Something about my boy becoming the 'new top of the school'? Care to explain, Gray?"
Gray groaned, sliding down in his chair until his head almost touched the table. "Please don't believe the rumors. I didn't crush a tree. I didn't throw Razor into the sun. I didn't… do anything except be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Mrs. Aster set down a steaming plate of grilled fish, glaring at him. "So, you did get into a fight after school?"
Gray flinched. "N-No! It wasn't like that! Razor and his gang cornered me! I was defending myself!"
Mrs. Aster crossed her arms. "Gray, you know how I feel about fighting."
"Mom, I swear, it wasn't on purpose!"
Leo's eyes sparkled. "Can you teach me how to do your secret moves? Please, Gray? If anyone bullies me at elementary school, I'll just use your 'Tree-Crushing Palm Technique!'"
"I don't have a Tree-Crushing Palm Technique!" Gray snapped, waving his chopsticks dramatically. "Why does everyone keep adding things I didn't do?!"
Parental Wisdom
Mr. Aster laughed quietly, sipping his soup. "Rumors have a life of their own, son. You can't control what people say about you. But you can control what you do moving forward."
Gray blinked at his father, surprised. "That… actually sounds smart."
"Of course it does," Mr. Aster said proudly. "I was top of my school once too, you know."
Gray nearly choked on his rice. "Wait—what?!"
Mrs. Aster rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him, Gray. He's exaggerating again. The only thing he was 'top' of was the chess club."
"Chess is still combat of the mind!" Mr. Aster insisted.
Leo burst into laughter, nearly spilling his soup. "So Gray inherited your hidden genius powers, Dad!"
Gray buried his face in his hands. "This family is insane…"
After Dinner
Later that night, Gray lay sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He could still hear the faint echoes of his brother pretending to "fight" in the living room, yelling, "Tree-Crushing Palm Attack!"
He sighed. "This is getting out of hand. If even my family believes it, then the rumors must be everywhere…"
But as he closed his eyes, he remembered his father's words: You can't control what people say… but you can control what you do.
For the first time, a thought tugged at him.
"…Maybe I should… actually try? Just a little."
He shook it off immediately, pulling the blanket over his head. "Nah. Too much work."
And with that, Gray drifted into sleep—unaware that outside, the storm of rival schools and enemies was already gathering strength.
End of Chapter 6.5