The sun was halfway tucked beneath the horizon, bathing the broken streets of District 9 in orange and gold. Faded billboards hung crooked on rusted poles, advertising joy that hadn't existed in years. But between the cracked pavement and peeling walls, four shadows bounced along the road... laughing, teasing and alive.
"Hey, hey, hey! You lads better put some respect on my name today." Yuseke said, slinging his worn-out school bag over his shoulder like a trophy. His navy hoodie was zipped halfway, revealing a shirt that simply read: TRY ME. His crooked grin flashed under the evening light. "Because this genius right here..." he jabbed a thumb at his chest "finally passed his math test."
"Liar." said little Mika, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Tch. He probably copied off someone." added Haru, the lanky eleven-year-old who always walked like he had something to prove.
"I bet the teacher gave up and passed him just so she didn't have to deal with him again." said Jun with a snort. He was the quietest of the bunch but when he landed a jab, it always hit home.
"First of all..." Yuseke said, putting a dramatic hand over his heart, "I would never cheat. Second of all, Miss Kurosawa literally circled my score and wrote 'Well done'. That's right. She even underlined it twice. She's basically saying I'm her favorite student now. Probably gonna get a certificate. Or a shrine."
Jun rolled his eyes. "You passed with what? A fifty-one?"
"Fifty-six!" Yuseke said proudly, wagging a finger at them. "A solid fifty-six. That's a fifteen-points leap from last time. Genius arc, unlocked."
Mika gave him a flat stare. "You know that's still a fail in normal schools, right?"
"Well, we ain't in a normal school, are we?" Yuseke shrugged. "Besides, grades are a social construct. What matters is the hustle. And I hustled my way into not failing. That's character development, yeah?"
They turned onto a familiar side street, the worn path leading toward the orphanage..
a squat building with chipped bricks, iron-barred windows and a mural of stick figures on one wall that Yuseke himself had painted when he was ten. It looked like a crime scene of colors now, but nobody had the heart to wash it off.
"Anyway, I'm not staying long tonight." Yuseke said, ruffling Mika's hair as she tried to swat his hand away. "Got plans. Big ones."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Haru asked, squinting.
"Celebration dinner..." Yuseke said with a smirk. "I'm meeting Shinji at the coffee shop."
The kids groaned in unison.
"Again with Shinji?" Jun muttered. "You two act like you're dating."
"Jealousy is an ugly mask, Jun." Yuseke replied, walking backward as he faced them. "The man's been my ride-or-die since day one. Best barista in District 9 and gives me free coffee even though he knows I can't pay him back. That's real love."
"Isn't he twenty now?" Mika asked. "Shouldn't he have better friends than a loud-mouthed seventeen-year-old dropout?"
"Oi, I'm not a dropout yet," Yuseke said, wagging a finger again. "And loud-mouthed? I prefer charismatically outspoken. There's a difference."
The kids burst into laughter as they neared the orphanage gates. Yuseke swung them open with a dramatic bow and gestured for them to enter.
"On you go, you little muppets." he said, voice softening. "And tell old Grams I'll be back before midnight, maybe. If Shinji doesn't keep me hostage with sad stories about his love life again."
"You mean his lack of one." Jun added.
"True, true." Yuseke said with a grin. "Alright, see you lot later."
The gate creaked shut behind them and Yuseke turned away, jamming his hands into his hoodie pocket. The streets were quieter now. Lanterns flickered to life, buzzing with Essence-powered light. Most of them sputtered like they were about to go out any second but they still fought the darkness better than nothing.
He walked alone now, whistling a tune with no rhythm, dodging puddles and hopping over a crack in the concrete like it was lava. His steps slowed as he passed a corner where graffiti spelled out Wielders Must Burn. He stared at it for a second longer than he meant to.
He then shook his head. "Get a grip." he muttered. "You passed math today. Don't let existential dread ruin the vibe."
The coffee shop appeared at the end of the street like a lighthouse. Sip & Smile, the sign read... half lit and half broken. Inside, he could already see Shinji wiping down the counter, apron half-on, hair tied back lazily. The place smelled like cinnamon, coffee beans and something sweet in the oven.
Yuseke grinned.
"Time to celebrate with the only person in this hellhole who appreciates my brilliance."
He shoved the door open, the bell above it chiming weakly.
"Oi, barista-boy!" he called. "Your favorite customer's here. And I demand sugar, sympathy and something frothy!"
Shinji didn't even flinch. He just looked up, smirked, and said, "If you passed your test, I'll give you whipped cream."
"Oh, we're going deluxe tonight."
Yuseke swaggered inside like he owned the place.
Shinji moved behind the counter, his motions smooth and practiced. "So? What's the damage?"
"Fifty-six." Yuseke declared proudly, slapping his school bag down on a chair and flopping into it like he'd just conquered the world. "An actual pass. You're looking at a reformed man."
Shinji snorted as he poured milk into a cup. "I thought you said last week math was a government scam."
"It is. But this time I scammed it back."
"You're ridiculous."
"I'm consistent."
Steam hissed. The shop filled with the comforting scent of vanilla and roasted beans. Shinji passed him a tall cup topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Yuseke blinked. "Wait… is this...the friday special?"
"Its from the special menu. For idiots who think fifty-six is elite." Shinji smirked, slipping onto the seat across from him. "Still, I'm impressed. I never thought I'd see the day."
"Neither did the teacher. I swear, she almost cried."
Yuseke took a sip, savoring it like it was a feast.
"Damn. You put something in this?"
"Just a little extra homie syrup. It's calming."
"Fancy." Yuseke said, eyes half-closing. "Almost makes me forget I live in a concrete box with rats."
They sat like that for a while. No rush. No noise. Just the occasional clink of a spoon or low hum from the generator in the back.
Eventually, Yuseke leaned back and said, "Thanks for this, Shinji. Seriously."
"You pass, we celebrate. That's the deal."
"Still, you didn't have to go deluxe."
"I always go deluxe for my favorite delinquent."
Yuseke snorted, finishing the last sip. "Well, this delinquent's ready to crash. Let's bounce."
Outside, the streets were darker now. Streetlights buzzed overhead, some flickering like they were ready to give up. Shinji locked the café behind them, adjusting his coat.
"I'll walk you back." he said.
"You don't have to..."
"I want to, man."
Yuseke shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. The walk was quiet for a few blocks. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed on the empty street.
Shinji broke the silence first. "So. You finally took school seriously, huh?"
Yuseke grinned. "Yeah… listen."
Shinji rolled his eyes and laughed. "Classic. You always talk like you're about to say something deep, then hit me with some bull."
"Hey, maybe I was gonna say something real this time."
"Like what?"
Yuseke thought for a second. "Like… maybe I wanna try. Not just pass tests. Just, y'know… try to do something with myself."
Shinji looked at him, surprised.
"Look at you," he said. "Sounding like you've got a future or something."
"I might. Who knows? Maybe I'll become a teacher and torture kids with math like I was tortured."
Shinji chuckled but it faded a moment later. "I'm proud of you, man. Really."
Yuseke looked at him, caught off guard.
"I mean it." Shinji said. "You've still got a chance to be something. Something better than... this." He gestured vaguely to the streets, to himself.
"I'm twenty and stuck serving coffee to people who think tipping is charity. I can't even make rent half the time, let alone eat decent food every day."
Yuseke frowned. "Oi, don't talk like that, you're not some loser."
"Maybe not." Shinji said. "But I'm not exactly winning either."
The quiet settled in again, this time heavier. That's when they saw them.
Three silhouettes standing at the far end of the road, half-hidden in the shadows between two flickering lamps. At first, Yuseke thought it was just some drunk stragglers from the inner district. But then he saw the glint, knives.
Shinji stopped. His body went rigid.
"…Yuseke."
"Yeah?"
"Run."
The command hit like a gunshot. There was no time to think. The figures broke into a sprint, the scrape of boots on asphalt echoing like screams. Shinji grabbed Yuseke's arm and bolted, dragging him into motion.
They tore through side alleys, weaving between trash bins and broken fences. Yuseke's heart pounded in his ears. He didn't know who those guys were, didn't know why they were chasing them but he knew the fear in Shinji's voice meant it was serious.
"Left!" Shinji shouted, yanking him down a narrow path.
Yuseke stumbled, nearly tripping over a pile of crates but kept going. Behind them, the sound of pursuit didn't fade.
"Why the hell are they chasing us!?" he yelled.
"No idea!" Shinji snapped. "Just keep moving!"
They turned again. Another alley. This one was tighter... damp walls, graffiti and no streetlights.
Dead end.
"Shit."
They skidded to a stop. Stone walls on all sides. A single rusted fire escape too high to reach. Nothing but cracked bricks and broken glass.
Yuseke turned, chest heaving.
The three men were already at the alley mouth, closing in slow with knives out. And Shinji and Yuseke had nowhere left to run.
"Yuseke..." Shinji said, stepping in front of him. His voice was low, sharp. "Get behind me."
Yuseke clenched his fists. "No."
"I said get behind me!" Shinji snapped, eyes flicking back just once, full of desperation.
Yuseke froze. That wasn't a tone he'd ever heard from his friend before.
Shinji didn't wait for obedience. He turned toward the men, planting his feet like he was made of stone.
"What do you want?" he barked. "You chasing us all this way... for what? We don't have money."
One of the men laughed, a high, twitchy sound. "Nah… not after the run you made us do. Now we want more."
The second man grinned. His teeth were yellow and cracked. "Yeah. The bag, your jackets, your clothes. Everything."
The third licked his lips. "Strip. Both of you, right now."
Yuseke stepped forward beside Shinji, his jaw tight. "The fuck you just say?"
The first man cocked his head. "Kid's got guts."
"Yeah?" Yuseke spat. "Come try me and I'll ram that knife so far up your ass you'll be sneezing steel."
They laughed... three hyenas in the dark.
Then they stepped closer.
Fast.
The first two lunged at Shinji, knives flashing in the alley's dim glow. Shinji ducked, twisted and grabbed the first attacker by the wrist, yanking him forward into a knee to the gut. The man choked and stumbled but the second was already swinging wide.
Shinji blocked with his forearm, hissing in pain, then kicked out and shoved the man back.
Yuseke barely dodged his attacker's blade. The third man was faster than he expected. He slashed at Yuseke's shoulder and landed a hit... just shallow but enough to burn. Yuseke swung wildly, catching the guy in the jaw but the return blow came with a fist that knocked him sideways into the alley wall.
The concrete scraped his back. His vision tilted.
"C'mon!" Yuseke growled, charging back in. But it wasn't enough. The man caught him under the ribs, then grabbed a rusted crate from the side and slammed it across Yuseke's head. White-hot pain exploded in his skull and he hit the ground hard.
His ears rang. Blood trickled down his forehead. Everything blurred.
"YUSEKE!" Shinji shouted.
He turned... too late. In trying to defend both sides, Shinji's footing slipped. And the first man's knife found its mark.
Shhk!
The blade plunged into his back.
Shinji staggered.
"NO!" Yuseke screamed, trying to push himself up but his arms felt like jelly.
Shinji turned, elbowing the attacker away, still fighting. Still standing, somehow. Then the second blade came.
Shhk!
Then another.
Shhk!
And another.
Shhk!
And another.
Shhk!
Yuseke's scream died in his throat. His eyes locked on Shinji's, wide and full of pain but still protective, still pleading. Yuseke's hands trembled.
He felt… cold.
His body was failing. Everything was distant, muffled and fading.
But inside his mind... something stirred.
"You hate this, don't you?"
The voice was soft and familiar. Like a whisper he'd heard in a dream a thousand times.
"You hate being weak."
His vision flickered. He saw Shinji on the ground with blood all over him.
So much blood.
"Let me out."
Oustide, black flames ignited from beneath his feet.
The three men turned, startled.
"What the hell...?"
Yuseke rose slowly, limbs hanging unnaturally. Head bowed. Shadow dancing across his face. Flames licked across his back, shoulders, arms like wings made of smoke and ash.
Eyes like mist.
Essence poured from his body like a geyser.
The first man screamed. "WHAT IS THAT!?"
He ran. But he never made it. In a blur, Yuseke appeared in front of him.
Crack!
The man's body folded backward, neck bent at an inhuman angle. He collapsed like a ragdoll, limbs twitching.
The second turned to run.
He barely made two steps before a wave of black fire slammed into him, lifting him off the ground and throwing him into the wall.
CRUNCH.
His body hit so hard it splashed... blood painting the bricks like graffiti.
The third screamed, backing up. "No, no... WHAT ARE YOU!?"
Yuseke walked toward him slow, eyes glowing brighter.
He thrust his hand forward. Straight through the man's chest. Flesh tore.
Yuseke's hand punched clean through and emerged from the man's back, dripping with blood and flame. The man choked, eyes wide in horror.
Yuseke leaned in close, then a scream exploded from him. It echoed down the alley, splitting the night in two. A monstrous, unearthly cry of rage and pain and death... ripping through every window, every heart within earshot.
And just as the third body dropped...
A blade faster than thought slammed into Yuseke's head, striking not to kill but to silence. The back of the sword's hilt crashed into his forehead. His vision shattered. And the last thing he saw… was a man standing in a distance. Then darkness came.