In the days that followed, the three of them became almost inseparable at school. Kouga's seat was close enough that he naturally walked Mei to and from class, with Kiana bouncing along at his side, chattering about anything that came to mind. At lunch, it was always the rooftop—their quiet little refuge above the noise of the campus.
At first, some students still whispered when Mei passed by, their words laced with rumor and suspicion. But the moment Kouga's sharp gaze cut across the hall, those whispers died down. A few braver students tried to approach with veiled questions, but one glare from him was enough to make them retreat in awkward silence.
Even the group of girls who had once told him to stay away from Mei seemed to think twice now. One morning, when they spotted Kouga walking with Mei and Kiana, they exchanged glances, muttered something under their breath, and quietly left the corridor rather than risk catching his attention.
However, those days didn't last.
A new morning, same route: Kouga walked Kiana to her classroom, then he and Mei headed toward theirs. Conversation was light until a whisper reached them—loud enough to snag their attention.
"Didn't you hear?""It's everywhere online.""Rotten to the core—Raiden's done for."
They stepped into the classroom and the atmosphere snapped like a wire. The usual curious gazes had hardened into something sharp and hostile. Mei's face tightened; the smile she'd worn lately faded.
Kouga stopped in the doorway and raised an eyebrow. "What's gotten you all in a snit today?"
A blond girl shook her head with a small, cruel smile. "It's not you, really. It's—well, your boss. What her father did tho."
A boy from the back barked, loud and ugly: "Hey, pack your stuff and get out. This school doesn't want your kind here."
He pushed toward Mei. Kouga's hand closed on the boy's wrist before the shove landed.
"Excuse me," Kouga said flatly, holding him in place. "Care to explain why you're attacking her?"
"You didn't hear the news?" the boy snarled. "Her father's a criminal—this place won't have him or his spawn!"
Mei went pale, as if someone had knocked the air out of her. The world around her stuttered. Kouga's jaw tightened. He glanced at her for a second.
"Mei—go home for today," he said quietly, the words calm but iron. "Stay just outside for a bit. I've got something to finish here."She blinked, then managed a single word. "Understood… Kouga-kun." She walked out like someone moving through syrup, eyes empty.
Kouga turned back to the class. Their bravado swelled again—until his gaze pinned them. A hush dropped. He leaned in, voice low and cold enough to cut through the room.
"Listen up. You talk about her like she's less than human because of a rumor you saw on a screen. You pretend to be kind, but you'll throw someone under the bus the moment it's convenient. Let me make this very clear: Mei is not your target. If any of you lay a finger on her, you'll answer to me. And I don't mean by detention."
The boy Kouga held tried to shrug it off. "You're bluffing."
Kouga's expression didn't change. There was a sound like a snapping branch as Kouga twisted—firm, controlled—and with a single decisive motion he broke the boy's resistance. The boy howled once, raw and shocked, then went quiet as Kouga's hand met his face. He slumped, out cold.
The classroom watched, horrified. Bloodless, clinical—the point had been made. A few students literally trembled. A couple of them wet themselves; others turned away, faces ashen. Kouga let the silence hang a beat longer, then stepped back.
"You rat this out," he said coldly, "you won't see daylight again." He turned on his heel and walked out.
Outside the school gates a few minutes later, Kiana was waiting—she'd come as soon as Kouga texted. She wrapped Mei in a fierce hug the moment they saw her, protectiveness written all over her face. Mei—still pale, shaken—clung to Kiana and managed, softly, "Thank you, Kiana-chan."
Kouga pressed his thumbs to his temples for a moment before pulling his phone out. He ducked into the nearest boys' restroom and called up a private feed: several of the candroid units he'd sent scouting on the day he arrived on this world. He issued quiet orders.
"Shadow Kiana and Mei. Keep a discreet perimeter. Monitor the classroom—if anyone makes a move or leaks anything, track them and send me the coordinates. The rest of you, sit in on the school forums, watch for posts and accounts tied to these rumors. Notify me the second anything spikes."
A robotic voice acknowledged. Kouga closed the call and rejoined them at the gate.
At home, Kouga slid the door shut behind them and let the silence hang heavy for a moment. Mei's steps were sluggish, her usual grace dampened by the weight on her shoulders.
"Kiana," Kouga said firmly, his tone leaving no room for debate. "Stay by Mei's side. Don't leave her alone, not even for a minute."
Kiana, for once without her usual cheer, nodded sharply. "Got it." She looped her arm around Mei's and guided her upstairs. Mei leaned into her, silent but grateful.
Kouga lingered in the entryway, jaw tight. He pulled out his phone and tapped out a message.
Kouga:What the hell happened? I thought you guys had this handled??
The reply came quick, but the words only soured his mood further.
Siegfried:We did everything we could, but Cocolia laid too many traps. Ryoma walked straight into them and got arrested. There's nothing left we can do for now. Kouga… I'm counting on you. Protect Mei. Protect Kiana.
Kouga stared at the message until the screen blurred. His fingers curled around the device before he finally hurled it to the tatami floor with a dull thud.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, shoulders trembling just slightly. For all his strength, all his power, he couldn't reach far enough to shield the one person who needed it most.
He closed his eyes, forcing a steadying breath. Upstairs, faintly, he heard Kiana's voice—soft but determined—trying to cheer Mei up. The sound tugged at him, steadied him.
Helpless or not, Kouga clenched his fists. He couldn't change Ryoma's situation. But he could damn well make sure Mei and Kiana never felt abandoned.
That much, at least, was still in his hands.