Hurried feet struck the road that led to Seihou High. There were two minutes left until Renji was officially late for school.
He couldn't allow that. He had to keep a perfect overall. It was important if he wanted to get into Nakamura Top Arts University.
He ran faster, hearing the warning chime clang across the courtyard like a fire alarm.
Right then, Renji burst through the front gates at a dead sprint, shoes skidding on loose gravel. His school bag banged against his hip, tie flapping loose over one shoulder.
He panted heavily; sweat already beaded on his forehead from the four-block run from the bus stop. Second-years and first-years scattered out of his way, staring at the disheveled third-year barreling past like his life depended on it.
He rounded the corner into the shoe-locker hallway at full speed.
But his left foot never came back down.
Someone had shot out a leg from the side, and even though Renji had seen it, he couldn't react on time.
