Monday, September 3 - 11:20 a.m.
It all began on a balmy morning over the town of Seiki.
Next stop, Seiki, repeat, next stop Seiki.
The announcement echoed in every carriage, giving passengers the opportunity to take out their luggage and get ready to leave.
Wake up Kamui, we''re almost there.
On the train was a young boy with sky-blue hair, waking a sleeping man in his passenger seat.
Kamui-Already?... I''ve barely had time to blink and we''re already at our destination!
The young man with the dark complexion and blond hair is Kamui Kobayashi, aged sixteen.
Kamui-Come on, get up!
His friend with the blue haircut is Hiro Vermilion, the same age as Kamui.
Kamui-Have we reached Seiki?
Hiro-Not yet, but it won''t be long now!
The reason these two boys are on the train is quite simple. They''re moving from their hometown to the town of Seiki.
Kamui-Ahhh, here we are!
Seiki is a new town, built 10 years ago on the ruins of an old town that met with an unfortunate fate. This tragedy really shocked and grieved the Japanese people. However, they have recovered and decided that this history should be put behind them by rebuilding a city that has rapidly become a metropolis thanks to its maritime trade and communication nodes that link it to the whole country.
This is where the two young boys, Kamui and Hiro, have decided to live until they finish school.
Kamui- New life, new start!
Hiro- We''re going to have a hell of a time!
The boy raised his hands to the sky to express his joy.
As the train opened its doors, the silhouette of a young woman with brown hair came into view. Her gaze met Kamui''s.
Woman- Excuse me... Are you Kamui?
Kamui- Uh, yes? Why is that, we''re co—
Unable to finish his sentence, Kamui felt a hand grab him by the collar—it was Hiro.
Hiro- How do you know her?? WHO IS SHE??!
Kamui- I don''t know, but in any case, the potential is at its maximum...
Hiro-If we''re going to talk in statistics, I think...
He glanced back at the woman to quickly analyze the case.
Hiro- ...It''s Koshien* level, or to be more precise, it''s a Koshien final!
Kamui-Even worldwide, if you''re crazy!
He said with a sneer.
Woman-Hum hum... You know I''m not deaf...
Pressure weighed on the duo''s backs.
Kamui-Excuse me ma''am, it wasn''t very polite of me to talk about you like that!
Woman-Well, that''s nothing, but what really upsets me is you still haven''t recognized me, Kamui.
(*Koshien is the baseball stadium where Japan''s biggest competitions take place.)
Kamui- Ah yes, you are Mrs. Seiki... Seiki sounds familiar....
Hiro- That''s really the name of the town, you loser!
Kamui- No, I was thinking about something else...
Kamui raised his head and looked at the woman from head to toe, then stared at her face until he had the image of a younger girl resembling her.
Kamui- Is that you, Akane?
Akane-It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other, Kamui...Letting her emotions speak, the woman went to hug Kamui.
Kamui-Seven years already... Time...
Kamui smiled and hugged Akane too.
Hiro watched the scene from the spectator''s point of view.
Hiro- Oh yeah, doesn''t it make the brothers crunch?
Kamui-That''s right, I''ll make the introductions. Akane, this is Hiro Vermillon, my best friend and roommate. Hiro, this is Akane Seiki, a childhood friend who must be 3 years older than us.
Akane-Pleased to meet you.
Hiro- Nice to meet you too! Heh.
Kamui-I think we should go, our home is waiting for us!
Akane-I''ll take you there in my car. Follow me, it''s parked in the station parking lot.
Kamui- What do you mean? Do you know where the boarding house is?
Akane-Ah? Didn''t I tell you? I''m sort of the director of this boarding house...
Hiro and Kamui were genuinely surprised when they heard this, but it explained a number of things, such as the fact that she was at the station or that she had recognized him at first glance.
The trio set off in the direction of Akane''s car to pick it up.
◇ ◇ ◇
[A few hours later]
After chatting for hours, Akane, Hiro, and Kamui arrived in front of a small temple at the far end of Seiki town. Although its appearance didn''t resemble the town''s other dwellings, this temple did indeed house people. The two boys were impressed by their new home.
Hiro- AMAZING, this is truly my country, my homeland!
Kamui- I don''t have the words.
Akane- Welcome to Himawari Guest House! From now on, you''ll be living here.
Akane got back into her car and started it up.
Akane-Sorry, boys, but I''ve got a few errands to run, so I''ll leave you to get settled on your own for now. See you tonight!
Kamui-Well, we''ve got to go.
He said, advancing towards the house with his suitcase behind him.
Hiro knocked on the door opening.
Silence seemed to answer Hiro''s question, but that didn''t stop the two boys from entering the house.
Kamui-Well then, let''s put our things down!
He said as he climbed the stairs. The boy came to a large corridor with several doors, which seemed to be the bedroom corridor.
He opened one of them, hoping to find his own room, but unfortunately, there was already someone lying on the bed, a woman with her hair tied back in black.
Kamui tried to leave the room discreetly but...
The woman woke up and saw the boy''s face. Surprisingly, she showed no particular reaction, just a yawn that showed she was still tired.
The boy began to stress as he saw the woman watching him.
Kamui-S-Sorry, I didn''t mean to wake you up! I landed here thinking there was no one, but I was wrong and—
??? (Reina)-It''s nothing, forget it, I thought I''d take a nap, but it looks like it lasted longer than expected, thank you for waking me up.
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She looked up at the clock in her room, which showed 6-30 p.m., and then back at the young man with a questioning look.
??? (Reina)-Come to think of it, you must be the new guy?
Kamui-Y-Yes! My name is Kamui Kobayashi, and I live here with my friend. And so... Who are you?
Reina-That''s right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Reina Osaki, and I''m sort of your new roommate in this boarding house, nice to meet you, Kamui.
Kamui-My pleasure. But now I''d like to know where my room is because I''ve got suitcases to drop off in my room and in Hiro''s room, who''s my traveling companion.
Reina-Ok ok, follow me, I''ll show you the empty rooms.
20:00
[A Few Hours Later]
The installation of the two protagonists concludes with dinner around a table in the dining room, where Kamui could be seen, Hiro, Akane, and Reina.
This part is one of the most important, as it''s where we get to know each other. The atmosphere is perfect for this type of discussion, and Reina seized the opportunity by asking lots of questions of all kinds.
Reina-So you''re from Kyoto? Magnificent, the ancient imperial capital, it must be really cool to live there!
She had become so fond of the discussion that she let her feelings influence her behavior at times.
Hiro-Yeah, it was cool living in Kyoto, but Kamui and I needed a change of scenery, and that''s how we ended up in Seiki, where we had a great reputation!
Hiro puffed his chest out proudly.
Reina-Oh yeah?!
Her eyes sparkled.
Hiro-Of course, I''m not a liar!He was clearly lying.
Next to their stage, Akane began a discussion with Kamui about subjects such as her life in Kyoto and how her family was faring.
Akane-Speaking of Kyoto, how''s your father, Kamui? I haven''t seen him in years, so I''d at least like to know how he''s doing.
Kamui-He works a lot, it''s different from before when he was unemployed, he''s evolved a lot over the last 7 years, if you see him one day, you''ll hardly recognize him! And I think that''s for the best...
Kamui put a small smile on his face, which he tried to hold back so as not to let his emotions get the better of him. He''s quite expressive most of the time, but sometimes he holds back his expressions.
Akane- All the better then!
Akane also wore a smile on her face. She then looked at the clock and made an announcement.
Akane-You start classes tomorrow. You''re already on the list, so you''ll just have to follow Reina, who''ll accompany you to your classroom, understand?
Kamui and Hiro-Got it!they said in unison.
Akane - Well then, it''s bedtime. Goodnight, everyone!
Everyone went to their rooms.
Kamui lay down on his bed for the first time that day. As he stared at the ceiling, he reflected on the day''s events.
Kamui - This day flew by. I can''t believe how quickly it passed. It''s strange to meet old acquaintances here again... Ahh... I didn''t have time to visit, but it''s no big deal. I''ll go this weekend with Hiro.
He yawned and slowly closed his eyes, until everything faded into darkness.
Kamui - (Please let me live my best life in Seiki.)
◇ ◇ ◇
Tuesday, September 4, 7:50 a.m.
Kamui woke up on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. His awakening had been rather eventful.
Kamui - I had the craziest dream... I have to tell Hiro!
He rushed out of his room and headed towards the living room, where Hiro was already sitting, watching TV and seemingly preparing for class.
Kamui - Hey, you won''t believe what happened!!!
Hiro - Mhmm? What''s up?
Kamui - I had the craziest dream, I need to tell you all about it!!!
Hiro - Was there some chick in it???
He said excitedly.
Kamui - ?
Hiro - Yeah, sorry, I don''t know why I said that. Anyway, tell me everything, but first, get ready. We leave in 20 minutes!
◇ ◇ ◇
20 minutes later – On the way to school
Kamui - ...I flew into the sky. I don''t really remember how or why, and then I woke up, so there you go.
Hiro - I could totally see you as a manga scriptwriter. That sounds like a story you''d only see in anime. Do you really think dragons exist, and that you called him?
Kamui - I swear it''s true! Why don''t you believe me?
Hiro - Because it''s impossible! What did you smoke this morning???
Kamui - It''s fine if you don''t believe me, but I hope Reina does!!!
He said, looking at her desperately.
Reina - Uh... It''s just that... Hiro''s right. It''s hard to believe it really happened, but next time, call him again and ask him some questions!
Reina didn''t know how to answer but didn''t want to offend Kamui, so she opted for an alternative.
Kamui - Alright! This time, you''ll see I''m not messing around!
Hiro - Oh, we''ve arrived.
Kamui - So this is it...
Reina - Welcome to Sakagami Gakuen, the largest high school in this city. Just to give you a quick overview, it''s not a prestigious school, but it has several competitive clubs and good teaching. Most students who graduate here can go far in their professional lives.
Kamui - It''s beautiful.
Hiro - It''s amazing.
Both boys were so impressed by the school that they lost for words.
Reina - Follow me, I''ll show you to your new class!
Classes began, and the math teacher, Ms. Harvey, welcomed the new students into her class and started the lesson.
Harvey - Who''s absent today?
Student - Ryuhei.
Harvey - Again? That''s too bad. He''s been absent a lot lately...
She explained several mathematical formulas on the board before writing a problem on it.
Harvey - Who wants to solve this equation?
No one moved—some students tried to avoid eye contact with her, others pretended to sleep.
Harvey - It''s just a simple first-degree equation... If that''s the case, I''ll call on someone myself...
Hiro - I''d love to do it, ma''am!
Rising from his seat dramatically, Hiro had been waiting for this moment to shine in front of the class. He wanted to impress everyone, and answering the equation was his chance.
Kamui - Oh no... We know exactly how this will end. This guy can''t behave in public...
Harvey - A-All right, Hiro?
Hiro - It''s time to prove what the big H can do.
He grabbed the chalk and started writing a series of complex mathematical formulas before solving the problem and handing the chalk back to Ms. Harvey.
Hiro - Well?
Harvey - T-That''s the correct answer, I''m surprised at your math skills, Hiro!
The TeacherApplauds followed by a chorus of applause from the class, who hailed the new student as their Messiah.
Hiro had managed to impress everyone.
Kamui - I really don''t have the words, this guy''s too unpredictable...
[Canteen - 1:40 p.m.]
Hiro was walking through the canteen, surrounded by people, his popularity having skyrocketed suddenly.
Kamui - This is really dreamlike... (Is behind everyone)
Kamui - Doesn''t matter, I''ll settle down at a quiet table and make some friends too!
He found a table with an empty seat and a group of boys around it.
Kamui - Excuse me, guys, do you mind if I join you? I''m new to this establishment.
Boy 1 - Don''t worry, come if you like.
Kamui - Ok, thanks!
◇ ◇ ◇
[End of class - 5:20 p.m.]
Kamui and Hiro came out of high school together, both reflecting on what had been a quite eventful first day.
Kamui - From day one, aren''t you ashamed?!
Hiro - I just seized an opportunity, there''s no need to get upset!
They walked 200 meters past the high school.
Kamui - Do you know where Reina is?
Hiro - Don''t worry, I know my way around here.
Kamui - Wait, isn''t that her over there?
A silhouette of a woman resembling Reina Osaki was surrounded by several guys who didn''t seem to belong to the school. Without hesitation, Hiro, who had seized the situation, went towards her.
Caid - Who are they?
Reina - Boys?!
Kamui - We''re just here for our friend, we were supposed to make the journey together. Let''s go!
As Kamui began to leave, a hand rested on his shoulder.
Caid - Where do you think you''re going? With that girl too? I can''t believe you think you''re at the fair.
He said sternly.
Kamui - You have five seconds to let me go.
Caid - Otherwise what?
The boy smiled at Kamui, unaware of what was coming.
Caid - We''re more, there''s nothing you can do against us...
Hiro - Raaah, shut up! You talk too much.
Hiro intervened and gave Caid a sharp blow, knocking the leader out.
??? - What the hell have you idiots done?! We''ll take good care of you.
The rest of the group quickly became upset when they saw their leader on the floor.
Hiro - Shit, I think I''ve done something stupid...
Kamui - It''s nothing, a fight every now and then doesn''t hurt!
He clenched his fist.
Kamui - Hurry back to Reina, I''ll join you.
Hiro - OK !!!
Hiro fled with Reina at his side.
Reina - See you later!
Kamui - To us, friends... I never thought I''d have to use this. Now...
??? - Be careful, he must be as strong as his colleague; he managed to knock down our boss!
Kamui - Kyoto special...
Kamui - And then what? Only in manga is it possible to face several opponents at once! See you soon loser !
Against all odds, Kamui fled from the group.
??? - Let''s follow him!
Caid - Forget it, it''s no use, we''ll sort it out.
[???? - 7:20 p.m.]
At the back of a building, a man sat on some garbage, eating onigiri while gazing up at the sky.
Caid - Boss !
The boy came running in, breathless.
??? - ...?
Caid - I got jumped by some dudes from your school. They must be new around here, don''t know sh*t about this place. We gotta show ''em what''s up!
??? - New ones, you say?... Did they do this to you?
He pointed to the mark on Caid''s face.
Caid - Yea.
??? - Interesting... Means they''re good at fighting... Why don''t I take them on? Can you remind me of their names, please?
Caid - My boys told me their names are Hiro Vermillion and Kamui Kobayashi.
??? - Kobayashi Kamui, you say?... Interesting, that name evokes a certain memory...
Caid - What do we do, boss?
??? - I''ll take care of it, don''t worry. You can go.and watch your language, you''re still up to your old mannerism, Ryoma.
Caid then withdrew, leaving the man alone.
??? - Fate has paved the way for our encounter, Kamui. But, alas, one of us will have to triumph over the other to prove his superiority.