Secret Encounters

The sun beat down relentlessly on the Genesis College field, casting sharp, angular shadows over the students lined up for their physical training. Yuki squinted against the brightness, wiping the sweat trickling down his forehead as he joined his classmates in stretches and warm-ups. Around him, the other students moved with an effortless precision, their bodies fine-tuned by their genetic modifications. They were faster, stronger, more coordinated—like living machines.

He tried to keep up, his muscles straining as he stretched a little too far, his arms burning from exertion. Every motion reminded him of the gap between him and the others, his unremarkable abilities standing out against the near-perfect movements of his peers.

The instructor barked orders, and the group transitioned to relay drills. Yuki’s eyes drifted across the field as he half-heartedly jogged in place. He scanned the crowd, searching for Maya. She was usually impossible to miss with her sharp grin and casual air of defiance, but today she was nowhere to be found. Genesis College wasn’t the kind of place where students skipped mandatory activities, and Maya didn’t strike him as someone who’d risk breaking the rules without a good reason.

Before he could dwell on it, a loud crash jerked him back to the present. Shinichi, one of the more aggressive students, had thrown a ball with so much force that it smashed into the fence at the edge of the field, leaving it quivering. His laughter was loud and grating as he shoved a nearby student who had gotten too close, sending them sprawling onto the ground. No one stepped in. No one dared.

The class finally ended, and Yuki grabbed his bag, still scanning the field for Maya. As he slung the strap over his shoulder, he spotted a familiar head of short hair disappearing behind the bleachers. Without thinking, he jogged after her, weaving through the dispersing students.

In his haste, he bumped into Shinichi.

“The hell?” Shinichi growled, turning sharply.

But Yuki barely registered it. Oddly, he hadn’t even felt the collision, just a strange numbness. His focus stayed locked on the figure vanishing behind the bleachers. Muttering a distracted apology, he continued on.

Rounding the corner, he found Maya crouched down, her back against the cool metal bars of the bleachers. She was stifling a laugh, clearly amused by something.

“There you are,” Yuki said, out of breath.

She glanced up, her expression mock-surprised. “Oh, Yuki! Didn’t know you’d come looking for me.” Her grin was playful, but her eyes carried an edge of something he couldn’t quite place.

“Where were you?” he asked, leaning on the bleachers to catch his breath. “You skipped drills. They were running us into the ground.”

She shrugged, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. “Some of us get to skip the boring parts.”

“Alternate schedules?” Yuki raised an eyebrow. “That’s not a thing here. We all have the same schedule.”

Maya shot him a sidelong glance, her grin widening. “Maybe I’m just special. I get a pass for good behavior.”

“Right.” Yuki crossed his arms, his tone skeptical. “Since when has Genesis cared about ‘good behavior’?”

She chuckled but offered no real answer, instead glancing at her holo-watch. “Anyway, I’ve got somewhere to be. Catch you later, Yuki.” She stood abruptly, flashing him a quick smile.

“Wait—” he started, reaching out.

But she was already walking away, her voice trailing over her shoulder. “Don’t wait up!”

Yuki watched her go, frustration bubbling up. She was impossible to pin down, always leaving him with more questions than answers.

The rest of the day dragged on. In science and genetics classes, complex equations and theories swirled around Yuki’s head. His classmates breezed through the material, their enhanced minds processing everything with unsettling ease. He, meanwhile, struggled to keep up, feeling more out of place with every passing hour.

Finally, the last bell rang. Yuki packed up and headed to the back of the building, searching for a quiet spot to unwind. The air was cooler now, the harsh sun giving way to the softer hues of late afternoon. He rounded a corner, distracted by his thoughts, when a rough hand clamped over his mouth, yanking him backward.

His heart leapt into his throat as he thrashed instinctively, struggling against his unseen attacker.

“Calm down. It’s just me,” a familiar voice murmured.

Yuki froze, then twisted around to see Jun’s grinning face.

“Jun!” he hissed, his pulse still racing. “What the hell, man? You scared me!”

Jun shrugged, completely unbothered. “Maybe if you answered your calls, I wouldn’t have to ambush you.”

Yuki rubbed the back of his neck, guilt settling in. “Sorry… Things have been hectic here.”

“Yeah, I can tell.” Jun gave him a once-over, smirking. “Still as scrawny as ever, though.”

Yuki sighed, mutturing, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Jun’s smirk faltered, his expression softening. “You don’t need to know,” he said simply, leading the way.

They walked in silence to their usual spot: the old, forgotten playground. The rusty swings creaked under their weight as they sat, swaying gently. The neon lights of the city blinked in the distance, painting the sky in streaks of electric color.

“Sometimes it feels like I’m pretending to fit in,” Yuki admitted quietly, staring at the ground. “Everyone here has these abilities, and I’m just… nothing.”

Jun leaned back, his eyes on the skyline. “So what? You think those abilities make them better? They’re just puppets, Yuki. They do whatever the school tells them to.”

Yuki chuckled halfheartedly, though the tension in his chest remained. “Sure, Jun.”

A buzz from Jun’s holo-watch broke the quiet. He glanced down, and for a split second, a frown crossed his face. “Incoming message from Maya Aoki,” the watch announced.

Yuki’s head snapped up. “Maya? You know her?”

Jun’s brows furrowed briefly before his expression smoothed out. “What? Nah, probably someone else. It’s a common name.”

Yuki narrowed his eyes, skepticism creeping in. “Right…”

Jun stood abruptly, stretching. “Look, Yuki, don’t get too caught up in this place, alright? Keep your eyes open. And let me know if those mods of yours ever kick in.”

Yuki nodded, watching Jun head back toward the city, his silhouette disappearing into the neon glow. Left alone on the swing, Yuki’s mind churned with questions.

Maya Aoki.

Tomorrow, he decided, he’d find out if that was her full name. If it was, things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.