9

“Standard?” Yuna raised a skeptical brow. "Most people don’t consider fistfights part of their survival plan."

"Clearly, they’re living life wrong," Hikaru said smugly.

Tsubasa adjusted his glasses. "So you're all brute force, no strategy?"

Ren smirked. "That tracks."

"Hey now," Hikaru protested, crossing his arms. "I’ll have you know I’m very strategic."

Kaede grinned. "Oh? Like the time you hid behind Ren so you wouldn’t get picked?"

“That was a tactical repositioning.”

“And you got me picked,” Ren deadpanned.

“Still a win in my book,” Hikaru shot back.

Yuna sighed, shaking her head. “Honestly, it’s impressive that you’re even still in one piece.”

Hikaru flexed an arm. “Pure talent, Yuna.”

Kaede gasped dramatically. “Whoa! Look at those biceps! If there’s ever an arm-wrestling match, I’m putting all my money on Hikaru."

Ren chuckled under her breath. “He’d probably win, just by sheer stubbornness.”

"Flattering," Hikaru said, smirking, "but let’s be real- I’d just brute force it."

Tsubasa let out a long-suffering sigh. “This conversation is ridiculous.”

Ren arched a brow. “And yet, you’re still here.”

“...I make bad choices,” Tsubasa muttered. But despite himself, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Their laughter rang through the courtyard, the kind of easy, reckless joy that made the weight of everything else feel just a little lighter.

The lunch bell rang in the midst of their laughter, reminding them it was the end of their break. Students piled out of the room, all filing down not to their classes, but to a big hall. The auditorium. Seems like there's an assembly for all students.

Ren sighed, before following the wave of students wordlessly. The rest of the group went along with her.