Earthside: First Impressions

The throne chamber in Numeria buzzed with voices and vows. Kazuki's name still lingered in the air.

And then—

The sharp trill of an alarm clock cut through the silence.

Kael stirred beneath his blanket, the faint glow of morning light creeping through the curtains of his earthside bedroom. The world of marble halls and vows of war slipped away like a fading dream, replaced by the hum of a quiet suburban morning.

The floor creaked outside his door. His mother's voice followed, warm but teasing. "You're already awake? Has a miracle happened? That makes three days in a row."

Kael—Kazuki—sat at the edge of his bed, towel draped over his shoulders, his hair still damp. "Not just awake, Mom. I went for a run, did some exercise, and even showered after."

There was a pause. Then his mother leaned into the doorway, eyebrows raised. "Who are you, and what have you done with my son? You sound like a completely different person."

Kael chuckled faintly. "Maybe I am, Mom. I'm… trying to change. For the better."

Her smile lingered before she left him to his thoughts.

Kael rubbed the towel across his hair, eyes catching his reflection in the mirror. If I'm going to keep living as Kazuki in his world, then I need to shape this body up too. Build some muscle. Strengthen what I've got. He ran a hand through his damp, dark hair, tugging at the fringe that fell over his equally dark eyes. And maybe start with a new hairstyle. Something to mark the change.

Kael slicked his hair back neatly, the mirror reflecting someone who looked sharper — almost unfamiliar. He buttoned his school uniform crisply, straightening the tie with deliberate care.

Before leaving, he slung his bag over his shoulder, stepped into the kitchen, and hugged his mother tightly. "Need me to grab anything from the shop on my way back?"

She blinked at him, caught off guard. "No… just be careful, alright?" Her expression was still a little confused as she watched him walk to the door.

The moment he stepped outside, his stride slowed. Across the street stood Hana.

Her long black hair shimmered in the morning light, her hazel eyes bright and curious. She was beautiful — stunning, even — in a way that made him pause longer than he meant to.

She tilted her head, lips curving into a teasing smile. "Hey, Kazuki. You… look completely different."

Before he could respond, his mom's voice carried out from behind him. "Hana, dear! Watch over him, would you? He's acting strange recently!"

Kael chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, then glanced back at his mom, who was waving from the doorway. He waved in return, still smiling.

As they started walking, Hana's sharp eyes flicked over him. "So… what's the deal with the new hairstyle? And how neat you wore the uniform? You never cared before."

Kael adjusted his bag strap, his tone steady. "I want to change. To become better than I was."

Hana narrowed her eyes playfully. "Better, huh?" She was clearly expecting him to shrug and mumble like the old Kazuki always did.

Instead, he met her gaze with calm confidence. "Yeah. Better."

The reply surprised her. Not just his words, but the way he carried himself — his posture, his tone, the quiet confidence in his step. He didn't feel like the same Kazuki she'd walked to school with countless mornings before.

By the time they reached the school gates, the whispers had already begun.

"Who's that with Hana?"

"Is he her boyfriend?"

"He looks like a model!"

"Wait… no way. That's Kazuki, right? The same guy who always slouched and kept his head down? That can't be him!"

Kael kept walking, head high, eyes meeting those who stared. He even returned a few greetings with a polite nod or a brief "Morning." Hana could hear it all — the shock, the disbelief — but what struck her most was the truth in their words. This wasn't just a new hairstyle or dressing up with care. The boy beside her was acting like a different person.

As they stepped into the building, Hana slowed. Then, without warning, she grabbed his hand and tugged him around a corner, out of the stream of students.

"Kazuki," she said, her voice firm, searching. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?"

Kael blinked. "I'm fine. Never better."

Her eyes narrowed. "Then what's happened to you? You said you wanted to change, sure — but it's been only two days since I last saw you. And yet…" She glanced over him from head to toe, her tone sharper now. "You're acting like years of improvement have passed. This isn't normal."

"Kael's chest tightened, a bead of sweat prickling at his temple. So even she noticed… that just behaving like a normal boy makes me feel like a completely different person than Kazuki ever was."

He forced a small laugh, shaking his head. "It's nothing, really. Just… trying to take things seriously, I guess."

He was about to fumble for a better excuse when Hana spotted their teacher walking toward the classroom. She released his hand, tugging at his sleeve. "Come on. The teacher's coming. But this conversation—" her hazel eyes locked onto his "—is far from over."

They entered the classroom just as the rest of the students were settling down. Two seats remained open at the back. Hana slid into one, and Kael sat beside her.

The teacher greeted the class warmly, then glanced up from the roll sheet — and froze when her eyes landed on Kael.

"…Are you a new student?" she asked, eyebrows furrowing. "Who are you?"

Kael stood without hesitation, his voice steady and clear. "Good morning. I'm Kazuki Hasunuma."

A wave of murmurs spread through the classroom.

"Seriously? That's Kazuki?"

"No way… he looks completely different!"

"Even the teacher can't recognize him!"

The teacher chuckled, shaking her head. "Wow, Kazuki. You… look nothing like you did last week."

Kael gave a small, confident laugh. "I've been getting that a lot myself."

He sat down, but as he glanced sideways, Hana's gaze was fixed on him — sharp, suspicious, as though trying to peer straight through him.

He shifted in his chair, leaning on his hand, and muttered under his breath: So much for blending in. Great start, Kael. Just perfect.

When the bell rang, Kael stood up a little too quickly, the chair scraping against the floor. The weight of all the whispers, the stares, Hana's suspicious eyes — it pressed down on him until he couldn't breathe.

He slipped out of the classroom, ignoring the curious looks, and pushed through the doors into the open air.

Outside, the cool breeze steadied him. But when he rounded the back of the school building, the air thickened again.

Three boys from his class were shoving a smaller student against the wall, laughing as they blocked his escape. The boy's bag lay on the ground, its contents spilling across the dirt.

Kael froze for a second, observing. He'd never gone to school in his old life — but the sight was all too familiar. Back in the streets, bigger guys always preyed on the smaller ones, taking food, money, anything they could.

The old instinct in him stirred.

Before the bullies noticed him, Kael raised his voice, calling down the alley between the buildings. "Hey, sir! Are these the students you were looking for?"

The three boys whipped their heads around, panic flashing across their faces. They saw no one behind Kael — but the bluff worked. Grumbling curses, they shoved past the student and hurried the other way around the building.

The shorter boy blinked, dazed, then bent down to grab his things.

"You okay?" Kael asked.

The boy gave a quick nod. "Y-Yeah. My… my name is Kyotaro Yamada. Thanks for saving me."

Kael offered a faint smile. "I'm Kazuki. Nice to meet you, Kyotaro. Next time they bother you, find a staff member. An adult can deal with it better."

Kyotaro's hands tightened around his bag straps. He muttered, "I've tried. It doesn't work." Then he turned quickly and hurried away, head down.

"Kael watched him go, a heaviness settling in his chest. Guess I'm not the only one having a rough day."

With a sigh, he straightened his uniform and headed back inside.

The moment he stepped into the classroom again, the air shifted.

Those same three bullies were there — but this time, they weren't circling Kyotaro.

They were around Hana.