As he traced the line of her palm, Seri's 'Royal' composure shattered. Her face flushed a deep, sunset red, and for the first time, her green eyes weren't sharp—they were wide and completely overwhelmed. "Kinatarou-kun... you're being very... direct."
Their get together eventually ended with Seri being the first one to leave, Yuki decided to walk her to her limousine. Hana stayed behind to give Luna a bath before heading to her home.
Hana was currently undressing Luna, this was the second time of her doing this but she still felt uneasy. Luna's body was decorated with numerous scars all over her small body. It was obvious Luna was shy, not because of her getting naked. But because of the scars, she felt Hana would be disgusted by the scars.
Hana noticed Luna's shyness and gently patted her head. "You shouldn't be ashamed of these scars Luna, it's proof you're strong. I'm not sure what made Kinatarou-kun want to keep you but I'm sure he'll protect. And I will to."
Luna also patted Hana on the head with her tiny hand.
Morning came very quickly, this time Yuki made sure to go to school. He left Luna with some food and his phone, that way she wouldn't get hungry or bored even though she had no idea how to use a phone. He locked the door and left.
The gates of the academy felt different as Yuki walked through them. To the other students, he was just the quiet, cute loser who had skipped a few days. To Yuki, every face in the hallway was a potential eyesore or a threat.
"Well, well! Look who finally decided to crawl back!"
The voice belonged to Renjiro, who was surrounded by a small crowd of sycophants. He looked more arrogant than usual, puffing out his chest. "I heard you got so scared after our last 'interaction' that you locked yourself in your dusty home. I've been telling everyone how I ran you off without even trying. Admit it, Kinatarou—you're a Zero for a reason."
Yuki didn't stop. He didn't even look at Renjiro. He simply walked past, his eyes fixed forward. The lack of reaction stung Renjiro more than a comeback ever could. The crowd began to whisper—not about Yuki's cowardice, but about his chilling, newfound intensity.
During the final period, Yuki caught Seri by the lockers. He didn't wait for her to start her usual flirting.
"Kyorin-san, I need a favor," Yuki said, his voice low and dead serious. "I did some research on your family and I found out your father is Lord Genji. A powerful man and captain of the Violet Tree club. He's a strong member in the Vanguard right?"
Seri froze, her hand halfway to her hair. "You're correct. But why the sudden interest in my family." A seductive smile appeared on her face. "Tell me, Yuki, do you want to ask me out?"
"Not at all."
Seri coughed sarcastically and smiled wryly. "You could at least pretend to want to."
"I need to meet with your father." Yuki stated while stepping closer. "The only thing I want is to get stronger, I'm willing to do that by any means necessary. But I need a teacher, I need your father to train me."
"He's a busy man Kinatarou-kun. Most people have to wait weeks just to get two minutes of his time." Her eyes locked on his. She was surprised at how Yuki could hold her gaze without flinching, most people couldn't even look her in the eyes because of her status.
"Please Kyorin-san, I need this." Yuki held both her hands and pleaded.
"Uuuhh." She was flustered by the sudden contact, her ears turned red as she looked down at her hands being clasped by Yuki's. "I... Maybe you can stop by our house very early tomorrow. Before he leaves..... Maybe 4am."
Yuki breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He finally freed her from his grip.
"You're welcome.... Kinatarou-kun." Her heart was beating a lot faster than usual.
"Oh and you can just call me Yuki. No need to be so formal, we're closer than that." Yuki flashed a brilliant smile at her. "In return I'll call you Seri."
Seri's face was as red as a tomato, she felt her face getting hot. "Okay... Yuki." she whispered.
As she spoke, a tiny, vibrant flower sprouted from the locker handle she was leaning against—a physical manifestation of her racing heart. She quickly moved to cover it with her hand, hoping he hadn't noticed that his smile was literally making her power bloom.
Yuki, already focused on the 4:00 AM deadline, simply waved goodbye. He had a mountain to climb, and he didn't realize he had just turned the mountain's daughter into his biggest supporter.
The sun was setting by the time Yuki reached the apartment. His body felt heavy, not from physical exertion yet, but from the mental weight of the path he had chosen. As he turned the key in the lock, he felt a flicker of anxiety—the "what if" that haunted him every time he left Luna alone.
The door clicked open.
The apartment was dark, save for the blue light of the phone sitting on the table. Luna was huddled in the corner of the small mat, her knees pulled to her chest. The moment she saw Yuki's silhouette, she didn't move at first. She simply stared, her eyes wide, as if verifying he was real.
Then, she scrambled off the mat. She didn't run to him—she was still too cautious for that—but she stopped three feet away, her small hands clutching the hem of her oversized shirt. She looked at the phone, then back at him, letting out a tiny, shaky breath. It was the first time Yuki realized that to Luna, every time he left that door, she expected him never to return.
"I'm back, Luna," Yuki said softly, kneeling so he was at her eye level. "See? I told you I'd come home."
He reached out, and after a second of hesitation, Luna leaned forward, resting her forehead against his shoulder. It was a silent, desperate confirmation of safety.