Chapter XLIX: The Faculty
Morning arrives gently in Kaigan. Gently as it is. The sun rises without urgency, sliding between buildings, washing the Aquarius District in pale gold. The University of the Constellations hums at half-speed, as if the campus itself remembers the late return the night before 11:25 p.m., headlights, yawns, parents waiting under lamps.
For once, the Special Power and Defense Class doesn't rush. They don't need to cram anything, no assignments, or homework. As announced days ago by Hajime himself, there is no class today. A rare gift by the faculty.
Inside the Sadalmelik Building, the High School Faculty corridor smells faintly of paper, coffee, and floor polish. Hajime walks briskly, tablet tucked under his arm, eyes scanning his schedule. He stops., then blinks however, he Frowns.
"...Huh."
Shinse looks up from his seat, legs crossed, phone in hand. "Hey, Hajime, where are you going?"
"To my class, Shinse," Hajime replies automatically, already turning.
Shinse squints. "Your advisory class?"
"Yes."
Shinse raises an eyebrow. "The Special Power and Defense Class has no class today. Weren't you the one who announced that? Also, aren't you tired from the exploration yesterday?"
Hajime freezes mid-step. Silence. Then realization crashes in.
"Oh," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Right. I forgot. Sorry."
Shinse chuckles. "No problem. Honestly, I think you're stressed out."
He taps his phone.
"Come on. Sit. Let's listen to music to cure your stress. Take it easy for once."
Hajime hesitates, then sighs and sits beside him. Soft jazz fills the room. A lazy trumpet. A slow piano. Drums that feel like someone tapping patience into the air.
Hajime grimaces. "What is this, some kind of café?"
"Don't ruin my vibe," Shinse says, closing his eyes. "And honestly? Your advisory class is one heck of a ride."
Hajime snorts. "Really? Why?"
Shinse opens one eye. "They're like people at a fish market. Noisy. Loud. Always moving."
A voice joins in immediately.
"Tell me about it."
Mrs. Sato walks in, arms stacked with documents from the College of Criminology in the Scorpio District. She exhales like someone who has carried the weight of academia for decades.
"You too, Ma'am Sato?" Hajime asks.
She nods grimly. "One time, I gave them a quiz. A quiz."
She pauses for emphasis.
"They complained about the answers. One student wrote Ozone Depression instead of Ozone Depletion."
Shinse bursts out laughing.
Hajime winces. "That's... creative?"
Mrs. Sato shakes her head. "It's exhausting."
Hajime leans back. "I do feel lighter, though. No formal classes today. It's strange."
"Enjoy it," Shinse says softly. "Peace doesn't last long with that class."
Mrs. Sato turns toward the stairs. "I need to bring these to Dr. Aoshima."
She adjusts her grip and leaves. Dr. Aoshima's office smells of old books and fresh ink. Mrs. Sato knocks.
"Do come in."
She enters and bows. "Good morning, Dr. Aoshima. Here are the research reports from Criminology."
"Ah, thank you," he says, accepting them. "And no class today for the Special Power and Defense Class, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very well. I'll call you once I'm done."
She bows again and exits. The door clicks shut. Silence. Dr. Aoshima exhales. He stands. Turns. Flips his whiteboard. A ring appears, drawn in precise lines, annotated with symbols and theoretical notes. He stares at it. Then he turns to his computer and opens the University Library archives. Scroll, click, and search. But nothing. No record. No myth. No experiment.
Hours pass by, and hope thins. Then, almost absentmindedly, he scrolls through Facebook and a post appears.
Mobile Learning – Special Power and Defense Class | Kyoto Field Trip
Photos load. Students laugh. Pose. Move. And then, he freezes. He zooms in to Ryujin, who was walking beside Hageshi and Haruto. Something glints on Ryujin's finger. A ring. Dr. Aoshima's breath catches. He compares it to the illustration. And it is, a perfect match.
"...So you do actually exist," he murmurs.
He leans back.
"I need to speak with you soon, Ryujin."
Meanwhile, The Brofist Squad Group Chat explodes to life.
Inoshiro: *posts a Vine of a guy slipping on ice* "ME GETTING UP FOR SCHOOL TODAY EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO CLASS"
Hageshi: *sends an ancient Vine* "LOOK AT ALL THOSE CHICKENS"
Ryujin: "Why is this still funny LMAO"
Haruto: *sends a looping 'Why are you running' clip* "ME RUNNING FROM RESPONSIBILITIES"
Hageshi: *sends a GIF of Officer Carl from Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs, running in such an iconic motion*
Inoshiro: "Dude, that's also what I was thinking LOL"
Okaki: *Big Chungus appears* "THIS IS THE FINAL BOSS OF UNIVERSITY"
Haruto: "Eeh-yeah, what's up doc?"
Inoshiro: "Damn, that should be the one towards Dr. Aoshima"
Ryujin: *sends a GIF of Darkiplier vs Antisepticeye* "Fung-guy vs Fun-ji"
Everyone else: "Agree, LMAO"
Hageshi: "Man, they are really both confusing teachers"
Ryujin: "I mean yeah, what would be the correct pronunciation? Is it fung-guy or fun-ji? I mean if we look at it, we think that the correct pronunciation of Fungi is fun-ji, and that is by our parents, and local communities, and that is according to Mrs. Sato. However, if you search the pronunciation on Google, it would have the same one with Dr. Aoshima"
Inoshiro: "Wait, for reals?? I'mma just check it out"
Ryujin: "I'm not kidding man, try it for yourselves"
The squad search. Then,
Google: "fuhng-gai"
Inoshiro: "Damn, that's a fine how-do-you-do. It is the real deal"
Haruto: "Man, that is confusing"
Miran: "Then, what should we do, Markiplier?"
Ryujin: "I think, we're just gonna do it like this. If we are in Mrs. Sato's class, let's just pronounce it as fuhng-jai, and if we're in Dr. Aoshima's class, we're gonna pronounce it as fuhng-gai"
Haruto: "Well, that clears that up"
Okaki: "It's traditional vs global syntax"
Ryujin: "Yes exactly. Though, there might gonna be paradoxicality if they will use that word in their own sense or in one time in their conversation"
Hageshi: "Man, imagine Dr. Aoshima and Mrs. Sato correcting each other, it's gonna be like that Spiderman imposter meme"
Haruto: "Yeah, I was thinking that too. Classic meme"
Miran: *sends anime Vine edit* "WHEN YOU REALIZE FIELD TRIP IS OVER"
Inoshiro: "BRO THIS CHAT IS A MUSEUM OF INTERNET HISTORY"
Hageshi: "And yet it slaps."
Haruto: *sends a video, 'I like your cut-g'*
Ryujin: "Now that's a slap on titan! LOL"
Laughter floods the chat. For now, nothing happens. And that, somehow, is the loudest thing of all.