Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Zanka had always wondered what it would feel like to stand in the middle of New York City.

The towering skyline, the endless noise, the rush of people who never seemed to stop moving. It was something distant to him, almost like a dream, because his family had never allowed him to travel with them.

Their overseas trips were always about business, filled with meetings he was considered too young to attend, so he was left behind in the care of maids and butlers.

But this time had been different. After all the desperate begging to his parents, Zanka finally convinced them to bring him along.

The long flight had been exhausting, uncomfortable seats, restless hours, and the constant hum of the engine wearing on his nerves but even that couldn’t dull the excitement building inside him.

He was going somewhere new, somewhere he had only imagined.

And now, here he was.

New York City stretched out around him in a dazzling display of light and motion. His eyes shone as he took in the glowing billboards, the towering buildings that seemed to touch the sky, and the constant stream of people brushing past him in every direction.

It felt completely different from Japan, louder and faster, yet somehow thrilling. For the first time, he felt like he was part of something vast and alive.

“Oi! Zanka, don’t get distracted. I don’t want you getting lost.”

Goka’s voice snapped him out of his daze. Zanka turned quickly, startled, before hurrying to catch up, his smaller legs moving as fast as they could.

“Ah- sorry!” he said, grabbing Goka’s hand as if to anchor himself.

As they walked, Zanka noticed the voices around him.

The language was unfamiliar, flowing quickly in ways he couldn’t understand. It made him both curious and slightly isolated. He didn’t know English yet, but he hoped to learn it someday.

A new place meant new experiences and new words.

The crowd continued to press forward until suddenly, a man rushing in the opposite direction collided with Zanka’s father.

“Uh-! Excuse me! Sorry!”

The man blurted hurriedly before disappearing into the sea of people without another glance.

The family paused, watching him vanish. Zanka turned to his father, concern written clearly across his face.

“Father, are you okay?”

His father clicked his tongue in irritation, brushing off his coat as though the contact had left something unpleasant behind.

“I’m fine. It’s just these type of people doesn’t know how to slow down.” he muttered, his tone sharp. “New Yorkers.” He hissed.

Zanka blinked, unsure how to respond, and quietly followed as they resumed walking.

Not long after, his mother suggested they stop for dinner. Everyone agreed, and they settled on a small Chinese takeout stall nearby, something familiar enough to suit their tastes. His parents stepped inside to order while Zanka waited outside with Goka and Kyouka, his attention wandering once again.

He glanced at the stall, thinking about the food. Unlike his family, who preferred to stick to what they knew.

Zanka wanted to try everything, every culture, every flavor. The world felt too big to limit yourself to only one.

That was when he heard it, a sudden clatter.

The sharp sound of a trash bin falling over echoed from a nearby alleyway. Zanka turned instinctively toward it, his curiosity immediately piqued.

The alley was dim, almost hidden from the main street, and for a moment he hesitated but his curiosity took over.

Slowly, he slipped his hand out of Goka’s grasp, unnoticed, and made his way toward the alley. His small fingers clutched his blue scarf as if it could give him courage. Step by step, he approached until he could peer inside.

There, in the shadows, was a boy.

He looked about Zanka’s age, wrapped in a thin, worn blanket that did little to shield him from the cold. His body trembled, and faint sniffles suggested he had been crying. The sight made something tighten painfully in Zanka’s chest.

Without thinking too much, Zanka stepped forward.

“Hello?” he called softly.

The boy flinched immediately, shrinking back as if expecting harm. Fear was written all over his face.

Zanka froze. Had he scared him?

“Hey, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said quickly, though he realized almost instantly that his words wouldn’t be understood.

Right.

English.

Fumbling, Zanka pulled out Goka’s phone the one he had secretly taken, knowing the password by heart and opened a translation app.

He typed carefully before holding the screen up.

Sorry, I don’t speak English.

The boy stared at the words, reading slowly, then looked back at Zanka. There was still fear in his eyes but also understanding.

Zanka typed again.

I didn’t mean to scare you.

This time, the boy gave a small, hesitant nod.

Encouraged, Zanka crouched down, making himself seem smaller, less threatening, and typed once more.

What happened?

What are you doing here?

You can talk here if you want.

He held out the phone gently. After a moment of hesitation, the boy reached out with shaking hands and took it. His fingers moved slowly over the screen, each movement stiff from the cold.

When he handed it back, Zanka read the translator in the screen.

Mum kicked me out and I have no home.

I only have this blanket.

I’m cold.

Zanka’s heart sank. Now that he looked closer, he could see everything more clearly.

The boy’s tan skin marked with bruises, his nose red from the cold, his short, thick locs partially covering striking magenta eyes that shimmered faintly in the dim light. He looked fragile, exhausted… alone.

Without a second thought, Zanka shrugged off his puffer jacket and unwound his scarf. He held the jacket out.

The boy stared at it, confused.

Zanka nudged it closer, silently insisting. After a brief hesitation, the boy accepted it and slipped it on. It was too tight on him, but it looked infinitely warmer. Zanka leaned in to zip it up properly, smiling despite everything.

A small laugh escaped him.

“You look funny,” he said lightly, even though he knew the words wouldn’t be understood.

Still, the warmth behind them seemed to carry through.

Zanka then wrapped his blue scarf carefully around the boy’s head, tucking it in to shield him from the cold. The boy’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Pulling back, Zanka typed once more.

Keep it.

I want you to feel warm.

The boy read it and nodded, clutching the jacket tightly.

Zanka smiled, a soft, genuine expression, and began typing again.

What is your name?

Before he could show it, distant voices called out.

“Zanka!”

His head snapped toward the alley entrance. Goka and Kyouka stood there, seemingly trying to look for him, panic clear on their faces.

Zanka’s chest tightened. He had been gone longer than he thought. He stood quickly, glancing back at the boy.

For a brief moment, their eyes met, magenta reflecting faint pink against the dim alley light.

Zanka gave a small wave, a silent goodbye, before turning and jogging back, his short legs carrying him as fast as they could. Even as he left, he kept looking over his shoulder, making sure the boy was still there.

Still safe.

Still warm.

As he rejoined his family, the noise of the city swallowed him once again, but his thoughts stayed behind in that quiet alley.

He didn’t know the boy’s name.

But he hoped, more than anything, that he would be okay.

15 years later...

“Rudo, hurry yer’ ass up! We’re gonna be late for our flight!”

Zanka’s voice echoed down the hallway as he pounded on the bedroom door, impatience clear in every movement.

He paused just long enough to glance over the railing toward the lower floor, where Riyo and Enjin were already waiting near the front entrance, surrounded by packed luggage.

“Wait! Give me a minute! I’m trying to squeeze everything into my bag!” Rudo shouted back from the other side, his voice muffled but frantic.

Zanka let out an exaggerated sigh, dragging a hand down his face before leaning closer to the door.

“Ya’ been ‘squeezin’’ for the past twenty minutes,” he muttered, loud enough to be heard. “What are ya’ even packin’, bricks?”

A thud sounded from inside, followed by a string of complaints.

Downstairs, Enjin crossed his arms, clearly amused. “Hey, Zanka! Tell him if he’s not out in thirty seconds, we’re leaving him behind.”

Zanka’s lips curled into a grin as he turned back to the door. “Ya’ hear that? We’re leavin’ you!”

There was a beat of silence and suddenly, the door quickly flew open.

“I’m here, okay?!” Rudo snapped, slightly out of breath, one strap of his bag slipping off his shoulder as if it had been packed in a hurry.

Zanka snorted, stepping aside as Rudo hurried past him. From below, both Enjin and Riyo broke into laughter, the tension dissolving instantly. Zanka rolled his eyes, though the corner of his mouth lifted faintly.

“Alright, that’s everyone,” Enjin said, clapping his hands once. “Let’s move. The taxi van’s already waiting.”

He grabbed his luggage and headed out, the others quickly following behind, the sound of footsteps and rolling suitcases filling the house one last time.

If someone had asked Zanka a few years ago whether he ever imagined his life turning out like this, he would’ve laughed or maybe not even answered at all.

Long story short, Zanka was disowned by his family when he was only 13 years old. Everything changed after a major martial arts tournament that was being watched by millions of people.

During his performance, Zanka pushed himself too far and ended up breaking his ankle right in the middle of the competition.

The injury was serious. After examining him, the doctor told Zanka that he wouldn’t be able to continue doing sports anymore.

If he did, there was a high risk that he could damage his leg even more and possibly lose the ability to walk properly in the future.

Instead of supporting him, Zanka’s father saw the situation as shameful.

To him, Zanka was no longer strong or useful in the way he expected. Because of this, he decided to cut Zanka off completely and no longer consider him his son.

At just 13 years old, Zanka lost both his passion and his family at the same time.

Zanka wasn’t in a good state of mind after everything that happened.

When he left the hospital, he felt completely lost and alone, with nowhere to go and no reason to keep trying. At one point, he ended up climbing down into an empty well. Instead of trying to get out, he chose to stay there. He didn’t care about anything anymore and even thought about just staying until he slowly starved.

But things changed when someone found him.

A tourist named Enjin happened to come across the well and noticed Zanka inside. Instead of ignoring him, Enjin reached out and helped him.

That small moment, someone choosing to care made a difference.

After meeting Enjin, Zanka made a quiet decision. With nothing else left tying him down, he chose to follow him. Eventually, he moved into Enjin’s home from a different country, starting a new chapter of his life, even if he wasn’t fully sure where it would lead.

Now, as he stepped out into the open air with the others, the past felt distant, like a shadow that no longer had the same hold over him.

If you’re wondering where they’re going, they’re heading to New York and that’s what makes Zanka so thrilled.

He couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of finally going to a place he had always wanted to live in.

He had been there once before when he was just 5, but only stayed for two days, which wasn’t nearly enough for him.

They were moving to New York City because Enjin, being a well-known police officer with many awards and certificates, he had been called from New York for work. So, they all decided to move in together.

But moving also meant changing campuses, schools and new jobs. And there was something Zanka hated more than anything else:

Meeting new people.

Zanka isn’t a very sociable person. He wasn’t good at starting conversations, and if he was being completely honest, a lot of people throughout his school life hadn’t really liked him because of his attitude. But in the end, he didn’t care that much. To him, it all felt the same anyway.

Still, none of that mattered right now.

All he could think about was the fact that he was finally going to see New York again.

They arrived in New York late at night, the sky was already dark and the city still wide awake. Lights filled the streets, cars moved past in a steady flow, and people walked like it wasn’t even that late.

The air was colder than Zanka expected, biting slightly at his skin the moment he stepped outside the airport.

He paused for a second, looking around.

He barely remembered anything from the first time he came here when he was 5.

Back then, it was just flashes of lights and noise. But seeing it again now, properly this time, felt different. It was bigger than he remembered and a lot colder.

Luckily, they didn’t have to figure everything out for themselves of how to get there to there. Enjin had a friend back in high school who lived in New York, Semiu. She was also a police officer and will be working with him. She picked them up from the airport, gave a quick greeting, and drove them straight to their new apartment.

The drive was quiet for the most part, everyone a bit tired from the flight. Zanka sat by the window, watching the city pass by without saying much.

When they arrived, they grabbed their luggage and headed inside. The apartment was decent, nothing fancy, but enough space for all of them.

As soon as they got in, everyone started moving around, checking rooms, picking where they’d stay, and unpacking their things.

They weren’t starting at their new schools for another 2 weeks, so there wasn’t any rush. For now, it was just about settling in and getting used to the place.

Zanka finished unpacking in his room and checked the time on his phone.

9:00 PM.

He stared at the screen for a moment, then slipped his phone into his pocket. He wasn’t tired enough to sleep yet, and staying inside felt boring.

A quick walk wouldn’t hurt.

He grabbed his black puffer jacket, put it on, and headed downstairs.

Enjin was in the living room, sitting on the couch with a bag of chips, eating like he had no plans to move anytime soon.

“Hey,” Zanka said, stopping near him. “I’m goin’ out for a bit.”

Enjin looked up at him, pausing mid-bite. “Right now?”

“Yeah. Jus’ around here,” Zanka replied.

Enjin stared at him for a second, then reached over to the table and picked something up. “Alright.. but don’t go too far.” He tossed the keys over and Zanka caught them easily with one hand.

“You’ve got your phone?” Enjin asked.

Zanka pulled his phone out with his other hand and held it up briefly. “Yeah.”

“Good,” Enjin said, leaning back again. “Call me if you get lost. I’ve got your location.”

Zanka rolled his eyes a little. “I won’t.”

Enjin didn’t look fully convinced, but he didn’t argue either. “Just don’t take too long.”

Zanka gave a small nod and headed for the door. After putting on his shoes, he stepped outside, the cold air hitting him again as he started walking down the street.

New place, same night.

Zanka shoved both hands into the pockets of his puffer jacket as he walked down the street, shoulders slightly hunched against the cold.

He didn’t have a specific destination in mind, he just turned at a random corner and kept going. The plan was simple: walk in a loose circle, get a feel for the area, and not stray too far from the apartment. They were going to be living here for a while, maybe even permanently, so he figured he might as well start getting used to it.

He exhaled, watching his breath fog in front of him.

Going out alone this late probably wasn’t the smartest decision, especially in a country he’d just moved to, but Zanka wasn’t too worried. He knew how to handle himself if something happened, and Enjin knew that too and that was the only reason he’d even allowed it.

Still, the streets weren’t exactly comforting.

He passed by a few dim alleyways that looked like they hadn’t seen proper light in years, the kind of places people either avoided or had no choice but to end up in.

 At one point, he walked past a couple making out on a bench, completely oblivious to everything around them.

Zanka glanced at them for half a second before looking away, his expression flattening.

 Seriously… get a room.

A bit of secondhand embarrassment creeping in as he kept walking.

Further down, he passed a small park. A couple of kids were still on the swings, their laughter carrying faintly through the cold air while an adult probably a parent, stood nearby, watching. Zanka slowed slightly, his eyes lingering on them for a moment before he continued on.

The city felt… different at night. Not quiet, just… less crowded in certain places, louder in others.

He kept walking, letting the unfamiliar streets settle into his memory, focusing more on the movement than anything else. It was supposed to be a simple walk, nothing more. But that is when he heard a music in the distance.

Faint at first, but distinct enough to stand out against the usual city noise. Along with it came voices, cheering, shouting, overlapping in a way that didn’t sound organized.

Zanka slowed to a stop, his head turning slightly in the direction of the sound.

At first, he assumed it was just a club or something nearby. But the longer he stood there, the more it didn’t sound like one. It was rougher, less structured.

He hesitated for a second.

Then, without really thinking about it, he started walking toward it.

It wasn’t far, maybe a couple of minutes down the street. As he got closer, the noise got clearer. The music had a heavy beat to it, something fast like rap, maybe R&B and mixed in with it were voices, loud and overlapping.

When he turned the next corner, he found it.

A basketball court.

It was surrounded by a chain-link fence, and there was a crowd gathered around it. More people than he expected, all pressed in close, watching something happening inside. The energy was loud, messy, and unfiltered nothing like any organized game.

This was street basketball.

Zanka slowed as he approached, eventually stopping near the fence. He rested one hand against the cold metal, looking through.

Two guys were in the middle of the court, going at it in what looked like a one-on-one game but it didn’t feel like anything organized. It was rough. No whistles, no calls, no structure.

 Just whoever could outplay the other.

One of them had the ball.

He moved fast, way faster than Zanka expected. Quick dribbles, sharp footwork, barely giving the other guy time to react. His opponent tried to keep up, stepping in to block him, but it wasn’t enough. They collided briefly, shoulder to shoulder and neither holding back.

Then the guy with the ball pushed forward, hard.

There was a rough shove, nothing subtle about it and before the other guy could recover, he drove past him, jumped, and slammed the ball straight into the hoop.

The impact echoed across the court as the other guy lost his balance and hit the ground hard.

“OOOH!”

The crowd erupted immediately, cheers, laughter, shouting all at once.

Zanka winced slightly.

Yeah… that had to hurt.

For a second, he thought he heard something crack, but maybe that was just the way the guy landed.

His attention shifted back to the one who scored.

The guy was already laughing, grabbing the ball as it bounced back and spinning it casually in his hand. He had tan, almost caramel-toned skin, wearing a purple jersey over a white t-shirt, with black basketball shorts. His hair was tied back into a messy bun of thick locs, small gold pieces threaded through them that caught the light when he moved.

He didn’t look tired.

If anything, he looked like he was enjoying it.

“Ayy,” he called out, spinning the ball casually in his hand as he looked down at his opponent. “Thought you said you were gonna beat me or something. What happened to that?”

The guy on the ground pushed himself up slightly, clearly pissed. “You cheated!”

The other guy let out a short laugh. “Cheated? Nah. I just played better. You’re just mad you can’t take a loss.”

“You pushed me! That was a foul!”

He got to his feet and stormed forward, grabbing a fistful of the purple jersey.

For a second, it looked like it might turn into something worse.

But the guy in the jersey didn’t even flinch.

He just rolled his eyes.

“Blah, blah, blah, that is all I hear,” he said flatly. “Told you, no fouls or rules here. If you can’t keep up, that’s on you. Go home.” He shoved the other guy back without much effort. The guy stumbled, barely catching himself.

The crowd backed him up immediately, booing, jeering, a couple of people even tossing their empty cups at the loser’s direction. The guy clenched his jaw, clearly humiliated, before finally turning and walking off.

Zanka watched the whole thing, his expression unreadable.

What kind of game is that? he thought. No rules, no sportsmanship…

He exhaled quietly.

What a mess.

The guy in the purple jersey, though he seemed completely unfazed. People gathered around him, patting his back, hyping him up, calling out a name.

“Jabber!”

“Yo, Jabber!!”

“Run it back!”

So that was his name.

Zanka let out a quiet breath through his nose. Figures. The attitude matched, cocky, loud, full of himself. The kind of person Zanka will never like.

Back when he used to compete in martial arts, he’d run into people like that all the time, the “naturals,” the ones who acted like everything came easy to them, like they were above everyone else. Cocky, irritating, always looking down on others.

Zanka used to hate them, he still does though.

…Even if he used to act like one of them too.

Zanka let out a quiet breath and straightened up, realizing he’d been standing there longer than he meant to. This wasn’t what he came out for.

He should head back.

Zanka pulled his phone out, glancing down to check the time as he turned slightly, already planning to leave and suddenly he looked up and completely froze when Jabber was looking straight at him.

Not past him. Not at the crowd.

At him.

Zanka’s chest tightened for a second, caught off guard. There was something about his eyes, sharp, focused and for some reason, they felt… familiar. But that didn’t make sense. He’d never seen this guy before.

Right?

Zanka frowned slightly, trying to place it, but nothing came up.

Still, he didn’t look away.

Neither did Jabber.

The noise around them didn’t matter for a moment. People were still talking, moving, crowding around him, but his attention didn’t shift. His gaze stayed locked on Zanka like he’d noticed something worth paying attention to.

Zanka felt his heartbeat pick up, just slightly.

What…?

He should’ve looked away by now. There were plenty of other people there, plenty of distractions, but Jabber didn’t bother with any of them.

He just kept staring.

Zanka’s grip tightened slightly around his phone. After a few seconds too long, he clicked his tongue under his breath and broke eye contact, turning sharply.

Yeah, no.

He shoved his phone back into his pocket and started walking, faster than before. His arms crossed over his chest as he moved, pace picking up without him really thinking about it.

His heart was still beating harder than it should.

“…What da’ hell was that?” he muttered under his breath, frowning as he kept walking, not bothering to look back.

Two weeks passed quickly after the move, and before Zanka really had time to settle into a routine, his first day arrived.

His alarm went off at 5 a.m. sharp.

Zanka didn’t feel like getting up, he lay there for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling while the sound dragged on, then reached over and shut it off with a quiet exhale. For a moment, he considered going back to sleep, but that wasn’t an option today.

He pushed himself up and got out of bed, running a hand through his hair as he made his way to the bathroom. He didn’t plan on wearing anything extra to make himself the spotlight, first days already brought enough attention on their own. He wasn’t trying to stand out more than necessary.

After brushing his teeth and washing up, he returned to his room and started getting dressed. He pulled on an oversized, off-white fuzzy V-neck sweater over a beige button-up, adjusting the collar before loosely tying a brown tie underneath. For the bottom, he went with light blue straight jeans and a pair of white Adidas shoes.

It was simple but put together.

He stepped in front of the mirror, adjusting his rectangular glasses and put on his long blue tassel earrings before fixing his bangs slightly, making sure they sat the way he liked.

After that, he reached for his usual cologne, something he’d stuck with for a while now and applied a small amount without overdoing it.

Grabbing his essentials, he packed them into his shoulder bag, then slid on his gold watch. One last glance at himself in the mirror, and he turned toward the door.

As he opened it, Riyo stepped out of her room at the same time, her door directly across from his.

She had her hair tied up in a messy bun, wearing a white tank top with green camo baggy pants and black shoes. Her shoulder bag hung loosely as she yawned, clearly not as awake as she tried to look.

She glanced at him for a moment, taking in his outfit. “Morning, Zanka,” she said, voice slightly rough from sleep.

“Hey,” Zanka replied, closing his door behind him. He exhaled quietly as they started walking down the hallway. “I lowkey don’ feel like goin’.”

Riyo let out a short laugh. “Why? It’s literally our first day.”

Zanka shrugged, hands slipping into his pockets. “Exactly. First days are embarrassin’. I hate introductions.” He clicked his tongue.

Riyo raised a brow, a small grin forming as she looked at him. “We need to work on with your social skills, how will people get to know you anyway?”

Zanka glanced at her briefly, unimpressed. “I’ll manage.”

“Yeah? By standing in the corner and judgin’ everyone like you always do?” she teased, lightly patting his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes but didn’t respond, and the two of them continued downstairs.

In the kitchen, Enjin and Rudo were already there, eating breakfast. The atmosphere was casual, nothing too serious, just the usual morning routine. Zanka grabbed something quick to eat, not really in the mood for a full meal, while Riyo sat down and joined the others.

Once they were done, they got ready to head out.

They got into Enjin’s police car and put on their seatbelts. As he drove off, Zanka sat by the window, quietly watching the city pass by.

A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of Ground Giver University (GGU). Zanka, Riyo, and Rudo got out. Zanka looked up at the building—it was huge, with detailed architecture that stood out right away. He glanced around and noticed how many people were there. The crowd made him frown slightly.

Enjin leaned out from the driver’s seat. “Have fun, you three!” He gave them a thumbs up.

Riyo and Rudo waved back. “Bye, Dad!” Riyo called while Zanka gave a small wave.

Enjin waved once more before driving off, leaving the three of them standing at the entrance.

The three of them walked along the footpath, taking in the campus as they went. Students passed by in small groups, talking among themselves, while others sat on the grass in clusters, laughing or scrolling through their phones. Off to the side, a few people were playing footy, their voices carrying across the open space. There were people everywhere.

Zanka glanced down at Rudo, who was walking beside him. It didn’t take much to notice that something was off. Rudo kept fidgeting with the gloves he always wore, tugging at the fabric like he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

Zanka nudged his shoulder lightly. “Oi, what are ya’ scared for?”

Rudo looked up at him, expression tightening slightly. “I’m not scared,” he muttered.

Zanka raised a brow. “You are. I can see ya’ fidgetin’ yer’ nasty gloves again.”

Rudo shot him a look. “Don’t say that about my gloves! They’re perfectly washed.”

“Right,” Zanka replied flatly.

“It is washed!” Rudo insisted.

Riyo, walking on the other side of Rudo, let out a small laugh.

 “Come on, you two. We can’t start arguing already, not here.” She glanced at Rudo, her tone softening slightly. “Anyway, what’s up? What’s bothering you?”

Rudo hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Universities are kind of… intimidating,” he admitted.

Oh yeah, Zanka nearly forgot about Rudo had only just graduated high school before they moved to New York, so jumping straight into university especially in a completely new state, wasn’t exactly easy to adjust to.

Riyo reached over and patted his shoulder. “Don’t overthink it, alright? It’ll be fine.” She gave him a small thumbs-up. “Just remember what I told you, keep your cool.”

Rudo gave a slow nod. “Ah… yeah.”

Zanka let out a quiet huff. “Jus’ don’ gain too much weight once we hit the cafeteria.” A faint smirk pulled at his lips.

Rudo immediately snapped his head toward him. “Shut up!” he shot back, while Riyo laughed under her breath.

Once they entered the building, the atmosphere shifted. The halls were just as crowded, if not more, and the noise echoed differently indoors. The three of them slowed down slightly, looking around for any sort of map or sign that could point them in the right direction.

They hadn’t really thought this through.

They needed to find an office, somewhere they could get their class timetables but at the moment, none of them had any idea where to go.

Riyo nudged Zanka lightly, gesturing toward a few students nearby, clearly hinting that he should ask for directions. Zanka didn’t respond, keeping his gaze forward as if he hadn’t noticed.

It took a while, more than it should have for her to get him to even consider it.

Eventually, Zanka rolled his eyes in annoyance and shifted his direction slightly, preparing to approach a couple of guys who were about to walk past them.

Before he could say anything, a loud noise echoed through the hallway.

It sounded like something metallic hitting the ground.

The three reacted immediately, their attention snapping toward the source of the sound behind them.

A girl with short blonde hair was on the floor, surrounded by the contents of two large boxes that had fallen apart when she tripped. Medical supplies were scattered everywhere, bandages, small containers, loose items and mixed in with them were parts of what looked like instruments. Among the mess was a violin, its strings snapped and hanging loose.

She looked completely caught off guard, clearly embarrassed as she scrambled to gather everything.

Zanka overheard a couple of guys passing by.

“Yo, is that Eishia?”

“Oh yeah, she’s one of those cleaner freaks.”

They laughed as they kept walking.

Zanka’s expression darkened slightly as he watched them leave before shifting his gaze back to the girl, Eishia, who was still trying to clean up on her own. People nearby were watching, some whispering, some letting out small laughs before moving on. No one bothered to help.

So rude.

Zanka stepped forward without saying anything.

Riyo and Rudo paused, glancing at each other briefly before following after him.

Zanka crouched down and started picking things up, gathering the scattered supplies. Bandages, small bottles, loose items placed them together before picking up the damaged violin carefully. He let out a quiet breath and held everything out toward her.

Eishia hadn’t noticed him at first. When she finally looked up, her eyes widened slightly as she saw him holding her things.

“Here,” Zanka said, tilting the items forward.

She blinked quickly. “O-oh! Thank you!” she said, taking them from him and placing them back into one of the boxes.

By then, Riyo and Rudo had joined in, helping gather the rest of the scattered items. Eishia glanced at them briefly before continuing to pick things up alongside them. It didn’t take long before everything was collected again.

“Thank you so much… you didn’t have to do that,” she said softly. Her voice was quiet, almost hard to hear.

Riyo gave her a small smile. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. Do you need help carrying the boxes?”

Eishia shook her head quickly. “Oh no! It’s fin- ”

“That’s okay, we got it!” Riyo cut in, already picking up one of the heavier boxes.

Zanka grabbed the other one with one hand, lifting it easily.

“Just tell us where the room is,” Zanka said.

She hesitated for a second, then gave a small nod and a faint smile. “Okay… it’s just down the corner. Follow me.”

With that, she turned and started walking, leading the way, while Zanka, Riyo, and Rudo followed behind her.

As they walked further down the hallway, Eishia slowed slightly before pointing ahead. “It’s this one,” she said, spotting the door. “You can put the boxes down here.”

Zanka and Riyo lowered the boxes carefully to the ground. Eishia reached into her pocket, pulled out a set of keys, and unlocked the door. She turned back to them with a small, appreciative smile. “Thank you again. I really appreciate the help.”

Riyo returned the smile easily. “It’s no problem. Happy to help.”

Eisha let out a soft chuckle before speaking again. “If you don’t mind me asking… what are your names? I’m Eisha Stilza.”

“I’m Riyo,” she replied, gesturing casually between the others. “And these are my brothers, Zanka and Rudo. We’re new here, so we kind of need help figuring out where the office is. We don’t really know where we’re going.” She rubbed the back of her neck slightly as she said it.

Eishia blinked once, then her expression shifted into recognition. “Oh! Are you guys the Akuta siblings?”

“Yeah, we are,” Zanka answered with a small nod. Beside him, Rudo had already shifted his focus down to the box filled with instruments, barely paying attention to the conversation.

Eishia straightened slightly, her tone turning more apologetic. “Ah, I’m really sorry. The campus actually assigned me to show you around today. I was supposed to wait outside for you, but I got caught up with something else... you see, I-”

“This violin is broken.”

Rudo’s voice cut through her explanation. He had already picked up the instrument, examining the snapped strings closely.

“Rudo, ya’ can’t jus’ touch her stuff,” Zanka said, his tone flat.

Rudo didn’t look up. “I can fix it,” he said simply. “I usually repair things that are broken. Sometimes stuff people throw out.” He took a step forward, still holding the violin.

Riyo’s expression immediately lit up as she slung an arm around his shoulder. “Oh yeah, he can definitely fix it. Trust me, he’s really good with stuff like this.”

Eishia looked between the three of them, a bit surprised. “Oh… s-sure. That would actually help a lot.” She hesitated briefly before adding, “Would it be okay if you came inside?”

They all nodded.

“Alright… come in,” she said, stepping aside and opening the door wider. “I’ll bring the boxes.”

Zanka and the others stepped into the room first, while Eishia followed behind them, carrying the remaining items.

The moment Zanka properly stepped inside, he paused for a second to take in the space. It was clearly a band practice room. Instruments were set up around the area, drums positioned near the side, stands neatly arranged, amps resting near the walls and a small stage sat at the back.

It looked like a place that was used regularly, not just for practice but possibly small performances too.

His eyes moved briefly around the room before settling back on Eisha, who was placing the boxes carefully against the wall.

“Ya’ play an instrument?” Zanka asked.

Eishia glanced up at him. “Yeah, I do. I’m part of the music band here.”

Riyo leaned forward slightly from behind Zanka, clearly interested. “You play too? What instrument?”

Eishia hesitated a little, then answered quietly. “I play the violin.”

Riyo nodded, her expression brightening. “That makes sense. You look like someone who plays violin.”

Eishia gave a small nod, seeming a bit more comfortable now, though she still held herself a little nervously. She looked like she was about to say something else when Rudo walked up to her.

“Here,” he said, holding out the violin. “I fixed it. You might want to test the strings, though. I’m not sure if it’ll sound exactly right.”

Eisha took it carefully and tested each string, listening closely. Her expression shifted almost immediately.

“Woah, that’s quick. It sounds exactly the same,” she said, clearly surprised. “Thank you.”

She smiled, while Rudo looked away slightly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You guys are really kind,” Eishia continued. “Thanks to you, I don’t have to pay for repairs or replace it. I don’t even know how to repay you.”

Rudo waved his hand dismissively. “You don’t have to. I just like fixing things.”

“Well… I’m glad,” she said with a small smile before glancing back at Riyo. “Anyway, you said you play instruments too. What do you play?”

“I play a bit,” Riyo replied. “Flute and electric guitar.”

“Oh, that’s really good,” Eishia said. Then she looked over at Rudo and Zanka. “What about you two?”

“Rudo plays drums, but he’s never had proper training,” Zanka said. “I play piano.”

Eishia nodded. “That’s actually really cool, all three of you play an instrument! If you want, the band is looking for more members. We also have a professional trainer who helps improve everyone’s skills! But that’s if you want.” She brought out a warm heartfelt smile.

Riyo’s eyes immediately lit up at that, while Zanka let out a quiet breath, already looking uninterested. Joining something like that wasn’t something he wanted to think about. Not after everything that had happened before.

Since the tournament and his injury, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to join anything like that again. Martial arts had been his focus and his thing and once that was gone, it felt pointless trying to replace it with something else. The only reason he even played piano was because it had been forced into his routine for years.

He grimaced slightly.

“Oh yeah, definitely. We’ll join!” Riyo said quickly but then Zanka cut in, “I’m sorry, I’m not really that passionate for music like that.”

Riyo and Rudo both turned to look at him.

Eishia’s expression softened slightly. “Oh… that’s okay. You don’t have to join!”

Riyo frowned, then suddenly grabbed Zanka’s wrist and pulled him aside, dragging Rudo along with them.

“Zanka, what are you doing?” she whispered.

“I don’ have time for that,” he muttered back. “I barely even play the piano anymore.”

“Come on,” Rudo added. “Just join and don’t be a scaredy cat.”

Zanka shot him a glare. “Who da’ hell ya’ callin’ a scaredy cat?”

“Okay, both of you, quiet,” Riyo said quickly. She nudged Zanka again. “I’m serious. Just join. You need to do something other than study all the time, especially when it’s not even necessary!

Zanka narrowed his eyes slightly. “And if I do, what exactly do I get out of it?”

Riyo paused for a second, then a slow, knowing grin spread across her face. She glanced briefly at Rudo, who seemed to understand immediately, though he didn’t look too pleased about it.

She grabbed the front of Zanka’s sweater and pulled him down slightly as his glasses nearly fall off. He tilted his head closer so she could speak.

Riyo leaned in and lowered her voice.

“A praise from Enjin.”

Zanka went still.

“Think about it,” she continued quietly. “If we ever get to perform or something, imagine him actually clapping for you. Telling you that you did well. Complimenting you.”

Zanka’s eyes shifted toward hers, his expression unreadable.

“Or,” she added, “you don’t join, and nothing changes. He just keeps lecturing you to stop overworking yourself.”

That was enough.

Zanka’s shoulders tensed, and before he could overthink it, he turned back toward Eishia.

“Never mind, I’ll join the band!”

Riyo let out a quiet laugh behind him, clearly satisfied, while Rudo looked at him with mild disbelief.

“…Such a pushover.”

Eishia let out a small gasp, smiling. “T-that’s great! I’ll get the papers, give me a second.” She quickly hurried over to a nearby desk, pulling out a few forms and a pen before heading back to them.

Zanka watched as she held the papers out in front of him.

“Please sign this form, just here and here,” she said, pointing to specific spots.

They all nodded, and Eishia handed each of them a form. She went back to the desk again and brought over clipboards so they could write properly.

Zanka looked down at the paper in his hands. He already had a feeling he might regret this at some point. Still, it wasn’t like he was planning to stay long, maybe a year at most.

He let out a quiet sigh and signed the form.

After that, the rest of the day turned out better than expected.

They didn’t attend any classes since they were new, and instead, Eisha spent the time showing them around the campus.

 The place was huge, much bigger than it looked from the outside, and it took a while to get familiar with even the main areas.

By the time break came around, the three of them had already signed the form to join the band. Eishia mentioned that she wanted to introduce them to the others who were part of it, so she led them toward a café nearby.

The café had a warm, cozy atmosphere. It was neat, well-kept, and filled with the quiet hum of conversation. The faint smell of pastries lingered in the air, and the sound of the coffee machine working in the background blended with everything else.

As the three of them stepped inside, the door let out a loud jingle.

Zanka visibly grimaced at the sound.

He hated that.

Eishia looked around briefly before spotting a table with a group of people gathered together.

“Oh, that’s them,” she said, pointing in their direction. She called out a quick greeting, not too loud, but enough for them to hear.

The group noticed her immediately, some waving, others calling back.

They approached the table, and Eishia stepped slightly to the side. “This is Zanka, Rudo, and Riyo,” she said. “They’re new members of the band, and they just transferred here.”

A few of them seemed interested, their expressions shifting with curiosity.

Zanka, on the other hand, looked mildly uncomfortable. “Gosh, I hate this,” he muttered under his breath.

Riyo chuckled quietly. “Told you, you’ll have to get used to it, ZanZan.”

Before anything else could happen, a girl with turquoise hair suddenly walked up to Rudo, leaning forward slightly with excitement. “Hey! You look cool! What’s your name?”

Rudo blinked, clearly caught off guard, looking like he didn’t know what to say.

“Guita, Eishia already told us their names,” another voice cut in. A blonde guy with a faint burn scar glanced at her with a tired expression.

“Sorry! I wasn’t listening!” Guita shot back, sticking her tongue out at him.

The blonde sighed and shook his head before turning his attention back to the newcomers. “Sorry about her. She gets excited and forgets to listen.” He gestured toward the empty seats. “You can sit.”

He pulled out an extra chair and placed it beside his own before offering a hand. “I’m Tamsy.”

Zanka hesitated for a brief second before shaking his hand.

Riyo stepped forward slightly, her attention fixed on Tamsy a little longer than necessary. She studied him carefully, her gaze lingering.

Tamsy noticed and tilted his head. “Is there something wrong?”

Riyo blinked, snapping out of it. “Oh! Sorry. I was just wondering… what hair products do you use? Your hair looks really soft.”

Tamsy smiled slightly. “Oh, I use Too Lily products. They’re really good.”

“No way..Too Lily?!” Riyo leaned in slightly. “Which collection?”

“The white dove one,” he replied, brushing his fingers lightly through his hair.

“You’re so lucky,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to try that one.”

Tamsy looked a bit more interested now. “You’re a fan too?”

“Obviously,” Riyo said. “Well, mostly me. Zanka listens to a few songs, but he’s not that into it.” She pointed at him with her thumb. “Same goes for Rudo.”

Tamsy let out a quiet, amused hum before shifting the topic. “So, what instruments do you play?”

“I play flute and electric guitar,” Riyo replied. “And Zanka plays piano.”

Tamsy nodded. “I play the cello.”

Before the conversation could go further, Riyo was called over by Eishia, who seemed to need her for something. She walked off without much hesitation, leaving Zanka sitting there.

Zanka’s expression shifted slightly.

Don’t fricking leave me you idiot!

He shifted a bit in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. Conversation wasn’t his thing, especially not with people he had just met. The silence stretched longer than he liked.

Then Tamsy spoke.

“To be honest, I’ve always wanted a pianist in the band,” he said, reaching for a cup of tea on the table and taking a sip. “So, it’s good to have you join.”

Zanka watched him for a second before responding simply, “Yeah.”

The response came out dry, and he knew it.

Tamsy gave him a quick glance before setting his cup down. “Not much of a talker?”

Zanka stiffened slightly. “Uh… yeah.”

Tamsy hummed in mild amusement. “Introvert, I see. That’s fine. I actually prefer being around quieter people instead of someone who’s obnoxiously loud.”

Zanka raised a brow slightly. “Obnoxiously loud?”

“Yeah, like-”

Before Tamsy could finish, someone suddenly appeared behind him, leaning over his shoulder.

“YOO! WHAT’S UP, NEWBIE!!”

The voice was loud enough to make Zanka flinch. The guy raised his hand up for a dap, but Zanka just stared at him, clearly caught off guard, and didn’t respond.

The blonde guy pouted immediately. “You’re leaving me hanging, man! What a boomer!”

Boomer?

Zanka’s expression tightened, irritation flashing briefly. “It’s not ma’ fault yer’ so damn loud,” he muttered. “Can ya’ be quiet?”

The guy didn’t seem bothered at all. Instead, he looked amused, staring at Zanka for a bit longer than necessary.

Tamsy let out a small sigh. “Apologise, Zanka. That’s August and he’s Eishia’s older brother. He plays the saxophone and also helps with costumes for performances, so he’s an important member.” He paused briefly. “Just ignore how loud he is. That’s just his personality.”

He gave a small, awkward chuckle. “You’ll get used to it.”

Zanka stared at August, brows slightly furrowed, clearly studying him. “Yeah… I’ll get used to him alright.”

August kept staring at him, his attention not shifting at all. Then he briefly glanced toward where Riyo and Rudo were talking with Eisha and Guita, before looking back at Zanka again.

“You have a very charming face,” August blurted out.

Zanka froze, completely caught off guard. Tamsy let out a small, surprised sound.

“…Hah?” Zanka said, staring at him.

August leaned in closer, observing him more carefully. Zanka instinctively leaned his head back to create some distance.

“Oi- gimme some space at least,” Zanka said.

August ignored him completely. “You’ve got a defined jawline, your posture is good, the way you sit… your eye shape is unique,” he muttered, listing things off.

Zanka looked visibly confused now. “Uh… what da’ hell-”

“WILL YOU BE MY MODEL?!” August suddenly said, his tone full of excitement.

Zanka blinked, processing that.

Okay, what the actual hell?

Tamsy immediately shoved August back slightly. “Augs, don’t scare him like that. Ask him later.”

“Aww, but look at him,” August insisted. “He’s perfect!”

Tamsy glanced at Zanka again, actually studying him this time. “I mean… he does have that softer look.”

“W-what?” Zanka stammered slightly.

August narrowed his eyes again, still observing him. “You also look different compared to Riyo and Rudo. Are you sure you guys are siblings?”

Tamsy nudged him lightly. “Augs, we don’t ask things like that.”

“What? I’m just saying,” August replied, raising both his hands slightly. “And his accent, did you hear it? It’s strong.”

Zanka blinked again, looking between the two of them before answering.

“Uh… yeah. We’re not biologically related,” he said. “But we’re still family.”

Both August and Tamsy paused for a moment.

“I’m Japanese,” Zanka added. “So yeah, I guess ya’ could explain ta’ accent.”

August let out a long “ohhh” in understanding.

“So, you’re like… basically adopted?” August said without thinking.

Tamsy immediately nudged him again, sharper this time. “August, shush.”

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry,” August replied, raising his hands slightly in surrender.

Zanka just stared at them for a moment, unsure how to respond. He didn’t say anything right away, still feeling out of place in the conversation. The whole situation felt awkward, and he wasn’t exactly sure what he was supposed to say or do next. Conversations like this were never his thing, especially around people he had only just met.

He shifted his gaze away from them and looked toward the others instead, trying to distract himself.

Before he could gather his thoughts, a loud burst of laughter echoed from somewhere behind him.

Zanka paused.

He slowly turned his head toward the direction of the noise. The café was packed, filled with people sitting at different tables, so at first it was hard to tell exactly where the sound had come from. Conversations overlapped, chairs moved, cups clinked, it all blended together.

Then the laugh came again.

This time, it was clearer.

Zanka narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the room more carefully until his gaze landed on a large table set further back in the café.

A big group had gathered there, taking up more space than anyone else. Some of them were wearing sportswear, others had athletic bags slung over their shoulders or placed beside them. Their presence stood out immediately.

They looked… troublesome.

A few of them were sitting normally, but others had their legs thrown up onto the table, completely ignoring basic manners. Their posture, their volume, the way they carried themselves all came off as careless and disrespectful.

Zanka’s eyes lingered on them a little longer, his expression tightening as he tried to make out faces in the crowd.

Then he saw him.

Sitting on top of the table itself, like he didn’t care about anything around him, was the one laughing the loudest.

Jabber.

The same guy Zanka had seen two weeks ago at the basketball court.

Zanka’s gaze sharpened slightly as he took in his appearance again. His locs were tied up into a ponytail this time, and he was dressed casually in a light grey t-shirt paired with loose black sweatpants and a pair of clean Jordans. His hands moved as he laughed, and that was when Zanka noticed the details like his silver rings fitted on almost every finger, along with bracelets wrapped around both of his wrists.

He carried himself like he owned the space.

His laughter was loud, unrestrained, almost unhinged, echoing across the café enough to catch people’s attention. A few glanced over, but no one said anything. If anything, most people avoided looking too long, choosing to mind their own business instead of getting involved.

It wasn’t just him either.

The people around him acted the same way loudly, careless, completely at ease as if no one else in the café mattered.

Zanka watched them for a moment longer, his brows slightly furrowed, quietly taking in the scene in front of him.

Zanka kept staring at the tan-haired guy for a moment longer before, almost without thinking, he spoke.

“Who are they?” he blurted out, like his mouth had moved before his brain caught up.

Tamsy turned his head toward Zanka, then followed his gaze in the direction he was looking.

“Who?” he asked, sounding unsure at first.

Zanka tilted his head slightly and pointed with a subtle motion toward the large group at the back of the café.

“Oh… them,” he said.

His expression changed the moment his eyes landed on the group. It shifted noticeably, becoming a bit more serious, his earlier relaxed demeanor fading.

“They’re a bunch of meatheads. They’re pretty much known around campus for creating drama’s.”

August, who had been lingering nearby, suddenly leaned in behind Tamsy with a dramatic frown on his face.

“I despise them,” August said bluntly. “And I will never forgive them for what they said about my taste!”

Zanka just stared at him.

Tamsy let out a small sigh and cleared his throat. “August doesn’t like them… and neither do I, honestly. There’s been a rivalry in this campus for a long time between the instrumental bands and the athletes.”

August nodded quickly in agreement, like that explained everything.

Zanka tilted his head slightly. “And why is that?”

Tamsy shrugged a little. “No real reason, I guess. That’s just how it’s always been like that. We’ve tried to ignore it, maybe even make it more… mutual between us, but-” he paused, glancing back at the group again as they laughed loudly, completely unconcerned with everyone else around them, “…they always end up pushing it and making things difficult.”

He picked up his cup and took a slow sip.

Zanka narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why doncha’ guys jus’ fight back?”

August immediately straightened up like he’d been waiting for that question. “We tried,” he said quickly. “But they always find a way to put us down. It’s honestly so annoying.”

He leaned forward across the table, stretching his arms out before suddenly grabbing Zanka’s head and gently turning it toward the group.

“Look at that girl with the orange tips,” he whispered loudly.

Zanka blinked but followed his direction anyway.

“That’s Amo Empool,” August continued. “She’s the leader of the cheerleading squad. She grew up doing gymnastics. I’ve seen her performances, she’s actually amazing but she absolutely hates anyone who might take the spotlight from her.”

His eyes narrowed slightly as he kept talking.

“One time, she beat up some girl in the locker room just because she got the flyer role and then made sure she got injured on purpose. She’s insane.”

He then shifted his finger slightly to another girl nearby.

“That one. Noerde Hew Amozo. I hate her the most just because she always picks on Eisha. She does track and fencing, and she basically owns those sports. She moves like some kind of electric bullet, and she hates being talked down on. She’s also weirdly obsessed with her hair… I’ve never even seen her cut it. I sometimes wish I could though just to see her reaction.”

August pouted slightly at the end.

Zanka just followed along silently, taking in everything he was saying.

“The Orostor twins, Fu and Hii,” August continued without pause. “They do different sports. Hii plays volleyball. He’s good at every positions but he usually plays opposite hitter. His spikes are insanely sharp, people say he’s like a machine or something because the way he moves doesn’t even look human at all.”

He then shifted his focus slightly.

“And Fu does cheerleading with Amo. He’s mostly a base and he’s kind of a coward and a bit of a snitch. He’ll run straight to Zodyl if anything happens.”

Zanka frowned slightly. “Zodyl…?”

Before August could answer, Tamsy leaned in from the other side of Zanka.

“Zodyl Typhon is basically their leader,” he said. “He’s the one with that really dark presence. He plays ice hockey, and his body has that perfect shape and is built like a proper athlet-”

“Hold up, how do ya’ know that?” Zanka cut in.

Tamsy didn’t even react. “Anyway, he’s really intimidating. I swear I’ve never seen him smile. Ever. He has this way of speaking that makes people back off even when they’re trying to stand their ground. Maybe it’s his tone, I’m not sure.”

He leaned his elbow on the table, resting his cheek on his hand.

“What a waste of face card…” he muttered.

Zanka gave him a look. “What?”

August continued right after, not missing a beat.

“And the girl with the headphones? She is such a hypocrite! She hangs out with all these jock types who hate music, but she literally listens to music 24/7. She’ll ignore you on purpose, like she didn’t hear you, even though she definitely did. It gets on your nerves.”

He clicked his tongue.

“She plays tennis, and she’s actually really good. You wouldn’t expect it, but she has raw talent. Just make sure she’s not around if you ever talk about them, she somehow hears everything. It’s honestly kind of creepy.”

Tamsy nodded slightly. “And that one over there with the crazy biceps… Cthoni Andor. She doesn’t talk much. She just stares at everyone like she’s judging them. She’s extremely loyal to Zodyl, almost like a guard dog or something.”

August snorted slightly. “She does boxing. For a girl, she’s very muscular…”

Zanka glanced towards her from a distance. “She looks really young.”

August grinned. “Guess her age.”

Zanka thought for a moment, tapping his chin lightly. “maybe… 18?”

“Nope,” August said immediately. “29.”

Zanka stared in shock, “what?! No way!”

“Yeah,” August nodded proudly. “I know. She looks young, but she’s actually the oldest out of all of them.”

Zanka slowly turned his gaze back toward the group, his attention shifting back to Jabber.

“What ‘bout that guy?” Zanka asked, speaking as if he didn’t already know the answer.

Tamsy and August both reacted immediately, their expressions dropping into slight frowns as soon as they realized who he was referring to.

“Jabber Wonger,” they said at the same time.

Zanka glanced between the two of them, noticing the way their tone carried a certain weight. It wasn’t just recognition; it almost sounded like reluctant acknowledgment.

August let out a slow sigh, a small, almost disbelieving smile forming as he shook his head slightly.

“Man… where do I even start with that guy,” he said, dragging the words out as if there was too much to say and no clear place to begin. “I’m telling you, he’s a real piece of work.”

He paused there, and Tamsy picked up from where he left off.

“Jabber plays basketball,” Tamsy said, his tone more even, though still edged with something thoughtful. “And he’s really good at it. Somehow, though, he’s not even part of the basketball club here.”

Zanka turned his head toward him, brows drawing together slightly. “Why not?”

Tamsy gave a small shrug. “Not sure… I mean- he used to be part of it but knowing him, he’s probably just too good at it and eventually didn’t find entertaining anymore. People say he plays street basketball instead, usually around 9pm at night in every Tuesdays and Saturdays.”

He paused briefly before continuing, his gaze drifting back toward the group.

“And it’s not just basketball. He’s the type whose effortlessly good at everything, sports, academics… it doesn’t really matter. He picks things up fast.”

Tamsy exhaled lightly. “He’s basically a genius.”

Zanka let out a quiet hum under his breath, his attention shifting back toward Jabber.

From across the café, he watched as Jabber leaned back casually, clearly at ease, before turning his focus onto some random guy walking past. It didn’t take long before the situation shifted, what started as attention quickly turned into him picking on the guy, like it was nothing, like it was normal.

Zanka’s gaze lingered there, studying him in silence.

“And all of them together, they call themselves the Raiders,” Tamsy continued, his tone lowering slightly as he spoke. “It’s because they like causing trouble. Especially for us. They go out of their way to pick on each band members whenever they get the chance, and eventually, some people couldn’t handle it anymore and just left… some even transferred to other universities. That’s how bad it got.”

Zanka shifted slightly in his seat, turning his body away from the direction of the Raiders as if he had already seen enough for now.

“How many members do ya’ guys even have left?” he asked, glancing back at Tamsy.

Tamsy let out a quiet sigh, his expression flattening. “This is it,” he said, gesturing subtly toward everyone sitting at their table. “What you see right now… this is all of us. We used to have a lot more, but-” he paused briefly, then tilted his head slightly toward the Raiders behind them, “…they would make sure it won’t last.”

He leaned back slightly in his chair, clearly not pleased. “And since everyone knows about the rivalry, and how we keep getting targeted by them, people started giving us names. Not the good kind either. They make it a point to humiliate us, like they want to make sure no instrumental group even exists here.”

Zanka stared at him, his brows furrowing as the weight of that settled in. “What da’ hell? Ya’ can’t report that? Like… to professors or supervisors or somethin’?”

Tamsy shook his head without hesitation. “No. It doesn’t do anything. They talk to them, sure, but that’s it. No actual consequences, no warnings that matter. After a while, people just stopped trying.”

August groaned quietly and dropped his head onto the table. “They even gave us a nickname,” he muttered. “They call us the ‘cleaners.’ Apparently because we act too polished and a try hard to impress others.”

Zanka’s expression tightened slightly at that. “That’s messed up. If I were ya’ guys, I would’ve already stepped up and done somethin’ ‘bout it. At least show ‘em some respect.”

Tamsy immediately shook his head. “No,” he said firmly.

Zanka glanced at him.

“That’ll just make things worse,” Tamsy continued, his tone more serious now. “You don’t know what they’re capable of. One wrong move, and they’ll make your life miserable.”

Zanka let out a quiet breath, clearly unconvinced. “I’m not really the type to back down.”

“Still,” Tamsy said, not backing off, “I’m telling you, they’re not easy to deal with. You can’t just push back and expect it to end well.”

Zanka held his gaze for a second before exhaling through his nose.

“…Whatever. Fine. I’ll jus’ ignore ‘em.”

His voice was casual, but his eyes flicked back toward the Raiders again for a brief moment, as if he hadn’t fully decided on that just yet.

Just who the hell are you?

After a while, the group decided to head to the practice room. Since none of them had classes at the moment and were all on a free period, they figured it would be the perfect time to see what the new members could actually do. One by one, they left the café and made their way back across campus.

They started with Riyo.

She had been eager from the beginning, practically volunteering herself to go first, especially since both Zanka and Rudo weren’t in a rush to step up immediately. The room didn’t have an electric guitar available, considering the band leaned more toward classical music, so she settled for the flute instead.

If Zanka remembered correctly, Riyo had started playing the flute when she was younger, mainly because of her mother. It was something they used to share. After her mother passed away, it became one of the only things that still connected her to that memory.

 It was a quiet, sentimental detail that Zanka never really brought up, but he knew it mattered to her.

As for the electric guitar, he didn’t know much about how she got into that. He just assumed it was something she picked up out of interest later on.

Then it was Rudo’s turn.

At first, his playing was a little rough. He stumbled a few times and lost the rhythm here and there, but he didn’t stop. As he kept going, something shifted. He settled into it, finding a steady flow, and the more he played, the more confident his movements became.

Before he had joined the family, Rudo used to play drums on the street to earn money. He was trying to save up for his father’s illness back then, though things didn’t work out the way he had hoped.

Still, that experience stuck with him, and it showed in the way he played once he found his rhythm again.

“That’s amazing, Rudo!” Eishia clapped enthusiastically, and the others quickly followed with cheers and applause.

Rudo scratched the side of his cheek, clearly a little embarrassed. “It’s nothing… I messed up a bit,” he muttered under his breath.

Eishia shook her head gently, still smiling. “Even so, that was really good. You managed to recover and keep the rhythm going, which is exactly what we’re looking for. And don’t forget, we have a conductor who can help improve your skills even more.”

August gave him a thumbs-up from the side.

Rudo nodded shyly before stepping away from the drums, giving space for the next person.

Now it was Zanka’s turn.

He stood there for a moment, glancing around the room. There were instruments everywhere, strings, percussion, stands but no piano in sight.

Eishia noticed immediately. “Oh! The piano’s actually behind the stage,” she said quickly. “It’s too big to keep out here.”

She walked over and called for August and Tamsy to help move the curtains.

It didn’t take long. The heavy navy-blue curtains were pulled back, revealing the stage behind them.

And there it was.

A grand piano.

It was large and striking, made of a glass-like material with a faint blue tint. The surface caught the light in a way that made it almost glow, giving it an ethereal, almost unreal appearance. Despite the layer of dust, it still looked elegant, almost too beautiful to be left unused.

Riyo and Rudo both reacted immediately.

“Woah- Zanka, you got the best one out of all of us!” Riyo said with a wide grin, pointing between him and the piano.

Rudo just stared, clearly impressed.

Zanka walked up toward the stage slowly, his steps measured.

When he reached the piano, he lifted his hand and let his fingers brush lightly against the surface. The material felt smooth beneath the dust, cool to the touch.

He frowned slightly at the dust.

August suddenly appeared behind him. “This baby has been here for years,” he said. “Way before any of us even got here. We haven’t had a proper pianist in a long time.”

Zanka didn’t respond. His attention stayed on the instrument, his reflection faintly visible in the glass-like surface. For a brief moment, it reminded him of something delicate, almost like crystal or a polished gem—not exactly a diamond, but something close in how it held the light.

Footsteps approached from behind, and a hand rested briefly on his shoulder.

“Good luck,” Tamsy said, giving him a small nod before stepping away with August.

Zanka glanced back at them, then toward the others sitting in the audience area. Riyo and Rudo both gave him encouraging thumbs-ups.

He exhaled quietly and turned back to the piano.

Taking a seat, he carefully lifted the lid, revealing the keys underneath. They were dusty, just like the rest of it.

He coughed lightly, covering his mouth, and brushed some of the dust away with his hand before placing his fingers gently on the keys. The surface felt cold.

Zanka took a slow breath in, then exhaled.

He wasn’t even sure if he remembered everything properly.

Still, he decided to just play.

His fingers began to move, slowly at first, testing the notes, easing into something simple. The sound that followed was soft, controlled. His hands moved with a quiet kind of precision, almost like they were acting on instinct rather than conscious thought.

As he continued, the pace shifted. His movements became more fluid, more confident, each note connecting seamlessly to the next.

The sound filled the room, carrying warmth that settled over the space, drawing attention without demanding it.

For a few moments, there was nothing else.

Then he reached the end, pressing the final keys.

The sound faded.

Zanka slowly turned his head toward them after finishing, his hand still resting lightly on the edge of the piano as if he hadn’t fully pulled himself out of it yet.

For a brief second, the room felt completely still, like everything had paused right after the final note.

Then it all hit at once.

They froze at first, staring at him, before the reaction broke out into loud cheers and applause that filled the entire room.

August let out a long, sharp whistle, dragging it out with exaggeration, while Riyo immediately jumped up onto her chair, clapping loudly without holding back.

“Woah..Zanka, that was absolutely…” Eishia started, her eyes wide, almost sparkling.

“Holy yeah! That was gorgeous!” Guita finished for her, grinning widely.

Riyo rushed up onto the stage and threw an arm around Zanka’s head, ruffling his hair.

“Riyo!” he yelped, caught off guard.

“You did good, big bro,” she laughed.

Zanka’s face flushed slightly as he pushed her off.

August leaned closer to the stage. “YOU WERE MAGNIFICENT! YOU DEFINITELY FIT THIS ROLE!”

Tamsy nodded once. “That was…absolutely peak.”

Zanka looked at all of them, hearing the praise, the excitement, the way they were all reacting to him.

He turned his head away slightly so they wouldn’t see the smile spreading across his face.

They said I did amazing!

The thought echoed in his head, louder than everything else around him.

Zanka let out a quiet giggle under his breath.

After a while, once everything had been packed up and sorted, Zanka, Rudo, and Riyo were officially added into the band.

They exchanged numbers with everyone, and although the whole process was a bit chaotic with everyone talking over each other, it eventually settled into something more casual. Since Zanka, Rudo, and Riyo needed to leave soon, the group slowly started wrapping things up.

Everyone chatted while they moved around the room, saying their goodbyes and casually welcoming the new members. One by one, they began heading out, voices fading as they walked down the hall together.

In the end, Zanka and Tamsy were left behind as the others got further ahead. Tamsy stepped back toward the door and locked it properly, sliding the key in and turning it with a small click before letting it hang loosely from his finger as he spun it absentmindedly.

“Hey, Zanka,” Tamsy called out.

Zanka glanced at him and responded with a low hum, signalling he was listening.

“I was wondering,” Tamsy said as they both started walking down the hallway, following the others at a slower pace, “what major are you doing?”

Zanka’s gaze stayed forward for a moment before he answered. “Criminal Justice.”

Tamsy raised a brow slightly at that. “Oh? I actually picked that too, but only as an elective. There’s a good chance we’ll end up in the same class in some days then.”

He gave a small smile as he spoke, still spinning the keys lightly on his finger.

Zanka let out a quiet breath through his nose, almost like a short laugh. “That’s fine.”

Tamsy nodded. “What’re you aiming for, then?”

“I want to be a police officer,” Zanka said simply. “Like my dad.”

As he spoke, he reached up and adjusted his bangs, pushing them slightly to the side, the small tassel earrings on his ears giving a soft tinkling sound as they moved.

Tamsy’s expression softened a little. “Aww, that’s sweet.”

Zanka didn’t really react to that, just continuing to walk beside him.

“Do you have your timetable with you?” Tamsy asked, tilting his head slightly.

Zanka nodded once and reached into his shoulder bag. He pulled out his phone, quickly unlocking it and scrolling through before turning the screen toward Tamsy.

Tamsy leaned in slightly, scanning it for a moment. After a few seconds, he gave a small nod and a satisfied smile.

“Oh yeah, I’ve got some of those same slots. Just on certain days though.”

He pointed lightly at a few parts of the timetable as he spoke.

Zanka glanced at it briefly before putting his phone away again. “Well, at least I’ve got someone I know in those classes.”

Tamsy gave a small hum of agreement.

The two of them continued walking for a moment in a more relaxed silence, catching up with the others in front. But before Tamsy could say anything else, both of them noticed the atmosphere shift ahead.

The noise changed first.

Voices, tension, the kind of commotion that didn’t sound like casual conversation anymore.

Both Zanka and Tamsy slowed at the same time, then looked up in sync.

What they saw made them both stiffen.

Up ahead, their friends were stopped, caught in the middle of a confrontation. The Raiders were there too, though only part of them, Noerde, Hii, and Jabber.

Noerde was visibly upset, her expression sharp as she scolded Eishia, who stood in front of her. Her shirt had fresh stains across it, dark and obvious against the fabric.

Zanka’s eyes dropped briefly to the ground.

A plastic cup was lying there, spilled out.

From what he could tell in a glance, it didn’t take much to piece together what had happened. Eishia had likely bumped into Noerde, causing the coffee to spill, and Noerde had taken it badly.

“Hey, look- she didn’t mean to bump into you,” August said, stepping forward to place himself between Eishia and Noerde.

Noerde immediately shot him a sharp look. “Oh please, that was on purpose. You weak, fragile girls always act like you can’t take responsibility for anything,” she hissed.

Before the tension could escalate further, Riyo stepped in between them, lifting her hands slightly in a calming gesture.

“Hey, hey, hey,” she said, her tone lighter as she tried to defuse the situation. “Let’s not turn this into a scene, alright? It was just an accident. It happens.” She gave a small, polite smile. “If you want another coffee, just say so.”

Noerde looked her up and down, unimpressed, then scoffed. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Riyo,” she replied smoothly. “Now, if you could just excuse us, I think we should forget about this and move on-”

 She didn’t get to finish as Noerde suddenly shoved her harshly to the side.

“Piss off. This isn’t your business,” she spat.

Riyo stumbled slightly but quickly steadied herself, blinking once before forcing a small, almost awkward smile as if brushing it off.

“Ay, Noerdy boo-boo.”

The voice came from the side.

Jabber stepped forward casually, a hand resting on Noerde’s shoulder as if nothing was wrong.

“Don’t go too hard on the cleaners, yeah? You know how fragile they are,” he said with a low snicker.

August immediately gave him a sharp look.

Jabber then shifted his attention briefly, his gaze landing on Rudo. Their eyes met, and Rudo stiffened almost instantly.

“Hey, yo,” Jabber said, leaning slightly to Rudo’s height. “You new too? Haven’t seen you around.”

Rudo frowned and leaned back a little. “Can you give me some space, dude?”

Jabber hummed in response and, without hesitation, reached out and ruffled his hair, messing it up deliberately.

Rudo let out an annoyed sound, trying to pull away.

“Hey! Don’t touch him!” Guita called out from behind.

Rudo struggled, trying to push Jabber’s hand away as he continued messing with his hair.

“Your hair’s messy, don’t you brush it?” Jabber scoffed lightly, almost amused.

Rudo grabbed at Jabber’s wrist, trying to pull his hand away from his head. “Don’t touch me, you weird ass- psycho!”

Jabber didn’t let go. Instead, he tightened his grip slightly, pulling Rudo just a fraction closer in the process.

The atmosphere shifted again, heavier this time.

Jabber’s expression cooled, his red eyes locking onto Rudo’s magenta ones with a sharper focus. “I don’t appreciate being called that,” he said, voice lower, more controlled.

Rudo hesitated for a split second, the change in tone making him tense.

That was when Tamsy stepped in fast, grabbing Jabber’s arm and pulling it off Rudo’s head with firm force.

“And I don’t appreciate you putting your hands on our new member,” Tamsy said, his tone calm but clearly firm.

Jabber looked at him, unimpressed, then rolled his eyes. “Boo hoo. You’re boring.”

In one motion, he shoved Tamsy’s arm off him and pushed him back.

Tamsy stumbled from the force, losing his balance, and collided straight into Rudo. The two of them hit the wall together with a dull impact that echoed down the hallway.

Guita, Riyo, and Eishia immediately rushed toward them, voices overlapping in concern as they checked if they were okay.

August’s expression changed completely.

“What the hell is your problem, mate?!” he shouted, storming forward and shoving Jabber back with force.

Jabber let out a short laugh as he stumbled a step, like the push barely mattered.

But before August could follow up, Hii moved in quickly and shoved him right back.

Hii let out a low, amused chuckle. “You and your little group are the problem, that’s why, mate.”

August clicked his tongue and shoved Hii back in return, but Noerde immediately stepped in again, pushing him off balance and forcing him toward the side.

“Try fighting back, blondie,” she said coldly. “You guys can’t even defend yourselves properly.”

Hii smirked, slipping his shades off casually like he was enjoying the chaos. “Yeah. We’ve got the muscles. You lot just sit around acting all pretty, playing with your little instruments and oversized toys!”

“Hey! That’s mine!” August snapped, reaching for his shades but Hii lifted his hand just out of reach, teasing him with it as August kept trying to grab them back.

Before anything could settle, Noerde shoved August again, pressing him back against the wall with clear intent to corner him.

The hallway felt smaller now. Voices louder. Everyone overlaps.

Then Riyo moved again.

Her expression changed completely as she stepped forward and shoved Noerde back with more force this time.

“Leave us alone,” she said flatly.

Noerde looked like she was about to swing, her arm tensing but Jabber raised a hand slightly, stepping in again like he was still casually controlling the situation.

“Hey, no need to get tense,” he said, voice relaxed again, like nothing had happened. “We just need that girl over there to apologise and admit she was in the wrong.” He said as he is referring to Eishia.

Eishia stiffened as her eyes met Jabber’s.

Riyo let out a short, sharp scoff.

“She didn’t even do anything,” she said immediately, eyes narrowing. “I saw it. It’s just that barbie over there taking up half the hallway like she owns the place like a fatass pig she is.”

Noerde snapped instantly.

“WHAT?!”

Jabber let out a chuckle, the sound loose and amused like he was entertained more than anything else.

“You’re funny,” he said, a wide grin spreading across his face. “I like you quite a lot.”

But then his expression shifted.

He lowered himself slightly, bringing himself down to Riyo’s height, and the change was immediate. The playful amusement in his eyes faded, replaced with something colder, sharper, more controlled.

“But I don’t like how you call her that.”

Riyo stiffened.

The air tightened again.

Jabber pulled back just a fraction, as if resetting his posture, and in the same movement his arm came up, fast, direct, aimed straight for Riyo’s face, a clean strike toward her nose.

But it never landed.

Zanka moved on instinct.

His hand shot forward and caught Jabber’s wrist mid-motion, stopping the punch dead before it could even complete its arc. The impact of the grab halted everything, freezing the moment in place.

Jabber blinked, clearly caught off guard.

For a split second, their eyes met again.

Blue and magenta.

Zanka’s brows furrowed as his grip tightened around Jabber’s wrist. There was a brief sound of strain as Jabber tried to push forward, but Zanka held firm, not letting it move an inch further.

That hesitation was all Zanka needed.

He shoved Jabber back sharply, forcing his arm away in one clean motion.

Jabber stumbled a step, sneakers sliding slightly against the floor as he regained his balance. The surprise lingered on his face for a moment before it slowly shifted into something more measured.

He turned his head, now properly looking at Zanka for the first time without distance or distraction in between.

Zanka finally got a clear look at him.

Not from across a court. Not from a crowd.

Up close.

And it was… distracting.

Caramel skin, clean sharp brows, a defined jawline that looked almost carved, and lips that sat in a way that made him look permanently composed even when he wasn’t. His magenta eyes were even more noticeable now, bright, intense, and uncomfortably direct when they stayed locked on someone.

He is gorgeously handsome…

Zanka’s thoughts stalled for half a second.

Holy- Get it together!

He quickly cleared his throat, breaking the silence before it dragged on too long.

“Get lost,” he said flatly, voice low and sharp.

His blue eyes stayed locked on Jabber, still not fully breaking away even as the tension hung in the air between them.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The hallway felt completely still again, like even the noise from the others had faded into the background.

Then Jabber suddenly grinned. Not the earlier amused grin.

Something more amusing in a different way.

He straightened up slowly, rolling his shoulders back like the moment had already stopped mattering to him. Then, casually, he reached out and tapped Noerde’s shoulder.

“Let’s go,” he said lazily. “Let’s not waste time on these folks.”

Noerde frowned immediately. “What?”

“You heard me,” Jabber replied simply. “Let’s go.”

He turned without waiting for an answer and started walking away.

Noerde hesitated for a second, clearly confused by the sudden shift, then followed. Hii glanced back once, expression unreadable, before dropping his shades to the floor on purpose as he turned and walked off as well.

August immediately snapped out of it.

“Hey- don’t drop them!” he shouted, dropping down quickly to grab his shades off the ground.

But the three were already leaving.

Jabber walked ahead without looking back.

The Raiders moved down the hallway, their footsteps fading as they disappeared from view, leaving behind the tension they had just caused.

The cleaners stood there for a moment, still processing what had just happened.

Zanka’s eyes remained fixed on Jabber’s back even as he disappeared from sight, his expression unreadable but focused, like he was still trying to make sense of something he couldn’t quite place.

After a moment, he finally broke his stare and turned slightly toward Riyo.

“Ya’ okay?” Zanka asked, his voice carrying a worried tone as he looked Riyo over with clear concern in his expression.

Riyo slowly nodded after a moment, still trying to process what just happened.

“Yeah… wowiee, that was crazy,” she said, letting out a long exhale as her shoulders dropped.

“I’ve been holding my breath for a long time,” she added, followed by a light, slightly shaky chuckle as she bent down, resting her hands on her knees to steady herself.

Zanka let out a short huff and shifted his attention away from her, glancing over toward Rudo and Tamsy, who were still being supported by Eishia and Guita on either side.

“Hey, ya’ guys alright?” Zanka asked, his tone still firm but noticeably more concerned.

Tamsy let out a low groan in response, wincing slightly as he tried to adjust his posture.

“Hell no… that shove was enough for me,” he muttered, attempting to push himself up but clearly struggling and failing to fully stand on his own.

Eishia immediately gasped under her breath and moved closer, shaking her head.

“Don’t force yourself up,” she said quickly, her eyes scanning him for any serious injury as she looked around the hallway.

“Here, we’ll go find the nurse,” she added after a brief pause, turning slightly and gesturing for Guita to come with her.

Guita nodded and followed without hesitation, and the two of them left together to get help.

Zanka watched them go for a moment before slowly shifting his attention back to Rudo. Rudo looked unsettled, his expression tight with worry and lingering fear, clearly affected by what had just happened.

Zanka could tell immediately that university life, which already felt overwhelming, had only been made worse for him after what Jabber and the others did earlier.

Thanks a lot, Jabber.

“Hey, bud, ya’ okay?” Zanka asked again, tilting his head slightly as he spoke.

Rudo frowned, still not fully looking up. “My head hurts,” he muttered quietly.

Zanka’s expression softened slightly as he stepped closer, gently resting a hand on Rudo’s shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

“Don’ worry, ya’ might get an ice pack for it,” he said calmly.

Rudo gave a small, slow nod in response, still keeping his gaze lowered toward the floor as he tried to steady himself and settle his breathing.

What a good way to end our first day.