It was late in the afternoon when the classroom door opened with its usual sudden, snappy swish. Gojo-sensei appeared in the doorway, a sports bag slung over his shoulder and his glasses lowered to the tip of his nose.
"Ohayou! I'm back, my beloved children."
He paused when he saw me.
"Ah, yes. And our favorite European student is still alive. What a relief, how wonderful!"
"I was just starting to get used to things, actually," I said, crossing my arms with a smirk.
Gojo-sensei waved his hands manically.
"Great! Then it's time to ruin your day."
Silence.
We all stared at him.
"We're leaving for Kyoto tomorrow. The principal there wants to meet Rebecca in person and..."—he looked up—"of course, introduce you to the first-years. We have to maintain good relations between schools, and maybe..." he winked, "make an impression."
"So... this is kind of a courtesy visit?" Panda asked.
Gojo-sensei nodded.
"With a side of sushi, to make it more bearable."
--- The next day ---
It was just after nine in the morning when we boarded the minibus to Kyoto. I sat next to Maki, while Kaito—somehow, without me noticing—snagged the seat right behind me.
"So, Rebe..." he said cockily, leaning forward slightly. "Excited to meet your future favorite principal?"
I turned to look at him.
"Let's just hope he doesn't ask any hard questions before coffee."
Everyone laughed.
Except Toge.
He was sitting next to Panda, upright, hands folded. His expression serious. Now and then, his eyes flicked up to me, then back to the window.
I could feel it.
The look.
The knot.
Kaito kept talking—about the classes, the missions, the perfect temperature of green tea. All of it polite, nothing wrong. But I wanted to move. To be where Toge was.
A little later, the aroma of freshly grilled sushi floated through the air like a soft caress. We had gathered around a low table, seated on comfy cushions, in perfect traditional style. I was sitting next to Toge, Kaito to my left. In front of me: a tray of nigiri, tempura, and a bowl of miso soup.
I was hungry. I was also happy. But I felt... watched.
"I'm sorry we couldn't get the cafeteria sushi like we planned yesterday. But hey, this worked out too," I said, turning to Toge with a smile.
He shrugged, almost resigned, but smiled.
"Tuna mayo," he replied.
"Did you know this place is famous for its flambé nigiri?"
Kaito cut in, smiling.
"Oh, that's great! Talk to Panda about it—he loves this stuff," I replied.
Toge looked down. I saw him chuckle. His shoulders relaxed slightly. His hand rested on the tatami, just inches from mine. I didn't touch it—but I was close.
"This is amazing—you have to try it!" Kaito said again, offering me a piece of flambéed sushi with his chopsticks. I took it and smiled. But as I bit into it, a small drop of sauce landed on the corner of my lip.
"Wait..." Kaito said, laughing.
He reached out and brushed the corner of my mouth with his thumb.
Everything stopped.
Toge looked up slowly. I saw his fist clench under the table. He said nothing, but his eyes darkened.
Then, during one of sensei's mid-meal speeches, Kaito stretched and casually draped his arm behind my back, resting it lightly on the cushion.
The air cracked.
Toge reacted—grabbed Kaito's arm rather roughly and yanked it away in one sharp, controlled motion.
"Mentaiko," he said coldly.
His tone was low. Guttural.
Kaito's eyes widened.
"Hey, chill... I was just—"
Toge stared at him. Unmoving.
Caught between embarrassment and a racing heart, I placed a hand on his leg.
"Thank you, but everything's fine. Really."
He slowly turned to me. His gaze was intense, vulnerable, yet full of unspoken words.
He typed on his phone:
"I'm sorry. I can't stand him. Too familiar."
--- Shortly after ---
The gate to Kyoto High was tall, dark wood with golden detailing. The van stopped in front, kicking up a small cloud of dust. We stepped out one by one. I ran my fingers through my hair and smoothed down the soft fabric of the cream-colored dress I'd chosen for the occasion. Elegant, but comfortable—I wanted to make a good impression.
Gojo-sensei walked over and patted my shoulder with his massive hand.
"Breathe, Rebe. They're not about to crown you Queen of Japan."
"Are you sure? Because if they put a crown on me today, I'm keeping it."
Everyone laughed—even Toge, who gave me an amused glance and typed on his phone:
"The queen of sushi."
I smiled, my heart skipping a beat.
Coming to Japan had felt like leaping into the unknown. But in that moment... it finally felt like something was beginning. For me.
The main doors opened.
We were greeted by a tall, elegant man with razor-sharp eyes and long gray hair tied into a perfect knot. He wore a deep blue robe and had the aura of someone who made decisions.
"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Kyoto High School," he said calmly. He looked at each of us carefully, until his gaze stopped on me.
"You're a new face. So you must be the Italian student. We've heard a lot about you. When you get the chance, say hello to Dr. Viviani for me. He's a dear friend," he said, gripping my hand firmly.
"I hope it's all been good things. I've heard of you too."
Gojo-sensei stepped forward, whispered to the principal—but loud enough for us to hear:
"Don't be fooled by her sweet smile. Her tongue is as sharp as a cursed blade."
I smiled.
"Only when necessary," I said. "Usually I prefer gentle sarcasm."
A few students behind the principal laughed. Three new faces: one serious, one all smiles, and a girl with a sharp, searching gaze. They looked at me curiously. I returned the look.
The principal continued:
"These three will take you to meet the other students. Please, make yourselves at home."
At that moment, we heard footsteps running toward us.
A stunningly blonde girl appeared from a side path, her hair long enough to brush her thighs. Her pale skin practically glowed, and her blue eyes locked onto us.
"Sorry I'm late..." she said, panting, bending forward slightly with her hands on her knees. She straightened up—and upon seeing Toge, opened her arms wide.
She ran to him, jumped into his arms in a hug that left nothing to the imagination. I froze.
Toge stiffened for a second, then calmly hugged her back, placing a light kiss on her cheek. It all looked so... natural. For them.
My jaw, on the other hand, tightened slightly.
"You must be Rebecca," the blonde girl said, turning to me, her smile dazzling and her eyes scanning me in detail.
"Yes. And you are?"
"Saya. Nice to meet you."
She shook my hand with a firm, energetic grip.
Gojo-sensei stepped in, hands in his pockets.
"Right. Let's move past the theatrics. Saya, show Rebecca the tea room. The rest of you are free. The principal and I have things to discuss."
Saya flashed a hostess smile and motioned for me to follow.
"Come on, Rebe! Let me show you the best part of the school."
Toge took a step forward, as if to say something... but stopped. I followed Saya, questions churning in my chest. I never thought I'd be jealous—not so soon.
But Saya... she had a way of taking over the space around her, of speaking with such confidence and ownership—it made me feel like she was hiding something. I didn't like it.
Not one bit.
---- In the quiet of my heart... ---
The room was immersed in the profound silence of the institution, and time seemed to have stood still among the pristine sheets and the faint scent of paper, wood, and tea that still lingered in the air. We had eaten dinner early that evening, all exhausted from a busy day. The lights in the institute itself were already out in most of the dormitory.
I rolled over in bed for the umpteenth time, holding my phone in my hands, slowly scrolling through the photos I'd taken in Kyoto, the new faces, the shared moments, the messages I'd exchanged with my parents throughout the day... but everything brought me back there: to Toge. I knew well that sleep wouldn't come soon.
Not that night.
Not with those thoughts.
He was there, everywhere. In my mind, in my chest, on my skin. I could still feel the pressure of his fingers on my shoulder during training. The intensity of his gaze that pierced me without words.
His hands, so delicate yet so strong, the way he held me without hurting me.
The perfect balance of power and gentleness.
I rolled onto my back, letting the sheet slide down a little, exposing my legs. The cool air on my bare skin made me shiver. I closed my eyes.
In the darkness, my heart beating softly and my mind filled with him, my fingers slid slowly over my abdomen. A barely perceptible caress. An instinctive exploration, as if searching for the exact place where desire began. I thought of him.
The way he'd looked at me that evening during dinner, when I approached him that day and traced the line of his tattoo with my finger. He'd swallowed hard, his eyes wide and attentive, filled with a hunger he was trying to hide.
A whisper left my lips, his name barely mentioned.
My fingers continued to move, more confidently now, guided by images that made me shiver.
I imagined his hands in my hair, the warmth of his breath on my neck. His body moving slowly against mine. Every detail was vivid in my mind: his chest, his muscles under his black shirt, the tension of his arms as he lifted me. I remembered the feeling of his voice whispering against my ear, even without words.
I felt the skin quiver beneath my fingers, still, my thighs tightening slightly, while my breathing became shallower. A shiver ran down my spine. It was as if his body were there, as if his hands were guiding my movements, as if he were watching me with those bright, curious, attentive eyes of his.
My lips closed in a sigh. The tension grew like a tide, slow but unstoppable. And then, it was like a silent explosion: pleasure washed over me in warm, continuous waves, leaving me breathless, my heart pounding wildly beneath my palm.
I remained like that, my body still tense, my cheeks flushed, a tired, sweet smile curling my lips. I had felt pleasure thinking of him. Not just physically, but emotionally too.
A need that started in my chest and spread everywhere.
I turned onto my side, clutching the pillow, letting the echoes of that moment lull me to sleep.
Who knows if he'd ever made love to me...in his heart, at least.
And that was all.
That night.