Chapter XXXII: Notes, Part 2
Morning settles gently over the University of the Constellations, the campus already awake long before the first bell rings. The wide halls echo with footsteps, murmured conversations, and the soft hum of energy that never truly disappears in a place where power and discipline coexist. Inside one of the upper buildings, the Special Defense and Power Class gathers slowly, students filtering in with bags slung over shoulders and expressions ranging from alert to half-asleep.
The classroom itself feels spacious, reinforced walls faintly lined with protective seals, desks arranged neatly in rows. Large windows allow pale sunlight to pour in, illuminating floating dust motes and casting long shadows across the floor. Despite the class's name, nothing about the atmosphere feels intense at the moment. It feels normal. Comfortably, almost deceptively normal.
Ryujin occupies his usual seat near the middle of the room. He leans back slightly, chair legs firmly on the ground this time, scrolling lazily through his phone. A faint smile forms on his face as he watches a short video clip, his thumb hovering just long enough to replay it.
Hageshi slides into the seat beside him, dropping his bag with a dull thud.
Hageshi: "Man, you already look entertained, and class hasn't even started."
Ryujin: "That's because entertainment is a mindset."
Hageshi tilts his head, peering at the screen.
Hageshi: "That meme again? You saved it yesterday."
Ryujin: "Good memes deserve appreciation. Come on, it's the peak of memes as of this moment now dude. I can't get enough of this LMAO."
Haruto arrives moments later, placing his bag down neatly before sitting. He adjusts his imaginary glasses and glances between them.
Haruto: "Let me guess. Another cursed video?"
Ryujin turns the phone slightly.
Ryujin: "Not cursed. Just painfully accurate. It's the guy who just popped his nuts."
Inoshiro joins last, stretching his arms above his head as he takes his seat. A faint shimmer of heat ripples in the air around him before he exhales and regains control.
Inoshiro: "I swear, every time I wake up early, my powers get grumpy."
Hageshi: "Maybe they don't like mornings either."
Haruto: "For I know, maybe you have already cooked your breakfast when you wake up. That's a toast to the flames of your power."
The four of them gather closer, heads tilted toward the small screen as Ryujin scrolls through a collection of memes—some involving games, others mocking student life, and a few absurd enough to make no logical sense.
Haruto: "Why is this one funny?"
Ryujin: "Because it's stupid."
Inoshiro: "That explains everything. I mean stupidity combined with the foolishness of people within vines and memes makes an eccentric hormone in the brain and the way we react is so incredibly elligib--"
Hageshi: "Yeah, we all know just shut up and watch this LOL!"
Their laughter blends into the general noise of the classroom. Across the room, another pocket of energy forms around a cluster of desks where Takeshi, Aoto, Kuebiko, and Okaki sit shoulder to shoulder, phones in hand.
Takeshi's fingers move rapidly across the screen.
Takeshi: "Mid lane is open. Someone cover top."
Aoto: "I am covering top."
Kuebiko: "You said that last match."
Okaki laughs as he taps his screen.
Okaki: "Focus, focus. We're about to lose."
Takeshi groans loudly.
Takeshi: "Why does this always happen before class?"
Okaki: "Guys, look out on your tails, someone's slaughtering us!!"
Aoto: "What?! Who is doing such a—WTF?!"
Takeshi: "I'll sneak up from behind. Kuebiko use a skill if you're still alive!"
Kuebiko: "Damn it! We're all dead"
Aoto: "I mean, who is the lunatic that has been slaughtering us from the start?"
???: "YES! TRIPLE KILL!! HAHAHAHAHAH!"
Takeshi: "Wait, who said that?"
Aoto: "I don't know"
Kuebiko: "Maybe it's coming over there!"
The four looks at the corner, and someone is playing Mobile Legends as the same server they are.
All four: "MIRAN?!"
Miran: "Heheh, hi?"
All four: WE CALL FOR A REMATCH!"
And so, the four have a rematch with Miran, who apparently was the one who killed them.
Meanwhile, not far from them, Saki sits facing Kitsune and Kubo, her posture animated and her eyes bright.
Saki: "I am telling you, the next episode changes everything."
Kitsune: "You say that every time."
Saki: "And I keep being right."
Rikiyo glances up briefly from his phone.
Rikiyo: "If it hurts emotionally, then yes, you're probably right."
Saki leans forward, lowering her voice dramatically.
Saki: "I'm not emotionally prepared."
Kitsune: "None of us are."
Rikiyo: "I know that Levi is not gonna die!"
Saki: "What makes you say that? Did you check the manga?"
Rikiyo: "No, it's just my intuition. Besides, the only one that can spoil us about the manga is Coconut Armin there. (Coconut Armin is Hageshi)
Their conversation dissolves into soft laughter just as the classroom door slides open with a quiet but commanding sound.
Dr. Ruma steps inside.
Her presence alone alters the room's energy. Conversations fade, phones disappear, and students straighten instinctively. She walks to the front with measured confidence, setting her books down before turning to face the class.
Dr. Ruma: "Good morning, my dears."
Class: "Good morning, ma'am."
She scans the room, eyes sharp yet calm.
Dr. Ruma: "I trust everyone is awake, so we could start our discussion early."
A few students nod. Some hesitate.
Dr. Ruma writes English Communication on the board.
Dr. Ruma: "Today, we discuss persuasion, tone, and intent. Power does not only exist in what you do. It exists in how you speak. Affected by the structures of your sentences and phrases. It is by the manner on how each should speak, especially when going to other countries. One must consider the tense/s of each verbs, and the type of formality in a sense. Communication is key, but not because it is key, you're gonna talk to a lock door so it will open hence the key. Now that's barking up the wrong tree. English Communication, gives various signals, and it is one of the ways to socialize and connect with others."
She begins calling students to read, analyze, and debate short passages. The discussion grows lively, opinions clashing respectfully. Ryujin raises his hand to comment, his voice steady as he speaks.
Ryujin: "Words can escalate conflict just as fast as actions."
Dr. Ruma nods.
Dr. Ruma: "Exactly. Language shapes outcomes."
Time moves quicker than expected, and soon the bell rings.
Dr. Ruma: "Prepare your written reflections on our next meeting, and that would be all, class."
A wave of relief washes over the room as she exits.
Moments later, Mr. Ryoma enters briskly, chalk already in hand.
Mr. Ryoma: "Good morning, class. Sit."
Groans ripple across the desks.
Mr. Ryoma: "Mathematics trains discipline. Discipline saves lives. It will be foundational to your subjects in the higher years, especially as to gathering data in the quantitative way. Hence, we already discussed Roster and Set Notations, and the difference between a Function and a Relation. Now then, we continue with our lesson with operations on functions."
He fills the board with equations, his handwriting precise and relentless. Students scribble notes, some focused, others clearly struggling.
Hageshi leans toward Ryujin.
Hageshi: "Numbers feel aggressive today."
Ryujin: "They always do. But it's usually the last number that should have been fussy."
Haruto rubs his temple.
Haruto: "I understand it until I don't."
The bell rings again, cutting through collective suffering.
Mrs. Shikaku enters next, graceful and composed.
Mrs. Shikaku: "Today, we explore literature as reflection. Listen closely class, how background changes the theme of a piece. Look at this Tanaka and Kaiju, I'll read it aloud."
She reads aloud, her voice gentle, drawing the class into the rhythm of the prose. Even the restless students grow quiet, absorbed by the cadence of words and meaning.
When lunch finally arrives, the tension dissolves.
Ryujin, Hageshi, Haruto, and Inoshiro remain inside the classroom, unpacking their meals.
Hageshi: "I'm not dealing with cafeteria noise today."
Inoshiro: "Same."
Haruto: "Man, I'll be, maybe you're gonna burn it down if you get angry."
Inoshiro: "For a hundredth time, dude. My powers are not affected by my emotions, I can control them."
They eat slowly, trading comments and casual jokes. After finishing, Ryujin pulls up a video playlist.
Ryujin: "Mandatory meme review."
Haruto: "I accept my fate."
They laugh quietly, shoulders shaking, trying not to attract attention.
Inoshiro: "Why is this funny again?"
Hageshi: "Because we're tired."
Ryujin: "Well, caption this or that, we are all a Tired Spongebob meme"
The afternoon resumes with Mr. Shinoda, who speaks calmly, inviting reflection rather than answers.
Mr. Shinoda: "What defines purpose?"
The class falls into thoughtful silence.
Ryujin finally responds.
Ryujin: "Direction."
Mr. Shinoda smiles faintly.
Mr. Shinoda: "A powerful word."
Ms. Kantano follows, her lesson grounded and practical.
Ms. Kantano: "Skills matter. Adaptability matters more."
Students listen, some nodding thoughtfully.
Mr. Pyuriro closes the day with history, his voice steady as he recounts patterns of the past.
Mr. Pyuriro: "History warns those who listen. However, do you know why people think history is a dope? Because people don't care about it. But, History is the study of past that has some mistakes. It is a discipline showing how the past bridging to the present. And get this, history repeats itself. True or False? It's false. You know why? Ladies and Gentlemen, people of the Japanese Islands, history doesn't repeat itself because people only repeat it."
The final bell rings.
Chairs scrape back as students gather their belongings. The room buzzes with renewed energy.
Ryujin slings his bag over his shoulder and glances at his friends.
Ryujin: "Same routine tomorrow."
Hageshi: "Wouldn't miss it."
Inoshiro: "Unless chaos decides otherwise."
They laugh and walk out together, unaware that days like this—quiet, ordinary, human—never last forever.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkZcVQEO4s
and then Add to home screen.