Chapter 9: The Brave One
794 Words
The Brave One.
Lee Arden Santos trudged into school with all the confidence of someone who survived mud, mafia, and motherly wrath, but today a new challenge loomed: he actually had to talk to Kaito Sakamura.
The cold, tall, dangerous transfer student who could probably crush a person with a single glare-or maybe own the entire school. Arden had survived alleys full of mud and men in black suits.
Surely, he could survive a conversation.
Indeed.
Lunchtime arrived, and Arden found Kaito sitting all by himself at a table on the other end of the cafeteria, staring straight ahead at some point on the floor.
His presence exuded that kind of “I might own this school, and you’re about to regret existing” aura that could make normal students hyperventilate.
Arden’s heart thumped in double time.
“Alright,” whispered Arden to himself, “time to be normal… or at least, normal-ish. Confident. Brave. Not terrified. Milk tea… safe. Heart… racing… okay, just pretend.”
Arden marched over, tray in hand, milk tea wobbly in the backpack.
Milo followed behind, muttering, "This is a bad idea… just bad."
“Relax,” Arden said, “I've survived worse. Mafia, possibly death… and I—oh no, is he staring?!”
Kaito looked up. Arden froze. Every hair on his body seemed to scream, Do not speak. Do not breathe. Do not sneeze. Arden blinked.
Kaito's gaze was sharper than a thousand pencils, colder than a freezer, and somehow… intimidatingly calm.
“Sit,” Kaito said softly, his voice low and measured, yet somehow commanding.
Arden stumbled. "Sit… yes… sit. I… I… am sitting. Strategically sitting. Totally normal sitting."
He plopped down opposite him, milk tea tucked safely under the table like a secret weapon.
Kaito regarded him silently for a long moment. Arden's brain scrambled for conversation starters.
"Uh… hello? I… I'm Arden. Lee Arden Santos. Milk tea enthusiast. Survivor..... and… uh… you are… terrifying."
Kaito's lips twitched, almost a smirk, not quite. "Interesting," he murmured.
Arden almost choked. Interesting? Again? Like the mafia guy? Oh no. He knows. He knows everything!
Kaito leaned back a bit. “You don’t seem… ordinary.”
Arden puffed his chest. "Not ordinary? Correct. Very correct. I am extraordinary. Legendary. Stubborn. Brave. Sometimes reckless. But always heroic. Milk tea preserved. Alley survived. You… should be impressed."
Kaito blinked slowly, voice as calm as ever. "I'm not impressed. yet. But I can see you're. persistent."
Arden almost fell out of his chair. Persistent?! That’s… that’s pretty much a compliment! I think!
"Relentless," Arden whispered the word fiercely to himself.
"Yes. I am relentless. Heroic relentlessness. Brave relentlessness. Stubbornness for all to see. And possibly… mildly caffeinated relentlessness."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. “You're… unusual. Most people would avoid trouble.”
Arden snorted. "Avoid trouble? Ha! I go in search of trouble. I chase trouble. I wrestle it, negotiate milk tea treaties with it, and then survive it. You… could learn from me."
Kaito tilted his head slightly. “You‘re… fearless… or perhaps foolish."
“Fearless!” Arden shouted, thumping his chest. “Survivor of alleys, mafia henchmen, and… and… wait, maybe slightly foolish—but heroic foolish! Yes. Definitely heroic foolish. Not foolish foolish. Only heroic foolish!
Kaito's eyes softened… just slightly. Arden thought he saw… approval? Or maybe he was just imagining it. Arden's heart leapt.
"Yes! I am… appreciated! Even by… cold, tall, mysterious transfer students!"
A pause. Then Kaito spoke. “You have… spirit. I can respect that.”
Arden almost fainted. Respect… from Kaito… he’s practically admitting to my genius. Legendary, historic, milk-tea-saving genius.
"Spirit," Arden whispered, nodding his head furiously. "Yes. Spirit. Heroic spirit. Stubborn, courageous, and… extremely capable of surviving alleys, mud, and… your intense stare.
Kaito c****d his head again; his expression was inscrutable. “You're. interesting.”
Arden froze. Interesting… again?! Just like the mafia leader… oh no… the prophecy continues…
“Yes,” Arden said boldly, his chest out, milk tea safe under the table.
“I am interesting. Legend in the making. Hero of alleys and milk tea. You… will learn my name… and fear my persistence… in the most respectful way, of course.”
Kaito's lips twitched into what could almost be a smile.
Arden beamed. Victory! Triumph! Survival! Recognition! And possibly… a new ally leader?
Lunch done, Arden walked back to class light-hearted, her head held high, and her milk tea wobbling proudly.
Milo muttered, “You actually talked to him… and survived.”
"Milo… today, I made history. I survived the coldest stare in the school… and possibly earned the respect of a future mafia overlord… I mean… Kaito."
Arden whispered theatrically. And somewhere, faintly, Arden could almost hear it: Interesting… very interesting. -
- Writer
