Monday morning dawned colder than usual. The air was crisp, the sky overcast with the gray hue of an approaching rain. Leo stood in front of his locker, adjusting his tie and trying not to think too hard about the quiet message Rin had sent the night before:
> "My mother is visiting the school today. Please don't say anything yet. I'll handle it."
He hadn't replied.
Not because he didn't care.
But because he didn't know what to say.
---
By second period, the tension in the air was palpable. Word had spread that Rin's mother—Madam Yukimura, a powerful figure in the education board of Kyoto—had arrived.
Yuki nudged Leo during homeroom. "You okay?"
He gave a small nod. "Just... worried."
Kai leaned in from behind. "Worried she'll drag Rin back in a fancy black car and never return?"
Leo shot him a look.
"Too soon?" Kai whispered.
---
After lunch, the principal made a short announcement over the intercom, requesting Rin Yukimura to the counselor's office.
Leo watched Rin rise from her seat slowly. Her expression was calm, composed—more than he could ever manage under pressure. She met his eyes briefly. Just a second.
But it was enough.
He wanted to stand. To go with her. To shield her somehow.
But he stayed put.
She walked out.
---
In the administration wing, Madam Yukimura sat with pristine posture, her traditional kimono pressed without a single wrinkle. Her presence alone demanded silence. Next to her, the principal looked slightly nervous, flipping through papers.
Rin entered quietly.
"Mother."
"Rin."
They exchanged no bow. No smile. Just the formal stiffness of two forces preparing for battle.
"I've reviewed the academic performance charts," Madam Yukimura began, tapping the file. "Your grades are adequate, though your extracurricular engagement here appears unfocused."
Rin kept her voice level. "I've joined the literature club, and I've maintained top three rankings."
"This school lacks the elite focus necessary for your future. We've already secured your admission to Hoshigaki Academy. The transfer window ends next week."
"I don't want to transfer."
A pause.
Madam Yukimura's gaze sharpened.
"This is not about want, Rin. This is about your future."
Rin clenched her fists. "No. It's about control. About how you always make my future for me."
The room grew silent.
The principal glanced away.
"I've made friends here," Rin continued, voice shaking slightly. "People who challenge me, support me. People I want to protect."
Madam Yukimura's eyes narrowed. "You mean that Shen boy?"
Rin's breath caught.
"Your father would not approve of such distractions."
"I don't care."
The words fell like stone.
Madam Yukimura rose slowly, adjusting her sleeves.
"Very well. You've made your choice. But choices have consequences."
She turned without another word and walked out, her heels clicking like gunfire against the marble floor.
Rin remained standing.
Shaking.
But not broken.
---
An hour later, Leo found her behind the gym. He'd been searching everywhere, heart pounding.
"You okay?" he asked.
She didn't speak for a moment.
Then she looked up at him, eyes wet but clear.
"I said no," she whispered.
He stepped closer. "I know."
"She might cut me off. From everything."
"I know."
"I don't regret it."
"I know."
He gently pulled her into his arms.
"I'm proud of you," he said.
She held him tighter than he expected.