[Chapter 7 - Enter Kowa]

Meanwhile somewhere on the other side of the village:

Kowa was out cold, his arm dangled off the edge, mouth slightly open, completely unbothered by the world. If someone poked him, there was a good chance he wouldn't wake up—at this point, even the dead might be easier to rouse.

He finally woke up with a groggy sigh, his messy pink-dyed hair covering half his face like a failed disguise. With a lazy shift, he swept it to the side, only for it to flop right back over one eye. He blew at it halfheartedly. No use. The other side of his bed was warm, the sheets slightly creased—freshly abandoned.

Wait… freshly?!

His eyes snapped open. His head turned to the side so fast it nearly gave him whiplash. He squinted at the empty space.

"Oi… did she really leave without a goodbye? So heartless."

Not that he could blame her. He was exhausting to deal with—his words, not hers.

The salty scent of the ocean wafted in through his slightly cracked window. He turned his head toward it, staring at the vast, brooding sea. Skies covered with ever so cold clouds. Never deciding to leave. 

The ocean, It looked, weird. Dark. Almost colorless, like someone had drained its life. 

Weird. But whatever.

Then it hit him.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late for school!" He shot up, sitting at the edge of his bed with the speed of a man dodging responsibility.

"Unbelievable! Madam didn't wake me up for school? Not cool, Madam. Especially when it's your fault I was up so late."

He grinned to himself. Last night had been… fun.

Kowa stretched his arms above his head before hopping out of bed, sauntering over to his wardrobe. This part of the day was sacred. The selection of The Shirt. It required precision, patience, and a keen sense of fashion.

He stood in front of his wardrobe for like a solid hour. Maybe two.

And there it was. The pink one.

"Yep. You, my dear, will do."

He threw on his school uniform shirt over it and began buttoning it up—until he didn't. He stared at himself in the mirror, then slowly undid the two buttons he'd just closed.

"Nah."

Fashion was about confidence, after all.

With that, he ran his fingers through his hair, making faces at himself in the mirror. He winked. Did a smirk. Flexed his fingers as if about to deliver the final blow in a battle of wit and charm.

Perfect.

Kowa slid down the stairs effortlessly, laughing to himself, enjoying the little thrill—until he nearly crashed into a girl walking up.

"Watch it, dumbass!" she snapped, stepping aside just in time. "Ugh, I can't believe you still do that. Grow up already!"

He chuckled, raising a hand in apology, but she had already turned away with an exasperated sigh.

The room was warm with chatter and soft laughter. Women sat elegantly, some dressed as if waiting for someone special, others engaged in conversation with their partners. A few quietly disappeared into the other rooms with their men. It was a familiar sight, and Kowa greeted it the way he always did—with a casual wave and a bright grin, like he was strolling through his second home.

Then—thud.

A guy bumped into him, nearly bouncing off Kowa's solid frame. Compared to Kowa, he wasn't much in size, and the moment their eyes met, his face turned a deep shade of red. Instead of saying anything right away, he quickly hid his face from the crowd, shoulders hunching as if that would make him invisible.

He barely whispered, "Is she… is she free today?" His voice was so low it was almost lost in the room's soft murmurs, but the hope in his eyes was clear.

Across the room, a woman sitting alone noticed him instantly. She stood gracefully, smoothing down her dress as she approached, her gaze warm. The moment their eyes met, the air between them shifted.

They spoke like two people who had been waiting all day just to see each other. There was a certain shyness in their smiles, a kind of happiness that didn't need words.

Kowa watched them for a second, a small smile tugging at his lips. 

Then.

Without bothering with the front door (because that would be boring), Kowa hopped right out the window. The second his feet touched the ground, The socializing began.

Many, many students were walking toward the school, some young, some older. But they all had that friendly smile for Kowa, the kind that only someone who exuded "popular kid" energy could get.

"Yo, Kowa!"

A high-five.

"My guy! Looking sharp!"

A finger-gun and a smirk.

"Kowa, you're late again, aren't you?"

"Punctuality is for people with fewer priorities, babe."

Kowa strutted down the path, counting off with his fingers as he pointed at the girls passing by, "One... two..." (he kept going, a smirk growing as he counted).

"Alright, this is all of the girls," he said dramatically, pausing for effect. "And I might add, every single one of you ladies are beautiful, your presence is a blessing on this campus."

He threw a flirtatious glance over his shoulder, hand dramatically over his heart,

"Oh, what could a lonely man like me do to make it up to you?"

He let the words hang in the air, totally playing up the charm, while a few girls giggled, clearly entertained by his antics.

Then—ah. There she was. A beautiful angel among mortals, walking next to some guy who was trying way too hard to look important.

Kowa's grin widened.

"Good morning, beautiful~" His voice was like silk, smooth and confident. "If your guy forgets, let me be the first man to remind you—you are the most gorgeous woman on this campus."

The girl turned a deep shade of red, stammering. Her boyfriend? Not amused.

"Hey, man, what the hell?"

Kowa shrugged, the absolute picture of innocence. "What? I'm only telling her the truth."

And with that, he walked away, hands in his pockets, whistling like he hadn't just caused relationship turbulence at 8 a.m.

Behind him, the guy grumbled under his breath.

"Jerk."

And there it was! The ever-so-busy school. The place that the eager students who craved education lovingly called the "house of knowledge," but in reality, it was the Mondemon High School.

As Kowa leaned against the school gate, the usual morning buzz filled the air—students chatting, footsteps echoing against the pavement, and the occasional laughter breaking through the hum. But then, a small group of girls approached, their faces a mix of relief and frustration.

"Thank goodness you're here today, Kowa!" one of them said, exhaling as if she had been holding her breath. "Lardo and his gang keep stretching day by day."

Kowa barely reacted, only raising an eyebrow.

Ah yes, Lardo—a name the entire school knew. He was the school's biggest delinquent, a brute with an ever-growing gang of followers. Week by week, his grip tightened as more students either joined him or stayed out of his way.

"They're getting worse," another girl added, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Vulgar, shameless, harassing any girl who can't fight back. At this rate, Lardo's going to own the whole damn school."

Their expressions darkened at the thought. But then, as if the weight had lifted slightly, their eyes shimmered with gratitude.

"We feel safe around you, Kowa," one of them admitted. "You're one of the few who actually stands up to them for our sake."

He didn't answer immediately, only tilting his head with a smirk. They waved him off, thanking him before disappearing through the school entrance.

Kowa stood dramatically in front of the gates, his gaze lingering on the entrance.

"Too predictable," he muttered with a smirk, clearly unimpressed by the usual way of entering.

Then his eyes shifted to a window above.

"Ah, that's more my style," he grinned to himself before beginning to climb the wall with the ease of someone who'd done it a hundred times before.

Inside the hallways, students flooded the space, some buried in books, others leaning against walls chatting.

"Your hair looks beautiful, bestie! Did you try that shampoo I suggested?" A girl spoke excitedly, practically chasing her friend down the hallway like a puppy.

Her friend stood tall, walking with an air of grace that turned heads. She glanced down at the girl, an eyebrow arched. "It's ma'am to you."

Then she continued, her voice cool, "No. I didn't use your cheap dirt you call shampoo. Dorian bought me this. He says it's the most trendy conditioner a lady could use from one of those big cities." She flipped her hair with confidence, the picture of elegance.

Her friend chased after her, eyes sparkling with envy. "Wow, you're so lucky! Ma'am" she squealed, still gushing.

The taller girl was visibly annoyed, her stride unbroken, but then—

Suddenly! A figure popped out of the window above them. The two girls jumped, letting out a loud scream in shock.

"Hey there, Gillette." The voice was smooth, playful.

It was Kowa. He had climbed six stories high just to greet her.

The two girls rolled their eyes in unison, turning their backs to him with an air of disinterest.

Her friend, still standing there, spoke for her, bored and uninterested: "Her name is Giselle."

Kowa took a moment, scanning Giselle, admiring her beauty. He grinned and raised an eyebrow. "No? Because I could've sworn her name was Gillette... since she's the best a man can get."

Giselle's friend stepped in front of Kowa, blocking his view of her. "Back off. She already has a boyfriend. She doesn't have time for the dogs who flirt with every girl they see."

Kowa, unbothered, cut her off with a shrug. "So, what are you? Her mom? Her bodyguard?" He leaned in closer, eyes glinting with mischief. "I'm not talking to you. I'm just giving my attention to the beautiful girl who deserves me."

Giselle finally spoke, her face turning red—not from blushing, but from sheer irritation.

"Just shut up, you smelly mutt. Don't you get tired of chasing and licking all these random girls like a dog to licking his bone?"

"Oh? So you're thinking about me licking girls? Isn't that kind of bold?" Kowa replied, titling his head, teasing. 

Both Giselle and her friend stared at him for a moment, their eyes narrowing in annoyance.

Finally, Kowa broke the silence, his voice smooth and confident. "A beautiful woman is a work of art, a work of God, and it's a man's duty to admire it." He grinned, clearly proud of his own words. "And let's be honest, you're a beautiful goddess, and look at me! I'm a man blessed with the treasure of good looks. Handsome, if I do say so myself."

He paused, staring at them both with a playful glint in his eyes. "It's only the most logical thing for two such forces to get together."

Kowa's smirk was practically glued to his face as he lazily leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Gisele's growing irritation with pure amusement.

"And let's be honest," he said, tilting his head, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "That guy you keep around? He's way out of your league."

Gisele shot him a sharp glare, but Kowa only chuckled, undeterred.

"I'm sorry, but it's true" Before giselle could open her mouth, he added further "And no, don't lie to me, ladies!" 

"You have noticed it too—I have nothing against that, he acts cool and stern but his face only looks like a bulldog."

Before she could snap back, 

Kowa immediately started making exaggerated faces, mimicking the bulldog in a cartoonish manner. "Like this?" he grinned.

But suddenly, both Giselle and her friend froze, eyes wide with terror, staring behind him.

Kowa glanced back, his face suddenly nervous. "Oh crap. It's your boyfriend, isn't it?"

Dorian stood tall, towering over Kowa like a brick wall, his sheer size making the two henchmen flanking him look like puppies in comparison. His expression was furious—jaw clenched, nostrils flaring, like a beast ready to charge. And as he squared up, his face, contorted in anger, was a perfect mirror of Kowa's earlier mocking bulldog impression.

Kowa turned, took one look at him, and burst out laughing, pointing straight at Dorian.

"See Giselle? I told you he looks like a bulldog!"

Dorian's eye twitched, his fists tightening.

Gisele, standing behind him, crossed her arms and scoffed. "What are you waiting for? Shut this annoying mutt up! I've had enough of his bullshit—his mouth just won't shut up."

Dorian didn't need the command. His body was already in motion.

A fist came flying—fast, precise, slicing through the air like a bullet. Kowa barely dodged, weaving back as the sheer force of the punch whooshed past his face. He took a casual step back, melting into the crowd of students who had gathered, some concerned, others electric with excitement at the brewing fight.

But Kowa? His expression remained effortlessly cool. He sidled up to two beautiful girls watching with wide eyes, their faces turning red as he flashed them a flirtatious grin.

"Excuse me, ladies, may I ask for a favor?" He slowly slid off his unbuttoned school shirt, then peeled off his pink undershirt, revealing his toned, sweat-slicked abs that shimmered under the hallway lights. The girls' mouths fell open, hearts practically leaping from their chests.

He gently handed them his shirts, as if entrusting them with a sacred relic. "This shirt is my favorite. Take good care of it, okay?" His voice was dripping with dramatic charm.

One of the girls, face red as a tomato, clutched the shirts like they were worth more than her life. Before she could even respond, a sudden shout snapped everyone's attention back to the fight.

To Be Continued.