Cut It Out, Kazuya
Kiryuu Daiki
Episode 2 – "Cut It Out, Kazuya"
Scene 1: The Classroom & Hallway
The afternoon sun slanted through the classroom windows, casting warm, lazy beams across wooden desks. The air was thick with the kind of restless energy that came with the last few minutes of a lesson, students barely holding on as the droning of their math teacher filled the air.
At the far end of the room, near the window, Kiryuu Daiki sat with a half-open notebook, his fingers gripping a pen. But unlike the others, he wasn't feigning interest in the class or zoning out entirely. Instead, his eyes flickered with focus as he scribbled something down on the lined pages.
At the top of the page, the words stood clear:
"Key Moments That Shaped My Future."
The rest of the list? Hidden beneath his hand, as though shielding it from prying eyes. It wasn't something to share—not now, maybe not ever. His brows furrowed as his pen hovered above the page, hesitation creeping in.
"Alright, that's it for today," the teacher finally declared, shutting his textbook. "Make sure you finish the assignment for next class."
A collective groan rippled through the room as students sat up straighter, stretching as if waking from a forced slumber. The teacher barely made it to the door before chaos took over.
Chairs screeched, books slammed shut, and conversations exploded into existence. A few students slumped dramatically over their desks, mourning the injustice of another math lesson survived.
"Bro, I swear numbers weren't meant to be this complicated," one student lamented, throwing his head back.
"Just drop out and become a monk," his friend shot back, earning a round of laughter.
Across the room, near the middle row, a girl stood out from the crowd.
Her hair caught the fading sunlight, giving it a slight golden glow, her uniform crisp, her posture confident yet effortless. One of the three girls that Kiryuu and the others would soon come to know—though at this moment, she was just a name and a presence in the classroom.
She was mid-conversation with her friends when a boy—clearly mustering every ounce of courage in his body—approached her.
"H-Hey, Ayane…"
A beat of silence.
Her friends immediately turned toward him, eyes narrowing in unison like a synchronized security system.
"Ayane-chan's busy," one of them said, arms crossed.
"Try again next lifetime," another added with a smirk.
The poor guy barely had time to react before his own friends cackled from the sidelines.
"REJECTED!"
"Bro didn't even last three seconds."
"You hate to see it."
Ayane simply blinked, unfazed. But just as the laughter faded, her gaze drifted—settling on Kiryuu.
He was pushing his chair back, sliding his notebook into his bag, completely unaware that her eyes lingered on him for a second longer than necessary.
Then, without looking back, he exited the classroom.
The Hallway Encounter
The hallway was a controlled storm—lockers slamming, shoes scuffing against the floor, students calling out to friends as they hurried to their next destinations.
Kiryuu maneuvered through the crowd with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times before, stopping in front of his locker. With practiced hands, he twisted the lock and pulled it open, rummaging for his next class's textbooks.
That's when he heard it.
Loud, careless, and unmistakably familiar—laughter.
A short distance away, surrounded by his usual group, Kazuya was right at home in the noise. His presence was magnetic, his carefree energy infectious. The group was already mid-story, some inside joke setting them off into another round of laughter.
The same as always.
Kiryuu found himself watching, something stirring in his chest. Nostalgia? Annoyance? A strange mix of both? He didn't realize he had been staring until—
Kazuya's eyes met his.
Kiryuu barely had time to react before Kazuya smirked, clapping one of his friends on the back. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up."
As his friends disappeared into the crowd, Kazuya strolled over, hands in his pockets, exuding the kind of confidence that came effortlessly to him.
"You're looking real intense over there, Kiryuu," Kazuya started, stopping just a step away from him. "Don't tell me you're taking all this too seriously?"
Kiryuu exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on the book he had just pulled from his locker. "I don't expect you to understand."
Kazuya grinned. "Nah, I don't think you get it, man. We got a redo, and you're out here brooding like we're in a damn tragedy." He leaned against the locker beside him, eyes playful. "Me? I'm having the time of my life."
Kiryuu's jaw tightened. "Must be nice."
Kazuya tilted his head. "What, you're telling me you're not enjoying this?"
A moment passed. Kiryuu didn't answer.
Instead, he slammed his locker shut with more force than necessary, the sharp clang ringing out.
"I'll talk to you later," he muttered before walking off, disappearing into the sea of students.
Kazuya watched him go, an amused yet knowing smile playing at his lips.
"Same old Kiryuu," he murmured.
And with that, the hallway carried on, buzzing with life, unaware of the heavy undercurrents weaving through the noise.
Scene 2: Chaos in the Cafeteria**
The cafeteria was a warzone. Not the fun, playful kind—no, this was a full-fledged rebellion against the day's menu.
The culprits? Kazuya and his group of miscreants, armed with nothing but rubber bands and an unshakable grudge against today's lunch: **Gomoku Mame.**
A so-called "nutritious" mix of simmered beans, root vegetables, and tofu that looked like it had already been chewed once.
*"Beans again?"* Ryo groaned, shoving his tray forward as if putting distance would make it more appetizing.
*"It's a conspiracy,"* another muttered. *"They're trying to make us vegetarians."*
*"We just had mame gohan last week. How many beans do they expect us to eat before we revolt?"*
*"I say we revolt now,"* Kazuya grinned, pulling back a rubber band with a single bean locked in place.
*"This is an act of war,"* Ryo nodded solemnly.
*SNAP!*
The bean launched across the cafeteria, bouncing off someone's shoulder. A confused first-year glanced around in bewilderment before shrugging it off.
*Kazuya's group erupted into muffled snickers.*
*"Too easy,"* one of them whispered.
Another *SNAP!* Another bean soared through the air. This time, it smacked into a juice box, sending a small spray of tea onto its unlucky owner.
*"Oi! Who the hell—?!"* The victim stood up, furious, but Kazuya's group had already assumed the *we're-innocent-students-just-eating-lunch* pose.
Their expressions? Picture-perfect innocence.
Meanwhile, across the cafeteria, a different kind of chaos was unfolding.
Ayane and her group sat at their usual table, their lunch trays practically untouched as the scene before them played out.
*"Still the same troublemaker from middle school,"* Ayane mused, watching Kazuya fling yet another bean across the room.
Her two friends nodded in agreement.
*"Still an idiot."*
*"Still a nuisance."*
*"Still a—"*
*"I think he's hot."*
The words slipped out before Reina even realized she'd said them.
The table fell *dead* silent.
Two pairs of eyes snapped toward her in eerie synchronization.
*"Where did that come from?"* they both asked at the same time.
Reina immediately tensed up, as if she'd just confessed to a crime.
*"N-no! Forget that! I didn't mean to say that out loud!"* she stammered, her face heating up.
*"Oh-ho-hoo,"* one of her friends grinned, leaning in. *"Reina, do you have a crush on *Kazuya?*"*
*"Wha—?! No! Shut up! Ignore me!"* Reina flailed, grabbing her juice box and chugging it like it would drown her words.
Meanwhile, at another table, Kiryuu sat with the **nerd squad**—a group of past mathletes and science fair champions, all of whom had somehow maintained their academic dominance well into high school.
Unlike Kazuya's chaotic gang, their table was filled with serious discussions.
*"How does someone like Kazuya even function in a school environment?"* one of them wondered, adjusting his glasses.
*"Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't been expelled."*
*"He's always up to something. You'd think natural selection would've handled him by now."*
*"Speaking of which, Kiryuu,"* another chimed in, turning toward him, *"why do *you* know him? You're an actual genius. Kazuya is… not."*
Kiryuu sighed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
*"We've been friends since childhood,"* he said flatly. *"And middle school."*
A beat of silence.
*"Oh,"* one of them finally muttered.
Then another piped up, *"So it's like Stockholm Syndrome."*
Kiryuu shot him a look. *"That's not how Stockholm Syndrome works."*
Before another word could be spoken—
*SPLAT.*
A bean smacked right into the middle of their table.
Everyone went silent.
Slowly, Kiryuu exhaled, eyes twitching as he glanced over toward Kazuya's group, who were now barely containing their laughter.
Lunch had just started, and Kiryuu already had a headache.
Everything was going *perfectly* for Kazuya and his gang.
They had successfully turned the cafeteria into their personal bean-flinging warzone, dodged any major retaliation, and their hit rate was a solid 80%.
But then—*disaster struck.*
Ryo, always the boldest when it came to reckless stupidity, pulled back his rubber band, loaded with **one final bean**… except this one had *soup residue* on it.
*"Alright, final shot—watch and learn, boys."*
He took aim.
The target? Completely random. The execution? Flawless. The problem? *The worst possible victim.*
*SNAP!*
The bean flew across the room, spiraling beautifully through the air like a shooting star.
Then—
*SPLAT.*
It landed *right* on the crisp, navy-blue **blazer of the cafeteria monitor.**
The room fell silent.
The monitor—a senior known for his *zero-tolerance* approach to nonsense—froze mid-step.
Slowly, he turned his head toward the source. His eyes locked onto **Kazuya's table.**
Kazuya's group stared. He stared back.
Then, in perfect unison, Kazuya, Ryo, and the rest of the gang all muttered:
*"Oh, shit."*
Then—**absolute chaos.**
*"I'M GONNA KILL YA BRATS!!"* the monitor roared, bolting toward them.
Kazuya's group **scattered like roaches, flipping chairs over, trays crashing to the ground as they made a break for the hallway.**
---
**Kiryuu's Table - The Nerd Squad Perspective**
They watched in deadpan silence.
One of them took a slow sip of his milk.
*"Natural selection is really trying today."*
---
**Ayane's Table - The Popular Group Perspective**
Ayane sighed, rubbing her temples. *"I swear, that idiot never learns."*
Her two friends nodded.
*"Absolutely no sense of self-preservation."*
*"I'm surprised he's lived this long."*
Then, from the side—
*"…Kazuya's kinda cool, though."*
They all turned to Reina, who was **staring at the fleeing Kazuya in complete awe.**
Silence.
Then—
*"Reina… what?"*
Reina's face went red as she panicked. *"N-no, nothing! Shut up!"*
Her friends exchanged knowing glances.
Meanwhile, in the distance, Kazuya's *very* loud screams echoed through the hallway.
Scene 3 – The Aftermath and Encounters
The gymnasium smelled of old wood and sweat, the distant echoes of past games hanging in the air. Kazuya and his gang dragged their feet across the polished floor, their usual mischief nowhere in sight as they scrubbed away at invisible dirt.
This was their punishment.
Flashback – The Fall of a Warrior
It all went downhill the moment Ryo decided to push his luck. He had found the perfect bean—coated in miso soup, slightly hardened, aerodynamic perfection.
"Watch this," he grinned, pulling back his rubber band.
The bean soared. It spun. It landed.
Right on the pristine navy-blue blazer of the hall monitor.
The monitor froze.
Slowly, painfully, he turned his head, eyes filled with the fury of a man who had just watched his honor be spat upon. The miso stain dripped like the last remnants of dignity slipping away.
A beat of silence.
Then, the inevitable.
"Shit." The gang muttered in perfect unison.
The monitor lunged. Trays clattered. Chairs scraped. Students dived out of the way as Kazuya's gang scrambled, dodging through the cafeteria like rats in a sinking ship.
They thought they were home free. Then fate struck.
The monitor's foot hit a stray milk carton. His balance wavered. His arms flailed.
SPLAT.
Face-first into the floor.
For a long moment, all was still. The cafeteria held its breath.
Then, in a voice ragged with defeat, the fallen warrior reached a trembling hand toward his fellow monitor—Kenji.
With his last ounce of strength, he croaked:
"Avenge me… brother…"
Kenji nodded solemnly. A breeze seemed to lift his headband as his eyes filled with unshaken resolve.
"Your soul shall not wander alone. I shall uphold our code."
He turned toward Kazuya's gang, fire in his gaze.
"Your misdeeds end here, villains."
And then he ran.
Kazuya's gang had no chance. Unlike his fallen comrade, Kenji was an athlete. He dodged, leaped over tables, and herded them like prey until they were backed into a corner.
Caught.
The chase was over. Their fate was sealed. Cleaning duty.
Back to the Gymnasium
Ryo groaned, dragging the mop across the floor. "This sucks."
Kazuya leaned against his broom. "Could've been worse."
Ryo shot him a glare. "How?"
"We could've had to write an apology letter."
Ryo shuddered. "Damn. True."
As they scrubbed away their sins, a pair of eyes peeked through the gym doors.
Reina.
She stared at Kazuya with the intensity of someone trying to figure out how a delinquent could be this hot.
Unfortunately, her stealth skills were lacking.
"What are you doing?"
Reina jumped, spinning around. Ayane and their friends stood behind her, arms crossed.
Reina stammered, "N-nothing! I wasn't—! I mean—!"
Ayane's two closest friends exchanged glances, smirking.
"...You sure about that?"
Reina turned red.
She bolted.
Ayane watched her go, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."
Her friends giggled, and with that, they left.
Later – Outside the School
With their punishment finally over, Kazuya and his gang split up, throwing casual goodbyes over their shoulders.
Kazuya stretched, yawning as he turned down an empty corridor—
And stopped.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, Kiryuu stood waiting.
Kazuya blinked. "What, were you lurking in the shadows for dramatic effect?"
Kiryuu didn't respond. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out the folded sheet of paper from that morning.
He flicked it open.
Kazuya leaned in.
Only one thing was visible.
"Mistakes I Won't Repeat."
Kazuya's smirk faltered.
Kiryuu's gaze was unreadable as he finally spoke.
"So… are you ready to hear me out now?"
Fade to black.