After their little episode of classroom entertainment, the rest of the school day passed without anything particularly noteworthy happening.
Katsumi went through his usual classes alongside Aika, listening when necessary and otherwise allowing the familiar rhythm of lessons, notes, and lectures to carry him toward the end of the day.
By the time the final period arrived, however, his attention had already begun drifting toward what he would do afterward.
Then…
Ding.
Dong.
The school bell rang through the building, its familiar chime announcing the end of the day’s lessons.
Almost immediately, the classroom came alive as chairs scraped against the floor, bags were hurriedly packed, and students poured into the corridors with the enthusiasm of people who had just been released from captivity.
Katsumi packed his belongings without any particular urgency before eventually making his way outside with Aika.
The afternoon sun hung above the school grounds, casting long shadows across the pavement while groups of students gathered around the entrance, discussing their plans for the evening before gradually dispersing toward their homes.
Katsumi stood near the gates with his bag hanging casually from one shoulder, while Blue floated invisibly beside him, his translucent form drifting lazily through the afternoon air.
Aika turned toward Katsumi.
There was a noticeable brightness in her eyes, as though she had been waiting for this exact moment since the final bell began ringing.
“So…”
She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly.
“What’s today’s plan?”
Her voice carried a hopeful glint that immediately told Katsumi she wasn’t merely asking out of curiosity.
Katsumi adjusted his glasses.
“…You already have something in mind, don’t you?”
Aika smiled.
“Maybe.”
Katsumi sighed.
“Then why ask me?”
“Because I want to know what you have planned.”
For a moment, Katsumi simply stared at her.
Then his eyes shifted toward Blue.
The dragon was already grinning.
‘Father.’
“What?”
‘She wants to play Vanguard.’
Katsumi’s expression remained flat as he whispered.
“I figured that out.”
Blue folded his tiny arms.
‘Then why are you pretending not to know?’
Katsumi ignored him.
He looked back toward Aika.
“Fine.
We’ll go to Card Capital.”
Aika’s expression immediately brightened.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Katsumi started walking.
“But today isn’t going to be another casual lesson.”
Aika hurried after him.
“Then what are we doing?”
Katsumi glanced sideways at her, a faint smile appearing beneath his otherwise composed expression.
“Training.”
Aika’s hopeful expression turned into genuine excitement.
“Training?”
“Yesterday, you watched me fight Izaki.”
He adjusted his glasses as they walked down the street.
“Today, you’re going to learn why I made those decisions.”
Aika nodded eagerly.
“Okay!”
Behind them, Blue floated along with a satisfied grin.
‘This should be entertaining.’
Katsumi glanced back.
“For you, maybe.”
Blue’s grin widened.
This time, Katsumi didn’t make the same mistake.
He intended to leave Aika at her home and head back home to changed into something fitting.
So they walked their way to Aika’s home.
The walk continued for several minutes, with Aika occasionally glancing toward Katsumi as though she were trying to figure out what exactly he had planned for their training session.
Katsumi, however, offered no further explanation, maintaining the same calm expression while Blue drifted alongside them, occasionally making an unhelpful comment that Katsumi promptly ignored.
Eventually, they reached the street where Aika lived.
Katsumi slowed to a stop and looked toward her house.
“This is where we separate.”
Aika blinked.
“You’re not coming in?”
“No.”
Katsumi adjusted the strap of his bag.
“I need to change first.”
Aika tilted her head.
“Change?”
“Unless you expect me to train in my school uniform.”
“…Fair point.”
Katsumi turned toward the road leading back to his own house, but Aika remained where she was.
“So, when should I meet you?”
“Give me about thirty minutes.”
“Thirty?”
“I need to change, eat something, and prepare my deck.”
Aika nodded.
“Okay.
I’ll wait.”
Katsumi raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t wait outside.” He shooed her.”Go home.”
Aika smiled.
“I know.”
With that, she entered her house, leaving Katsumi to continue his walk home.
The moment she disappeared behind the door, Blue emerged more clearly beside Katsumi, his translucent body drifting through the afternoon sunlight.
‘Father.’
“What?”
‘You seem to be taking this very seriously.’
Katsumi glanced at him.
“I am.”
‘Why?’
“Because if I’m going to teach her, I don’t want to waste her time.”
Blue considered that for a moment before nodding.
‘Reasonable.’
Katsumi continued walking.
“Besides, yesterday showed me that she understands more than I initially thought.”
‘So you’re going to teach her properly?’
“Yes.”
‘How generous.’
Katsumi looked sideways at the dragon.
“Don’t make it sound suspicious.”
Blue grinned.
‘I wasn’t.’
“You were.”
‘I wasn’t.’
“You were.”
Blue simply laughed.
By the time Katsumi reached home, the afternoon sunlight had begun to soften, bathing the streets in a warmer glow as the day slowly moved toward evening.
He unlocked the front door and stepped inside, dropping his schoolbag beside the entrance before heading upstairs.
His room remained almost exactly as he had left it that morning.
The Blue-Eyes cards were safely stored away, his Tachikaze deck resting separately on the desk, and several sleeves and card accessories were arranged with the careful precision of someone who treated his collection more like a private archive than a collection of toys.
Katsumi opened his wardrobe. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
“Something comfortable.”
He changed out of his school uniform and replaced it with a simple dark shirt and comfortable trousers, choosing clothes that would allow him to move freely without looking as though he were preparing for an actual battle.
Blue hovered nearby, examining the outfit.
‘Acceptable atttire.’
Katsumi glanced at him.
“Your fashion advice is irrelevant.” He pointed to the shirt.
“do you even know what they signify?”
‘I agree.’ Blue spoke, completely clueless.
“ugh…” He signed.
“Then why did you comment?”
‘I felt like it.’
Katsumi sighed.
He picked up his Tachikaze deck and began checking it carefully, sliding each card between his fingers while mentally reviewing the combinations he had available.
Aika didn’t need stronger cards.
She needed stronger fundamentals.
Yesterday’s fight had already demonstrated that she could observe a battle and understand its broad flow, but recognizing what happened and understanding why it happened were two completely different skills.
Katsumi placed the final card back into the deck.
“First, resource management.”
Blue floated upside down.
‘Second?’
“Reading the opponent.”
‘Third?’
“Knowing when not to attack.”
Blue’s eyes narrowed.
‘That sounds complicated.’
“It isn’t.”
Katsumi placed the deck into its case.
“It’s just something people usually learn after making enough mistakes.”
He picked up his bag before heading downstairs.
At the kitchen, he grabbed a quick snack and a bottle of water, then checked the clock.
Twenty-seven minutes had passed.
“Good enough.”
He slipped the deck case into his bag and headed toward the door.
Before leaving, however, Katsumi paused.
His eyes drifted toward the room where his Blue-Eyes collection was stored.
For a moment, he considered bringing it.
Then he shook his head.
“Not today.”
Blue appeared beside him.
‘Still hiding it?’
“For now.”
‘You’re afraid someone will ask for one.’
Katsumi’s expression immediately hardened.
“…That is a completely reasonable concern.”
Blue laughed.
Katsumi opened the door.
“Let’s go.”
The two of them stepped outside, leaving the quiet house behind as Katsumi began making his way toward Aika’s home.
This time, however, he wasn’t simply going to Card Capital for another cardfight.
He was going to teach Aika how to think like a cardfighter.
Katsumi left the confines of his home and went forward to meet up with Aika.
On the way, Blue ranted about all the shenanigans happening around them.
The freedom from Katsumi mind was probably good for him.
Author’s not:
Whats your opinion on the Gundam series?