After that "faithful" interaction, the alarm rang, and with it came a voice.

"You rough lots, before eating, go and shower. You stink. I don't want my facility to smell like a rehabilitation center for monkeys."

Talk about attitude!

Gosh, even he who lived on the streets knew manners. How awful!

"Rude old man. Who is he calling a monkey?" Isagi murmured.

Then the voice rang again.

"I didn't say that you are a monkey. It was you who came to that conclusion, so blame yourself."

This froze Isagi.

Damn it!

He slowly walked toward the shower.

It was quite troublesome that it was an open shower, so he probably wouldn't get as much privacy as he hoped for.

Anyways, the directions really confused him.

It's not that he is bad with directions.

No way.

He had a very good sense of direction!

Well, keyword "had."

Now Isagi was genuinely lost.

"For goodness sake," he cursed.

Then suddenly, a tall figure loomed over him.

"Lost?" the guy said.

Isagi looked at him. He wore long silver bangs with black underneath, tied into a high topknot, and had soulless black eyes.

Looks normal, Isagi thought.

"Yeah, I am."

Gagamaru kept silent and walked, meanwhile Isagi just followed behind.

Finally, after a few twists and turns, they made it.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Then Gagamaru left without saying a word.

Now this is the type of stranger he liked dealing with.

Less talk.

Less interaction.

Less hearing pain from those damn voices.

Truly a role model for sure!

Isagi took off his clothes and was suddenly harassed by a piercing look from beside him.

"Cool tattoos..."

"IS THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW?! JIGSAWS? ORR OR PUZZLE PIECES?"

"That's sickkk!"

"My monster said it's cool too!!"

"Even he approves! Hahaha!"

The boy had a large grin. Yellow eyes. Brown short wolf-cut hair with a yellow underlayer. Friendly type of bangs.

Oh dear.

It seems that he had encountered a troublesome one.

It's the "hyperactive" type...

Talk about foreshadowing.

"Isagi, you shouldn't say that you don't want something even in your mind!"

"Why?"

"Cause the more you don't like it, the more frequent the chances of it happening are high."

"That's ridiculous!"

I'm sorry, Reo. You were right. I should've not said that earlier.

"Hello~"

"My name is Bachira Meguru!"

"You're the guy that eliminated Kira when he was off guard, righttttt?"

Isagi kept silent.

"Of course you are! Hah!"

"You must have a monster like me, right? Since we think alike, sooo much!" Bachira grinned.

God, save me.

"I just got a feeling, y'know?"

Please, I hate this.

"That we are going to get along sooo well! ^^"

Are not!

Isagi thought, then he swiftly grabbed his bath towel and bolted away.

Bachira stared at the retreating figure and smiled.

"Playing tag?"

"How nice!! I'll come at you now!" he grinned.

Meanwhile, Isagi:

Finally, some time alone...

But he noticed someone else there.

A pink-haired person.

It seems that the other party was quite irritated.

He could hear them mumbling about.

Conditioner?

Hair oil?

Hair lotion?

Skin care?

Face mask?

Uhm...

It seems that the other party was quite the beauty enthusiast.

Reo did drop some conditioner and hair lotion inside, Isagi thought.

He didn't use them much.

Hmm...

Oh well, at least I can be a decent human.

"Hey."

"What?" The pink-haired boy snapped, clearly on edge.

"I have a spare hair lotion and conditioner. You want to use them?"

"I heard you murmuring about those. Since I got some, I don't mind sharing. (I guess.)"

Reo if he heard this: How could you give a stranger the items I painstakingly choose for you!!!

Chigiri stared at him.

Chigiri: .....

Chigiri: An angel?

"Thank you..."

The pink-haired boy—Chigiri Hyoma—took the bottles with something like reverence.

How could he not be, he would be devastated of his precious hair was neglected afterall.

He inspected the labels, his expression shifting from awe to genuine shock.

"These are good brands," he said, almost to himself.

"How do you have these?"

"A princess gave me," Isagi said, the word feeling very familar on his tongue.

"He's excessive about self-care. Packed enough for three people."

Reo: Of course! You're mine afterall!!

"Excessive is underrated."

Chigiri poured a generous amount of conditioner into his palm, working it through his long pink hair with softness.

"Most guys here probably use three-in-one shampoo and call it a day. Disgusting."

Isagi shrugged, returning to his own shower. The hot water was soothing, washing away the sweat and grime from the fitness tests.

Then he went to the tub to submerge himself.

For a moment, he allowed himself to relax.

Then he felt it.

A hand in his hair.

His body reacted before his mind caught up—he spun, hand snapping out to smack Chigiri's wrist away.

The sound echoed off the tiles.

"Don't touch me," Isagi hissed, his voice dropping like a hiss of a cat.

Chigiri recoiled, eyes wide with shock. "I—I was just—"

"I don't care what you were just doing. Don't. Touch. Me." Isagi glared at the boy.

He grabbed his towel and stormed out, leaving Chigiri standing there, stunned.

The pink-haired boy looked down at his hand.

The phantom sensation of soft, silky strands lingered on his fingertips.

Honestly, when he saw Isagi calmly submerge himself in the water he couldn't help but have an urge to touch those fluffy looking hair.

That "Princess" must've taken care of his hair routine very well.

"His hair is really soft..." Chigiri murmured.

His pink eyes brightening despite the rejection.

"Really soft."

He looked toward where Isagi had disappeared.

At least there's someone nice here, he thought. Even if he's a little... prickly.

Isagi decided to just sit in the big tub on the other side and scrub himself when water came and splashed him.

This caused Isagi's eyes to sting due to the soap.

"Found you!!"

"Tag, you're it!"

Bachira smiled.

Isagi sat there, bewildered.

What do you mean tag?

"What are you doing?" Isagi asked flatly, wiping his eyes.

"Playing with you!" Bachira said, sliding into the water beside him with zero regard for personal space.

"You ran away, so I chased. That's tag, right?"

"I wasn't playing. I was escaping."

"Same thing!"

"It's really not."

Bachira laughed, splashing water everywhere. "You're funny!"

"I'm not trying to be."

"That's what makes it funny!"

Isagi turned away, focusing on scrubbing his arms. Maybe if he ignored the boy, he would go away.

He did not go away.

"So, what's your monster like?" Bachira asked, leaning closer.

"I don't have a monster."

"Everyone has a monster! Mine tells me to score goals, to devour people on the field. He's really loud sometimes." Bachira tapped his temple. "What does yours say?"

Nothing, Isagi thought. Because the only voice I hear is the one that tells me to survive.

"I don't have one," he repeated.

"Liar."

Isagi's hand stilled.

"You're lying," Bachira said, his grin softening into something almost knowing.

"I can tell. You have something inside you. Something hungry. I can see it in your eyes."

You don't know anything about me.

"Leave me alone."

"Nope!"

"I'm serious."

"So am I!" Bachira beamed.

"We're going to be friends, Isagi. I decided."

"I didn't agree to that."

"You don't have to. Friendships don't need permission!"

This is hell, Isagi thought. I've died and gone to hell.

He stood abruptly, water sluicing off his body. "I'm leaving."

"Already? But we just started talking!"

"We didn't start talking. You started talking. I was just here."

"Same thing!"

"It's really not."

"Don't care! ^^"

"Ugh!"

Isagi grabbed his towel and walked away, leaving a trail of wet footprints.

Bachira watched him go, his grin never faltering.

"Oops, did I go too far?"

He stared at the back of the man leaving him.

"Hmm."

"Those tattoos are, uhh, what did mom call it again?"

"ATTRACTIVE!"

"Yeahh It's attractive! :D"

Bachira put his hand in a thinking position as if generating ideas.

Thing!

"He is probably shy!"

Bachira remembered that his mom told him that there are people who are shy to interact with people, but once you get to know them better or talk to them frequently, they would eventually change and accept you.

"I'll do that! :3"

Isagi, now dressed and walking toward the cafeteria, felt a chill run down his spine.

I'm getting goosebumps... 🤧

He rubbed his arms, trying to shake the feeling.

Why do I feel like someone is planning something terrible?

He glanced back over his shoulder.

No one was there.

"I feel like something bad is going to happen.."