Love, Chaos, Misery and Life.

The Encounter

Giyu Tomioka was the quintessential model student, the kind of person teachers quietly admired and praised, while peers found him easy to overlook. With his dark hair always swept nearly to the side and his uniform always crisp, he blended into the background of school life as effortlessly as a shadow. His quiet demeanour was complimented by an intense focus; his days were consumed by studying, methodically loving from one text book to the next with an almost military precision. Every lunch break was a silent retreat, he found himself in a far corner in the library, where he could escape the noise of the bustling corridors and could immerse himself in the comforting world of academia.

Giyu preferred it this way. There was something calming about slipping under the radar, about letting the tidal wave of high school drama crash around him without being swept away by it. The chaotic energy of the school—the gossip, the laughter, the petty arguments—felt like white noise in the background of his life. In his mind high school was a temporary phase, a stepping stone of sorts, to help further his career and future. The sooner he could get through it, the better.

But high school had its predators, and the quiet, diligent students like Giyu often stood out more than what they realised.

Across the schoolyard, in a world that felt a million miles away from the one that Giyu had inhabited, was Shinobu Kocho. If Giyu was the embodiment of discipline and restraint, Shinobu was pure, untamed energy. She was a member of the notorious school gang known as the 'The Kizuki', a group that seemed to feed on rebellion, thriving in the shadows of delinquency. They didn't just break rules—they made a game out of it. Shinobu, with her deceptively sweet smile and eyes that sparkled with mischief, was the gangs ring leader.

Her reputation was well-known around the school. She had a knack for trouble, yet always managed to dodge any serious consequences. It wasn't that she was physically intimidating—Shinobu was petite, with a delicate frame that masked the sharp mind and calculating nature within. What she lacked with brute strength, she made up for with cunning and charisma, traits that made her all the more dangerous.

The Kizuki's gang presence lingered like a bad omen wherever they went. They claimed certain hallways as their own, sauntering through the school with an air of untouchable arrogance. And now, it seemed, they had a new target in their sights—Giyu Tomioka.

It started with glances from across the classroom. At first, they were subtle, almost playful. Shinobu would lean against the doorframe, arms crossed, her eyes narrowing in mock amusement as Giyu passed by, completely unaware of the predator lurking and stalking nearby. Her friends would stifle laughter as they exchanged whispers, casting sideways glances at Giyu like wolves circling an unexacting deer—a new challenge, a new puzzle to solve and break.

Shinobu was fascinated by him. Giyu was different from the others in their year. His silence intrigued her, the way he moved through the world without the need for validation from others. It was as if he existed on a plane of his own, untouchable and serene. Perhaps it was because of that serenity her had, that made her want to disrupt it. To Shinobu, Giyu was an enigma, a quiet storm waiting to be unleashed, and she was determined to be the one to crack him open and reveal his inner torment.

The first real confrontation came on a crisp autumn afternoon. Giyu, as usual, had taken refuge behind the school building, sitting on a nearby bench with a thick textbook sprawled upon his lap. The leaves rustled overhead as the wind picked up, however Giyu paid it no mind. The world, and all its glory, outside his book didn't exist for him at that moment.

Until it did.

"Hey, Tomioka"

The voice was soft yet filled with an edge, cutting through the silence like knife. Giyu's fingers paused mid-turn of a page, his eyes flicking upwards to meet the gaze of Shinobu Kocho. She stood a few paces away, arms folded across her chest, her trademark smile playing on her lips. Behind her, two of her Kizuki companions flanked her sides, looking far less amused than she did.

Giyu blinked once, briefly scanning the scene before him. He didn't recognise the faces of the two companions, but he knew Shinobu's. Everyone did. She was notorious, after all, for finding amusement and fun in situations where most, logical people would actively try and avoid. Still, Giyu wasn't fazed. He had learned long ago that reacting to bullies only ever gave them the power they craved and sought.

So, he did what he had always done, he ignored her.

Shinobu's smile widened as she took a few more steps closer, her fingers brushing the worn cover of his book before snatching it from his hands with a deliberate slowness. Giyu's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent.

"Biology, huh?" Shinobu said, flipping through the pages with a feigned interest. "Pretty boring stuff. Don't you ever want to do something a little bit... exciting?"

Behind her, the other two Kizuki chuckled darkly. The air seemed to thicken, tension crackling like electricity between them. Giyu's expression remained unreadable, but his body subtly stiffened.

Shinobu's violet eyes flicked up to meet his once again, her head tilting with curiosity. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

She dropped the book at his feet, the book hitting the floor made a sharp thud, the pages splaying out on the ground. The world, seemingly stopped in time, waiting for a reaction, anything, from Giyu.

But Giyu simply bent down, scooped up the book, and resumed his position on the bench, flipping through the pages to the one he was interrupted on, seemingly acting as if nothing has happened. The act of complete dismissal, it sent a ripple of disbelief through the group, one they couldn't ignore.

Shinobu raised an eyebrow, her grin fading for just a second. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Most students, they would have been scrambling on the floor, struggling to apologise, to pick things up with shaky hands and hurried footsteps, desperate to try and escape her gaze. But Giyu? He acted as if she was nothing more than a passing breeze.

That only made him more interesting to her.

"Well." She said, straightening up, her voice losing some of its playful edge, "I guess I'll have to try harder next time then." She leaned down, close enough that Giyu could feel the warmth from her breath against his ear. "I'm not going to leave you alone you know."

And with that she turned on her heel, her friends following suit, behind her, as they neared the corner they both disappeared around the the corner of the building, their laughter echoing faintly in the distance.

Giyu exhaled slowly, his grip tightening on the edge of his books slightly. His calm facade didn't falter, but deep down he knew she wouldn't just give up, she would get him and this was only just the beginning.