Shadows of the Mind

Chapter 7: Hidden Threads

Kageko lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, letting the quiet of her room settle around her. Her phone buzzed on the desk, and she lazily reached for it, already guessing who it might be. Mina had insisted on getting her number after their hangout in the common room, and since then, the cheerful messages hadn't stopped.

Mina: Hey! So, the girls and I are thinking of going shopping tomorrow. You in? 😄

Kageko stared at the screen, feeling a small smile tug at her lips. She wasn't one for group outings, but Mina's enthusiasm was infectious.

Yamikaze: Shopping?

Mina: Yes! Shopping! You know, clothes, shoes, fun stuff. Plus, you need to get out more, Miss Mysterious!

Kageko chuckled softly at the nickname.

Yamikaze: I guess it wouldn't hurt to join.

Mina: Yesss! You're gonna love it! I'll stop by your room around 11! Oh, and I'm changing your contact name. 😏

Kageko blinked, watching as Mina's name in her contacts shifted to "Shopping Queen" with a crown emoji beside it.

Shopping Queen 👑: Now you're 'Shadow Queen.' Fitting, don't ya think? 👑

Shadow Queen 👑: I'll allow it.

She smiled at the exchange, surprised by how quickly she was starting to like her new classmates. Before she could respond, there was a soft knock at her door, followed by a familiar voice.

"Kageko, you decent in there?"

She smiled, already knowing who it was. "Come in, Shinso."

The door opened, and Shinso leaned against the frame, his laid-back demeanor instantly putting her at ease. He gave her a knowing look, one eyebrow raised. "So, how's the legendary UA treating you? You surviving?"

Kageko shrugged, standing up to stretch. "It's... different. I'm still getting used to things. But, it's not as bad as I thought."

Shinso stepped inside, letting the door close behind him as he wandered over to her desk, casually scanning the books and items scattered across it. "You're hanging in there, then. I was starting to wonder if I'd need to rescue you from a room full of chatty classmates."

Kageko chuckled softly. "I've managed to avoid that—mostly. Mina, though, she's persistent."

Shinso smirked. "Yeah, she's got that effect on people. You two getting along?"

Kageko nodded. "Surprisingly, yes. She's... easy to be around."

Shinso grinned, his eyes flicking to the phone still in Kageko's hand. "Easy enough to get your number, I see."

She rolled her eyes, tossing the phone onto her bed. "She's been blowing up my phone about going shopping with the girls tomorrow. I guess I'm going."

Shinso chuckled. "Looks like you're fitting in faster than I thought."

There was a comfortable pause, the kind that came with years of knowing each other. Shinso had always been good at reading her, even when she didn't say much.

But then his expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "There's something I need to talk to you about. It's Bakugo."

Kageko's eyes narrowed slightly, her interest piqued. "What about him?"

Shinso folded his arms, leaning against her desk. "He's... intense. You've probably already noticed. He's not the easiest guy to deal with. His temper flares up over the smallest things, and he doesn't exactly play well with others."

Kageko nodded. "Yeah, I've seen that."

"Just be careful around him," Shinso warned, his tone soft but firm. "He's strong, no doubt, but his pride and anger make him unpredictable. And if he sees you as a threat... things could get messy."

Kageko frowned, thinking back to the training session. "A threat? Why would he see me that way?"

Shinso shrugged. "You don't exactly make yourself easy to read. You've got that whole 'silent but deadly' thing going on. He probably doesn't know what to make of you, and that makes him uneasy. People like Bakugo, they don't like what they can't figure out."

Kageko fell silent, letting his words sink in. She hadn't thought about it that way before, but it made sense. Bakugo did seem to have an issue with her that went beyond his usual aggression. Maybe Shinso was right—maybe he saw her as competition.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kageko said finally, though her thoughts continued to swirl around the idea.

Shinso smiled softly, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Good. Just don't let him get under your skin. You're stronger than he gives you credit for."

Kageko smirked, swatting his hand away. "I know."

As Shinso made his way back toward the door, Kageko couldn't help but think about his warning. Bakugo was a mystery—one she wasn't sure she wanted to unravel. But now that she knew he might see her as a threat, it only fueled her desire to prove him wrong.

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her from her thoughts.

Shopping Queen 👑: Shadow Queen, you better be ready for some serious retail therapy tomorrow! I'm thinking black and purple are your colors. 😉

Shadow Queen 👑: You're relentless.

Shopping Queen 👑: You'll thank me later!

Kageko smiled softly at the screen, her worries about Bakugo fading, at least for the moment. Tomorrow would be a distraction, and she could use it. But as she lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling, Shinso's warning echoed in her mind.

Be careful around Bakugo.

Why did that feel like it was going to be harder than it sounded?